Pack your bags Roy

[Kenneth]

As long as we're still winning the odd game here and there, he'll be here for the season. I just can't believe that they see themselves building for the the long term with him though. If he's here this time next season it will be clear that NESV have no interest in success and are merely waiting for the value of their asset to rise before offloading us again.

[Arn]

Hodgson thinks, however, that his side is still being judged on their early-season form.

'There are two games this year which have done us untold damage,' he said. 'The first was when a total reserve team - although it does not seem to have been noticed we had 14 first-team players who didn't play - lost to Northampton in the Carling Cup.

'The other was the disastrous (2-1) defeat to Blackpool at the end of a three-match week when we played in Europe.

'Those two defeats were costly for us because they encouraged people to make bold conclusions but we've lost one defeat in eight (in all competitions).

[Buzzo]

Quote:
Hodgson thinks, however, that his side is still being judged on their early-season form.

'There are two games this year which have done us untold damage,' he said. 'The first was when a total reserve team - although it does not seem to have been noticed we had 14 first-team players who didn't play - lost to Northampton in the Carling Cup.

'The other was the disastrous (2-1) defeat to Blackpool at the end of a three-match week when we played in Europe.

'Those two defeats were costly for us because they encouraged people to make bold conclusions but we've lost one defeat in eight (in all competitions).

His memory must be going...

I take it it is so normal that he loses away from home that he doesn't count those as proper defeats.

[Arn]

Another gem by Roy.

'Don't ask me what a good season is because I don't know but after the start we have had where we are now is making us feel pretty pleased.

[Craig_H]

****ing hell. If it wasnt us, i'd be laughing at the poor saps who had to put up with this twunt.

[Kenneth]

Don't ask me what a good season is because I don't know

best quote ever.

[DannyMan2006]

In fairness I know exactly what Roy is doing.

He's had time to have a look at the squad and how they implement his methods and I think he's started to draw some conclusions. I think it's obvious he doesn't think the squad is anywhere near good enough for 4th place, but to say finishing 7th again would be a good season would be daft so he just tries to gloss over it.

----

Personally I feel the squad is capable of more than he is getting out of it and that is why I want him replaced. With Man City winning today the gap to 4th place isn't that small and it's likely to end up a chasm by January if we don't start to find concistency.

[calvoboy]

Last 6 league games - won 4 drawn 1 lost 1....not too shabby....just saying like.

I'm very schizophrenic at the moment with respect to Roy. My innate instinct and principles telling me that any new manager needs time to get his ideas across, my frustration at **** performances telling me that he has to go as soon as possible, my analytical head seeing some stats that suggest that we are not doing too badly and probably about as well as could be expected given last season's poor results and the upheaval at the club in the first couple of months of this season.

[Craig_H]

Last 6 league games - won 4 drawn 1 lost 1....not too shabby....just saying like.

I'm very schizophrenic at the moment with respect to Roy. My innate instinct and principles telling me that any new manager needs time to get his ideas across, my frustration at **** performances telling me that he has to go as soon as possible, my analytical head seeing some stats that suggest that we are not doing too badly and probably about as well as could be expected given last season's poor results and the upheaval at the club in the first couple of months of this season.

That'd be fine if the previous 6 werent so ****. Not to mention the fact that there's never any signs of improvement when it comes to away performance.

We keep playing with the same ****ty negative "come and score against us, dont worry, we'll let you" mentality.

[DannyMan2006]

Last 6 league games - won 4 drawn 1 lost 1....not too shabby....just saying like.

I'm very schizophrenic at the moment with respect to Roy. My innate instinct and principles telling me that any new manager needs time to get his ideas across, my frustration at **** performances telling me that he has to go as soon as possible, my analytical head seeing some stats that suggest that we are not doing too badly and probably about as well as could be expected given last season's poor results and the upheaval at the club in the first couple of months of this season.

No to the bit in bold. The rest I can understand.

It comes down to two questions:

Is he the right candidate to see out the rest of the season?

Is he the right candidate to take us forward and build a team?

The last question is a definite NO for me. He is too old for one to really allow him to start building up a vision of the club, though a director of football in place does allow us to keep him in place if he was to impress.

The first question is purely down to Roy as this season is only about results. Pretty football and the likes can wait for next year when we start complementing our top players. The best way to ensure we have a competitive team next year is to finish in the top 4. Not an easy task but that is what it's all about.

Now me personally, I just can't see Roy finally realising that pressing the opposition ala Blackburn and West Ham is the best way to go. I think he still feels the need to have us dropping off. As such this will not get us results and will see us fall below where we should be.

Remember, last season we were playing CL football and couldn't afford to play virtual reserve sides as we have been doing. It's been a much easier season in that sense for us and that should reflect in our tempo in games. Yet the team seem lethargic this year, far worse than last.

Being brutally honest we have just not been good enough and somewhere between 5th and 10th is where we'll likely end up.

[calvoboy]

No to the bit in bold. The rest I can understand.

It comes down to two questions:

Is he the right candidate to see out the rest of the season?

Is he the right candidate to take us forward and build a team?

The last question is a definite NO for me. He is too old for one to really allow him to start building up a vision of the club, though a director of football in place does allow us to keep him in place if he was to impress.

The first question is purely down to Roy as this season is only about results. Pretty football and the likes can wait for next year when we start complementing our top players. The best way to ensure we have a competitive team next year is to finish in the top 4. Not an easy task but that is what it's all about.

Now me personally, I just can't see Roy finally realising that pressing the opposition ala Blackburn and West Ham is the best way to go. I think he still feels the need to have us dropping off. As such this will not get us results and will see us fall below where we should be.

Remember, last season we were playing CL football and couldn't afford to play virtual reserve sides as we have been doing. It's been a much easier season in that sense for us and that should reflect in our tempo in games. Yet the team seem lethargic this year, far worse than last.

Being brutally honest we have just not been good enough and somewhere between 5th and 10th is where we'll likely end up.

All I mean by the bit in bold is that you usually have a bit of a dip initially when you get a new manager in, as he tries to get his ideas across and change the way the team plays (see Houllier and Rafa's first years), and the takeover saga had to have an impact on the team. With all that, we are only a couple of points off what we had last year from the same fixtures. About what I'd expect from a new manager given the upheaval. The performances have been **** though, that's the issue.

[Craig_H]

Doesnt a new manager usually actually signal an upturn of form?

[little dave hedgehog]

Doesnt a new manager usually actually signal an upturn of form?

ask rafa :P

[Craig_H]

Arn will seriously scratch your eyes out, for that one

[DannyMan2006]

All I mean by the bit in bold is that you usually have a bit of a dip initially when you get a new manager in, as he tries to get his ideas across and change the way the team plays (see Houllier and Rafa's first years), and the takeover saga had to have an impact on the team. With all that, we are only a couple of points off what we had last year from the same fixtures. About what I'd expect from a new manager given the upheaval. The performances have been **** though, that's the issue.

To be doing as well as last year or worse is unacceptable. It was unacceptable last year and remains so this year. We were all in agreement last season that we should have finished top 4 with the squad we had.

As for the takeover Saga, Rafa has had to deal with that for a long, long time yet he never got cut any slack for it. Nor did he get any slack when he had a major injury crisis whilst trying to field a competitive side every Wednesday and Saturday.

Our squad is good enough to challenge for 4th if managed to their potential. Whether or not it was to come 4th would be dependant on how well the other sides perform. So far the other sides have been poor and as such we should be closer than what we are.

It drives me mad to think where we could be had we been playing to our potential against the likes of Blackpool, Wigan, Stoke, Birmingham, Everton, Sunderland, etc.