Valerian Ismael

[WBA1955]

I have been patient with him up until now, but I am losing confidence in him.
People say that it's not him out on the field, but he picks the team and continually picks under performing players, and never changes the system.
I thought we had got him because we weren't going to spend money and he was good with the kids, but they never get a chance even when getting motm performances.
You can't blame them for wanting to go elsewhere.
We could have had Wilder for nothing and look how he has turned Boro around.
Einstein said that insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome.
I will see what happens in the window before joining the Val out brigade.
It's Kai's fault we have him and Peace's fault we have Lai.

[mickd1961]

I’m with you here Des.

For me it’s the following things that are getting on my t I t s with Val,

1/ The ludicrous comment about Livermore playing every match if fit!

2/ Not giving youngsters a try over constantly failing senior players.

3/ Taylor-Hickman being inexplicably ditched.

4/ One playing system.

5/ No “out of the box” thinking such as chucking Bartley up front in the absence of a proper CF.

The manager is starting to look like an arrogant fool.

[Leicesterbaggie]

While agreeing with all the points that you have made mickd, there is another valid observation which jots made on another thread when he stated that he didn't think that all the players have bought into VI's system of playing. His system may have worked at Barnsley but it's not working here because, unlike at Barnsley, not all the players are capable of playing this way. This in turn has resulted in us not really knowing which way to play and this is why we have had such inconsistent performances. We have had some games, although less recently, when we have played some decent football and got decent results. However, on far too many occasions we have played, what I describe as 'hoofball', which consequently has resulted in poor performances and a poor watch.

[mickd1961]

99% of players are able to play that style Leicester it’s just that a high percentage don’t like it or can’t be ar s e d and the other % are not fit enough to be on the pitch.

Even in Sunday league football I had talented lads who were fit and fast but they had the “Prima Donna” gene and didn’t like closing down or sprinting into the channels.

If Val wants this style he needs to play the players and kids who are up for it and capable and ship out the rest.

[wbaliquidator]

Up for debate is how effective is any ridged system. On the one hand it gives the opposition a major advantage before they start. They know your game plan and can prepare well. On the other if you are so good at it, perfect, the opposition still cant stop you, in theory.

Val has great belief in his system and last season it certainly worked to very good effect.

SO his theory is that with supposedly a better squad of players even more could be achieved.
But in reality the same result has been achieved in terms of league position.
So the question has to be is our squad in fact better than Barnsley?
Or maybe the players not buying into his philosophy
or is that it, same result no matter thats the best than can ever be expected
Sacrificing any individual skill for a collective team mentality but ultimately producing mediocrity. The skill of the players only needs to be of basic level any more is wasted and unnecessary

My view it’s a bit of both.
One of the pundits in the first game Bournemouth said that his style is great if it produces results but the players can soon get fed when it doesn’t . Mind you thats the same for any system, Pulis included
Yes I’m losing faith, Actually not for the system but I thought he was more ruthless with underperformers. He can still turn it around for the main aim, Lai’s investment and promotion. But god help us if we do get promoted.

[saltnshake]

While agreeing with all the points that you have made mickd, there is another valid observation which jots made on another thread when he stated that he didn't think that all the players have bought into VI's system of playing. His system may have worked at Barnsley but it's not working here because, unlike at Barnsley, not all the players are capable of playing this way. This in turn has resulted in us not really knowing which way to play and this is why we have had such inconsistent performances. We have had some games, although less recently, when we have played some decent football and got decent results. However, on far too many occasions we have played, what I describe as 'hoofball', which consequently has resulted in poor performances and a poor watch.

I think your right we are currently caught between styles the current squad can't or won't play the way Val wants to but are also not good enough technically to play a possession based game both TGH and Fellows have impressed hopefully they will get a lot more game time between now and the end of the season, the question is what is best bring more players in to fit Vals style or change the manager.

[billsbest]

I agree with everything said but I do believe if we had a decent goal scoring centre forward like Mitrovich or Gale etc, we would be easily in the top two. In some ways it is remarkable we are so high with no goal scorer. If we get the right players in January we will make the top two.

[Leicesterbaggie]

I agree that players should give 100% at all times but I do have some sympathy if they are asked to play in a way that they are not suited to or don't enjoy. It's not their fault that a coach comes in and wants them to play in a way that is alien to them. I, personally, don't like watching Ishmael's style of play. It was the same with Pulis, OK when it was successful but dire when we weren't.

[Calgarybaggy]

In the nine games since we lost to Fulham we have outplayed, outshot, outchanced and out cornered our opponents by a significant margin. We have only let in four goals but we have only scored five. We are scoring at a rate of one goal every 19 shots. If we had someone who could actually score goals we would easily be first by about a dozen points and we would all be congratulating ourselves on what a great manager Val is. The real problem is we have no decent strikers (except Grant who is doing ok and is not a center forward anyway). How is the lack of strikers and the inability to score Vals fault? My only complaint is he might have tried bringing in some of the younger players as he has nothing to lose by playing them. But young players provide no guarantee of success and other than that, i don't see how you can lay the blame at Val’s feet since what more can he realistically do?

[baggiematt]

In the nine games since we lost to Fulham we have outplayed, outshot, outchanced and out cornered our opponents by a significant margin. We have only let in four goals but we have only scored five. We are scoring at a rate of one goal every 19 shots. If we had someone who could actually score goals we would easily be first by about a dozen points and we would all be congratulating ourselves on what a great manager Val is. The real problem is we have no decent strikers (except Grant who is doing ok and is not a center forward anyway). How is the lack of strikers and the inability to score Vals fault? My only complaint is he might have tried bringing in some of the younger players as he has nothing to lose by playing them. But young players provide no guarantee of success and other than that, i don't see how you can lay the blame at Val’s feet since what more can he realistically do?

Nail on the head. We can bring in a new manager, play a new system, play a few kids....and this could all lead to still no goals from our strikers.