So who's fault is this?

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Well-known member
We had a lot of criticism early doors about Critch following the early season results from lots of posters who expected success from day 1.
"Inexperienced" "Tinkerman" "Can't defend" "Need to play 4-4-2", etc.
Of course we all wanted 36 games played 108 points, goals scored 108, conceded 0 but even uber optimist Wiz thought we'd only have 106 points. 😉
But we've been building, we've been improving, we are unbeaten in 12 and we are scoring.
So who's "fault" is it?
The anti-Critchers will credit Calderwood and without doubt he's been influential.
The Critcheteers will give all the credit to the Head Coach.
Some might even say we have a decent squad of players.
So why do we suddenly look like realistic play off contenders.
Who gets the credit?
It's the age old saying "There's no "I" in team".
It's a combination of all those factors.
Critch is learning how to play League 1 football, he's conscientious and he's football savvy.
Calderwood has added experience and knowledge
It's a tight squad and all appear to want to play for one another and the Manager.
Above all that we have Simon Sadler and "The Board".
The future looks very Tangerine.
Monday will be another tough test but if we win that one I'll be slightly confident.
UTMP.
 
Correct there is no l in team but there is ME😁
If I can be brutally honest like John Sheridans post match comments 😏

Everybody connected with the club from Critchley down to the kitman and all inbetween. This club is now so "TOGETHER" that to think it's one person or a number of players cannot see the bigger picture.
And the longer this togetherness continues the more successful this club will become
 
We had a lot of criticism early doors about Critch following the early season results from lots of posters who expected success from day 1.
"Inexperienced" "Tinkerman" "Can't defend" "Need to play 4-4-2", etc.
Of course we all wanted 36 games played 108 points, goals scored 108, conceded 0 but even uber optimist Wiz thought we'd only have 106 points. 😉
But we've been building, we've been improving, we are unbeaten in 12 and we are scoring.
So who's "fault" is it?
The anti-Critchers will credit Calderwood and without doubt he's been influential.
The Critcheteers will give all the credit to the Head Coach.
Some might even say we have a decent squad of players.
So why do we suddenly look like realistic play off contenders.
Who gets the credit?
It's the age old saying "There's no "I" in team".
It's a combination of all those factors.
Critch is learning how to play League 1 football, he's conscientious and he's football savvy.
Calderwood has added experience and knowledge
It's a tight squad and all appear to want to play for one another and the Manager.
Above all that we have Simon Sadler and "The Board".
The future looks very Tangerine.
Monday will be another tough test but if we win that one I'll be slightly confident.
UTMP.
I have never been an ‘anti Critcher’ nor called for his head. I have however been critical in the early days for his intransigence. He had a team and tactics set in his mind and he appeared reluctant to deviate, even when it patently wasn’t working. He has now however realised there is more than one way to skin a cat, sorry animal lovers, 😜 and is using his full squad to best advantage. As you say they all appear to want to play for and with each other and it’s working. Well done Critchley, well done the squad, and well done everyone at the club. Keep it going.🍊🍊🍊🍊
 
I have never been an ‘anti Critcher’ nor called for his head. I have however been critical in the early days for his intransigence. He had a team and tactics set in his mind and he appeared reluctant to deviate, even when it patently wasn’t working. He has now however realised there is more than one way to skin a cat, sorry animal lovers, 😜 and is using his full squad to best advantage. As you say they all appear to want to play for and with each other and it’s working. Well done Critchley, well done the squad, and well done everyone at the club. Keep it going.🍊🍊🍊🍊
excellent post. 👍
 
He deserved the early criticism as he now deserves praise.
True. But that does come across a bit “zero or hero?”

There’s a lot of grey area in between. Like. Being given time to learn how the bits fit together. And then tweaking and fiddling a bit. Discovering that doesn’t work this week. But it might next. With a different opposition. So trying again.

It’s learning on the job. Which takes time and involves mistakes.
 
True. But that does come across a bit “zero or hero?”

