If you could choose a time to play Leyton Orient this would not be ideal.
I could suggest that the shock of last Tuesday will be a stimulant, but conventionally falling to a weak opponent is surely the worst possible precursor to this weekend’s fixture. If we’d won midweek, we would be buoyant rather than sunken back to “Square One".
If the shambolic collection of disorganised non-triers amidst just one, two or perhaps 3 properly committed to the cause, can combine into a winning force against Orient, it will be a near-miracle.
Having probably driven Tomlin into retirement for the absurd over-reaction to his having a weekend off, we need the consistently hard-working players like Faulkner, Miller, Mitchell, Clayton, Hurst and Rowe to be there, giving their best and for Knoyle and others to have a really good game even to compete. And even then I would not be confident.
I just don’t know how McS cannot extract more consistency out of his players or prepare them for the particular challenges that the next opponents will put up. I did think that he would succeed in the long term, but I now wonder whether his players are truly committed to his plan - which I must say I still do not really understand myself.
A loss is the only sensible forecast - 1-3 (Miller/Rowe/Hurst)
DPL v Leyton Orient
posted on 8/10/22
Don't think I can take credit for the prediction, Donaldo. It wasn't a very logical one. Good to get something from the game though.
posted on 8/10/22
Even though we got the draw it's a very unsatisfactory performance reflecting the lack of any managerial acumen at all. There is enough talent in the squad for us to be a decent team with a reasonable chance of promotion but we've no chance with GM in charge. Our current league position is very flattering considering our performances this season. Just hope the board recognise this before it's too late and we become an unattractive proposition for a decent manager.
posted on 10/10/22
What an apalling Quote from GM "We can’t play expansive football like Leyton Orient, like Salford did when they came here, because we’re a bit too nervous on the ball and our technical ability is not as good as theirs – probably two thirds of the team.”
posted on 10/10/22
McSheffrey said: "I don’t think we can really play an expansive style of play with the personnel we have got.
"It’s about trying to play winning football.”
If only he had an idea what style of play he needs to employ with the players he's got. He recruited most of them. Not playing Woltman before now was a big error too.
posted on 10/10/22
I have wanted McSheffery to succeed and he has seemed sensible in the way he has talked about what he is doing. I had always assumed that the players he had recruited had great potential, They are mostly young and seemingly ripe for development and you wonder why “expansive” football is seen as beyond their capability. If they were generally over 30 and declining they would not be as mobile and running around “expansively” would wear them out.
Perhaps I don’t know what “expansive football” is, but surely developing young, physically fit players to understand how to attack using their energy and improving their ball control is what he should be working on. Surely the potential is there and they are capable of rising well above League 2 average.
posted on 11/10/22
I’m not listening tonight, but it’s still painful to know they were 4-0 down before bringing on Miller etc. Is Taylor an asset any more? Griffiths has never impressed me and Jones in goal, well, just hit the target and he will look helpless. I’ve never seen any quality in Williams and he heads the ball about as well as I used to.
Oh Calamity!
posted on 11/10/22
Apparently the 2nd half was much improved! Has that happened before….?
I’ll losing faith with senior management - this surely can’t got on.
posted on 11/10/22
…go on.
posted on 12/10/22
I gave up watching at 0-3. I had thought the first half against Orient was the worst 45 minutes this season, and now it is getting difficult to decide on the worst.
While I was watching it was difficult to pick-out anyone for any praise at all. Some comments to follow-up on some of Donaldo's:
Taylor - a big disappointment and maybe never will get back to anywhere near what he was;
Williams - I've said in the past that he has given me too many near heart attacks;
Anderson - looked slow and indecisive; I hope it is just lack of game time, or is he well past his "Best by" date?
Barlow - almost totally invisible;
Griffiths - showed some quality last year, but can't control the ball to save his life now. Seems not to know what his feet are doing when the ball is anywhere near them.
The big question now is "Will an EPL game win for my time at 07:00 on Saturday?"
posted on 12/10/22
The pressure mounts on McS. Even those who advocated more time have been disappointed to see that things are not showing even slow signs of improvement. Indeed things seem to be getting worse as we have seen in the last 3 matches.
I wonder whether continuing faith in his ability by the Board is capable of rational justification. If he were able to set out what his strategy was, how he answers the criticism, there might be more of a case to be made on his behalf. But his strategy is not clear, beyond his ruling out of “expansive football”. When someone won’t explain in these circumstances, effectively falling back on “Trust me”, it is no wonder that hostility arises.
If I were Blunt, I’d be bringing Copps in to get his “take”on what was going on/wrong and then questioning McS very closely and seeking his detailed explanations and whether he has a convincing strategy to turn things around. Even then, I would want evidence that his solution was viable