What is missing from last season?

You can't compare its ridiculous trying to compare the 2 seasons

Last season we had a massive feel good factor after a play off win, this season there have been more games in a shorter time frame and we have had 2 manager changes

So no consistency or stability what so ever
 
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Critch had us well drilled. The formation was simple and the play was based around a high press. Inverted wingers with bowler and Keshi and 2 x defensive midfielders in the holding role. This allowed Gabriel and Sterling to get forward and overlap.

Appleton came and said he would not play a high press and proffered a 4-3-3 with low block. Quite simply with the players we have it did not work. We did go high press for 45 mins against Burnley and arguably versus the Nobbers (although I think this was adrenaline not tactical) and we looked suited to it.

Simple answer is Critchley. Yes we were terrible at the end of last season but we were already safe and the play offs out of reach. The switch to low block has exposed our lack of technical ability.
 
Chunkylad said:
Critch had us well drilled. The formation was simple and the play was based around a high press. Inverted wingers with bowler and Keshi and 2 x defensive midfielders in the holding role. This allowed Gabriel and Sterling to get forward and overlap.

Appleton came and said he would not play a high press and proffered a 4-3-3 with low block. Quite simply with the players we have it did not work. We did go high press for 45 mins against Burnley and arguably versus the Nobbers (although I think this was adrenaline not tactical) and we looked suited to it.

Simple answer is Critchley. Yes we were terrible at the end of last season but we were already safe and the play offs out of reach. The switch to low block has exposed our lack of technical ability.
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Perfect answer
 
Given all the mistakes that have been made and what it’s going to cost (and not to mention the time it may take) to put it all right the board should have been on the phone to NC already getting him signed up for next season regardless of division. There’s still gonna be a squad of his players available and it will allow for some sort of continuity of his previous good work - as opposed from starting again completely.
 
Many supporters have commented on Critchley leaving has had a massive effect and even those that weren’t keen on him must look at the facts in front of us currently. You’d struggle to have him back…..you’d struggle to trust him ever again……yet after this season I’d have him back in a heartbeat. 100% he would of got a lot more out of this squad than these previous managers have. But I suppose that ship has sailed and we need to be on the look out for someone similar and fast. I’d bite the bullet and get rid of McCarthy today. It ain’t working and yes it will add more instability but equally would give a new manager 12 games to see where we are and what we need, we are inevitably going down I’d say 100% so maybe others would argue a new manager wouldn’t add anything and the rot would continue and maybe supporters would call for his head after 5/6 games but IMO we need someone going forward with a project rather than going down with a whimper and not having a clue what’s gunna happen next season
 
Chunkylad said:
Critch had us well drilled. The formation was simple and the play was based around a high press. Inverted wingers with bowler and Keshi and 2 x defensive midfielders in the holding role. This allowed Gabriel and Sterling to get forward and overlap.

Appleton came and said he would not play a high press and proffered a 4-3-3 with low block. Quite simply with the players we have it did not work. We did go high press for 45 mins against Burnley and arguably versus the Nobbers (although I think this was adrenaline not tactical) and we looked suited to it.

Simple answer is Critchley. Yes we were terrible at the end of last season but we were already safe and the play offs out of reach. The switch to low block has exposed our lack of technical ability.
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saved me posting. Agree with everything you say.
 
Critch did well but he is now part of our history, in addition to the abrupt way he left us and his disappointing time at both Villa and QPR I am not confident he could get anywhere near to repeating his previous success at Blackpool. I don’t know of any previous Blackpool Manager who has been successful coming back a second time e.g. Appleton, Grayson, Bob Stokoe, Allan Brown.
 
Chunkylad said:
Critch had us well drilled. The formation was simple and the play was based around a high press. Inverted wingers with bowler and Keshi and 2 x defensive midfielders in the holding role. This allowed Gabriel and Sterling to get forward and overlap.

Appleton came and said he would not play a high press and proffered a 4-3-3 with low block. Quite simply with the players we have it did not work. We did go high press for 45 mins against Burnley and arguably versus the Nobbers (although I think this was adrenaline not tactical) and we looked suited to it.

Simple answer is Critchley. Yes we were terrible at the end of last season but we were already safe and the play offs out of reach. The switch to low block has exposed our lack of technical ability.
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Critchley 100% 👍

Only think I'll take issue with we were terrible at the end of season agreed for our last two games the players had switched off and on the beach,previous to that six past Birmingham our biggest win of the season,away win at Barnsley and a decent draw at play off side Luton.
 
poolseasider said:
Critchley 100% 👍

Only think I'll take issue with we were terrible at the end of season agreed for our last two games the players had switched off and on the beach,previous to that six past Birmingham our biggest win of the season,away win at Barnsley and a decent draw at play off side Luton.
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I would honestly as SS get a face to face with him. Ask him now the emotion has gone, what went wrong at the end (both him and us) and what he would have done differently?

What has he learnt in the past 12 months from being elsewhere and what could we learn from that? A 360 appraisal without emotion or recriminations in the modern parlance.

If there’s a will, kiss and make up with the ‘ex wife’. Start the project again and with honesty.

I know we keep going back to old managers and at some stage that needs to end, but with Critch it was more like a Blackpool project than the opposite of get manager, spend money approach which is not where we are at.
 
Some interesting and thought provoking posts .

I wouldn’t mind if Critch returned .

Big release clause required .