There’s a lot of grey area in between. Like. Being given time to learn how the bits fit together. And then tweaking and fiddling a bit. Discovering that doesn’t work this week. But it might next. With a different opposition. So trying again.

It’s learning on the job. Which takes time and involves mistakes.
Spot on. 👍
 
A shining career path is being forged in the face of the fiery furnace of social media 😗

Remember when if you were lucky you got a few words from or about the manager's thoughts and tactics in the Zzzete on a Monday? Gives us all something to do though and there's no turning back from here, opinions are here to stay.

I'm 59 and I've never been more optimistic about our fortunes - thanks due to SS, the management, squad and backroom team. I also reckon that, for what we've all been through, on balance we deserve this 😀
 
NAGM fan September 2020
“What do you expect when we sign a load of League 2 players. Rotherham reject who scored a few goals for League 2 Swindon. That Eckithump or whatever his name from struggling Leyton Orient and a host of other rejects and injury specials. We will be lucky to stay up and thank goodness for the lockdown “
 
I'm not sure why the credit and blame needs to be meted out on one person. I think I said at the time, whilst Critchley probably did need the experience of Calderwood, the manner in which he's worked with him has been exemplary. I don't think we know how much of a choice Critch had in that decision but the fact is, he either actively wanted more experience in his management team or he welcomed it and either way, it's a sign of his utter professionalism that it's worked as it has.

I've not always agreed with Critchley, but he's got us so well drilled now that it's hard to find fault with him. The mistakes he made were definitely mistakes, but at risk of repeating others, you need to make mistakes to learn and actually, he's learned quicker than I thought he was learning earlier in the year. Twinkly eyed silver smoothie with his thoughtful pauses that he is.
 
It's fantastic it's come together. There were some real concerns and we still have a way to go. Such a shame those games early doors went to shit as we'd be talking about Automatic now.

But secure the play off spot and then see where we can go. I'm excited, it's been a rollercoaster of emotions. Monday is massive.
 
He’s been learning in the job and the best thing we’ve done this season was bringing in Calderwood to provide a reality check and ‘real life’ view of professional football at this level.

As has been said elsewhere, he came with a plan that, being brutal, was very naive and displayed a lack of understanding and possibly even respect of the level where he’s been asked to perform.

I have no issue with that as so many others have done the same before and will carry on doing it in the future. As long as he keeps learning and we keep going forward then I’m happy.
 
I'm not sure why the credit and blame needs to be meted out on one person. I think I said at the time, whilst Critchley probably did need the experience of Calderwood, the manner in which he's worked with him has been exemplary. I don't think we know how much of a choice Critch had in that decision but the fact is, he either actively wanted more experience in his management team or he welcomed it and either way, it's a sign of his utter professionalism that it's worked as it has.

I've not always agreed with Critchley, but he's got us so well drilled now that it's hard to find fault with him. The mistakes he made were definitely mistakes, but at risk of repeating others, you need to make mistakes to learn and actually, he's learned quicker than I thought he was learning earlier in the year. Twinkly eyed silver smoothie with his thoughtful pauses that he is.
Once again when I saw the team choice today, which I think you said in your blog, "what are you (Critch) thinking?"
4-4-2 has gone from the Holy Grail of formations to the antithesis, whatever that is? (at least since Gary got his niggle).
MOM Demetri was rested and 60 minute Simms started and back to 4-4-2. OMG.
But however, good, bad or indifferent we thought that selection was, it worked.
Critchy proved he knows best and got the team to score 2 goals and concede 0.
By no means a perfect performance, once again quite a few mis-placed, careless passes, some missed chances but for every mistake someone else was there as back up.
It's a results based business and we got another.
UTMP.
 
Early season the team wasn't gelled, new manager to the league, new players to him and to us and each other.

He hadn't settled on the side, decided who was good enough and who maybe wasn't.

Players hadn't settled and hadn't formed partnerships. Look at Ekpiteta for eg, he came along so much but early was shaky, like him lots needed time to settle and take on board the instructions.

