Has Critchley lost the Dressing Room ?

Progressfan

Progressfan

Well-known member
If he can’t motivate his players for the must win matches, re the last four and beyond ,have the players given up on him and the failed system they are being asked to play . I don’t think clapping vigorously on the side lines is motivation Mr Critchley.
 
We frankly don’t know. Popular opinion is that he’s lost the changing room. Jordan Rhodes suggested otherwise and that they’re a tight knit, well coached unit?

We are building a narrative to cover our disappointment at the season and particularly recent games. It could also be that the players are just not good enough and they recognised that they are at the edge of their ability being at top 10 team?

Reality is we don’t know.
 
I don’t see a lack of endeavour in games but a lack of quality and end product .

Basically we can’t get the ball in the back of the net it’s not for want of trying .

It was exactly the same in the games before Rhodes arrived. He comes along and we start scoring .

We don’t have a main striker regular double figure goal merchant playing for us at the moment .

The chances we create are not being finished . The lads are playing.
 
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What I noticed on Monday was that after Critchley did his long clap and got booed that Gabriel did a longer than usual clap and got applauded as if he was making a point about Critchley. Maybe it was just me seeing it as that.
 
I don't think so or we'd be getting beatings. But we'll see this weekend when confidence-restored Cambridge come to town looking to do the double.

Critchley's method is heavily reliant on scoring the first goal in a game and having something to cling on to. Or being able to stay in a game and nick a result. And when that's not happening it can easily look and feel totally bereft. It's never been any different because it's what the modern FA training consists of in a nutshell for new British coaches, and it's what Plymouth have quickly found out with their guy. It's how you'll feel when you're watching England this summer in a straight knockout against a bunch of handy lads who know what they're doing. And Gareth Southgate has to do something to change it up when the safe slow backpassing triangles haven't even been able to keep it to 0-0. But he's just stood there looking powerless until 70 minutes when Steve Holland's iPad says it's time to bring on Grealish for Foden.

It's not like our players are not trying but if Critchley is openly saying you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink, dropping Dembele for Virtue, making the same subs at the same times, then to me he's making it look like he's running out of ideas of how to change things right now without Coulson/Husband/Lyons/Morgan/Rhodes and is desperate for someone to come up with some sort of inspiration.

And that is a world away from what Lincoln are doing (who nobody is keeping up with). What Oxford are able to do despite their problems with a new manager learning on the job. How Stevenage stay in games and you know will battle you with all they've got for a clean sheet at the very least.
 
poolfc said:
I don't think so or we'd be getting beatings. But we'll see this weekend when confidence-restored Cambridge come to town looking to do the double.

Critchley's method is heavily reliant on scoring the first goal in a game and having something to cling on to. Or being able to stay in a game and nick a result. And when that's not happening it can easily look and feel totally bereft. It's never been any different because it's what the modern FA training consists of in a nutshell for new British coaches, and it's what Plymouth have quickly found out with their guy. It's how you'll feel when you're watching England this summer in a straight knockout against a bunch of handy lads who know what they're doing. And Gareth Southgate has to do something to change it up when the safe slow backpassing triangles haven't even been able to keep it to 0-0. But he's just stood there looking powerless until 70 minutes when Steve Holland's iPad says it's time to bring on Grealish for Foden.

It's not like our players are not trying but if Critchley is openly saying you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink, dropping Dembele for Virtue, making the same subs at the same times, then to me he's making it look like he's running out of ideas of how to change things right now without Coulson/Husband/Lyons/Morgan/Rhodes and is desperate for someone to come up with some sort of inspiration.

And that is a world away from what Lincoln are doing (who nobody is keeping up with). What Oxford are able to do despite their problems with a new manager learning on the job. How Stevenage stay in games and you know will battle you with all they've got for a clean sheet at the very least.
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Yes indeed. Management by rote. Football by numbers.
 
poolfc said:
I don't think so or we'd be getting beatings. But we'll see this weekend when confidence-restored Cambridge come to town looking to do the double.

