Trust The Process

Back to really not knowing where we go from here.
i don't think we were shite today, but we were definitely "not good enough".
We'll have to wait & see what Friday brings of course but......
something will HAVE to change close season and it's has to be radical.
I've wanted "stability" since "the troubles" but I've never got my passion back and whilst I call those who "throw their toys out of the pram" perhaps I'm worse than them in saying "I've done my bit,will walk away, will come back when it's better"
problem is I can't put my "finger on the problem"......I'm struggling to think getting Sadler & Critchley Out is an "obvious"answer.
🚌🧡⚽️
At home with my t/a Chinese about to watch the rugby🧡🧡🧡
 
I think it would be pretty stupid to get rid of the manager based on what we’ve seen this season really.

If you take a step back from the immediacy of another disappointing result and what feels like a number of ‘false dawns’, there have been some superb performances this season and we are probably ending the season stronger than we started it.

As I see it (barring a completely disastrous end to the season) he’s earned the right to keep hold of his job. It’s up to him and the Club to review the season and to get our act in order for next season.

He’s then probably got 10-15 games to prove himself really.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I think it would be pretty stupid to get rid of the manager based on what we’ve seen this season really.

If you take a step back from the immediacy of another disappointing result and what feels like a number of ‘false dawns’, there have been some superb performances this season and we are probably ending the season stronger than we started it.

As I see it (barring a completely disastrous end to the season) he’s earned the right to keep hold of his job. It’s up to him and the Club to review the season and to get our act in order for next season.

He’s then probably got 10-15 games to prove himself really.
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What encourages you that we are making the best of what we have ?
Surely that’s the managers job
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I think it would be pretty stupid to get rid of the manager based on what we’ve seen this season really.

If you take a step back from the immediacy of another disappointing result and what feels like a number of ‘false dawns’, there have been some superb performances this season and we are probably ending the season stronger than we started it.

As I see it (barring a completely disastrous end to the season) he’s earned the right to keep hold of his job. It’s up to him and the Club to review the season and to get our act in order for next season.

He’s then probably got 10-15 games to prove himself really.
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Superb performances, I’ll give you Pompey away. Please continue.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I think it would be pretty stupid to get rid of the manager based on what we’ve seen this season really.

If you take a step back from the immediacy of another disappointing result and what feels like a number of ‘false dawns’, there have been some superb performances this season and we are probably ending the season stronger than we started it.

As I see it (barring a completely disastrous end to the season) he’s earned the right to keep hold of his job. It’s up to him and the Club to review the season and to get our act in order for next season.

He’s then probably got 10-15 games to prove himself really.
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Some superb performances? How many have you seen Daz cos I can only think of about 4 and 2 of those were after we had a player sent off 🤔
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I think it would be pretty stupid to get rid of the manager based on what we’ve seen this season really.

If you take a step back from the immediacy of another disappointing result and what feels like a number of ‘false dawns’, there have been some superb performances this season and we are probably ending the season stronger than we started it.

As I see it (barring a completely disastrous end to the season) he’s earned the right to keep hold of his job. It’s up to him and the Club to review the season and to get our act in order for next season.

He’s then probably got 10-15 games to prove himself really.
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It's a conundrum. Either the budget isn't enough for us to be a competetive L1 team, the players are not good enough or the manager isn't good enough!
 
TwelveAngryMen said:
Does anyone genuinely see one that’s worth persevering with ?
I know we’ve had criticism on the podcast for being negative however we just want the best for the team and as I see it Critchley needs to be far more adaptable in game
When he was he had an experienced no2
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I don’t see a plan in games tbh.

We’re playing 3-4-3, which means we only have two in central midfield. Today it was quite eye opening how they ran and played through us centrally, I don’t think we ever do it, the central midfielders are both very much sidewards and backwards or Dembele’s feet but if that’s blocked off it’s a straight ball that gets mopped up or goes out.

There needs to be a reliance on the wing-backs but the one on the left doesn’t drive forwards much, checking inside and the one on the right isn’t great going forward and is a better out and out right back.

We have spare men in the back 3 but that means we go back a lot, ahead of them there’s never any options on which means we go backwards a lot.

I have zero confidence in future manager recruitment but I’m coming to the conclusion to lose so many away games in the same fashion & struggle majorly all season to win or draw when going behind is a major flaw of our current head coach.

I don’t think it’s about trusting the process more trying to work it out. Subs on 70 minutes is textbook stuff.
 
TwelveAngryMen said:
What encourages you that we are making the best of what we have ?
Surely that’s the managers job
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It is the Managers job…

Today was a disappointing result…

That’s it really

I don’t think anything that’s happened this season merits a sacking and nor do I think it merits a gold star. It is what it is right now.

I’ve seen enough in our better performances and our Home Form to believe that Critchley is capable of developing a winning Team. He’s achieved a promotion previously etc..

Again… That’s it really

The rest of it just becomes emotion and a reaction to disappointment. This season has seen a few false dawns and that is frustrating, but it’s football..
 