So the early season is no surprise, it wasn't our style that was wrong, but just a new side really.

Shame we could have had the squad already in place and Critch hit the ground running from the first game, then we'd be right up at the top. But he had to being in his players and that was in summer so the only times to gel properly in real competitive games was at the start.

This is why if we don't go up this season I think we'll only improve next. Keep the bulk of the squad together with maybe one or 2 additions of real quality, striker options probably as some havent worked out. Or at least all the players back from injury.

Imagine if we had an average start which performances deserved more from. Could have easily had an extra 6+ points to where we are now.
 
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Good thread this, a lot of interesting points raised.

All I’m doing is repeating a lot of previous posts but the season to me can be broken down into three stages

1. September and October - let’s not rewrite history here, we were hopeless, disjointed and if that had carried on for a length of time we’d be now staring relegation in the face.

2. November - Mid March - Critch had to swallow a bit of pride in accepting helping and changing his pre conceived ideas. This phase made us harder to beat, we ground out results without being easy to watch in fact it was often some of the worst football I’ve seen is play in 30 years.

3. Mid March - to the end of the season (hopefully). We’ve established the squad, figured out who can do what - drilled the team to within an inch of their lives and allowed the more talented players freedom to conducted themselves. This had led to results and an enjoyable watch.

For me the whole club has been on a learning curve, owner, MD, management and players. They all deserve stick for the first phase. I think the fans were correct in their comments and questions around why we were still so poor and uninspired in phase two and we can all be happy with things currently.

For a long time I had major questions around Critch and his ability but the last two months really have shown me he knows what he’s doing and will likely take us to the next level.
 
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I'm not sure why the credit and blame needs to be meted out on one person. I think I said at the time, whilst Critchley probably did need the experience of Calderwood, the manner in which he's worked with him has been exemplary. I don't think we know how much of a choice Critch had in that decision but the fact is, he either actively wanted more experience in his management team or he welcomed it and either way, it's a sign of his utter professionalism that it's worked as it has.

I've not always agreed with Critchley, but he's got us so well drilled now that it's hard to find fault with him. The mistakes he made were definitely mistakes, but at risk of repeating others, you need to make mistakes to learn and actually, he's learned quicker than I thought he was learning earlier in the year. Twinkly eyed silver smoothie with his thoughtful pauses that he is.
I would imagine Critchs decisions are 100% his own.
 
I have never been an ‘anti Critcher’ nor called for his head. I have however been critical in the early days for his intransigence. He had a team and tactics set in his mind and he appeared reluctant to deviate, even when it patently wasn’t working. He has now however realised there is more than one way to skin a cat, sorry animal lovers, 😜 and is using his full squad to best advantage. As you say they all appear to want to play for and with each other and it’s working. Well done Critchley, well done the squad, and well done everyone at the club. Keep it going.🍊🍊🍊🍊
What is an anti critcher if 'being critical of his intransigence' isn't?

This was a few games in his first job with an entirely new set of players.

Those of us who stick up for at the time didn't criticise Calderwood or anybody else. We supported the whole set up. The owner, his choices of personnel, all the personnel. We said it would come good. It did. While others basically moaned and criticised and in many cases said get rid. The match thread today was the usual 'moan moan moan moan moan moan moan GOAL! What a strike!'

There's a whole mentality. A really shit one. It never budges. It's ingrained in some people. Moan and complain unless we win. 12 games unbeaten but still moaning and criticising until we are in front.
 
A shining career path is being forged in the face of the fiery furnace of social media 😗

Remember when if you were lucky you got a few words from or about the manager's thoughts and tactics in the Zzzete on a Monday? Gives us all something to do though and there's no turning back from here, opinions are here to stay.

I'm 59 and I've never been more optimistic about our fortunes - thanks due to SS, the management, squad and backroom team. I also reckon that, for what we've all been through, on balance we deserve this 😀
Thought you were much older 😉
 
Good thread this, a lot of interesting points raised.

