Stewart Downing.

[Saxo1man41]

I'm still looking forward to the new season, even though TM remains(can't see a change happening realistically). See what happens once Dack is reintegrated into our team.

[AucklandRover]

What I still don't understand is, if Mowbray so utterly and completely clueless, where do the good performances come from?

[champs95]

What I still don't understand is, if Mowbray so utterly and completely clueless, where do the good performances come from?

Hull who finished rock bottom went on a very very good run unbeaten over 12 games winning 9 of them. In the first of the season. They where 2 points behind us 2 days before Christmas.
Poor teams can go on decent runs. What is your point?

[AucklandRover]

My point is the same as always. Praising the MANAGER for good runs and good performances, and blaming the MANAGER for bad runs and bad performances is to tell only one part of a much bigger, overall story. It just is NOT that simple, and I don't care how many times I'm told it is.
Even Luton fans are admitting on their own sites that until Carter got the OG, it looked as if they had no chance.
That goal had nothing at all to do with EITHER manager. Nor did the second.

[champs95]

My point is the same as always. Praising the MANAGER for good runs and good performances, and blaming the MANAGER for bad runs and bad performances is to tell only one part of a much bigger, overall story. It just is NOT that simple, and I don't care how many times I'm told it is.
Even Luton fans are admitting on their own sites that until Carter got the OG, it looked as if they had no chance.
That goal had nothing at all to do with EITHER manager. Nor did the second.

Not actually what asked though. Your question to me was are managers responsible for good runs. My answer was YES.
As you appear to be suggesting I am saying they are NOT.
They are. Hull had just as good a run as we did in consecutive games. That in no way means they are any good. It simply means they had a decent run at one point.

Again, using the specific example I used the other day. When Mulgrew used to play, we would drop 15-20 yards further back. To address his lack of pace. So he didn't get continually caught out. Did you never notice that?
Vrs Luton, we played a high line. Meaning young Carter was exposed several times.
His o.g was not down to that. But it was down to bad defending. The individual mistake came from Lenihan. He cost us the goal. I think Lenihan was poor in most of the games after lockdown like most of them where.
The defence has had issues for several seasons now. Individual mistakes cost us dearly.
I feel our defence has not really improved much over the past 2 seasons. Are we being coached well enough. Are the players just not good enough? Are we organised enough? Have the issues that come up week after week being addressed? It could well be a mix of everything, and no one person takes the blame.
Either way, we still arrive at the same point. We make alot of defensive mistakes that cost us dearly quite alot. And are not clinical enough up front often missing too many chances we create. That will explain the inconsistency.
It matters little who is to blame, its a case of who will sort it out?

[AucklandRover]

Only five teams scored more goals than us.
Eleven teams conceded more goals than us.

To me, that doesn't spell disaster!
Our defence was severely affected by injury too - especially at full-back.
And our attack didn't have Dack for much of the time.

I simply can't subscribe to the nightmare-picture of our immediate past or potential future that you seem to want to paint.
It really doesn't look that way to me.

[robinrover]

Personally aucks,I am concerned by the depth of the squad.
We are short of talent as a whole,injuries in certain areas really hamper our progress,if this is to be the year to PUSH which looking at the teams in it,then we need a big transfer window.
On shirt buttons,we need a few rough diamonds unearthed.

[AucklandRover]

Robin, I think the problem really only lies in the back five.
On some sites, I see these calls for a midfield "play-maker", but I'd rather rely on Buckley turning into that rather than trying another 30+ PL cast-off. Anyone decent in that role is not realistic on our budget.

[robinrover]

Outside the defence,I am probably happy with maybe a winger or 2.
Defensively we need quite a bit.