Dawsons Head

D

dragonm8

UTC Legend
Where wherefore art thou Dawson, a fine tuned machine of a manager, hand picked by thou.

Do we blame you, Richard Hughes, Blake or Foley for your anointed chosen one?
 
Well. Sorry to break it to people who clearly think I’m more influential than I am but I didn’t interview him or appoint him. :grinning:

I just shouted him, De Zerbi and a couple others as the type of people we should he looking at interviewing and if right bringing in.

I still think our squad balance and signings have been with awful. Particularly as money has been no object. I’m not sure a side as had as many mediocre but expensive wingers as us. As for the Cb’s…. 40m torn apart on a regular basis today. Let’s not even start on cm. I’m not sure Pep would get much of a tune out of our three to be fair.

I’d imagine he has got the next two games before Blake and Hughes hide their shoddy signings with a sixth appt in three and a bit years. Eventually the penny will drop for Jim and Bill, if it hasn’t already that they’ve spent 50m on Outtara and Traore. Another Old Fashioned Richard?
 
Even if they are all shite Neil, Gary O'Neil had them winning games and this guy is producing the worst performances any manager has since Groves. Hughes convinced Foley to sack O'Neil and put this guy in so it really doesn't matter if its the players or the manager it is quite clearly one of the shittest decisions they have ever made. One that will cost Hughes his job if things don't improve and they certainly don't look like they will.
 
SlowDownDerek said:
Even if they are all shite Neil, Gary O'Neil had them winning games and this guy is producing the worst performances any manager has since Groves. Hughes convinced Foley to sack O'Neil and put this guy in so it really doesn't matter if its the players or the manager it is quite clearly one of the shittest decisions they have ever made. One that will cost Hughes his job if things don't improve and they certainly don't look like they will.
Click to expand...
Gary O’Neil had Lerma doing the job of two men covering gaps. He had Kelly and Mepham fit, so didn’t have to play the Ukranian Maher and the Argentinian Broadhurst, he hadn’t been forced to swap a hard running Jaiden Anthony for Sinisterra to toss it off. Very different.

Anyway, I’m sure he would have had more points and occasionally we’d have ventured out of our own half but when you are spending 170m you expect entertainment as Foley demanded.
 
Neil Dawson said:
Gary O’Neil had Lerma doing the job of two men covering gaps. He had Kelly and Mepham fit, so didn’t have to play the Ukranian Maher and the Argentinian Broadhurst, he hadn’t been forced to swap a hard running Jaiden Anthony for Sinisterra to toss it off. Very different.

Anyway, I’m sure he would have had more points and occasionally we’d have ventured out of our own half but when you are spending 170m you expect entertainment as Foley demanded.
Click to expand...

You might want to check who Gary O'Neil played. Either way he got a tune out of these players and this guy simply cannot on the evidence so far. We look absolutely shite and there is not much light at the end of the tunnel.

Of course we should be doing better. Foley has sacked a successful manager a d replaced him with a seemingly unsuccessful one. He will be sharpening the knives for the people who told him that was a good idea.
 
SlowDownDerek said:
You might want to check who Gary O'Neil played. Either way he got a tune out of these players and this guy simply cannot on the evidence so far. We look absolutely shite and there is not much light at the end of the tunnel.

Of course we should be doing better. Foley has sacked a successful manager a d replaced him with a seemingly unsuccessful one. He will be sharpening the knives for the people who told him that was a good idea.
Click to expand...
Thing is though he is a good manager. Sought after all over Europe. It was a coup to get him. His track record is strong.

How can you waste so much money on players that don’t fit his system or are just plain bad. As document last year GON largely avoided playing them ( except Outtara). Injuries and departures have meant AI has had to.
 
Neil Dawson said:
Thing is though he is a good manager. Sought after all over Europe. It was a coup to get him. His track record is strong.

How can you waste so much money on players that don’t fit his system or are just plain bad. As document last year GON largely avoided playing them ( except Outtara). Injuries and departures have meant AI has had to.
Click to expand...

Most of the players could be described the same way. Almost all have decent records elsewhere. Tbh I don't think it matters if the problem is the players or the manager - together they don't work, or at least they haven't so far, and that means the people who appointed them have to carry the can.
 
Neil Dawson said:
I knew you’d come round ;) :grinning:
Click to expand...

