I'm losing faith in Chris Powell. Are you?

[fbm]

The bloke can't win, can he?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, especially when it comes to team selections and tactics. I personally admire the way he tries to select and team and formation to beat what's in front of him. Wimbledon were another big side and with Macca and Bunn both playing midweek (and extra time), plus with another game on Tuesday, I think the decision to rest them both was correct.

Playing 3 centre backs was another decision I thought was correct and for 40 minutes we were ok. But yet again we eased off before half time and it was evident - as it has been all season - that the mindset is to just try and hold what we have got. When oh when will we learn that we can't do that. We are rubbish at it.

And as for the injuries... my God it's unprecedented and the team almost picks itself.

We have no leader. Mantom is not a captain I'm afraid. The trouble is, I'm not sure who is a leader in the squad, let alone on the pitch. Hyam seems to have that determination and mettle but barely plays. Turner probably has the credentials but I'm not sure he's vocal enough and is out for another 2 games anyway. And if we bring the kids into this environment... that could completely destroy their confidence.

In short, I think we are stuffed but it's not SCP's fault. He can only play who's available. Him leaping up and down on the touchline isn't going to help. If we are going to vent our anger, let's do it at the senior players who have let us down this year with poor performances and discipline. As for SCP, I think we as fans have to get right behind him and see if we can limp through to January before he can get a couple of bodies in.

 

[ms brush]

This is starting to the feel like the dog days at the end of the PB era. What is so worrying is the constant concern by CP about the opposition in his selections and formations. Yesterday was a prime example. The team selected and the formation seemed to scream out that we were worried about the threat from Wombles. Why? Their confidence must have been rock bottom. Their recent record would indicate that we should have gone out all guns blazing, with Bunn and Macca involved from the off. Throw off the shackles Chris and let's have a real go against Scunny and thereafter. I wonder whether Ron made one of his infrequent dressing room visits yesterday around 5pm?

Agree re wombles confidence, but did I hear correctly that they have a managerial vacancy... no idea what is going on, but we all know about the change of manager 'bounce'. And before anyone says we need a new bounce, look at the injuries, the contract lengths and the constraints- essentially we have a core of players who were Phil's choices, so no matter how good a manager Chris Powell (or any other manager we would get in) is, the same underlying issues are still there. I also agree we could do with Timlin back, but the decision was made in the summer, so we just need to deal with it. It is going to be a long season now, but I still think we will pull a top half finish out of the bag!

 

[EastStandBlue]

Same as the last couple of games at home he's just leaning against the wall hardly ever coming forward to shout instructions to the players while you see the opposition manager on the go all the time at his even if they're winning!

That's completely irrespective really, and will be down entirely to the coach's philosophy. Guardiola (and Klopp falls into this bracket too) rants and raves on the touchline not to give information, but to maintain an intensity that spreads from the bench to the pitch. It's successful for him, but it's not the solution for all. Bielsa's experienced huge success in his career and he's almost entirely sat on a bin throughout games. The game's passed him by now, but Ancelotti was one of the most docile managers on the touchline but won everything there is to win in his career.

I also don't buy that a manager needs to be animated on the touchline to influence a game. Players, certainly at this level, will take almost no notice of instructions from the sideline mid-game other than tactical/formation switches - anything else is getting dismissed as they'll have a thousand other decisions to be making within the next few minutes.

Ultimately, it all boils down to respect. If Powell has it in the dressing room, he'll be OK.

I can't profess to have seen much of us this season, but if you ask me, this is Brown's legacy - and our failure to rein in some of his excesses - playing out in earnest. Powell's job was always going to be a long-term project given what Brown was allowed to do here.

 

[Tommy2holes]

Well I can see Dru going for a large sum in January.

It will be then up to Ron to back Powell and also pay off a few of the dead wood.

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Some of the same posters who gave credit to CP for turning it around last season using Browns squad (which he rightly deserved) are now saying it Browns fault we are poor again. Comical.