Critchley's method is heavily reliant on scoring the first goal in a game and having something to cling on to. Or being able to stay in a game and nick a result. And when that's not happening it can easily look and feel totally bereft. It's never been any different because it's what the modern FA training consists of in a nutshell for new British coaches, and it's what Plymouth have quickly found out with their guy. It's how you'll feel when you're watching England this summer in a straight knockout against a bunch of handy lads who know what they're doing. And Gareth Southgate has to do something to change it up when the safe slow backpassing triangles haven't even been able to keep it to 0-0. But he's just stood there looking powerless until 70 minutes when Steve Holland's iPad says it's time to bring on Grealish for Foden.

It's not like our players are not trying but if Critchley is openly saying you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink, dropping Dembele for Virtue, making the same subs at the same times, then to me he's making it look like he's running out of ideas of how to change things right now without Coulson/Husband/Lyons/Morgan/Rhodes and is desperate for someone to come up with some sort of inspiration.

And that is a world away from what Lincoln are doing (who nobody is keeping up with). What Oxford are able to do despite their problems with a new manager learning on the job. How Stevenage stay in games and you know will battle you with all they've got for a clean sheet at the very least.
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Absolutely nailed it 🎯

Just to add about signing “the right type of player character wise”…

One that won’t argue with the coach, question anything, won’t give anyone any shit on the pitch but will put his kit back in the bag to be washed at the end of the game, whilst Stevenage are bullying half the league and Pompey are getting our players sent off, we’re more bothered about having “good players but more importantly brilliant young men”…
 
Team spirit is something that is hard to build and you cannot always buy it.

To me, we have a collection of players rather than a cohesive group of men that would do battle for their teammates. The team captain should be leading the club from the dressing room and onto the pitch.

Away from home, we are often weak and seemingly incapable of imposing our will. Is that the team or the manager’s fault?

And yes, I have leadership certificates from the Defence Academy that say I am (only) slightly qualified to have that opinion.
 
AngelBFC said:
I don’t see a lack of endeavour in games but a lack of quality and end product .

Basically we can’t get the ball in the back of the net it’s not for want of trying .

It was exactly the same in the games before Rhodes arrived. He comes along and we start scoring .

We don’t have a main striker regular double figure goal merchant playing for us at the moment .

The chances we create are not being finished . The lads are playing.
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Rhodes hasn't scored since the 23rd December, 12 games either side of his last injury. But we've still managed to score 23 in that time. The common denominator I reckon is the loss of Dougall. Instead we are heavily reliant on a lazy captain who likes to pass it backwards. Most of our big wins were when Nogood was out of the team.
 
Progressfan said:
If he can’t motivate his players for the must win matches, re the last four and beyond ,have the players given up on him and the failed system they are being asked to play . I don’t think clapping vigorously on the side lines is motivation Mr Critchley.
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No they are clearly going above and beyond to try and keep that magic clean sheet and retain possession whilst hoping to “nick one”. Critchley inspires all the team to deliver these goals….we’ve just been very, very, very, very, very unlucky away from home.
 
poolfc said:
It's how you'll feel when you're watching England this summer in a straight knockout against a bunch of handy lads who know what they're doing. And Gareth Southgate has to do something to change it up when the safe slow backpassing triangles haven't even been able to keep it to 0-0. But he's just stood there looking powerless until 70 minutes when Steve Holland's iPad says it's time to bring on Grealish for Foden.
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So so true 😂
 
Chunkylad said:
We frankly don’t know. Popular opinion is that he’s lost the changing room. Jordan Rhodes suggested otherwise and that they’re a tight knit, well coached unit?

We are building a narrative to cover our disappointment at the season and particularly recent games. It could also be that the players are just not good enough and they recognised that they are at the edge of their ability being at top 10 team?

