Match Thread Bolton Wanderers (a)

It's the hope, dammnit! It's the hope that kills us.

 

Not sure about the party mate. Leeds heading for Tier3 in next few days

 

I have no faith whatsoever in Stuart as a manager. He isn't a poor manager, he just isn't a manager. He should never have tried to become one because his failings are there for everyone to see. He doesn't seem to have learnt anything from his long years in the game and makes the same, well-documented mistakes time and again. But we're stuck with him and, other than being in danger of going out of the league, I can't see any reason to get rid of him. The club clearly has no ambition to go up this year and there's no point replacing Stuart, at some expense, for someone else who would have the same problems with the players we have. Having said that, I have to agree with WW to some extent. Like everyone else I missed the first half last night but after the break I thought we were much the better side for long periods and really deserved an equaliser. It's true that Bolton had their chances too but if the penalty goes in there was every chance we could have gone on to win. And once or twice there were occasions when a slightly different break of the ball might have led to a goal. The formation is fine for me and worked apart from two things.
The first is Billy Clarke. He has been a skillful player in many ways, good ball control, decent passer, but he's never had a true position or an end product. In fact, for me, he is the antithesis of creative. Our attacks, such as they are, grind to a halt the minute he gets the ball. All momentum disappears and the opposition have ages to regroup. In addition, he now has lost a lot of what he had and regularly gives the ball away. He's a liability. Why on earth he was brought back I'll never know but he should only be used from now on in an absolute emergency; and never be allowed to take a penalty again.
The second is our strike force (sic). We all know we're dire there and that our recruitment has been hopeless, but given where we are Samuels has to be given a run. He's young and raw but he has to get the chance to improve and he won't do that sat on the bench. While Novak is out it has to be him and Donaldson, who I didn't think was quite as bad last night as many on here make out.
So there's some room for a tiny bit of optimism. If Stuart sticks with this formation, gets rid of Clarke and gives Samuels a fair crack we might see some improvement. It would also help if he notices something that myself and others have gone on about for ages, namely our propensity to allow the opposition to drive through our midfield unchallenged and have a shot. It happens over and over again, but then attention to detail has never been Stuart's strength.
And I think we'll struggle when the grounds get heavy as our midfield is just too lightweight.

 

They will be a good few falling into the category "sold a pig in a poke"

 

Be interesting to get @wetherbywhaler thoughts following the latest defeat. Sounds like confidence was lacking in the players, what is confidence like in the boardroom and is losing to Harrogate, Newport, Bolton and Barrow considered acceptable by anyone at the club?

 

Hey Dubois

Is this for real?

You open up by saying "I have no faith whatsoever in Stuart as a manager. He isn't a poor manager, he just isn't a manager. He should never have tried to become one because his failings are there for everyone to see. He doesn't seem to have learnt anything from his long years in the game and makes the same, well-documented mistakes time and again...."

And then make the statement "... I can't see any reason to get rid of him."

Does this sum up Bradford City in a single quote?

 

I know it sounds contradictory. I would never have appointed Stuart in a million years and in normal circumstances I'd get rid as he clearly hasn't got a clue. But I don't think the club has the slightest intention of trying for promotion this season and it would be pointless to waste money on another manager who would equally struggle with our ragbag collection of misfits.

 

Dubois, But how about we appoint someone now that we believe in and give them this season to review his current staff. January, the summer and Jan 22 windows to re-build?

If we leave the current management team in place for this season we are suddenly rushing and wasting next summer looking for someone who then has limited time to make changes before the 21-22 season.

If we accept that we are in a holding pattern this season then in my opinion we need to have the surgery now, as painful as it might be, and start planning for 21-22.

 

The problem with that is we've seen time and time again that McCall fails to turn around poor form once a rot sets in, with it starting so early relegation is a real possibility.

 

First and foremost, I am not a member of the Board, having been 'invited' to leave, along with Steve Longbottom in June 2016 by Edin, no doubt as part of his plan to run things unchallenged. In my capacity as now an Associate Director (paying my fees) I get to watch games live, largely as a fan and as such, although I do work for the Club I'm not involved in things like the inner workings, so I can only express opinion based on watching many games at close quarters.

I don't know about confidence, what I saw at Bolton was a team that outplayed the hosts in the second half with sadly no end product. I got a lot of stick on this thread for what I said but remain convinced that if the Clarke pen had gone in we would have won and yesterday would have had a different complexion going into the game. The Tonbridge scout even agreed that yesterday. Wins breed confidence.

Yesterday, in my humble opinion we had two elements to beat, first Barrow, fresh from a win, but an average side, some pace up front which caused POC problems, a tough but not too skillful MF and a slow(ish) defence, second the weather. When I played even at school level, ages ago, we were told to keep the ball on the ground in wind, the best two players for that in my view are Clarke and Watt and quite possibly Pritchard but all were on the bench. Billy is a good passer most of the time and is old enough to weight passes for the conditions, keeping the ball on the floor, even with 10 men would have opened them up in my view resulting in a win and a lot happier drive home.

 

Because a new manager would have to be recruited by Julian Rhodes. Need I say more?

 

WetherbyWhaler

...your final paragraph is the core of the problem.

All three of those players available, weather conditions known, Barrows weaknesses well known, tactics to be used obvious but our manager decided not to play the three players you mention and couldn't get the team to play on the ground or possibly instructed them otherwise.

The management team are not newbies they have a considerable number of years at a number of clubs and, in my opinion, have demonstrated a complete lack of understanding or ability to change teams (and I don't mean formations ) direction when it starts going backwards.

In my previous response to Dubois I stated I believe we need to bite the bullet now, fire the current team, and plan for the future.

 

But what does that team selection tell us about the tactical nous of our manager?

 

So in you opinion does our manager need sacking then? Because for me your last paragraph highlights that our manager doesn't know what he's doing.

It's basic stuff. If the conditions are bad you keep the ball on ground as much as possible.

I just think our problem isn't confidence. Our problem is our manager confusing things and trying to prove he's a good manager. Tinkering about and making foolish decisions.

Time for McCall to go!

 

You may well be right. I expected us to start the season brightly and then fade as the grounds got heavier as we have so many lightweight players. But it's happened much earlier and Stuart has looked and sounded even more out of his depth than usual.