Legod Third Coming

Are we? Only I thought we were four points clear...

He's failed? On what basis? What was the measure? 1. There is no guarantee ANY other manager could get better results from our squad. In case you failed to notice, when we sacked Wigley things could only get better. When Burley left things could only get better... add manager as you see fit... 2. Nobody forced him to take the job? Why is that relevent? It isn't. 3. The bloke is here at the behest of a man who has a plan to rebuild the club's finances on the basis of youth and homegrown talent. Did you expect that would be a walk in the park? A piece of cake? Oh yeah, throw Lloyd James in every game and we'll win the league by Xmas... If the plan was to surivive this year and build for the future, JP is currently precisely on track and not failing at all.

Hmm, stretching the old truth there a smidge, no? John who single-handedly saved our status??

Interesting, of the 80 odd goals our on-loan strikers scored between them in three years, you pick the guy with what 11 of them?

I want a Ferrari California. So what?

It's just as likely that the players cannot translate instructions because of their age and inexperience.

And managers with much more experience and financial backing too.

Why do you keep complaining as though it is my fault? I simply told you what he's doing. I'm not his lawyer or representative on earth. Although, 23 games is a bit early to say the idea has failed altogether. And he would tell you that he has reduced the wage bill and we haven't gone bust yet which we were doing under the last mob, if I were his lawyer... Seriously, I have never met the guy and have no truck with him. I HAVE met JP and found him to be honourable, passionate, committed and a decent human being trying to create a football style, ethic and approach which I admire and respect enormously under incredibly challenging conditions. But, like all fans, it's easier to jettison the coach and adress a symptom not the cause...

Ok smart alec. Buy the fecking club and run it how you would like eh? What do you suggest I do? Either I can point out facts or I can join the charade that says: "Let's have Billy Davies" "Let's have Paul Allen buy us" "Let's pick on a player and hammer his confidence" "Let's moan about the coach" And so on and so on. If you prefer, I can call for Davies to be appointed tomorrow. Will it make you feel better? Will it hasten his arrival? Let me know.

Look. Number one - I have no faith in Lowe. Tell me where I claim to have? However, he is building a football philosophy at the club. He has bought the players and brought in the coach/manager and coaching infrastructure that he believes will deliver that philosophy. As a result, all this posturing is pointless. Lowe believes he is doing the right thing, the right way. That's why calling for a change in coach is a totally frivolous exercise. FWIW the coach is doing exactly what he has been employed to do!!! That is why he cannot be blamed.

OK, Tell me friend how many first team games had Lloyd James played before this season? And Morgan Spiderman? How about Robertson? Lallana? McGoldrick? Paterson? Pearce? Cork? Hell's bells man, even Bradley had a maximum of thirty odd first team starts for us in two years (and he's aged 23 btw). It comes to something when the most experienced striker is a bloke who can't get into our first eleven with any consistency. Surman is still twenty two - yes 22! Hardly a hardened pro. Yet you continued to say that we have experienced pros. We do. Perry, Davis, Skacel and Euell on the park today - about the only fit ones we have. That leaves seven players 23 or younger. Most of whom (above) have little or no regular first team experience apart from 23 games this season. Do you have a problem with numbers? And yet a new coach is the answer - incredible...

LOL. Let's ask Rupert to appoint someone who is not a yes man shall we...

I kind of agree. But at least he has now played every team and knows how they set-up and their strengths and weaknesses. Maybe he will use this knowledge and inspire a second-half season fightback... And if not, I'm reassured that Charlton, a club we modelled ourselves on will be in League One with us!!

I was of course referring to the coach, but I concur. However, that does not get us out of the hole, simply confirms why we're in it!

I don't disagree with that. Although I would like to meet the man who could toughen up Lloyd James...

So you think this Dutch man just pitched up here and persuaded a Chairman to adopt a Dutch style of football.... right. And still you think the away wins were luck? In which case, today console yourself that we were unlucky and that the luck will turn again. You cannot have a one-way luck argument. Sometimes our football style will win and sometimes it won't. But as for whose fault it is that we have a Dutch coach, relying on mainly youth, and our most effective strikers on loan and our best defender sold, is that Jan's fault too??

:D Gallows humour is not funny.

The problem is that the coach is implementing the Chairman's tactics though, isn't it? The coach has been asked to play a Dutch football style in the Championship. So whose fault is that when it doesn't work? Who loaned out our three most effective goal-scorers and sold our best defender - the manager/coach? If you turn on Jan you might as well hand Rupert the keys to the city.

Not at all. But do you think changing Jan will help? If so, explain how and why? Given the circumstances we all know regarding the chairman.

Not necessarily. Funny things happen in football. We only have to be fourth worst this season, that's all. It's like the recession. If we can just get through this season, who knows what might happen.

OK. So, if JP asks for experienced hands does he get them? Where for example are Rasiak, John and Saga? Do you know whom he is allowed to bring in? No. As for these old hands - hardly. How many first team games have James, Cork, McG, Lallana, Robertson, Morgan, etc played?? You must accept that a good half of our team are first-season players. Age is immaterial, experience is not. And if he had no clue, then why exactly were we doing so well away from home before this week? And if you say luck, they can say all the losses are simply bad luck, so that argument is flawed. You can't have a one-way luck debate. So, one solution: which is to ask for more players - from a Chairman who won't buy them. What is your next idea? Changing manager in the current scenario is not an option for me. No manager can work a Dutch system better than one who has played and coached in it all his life. And a different manager would be like Redknapp - a fish out of water here. If you want to change the system you have to mount a takeover of the club.

Ah, finally someone who can identify the difference between a cause and a symptom... And the answer is no. But what alternative do we have as fans?

It's pointless looking for a balanced debate on here, it's like looking for a virgin in Portsmouth. But what exactly oh brilliant ones is the solution to supporting our current manager and players and hoping for the best? I am all ears. And despite the result I still support Poortvliet who has again shown his ability to change things around and adapt his tactics to the situation, but is playing with half a deck through no fault of his own or the team.

Get it down and use it!!!! Come on! Make the ball do the work. Keept it. Covet it and use the ferking thing!!! We need a third and FOURTH!!!

Get hold of them Jan - shake it up for ferks sake!!!