The Williams legacy

[Observerpie]

He may have inspired a fantastic season in non league but left us on a downward spiral. We will never know for sure if he could've addressed this but, for me, I think he's a one season wonder who got out at the right time and handed a poisoned chalice to his successor.

[freemuzzy]

We won his last home game 5-0 playing a fluid front six and probably the best football I’ve ever seen us produce at this level. Three days earlier, we won 3-0.

He undoubtedly needed to balance things better and not stay rigid to the five attackers minimum, gung-ho approach away from home, but I think it’s a massive reach to say we were in a downward spiral.

If you’re in the playoffs halfway through the season, how does that make you a one-season wonder? Surely no-one was expecting better than that this season.

[jackal2]

People over-dramatise. What we're seeing is a team finding out about its strengths and weaknesses - personnel and tactical - at a new level, with the added complication of a very successful head coach leaving and a new one coming in. These ups and downs are not exceptional - they're normal. The exceptional thing was the remarkable, almost unbroken run of success we had for over a year. We're now experiencing an ebb after a long flow. It's a learning process, and sometimes that means going through some tough times in order to figure out what you need next.

[BigFatPie]

I wrote a lengthy devil’s advocate post about why he was maybe a bit over rated when he left, part of which mentioned his inability to sort out the defensive situation.

As of this moment I’d pay his bus fare from Swansea if he’d come back.

[queenslandpie]

People over-dramatise. What we're seeing is a team finding out about its strengths and weaknesses - personnel and tactical - at a new level, with the added complication of a very successful head coach leaving and a new one coming in. These ups and downs are not exceptional - they're normal. The exceptional thing was the remarkable, almost unbroken run of success we had for over a year. We're now experiencing an ebb after a long flow. It's a learning process, and sometimes that means going through some tough times in order to figure out what you need next.

You simply cannot come on here talking like that jackal, people will think you are mad having some common sense and all that.

[i961pie]

Jackal always speaks common sense.

[slack_pie]

People over-dramatise. What we're seeing is a team finding out about its strengths and weaknesses - personnel and tactical - at a new level, with the added complication of a very successful head coach leaving and a new one coming in. These ups and downs are not exceptional - they're normal. The exceptional thing was the remarkable, almost unbroken run of success we had for over a year. We're now experiencing an ebb after a long flow. It's a learning process, and sometimes that means going through some tough times in order to figure out what you need next.

Well said, Jackal. I think we've just forgotten what it's like to have a period of poor form after four years in the National League where we always won more than we lost.

[the_anticlough]

People over-dramatise. What we're seeing is a team finding out about its strengths and weaknesses - personnel and tactical - at a new level, with the added complication of a very successful head coach leaving and a new one coming in. These ups and downs are not exceptional - they're normal. The exceptional thing was the remarkable, almost unbroken run of success we had for over a year. We're now experiencing an ebb after a long flow. It's a learning process, and sometimes that means going through some tough times in order to figure out what you need next.

I'll also endorse Jackal's wise words.

Fans are hurting, understandably. But we should try to keep things in perspective.

NCT for example yesterday - advocating against the club's philosophy IMO.

The vehicle LW customised has broken down. But there's no point saying we need a whole new, defensively-oriented new motor.
We want to improve the defence and get humming again offensively. It won't be easy. But the owners want entertaining, attacking football. Every coach has said they want to deliver this. So, I think fans wanting a totally different approach would take us back to 2004-08 and turn us into a run-of-the-mill, lower to middle of the pack L2 side with humdrum attendances.

Improve the defence, absolutely, 100%. Get the car running again. But let's not pretend there's a majority that wants to drop the positive philosophy. There isn't.

[slack_pie]

Just one thought - how much of this is Williams' legacy, and how much is our overall "philosophy"?

We've deliberately gone out and recruited a new head coach who plays a similar system and style, with the goal being continuity. So more of the possession-based football we've been wedded to for the last few seasons.

Last night, I was trying to think what I'd do to fix our current slump and make us more resilient against teams like Gillingham, and everything I could think of seemed antithetical to our "philosophy" and therefore unlikely to happen - like signing defenders who can defend primarily, or singing midfielders with a bit more energy and bite, or playing four at the back, or playing our football in the final third rather than the middle of the park.

At what point do we question the overall style of play that we're pursuing? Personally, I'd like to see us be a bit nastier, more physical, and (dare I say it) direct, but it seems that our current set up doesn't allow us to be that pragmatic.

[meoldlaner]

I was going to comment but Jackal has got it spot on.