All I’m doing is repeating a lot of previous posts but the season to me can be broken down into three stages

1. September and October - let’s not rewrite history here, we were hopeless disjointed and if that had carried on for a length of time we’d be now staring relegation in the face.

2. November - Mid March - Critch had to swallow a bit of pride in accepting helping and changing his pre conceived ideas. This phase made us harder to beat, we ground out results without being easy to watch in fact it was often some of the worst football I’ve seen is play in 30 years.

3. Mid March - to the end of the season (hopefully). We’ve established the squad, figured out who can do what - drilled the team to within an inch of their lives and allowed the more talented players free to conducted themselves. This had led to results and an enjoyable watch.

For me the whole club has been on a learning curve, owner, MD, management and players. They all deserve stick for the first phase. I think the fans were correct in their comments and questions around why we were still so poor and uninspired in phase two and we can all be happy with things currently.

Foe a long time I had major questions around Critch and his ability but the last two months really have shown me he knows what he’s doing and will likely take us to the next level.

Difficult to argue with any of that.
 
There are some hilarious threads from October. If you look at Spiders posting history it reads like blind hatred for the club and manager plus a bunch of new players.

All I ever asked for even when we were rock bottom, was for patience. I wanted this team and the manager to be afforded one season of grace to gell together. For me next season was promotion season. I’ve seen so many teams go great guns in season 2 when the owner allowed them the time to do so.

All I seemed to read was that I was deluded and everything was wrong. Need everything now bollocks
 
History is how you perceive it. I look back at the early games and I don't see what the moaners see. I see a good performance at Plymouth where we couldn't score, Plymouth fans saying we looked a good side, 'how did we win that?' I see us beating Swindon comfortably. I see us all over the place at Gillingham, not ready for that sort of game, no Ballard or Dougall yet, a bad day at the office. I see us losing a game against Lincoln that we should've won but for a late mistake by Husband. Then a predictably messy day in defence against Ipswich with Turton in left centre and Gabriel and Garbutt thrown in too early due to a shortage of players. Then we draw at Crewe, lose narrowly at home to Charlton with ten men, and beat MK Dons.

The Gillingham and Ipswich games were bad but nothing else was. Plus we were still recruiting and we were putting the side together, the results were not matching the performances but we hadn't signed the defence and Husband cost us a couple of games, filling in at centre back and making fatal mistakes. We lacked a goalscorer. Yates hadn't clicked. Madine was having an extended lie in. We were a club finally emerging from 30 years of abuse.

Once the pieces were all in place we came together, and became very hard to beat. Fortunately Sadler didn't listen to the angry mob...
 
History is how you perceive it. I look back at the early games and I don't see what the moaners see. I see a good performance at Plymouth where we couldn't score, Plymouth fans saying we looked a good side, 'how did we win that?' I see us beating Swindon comfortably. I see us all over the place at Gillingham, not ready for that sort of game, no Ballard or Dougall yet, a bad day at the office. I see us losing a game against Lincoln that we should've won but for a late mistake by Husband. Then a predictably messy day in defence against Ipswich with Turton in left centre and Gabriel and Garbutt thrown in too early due to a shortage of players. Then we draw at Crewe, lose narrowly at home to Charlton with ten men, and beat MK Dons.

The Gillingham and Ipswich games were bad but nothing else was. Plus we were still recruiting and we were putting the side together, the results were not matching the performances but we hadn't signed the defence and Husband cost us a couple of games, filling in at centre back and making fatal mistakes. We lacked a goalscorer. Yates hadn't clicked. Madine was having an extended lie in. We were a club finally emerging from 30 years of abuse.

Once the pieces were all in place we came together, and became very hard to beat. Fortunately Sadler didn't listen to the angry mob...
I think this is in reply to my post.

All I can say it’s admirable that you were so positive throughout, there were many points where I couldn’t see us being any where near the position we currently occupy, and now I’d be disappointed if we don’t comfortably make the playoffs.

