Ryan Sparks

We appointed an attacking manager whatever happened to him

 

No he is playing cowboy on his ranch

 

The truth is there are few stand out managers in and around Lg 2. Ditto players. That's why it's Lg 2. Perm any one from whoever you like - Cooper (God no!), Alexander, Hirst and on and on. They're all perfectly functional and perfectly mediocre. Play the same tactics wherever they go - which given the sackings the three I've named have on their CV, clearly haven't worked. Be careful what you wish for. T&S still have a lot to learn - but they have the summer to get their heads together and address the caution and conservatism of the past couple of months with new more expansive plans and ideas. I so wish they'd had the time and chance to do this earlier, and use more ambition to get us into the play offs, but reality is what it is.

 

Also feel that the idea of appointing a Director of Football is a lot of Richard Osman - pointless. To get someone in who was really worth their salt, would be someone who would want to be manager.

 

Cooper? Now I know you’re taking the piss. The football he had FGM playing was dreadful.

 

We need to see more from them from an attacking point of view. We seem to have no set way of attacking with purpose. Long diagonal punts from POC will only get you so far. We had Vernham, Cook, Crankshaw, Donaldson, Rowe, Scales, Stevens and Burrell available on Saturday. Players good enough to cause any defence problems, but we still seemed naive in our approach, almost uncomfortable.

The big question is, can they produce a team that plays on the front foot? Given time on the training pitch then I hope so, they have to. Start the season with a 4-2-3-1 and they’re signing there own P45.

 

Its not the formation per se thats the main issue. Any formation can be attacking or defensive, it just depends on the instructions they're given by the management - Swindon won the league last year playing 4231 every week.

Its all about mentality and our approach to games. Its either 10 men behind the ball or all out attack with T&S, we have no middle ground. They need to find it and sharpish.

 

It’s not the formation but the players. The team rely so heavily on Cooke, and don’t have a Josh Falkingham or Gary Jones type enforcer or two that Cooke’s absence has crippled them. Donaldson is past his best, Clarke never was the answer, Scales is a kid who should be being used sparingly or out on loan. The midfield really is so light on quality. If you assume we have a midfield 5, Cooke and Cooke alone gets in league one side.

Starting the season with the current formation won’t sign their P45, not recruiting genuine quality in the summer will. For all the hubris about the quality of the January transfer window, whilst the departures were very welcome, and I’d argue French made more of an impact at RB than FCD, Cook and Canavan have been the only real positive arrival. Foulds, Huffer and Burrell are seen less frequently than an honest Tory politician and Vernam, Crankshaft, Stevens and Rowe are hit and miss. Rowe especially, there looks to be something amiss with him.
They need to have a better window in the summer than two successes out of nine.

 

A note on Mcanthony seen as he seems to come up a bit but looks like his Peterborough side are gonna be back in the championship again.
Wasnt the arguments against him that he takes the club no where? Well they are building a new stadium complex, in the championship with a very good attacking side
Would have him here in a heartbeat

 

Just shows what can be achieved with ambition,

 

Liverpool were bought for £300m GBP and are worth $4.1bn USD, so just under £3bn GBP. FSG brought in Kenny Dalglish on a temporary basis when they sacked Hodgson, gave him a three year deal a few months later and then sacked him a year later. Nothing to do with identity. They looked at who was doing well at the time, Rodgers at Swansea, and then sacked him for not winning a trophy. Klopp was doing well at Dortmund so they went for him. Nothing to do with identity, simply hiring and firing. Just like Spurs and every other football club.

You can’t compare Liverpool with a league two club. Different game, Liverpool are close to the market capitalisation of Morrisons, City are more like one of their larger stores. Identity on the field and brand of football is the sort of bollocks someone on the Apprentice comes up with.

 

The were comments deriding him yet he brings success to what is a historically small town team. His long term aim is to now prolong their stay allowing him to sell players like Ivan Toney to premiership club and treble their transfer value. We could only dream of having an owner like that.

 

I agree with you to a certain extent Fordy about their approach (T&S). They justify not playing 4 4 2 on the basis that it may leave us open at the back but I would argue that if players don't take personal responsibility and do their jobs it doesn't matter what formation we play, we will still be open at the back.

 

From what he said at the weekend I think he will act. He's inexperienced but he's ambitious and will want to be seen to be up to making tough decisions.