Season Summary

[Wartman]

Recruitment in the summer ok but not enough
Recruitment in January absolutely woeful
Bell and Dickers team selection and game management abject

The end

[gazan]

You have to hope that 2nd half of the season collapses aren't connected to the system. We all got excited by the good (in terms of results) start of the season but was anyone really convinced by the style of play? The first 3 games of the season revealed quite a lot in the end.
The slow approach to play was excruciating at times. Today was a perfect example - Marschall's possession figures and pass count must be amongst the highest. Okay occasionally there were good moves but most were initiated by Sanders, who Bell doesn't seem to like.
I'd like to see some decent wingers and no old crocks playing up front. I'd like to see the team built around Sanders. I'd also like to see a mobile midfield with someone buzzing around the space behind the forward's. But Bell was never a creative midfielder himself and I don't think he knows how to do it.
This reads like a wish list for the future but it is also an implicit criticism of the fare we've been served with, this season.
I know that, particularly in this day and age, it is tempting to shout "Bell out!" But at the moment I don't whether that's best without knowing who would replace him (Mickey?). However, he should, at least, be on short notice for next season.

[MeForCrewe]

I'm 50/50 myself in the Bell in or out debate. What I find baffling is to quote a friend of mine, "how has it taken 46 games to find Sanders natural position in the team?" I was extremely impressed with him yesterday, I just hope that our current manager felt the same. I don't remember him getting a run of games all season. He just reminded me of Dale Jasper back in the day.

[RedandWhiteSpartan]

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to look at points gained this season with Jack Lankester playing as opposed to him not playing.

With JL playing average points per game = 1.78

Without JL average points per game =
1.15

For some of those games, he came on as a sub when we were already in the lead....but it is interesting..in that if we had got 1.78 points for all the games we would have over 80 points and gained automatic promotion!

I think our biggest worry looking ahead is how will we replace Max Conway?

Overall the season has been pretty disappointing with the second half collapse, but at the beginning would we have been happy with mid table security...I think so.

[Timmy58]

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to look at points gained this season with Jack Lankester playing as opposed to him not playing.

With JL playing average points per game = 1.78

Without JL average points per game =
1.15

For some of those games, he came on as a sub when we were already in the lead....but it is interesting..in that if we had got 1.78 points for all the games we would have over 80 points and gained automatic promotion!

I think our biggest worry looking ahead is how will we replace Max Conway?

Overall the season has been pretty disappointing with the second half collapse, but at the beginning would we have been happy with mid table security...I think so.

There is no doubt that Conway will take some replacing. We will have to accept there will be a lowering of quality in that position. Lankester has been a big miss since his first injury. The rebuild will not be easy but the priority should be a goalscorer whether it be an established player (preferable, but not necessarily affordable) or a young player from a higher level. Thibaut will benefit from a bit more game time next season. I thought he did well yesterday without ever looking like finding the net. Roberts definitely looks as if he has potential. But neither give me the confidence they are the answer to our goals problem.
The problem with finishing where we have is the expectation when we were 2nd and 3rd in the table. It glossed over the fact that we weren't looking particularly like getting promotion by any means. I hope for better next season, just as some of our players are learning the game so is our manager.

[MikeSB]

It should be remembered that football is a 'results' game and so just look at our last 12 games for example.

7 defeats, 4 draws and one win. ie 7 points from 36 points. ie a CLEAR dismissal from league football if this continues next season.

Its no good criticizing other fans opinions when all that matters is what the first team is doing and its lazy to think that way. All fans should want the team to win first, second and third time and CAFC could not have complained if no Crewe fans turned up for a game the last 2 months.

I've said all along that football clubs giving managers and coaches 2 and 3 year deals is crazy as most are sacked before the end, costing the club a lot of money and so why don't they use what little brains they have and arrange for 6 month deals ie every club and if they are successful then the contract is renewed for another 6 months and if they are not, then they are dismissed WITHOUT compensation. I mean if you were no good in your job for 6 months, you would be sacked and deservedly so.

Its crazy that some managers think its OK to win just one game in 12 then to carry on next season as though they have won 11 etc..

The Chairmen at the clubs are to blame and so sod the fans then hey?