Well I don't agree that all the players they have signed are crap. As I say O'Neil got a tune out of them and I'm sure someone else could too. Iraola is badly struggling though and Hughes is the guy that brought him in. Foley will want answers I'm sure.
 
All the recent signings are crap though.

Apart from Adam's and Kerkez.

The rest, are 100 million of horse shyte.

Dango looks like a possum in headlights when the ball gets near him.

We either need a faith healer, a psychologist or Jesus himself to make Dango look like a PL player.

He makes Brent Goulet look skilful.

Hold on a sec, I can feel an alternative view coming on........
 
Neil Dawson said:
Thing is though he is a good manager. Sought after all over Europe. It was a coup to get him. His track record is strong.

How can you waste so much money on players that don’t fit his system or are just plain bad. As document last year GON largely avoided playing them ( except Outtara). Injuries and departures have meant AI has had to.
Click to expand...
Lots of your opinions are probably valid Neil, but you completely undo yourself by trying to tie every point back to your vendetta against Blake and Hughes whilst adding childish jibes against the players we have signed.

Zabarnyi is not the “Ukrainian Maher”. He was/is a highly regarded centre back with lots of interest across Europe. He recently kept Kane quiet for 90 mins against England. Everything pointed towards him being a good signing, and he definitely has the ability,

Senesi is not the “Argentinian Broadhurst”. He recently got called up for the squad of the reigning world champions. He got a heroes welcome when he went back to Feyenoord to watch a game a few months after signing for us, and he played pretty much every game in their run to the Europa Conference league final. He kept a number of clean sheets under O’Neill last year.

Dango was a key player for GON with the counter attacking style of play and played a significant part in some of the wins. He is very hit and miss like most wingers, but a good manager would get the best out of him.

Some of the signings are questionable, just like most other clubs in the bottom half of the PL who struggle to find the required quality. Just take the £250m+ spent by Wolves in recent years, or the £500m spent by Everton. The latter signed a striker for £30m (more than we’ve ever spent on a player) in the summer who has now been dropped having not scored a PL goal. Wolves spent £50m on Fabio Silva only to loan him out a year later.

The biggest question mark with regards to our player recruitment is around the lack of balance and the decision to prioritise wingers. But who knows whether AI told Hughes and Blake that he needed an upgraded on the wingers to play his system, and also told them that Anthony wouldn’t cut it. I doubt he would have let Anthony go if he rated him.

For me the biggest question mark of all right now is on the manager (one you wanted appointed). As far as I could figure out, the first half tactics yesterday were to play long diagonal balls to Dango. I don’t think it worked once, nor would I expect it to.

I would probably say our player recruitment is about average when compared with others in the bottom half of the PL. Some work and some don’t. Our manager recruitment in recent years has been questionable, with AI right now not looking to buck that trend. But we do have the players to be successful, of that I am sure.
 
james_AFCB said:
Lots of your opinions are probably valid Neil, but you completely undo yourself by trying to tie every point back to your vendetta against Blake and Hughes whilst adding childish jibes against the players we have signed.

Zabarnyi is not the “Ukrainian Maher”. He was/is a highly regarded centre back with lots of interest across Europe. He recently kept Kane quiet for 90 mins against England. Everything pointed towards him being a good signing, and he definitely has the ability,

Senesi is not the “Argentinian Broadhurst”. He recently got called up for the squad of the reigning world champions. He got a heroes welcome when he went back to Feyenoord to watch a game a few months after signing for us, and he played pretty much every game in their run to the Europa Conference league final. He kept a number of clean sheets under O’Neill last year.

Dango was a key player for GON with the counter attacking style of play and played a significant part in some of the wins. He is very hit and miss like most wingers, but a good manager would get the best out of him.

Some of the signings are questionable, just like most other clubs in the bottom half of the PL who struggle to find the required quality. Just take the £250m+ spent by Wolves in recent years, or the £500m spent by Everton. The latter signed a striker for £30m (more than we’ve ever spent on a player) in the summer who has now been dropped having not scored a PL goal. Wolves spent £50m on Fabio Silva only to loan him out a year later.