But I’d have to say I completely disagree with you thoughts on the start of the season. As you say history is how you perceive it and when you perceive it from. Now we’re in a good position it’s easier to say, all the ingredients were there but we just didn’t click, but if we miss out on the playoffs or maybe promotion I think a lot of us will look back on the start of the season and say, that’s where the season ultimately was flawed.

I can only compliment you by comparing you to Nostradamus if you saw all this coming from the first ten games of the season, because that team and coaching mentality is completely foreign to the team and tactics we have now, like I say the first phase of the season, was for all intents and purposes abject, not only results wise but performance wise both as a team and individually. During the time you say it started to come together, I remember us having a conversation on here where you described some of the performances as the worst you’d seen and there was not much enjoyment in it for yourself. So when you perceive history matters a lot, you’re right, because we all had reservations during the season, including yourself, and we were all correct - barring some of the WUMs
Why I broke the season down into three phases is, I think they all need to be looked at individually, with fans comments and observations on here being largely accurate barring the odd odd ball wanting Critch sacked immediately. For what it’s worth I always advocate for NC to be given a couple of years although I wasn’t hopeful.

I’m glad he’s learned, developed and changed things when he’s had to, as I think he found pivoting away from his beliefs initially very tough.

I’ll tell you one thing I’ve often thought about this season. As we’ve seen 100% of the games I think this has altered our perceptions of this campaign vis a vis ‘07 and ‘10.

Back then most of us saw around 50% of the season and thus were largely shielded from some of the crap lower league football fans are invariably served up through a League One campaign, so naturally this season we’re likely to be a lot lower during the slumps and higher during the upturns.

For instance not many of us saw some crappy back to back defeats at WBA and Sheff U* in ‘10 or two drab performances at Donny and Carlisle in ‘07.

* I was there for that Sheff U away night game. Truly awful. 💀

It’s a unique season for the fans and I believe we have had more informed opinions and then more fluctuations in these opinions as the seasons developed due to our unprecedented exposure to all phases of the season both home and away, that’s all of us, you and me both even if it’s been a different side of the same coin.
 
Wow what a thread ....

Talk about being wise after the event and all this i was right you were wrong nonsense

The facts are we weren't prepared properly for the rigours of league one football

The system was wrong, the tactics poor and the playing personnel not right

Starting the season with so little experience on the pitch and in the dug out was criminal and set us up to fail

Its a good job Sadler invested in so heavily after the season started or we would still be near the bottom of the league

We still have several games left and we still may get something out of the season but as it stands now we have achieved nothing
 
I think this is in reply to my post.

All I can say it’s admirable that you were so positive throughout, there were many points where I couldn’t see us being any where near the position we currently occupy, and now I’d be disappointed if we don’t comfortably make the playoffs.

But I’d have to say I completely disagree with you thoughts on the start of the season. As you say history is how you perceive it and when you perceive it from. Now we’re in a good position it’s easier to say, all the ingredients were there but we just didn’t click, but if we miss out on the playoffs or maybe promotion I think a lot of us will look back on the start of the season and say, that’s where the season ultimately was flawed.

I can only compliment you by comparing you to Nostradamus if you saw all this coming from the first ten games of the season, because that team and coaching mentality is completely foreign to the team and tactics we have now, like I say the first phase of the season, was for all intents and purposes abject, not only results wise but performance wise both as a team and individually. During the time you say it started to come together, I remember us having a conversation on here where you described some of the performances as the worst you’d seen and there was not much enjoyment in it for yourself. So when you perceive history matters a lot, you’re right, because we all had reservations during the season, including yourself, and we were all correct - barring some of the WUMs
Why I broke the season down into three phases is, I think they all need to be looked at individually, with fans comments and observations on here being largely accurate barring the odd odd ball wanting Critch sacked immediately. For what it’s worth I always advocate for NC to be given a couple of years although I wasn’t hopeful.

I’m glad he’s learned, developed and changed things when he’s had to, as I think he found pivoting away from his beliefs initially very tough.