Reality is we don’t know.
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Rhodes was talking about the bus driver.
 
poolfc said:
What Oxford are able to do despite their problems with a new manager learning on the job.
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Haha but biases exist, there’s plenty of Buckingham out people already on our side too just like over here. Often elsewhere the grass does look greener elsewhere (admittedly here in Oxford it is 🎣). But our drop off since Mannings departure has been painful!!
 
neyo said:
Haha but biases exist, there’s plenty of Buckingham out people already on our side too just like over here. Often elsewhere the grass does look greener elsewhere (admittedly here in Oxford it is 🎣). But our drop off since Mannings departure has been painful!!
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I expected you'd drop off anyway as Manning is another Critchley and even with him you were always going to hit a spell in the season where you'd be winning the passing but not much else. Considering the disruption, and what the 5-0 at Bolton could have done, you can't really fault the response to it since.
 
poolfc said:
I expected you'd drop off anyway as Manning is another Critchley and even with him you were always going to hit a spell in the season where you'd be winning the passing but not much else. Considering the disruption, and what the 5-0 at Bolton could have done, you can't really fault the response to it since.
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Yeah 100%. We were dropping off at the end of Manning's tenure... We just need to give Des time I think, the squad is decent as you say we've responded since Bolton - although the 2pts dropped on Friday was frustrating. P'boro, Stevenage and Lincoln in a week will absolutely be season defining...
 
Ollie and Thommo were the masters at taking a decent squad and making them believe they were a brilliant squad and could beat anyone. There was a real joy and buzz through the dressing room, the supporters and the town itself. That was built ov an ethos of scoring more goals than the opposition not trying to stop them from scoring and hoping we score one. We got to the EPL FFS, with the Stains in charge, that in itself shows what a miracle Ollie performed. The place now is totally devoid of joy and there is no buzz about the place, just the sound of the showers dripping in the changing rooms. No leaders, now "let's fuck training off this morning and go and have a fry up and some crazy golf" We have a dull owner, an even duller manager, 2 coaches who, well, I don't know what they do and a squad of players bereft of any personality being made to play a formation and tactics they clearly don't like and worse, don't understand and there are no characters to speak of and any there are are gotten rid of or made to follow the hollow, empty, soulless atmosphere the manager has produced.

I'm not saying we should get Ollie back, but of all the ex managers Sadler has employed he is the only one he should have gone to, but he has an incredible skill of totally misreading the room. But we should have gone for someone with that attacking, we are the best, maverick attitude type of manager, not the utter boring, useless dross he has employed.

If Critchley stays next season, because he will, then I predict it will be worse than this season and we will finish in the bottom half of the table with a toxic atmosphere and empty seats. Sadly, Sadler doesn't get it, he also won't listen to anyone but himself and even if Critchley did go I have absolutely no faith in him choosing anything other than more of the same.

It's the first time in a long time I am dreading pre season and next season, that is something I think a majority of the supporters will feel and I can't see it changing whilst Sadler has the mindset he does.
 
neyo said:
Yeah 100%. We were dropping off at the end of Manning's tenure... We just need to give Des time I think, the squad is decent as you say we've responded since Bolton - although the 2pts dropped on Friday was frustrating. P'boro, Stevenage and Lincoln in a week will absolutely be season defining...
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With the way Lincoln are they're going push the 4th and 5th place teams down to 5th and 6th and that'll be the only upward play off movement before the end of the season but at least you've still got a dog in the fight. We've got a millipede playing safe passes with itself.
 
hertfordseasider said:
Ollie and Thommo were the masters at taking a decent squad and making them believe they were a brilliant squad and could beat anyone. There was a real joy and buzz through the dressing room, the supporters and the town itself. That was built ov an ethos of scoring more goals than the opposition not trying to stop them from scoring and hoping we score one. We got to the EPL FFS, with the Stains in charge, that in itself shows what a miracle Ollie performed. The place now is totally devoid of joy and there is no buzz about the place, just the sound of the showers dripping in the changing rooms. No leaders, now "let's fuck training off this morning and go and have a fry up and some crazy golf" We have a dull owner, an even duller manager, 2 coaches who, well, I don't know what they do and a squad of players bereft of any personality being made to play a formation and tactics they clearly don't like and worse, don't understand and there are no characters to speak of and any there are are gotten rid of or made to follow the hollow, empty, soulless atmosphere the manager has produced.