For me, Critchley has to go. Today was a real missed opportunity. Wigan are not world beaters but we stood off them and didn’t do enough. All we do is pass the ball between the three centre halves, wing backs, 2 defensive midfielders and keeper. We rarely threaten the opposition goal. The players have clearly been trained to play a certain way which has resulted in a season of underachievement.

Very happy to have Sadler. There is nothing wrong with the playing squad. The issue is the manager.
 
What an opportunity missed today. Not just the points, but an opportunity send 3000 loyal Seasiders home full of optimism and passion to carry us into the heart of this run in. Instead it was like a visit to the dentist. Something has to change, I'd start with the way we set up - instead of matching up and covering, we should be taking it to the opposition.
 
For me he has picked a way of playing that he thinks is the best way of playing. And there has been no dynamic risk assessment during the season to address it because he doesn’t think it’s failing. He hasn’t chosen the system based on what he has to work with, nor has the recruitment particulary fitted this process either. He’s fortunate that Rhodes has been a good goalscorer or he’d be on the dole by now.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I think it would be pretty stupid to get rid of the manager based on what we’ve seen this season really.

If you take a step back from the immediacy of another disappointing result and what feels like a number of ‘false dawns’, there have been some superb performances this season and we are probably ending the season stronger than we started it.

As I see it (barring a completely disastrous end to the season) he’s earned the right to keep hold of his job. It’s up to him and the Club to review the season and to get our act in order for next season.

He’s then probably got 10-15 games to prove himself really.
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Let's not get too carried away about a few recent results against poor sides. Yes we've struggled with those sort of games and to win is good but we didn't completely outclass the opposition like Lincoln have been and were always 1 game away from one of today's performances, where we completely abandon any thought of passing the ball for large parts.

The question is what is the style of play, the effective style?

Wigan play a certain way and stick with it.

When it was even in the first half we resorted to aimless long balls for the most part, it was only when they sat back 2nd half that we 'dominated'.

So when it mattered and when level we didn't play with any sort of style that suggests a style is coming together, or that were a team capable of gping up, it's March now he's had all season to implement it.

So what has he actually done apart from setting us up in that formation? How do we play, build, create chances? It's all a bit hopeful and playing the percentages, "ahh not our day today"... well f@cking make it your day by playing better and creating chances.
 
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And here's a thing. I got chatting to a Wigan fan walking back to my car. He told me their fans get really frustrated with them for, guess what, sideways and backwards passing round their defence. So who blinked first today in the set up? I'd say it was us.
 
TwelveAngryMen said:
The irony is I think our budget is one of the largest
If I was SS I’d be a bit pissed
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I'm a bit pissed, having had a day on the ale with mates! SS did say we'd have a top 6 budget but as we should all know, the budget doesn't dictate success... We went to the greed league on a L1 budget and teams with huge budgets languish in the lower leagues. It's football, it's the way it goes. Finding the right combination is like finding gold.
 
I'd already have a shortlist of better qualified assistants and get one in to help Critchley. It has proven to be a winning formula and going back to 'a winning formula' can't be all that bad. This way Simon Sadler keeps his 'perfect' Manager and doesn't have to do the unthinkable and sack him.
 
Mark_GT said:
What an opportunity missed today. Not just the points, but an opportunity send 3000 loyal Seasiders home full of optimism and passion to carry us into the heart of this run in. Instead it was like a visit to the dentist. Something has to change, I'd start with the way we set up - instead of matching up and covering, we should be taking it to the opposition.
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I thought you looked a little down in the mouth! 🫢
 
Mark_GT said:
And here's a thing. I got chatting to a Wigan fan walking back to my car. He told me their fans get really frustrated with them for, guess what, sideways and backwards passing round their defence. So who blinked first today in the set up? I'd say it was us.
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And the thing is MGT, Wigan had a CB No.6 called Hughes who l thought was outstanding, very comfortable on the ball, could find the right pass and ran the show for them 🤷‍♂️
 
hertfordseasider said:
Is the recruitment of players as good as it should have been considering we are supposed to have one of the biggest budgets in the league. If we did miraculously get promoted we would practically. need a new squad because this lot, with Critchley in charge would be down by March.
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The committee are recruiting players based on talent, affordability and ability. I don’t think they can afford players who can deliver success with the current tactics and way of playing. We need much much better all round quality players to tip things one nil in our favour over most games and reduce the number of defeats in a possession is everything game plan.

The frustrating thing is we have the players to play attacking football on the front foot and make a success of it but the coach isn’t interested in that.
 
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The way we set out to play would be great if the three centre backs were Bobby Moore, Colin Todd and Franz Beckenbauer, with Trent Alexander- Arnold and Robertson as our overlapping fullbacks. Having said that he'd still be over cautious and set us up not to lose.
The reality is we have three non footballing centre backs none of which are naturally left sided. Two full backs who I think would be great in a 4, but aren't really wing backs.
3,000 away fans ffs give us something to get behind. Stop coaching by numbers, kept looking at the clock begging for 65 minutes to pass so he could bring Joseph on. It's just so frigging frustrating.
 