I’ll tell you one thing I’ve often thought about this season. As we’ve seen 100% of the games I think this has altered our perceptions of this campaign vis a vis ‘07 and ‘10.

Back then most of us saw around 50% of the season and thus were largely shielded from some of the crap lower league football fans are invariably served up through a League One campaign, so naturally this season we’re likely to be a lot lower during the slumps and higher during the upturns.

For instance not many of us saw some crappy back to back defeats at WBA and Sheff U* in ‘10 or two drab performances at Donny and Carlisle in ‘07.

* I was there for that Sheff U away night game. Truly awful. 💀

It’s a unique season for the fans and I believe we have had more informed opinions and then more fluctuations in these opinions as the seasons developed due to our unprecedented exposure to all phases of the season both home and away, that’s all of us, you and me both even if it’s been a different side of the same coin.
Good post Rekt.
Thinking back to 07, Carlisle away was the night when it suddenly clicked despite the results. I remember driving away with a little hope but absolutely never conceived those magical 10 games that were about to happen.

Interesting to hear the Swindon commentary yesterday saying that effectively when we last played them, Keshi was as close to a defensive midfielder we had on the park that day (and he’s a 10 / winger) so we definitely didn’t have the right mix as the season began.
We did look exciting pre season against footballing teams but Critch got a hell of a shock when he met shithousery like the Gills served up.
 
Good post Rekt.
Thinking back to 07, Carlisle away was the night when it suddenly clicked despite the results. I remember driving away with a little hope but absolutely never conceived those magical 10 games that were about to happen.

Interesting to hear the Swindon commentary yesterday saying that effectively when we last played them, Keshi was as close to a defensive midfielder we had on the park that day (and he’s a 10 / winger) so we definitely didn’t have the right mix as the season began.
We did look exciting pre season against footballing teams but Critch got a hell of a shock when he met shithousery like the Gills served up.
Funny you mention that, I didn’t see the Carlisle game, but a did go to Tranmere a month or so later, on a Friday night for some reason.

2 zip loss but the fans were tremendous that night, we seemed to stay for ages after the whistle chanting, and of I remember correctly the players came back out from the changing room to applaud us off.

I remember thinking that night despite defeat we were really on to something and it felt as though the entire away end knew it as well - a really small section of the fan base, but to the majority it would have just appeared as a loss to a promotion rival.
 
I haven't been wise after the event and I haven't been Nostradamus either. I'm not going to keep repeating myself, it's not that hard to understand.
 
I haven't been wise after the event and I haven't been Nostradamus either. I'm not going to keep repeating myself, it's not that hard to understand.
I think you miss a lot of the nuance that goes with this conversation.

The majority of us have said Critchley and the club needed time.

I think a lot of us were right in pointing out major flaws in our season at different stages, I noticed NC and the club remedying them through the season which has got us to this point.

I can’t be arsed searching them but I remember several conversations we had on match threads when you were far more down on the team, criticising the style of play and generally disappointed with the fare served up, more than I was, and you were probably right about it then. Just because we’ve progressed since then doesn’t mean you’re wrong about it now.
 
We looked alright at first but completely toothless, we were having more possession with lots of passing but that was due to the fact teams just sat back and knew we had no killer instinct and wouldn't score against 'em if we played till midnight, our passing was all along the defence and midfield with no final third. We also had a leaky defence, we'd let in early goals which allowed teams to do the aforementioned tactics against us.

We tightened up the defence with a combination of Calderwood, a new formation and new players. But I still hold the opinion that up until a few weeks ago we were a boring side to watch, we became EFFECTIVE in getting results but it wasn't pretty or entertaining except for a few games. I wrote us off for this season as a transition year, the steady progression was evident of Critch finding his feet in senior football as well as a multitude of players gelling and getting used to whatever Critch runs them through in training - I felt we'd finish the season upper mid-table and hit the ground running next year with a few new additions and this seasons signings really bedding in, and Critch with more knowhow.

