Promotion or the nearly men!

[Manofpride]

Although Nigel Clough did a decent job for us with the Yanks on a limited money pot, I thought the introduction of Mel and a different manager to push us forward would have us in the Prem within a couple of years. Looks like nothing has really changed.

Good crowds, mediocre players, can't seem to grasp how to push up out of our own half, no leader and when the going gets tough we bottle it!

Was getting rid of Pearson the right thing to do? Has Mac coming back going to take this club forward?

I feel like we're on a slow burner again, look at the money spent on Blackman, Vydra, Anya, Butterfield, Nugent and Johnson and do you think we could we recuperate half of we spent on them? Although I think Vydra would be great playing for someone else we don't seem to be able to accommodate him!

Here's hoping for 9 points out the next 3 home games to give us that push and belief!

Personally I still think we'll be in a similar position to this in 2020!

[ramAnag]

Not going to try and defend how McClaren behaved two years ago - sorry Swale - but in his defence, what's done is done and only Nugent of the players you mention is a McClaren purchase and I still think he'll prove a decent signing.

Agree wholeheartedly with the 'no leader' and tendency to 'bottle it' bit and of course the two are related...we 'bottle it' precisely because we have no proper leader when the going gets tough and yet, McClaren twice, Clement and Pearson have all seemed oblivious to what most of us see as blindingly obvious. With a Stimac, Vanderlaan, Osman, even an Ian Taylor or the like in the side I'd feel so much more confident. No disrespect to Keogh who I think has proved a great signing but as a player not a captain.

Think 7/9 points from the next three matches is a minimum requirement if we're going to stay in what is rapidly becoming a race for sixth place but there are still an awful lot of points to play for.

[roger_ramjet]

Are we not men? We are Devo

[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR3KTg3jhFk"]

[AdiSalisbury]

I think you're right MoP, and I think that Mac coming back has given some of our "nearly men" a second life. I understand why not much has been done staff wise this January, I think it's better to see where we are after the season has ended. I will be bitterly disappointed to see the same team run out come 1st September, regardless of what division we're in.

On the subject of Pearson, think he would have been successful, but we would have had 2 seasons of rebuilding and boredom whilst he sorted us out. I thought it was wrong to dismiss Mac the 1st time around, a serious rollocking for his antics should have nipped it all in the bud.

[KingCharlieGeorge]

I think you're right MoP, and I think that Mac coming back has given some of our "nearly men" a second life. I understand why not much has been done staff wise this January, I think it's better to see where we are after the season has ended. I will be bitterly disappointed to see the same team run out come 1st September, regardless of what division we're in.

On the subject of Pearson, think he would have been successful, but we would have had 2 seasons of rebuilding and boredom whilst he sorted us out. I thought it was wrong to dismiss Mac the 1st time around, a serious rollocking for his antics should have nipped it all in the bud.

Pearson would have taken us in one direction only. Blackman, Vydra, and Anya are a waste of space and I sincerely hope none are with us come September. We really do need to buy smarter.

[BaaLocks]

We've been for a long walk in the woods and ended up where we started. The club is in pretty much an identical position to the one it was in when Clough joined us, save a few places in the table. Not good enough to be promoted, no depth beyond the first eleven, lots of overpaid deadwood that needs shifting on. Last night was evidence for me that we have nothing at all beyond the starting eleven save a couple of half decent bench warming options in Shackell, Lowe, Anya and Nugent. The rest were decidedly average, with at least three of them being multi million pound purchases that stand zero chance of returning on the investment or moving on at anywhere near what we paid for them. The last five or six years have been a complete waste of time and I agree with Adi, it would be a sad day to see any but a couple of this lot start the next season.

[ramAnag]

Pearson would have taken us in one direction only. Blackman, Vydra, and Anya are a waste of space and I sincerely hope none are with us come September. We really do need to buy smarter.

Unusually harsh from you KCG...don't know if Blackman will ever produce but, played in systems that suit them, I do think Anya and Vydra can have something to offer.

[Andy_Faber]

Are we not men? We are Devo

[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR3KTg3jhFk"]

I was one of those ****s who tried to out-Devo the Devo crowd and pretended to be a fan of The Residents.

[Andy_Faber]

Pearson would have taken us in one direction only. Blackman, Vydra, and Anya are a waste of space and I sincerely hope none are with us come September. We really do need to buy smarter.

Anya was quite lively first half, and was Johnny On the spot defensively a few times as well

Vydra I just don't get

But Blackman I actually feel sorry for. When he went off I actually thought to myself 'good riddance', BUT Nugent was no better, and the reason was SERVICE from midfield, the whole of midfield (and the much-praised attacking wingbacks) seemed scared to fail, preferring to turn and turn again rather than lamping the ball into the danger zone. This MUST be how they are being coached, and even my limited understanding of the game tells me that if the ball is in the danger zone there is at least a dog's chance of it ending in the net, and if it isn't there isn't. Maybe I'm stuck in a world of 2-3-5 but better that that passing across and back for three minutes then getting pressured into hoofing the ball out of play.

So I don't know how anyone can judge Blackman (or Nugent)

Our ONLY chance of getting into the playoffs is an on-form and uninjured Ince playing every bloody game. Once in the playoffs it really is a lottery, I'll take us playing bad and winning thanks!

[roger_ramjet]

I was one of those ****s who tried to out-Devo the Devo crowd and pretended to be a fan of The Residents.

Hmmm never could get into those eyeballs n stuff!