ManU paid 20 million to get a replacement manager and still they are no good and so is that the manager or the players or the Chairmen?

LB said before every match that more goals are needed and then selects a lone striker up front! Why do people think like this? LB could only think about how may defenders he wanted. So, get some strikers ie 4 at least in at the start of the season and do not sign continually injured players....How much does all these non players at the club cost the club when money is so short? Get blood rid is the answer....But they won't and we will send the same old time in Div 4 or non league...I ask again and again, how much money does all the non players at the club cost?

[MikeSB]

There is no doubt that Conway will take some replacing. We will have to accept there will be a lowering of quality in that position. Lankester has been a big miss since his first injury. The rebuild will not be easy but the priority should be a goalscorer whether it be an established player (preferable, but not necessarily affordable) or a young player from a higher level. Thibaut will benefit from a bit more game time next season. I thought he did well yesterday without ever looking like finding the net. Roberts definitely looks as if he has potential. But neither give me the confidence they are the answer to our goals problem.
The problem with finishing where we have is the expectation when we were 2nd and 3rd in the table. It glossed over the fact that we weren't looking particularly like getting promotion by any means. I hope for better next season, just as some of our players are learning the game so is our manager.

You would not get me paying over 20 quid a match just to see players and managers train up for the job...ie Go and learn how to do it elsewhere and come back if you are good enough to get a 6 month contract!

[Timmy58]

You would not get me paying over 20 quid a match just to see players and managers train up for the job...ie Go and learn how to do it elsewhere and come back if you are good enough to get a 6 month contract!

Your points are so flawed I really can't be bothered. However, if managers were dismissed after 6 months for not being "successful" then Alex Ferguson, to name one, would not have had the managerial career he had. Also, managers signing players to clubs on contracts and then being sacked for "failure" would potentially end up in financial dire straits. People need an element of security in their lives.

[MikeSB]

Your points are so flawed I really can't be bothered. However, if managers were dismissed after 6 months for not being "successful" then Alex Ferguson, to name one, would not have had the managerial career he had. Also, managers signing players to clubs on contracts and then being sacked for "failure" would potentially end up in financial dire straits. People need an element of security in their lives.

They are not flawed at all and fans will attack me for my thoughts instead of trying to solve the problems. Nobody else thinks about how much the non players and three managers and more managers and then cannnot think why we cannot afford better players. Alex Ferguson was a dire scot and players like Beckham were frightened of him. I heard him say that. LB says he doesn't rant at the players for a poor performance etc. Why not if all you do is 90 mins work a week?

I ask again IF you preformed poorly at work for 6 months running then you cannot complain if you get sacked. Managers and Players need to be on a much shorter contract which will put the cost of wages down as they are getting silly when some players are getting 400 grand WEEK now. If you are successful you expect to continue to work and get a contract. How much money are these managers even at Div4 costing the club when they can go ten games without winning? We end up sacking managers eventually and will do so again if LB carries on as he left off. We sacked Steve Holland, we sacked even Dario, we sacked every single one when they don't perform and so clubs get there in the end but it cost them. I don't know what wages anyone gets here but we ought to know as most wages are in the public sector and so why not footballers? Dave Artell said Port Vale are the biggest spenders in this division and the players on fantastic wages. We know of smaller clubs than us in L1 who pay better wages and even in non league and so the question then becomes....HOW?

I say again, go and look at the empty seats in most lower league clubs now and you tell me if football is a success or not?

[gazan]

Bradford have averaged about 15,000 people for their home games in the last 5 years. Does that make them as successful as Bournemouth who have a similar average? No, of course it doesn't. Manchester United are the team with the most home support in England. Are they successful? No, obviously it is not that simple.
Overall, football attendances have been on the up. This despite a rising cost of living. There is only a partial correlation between attendances and success.
When Timmy talks about arguments being flawed, I think this is the kind of thing he is referring to Life is not black and white despite the current political climate.
As for people being sacked if they weren't doing well at their jobs after 6 months, what kind of world do you live in? If someone is not performing well, then possibly they have not been trained well enough, maybe there are personnel problems, maybe the person has been ill. I'm/M really glad,MSB, that you haven't been in a position of power if you think everything is so simple.