austsaint

Crazy really. One of many damning fails racked up by Jones. He bleats about aggression and front footedness yet plays a relatively passive, well established dud in Bednarek when he has aggression, front footedness (whatever that means) and skill in spades with ABK and DCC.

That's the nub of it - pick the best team in a decent formation (minus the likes of Bednarek, Elyounoussi, Diallo) and he'll get some goodwill. I don't think the average person cares whether he makes a joke about Welsh girls or life in a mining village. If he showed a bit of humility/self-deprecation and stopped bigging himself up about Luton days and being the fittest bloke on earth - he'd be able to wear the underdog badge with a bit of authenticity. Do that, and get a result and the thawing process will be underway.

I only got 10 minutes in with the presser; I'll fast forward to 21 minutes. Just reading Dusic's post about (his) being able to see how Jones has been successful at times. Has he really been that successful? Two Clubs as Manager in his own right....the Stoke tenure needs no elaboration; then there's Luton. Most of his success took place at L2 and L1 level - then taking them to the play offs in the Championship - there must be many Managers who have done something similar - most have either never made it to Prem level or only had a brief look at it. That's why many doubted the appointment in the first place - lack of pedigree or prior demonstrated abilities to succeed in such a tough league.

He's got a lot of Brent in his make-up. With a bit of Gareth thrown in for good measure.

Yes, strengthens the case too for specialist full backs, ie KWP and Perraud - both who have good "Onuachu" crosses in their kitbag. If he plays JWP more forward I'd like to see at least two pacy "front four" players. Sulemana a must - then in order of preference Orsic (who needs to lift) Edozie, Arma.

You could argue that an over-reliance on statistics and algorithms (by Ankersen and friends) has resulted in this mess. AS it would likely in most job selection processes.

If he played that team I'd elevate him (Jones) just that little bit from a very low level.

Hence the spin inheritance.

What you "always said" in the lead up to Ralph being sacked was wrong then, and wrong now. It wasn't a case of being careful what you wish for - more a matter of recruiting a better replacement. A manager with some pedigree - proven strategic, technical and tactical abilities and importantly, a measured temperament able to deal with a range of people and personalities without too much rancour, defensiveness and blame shifting. That's Ankersen's mistake, not getting rid of a clapped out Ralph. Compounded now by delaying the inevitable need to get Jones out.

Yes, of course. He (Ankersen) will have majority goodwill if he removes Jones (Monday) and replaces him with someone credible - even if Selles is caretaker v Wolves. The preparedness to spend that money in the transfer window has already gone down well with the fan base. It would also release a lot of frustration and angst ahead of Tuesdays fans forum.

Won't happen of course - but wouldn't it be great. I'm sure he has a great affection for the Club and he probably believes he owes us a favour after the Spurs defection. Honestly, at this stage I'd take Nigel Pearson back in a heartbeat.

If he's not gone by lunchtime Monday your question should be the first asked at the fans forum.

What's your take on Mr Jones now LD? Less bullish?

Sparky's got a few credits in the bank compared to this knob.

I take my hat off to you Rivers. A devastatingly accurate synopsis of the turbulence which has been building up since Jones came through the door. Yesterday was surely the endgame of his 11 or 12 week joyride. And your summary is a suitable epitaph of his Managerial stint at SFC....I hope.

It's interesting that you haven't mentioned Elyounoussi - though you are quite right to call out the performances of Diallo and Perraud (was he really that bad?), the foundation for that debacle was the starting front four put out by Jones. Adams isolated playing the lone striker role; how many times have we seen that fail. If Armstrong had started in place of the serial disappointment Elyounoussi there would at least have been more pace and support for Adams. As it was we had the pace of Edozie on the right and three slow, un-athletic types filling the other three roles - predictably it led to no cohesive pressure or threat on the Brentford goal and no press or threat to their defence and midfield playing out from the back. I'd like to read other people's views but JWP isn't up to the 10 role or the permanent attacking midfield role - he just doesn't have the athleticism or pace/trickery with the ball at his feet. He needs to play the CM role with a player like Lavia, and at the opportune time, get forward, make runs into the box to use his technical skills. Let's be honest, Brentford were a far superior side, repeatedly slicing through the many gaps in midfield and defence. If not for Salisu, it would have been a more humiliating defeat. The new boy Sulemana looks a good one; Paul O. looked a little like a lumbering Peter Crouch but surely will get better. It's all been said about Jones. He must go - Ankersen and co have to act. There's a malignancy about Jones that is going to cripple the Club as long as he remains. Even if relegation is inevitable, the Manager must be sent on his way. Maybe the goodwill of supporters is not important to Ankersen, but if he did own his error and act immediately, it would be well received and galvanise the Club towards a better last 17 League games. Ideally a Benitez or Bielsa, but at this stage most would settle for Selles as a caretaker

Sadly, hoping for West Ham, Leicester and Everton to screw up looks a different proposition to Burnley, Watford, Norwich, WBA, Cardiff in recent years.

Yep, pretty much agree. I assume you mean hopefully no place for Lyanco. Thing is if Jones can settle on Salisu, ABK and DCC as our best CBs - there will be plenty of Football for each of them in the 18 games left - especially if Perraud isn't doing well at LB and the Salisu option is taken up. You could well be right about Salisu's confidence - there has been a lot of change around him since Jones came through the door.

Depressing, but prescient. What about if Ankersen bites the bullet, sends Jones packing soon, and gets a Benitez, Bielsa, Big Sam through the door?

Not often I disagree with you but I still see Salisu as a top tier CB in the Prem and comfortably our best CB alongside ABK and Caleta-Car who apart from a below par game against Newcastle, has been very impressive. If the argument is that ABK hasn't had enough Football post World Cup, Bednarek hardly played while he was at Villa and was just a fair performer the other night v Newcastle. We've seen time and again the limitations of Bednarek and Lyanco. There's 18 games to save a place in the Prem, and Salisu, ABK and DCC are clearly better players than the two likely to line up today. All three have sufficient height to defend set pieces and while I'd prefer to see us play two specialist full backs with KWP at RB, Salisu is a good fill in at LB if that change is needed.

Salisu, DCC, ABK......daylight.

What makes that explanation farcical is playing Bednarek the other night (ok, he wasn't awful but we have three much better CBs) who had hardly played during his loan period.

We do have three better CBs than Bednarek and Lyanco. Let's hope Jones can see that and concentrate the last 18 League games with CC, ABK and Salisu sharing the load - play Perraud more with Salisu a back up for him in some situations.

You can do better than that Nick. You've had a lot to say on this topic, but not really presented a case for why Jones should stay except for the need for positive support for the Manager. I'm no supporter of Ralph - he should have been shown the door long before he was; yet for a couple of seasons he set the team up with an energy, press, quick movement and passing which we will never see from Jones. Jones has a better squad of players now than Ralph ever had, yet we see baffling formations, changed team selections and an incoherent style of play. Like I said - if we stay up; it won't have a great deal to do with NJ. How about you tell the forum what he's done to earn your support apart from a belief in positivity.

I'm confident in saying that if things do turn round, and we do stay up - it will be despite Jones efforts, not because of them. The best 11-14 players we have now are capable of pulling SFC out of this hole. It will be up to the players, Maybe Selles will step up to the plate; but Jones won't be the one "turning things around".