I think league position is irrelevant at this stage. Villa we were good but moreso because of them being under-prepared + nearly chucked it away. Brighton, Wolves and Newcastle abject, Spurs we were decent for the first 20 mins and then offered nothing, Norwich we were 6/10 and didn’t need to be good as they’re shocking. Based on fixture list, I’d say we’re below where we wanted/needed to be
All ifs and buts though. We'll have more games where we deserve more, and more games where we get undeserved points. Agree that tactically we've been lacking, and have missed opportunities against Wolves/Newcastle, but just can't see the sense of sacking someone who made us the best team in the championship, and currently has us mid table in the PL, despite his various shortcomings. 6 games in, with a weak squad and a transfer window where we spent next to nothing. Would be rash, even for Gino, imo. Unless there happens to be an available, affordable and willing replacement ready to step in. In which case that changes the situation, especially if we nose dive in the next few games.
And if the players like him will the Pozzos stick with him ? Although clearly there is an issue with Sierralta .
How about we get an actual coach? Someone who can actually do the job and not a yts lad who just picks 11 players, hopes they do alright and then can't believe his luck if they do? Oh yeah, because our owners are so intransigent and arrogant that only such a grinning buffoon would work under their ridiculous regime.
Still got the best win % of any manager in our history. Think it's a big enough sample size to not be considered luck anymore. There's clearly a decent coach in there, and he's proven himself to be an excellent motivator, which is half the battle. Don't think there's ever really been a lack of effort from the team since his arrival, which can't be said for all of our Head Coaches. But he's nowhere near perfect, and has made a fair few mistakes when it comes to line ups, subs and tactical set up. But I think you'd get that with most Head Coaches that we could realistically recruit right now. Your point about the regime is a fair one though. There's benefits to it of course, and the track record speaks for itself. But it would be nice to see a manager brought in, given a bit more control and be given a chance to build something properly, like Dyche/Hasenhuttl
Shocking team selection for this game. It was plain to see to most people that understand football that Newcastle would sit in and try and hit us on the break. So why play a midfield 3 of Cleverley, Sissoko and Kuca? Makes absolutely no sense!! Away from home or against the big boys where they'll attack us it's fine, but to break sides down you need some flair and creativity in there!! Baffling.
90%. Slipped down from 94% since Sissoko's arrival, unfortunately. Could argue that Cleverley's 110% effort skews the average somewhat.
Yep, I'm an idiot and it was obvious to me that we'd need someone in the midfield with the ability to dictate things. Alright Tufan probably wasn't fit to start and he doesn't like Louza, so find a different way to get the ball forward. Instead Newcastle sat in their shape and we gave the ball to Kucka (who was awful today I thought) and Sissoko over and over again in an attempt to start a move. Surely we knew Newcastle would do that and yet we had no plan whatsoever. Now I'm not completely blaming Xisco today, against Norwich Foster was finding the full backs but his passing today was woeful. So many times Rose and Kiko were free but WTE and Cathcart either didn't have the confidence or ability to find them with crossfield balls. The failure to sign a centre back capable of passing a football is sheer negligence by the people running the club. Ultimately though, a good coach can implement a style of play and come up with a gameplan even with the poorest of teams. I'm yet to see evidence of that this season except against Villa where hoofing it over the top to Sarr worked.
Even when we win, I never feel like it’s because of Xisco’s coaching. When we fail to, it often looks like we’ve been tactically outmanoeuvred. Maybe my perception of him is coloured by the shock initially felt when we hired such an inexperienced head coach. Maybe I expect too much from a squad that we don’t really know the limitations of yet. What I do know is that if he got replaced tomorrow, aside from the obvious human aspect (he seems a really nice guy), I wouldn’t be disappointed.
Reminds me of Kevin Keegan, a good motivator and cheerleader, but in higher level football (like Keegan was when mounting a title challenge or managing England) found wanting. Today's game was entertaining in a shambolic way from both sides (more so from us) but even a circus can get tiresome if not well organized, like it will do if we continue to get outplayed by average at best teams and not pick up wins.
