New Manager?

[slack_pie]

Williams had a worse back three + keeper than Maynard, which goes some way (but not all) to explaining the amount of goals we conceded. But he also had Langstaff, a fully fit Jones, and Crowley all season, which goes someway (but not all) to explaining the amount of goals we scored. How he'd fair with the current lot and injury list, who knows, but I fail to see how home performances and results could be any worse.

[matt_magpie]

Struggling to understand what LW would do differently. Apart from insisting that when the ball ends up back with Slocombe, 'it?s still a corner'. Have we forgotten just how much of the ball our back 3 saw under LW in L2?

That?s my point but he had 2 very exciting wingbacks on their day, the tactics a lot of the time were to work it wide to them as is SMs. If you want to play exciting football you do actually need exciting players and at this moment in time we are a bit devoid of them.

[durhampie]

No. Still have the nightmares. Years from now, small children will whisper 'dont go in there, Grandad's going on about losing to Shrewsbury in the FA cup again'.

And yet despite that hellish combination of personnel and system, we persisted with it. Unbendingly. Yes it set the pulse racing, but often for the wrong reasons.

So if LW came back, I think we'd see a team that, compared to his last visit:

Same shape and patterns of play.
More secure on the ball at the back.
Less forward penetration (ooh missus).

More or less what we've got now then. But with corners that last 3 minutes.

You are wasting your time trying to get this lot to believe that about him. All they see is how wonderful he was getting promoted from the NL. If it wasnt for Baldwins 2 goals we would probably still be there..

[BigFatPie]

No. Still have the nightmares. Years from now, small children will whisper 'dont go in there, Grandad's going on about losing to Shrewsbury in the FA cup again'.

And yet despite that hellish combination of personnel and system, we persisted with it. Unbendingly. Yes it set the pulse racing, but often for the wrong reasons.

So if LW came back, I think we'd see a team that, compared to his last visit:

Same shape and patterns of play.
More secure on the ball at the back.
Less forward penetration (ooh missus).

More or less what we've got now then. But with corners that last 3 minutes.

Home games at least were fantastic under Williams. We let goals in but we scored far more. That tempo and urgency with which we finished the Crewe game, we played like that all the time. How he would get on with the current squad is anyone?s guess, but as Slack says they literally couldnt be any worse or more dull.

Away games are better under Maynard, but its at home where you sell your tickets and make your money.

[matt_magpie]

LW most for most of league 2 had JJ and Nemane WBs, his 2 10s were Crowley and Didzy and Macca up front is it any wonder they were more exciting than we are now?

Not saying he?s not better than SM but that?s worlds apart in personnel especially if you?re playing against defensive teams at home.

[Boomerangpie]

You are wasting your time trying to get this lot to believe that about him. All they see is how wonderful he was getting promoted from the NL. If it wasnt for Baldwins 2 goals we would probably still be there..

You can?t take away goals that happened to try and make a point.

You could easily say without Reynolds and McElhenney rocking up at a fellow Non Legaue club we would have probably won the title at a canter and by a likely record points total and gap.

Williams is flawed, made mistakes, is too reliant on one plan of action and stubborn like all football managers. He was also successful as the record books show

[durhampie]

You can?t take away goals that happened to try and make a point.

You could easily say without Reynolds and McElhenney rocking up at a fellow Non Legaue club we would have probably won the title at a canter and by a likely record points total and gap.

Williams is flawed, made mistakes, is too reliant on one plan of action and stubborn like all football managers. He was also successful as the record books show

In the National League, and its fair to say he has done nothing since..

[Elite_Pie]

LW most for most of league 2 had JJ and Nemane WBs, his 2 10s were Crowley and Didzy and Macca up front is it any wonder they were more exciting than we are now?

No, but at the other end of the pitch he had Stone / Slocombe, Rawlinson, Baldwin and Cameron as his back four, so is it any wonder we conceded so many? He still left us in a playoff position.

For what it's worth I like a lot about Maynard, but I think that X Factor that inspires players to produce that bit more is missing. I would love him to prove me wrong and take us up, but I just can't see it.

[DoddingtonPie]

In the National League, and its fair to say he has done nothing since..

I will bet my house that he turns MK around and they are promoted next season.

The one thing I will say about Williams teams, despite defensive frailties - they never lay down and died and battled till the end.

The current team do, with alarming regularity

[matt_magpie]

No, but at the other end of the pitch he had Stone / Slocombe, Rawlinson, Baldwin and Cameron as his back four, so is it any wonder we conceded so many? He still left us in a playoff position.

For what it's worth I like a lot about Maynard, but I think that X Factor that inspires players to produce that bit more is missing. I would love him to prove me wrong and take us up, but I just can't see it.

I worry about that too but at the same time I think LW would also struggle to get us firing properly at the moment. As much as we think he had the X factor a lot of Swansea fans were saying the complete opposite, boring football and saying he couldn?t lead anyone.