What worries me most is that whatever team we put out feels spineless. Whoever is available you need to be able to motivate them which it just doesn't seem like they are to me.

 

[Blueronron]

Spot on Westie with your post, sums up perfectly

 

[Tampa Blue]

I didn't go yesterday but my son went and what bothered him most was the fact that apparently SCP just didn't show any passion or desire himself and he felt that transferred in to the wretched perormance. We so want SCP to succeed, but remain to be convinced, bizarre selections, bland captain, average summer signings were in his control - the injury list is not and that may be what gives him more time to turn things around like he did so successfully last season.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Some of the same posters who gave credit to CP for turning it around last season using Browns squad (which he rightly deserved) are now saying it Browns fault we are poor again. Comical.

What worries me most is that whatever team we put out feels spineless. Whoever is available you need to be able to motivate them which it just doesn't seem like they are to me.

CP deserves credit for turning it round last season. It was a big achievement to get that group of players playing as well as he did. Look how he got Theo Robinson playing. That form wasn’t going to be sustainable though, particularly with so many players in decline.

I warned at the time though that the results were papering over the cracks in the squad he inherited. The rebuild in the summer didn’t go far enough.

Maybe it would have worked out if Sonny Bradley and Lyle Taylor/Kyle Vassell had signed. I think then some of the players Powell ended up extending (Turner/White and Cox) wouldn’t have been. But it didn’t happen and that is Powell’s responsibility. He got dealt a ****ty hand but he didn’t exchange his hand as much as he could when he had the chance.

Of course he couldn’t exchange all his cards: he’s stuck with the likes of Kightly and Robinson for another season after this one though and they’ll be eating up a lot of the wage bill, as will any pay-off made to Anton. But he had chances to move on from more players who aren’t going to improve and are on a downward career trajectory.

I didn't go yesterday but my son went and what bothered him most was the fact that apparently SCP just didn't show any passion or desire himself and he felt that transferred in to the wretched perormance. We so want SCP to succeed, but remain to be convinced, bizarre selections, bland captain, average summer signings were in his control - the injury list is not and that may be what gives him more time to turn things around like he did so successfully last season.

Agree there’s a lack of leadership on the pitch but the problem isn’t the signings. The problem starts with the defence where we are conceding two goals a game in the last month. The defence is (largely) inherited. Now CP knew there was a problem which is why he signed the now injured Lennon and the loanee Moore (our best defender so far this season). Remember the reaction to those signings was “why do we need a defender?”

A replacement targetman for Hopper would certainly help ease the pressure on the defence and Powell deserves criticism for not signing a backup but until January there’s not anything we can do about that.

Since Hopper has gone down we’ve lost 4 in a row in the League. But before he went down we won 4 out of 5.

It’s going to be a bumpy ride until January but we need to hold off judgement until after we’ve reinforced.

 

[united we stand]

Lots of people saying we don’t have a leader ( which I agree with). Lots saying in inherited the squad, which is only partially true, lots saying the injuries are unprecedented ( difficult to disagree with).
If we didn’t have any injuries who would the leaders be ? If there aren’t any leaders in the players injured then it’s difficult not to blame Powell for not buying at least one player with that attribute

 

[RHB]

I reckon Sam Barrett would have been captain by now if he wasn't injured. Fact, end off (haven't seen that for a bit, so why not?)

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Lots of people saying we don’t have a leader ( which I agree with). Lots saying in inherited the squad, which is only partially true, lots saying the injuries are unprecedented ( difficult to disagree with).
If we didn’t have any injuries who would the leaders be ? If there aren’t any leaders in the players injured then it’s difficult not to blame Powell for not buying at least one player with that attribute

Did Coker captain us last season?

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

A replacement targetman for Hopper would certainly help ease the pressure on the defence but until January there’s not anything we can do about that.

.

Come January, how many teams loan out a targetman who has a decent record of scoring?.
I reckon we're end up with a couple of youngsters from Prem/Championship sides, who hopefully will save us.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Come January, how many teams loan out a targetman who has a decent record of scoring?.
I reckon we're end up with a couple of youngsters from Prem/Championship sides, who hopefully will save us.