Outside of picking his best available XI (which he hasn't even done this season apart from possibly Wolves and Tottenham), I'm struggling to think of any one useful tactic that he's ever employed since he's been here. Our players are good enough to beat teams from time to time, even in this division, but in tight games, I don't think I've ever seen Xisco do something other than the bleeding obvious to get us over the line
Well what is his actual system? Style of play? He played 442 until Deeney was injured, he only switched to 443 when it was obvious to every man and his dog that was the best formation for players we had. Now we’re in the premier league he seems to still stick, in the main, with 433 with no regard for the opposition. To me it seems he stumbles across things and if they work he sticks with them until they don’t work and then just repeats the process.
Amazes me there are still ******s talking about about his win percentage. He had the best squad the Chumpionship has ever seen and still managed to make us look second best more often than not. There's any number of highly experienced, suave Italian managers out there who would join us at the drop of a hat. The idea that we are stuck with this chubby charlatan due to lack of viable options is baffling. This fool will see us relegated, there is no doubt about that.
Argue with facts all you like, they're still true. Certainly wasn't the best squad the Championship has seen and we were very rarely second best so I think you're misremembering. Bachmann barely had a save to make most games. Name them? Maybe, maybe not.
I am honestly shocked we still have fans that support him. It is beyond belief. He seems like he's a nice guy but isn't it obvious he's totally out of his depth? Fair play to you though if you can come away from today's match thinking all is rosy.
Well there were some games last season where we were second best, albeit mostly before the formation change - Swansea away, QPR at home, Coventry away and Luton away (which was an anomaly - in no other game after Coventry away were we anywhere near that bad). Worringly, this season so far is following a similar pattern to the early Xisco games without the good results - often slow start, struggling to impose ourselves on teams we should at least compete with. Perhaps it needs another formation change to counter teams who play three at the back, like 4-2-3-1? So: --------------------Foster------------------------- Kiko----------WTE---Sierralta------------Rose -------------Sissoko--Tufan/Kucka------------- Sarr--------------Pedro---------Dennis/Cucho --------------------King---------------------------
First half maybe but 2nd after the subs was better - had to be. It was a nit worrying to be outplayed by Newcastle tbh but we battled back well.
Actually, that was exactly what we played today, with Cathcart and Cleverley replacing Sierralta and Pedro respectively - but Newcastle played 4-1-4-1. Perhaps results/performances will improve with the latter two back to starting regularly, irrespective of what formations the other teams play?
I'm just going by the facts. Got us promoted comfortably. Has us mid table. No cause just yet to throw toys out the pram, although I know you have to maintain your act, and I have to respect you for that. Must be exhausting. I don't think all is rosy and I haven't said that. Try having another read.
I just feel the whole summer recruitement tactics andformation etc is all set up to play on the break.pace pace pace and little else .midfielders who get about the park and break up play get it up top early but not the best with the ball at there feet. Two issues with that is we aren’t good enough to defend deep and not concede at this level most games and the second is when teams come to the vic and stay solid we do not have nous to break teams down and keep the pressure on the with our ball retention, playing through the lines We probably will pick up a few points against teams like a Leeds who just come to play and push on and we have a bit of luck defensively but I don’t think it’s enough. Tufan and jp will maybe help creatively when they are up to speed to unlock teams but point are already going begging Looks like they are all putting a shift in though and all the players want to play for the shirt.
The table looks good, the performances do not. It was exactly the same story last season. I want both. It's no act, I just say what I see. This guy clearly isn't up to it. Unless he's sacked soon we're down. I think more fans will agree with my outlook than yours.
The table looks good right now because the first 7 fixtures of our season are/were relatively kind to us. The next two months following the Leeds game are not. I feel Scot & Gino really like Xisco & want him to succeed, but I doubt they'll stick by him if we're in the drop zone come December. Somehow he needs to get us playing far better than we are currently if he wants to keep his job.
Personally I believe he’ll be gone in the next international break. Basically after the defeat at Leeds.
Really? I thought it was rather shambolic but I must say I enjoyed the game today. Wolves was misery.
I did. Brighton are a much better team than Newcastle. This was a Newcastle side without their captain and Callum Wilson and we made them look levels above us
Yes, I accept that point. It was probably the worst performance against the weakest team, I think you’re implying. Not the worst performance overall though, which was clearly Brighton.