The biggest question mark with regards to our player recruitment is around the lack of balance and the decision to prioritise wingers. But who knows whether AI told Hughes and Blake that he needed an upgraded on the wingers to play his system, and also told them that Anthony wouldn’t cut it. I doubt he would have let Anthony go if he rated him.

For me the biggest question mark of all right now is on the manager (one you wanted appointed). As far as I could figure out, the first half tactics yesterday were to play long diagonal balls to Dango. I don’t think it worked once, nor would I expect it to.

I would probably say our player recruitment is about average when compared with others in the bottom half of the PL. Some work and some don’t. Our manager recruitment in recent years has been questionable, with AI right now not looking to buck that trend. But we do have the players to be successful, of that I am sure.
Click to expand...
A very good, balanced post. Lots of questionable recruitment strategy in both players and managers but been some successes and we shouldn't be throwing the baby out with the bathwater by writing off the likes of Zabarnyi and Senesi. Right now everyone - players, board and manager - are underperforming.
 
james_AFCB said:
Lots of your opinions are probably valid Neil, but you completely undo yourself by trying to tie every point back to your vendetta against Blake and Hughes whilst adding childish jibes against the players we have signed.

Zabarnyi is not the “Ukrainian Maher”. He was/is a highly regarded centre back with lots of interest across Europe. He recently kept Kane quiet for 90 mins against England. Everything pointed towards him being a good signing, and he definitely has the ability,

Senesi is not the “Argentinian Broadhurst”. He recently got called up for the squad of the reigning world champions. He got a heroes welcome when he went back to Feyenoord to watch a game a few months after signing for us, and he played pretty much every game in their run to the Europa Conference league final. He kept a number of clean sheets under O’Neill last year.

Dango was a key player for GON with the counter attacking style of play and played a significant part in some of the wins. He is very hit and miss like most wingers, but a good manager would get the best out of him.

Some of the signings are questionable, just like most other clubs in the bottom half of the PL who struggle to find the required quality. Just take the £250m+ spent by Wolves in recent years, or the £500m spent by Everton. The latter signed a striker for £30m (more than we’ve ever spent on a player) in the summer who has now been dropped having not scored a PL goal. Wolves spent £50m on Fabio Silva only to loan him out a year later.

The biggest question mark with regards to our player recruitment is around the lack of balance and the decision to prioritise wingers. But who knows whether AI told Hughes and Blake that he needed an upgraded on the wingers to play his system, and also told them that Anthony wouldn’t cut it. I doubt he would have let Anthony go if he rated him.

For me the biggest question mark of all right now is on the manager (one you wanted appointed). As far as I could figure out, the first half tactics yesterday were to play long diagonal balls to Dango. I don’t think it worked once, nor would I expect it to.

I would probably say our player recruitment is about average when compared with others in the bottom half of the PL. Some work and some don’t. Our manager recruitment in recent years has been questionable, with AI right now not looking to buck that trend. But we do have the players to be successful, of that I am sure.
Click to expand...
A decent and balanced post… Agree with most of this however I do think the lion’s share of our wingers are weak and not good enough… Whilst Dango is probably the pick of the bunch, getting most starts, he is still very raw, and for me, he’s too raw. This is probably the same for Traore, Kluivert, Sinisterra (sp) who so far are seemingly anonymous in the games… offering very little… which is an issue when wing play is vital to your game plan…

The only winger we have that is keeping his head above water is Tav. Even Brooks has looked off the pace, which is understandable… Those questioning him being left out, have you not considered that his recovery might not be where we all hoped it would be… His body has been through a great deal this last 18 months. Not sure a pre season is enough to get through that. Especially with the running that Iraola requires…

The crux of all this though is our inability to plug the Lerma sized hole… Cook alone cannot do that… A poor midfield equals a poor side and that is exactly what we’re seeing. No support up top and no cover at the back. He’s doing his best but he’s in there largely on his own… neither Billing or a Christie are CMs…

The missing Adams and Scott are seemingly massive elephants in the room right now… I mean, where is Scott? Is he another that is gonna take a lot longer now… He’ll hopefully be a great addition but he just joins the ranks up top, with Billing, Christie, Rothwell, etc. What we need is some sort of foundations in the back 6… Adams was obviously meant to be that, but we are where we are with him… #clusterfuck…