Hopper didn’t have a good goal scoring record when we signed him. Ladapo didn’t have a good record when we signed him in January and is now scoring for fun. Eaves and Palmer didn’t have good goal scoring records when Gills and Crawley signed them.

What we should be looking for future performance rather than paying for past performance. That requires good scouting. We did it with Hopper and need to do it again.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Hopper didn’t have a good goal scoring record when we signed him. Ladapo didn’t have a good record when we signed him in January and is now scoring for fun. Eaves and Palmer didn’t have good goal scoring records when Gills and Crawley signed them.

What we should be looking for future performance rather than paying for past performance. That requires good scouting. We did it with Hopper and need to do it again.

Hope your right, and our scouts have better success with finding someone, than their reports on next weeks opposition, & what formation & game plan to play to beat them!.

 

[Chrisb]

Hopper didn’t have a good goal scoring record when we signed him. Ladapo didn’t have a good record when we signed him in January and is now scoring for fun. Eaves and Palmer didn’t have good goal scoring records when Gills and Crawley signed them.

What we should be looking for future performance rather than paying for past performance. That requires good scouting. We did it with Hopper and need to do it again.

Yes, we definitely do need to do it again but won't be easy. Hopefully we can loan out a couple, if there are any takers, Theo and Kites ?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Yes, we definitely do need to do it again but won't be easy. Hopefully we can loan out a couple, if there are any takers, Theo and Kites ?

Brown being sacked from Swindon was a blow in that respect.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Yes injuries have been tough but we’re now in the exact same position as last season. Feeling completely empty after losing to Wimbledon away again

He’s not gonna sack him. I don’t know where the money is going to come from but Ron needs to back him massively in January or we’ll get relegated playing a long ball to a combination of Cox/Robinson/McCoulsky

We shouldn’t have bothered signing McCoulsky, we should have got another big lump in. That’s all well and good in hindsight you might say but we don’t play any other system so it baffles me why Powell went for someone like him and not another big lad

A lot of us said at the start of the season that we lacked a Plan B and now Plan A (Hopper) is done and dusted we honestly look totally clueless

Not buying this comment of “its Phil Brown’s team”
It is but Powell managed to come in last season and galvanise that same group of Phil Brown’s players. His interviews are now a big concern. He’s lost that spring in his step and lost his smile

He needs a massive January window or we are screwed

 

[united we stand]

Did Coker captain us last season?

Do you see Coker as a leader, especially when things are gonna big badly? Personally I don’t

 

[Dubai]

****ing Hell, people talk about inheriting a **** squad like its a new thing for a new manager. It’s standard practise when you get a new manager coming in, is highly unlikely that they are taking over an Uber successful team (apart from when a manager moves on to a bigger job...apart from Barry Fry...has this ever happened?)

You’re a new manager, you have a squad, you do what you can and you get judged on that.

Powell currently isn’t doing enough and it’s down the **** poor tactics and poor recruitment throughout the summer.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Yes injuries have been tough but we’re now in the exact same position as last season. Feeling completely empty after losing to Wimbledon away again

He’s not gonna sack him. I don’t know where the money is going to come from but Ron needs to back him massively in January or we’ll get relegated playing a long ball to a combination of Cox/Robinson/McCoulsky

We shouldn’t have bothered signing McCoulsky, we should have got another big lump in. That’s all well and good in hindsight you might say but we don’t play any other system so it baffles me why Powell went for someone like him and not another big lad

A lot of us said at the start of the season that we lacked a Plan B and now Plan A (Hopper) is done and dusted we honestly look totally clueless

Not buying this comment of “its Phil Brown’s team”
It is but Powell managed to come in last season and galvanise that same group of Phil Brown’s players. His interviews are now a big concern. He’s lost that spring in his step and lost his smile

He needs a massive January window or we are screwed

I have never seen a Cris Powell interview but for some reason I imagine him to sound like Johnson from Peep Show