What were the board thinking

TwelveAngryMen said:
The main issue ( other than the defensive slips ) is that we pose no attacking threat whatsoever

I can't recall one shot on target last night Can anyone else ?

When you don't score goals defensive slip ups obviously carry a far greater significance
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Hurrah at last! Attacking and creating chances has been the number one problem since game 2 but everyone has been queueing up to kick the defence. The defence hasn't actually given up too many chances as a unit, its been individual errors which I'm sure would rectify itself. Last night we didn't give up too many chances even with one less man.

Maybe if we created chances it would help the defence.

Too many people watch football in a 'paint by numbers' way. Goals conceded = defence is shit. Not goals scored = striker shit.
 
62years&counting said:
5000 season ticket holders for a start / those watching on I-Follow. Are we not fans?!
It's the same for every team and Pool are the worst in league1.
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It’s different watching from the armchair at home though, we can’t vent are anger and frustration like we could at Bloomers. I agree, home form is poor, but there is zero pressure on us, it’s like we are playing friendlies every week.
 
Ghosts of Electricity said:
Hurrah at last! Attacking and creating chances has been the number one problem since game 2 but everyone has been queueing up to kick the defence. The defence hasn't actually given up too many chances as a unit, its been individual errors which I'm sure would rectify itself. Last night we didn't give up too many chances even with one less man.

Maybe if we created chances it would help the defence.

Too many people watch football in a 'paint by numbers' way. Goals conceded = defence is shit. Not goals scored = striker shit.
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Midfield isn’t good enough, lacks creativity.
 
Dewster said:
It’s different watching from the armchair at home though, we can’t vent are anger and frustration like we could at Bloomers. I agree, home form is poor, but there is zero pressure on us, it’s like we are playing friendlies every week.
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I'm venting my anger...A clueless coach and a rudderless team full of players more suited to league2 / National league.
 
TwelveAngryMen said:
The main issue ( other than the defensive slips ) is that we pose no attacking threat whatsoever

I can't recall one shot on target last night Can anyone else ?

When you don't score goals defensive slip ups obviously carry a far greater significance
Click to expand...
We had one shot on target which I think was from Robson's free kick which may have been a mis-hit cross.
We had 6 shots blocked and 1 shot off target which was Woodburn's effort.
GTF mentioned in commentary a few games back that in his brief managerial career he told his players that he wanted a minimum of 15 shots per half. It's a philosophy I firmly believe in, if you don't shoot you don't score and add that to practice makes perfect and we might start helping the opposition goalkeeper keep his hands warm.
 
SeasideKurt said:
The football they play is better, it's a pretty simple concept. Like Arsenal play brilliant football at times but win nothing. This lot would lose to last years lot literally just to Feeney crosses and Gnando.
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Specifically, how is the football better? We can't defend, we have hardly any shots on target, our set pieces are woeful, and we are joint bottom of the league.
 
RossendaleSeasider said:
Specifically, how is the football better? We can't defend, we have hardly any shots on target, our set pieces are woeful, and we are joint bottom of the league.
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You're not reading what I am writing are you?

We are playing with far more possession than we had in most games last season. We have midfielders who can pass the ball better than last season. Generally we just have a better footballing side. But there's no point in being able to pass the ball around if you can't score or you're one dimensional. For all of CJs pace, his touch is abysmal 80% of the time. Yates has lost all confidence and can't buy a goal. Madine is playing well with little support.
TwelveAngryMen said:
We've no where near the number of effective players as we had last year
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The only effective players I'd have had from last season is Taylor Moore, KDH and Gnando, the rest are very forgettable and they are looking better than they are because of the piss poor start.
 
SeasideKurt said:
You're not reading what I am writing are you?

We are playing with far more possession than we had in most games last season. We have midfielders who can pass the ball better than last season. Generally we just have a better footballing side. But there's no point in being able to pass the ball around if you can't score or you're one dimensional. For all of CJs pace, his touch is abysmal 80% of the time. Yates has lost all confidence and can't buy a goal. Madine is playing well with little support.