Iraola is clearly a decent manager… As has been said before, he is highly talked of, and sought after… He’s clearly struggling with something tho right now, and for me, it’s the personnel at his disposal, that are currently shot of confidence… and are clearly playing scared of conceding… which is a by-product of not being able to score for sh*t… However, it’s at these times when a manager proves his worth… so let’s see…

Something needs to change, somewhere in the club… I’m not sure how it’s gone to sh*t so quickly and maybe we’re all just over reacting from the last two debacle’s but if we don’t arrest the slide, we’ll be too far adrift to claw it back…
 
Last edited:
the thing with AI when he came he said the players will have the freedom to express themselves, to me I assumed it would mean more shots and peppering the goal but I haven't seen that, it's like we're still trying to score to perfect goal, I Dont think anyone other pitch knows what they are doing out there and it shows.
we have a squad of good players but no tactics for them to work with, we have signed alot of players which will always be hard to get firing together and some of our bigger signings are 25mill a piece but these days 25mill isn't buying you a superstar (there are some exceptions with contracts and teams data network of players) I don't buy into the idea that AI doesn't have any input into signings either he would of told hughes what sort of players he wanted in the squad so if we're overloaded with wingers then AI would of asked for them.
AI came here after working with a small squad and got them playing his way but maybe la liga it's easier to play the way that suits him, I was excited when he joined but now that has waned he has the potentional to be the lowest point scoring manager we have had, if he leaves here with no league wins its going to harm his next job chances
 
I don’t hold overtly strong views on Blake and Hughes, they get things right and they get things wrong. Like every ceo and recruitment boss in football.

I’m not about to say they have a job for life, but I would be weary of them being given the boot as they are the only current stable part of the club since Bill Foley took over.

And again, I don’t want to be critical of the new regime, as I understand they’re going to get things wrong as they learn about English football. But the track record so far isn’t great.

Off the pitch the fan experience has only got worse, before a game everything they’ve introduced has hindered an atmosphere being generated, not helped it.

The videos are fine, sometimes they’re really good but they’re played to close to kick off etc.

Then there’s the “money grab” aspect of so much change so quickly to the regular match going fans, season tickets going up, the mess of the women’s tickets being bundled in, match day prices going up, kits going up, training tops going up, junior cherries membership price doubled, general sale seats being lost to hospitality in the main stand, the fans bar being lost to hospitality, general sale seats being lost in the south stand, Cherries Tuesday creating a lottery for the vast majority of points holders, top points holders now having to purchase friendlies, women’s games, development games just to stay in that bracket or risk slipping down the pecking order into the lottery, a tent being erected for a fan bar. A ticket website that is still not fit for purpose, season ticket holders not being able to reserve their own seat for cup games (rectified for Liverpool granted) ticket prices for cup games (has to be agreed with Liverpool to be fair to the decision). Even sorting out the rocket for the season proved complicated.

Then on the pitch. Most of the players that are being critiqued the harshest are ones that have been signed in the past 12 months, has there been any influence in regards to the Lorient link up? This was suggested very early on and does this influence the pool of players we’ve signed? Is it really solely all down to Hughes to identify and Blake to sign the cheques?

We brought in a director of performance and have since signed a player who failed his medical elsewhere, returns to apparent fitness and immediately breaks down again. Granted these things do happen, but it’s the first high profile signing under this new guy and it’s a pretty crucial failing for us right now in a key area of the pitch. So hugely frustrating.

I don’t profess to know any of the answers. But even if it was as simple as give Hughes and Blake the push, who identifies their replacements? Who makes that decision and would they get it right?
 
DJ said:
I don’t hold overtly strong views on Blake and Hughes, they get things right and they get things wrong. Like every ceo and recruitment boss in football.

I’m not about to say they have a job for life, but I would be weary of them being given the boot as they are the only current stable part of the club since Bill Foley took over.

And again, I don’t want to be critical of the new regime, as I understand they’re going to get things wrong as they learn about English football. But the track record so far isn’t great.

Off the pitch the fan experience has only got worse, before a game everything they’ve introduced has hindered an atmosphere being generated, not helped it.

The videos are fine, sometimes they’re really good but they’re played to close to kick off etc.

