Nigel Pearson - Manager

Yes we needed to change it 2nd half but what did Pearson have on the bench? Welbeck ~ out of form and likely to break down when a butterfly flaps its wings in Japan; Gray ~ incapable of controlling a football let alone changing a game; Pussetto ~ rather have a Cornetto; Chalobah ~ not a game changer; Dawson ~ as useless as the rest of our defence; Holebas ~ should be out to pasture.

We cant keep blaming manager after manager after manager.

This is Giraldi's incompetence.

 

Our defence is not “OK”.

Our first choice CB was at fault for 3 goals last week and in the last two games our RB has punted his only crosses over the bar for goal kicks, been consistently skinned, given away idiotic free kicks and smashed the ball into his own goal.

But I imagine you’ll blame Deeney.

 

Players have bad days, but if you look at December and January, considering we played the likes of Leicester, Liverpool, Man Utd, Wolves and Spurs, our defence has been OK, maybe even better than OK.

No, I dont blame Deeney. At least he is putting some effort in these days and his lack of ability and intelligence is not really his fault.

But, if he had scored his penalty against Spurs, we would not be in the bottom three right now.

 

We sat back and invited them on. Push the defense up. Hold a higher line. Pump it into the channels instead of aimless hoofing. Change formation and use wing backs to push their wingers back instead of sitting back and inviting them on to our left and right backs.

Get Welbeck on earlier. If he's on the bench he's fit enough for at least 30 minutes. Pacey and can run the channels to ease pressure for a few minutes, hold it in the corners, win cheap fouls.

Get Chalobah on to replace tired legs and disrupt their midfield.

Come on ffs, doing absolutely nothing at all had an inevitable outcome as we all saw. Doing something, anything at all may have broke it up and given us a chance.

 

The way Pearson was watching that second half, the changes by Potter, the onslaught of Brighton possession and pressure and just ignored it, was like he was a large flightless bird which metaphorically buries its head in the sand at the sight of danger.

 

I'm not so sure about that. The two of them do not do well individually but excel as a partnership. I believe they will keep Watford up and I HOPE ownership gives them a full season after that.

 

The only time You’ll probably see him anywhere near the bench will be in the last home game against City and then never again as he’s either sold off or loaned out to a lower La Liga side.

 

Yep spot on. Lashing players on just for the sake of it only works on football manager computer games. Every time Pussetto has come on we've looked considerably worse. Welbeck is nowhere near ready. Chalobah was nursing an injury wasn't he? We have NOTHING but utter dog droppings on the bench. It's a total disgrace to be honest.

 

Surprised this thread wasn't bumped after the disappointing Man Utd result.

But I think Pearson deserves a lot of credit for the way he's prepared the team and consistently kept the players' spirits up under often adverse and testing circumstances. With the exception of Man Utd and Liverpool away, no Prem team has taken the lead against us since he arrived, and we've not started one game with our heads down with our confidence shot, even during the bad run.

When Pearson brought on Sarr at Old Trafford when we were already 2-0 down, I thought he looked very rusty and didn't give us the impact we desperately needed when Utd were starting to overwhelm us, so I wondered why on earth didn't Nigel start him when he clearly needed more time in the game to get back to fitness. Shows how little I know! As someone said on the Liverpool thread, it was a masterstroke for NP to not rush Sarr (Kiko as well) back, and the fact that Sarr delivered such a match-winning performance shows a level of confidence in his manager that can only come from great man management.

Now he just needs to react more quickly in games when things aren't going our way and show a more consistent positivity, and then we'll stay up easily.

 

I'm an absolute Pearson fanboy, but I don't think we should forget that the last few games (before Liverpool!) were very disappointing, and part of the reason was some strange/ineffective subs and poor game management from Nige. So he still has room to improve. I think he needs more of a plan B tactically when required.

Overall though, he has been absolutely transformative for the club, and I hope he's supported by the owners in terms of reinforcements if we do stay up. This season needs to be a massive wake up call.

 

A Pearson Zola Dyche dream team has got to be the way forward from here

 

Wasn't overly impressed when I heard of his appointment. But he won me over very quickly. But I agree with you about a plan b. But in all fairness he's done wonders with this group that the other two Spaniards couldn't. It's just annoying that he wasn't the one to replace Gracia Instead of the fool QSF. Hopefully he will get some backing and a contract come the Summer. Just hope it's with us in the Premier.

 

So once we avoid relegation, we sack Pearson, appoint someone no-hoper has-been and then win the Premier League. Isn’t that how it works?

 

12 games since Pearson was appointed. 18 points gained. That’s 1.5 per game.

In the same period the others at the bottom have gained the following points per game:
Brighton 0.75
West Ham 0.91
Bournemouth 0.91
Villa 0.83

Over a 38 game season, Pearson’s average would earn 57 points, enough for seventh place in each of the past two seasons.

So, despite the recent wobble, we are outscoring everyone else at the bottom by at least half a point per game.

 

Have to include something about an embarrassing orgy in Thailand too in pre season.

 

Yep I posted something similar in the run in thread. If he just does what he’s done over the previous 12 games over the next 10, we will stay up comfortably. I know it’s not that simple but over 12 games we’ve moved up three places, no reason we can’t be higher again in 10 games.

 

This is a great interview with Foster being asked about Pearson. As the song goes, he knows exactly what we need https://mobile.twitter.com/talkSPORT/status/1234456149421887490

 

Slav, Silva & Gracia soundbite was always "In this moment"

As I understand it Pearson's soundbite is "For sure"

 

He has a very eloquent and measured calm manner when talking that gives you a lot of confidence.

 

Yeah he'll do well for whoever he joins in the summer when his contract runs out.

 

Pearson has the "Clark Kent" thing going on.

In his glasses, he comes across as a calm, measured, intellectual kind of man who you could go to with anything.

When the glasses are off, he looks like a bit of a rough and ready thug who will 'ave ya if you lip off.

 

I'd say more Laurence Olivier in The Marathon Man. " Is it safe"

 

That film put me off dentists for life!
Klopp clearly hasn't seen it!

 

Renaissance man.

 

Had not realised he had lost his mum in early January (maybe our dip in form coincidence with that sad period). Talks lots of sense to me. Hope he stays with us and builds upon his current period in charge.

 

I'm pretty sure they'll give him a new contract.

 

He may get a better offer.

 

Any noise Watford fans make is good at games - but I really cannot stand that song for Pearson.

 

It's better than the Delefeou song!