Worrying words from Appleton

T

TangerineMatt

Well-known member
Gazette: 'When asked if he could put a finger on why it went so wrong for his side, Appleton added "Not really, no."'

Maybe because you got the formation completely wrong? Or insist on playing Rhys Williams and Kenny Dougall despite the fact they're both gash? Or the fact you left really obvious substitutions until the 84th minute? Worrying that he can't identify why we got beat so heavily.
 
TangerineMatt said:
Gazette: 'When asked if he could put a finger on why it went so wrong for his side, Appleton added "Not really, no."'

Maybe because you got the formation completely wrong? Or insist on playing Rhys Williams and Kenny Dougall despite the fact they're both gash? Or the fact you left really obvious substitutions until the 84th minute? Worrying that he can't identify why we got beat so heavily.
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Heat of the moment. Give him a break. Oh, and you're probably right.
 
It's a real concern. There was a lack of desire tonight and as you say some really obvious changes that shouldn't have taken so long to make. Waiting too long to change things was a constant criticism of Critchley so it shouldn't really be any different for MA. Three ball playing midfielders on the bench while we couldn't play a single meaningful pass on the pitch - but he's not sure why it went wrong. 😒
 
Pre match he's always spouting off about the strengths of the opposition. He did it about Rotherham and post match tonight he's said how tough Millwall are going to be.
This will bleed into the players and they'll start being ready for the strengths of the opposition rather than taking ours to them.
Always thought he was a slightly better version of Grayson. Hopefully I'll be wrong.
 
I can't believe he started with that formation again. It barely worked against a dreadful Huddersfield side and was blown away tonight.

Don't tell me thats 4 in midfield. It's two plus an orthodox left-back and Jordan Gabriel not knowing where he should be at any particular moment in time.

Go 442 - or at least 433 - with Patino until we look solid enough then take it from there.

Jordan Thorniley played well. Jerry ran around a lot. That's about it.
 
He doesn't want to slag his own players off in public - quite right IMO. Believe it or not what he says in public may not necessarily be his true beliefs. I'll bet they are getting a complete bollocking behind closed doors. he is a new manager and we have a load of new players - it may take a bit of time to get things right.
 
WalwynWasGod said:
Team options is the problem.

No big striker option available to change things.

No dominant experienced centre half

No dominant experienced centre midfielder

No quality winger to come on

No leader on the pitch

Need I go on ???
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We don't have a big striker to change things.
 
What does MA mean in his post match i/v (on the club website) when he says some of the players looked "mentally fatigued"?
Can someone please explain? More like they all looked mentally confused or just clueless.
Cut the coach speak and get it sorted for The Den.
 
I like Appleton and as a rule the way he wants to play the game but last night he was every bit as much to blame as the players. No one escapes that performance with any credit. Formation, selection, substitutions were all shocking. A blind man could see it wasn't working at halftime yet he didn't make changes.

If last night sees us ditch 3 centre backs going forward, it's probably the only good thing to come out of the game.
 
Kip said:
I can't believe he started with that formation again. It barely worked against a dreadful Huddersfield side and was blown away tonight.

Don't tell me thats 4 in midfield. It's two plus an orthodox left-back and Jordan Gabriel not knowing where he should be at any particular moment in time.

Go 442 - or at least 433 - with Patino until we look solid enough then take it from there.

Jordan Thorniley played well. Jerry ran around a lot. That's about it.
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Spot on.
 
Rotherham are a poor side but the scoreline flattered us.
Possibly 8 or 9 of the players had matches they will want to forget.
It was not Appleton who could not manage 5 yard passes to team mates or did not pick up attackers at set pieces when everyone knew the bulk of Rotherham goals came from them.
I would bin the training( fitness was not the issue) for next 2 days and force the squad to watch the match on a never ending loop, 6 hours each day.
 
No idea if he has, but often a prem player has to play x amount of games , unless it’s their first loan out.

Maybe Williams has to play ?
 
Off Duty Trip said:
No idea if he has, but often a prem player has to play x amount of games , unless it’s their first loan out.

Maybe Williams has to play ?
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I would assume that’s close to what’s going on.

Appleton is good at sourcing good loan players and I he will be wary of upsetting clubs like Liverpool by not playing their players.
 