Adams Kebab said:
I don’t see a plan in games tbh.

We’re playing 3-4-3, which means we only have two in central midfield. Today it was quite eye opening how they ran and played through us centrally, I don’t think we ever do it, the central midfielders are both very much sidewards and backwards or Dembele’s feet but if that’s blocked off it’s a straight ball that gets mopped up or goes out.

There needs to be a reliance on the wing-backs but the one on the left doesn’t drive forwards much, checking inside and the one on the right isn’t great going forward and is a better out and out right back.

We have spare men in the back 3 but that means we go back a lot, ahead of them there’s never any options on which means we go backwards a lot.

I have zero confidence in future manager recruitment but I’m coming to the conclusion to lose so many away games in the same fashion & struggle majorly all season to win or draw when going behind is a major flaw of our current head coach.

I don’t think it’s about trusting the process more trying to work it out. Subs on 70 minutes is textbook stuff.
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Bang on time again today, there was movement at 65 and came on a few minutes later.

All very predictable. The only time I can recall changes when it wasn't working outside of the norm was Fleetwood away when fans blasted them.

Otherwise he's setting timers on his phone.
 
You win, draw and lose and that's the way it will always be. We're not an elite club that lose 4 times a season.

What is beyond frustrating is that the process has produced really dull football and not very much entertainment.

I can't see that improving. Although we've been on a half decent run compared to the rest of the season none of the performances have left you thinking 'wow' we've turned a corner.

It feels like we've been waiting all season believing that this team will click. Every time you think they've done that they flatter to deceive in the very next game.

Can we just carry on believing in the process in the hope of better things to come?
 
The manager has his shortcomings absolutely but the players as a whole just aren't good enough either. Many times I've heard about our fabled best squad in the division but I just don't see it. We were relegated last season and that squad would have been the best squad in the division but this isn't that squad. All our best players left. We were left with what nobody else wanted bar Gabriel who was injured. Our recruitment has been patchy and I just think we are where we are based on what we have.
As for style of play, there is one but it's clearly not right, tempo too slow, pressing too slow, passing too slow, movement poor but that's again for me a player quality issue. I'm not saying Critch isn't culpable BTW, this formation doesn't work with these players and he had a say in bringing some players in and picking them but it's not as simple as replace the manager and we will walk the league. We need to bring in proper players but that will cost us.
 
There have been some good games , some
Really poor ones and some that were just bang average . And there is the problem - consistency.

We didn’t play well vs Northampton but ground out a win .

Today was awful for the whole match . We should be pressing these teams and having a go from the start - but we just passed back and side ways , followed by hoofing it to Beesley who won nothing in the air .

Dembele look exhausted from kick off and completely out of his usual character .

Second half not much changed . Lavery had a good work rate but desperately needs a goal and some confidence in front of goal . CJ did zero when he came on . Joseph missed a great free header .
To be fair , Wigan set up excellent defensively and we just could not find a way .
Unfortunately, play offs would not be deserved , however we are still in it - but can’t see past Lincoln at the moment
 
agouti said:
You win, draw and lose and that's the way it will always be. We're not an elite club that lose 4 times a season.

What is beyond frustrating is that the process has produced really dull football and not very much entertainment.

I can't see that improving. Although we've been on a half decent run compared to the rest of the season none of the performances have left you thinking 'wow' we've turned a corner.

It feels like we've been waiting all season believing that this team will click. Every time you think they've done that they flatter to deceive in the very next game.

Can we just carry on believing in the process in the hope of better things to come?
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Were definitely not doing a Lincoln..
 
Mark_GT said:
And here's a thing. I got chatting to a Wigan fan walking back to my car. He told me their fans get really frustrated with them for, guess what, sideways and backwards passing round their defence. So who blinked first today in the set up? I'd say it was us.
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They do it but at least when they've worked the opening it's sent with a forward pass on the floor into midfield or beyond, player taking and turning and advancing again from there.

Most the time when we do it we'll go sideways, can often create an opening only to miss it and go back to go long and lose it.

Or even be forward and have a chance to try something, keep it safe, first thoight backwards and go back only to again go long and lose it more often than not.

It's crap.
 
JJpool said:
They do it but at least when they've worked the opening it's sent with a forward pass on the floor into midfield or beyond, player taking and turning and advancing again from there.

Most the time when we do it we'll go sideways, can often create an opening only to miss it and go back to go long and lose it.

Or even be forward and have a chance to try something, keep it safe, first thoight backwards and go back only to again go long and lose it more often than not.

It's crap.
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Indeed. HMS Piss the league is currently stuck on a sandbank called the Critchley book of tactics.
 
clappers said:
For me he has picked a way of playing that he thinks is the best way of playing. And there has been no dynamic risk assessment during the season to address it because he doesn’t think it’s failing. He hasn’t chosen the system based on what he has to work with, nor has the recruitment particulary fitted this process either. He’s fortunate that Rhodes has been a good goalscorer or he’d be on the dole by now.
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Your last sentence is a very accurate perception in my opinion.
 
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