Then there’s the “money grab” aspect of so much change so quickly to the regular match going fans, season tickets going up, the mess of the women’s tickets being bundled in, match day prices going up, kits going up, training tops going up, junior cherries membership price doubled, general sale seats being lost to hospitality in the main stand, the fans bar being lost to hospitality, general sale seats being lost in the south stand, Cherries Tuesday creating a lottery for the vast majority of points holders, top points holders now having to purchase friendlies, women’s games, development games just to stay in that bracket or risk slipping down the pecking order into the lottery, a tent being erected for a fan bar. A ticket website that is still not fit for purpose, season ticket holders not being able to reserve their own seat for cup games (rectified for Liverpool granted) ticket prices for cup games (has to be agreed with Liverpool to be fair to the decision). Even sorting out the rocket for the season proved complicated.

Then on the pitch. Most of the players that are being critiqued the harshest are ones that have been signed in the past 12 months, has there been any influence in regards to the Lorient link up? This was suggested very early on and does this influence the pool of players we’ve signed? Is it really solely all down to Hughes to identify and Blake to sign the cheques?

We brought in a director of performance and have since signed a player who failed his medical elsewhere, returns to apparent fitness and immediately breaks down again. Granted these things do happen, but it’s the first high profile signing under this new guy and it’s a pretty crucial failing for us right now in a key area of the pitch. So hugely frustrating.

I don’t profess to know any of the answers. But even if it was as simple as give Hughes and Blake the push, who identifies their replacements? Who makes that decision and would they get it right?
Click to expand...
I wish Jim could read this. Maybe he will, who knows. But it needs to be seen by people within the club. Even if it doesn’t prompt any change of approach, at least they might be aware as to why the atmosphere isn’t great and the fans feelings towards the owners/board is starting to deteriorate.
 
dragonm8 said:
All the recent signings are crap though.

Apart from Adam's and Kerkez.

The rest, are 100 million of horse shyte.

Dango looks like a possum in headlights when the ball gets near him.

We either need a faith healer, a psychologist or Jesus himself to make Dango look like a PL player.

He makes Brent Goulet look skilful.

Hold on a sec, I can feel an alternative view coming on........
Click to expand...
Assume you mean Aarons and Kerkez?
 
DJ said:
I don’t hold overtly strong views on Blake and Hughes, they get things right and they get things wrong. Like every ceo and recruitment boss in football.

I’m not about to say they have a job for life, but I would be weary of them being given the boot as they are the only current stable part of the club since Bill Foley took over.

And again, I don’t want to be critical of the new regime, as I understand they’re going to get things wrong as they learn about English football. But the track record so far isn’t great.

Off the pitch the fan experience has only got worse, before a game everything they’ve introduced has hindered an atmosphere being generated, not helped it.

The videos are fine, sometimes they’re really good but they’re played to close to kick off etc.

Then there’s the “money grab” aspect of so much change so quickly to the regular match going fans, season tickets going up, the mess of the women’s tickets being bundled in, match day prices going up, kits going up, training tops going up, junior cherries membership price doubled, general sale seats being lost to hospitality in the main stand, the fans bar being lost to hospitality, general sale seats being lost in the south stand, Cherries Tuesday creating a lottery for the vast majority of points holders, top points holders now having to purchase friendlies, women’s games, development games just to stay in that bracket or risk slipping down the pecking order into the lottery, a tent being erected for a fan bar. A ticket website that is still not fit for purpose, season ticket holders not being able to reserve their own seat for cup games (rectified for Liverpool granted) ticket prices for cup games (has to be agreed with Liverpool to be fair to the decision). Even sorting out the rocket for the season proved complicated.

Then on the pitch. Most of the players that are being critiqued the harshest are ones that have been signed in the past 12 months, has there been any influence in regards to the Lorient link up? This was suggested very early on and does this influence the pool of players we’ve signed? Is it really solely all down to Hughes to identify and Blake to sign the cheques?

We brought in a director of performance and have since signed a player who failed his medical elsewhere, returns to apparent fitness and immediately breaks down again. Granted these things do happen, but it’s the first high profile signing under this new guy and it’s a pretty crucial failing for us right now in a key area of the pitch. So hugely frustrating.

I don’t profess to know any of the answers. But even if it was as simple as give Hughes and Blake the push, who identifies their replacements? Who makes that decision and would they get it right?
Click to expand...
That last paragraph brings fear...heyho...maybe Bill's "luck" would work
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

;