The effectiveness of our play throughout the season which allowed us to grind out results has paid dividends, as now we have found a system where we can go forward as well as defend - our Achilles heel was our lack of goals. It is what I thought we may see next season as I didn't think we'd be taking any risks and it is brilliant we did, we are now using the players we have to great affect and turning would be draws into wins and there is no reason we can't go all the way now.

I don't think you can claim we were a good side at the start of the season, because we weren't - a side that couldn't score and leaked goals isn't a good side no matter how 'pretty' the slow build up play was. I was an advocate of the side needing more time to develop INTO a good side, it happened much faster than I expected as I thought it'd be next season, not the end of this one, but ultimately it was a development over the course of the season.
 
Personally I think this is a very poor league and we have one of the best squads in the division. Right from the off we were under achieving and making mistakes right left and centre. The tempo was shocking and we were playing as though in a keep ball training session with no end product. Slowly but surely we have turned things around and away from home and hitting teams on the break we now look a very decent outfit. We still seem to be struggling at home when we have greater possession and the emphasis is on us to force the pace. I honestly think we are still a tough watch with not enough shots on target but the defensive frailties have been ironed out and we dont let many in.

In the scheme of things we have achieved nothing yet and if we finish outside the play offs then it will have been a very disappointing end to the season. Kudos to the management team for turning things right around but lets take each game one at a time and try to keep the momentum going.

I really really want us to beat that horrible Gillingham outfit on Monday and shut that Steve Evans up...an early goal for us will make it a decent game , otherwise it will be every dirty trick in the book to stop us getting something from the game.
 
We looked alright at first but completely toothless, we were having more possession with lots of passing but that was due to the fact teams just sat back and knew we had no killer instinct and wouldn't score against 'em if we played till midnight, our passing was all along the defence and midfield with no final third. We also had a leaky defence, we'd let in early goals which allowed teams to do the aforementioned tactics against us.

We tightened up the defence with a combination of Calderwood, a new formation and new players. But I still hold the opinion that up until a few weeks ago we were a boring side to watch, we became EFFECTIVE in getting results but it wasn't pretty or entertaining except for a few games. I wrote us off for this season as a transition year, the steady progression was evident of Critch finding his feet in senior football as well as a multitude of players gelling and getting used to whatever Critch runs them through in training - I felt we'd finish the season upper mid-table and hit the ground running next year with a few new additions and this seasons signings really bedding in, and Critch with more knowhow.

The effectiveness of our play throughout the season which allowed us to grind out results has paid dividends, as now we have found a system where we can go forward as well as defend - our Achilles heel was our lack of goals. It is what I thought we may see next season as I didn't think we'd be taking any risks and it is brilliant we did, we are now using the players we have to great affect and turning would be draws into wins and there is no reason we can't go all the way now.

I don't think you can claim we were a good side at the start of the season, because we weren't - a side that couldn't score and leaked goals isn't a good side no matter how 'pretty' the slow build up play was. I was an advocate of the side needing more time to develop INTO a good side, it happened much faster than I expected as I thought it'd be next season, not the end of this one, but ultimately it was a development over the course of the season.
For me the nuance is just a difference of perception. Some fans accepted it would take ten games to gel, others were negative and panicky. It took ten games to gel. We've been over all this before though and I disagree with you now as then, and it's better to agree to disagree. And live in the present.
 
For me the nuance is just a difference of perception. Some fans accepted it would take ten games to gel, others were negative and panicky. It took ten games to gel. We've been over all this before though and I disagree with you now as then, and it's better to agree to disagree. And live in the present.
I believe that may have been meant for Rekt!
 
We are building momentum, quite a few of the clubs below us peaked too early.
I think early part of the season we had zero goal threat and virtually every mistake at the back was punished.
There were mistakes on tactics and team selection, but we have learned from the experience and I am looking forward to play offs.
If we do not make it this season I think the building blocks are in place to really challenge next season
 
Its got nothing to do with gelling

Another avftt myth that will go down in folklore I'm afraid

Half the players who play now didn't start the season and several players who did start the season are nowhere near the first team or have left the club

Its quite simple to me

We were allowed to bring in better players once the season started

Fcuk all to do with gelling...
 