The only effective players I'd have had from last season is Taylor Moore, KDH and Gnando, the rest are very forgettable and they are looking better than they are because of the piss poor start.
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You've just contradicted yourself completely within a sentence.

Like I said, specifically, how is the football better? We can't defend, we have hardly any shots on target, our set pieces are woeful, and we are joint bottom of the league. These are facts.
 
RossendaleSeasider said:
You've just contradicted yourself completely within a sentence.

Like I said, specifically, how is the football better? We can't defend, we have hardly any shots on target, our set pieces are woeful, and we are joint bottom of the league. These are facts.
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I've literally just told you how the football is better. It's up to you to engage the brain properly.
 
SeasideKurt said:
You're not reading what I am writing are you?

We are playing with far more possession than we had in most games last season. We have midfielders who can pass the ball better than last season. Generally we just have a better footballing side. But there's no point in being able to pass the ball around if you can't score or you're one dimensional. For all of CJs pace, his touch is abysmal 80% of the time. Yates has lost all confidence and can't buy a goal. Madine is playing well with little support.

The only effective players I'd have had from last season is Taylor Moore, KDH and Gnando, the rest are very forgettable and they are looking better than they are because of the piss poor start.
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Sorry but for me you'd have to include

Tilt
Macdonald
Feeney
Ronan
and even Spearing as he was an effective captain and we currently don't have that leadership No disrespect to Maxwell but a GK should never be captain
 
Insider said:
We had one shot on target which I think was from Robson's free kick which may have been a mis-hit cross.
We had 6 shots blocked and 1 shot off target which was Woodburn's effort.
GTF mentioned in commentary a few games back that in his brief managerial career he told his players that he wanted a minimum of 15 shots per half. It's a philosophy I firmly believe in, if you don't shoot you don't score and add that to practice makes perfect and we might start helping the opposition goalkeeper keep his hands warm.
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That’s something I do with my u16 team. We have a parent with a clicker, counting shots and those on target. Other times we’ll focus on passes completed. We use the information to develop individuals and the team as a collective. It works.

Possession is generally pointless without positivity and an end product. I want to see the sort of football that NC surely wants to play, but he’s had plenty of time on the training pitch and in matches, and we are not progressing. I personally think he’s got enough talent in the squad to make that happen, but can he carry them with him?

Forgetting the individual players for a moment, I don’t see a cohesive unit.

I see gaps, gaping holes at times that the opposition can easily exploit.

I don’t see players knowing or understanding their role.

I don’t see every player winning their individual battles, particularly important when things aren’t going well and we have to grind out a result.

I don’t see a team that can provide cover when individual mistakes are made.

I see a team that is easy to play against, where our one main threat is marked out of the game. If you only give the opposition one player to worry about, you’ve got problems.

I see panic, from the coach, because he’s put aside all his coaching experience and brought in Madine, so we can just pump it long. No criticism of Madine, but if you play that way, you have to organise the team, the wide players and midfield, to get close to him. It’s embarrassing to see hopeful flick-ons, Sunday park stuff.

I want to give him a few more games, but he quickly needs to identify his best 11 and make sure they understand how he wants them to play.
 
TwelveAngryMen said:
Sorry but for me you'd have to include

Tilt
Macdonald
Feeney
Ronan
and even Spearing as he was an effective captain and we currently don't have that leadership No disrespect to Maxwell but a GK should never be captain
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Sorry but I don't see it. Tilt was a moany ** before he left and his performances were up and down. Macdonald didn't do anything. Feeney was 1 dimentional. Ronan I agree with and missed him. Spearing was poor all season long.
 
SeasideKurt said:
Sorry but I don't see it. Tilt was a moany ** before he left and his performances were up and down. Macdonald didn't do anything. Feeney was 1 dimentional. Ronan I agree with and missed him. Spearing was poor all season long.
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Feeney was second only to De Brunye in the assist stats

His powers were waning but we haven't replaced him

MacDonald is far better than Mitchell

Spearing was a captain - we don't have one right now

Agree Tilt was a moaner - and we look like we have finally replaced him but only with a short term loanee IMO

You could also arguably add Heneghan though Ekpiteta is improving for me
 
I could understand going down to 10 men early on last night that we weren't going to be peppering the goal with shots, but 7 games in it is becoming apparent that for all the nice passes we might play, it counts for bugger all if you can't defend or score. Possession and passing wins you nothing on its own.
 