ElBurroSinNombre said:
He doesn't want to slag his own players off in public - quite right IMO. Believe it or not what he says in public may not necessarily be his true beliefs. I'll bet they are getting a complete bollocking behind closed doors. he is a new manager and we have a load of new players - it may take a bit of time to get things right.
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Then why not use a version of your last sentence. That’s not slagging the team off nor criticising individual players. In Scrafton’s piece he said Appleton isn’t making excuses, he then proceeded to do exactly that. Starting with mental fatigue, in a set of players who hadn’t played for 10 days! If any kind of fatigue is setting in after a 10 day layoff I would suggest they are in the wrong profession.
 
ElBurroSinNombre said:
He doesn't want to slag his own players off in public - quite right IMO. Believe it or not what he says in public may not necessarily be his true beliefs. I'll bet they are getting a complete bollocking behind closed doors. he is a new manager and we have a load of new players - it may take a bit of time to get things right.
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Expect this is true. Behind the scenes I'd expect a combination of soul searching, sulking and maybe a bit of mutual recrimination,. But let's not forget our core squad is full of good honest pros who will not enjoy being outclassed by Rotherham or any other team for that measure. The younger lads and loanees need a bit of leadership and support. Most importantly, we need to build a new squad mentality to rival the one we have lost with the various comings and goings. I don't think Marv is really a captain in the classic sense and his own form isn't ideal at the moment, but I bet the isn't looking for others to blame. Let's steady the ship.
 
Mmaybe just maybe most of our players are not up to championship football. Our so called strikers definitely aren't.
 
TangerineMatt said:
Gazette: 'When asked if he could put a finger on why it went so wrong for his side, Appleton added "Not really, no."'

Maybe because you got the formation completely wrong? Or insist on playing Rhys Williams and Kenny Dougall despite the fact they're both gash? Or the fact you left really obvious substitutions until the 84th minute? Worrying that he can't identify why we got beat so heavily.
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You are unbelievable!
 
TangerineMatt said:
Gazette: 'When asked if he could put a finger on why it went so wrong for his side, Appleton added "Not really, no."'

Maybe because you got the formation completely wrong? Or insist on playing Rhys Williams and Kenny Dougall despite the fact they're both gash? Or the fact you left really obvious substitutions until the 84th minute? Worrying that he can't identify why we got beat so heavily.
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Simple the players are letting him down massively.
 
playing 5-2-3 with Connolly and Dougall as the 2 centre mids (who are both defensive minded) that is 7 defensive players out of the 10. Poveda looked lost, Yates ran a lot and Theo was greedy but realistically the only way we was going to score last night was if Theo took on atleast 4 players to try and open something up.

When defending it is becoming a flat back 5.
Basically leaving Connolly and Dougall to be completely overrun every time and into our poor back line. Theo has the work rate to help out but is more attack minded and poveda was like a school boy.

The starting xi for me until further injuries come back has to be:

Grimshaw

Gabriel
Ekpiteta
???
thompson

Connoly
Dougall
Patino

Theo
Yates
Lavery
 
ThereisonlyoneChrisMalkin said:
playing 5-2-3 with Connolly and Dougall as the 2 centre mids (who are both defensive minded) that is 7 defensive players out of the 10. Poveda looked lost, Yates ran a lot and Theo was greedy but realistically the only way we was going to score last night was if Theo took on atleast 4 players to try and open something up.

When defending it is becoming a flat back 5.
Basically leaving Connolly and Dougall to be completely overrun every time and into our poor back line. Theo has the work rate to help out but is more attack minded and poveda was like a school boy.

The starting xi for me until further injuries come back has to be:

Grimshaw

Gabriel
Ekpiteta
Husband
thompson

Connoly
Dougall
Patino

Theo
Yates
Lavery
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In recent games Dougall and Connolly have been over run. Too many times last night Dougall ended with 3 players hounding him. Rotherham pressed well. Agree Povida looked lost and only presses the player closest to him. Gabriel had a poor one as did Thompson, who seems to panic easily. Theo either looked lost or he was instructed to stand in space. Lavery may have some weaknesses but he made a difference at least he has passion, should have been on at half time.
 
TangerineMatt said:
Gazette: 'When asked if he could put a finger on why it went so wrong for his side, Appleton added "Not really, no."'
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Was apparent from the 15th minute - all he offered was to change Corbeanu and Poveda to different sides.
Not good enough from someone who has been lauded as being tactically better than Critch.
 
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