I'm not saying we should get Ollie back, but of all the ex managers Sadler has employed he is the only one he should have gone to, but he has an incredible skill of totally misreading the room. But we should have gone for someone with that attacking, we are the best, maverick attitude type of manager, not the utter boring, useless dross he has employed.

If Critchley stays next season, because he will, then I predict it will be worse than this season and we will finish in the bottom half of the table with a toxic atmosphere and empty seats. Sadly, Sadler doesn't get it, he also won't listen to anyone but himself and even if Critchley did go I have absolutely no faith in him choosing anything other than more of the same.

It's the first time in a long time I am dreading pre season and next season, that is something I think a majority of the supporters will feel and I can't see it changing whilst Sadler has the mindset he does.
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Very true, it is becoming a bit groundhog day.
 
Critch has to ditch his two ipad cronies and get himself some decent backroom support otherwise he has no chance of turning it around next season.

Unfortunately I suspect he is too stubborn to act and will end up on the scrap heap or back in academy football.
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
He lost the dressing room months ago. These lads know they are good enough, but his ridiculous system has killed them.

The likes of Gabriel has been damaged. Hauled off at Orient when he was our best player. At Wigan, Critchley was going mad with Dembele and Beesley, when they had zero opportunity to do anything. He blames players for everything.
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We don’t know that though do we? It’s a throw away comment and you might be correct however Rhodes said otherwise.

How do you know for a fact that the players dislike the manager or the tactics? I’ve played in teams in my teens and 20s when we all knew the manager was getting the best out of us, but we weren’t good enough to challenge. We knew our ability and gave it all but just didn’t have good enough players in our squad against other teams.

I think it’s a lazy comment. I don’t see players screaming at the manager or telling him to F off. I’ve seen that many times at BR when the manager HAS lost the changing room
 
Chunkylad said:
We don’t know that though do we? It’s a throw away comment and you might be correct however Rhodes said otherwise.

How do you know for a fact that the players dislike the manager or the tactics? I’ve played in teams in my teens and 20s when we all knew the manager was getting the best out of us, but we weren’t good enough to challenge. We knew our ability and gave it all but just didn’t have good enough players in our squad against other teams.

I think it’s a lazy comment. I don’t see players screaming at the manager or telling him to F off. I’ve seen that many times at BR when the manager HAS lost the changing room
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No pro has ever come out and said the manager has lost the dressing room. What do you expect Rhodes to say!

Read the signals, watch the games, look at the players and their frustration when he’s shouting at them, when the team is following his tactical instructions.

Nothing lazy about the comment. If you want to bury your head then 👍
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
No pro has ever come out and said the manager has lost the dressing room. What do you expect Rhodes to say!

Read the signals, watch the games, look at the players and their frustration when he’s shouting at them, when the team is following his tactical instructions.

Nothing lazy about the comment. If you want to bury your head then 👍
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I simply am not seeing players ignoring him. Players telling him to fuck off. Seen that a plenty with Appleton last season.

Doesn’t mean I am happy with any of the performances or league position, I just don’t see a lost changing room yet? You’ll know when it’s lost. The body language goes completely.
Even in Saturdays borefest, players were running over to the coaches, nodding, discussing and then running back and pointing etc. Shows collaboration is still there.
 
hertfordseasider said:
Ollie and Thommo were the masters at taking a decent squad and making them believe they were a brilliant squad and could beat anyone. There was a real joy and buzz through the dressing room, the supporters and the town itself. That was built ov an ethos of scoring more goals than the opposition not trying to stop them from scoring and hoping we score one. We got to the EPL FFS, with the Stains in charge, that in itself shows what a miracle Ollie performed. The place now is totally devoid of joy and there is no buzz about the place, just the sound of the showers dripping in the changing rooms. No leaders, now "let's fuck training off this morning and go and have a fry up and some crazy golf" We have a dull owner, an even duller manager, 2 coaches who, well, I don't know what they do and a squad of players bereft of any personality being made to play a formation and tactics they clearly don't like and worse, don't understand and there are no characters to speak of and any there are are gotten rid of or made to follow the hollow, empty, soulless atmosphere the manager has produced.