TwelveAngryMen said:
Feeney was second only to De Brunye in the assist stats

His powers were waning but we haven't replaced him

MacDonald is far better than Mitchell

Spearing was a captain - we don't have one right now
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There has been zero evidence from MacDonald that he is better than Mitchell. Nothing. He doesn't have a better cross. Mitchell has had an extremely poor two games. But before that he was one of our better signings. Feeney is 34 years old. And just because Spearing was captain doesn't mean anything for me.
 
I suspect SS will be having a polite but firm word in Critchley's ear to stress that results have to improve. Pretty possession football is all well and good but this is a results game and 5 defeats in 7 is getting hard to ignore
 
It's very hard not to be negative about this seasons squad but equally there's no point in going over who we had last season.
It's the here and now that counts.
Critchley is clearly finding it difficult at the moment and maybe he needs a leap of faith to move on from his comfort zone of what looks to us all as a rigid formation that isn't working.
When I was watching Dirty Leeds the other night the commentators mentioned how Leeds were constantly changing formation to confuse the opposition. They didn't win but that makes some sense to me.
Last night we couldn't even manage to swap CJ from right to left. Little things like this are surely worth a try
Free kicks and corners are still dire. Get your analyst looking at how goals are scored from set plays and copy it.
At the same time get your analyst to look at how Yates scored his goals last season and get him in those positions rather than running around like a whirling dervish.
For those moaning about the defence I don't see that as our biggest problem. Maxwell didn't have a single save to make in the last 2 games.
 
Insider said:
It's very hard not to be negative about this seasons squad but equally there's no point in going over who we had last season.
It's the here and now that counts.
Critchley is clearly finding it difficult at the moment and maybe he needs a leap of faith to move on from his comfort zone of what looks to us all as a rigid formation that isn't working.
When I was watching Dirty Leeds the other night the commentators mentioned how Leeds were constantly changing formation to confuse the opposition. They didn't win but that makes some sense to me.
Last night we couldn't even manage to swap CJ from right to left. Little things like this are surely worth a try
Free kicks and corners are still dire. Get your analyst looking at how goals are scored from set plays and copy it.
At the same time get your analyst to look at how Yates scored his goals last season and get him in those positions rather than running around like a whirling dervish.
For those moaning about the defence I don't see that as our biggest problem. Maxwell didn't have a single save to make in the last 2 games.
Click to expand...
He is static in his approach insider.

Saturday against Crewe it was clear to see playing Ward at LCM and Robson at RCM was absolutely ridiculous and not working. Yet he didn't change or move them at all.
 
Insider said:
It's very hard not to be negative about this seasons squad but equally there's no point in going over who we had last season.
It's the here and now that counts.
Critchley is clearly finding it difficult at the moment and maybe he needs a leap of faith to move on from his comfort zone of what looks to us all as a rigid formation that isn't working.
When I was watching Dirty Leeds the other night the commentators mentioned how Leeds were constantly changing formation to confuse the opposition. They didn't win but that makes some sense to me.
Last night we couldn't even manage to swap CJ from right to left. Little things like this are surely worth a try
Free kicks and corners are still dire. Get your analyst looking at how goals are scored from set plays and copy it.
At the same time get your analyst to look at how Yates scored his goals last season and get him in those positions rather than running around like a whirling dervish.
For those moaning about the defence I don't see that as our biggest problem. Maxwell didn't have a single save to make in the last 2 games.
Click to expand...

Maxwell must have had at least 1 save to make as we conceded a goal in each game.
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
So he fcuking should its not Academy football

The bloke is clueless
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Just checked Ballard is aged 21.

Critchley said after the game...

“We then have to change and bring Dan Ballard on, who I thought was excellent when he came on. He competed very well and played like a man.”

He’s 21 ffs and he plays internationally. Played like a man?? He’s not 16!
 
