Tonda Eckert

[Lighthouse]

55 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I think the club have decided Jelert is for the bin, he'll be gone in January.

He picked up a bad muscle injury, didn't he? AFAIK, that's the reason he's been out for a few weeks, not that the club don't rate him.

[Dr Who?]

I think Tonga will be given until the end of the season, either tomorrow or Monday. IF it does not work out, we have next season to make sure we get it right. We are still in with a shot at the top 2-6 if we put another run together between now and Christmas, but there are a big group of clubs that will be thinking the same. 

[harvey]

3 hours ago, Badger said:

Possibly, but I wonder if the expectation is that the bigger and more experienced Aribo is a better and more physical option than a lightweight Matsuki. 

Answer on a postcard has now hopefully dropped through Tonda’s door for future matches. 

I would have said Aribo was more 'lightweight' than Matsuki........I cringed when I saw Aribo was coming on. He's slow, negative and offers nothing.

[obelisk]

1 hour ago, saintant said:

I wonder what is being discussed at the club regarding the manager situation. Discussions will obviously be going on and, at some stage, a decision has to be made. 4 wins on the bounce by Eckert has bought some time but today was a step backwards in terms of set up, tactics and in game management. We can't let this drag on too long - either appoint Eckert or bring in someone else but don't dither.

A few steps backwards to something like the QPR performance if you ask me. I'm not sure that Eckert's the man for the job right now but he'll probably get the nod and we'll end up wallowing in mid table.

[Saint86]

50 minutes ago, obelisk said:

A few steps backwards to something like the QPR performance if you ask me. I'm not sure that Eckert's the man for the job right now but he'll probably get the nod and we'll end up wallowing in mid table.

I'm still not convinced he's ready for it yet, and I am not sure I see the rush to give it to him full time - he isn't going anywhere.

I also cannot shake the fact that we've got issues in the dressing room (re effort / player power / attitude), and that specifically some of those players have been some of the most vocal at bigging him up.

Edited 10 hours ago by Saint86

[Wade Garrett]

5 hours ago, Saint86 said:

I'm still not convinced he's ready for it yet, and I am not sure I see the rush to give it to him full time - he isn't going anywhere.

I also cannot shake the fact that we've got issues in the dressing room (re effort / player power / attitude), and that specifically some of those players have been some of the most vocal at bigging him up.

Spot on and one of the reasons I would prefer a manager with experience, both as a manager and a player.  
 

[coalman]

He was lucky to get wins in his first two games. Then presided over our two best games of the season. Now he's presided over just about our worst performance.

Any other teams watching yesterday will have noted that if they press and deny us an out ball to midfield that we offer no threat and will keep giving them the ball back.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

58 minutes ago, coalman said:

Any other teams watching yesterday will have noted that if they press and deny us an out ball to midfield that we offer no threat

But this has always been the case and was the big downfall with RM's plan in the Premier League. Teams know how to press effectively nowadays so do we practice finding an out ball in training with opposition around them? It's a bit like watching the goalkeepers in pre=match warm-up. They all look like they've got a safe pair of hands with no-one around them, but for corners, Baz tends to be a flapper and has no presence. Again, it looks like they haven't practiced these situations.

Admittedly, you can't hoof all goal kicks to AA hoping he's going to win the first ball but yesterday he was far too far up the pitch at goal kicks.

[coalman]

35 minutes ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

But this has always been the case and was the big downfall with RM's plan in the Premier League. Teams know how to press effectively nowadays so do we practice finding an out ball in training with opposition around them? It's a bit like watching the goalkeepers in pre=match warm-up. They all look like they've got a safe pair of hands with no-one around them, but for corners, Baz tends to be a flapper and has no presence. Again, it looks like they haven't practiced these situations.

Admittedly, you can't hoof all goal kicks to AA hoping he's going to win the first ball but yesterday he was far too far up the pitch at goal kicks.

Armstrong isn't going to win anything if you play long ball. Playing it into feet with him coming short or over the top / through the middle works but he's easily nullified by a big lad that stays tight. Without space to operate in he's in trouble.

I'd hope we practice playing against the press but our own press is so poor these days I doubt it's good practice.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

10 hours ago, Harry_SFC said:

Yeah. Based on nothing other than gut feeling. But we'll see.

A lot will depend on if they have anyone else lined up. Tonda could well get it by defaullt... which isn't very satisfactory.

[Wade Garrett]

Looks to me like the lunatics have taken over the asylum.  Player power - Stephens back in the side and a return to pointless tippy tappy football.

Eckert has neither the experience or reputation to take them on.  We need someone who has.

[Whitey Grandad]

40 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Looks to me like the lunatics have taken over the asylum.  Player power - Stephens back in the side and a return to pointless tippy tappy football.

Eckert has neither the experience or reputation to take them on.  We need someone who has.

What was Stephens thinking with that back header?

[Fabrice29]

On 26/11/2025 at 07:41, Wade Garrett said:

Maybe.  After last night I wouldn’t be upset if he got the job.  Best football I’ve seen us play in ages, and superbly organised when we don’t have the ball.

 

42 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Looks to me like the lunatics have taken over the asylum.  Player power - Stephens back in the side and a return to pointless tippy tappy football.

Eckert has neither the experience or reputation to take them on.  We need someone who has.

The above you? Perfectly encapsulates the madness of this place. 

[The Wyvern]

57 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Looks to me like the lunatics have taken over the asylum.  Player power - Stephens back in the side and a return to pointless tippy tappy football.

Eckert has neither the experience or reputation to take them on.  We need someone who has.

What exactly do you think is “player power” here? Picking Stephens over Quarshie? Is that it? 

[Harry_SFC]

21 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

What was Stephens thinking with that back header?

That's the issue. He doesn't think.

[Wade Garrett]

11 minutes ago, The Wyvern said:

What exactly do you think is “player power” here? Picking Stephens over Quarshie? Is that it? 

Stephens, who don’t forget, went to the board and threw Still under the bus, back in the side after we kept a clean sheet.  
Back to RussBall with no end product.  It was a fucking hard watch yesterday and a throwback to a load of shite performances we have seen with the usual suspects in the side.

[Wade Garrett]

28 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

 

The above you? Perfectly encapsulates the madness of this place. 

Not really.  I hadn’t seen the Millwall game after the Leicester match.

Out failings yesterday were clear for all to see.  Eckert may well get the job, but I think an experienced manager would have us organised, well-drilled and the players would know who was boss.

 

[Toussaint]

3 hours ago, coalman said:

He was lucky to get wins in his first two games. Then presided over our two best games of the season. Now he's presided over just about our worst performance.

Any other teams watching yesterday will have noted that if they press and deny us an out ball to midfield that we offer no threat and will keep giving them the ball back.

That’s what was worrying me. Nobody has really moaned too much about the poncing around at the back under Tonda,  because until yesterday we were getting results. However, I felt it was inevitable that when we played better teams who pressed us it would backfire. Millwall pretty much had us pinned in our defensive third and when we did get out,  counter attacked really effectively. This is where not having a holding up centre forward really causes us problems.