saintant

How about chances in the first half? Or don't they count?

Absolute bullshit.

Agree entirely. We played some very good football yesterday and there are clear signs that Still is getting a tune out of the squad. If we'd had a half decent big powerful centre forward playing yesterday we'd surely have claimed all three points and there would have been far less criticism on here. The simple fact is that we did not win because we missed some relatively easy chances - nothing Will Still can do about that. A good performance other than putting the ball in the net.

🙂

That's novel - maybe we should try it.

We don't have a centre forward to take off - just a bunch of short players who run around a lot but clearly need a focal point, a leader.

You said that not me.

Depends on progress and results. I'd certainly like to see him given a decent centre forward in early January.

So in your eyes SR have done nothing wrong? They've actually done precious little right since day one.

Fair enough. He's not totally convinced me but I'd like to see him given more time especially as he has no centre forward to work with thanks to the continued incompetence of SR - it would be a bit rich for them to sack him when their mistakes are a huge part of the problem

That's not much of an answer though is it? You've slated the manager and I've pointed out that we missed 3 simple chances which should have won us the game.

Yet for all those negatives we limited Swansea to zero chances and had enough simple chances of our own to win 2 or 3 nil even without a recognised striker. So the manager must have got some things right or we'd surely have lost the game not thrown it away.

Why do you think it was a 'must win?' It wasn't a relegation battle or a match between two sides battling for automatic promotion. We should have won but missed easy chances. Had we converted those chances we'd have gained 8 points from 4 unbeaten games which is a pretty good return. The manager cannot go onto the pitch and put the ball into the back of the net for them - this poor result is on those who missed the chances they should have buried with their eyes closed.

The manager cannot be blamed for the simple chances we missed. Ok, it wasn't a scintillating performance but we should have won 2-0 and most fans would have been reasonably happy so let's not beat the manager up because our players missed simple chances - nothing he can do about that. It's been said too often but SR have been completely negligent for again failing to sign a big strong centre forward with experience - they were available for far less than the fee we wasted on Downs. This means our build up play stalls because we are reluctant to put in crosses and have nobody to hold the ball up while support arrives. Will Still is trying to juggle 5 or six very similar players but what he really needs is an out and out centre forward - what is he meant to do?

But that is clearly incorrect isn't it.

I didn't say that 🙂

Yeah Semmens, the guy who brought us Sports Republic!

Maybe it's all down to the 'tools' who sign the players.

Unless we fall in or close to the relegation spots and stay there I think Will Still is here for the rest of the season. Obviously we all want to see a big improvement in results and performances but I believe SR will give him a reasonable amount of time. He is hampered by poor recruitment not least the fact that he has no recognised centre forward which limits his tactics. We need to buy a decent centre forward early in the January window but options of who will be available are always limited plus I have zero confidence in our recruitment team especially after the signing of Downs.

It's all about opinions and my view is that we don't have anything like a strong enough spine. That's down to continual poor recruitment.

Apart from the fact that he has a squad with no spine - so a very limited choice of goalkeeper, centre back and centre forward. That's a pretty integral part of any side harbouring ambitions to be among the front runners in their league.

We don't have a single wing back worthy of the name at the club. None of them are able to get up and down the pitch at pace so let's stop asking them to do what they can't. Wing back is a specialist role and you have to be super fit and talented to play the role properly. A back four and a couple of traditional wingers for me - don't ask Fellows to play wing back because it wastes his natural talent further up the pitch and tires him out.

But isn't that a big part of what training sessions are for? I get that we've just had another international break but surely by now he should have seen enough to work out which partnerships work, what formation keeps us tight at the back whilst freeing up the attacking intent and chance creation. It's up to the manager and his coaches to work out a starting eleven and formation that gets the most out of the squad. We are seeing small improvements but it's time for something to click in a bigger way.

Their route to first team is blocked generally because those clever people at SR like to bring in slightly older players who might turn into the next big thing and make a shedload of money. Unfortunately their talent for picking such players is limited.

I guess they felt they had to make absolutely certain he was the right man for the job. No sense taking any chances with such a key appointment.