Insider said:
It's very hard not to be negative about this seasons squad but equally there's no point in going over who we had last season.
It's the here and now that counts.
Critchley is clearly finding it difficult at the moment and maybe he needs a leap of faith to move on from his comfort zone of what looks to us all as a rigid formation that isn't working.
When I was watching Dirty Leeds the other night the commentators mentioned how Leeds were constantly changing formation to confuse the opposition. They didn't win but that makes some sense to me.
Last night we couldn't even manage to swap CJ from right to left. Little things like this are surely worth a try
Free kicks and corners are still dire. Get your analyst looking at how goals are scored from set plays and copy it.
At the same time get your analyst to look at how Yates scored his goals last season and get him in those positions rather than running around like a whirling dervish.
For those moaning about the defence I don't see that as our biggest problem. Maxwell didn't have a single save to make in the last 2 games.
Click to expand...
Correct i said this on the podcast last night

The front 3 dont swap over, the whole idea of inverted wingers is so they can cut in from one side and then have the ability to cross the ball with their stronger foot when they switch sides

Playing Madine means he needs crosses less so if Yates was the centre forward as he would also be more mobile to position changes

Liverpool swap Salah and Mane all the time

Salah is all left foot
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
Football isn't better at all

People have just bought into the myth of fancy football with no end product
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I have bought into us trying to rebuild the playing side and play a style and system that is very different than we've used before. Now I don't deny there could be a reason the approach Critchley is taking hasn't been done at this level. It could be that the Critchley experiment, if we can call it that, proves to be a failure. I'm of the opinion that until Christmas at least there is no point in pulling out of it. I don't think we could even if Sadler wanted to.

So I'll support the owner and his choice as long as he sees it through. Why shouldn't I? Sadler has been and is investing to try and give us a better, stronger Blackpool. I'm not risking my money in anything like the same level as the owner. At best it will have cost me a season ticket. No difference there. As I've said previously I reserve the right to be critical of performances, decisions and Chisnall commentary but I will draw the line at telling an owner who invests heavily in the club on and off the pitch, and who evidently cares about the club and supporters deeply, how he should run things.

I definitely agree there are some glaring issues that many of us have mentioned ad nauseam - no real captain, no midfield general, forward line looking lacking, defence still unsettled. And I share many of your views, Phil, on the formation as that quite obviously needs a lot of work. There are some signs of green shoots too - back line is slowly improving, we have players not yet used or not match fit who should improve things (Kaikai, Gretarsson, Woodburn), we have shown signs (in short spells and when we have 11 on the pitch) that the pressing style can work. It certainly isn't wonderful and it needs a lot of improvement - that the manager and squad may or may not be capable of - but I don't think we should entirely condemn what Sadler and Critchley are trying to do yet.

If we get relegated then Critchley will probably go, we'll bin off the players proven not to be up to it and we'll start again probably with an experienced manager and a tried and tested (and dare I say tired) formula. We'll have given Critchley his opportunity and I have zero problem with us being the club who are doing it. I'm not so precious about us that I think we are above taking the risk and giving a young and well schooled coach a chance. If we go down I would rather it was because we did it trying to significantly change how we approach our game than just trudging along and playing bang average football.
 
Hevster said:
I have bought into us trying to rebuild the playing side and play a style and system that is very different than we've used before. Now I don't deny there could be a reason the approach Critchley is taking hasn't been done at this level. It could be that the Critchley experiment, if we can call it that, proves to be a failure. I'm of the opinion that until Christmas at least there is no point in pulling out of it. I don't think we could even if Sadler wanted to.

So I'll support the owner and his choice as long as he sees it through. Why shouldn't I? Sadler has been and is investing to try and give us a better, stronger Blackpool. I'm not risking my money in anything like the same level as the owner. At best it will have cost me a season ticket. No difference there. As I've said previously I reserve the right to be critical of performances, decisions and Chisnall commentary but I will draw the line at telling an owner who invests heavily in the club on and off the pitch, and who evidently cares about the club and supporters deeply, how he should run things.

