LCFCJohn

Well the general consensus is that he was advised by the Birch to bring Pearson back (Walsh came with Pearson). Regardless though, it’s a similar story in terms of being known to the club so the lack of network we bemoan now was still the case then. But yeah, at least he admitted he was wrong to get rid of Pearson originally and listened to others so he is of course much better than Aiyawatt in that sense. Ranieri was a random one. Again, it was hardly a well thought out strategy even though it worked out how it did. This is the point. The season after went to shite after we completely f***ed the summer transfers from our strongest position. We didn’t network widely and look for value. Hindsight is fine. We got swept up in how great things were going so it’s fair to look back now and think how many mistakes were made that were swept under the rug. Or how many of the issues now like the lack of network. We have never looked outside the box for managers and only for players under Pearson/Walsh and Puel/Macia. My point was, there’s never been any sustainable strategy and the whole thing has been built in sand hence it crumbling now.

I completely agree regarding Pearson. I am not defending Mandaric or saying he was good. Just making the point there are mitigating factors. We were definitely on the slide. Regardless of league positions, we were a struggling side with no money, going back to administration really. I’d also give him credit for bringing Pearson in the first place. All I was saying, it’s not compatible with Aiyawatt now. Aiyawatt taking us to L1 from where we were would be off the charts compared to Mandaric. Aiyawatt is up there with your Chansiri’s, SISU, Yongee at Reading etc for me.

Probably will be. I don’t see Nelson or Lascelles sticking around which is a shame as it seems a good partnership.

Right back is fine as we have Aluko. Just play him and get him ready for L1. Jayden Joseph is performing well too. Both of them will be good for where we are going to be next season. Need to offload both left backs though. Too much water under the bridge and we need a new face there.

Not compatible. Mandaric had his faults of course but the decline was already well in place. He didn’t take over until February 2007. We had already been circling before that and ever since we had been relegated in 2004. We didn’t have a pot to piss in then. Yes the manager situation in that relegation season was a bit of a farce. But Megson did walk to a better job in Bolton at the time so it wasn’t like it was just Mandaric firing them! This fall has come from a place of ultimate strength as a club. It is well and truly a series of huge failings that it is disrespectful to Mandaric to compare him on the same level.

Why does he seem immune to criticism? He’s been just as bad as Thomas and both need taking out the side. I commented on Ricardo in the Coventry game but people seem to want to always shift the blame onto others and shield him.

Eugh do we have to play again…just end the season now and put us out of our misery. Interesting there seems to be a consensus about the back 4. I suppose with Ricardo and Thomas not resembling professional footballers, there’s limited options.

I haven’t heard the interview but it might be that some of them do know why things are going well but don’t want to/can’t call out the guy paying them…. I’m probably wrong and they are thick and/deluded. But I wouldn’t expect a player to come out with ‘Top’s an incompetent nepo baby’ in an interview!

I have said the same about the statue. The memorial garden is the right place for it. It’s quite embarrassing that it is front and centre as you arrive at the ground. What other club does that for an owner? A legendary player or manager yeah. History looks less and less kind to Vichai in my opinion. A lot of these issues started with him. Who brought Rudkin into a position of power? Who raised Aiyawatt to be what he is? The KP era has always been built on wet sand foundations from day one. Success on the field and with squad building etc has only ever been driven by the manager/staff at the time and not by a club led strategy and policies. Pearson/Shakespeare/Walsh and what they built. Lesser scale Puel/Macia but whilst talented, the squad built then lacked grit and mental strength. Look how easily it started falling apart the season immediately after the title to the point we sacked Ranieri and Shakespeare early the following season for looking like getting relegated. Puel went as we slipped closer too. People forget even in that 10 year spell in the PL, how much we flirted with relegation.

Fans aren’t picking the side though are they! When people are putting who they think the side will be, there’s going to be the mindset of putting players based on what they know the manager is going to go for set up wise. That doesn’t mean the system/formation is the right one. We could all post on here 3-5-2 every pre-match thread but doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. On BDR, as others have said. Lack of options. Back in December he was at least contributing some goals which would have been getting him picked in people’s teams. Nothing now. Like you, I am very much not bothered for him to be out for a few games as he won’t be missed. Edit - I see that @Mickyblueeyeshas already covered this. Should read down to the bottom first!