The majority of fans would accept I think
 
I don‘t think Gerrard will come back for Critch whenever Gerrard gets his next job. Gerrard relies a lot on his staff and it went pear shaped for Gerrard when Michael Beale joined QPR and in now way was Critch a success in his short time at Villa. Interestingly Villa chose not to keep Critch whilst they recruited a replacement for Gerrard. Critch’s results in his short time at QPR were terrible and even worse than Appleton’s at Blackpool. Begs the question is Critch a busted flush at Championship level and why do Pool supporters think Critch would be a success at Blackpool if he came back when he failed so miserably in the Championship with a much better squad at QPR. Personally I think we should move on from the Critch love in and summer is when we should begin the recruitment process when we will know which League we will be playing in next season, having said that the way it is going with McCarthy we may know by Easter.
 
Qblock said:
Sterling

Wintle
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Yep, or to put it another way, "balance".

Last year we had Sterling at RB, which gave us the option of Connolly, Dougall, Wintle and even a bit of Stewart in midfield, this year, thanks to not having a backup RB, we've been down to Dougall and that's it.

Losing Fiorini for much of the season hasn't helped, but one injury shouldn't have that much of an effect on the squad.
 
FY16JJ said:
Critchley, players, fans, better league?
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Quality players for this league. A competent manager, decent recruitment, a midfield as we don’t have one at all, an ability to score goals, an ability to defend, being able to string two passes together, a competent physio/sports science department who can keep players fit, discipline (9 sendings off already) and finally any hope of staying up
 
I would agree with others that the biggest difference is Critchley. The QPR board, when announcing his dismissal, thanked him for his professionalism. I don't think these are empty words. He is, and was, very professional, prepared and hard working. He seemed to know what was required to stay in the division, was largely responsible for the "good feeling" that other posters have referred to, and generally left things in a better place. For example, among his accomplishments you could argue:
  • many of his players had more confidence.
  • he improved the financial value of the club (e.g. Josh Bowler, Jordan Gabriel etc)
  • He attracted some good talent (I like Beesley and I think he will do well)
I thought his football too defensive. But there's plenty to like about the guy and I would suggest that those who focus too much on his "disloyalty" do so because they know his true value.

We should look to appoint someone who can entertain us and create financial value for the club
 
TangerineMatt said:
Neil Critchley, Richard Keogh, Ryan Wintle, Dujon Sterling, and a huge feel good factor.
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This just about sums up what's missing from the current situation for me, plus this season we've had two very poor managerial appointments, a ridiculous amount of injuries (why?), far too many red cards and the complete lack of a quality striking partner for Jerry Yates!
 
WebCord said:
This just about sums up what's missing from the current situation for me, plus this season we've had two very poor managerial appointments, a ridiculous amount of injuries (why?), far too many red cards and the complete lack of a quality striking partner for Jerry Yates!
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An unbalanced squad, no backup RB and short in midfield, so Gabriel and Fiorini injured left us very short of options in MF, and thus one or two injuries left us in much more trouble than they should have.
 
Promotion boost it happens every year .
Teams promoted from Div 1 is like teams promoted to the PL it’s getting harder every year for them to stay there unless you have funds like Sunderland & Luton have to buy championship quality players.
 
Critchley also knows which U23 players are capable and we signed a lot of good players in that age bracket under him (not all worked out). Since then, the incoming players have been mostly substandard.
 
If we were told by mystic Margaret in September that by March 2023 we would have even 10% of our fanbase vying for a Quitchley return I would of smacked her back to Pr*ston. 😜
 
I honestly believe even with Critchley we would of struggled the last dozen game of the previous season were already showing signs that we’d been found out by other clubs. All that said it wouldn’t of been this bad.
 
Chunkylad said:
I would honestly as SS get a face to face with him. Ask him now the emotion has gone, what went wrong at the end (both him and us) and what he would have done differently?

What has he learnt in the past 12 months from being elsewhere and what could we learn from that? A 360 appraisal without emotion or recriminations in the modern parlance.

If there’s a will, kiss and make up with the ‘ex wife’. Start the project again and with honesty.

I know we keep going back to old managers and at some stage that needs to end, but with Critch it was more like a Blackpool project than the opposite of get manager, spend money approach which is not where we are at.Blackpool hierarchy saw Critch
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Chunkylad said:
I would honestly as SS get a face to face with him. Ask him now the emotion has gone, what went wrong at the end (both him and us) and what he would have done differently?

What has he learnt in the past 12 months from being elsewhere and what could we learn from that? A 360 appraisal without emotion or recriminations in the modern parlance.

If there’s a will, kiss and make up with the ‘ex wife’. Start the project again and with honesty.

I know we keep going back to old managers and at some stage that needs to end, but with Critch it was more like a Blackpool project than the opposite of get manager, spend money approach which is not where we are at.
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Blackpool at the time took a considerable risk appointing Critchley and their gamble definitely paid off. Whilst the Blackpool hierarchy saw Critch as Manager for the longer term and a key person in the BFC project, Critch saw the Blackpool job as a stepping stone to bigger opportunities. Since Critch left the comparative safety and security of the Blackpool job, for the Villa and QPR jobs his career and reputation has gone into a downward spiral, I don’t know why he has not been successful elsewhere but I would be very wary of bringing him back, knowing how easily his head can be turned in the future.
 
Neverexpectanything said:
Promotion boost it happens every year .
Teams promoted from Div 1 is like teams promoted to the PL it’s getting harder every year for them to stay there unless you have funds like Sunderland & Luton have to buy championship quality players.
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Luton have a similar budget to us, it’s just put to better use.
 
A failure to steadily improve the playing squad. In fact the squad this season is worse than last season. We have failed to do it the Brentford and Luton way, who season on season gradually improve with good work in the transfer market!
 
managers returning to manage at their old club doesn’t have a science behind whether they do well or not. They have just as much chance as anyone else - it just depends on how good they are!
 
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