I definitely agree there are some glaring issues that many of us have mentioned ad nauseam - no real captain, no midfield general, forward line looking lacking, defence still unsettled. And I share many of your views, Phil, on the formation as that quite obviously needs a lot of work. There are some signs of green shoots too - back line is slowly improving, we have players not yet used or not match fit who should improve things (Kaikai, Gretarsson, Woodburn), we have shown signs (in short spells and when we have 11 on the pitch) that the pressing style can work. It certainly isn't wonderful and it needs a lot of improvement - that the manager and squad may or may not be capable of - but I don't think we should entirely condemn what Sadler and Critchley are trying to do yet.

If we get relegated then Critchley will probably go, we'll bin off the players proven not to be up to it and we'll start again probably with an experienced manager and a tried and tested (and dare I say tired) formula. We'll have given Critchley his opportunity and I have zero problem with us being the club who are doing it. I'm not so precious about us that I think we are above taking the risk and giving a young and well schooled coach a chance. If we go down I would rather it was because we did it trying to significantly change how we approach our game than just trudging along and playing bang average football.
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Your bottom sentence doesn't go down well I'm afraid. This time last season under Grayson we were 3rd in the league from 3 wins and 3 draws. It wasn't pretty, but effective. I'd rather be in the top 6 saying this is pants but at least I'm looking forward to Wembley rather than, ah well were down but it was pretty stuff eh? Grayson isn't the answer now, but an experienced L1 who integrates new players slowly would surely work better than wholesale changes as part of some "new style" of football experiment in this division wont cut it in my opinion I'm afraid Hevster
 
HetzkeBlaster said:
Your bottom sentence doesn't go down well I'm afraid. This time last season under Grayson we were 3rd in the league from 3 wins and 3 draws. It wasn't pretty, but effective. I'd rather be in the top 6 saying this is pants but at least I'm looking forward to Wembley rather than, ah well were down but it was pretty stuff eh? Grayson isn't the answer now, but an experienced L1 who integrates new players slowly would surely work better than wholesale changes as part of some "new style" of football experiment in this division wont cut it in my opinion I'm afraid Hevster
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And you may well be right. I realise how I view things might not be universally popular and I don't need it to be. I think it's just I'm bored with football generally now so an offer of something different is a risk I'm happy to see my club take.
 
Insider said:
It's very hard not to be negative about this seasons squad but equally there's no point in going over who we had last season.
It's the here and now that counts.
Critchley is clearly finding it difficult at the moment and maybe he needs a leap of faith to move on from his comfort zone of what looks to us all as a rigid formation that isn't working.
When I was watching Dirty Leeds the other night the commentators mentioned how Leeds were constantly changing formation to confuse the opposition. They didn't win but that makes some sense to me.
Last night we couldn't even manage to swap CJ from right to left. Little things like this are surely worth a try
Free kicks and corners are still dire. Get your analyst looking at how goals are scored from set plays and copy it.
At the same time get your analyst to look at how Yates scored his goals last season and get him in those positions rather than running around like a whirling dervish.
For those moaning about the defence I don't see that as our biggest problem. Maxwell didn't have a single save to make in the last 2 games.
Click to expand...

This thread has been good for identifying problems, but less good at identifying solutions. Well done, Insider, for having a crack at this. 👍

All of these proposals should be happening already, but it's clear they're not. Others have mentioned different formations -- 532 and 442. There's nothing magical about 443 and slavish adherence to a system the players can't handle isn't working.

Another thing we need to do is to try to catch teams on the break. By the time we've completed lots of passes between our back four, then more passes between our midfield, the opposition have run back to their defensive positions in numbers. We get caught on the break all the time -- figure out how they do it, and copy it!
 
The appointment of NC was /is a good one.

I would have employed him. Young manager hungry to commence his managerial career with a sound pedigree.

Spoken of in glowing terms by Jurgen Klopp. Entrusted by Klopp to manage the Liverpool first team as stand in.

Wide range of knowledge re the best young players in Europe.

A well thought out appointment of an impressive candidate.
 