Small matter of Sheffield Wednesday there

People see it at different speeds. I distinctly remember having a conversation with a Newcastle supporting mate when their takeover happened in October 2021, before they appointed Howe and saying I hope they take Rodgers and we will be relegated within 3 years if things didn’t change. We were relegated 18 months later… And guess what, I have the same feeling about this season.

I’d imagine a relegation clause applies ongoing regardless of league. So if they had a 10% or 15% reduction when we came down, wouldn’t it apply again?

Ramsey will play a couple of minutes and be out again and it’ll be too late by the time we get James back.

To be fair, at the point even they we beat Ipswich in December, we are marginally ahead of them I believe. Even without the points deduction, they would still be 15 points ahead now! Our results since then have been a joke!

We’ll be fine remember, too good to go down and all that

Not all of us didn’t see it coming. Speak for yourself fine. Some of us was calling it pretty soon after the FA Cup win/community shield. I remember saying it around an October 2021. The signs were there.

Forest as well. How can you mock them for doing the same when you have people coming out with this crap? It’s embarrassing. Nobody expects us to win the PL again or be in the CL but there are just basic standards that the KPFC lot don’t have.

I’m not saying he will get rid of him but to be fair, external pressure only just starting to mount. Apart from. A handful of respected journalists close to the club (Percy/Collomosse etc) not much has been said. Many of our own so called supporters deflect the pressure off Aiyawatt and Rudkin by actively defending them at any turn. This points deduction is a big turning point in that the media are now talking more widely. That TalkSport segment for example. So I disagree he would have if he was going to. If he does give in and bin Rudkin, I think the pressure that would cause that is just starting.

It’s normally you to be fair I wonder if that was @Katywith the polo dig? And what a dip shit that Alex called was and good on presenter Alex for calling him out. Nobody who confesses to be living off past glories and not caring about the future as he literally said, is not a true supporter.

Was that you who stood them up before Andy come on the line by any chance?

I do think just getting promoted means those kind of fees become possibly. Look at Sunderland. They got promoted from nowhere and because their finances were under control, were in a position to do so. To be fair, Sunderland and to an extent Leeds, have shown that it isn’t a closed shop. I think there were just two years (Sheffield United/Burnley/Luton and us/Ipswich/Southampton) where there was just either a lack of ambition, just not ready or circus clubs like us and Southampton. I just don’t think this ownership will be able to pull their sh*t together to even make the sensible decisions to see us promoted again. Staying up yeah, even bigger task. But I will be shocked if we ever get promoted again under Aiyawatt. A see potentially Charlton type future, was a PL club and now yo-yo’s between the Championship/L1.

I’m not as confident as you are about this season to be honest! I’d add to this and put it out there that I do not think we will ever make it back to the PL with this ownership. I just wonder how long it’ll be until people clock on.

Yeah I realised you meant about going down. But my point was, doesn’t that sound much like the way people were talking in 22/23? Many of the underlying data shows us to be a bottom 3 performing side even before the deduction. We are bang in trouble and I reckon if we stay up, it is more down to others (West Brom or Blackburn) being even worse. Second section yeah I agree with every word.

Fair observations and points. Possibly I had worded my initial point poorly. Based on 1 win in 3 over the season and actually, 6 in the last 16 games as that 16 game form starts with the back to back wins over Norwich and Stoke in November, a return of 5, maybe 6 wins in the last 16 would be par and the best case, based on the season to date and not withstanding an upturn in form, depending on the manager situation and if these new signings have an impact. I hope particularly that Lascelles will. Obviously the numbers to date can change and our form across January has been awful so it does need an improvement. So that is what I meant by ‘best case’. Not genuinely the best case which would be a new manager comes in, new signings hit the ground running and we storm up the table! But that is unrealistic. This season is about just avoiding relegation now. 21st will do.