Its got nothing to do with gelling

Another avftt myth that will go down in folklore I'm afraid

Half the players who play now didn't start the season and several players who did start the season are nowhere near the first team or have left the club

Its quite simple to me

We were allowed to bring in better players once the season started

Fcuk all to do with gelling...
When Chris Maxwell says that him and the Goal Machine realised that they’d been playing football ‘wrong’ once they saw what Critch brought to the table, I’d say that time to learn and gel was everything to do with it
 
Its got nothing to do with gelling

Another avftt myth that will go down in folklore I'm afraid

Half the players who play now didn't start the season and several players who did start the season are nowhere near the first team or have left the club

Its quite simple to me

We were allowed to bring in better players once the season started

Fcuk all to do with gelling...
Ive mentioned the new signings many times. At the time I pointed out that we hadn't finished recruiting. The window was still open. But you and others were pretty much mocking the manager. We hadn't finished recruiting and we hadn't gelled. We had played a handful of games, but the knives were out already.
 
Ive mentioned the new signings many times. At the time I pointed out that we hadn't finished recruiting. The window was still open. But you and others were pretty much mocking the manager. We hadn't finished recruiting and we hadn't gelled. We had played a handful of games, but the knives were out already
Mocking?

I certainly wasn't mocking

Losing so many games with inept performances and poor tactics certainly were not laughing matters

I didn't want Critchley as manager that isn't a secret and who knows if we had of gone for a more experienced manager where we would be now

You can't get away from the fact that Critchley has had more investment and support from the board than probably any other manager in our history
 
I think the only manager you can really compare him to in respect of his backing is Allardyce and in some respects, his tenure has the same trajectory - it took a while to get going, not all the initial signings made sense or impact, the football was initially pretty ropey and the natives were somewhat restless at first, but once it got going, it worked pretty well. Ultimately, let's hope there's no Bradford at the end of it all though.

I honestly think this argument has been done to death. The Critch of today, is a different Critch than the Critch of September. He's binned off a lot of the stuff some people said would 'definitely come good' and learned a lot. I can't remember a season where we've played in so many different ways and that is, in my opinion, largely to his credit. I think he's learned some important things more quickly than I thought he was going to.

He's got some stuff wrong and I don't like seeing managers slated for mistakes as no manager is going to get it all right every week. No one. I also really hate the short termism that doesn't give managers a year or so anymore as I think time matters no matter how much people say 'the game has moved on' - It hasn't in the respect that it still takes time to coach, to win players hearts and minds, to sign players, sell players and that's no different now than it was in 1974 or whenever. Actually, I think that was the year Clough had 44 days, so maybe that's not the best year to choose! In fact, given the depth of coaching and analysis and such today, you'd probably make a logical argument that it actually takes longer to affect a culture change now as it's more complex and involves more cogs, more backroom people, more processes than it did when it was generally just 'a gaffer' and 'the coach'

Absolutely equally, I don't like seeing fans berated for a 'lack of faith' as if the only role of a supporter is to say 'well done chaps, better luck next time' and 'hurrah for the manager and the board' - It's part of the beauty of football that it is a game that is accessible and we can all have a valid opinion on tactics and how games unfold as we've all played it, watched thousands of games and whilst, no, we're not privileged to see through Critch's eyes everyday on the training ground, it's not a mysterious voodoo art or obscure science that is totally unknown to us and we've no right to comment on.
 
Mocking?

I certainly wasn't mocking

Losing so many games with inept performances and poor tactics certainly were not laughing matters

I didn't want Critchley as manager that isn't a secret and who knows if we had of gone for a more experienced manager where we would be now

You can't get away from the fact that Critchley has had more investment and support from the board than probably any other manager in our history
He is also one of the more knowledgeable, perhaps even more knowledgeable than you. 🤔
 
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