TwelveAngryMen said:
We've no where near the number of effective players as we had last year
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And yet most of these players were deemed not good enough and were getting the exact same treatment this time last year when things weren’t going well...

I think a lot of us are starting to have our doubts and rightly so imo, there’s simply no excuse for being joint bottom, but surely this is where our fan base is tested in terms of loyalty and support?

Instead I see a lot of people on here and social media already willing to turn their backs on everything the club is trying to build after 7 games.

The same people that hounded Grayson out of the club last season are now longing for Feeney to Gnando football and for us to be more physical and direct. This a reflection of our fan bases fickleness as much as it is poor decisions at board level as many before the season thought we’d be league winners which was never, ever going to happen
 
AngelBFC said:
The appointment of NC was /is a good one.

I would have employed him. Young manager hungry to commence his managerial career with a sound pedigree.

Spoken of in glowing terms by Jurgen Klopp. Entrusted by Klopp to manage the Liverpool first team as stand in.

Wide range of knowledge re the best young players in Europe.

A well thought out appointment of an impressive candidate.
Click to expand...
No experience managing in the football league

Or experience in coaching lesser players

Massive risk

As is being proven ...
 
Hevster said:
I have bought into us trying to rebuild the playing side and play a style and system that is very different than we've used before. Now I don't deny there could be a reason the approach Critchley is taking hasn't been done at this level. It could be that the Critchley experiment, if we can call it that, proves to be a failure. I'm of the opinion that until Christmas at least there is no point in pulling out of it. I don't think we could even if Sadler wanted to.

So I'll support the owner and his choice as long as he sees it through. Why shouldn't I? Sadler has been and is investing to try and give us a better, stronger Blackpool. I'm not risking my money in anything like the same level as the owner. At best it will have cost me a season ticket. No difference there. As I've said previously I reserve the right to be critical of performances, decisions and Chisnall commentary but I will draw the line at telling an owner who invests heavily in the club on and off the pitch, and who evidently cares about the club and supporters deeply, how he should run things.

I definitely agree there are some glaring issues that many of us have mentioned ad nauseam - no real captain, no midfield general, forward line looking lacking, defence still unsettled. And I share many of your views, Phil, on the formation as that quite obviously needs a lot of work. There are some signs of green shoots too - back line is slowly improving, we have players not yet used or not match fit who should improve things (Kaikai, Gretarsson, Woodburn), we have shown signs (in short spells and when we have 11 on the pitch) that the pressing style can work. It certainly isn't wonderful and it needs a lot of improvement - that the manager and squad may or may not be capable of - but I don't think we should entirely condemn what Sadler and Critchley are trying to do yet.

If we get relegated then Critchley will probably go, we'll bin off the players proven not to be up to it and we'll start again probably with an experienced manager and a tried and tested (and dare I say tired) formula. We'll have given Critchley his opportunity and I have zero problem with us being the club who are doing it. I'm not so precious about us that I think we are above taking the risk and giving a young and well schooled coach a chance. If we go down I would rather it was because we did it trying to significantly change how we approach our game than just trudging along and playing bang average football.
Click to expand...
I do agree with a lot of that

I don't want NC to be sacked as it would mean another massive overhaul

Just don't know how we can reverse this form
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
No experience managing in the football league

Or experience in coaching lesser players

Massive risk

As is being proven ...
Click to expand...
I reckon I could be trusted with Liverpool's first team while Klopp was absent for a few games.

Unfortunately, being in charge of a League One club, resources available and managing what is realistically available is a massive job.
Not to mention League One is much more street wise and a completely different proposition to coaching the cream of the cream in both youth set up and first team players. Not sure Critchley has the time or the big personality to convince this squad of players they can be world beaters within a system they can all play in.
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
No experience managing in the football league

Or experience in coaching lesser players

Massive risk

As is being proven ...
Click to expand...
Ian Evatt the only other realistic candidate at the time.

No managerial experience in the football league

1 year experience in coaching non league players

NC a decade of coaching players at the highest level

Fans were clamouring for the appointment of Evatt and he is struggling.

Point is that the appointment of NC was a sound one. It remains to be seen whether it will work out.
 
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