MGLCFC

I saw a club moving in the right direction under Enzo. A clear philosophy on how he wanted the team to play, players buying into it and a fan base who could see what he wanted to do (even if all weren't totally on board). Lots of ifs here, but had Enzo stayed and been given the financial backing Cooper has had, I think he'd have comfortably secured a mid table finish. There may have been the odd heavy defeat, but I do think we'd have seen a team playing with a purpose and structure. Appointing Cooper has set us back years and my love for the game and my club, unfortunately, has diminished. I now accept defeat, even expect it, where as a few years ago a defeat would spoil my weekend. Sad to say, but I'm disinterested in football at the moment. Not because my team is struggling, but because I feel sorry for the players who have ability but are clearly frustrated, as I am, about the lack of guidance, game management and coaching they are receiving. Added to this, how the game is being run, FFP, PSR, VAR, analysis to the nth degree, officiating, transfer fees, agents, dodgy ownership etc. has made football somewhat tedious, predictable and infuriating to follow.

Away at Chelsea too, I believe. We lost but it wasn't a hammering.

Is that a double barrel name?

I've not been impressed with Cooper and struggle to understand what system we're trying to play, but fair play to him, the team are not in the bottom 3, which is the aim this season. However, I'll take another look at how well he is doing when we've all played each other once. If we are still where we are now, I think that would be a decent achievement for the first half of the season.

Least worst

A defeat incoming then?

For those suggesting they won't sack him because those running the club are preparing for the Championship, do the owners honestly think he'd fair any better in the Championship? I've no confidence this bloke has any credentials to manage above League 1.

I would say McKenna is much better than Cooper. At least his teams are set up with the intention of winning games and play attacking football. It wouldn't surprise me if we both keep our managers for the whole season, if Ipswich don't finish above us.

I thought Buonanotte didn't count because of his age and doesn't need to be included in the 25 man squad. I may be wrong though.

Chris Wood, I suspect

Tense night I fear. Be nice to win comfortably like last time in the Prem. Unfortunately, think we might play as normal, a game of two halves, and if we ride our luck, may scrape a win again by the odd goal.

Can't see Man City being stripped of all their silver wear - far too complicated and the legal action would take years to resolve.

Like Jamie Vardy? Whether you like a product or not, (which I do agree with you is not for me) it's not the company's fault too many people in our society feel throwing rubbish away without a thought rather than taking it home is the problem. I feel fortunate to live in a countryside village, which unfortunately is regularly littered with McDonald's rubbish. I don't blame McDonalds for the issue, rather the inconsiderate people who can't be bothered to dispose of their rubbish in a bin or even better to take it home with them.

Didn't see the club putting up any fight to keep him which suggests they needed the money Chelsea were prepared to offer. He was also very intelligent and the fact he rightly questioned poor decisions made at board room level didn't sit comfortably with the hierarchy. I don't think he'll fail at Chelsea, he'll get the quality of players in who can make his system of play very effective. His only downfall, for me, is that he stubbornly sticks to playing the same style even when it's not working.

What I found difficult with Enzo on occasions was his inflexible approach, believing that his system would win the day. It didn't always in the Championship and would have done less so in the Prem. I'd like to see Cooper adopt Enzo's style in some games, playing Ricardo as an inverted full back and Justin at Left back as well as 2 wingers. I accept a more defensive low block system is needed when playing against better opposition, a system that worked well for several teams who played against us last season. Perhaps a cautious start to the season was wise, but I'm still struggling to understand what his preferred system is. It's like he goes into most games and gets it wrong or makes changes when we are on top that turn the game around in favour of the opposition (bar yesterday). One positive, the players do seem up for the fight at the moment.

I think it is the almost bipolar aspects of each half that I struggle with. We are genuinely very poor in one half and half decent in the other. There never seems to be any consistency in our performances. I do understand your points, but sometimes it's like watching two different teams from one half to the next.

It's the people who dispose of the cans, that create the litter, not the company who make them, is it not?

Craig Mackail Smith seemed a done deal too, I believe

Try to be balanced in this statement as it also gives us a chance of beating them - how good will that feel?

And Crystal Palace, but I take your point, we rarely play a two halves of decent consistent football.

It's only a matter of time before our luck changes. It's not about commending the manager for playing our number 1 keeper, he deserves to play after last season. The points I've highlighted suggest that our luck in not conceding and scoring is unlikely to last throughout the season. I was under no illusions that this season was going to be a struggle, I'm pleased we are competing in games, it's just comes across to me we go out with the intention of not losing some matches, rather trying to win them. For me, game management, team selections and substitutions are strange, to be polite.

Crystal Palace, Spurs, Everton he made important saves IMO. Not sure our No.2 would have made some of them saves. I think our defence feel confident in his ability.

With respect, our boring football isn't making us difficult beat, it's the poor quality of finishing by the opposition and an outstanding young keeper that has meant our points tally is probably better than it should be.

Yes that's true - unfortunately hitting the post and bar don't count as shots on target. The main point is, I think, in the second half, in particular, only one team looked like they might score and it wasn't us. Playing at home, against a team such as Bournemouth, I didn't expect us to be overrun in the second half, after a decent first half showing. This is where, for me, Cooper's game management and lack of substitutes who might influence the game, is lacking. I know people keep saying he's making us hard to beat, but I'm of the opinion that's more down to poor finishing by the opposition and an outstanding keeper, rather than us stopping the opposition creating chances.

Yeah, we could all 'jump around', then