I'm not saying we should get Ollie back, but of all the ex managers Sadler has employed he is the only one he should have gone to, but he has an incredible skill of totally misreading the room. But we should have gone for someone with that attacking, we are the best, maverick attitude type of manager, not the utter boring, useless dross he has employed.

If Critchley stays next season, because he will, then I predict it will be worse than this season and we will finish in the bottom half of the table with a toxic atmosphere and empty seats. Sadly, Sadler doesn't get it, he also won't listen to anyone but himself and even if Critchley did go I have absolutely no faith in him choosing anything other than more of the same.

It's the first time in a long time I am dreading pre season and next season, that is something I think a majority of the supporters will feel and I can't see it changing whilst Sadler has the mindset he does.
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Well summed up. I dont think we will ever see another Holloway but he has simply not produced anywhere else. right manager right team.
 
Chunkylad said:
I simply am not seeing players ignoring him. Players telling him to fuck off. Seen that a plenty with Appleton last season.

Doesn’t mean I am happy with any of the performances or league position, I just don’t see a lost changing room yet? You’ll know when it’s lost. The body language goes completely.
Even in Saturdays borefest, players were running over to the coaches, nodding, discussing and then running back and pointing etc. Shows collaboration is still there.
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Agree with most of the points being raised by posters in this thread, but there is one particular issue which I feel people are largely ignoring (or, at best, are simply choosing to mention as a 'passing refererence'), and that concens what has now almost become 'the elephant in the room'. And I'm talking, of course, about Critchley's apparent obsession with employing the 2-5-3 approach. I really can't understand the reason for his fixation with this formation. It has consistently failed to alter the course of matches; the players clearly aren't comfortable trying to imlement it; and, when they 'blindly' attempt to do so, the end result, we as fans are treated to, is the unedifying spectacle of what can only best be described as 'organised chaos'.

We don't possess the players, equipped with the requisite skill-set, necessary for the successful application of this approach. So, why, as the season draws to its welcome close, do the team still seem so hell-bent on trying to 'make it work'? As I've yet to encounter anyone who has been able to come up with a satisfactory reply to this particular query, I feel I am left with no alternative other than to forward the question to La Critch. I await the reply with intrigue ...
 
Chunkylad said:
I simply am not seeing players ignoring him. Players telling him to fuck off. Seen that a plenty with Appleton last season.

Doesn’t mean I am happy with any of the performances or league position, I just don’t see a lost changing room yet? You’ll know when it’s lost. The body language goes completely.
Even in Saturdays borefest, players were running over to the coaches, nodding, discussing and then running back and pointing etc. Shows collaboration is still there.
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I’d say that they are contracted to do that, and to do otherwise in public would see them dismissed, with a bad reputation for their future career.
 
I don't think it's any deeper than they've backed themselves into a corner by expecting a full season out of Rhodes when he hasn't been that guy for a decade, swapped Jerry Yates for some magic beans and our transfer policy has led to a feeling of the other strikers needing 15 clear on-a-plate chances to stumble into scoring 1, and we probably only create less than 5 a game with this set up.

Critchley tactics, Critchleyball, whatever you want to call it will only get you so far up a football pitch. The safe slow snails pace passing, unless someone drops a clanger with how awkward it is for them, can legally timewaste and limit the opposition and what they can do. But too much pressure is put on scoring first in a game to stand any chance of getting a result. When we can do that then it's often a different game and we've had some good results. But for me they're not being coached to be able to roll with the punches when the other team has something to say about it, mainly in away games.

The only dissent I've noticed is Connolly aimlessly smashing the ball into the away end in frustration towards the end of the Leyton Orient game and he hasn't played since, but I think you can put that down to it being someone elses turn. As is either Critchley's policy or whoever is made available to him to select on a weekly basis.
 
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Without being rude, I think our current squad are all lap dogs and wouldn't say anything even if they disagreed.
They're all too nice and there is no bite in that squad.
 
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