Marti Cifuentes appointed new manager

[LCFCJohn]

1 hour ago, MGLCFC said:

Playing Devil's advocate here, but if he selects Page, Nelson and Aluko and we are still struggling, will people still get on his back for giving youth a chance?

Not because you expect that when blooding youth. It shows long term thinking and that is acceptable. When playing senior players, you expect strong performances and results so we are stuck a bit in no mans land at the moment.

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, LCFCJohn said:

Not because you expect that when blooding youth. It shows long term thinking and that is acceptable. When playing senior players, you expect strong performances and results so we are stuck a bit in no mans land at the moment.

Fine as a projection, but in reality no fan likes loses, especially when the likely culprits are repeatedly the same. Youth is a very short term excuse I reckon.

[Dahnsouff]

This second half collapse is inexcusable, and it is now looking like a common trait, something Marti needs to fix.

Maybe telling them to go full gas for the first 5-10 minutes of the second half?

[Gamble92]

3 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Fine as a projection, but in reality no fan likes loses, especially when the likely culprits are repeatedly the same. Youth is a very short term excuse I reckon.

There seems to be a clamor for youth players to play and then when they eventually do they get treated more harshly by the fanbase than anyone. Some of the shit Barnes and Chilwell amongst many others was an absolute disgrace at times. Especially Barnes. 

[LCFCJohn]

12 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Fine as a projection, but in reality no fan likes loses, especially when the likely culprits are repeatedly the same. Youth is a very short term excuse I reckon.

Disagree. Many fans care about the future and the big picture.

 

Playing the ‘experienced’ players who are the culprits week in week out currently is the excuse that is getting tired.

[Blanchflower78]

Were an average Championship side with an average Championship manager. Couple of gems, but mainly players who are limited with no potential to step up a level or don't want to be here. So your left with a side that will most probably finish 8/10th. 

[Dahnsouff]

9 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

Disagree. Many fans care about the future and the big picture.

 

Playing the ‘experienced’ players who are the culprits week in week out currently is the excuse that is getting tired.

History dictates no quarter is given to youth, (See @Gamble92 post above). Might still be a cost worth paying but to suggest fans forgive constant cock up because of youth is fanciful at best.

[Greg2607]

The thing is.... Most people on here are expecting/predicting that our "golden generation" will all be players of the ilk of Barnes and Chilwell, KDH, Heskey... Established PL players.   

 

It's just as likely that they prove to be the next Choudhury or Thomas or Josh Knight. 

 

in 3 years time, if they are all bang average championship players, those same fans will be calling for them to be sold, we will still be in the championship and our golden generation will have passed through as nothing more than money saving options. 

[Tommy Fresh]

Just now, Dahnsouff said:

History dictates no quarter is given to youth, (See @Gamble92 post above). Might still be a cost worth paying but to suggest fans forgive constant cock up because of youth is fanciful at best.

Depends doesn't it, if the club outright came out and went we're heading in this direction and looking to rebuild around utilising academy lads as the core, citing PSR etc, I think most would see it as finally some kind of transparency and a plan of some sorts.

[Dahnsouff]

Just now, Tommy Fresh said:

Depends doesn't it, if the club outright came out and went we're heading in this direction and looking to rebuild around utilising academy lads as the core, citing PSR etc, I think most would see it as finally some kind of transparency and a plan of some sorts.

That is an excellent point, and I totally agree. If the club were to come out and tell the fans (pauses for laughter) that we are entering a new period where we are focusing on youth, I believe it could work.

100% on board that train, but....

[Noahfence]

I can’t speak for everyone but I’m just fed up of the same players who have always let us down getting unlimited second chances. Simple as that really. 
 

I'm not calling for a full 11 made up of academy players. Just for them to at least have a spot on the bench

[Tommy Fresh]

4 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

That is an excellent point, and I totally agree. If the club were to come out and tell the fans (pauses for laughter) that we are entering a new period where we are focusing on youth, I believe it could work.

100% on board that train, but....

Yeah it'd never happen  but in terms of how I think you'd get fans on side 

[Richmondfox]

35 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

This second half collapse is inexcusable, and it is now looking like a common trait, something Marti needs to fix.

Maybe telling them to go full gas for the first 5-10 minutes of the second half?

He got praise for his subs early on but they were just fixing his selection mistake.  Now the subs are just that in reverse.

 

Crap manager, zero tactics and ideas.  Same players making the same mistakes with crapper tactics than RVN.

 

At the moment he is making Cooper look like Klopp. 

[Tommy Fresh]

I reckon King could have done as well as Cifuentes has

[Gamble92]

19 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

History dictates no quarter is given to youth, (See @Gamble92 post above). Might still be a cost worth paying but to suggest fans forgive constant cock up because of youth is fanciful at best.

Not to mention it's a results based business first and foremost and now more than ever the manager in charge isn't afforded that time. Why would he be bothered about what the team will be like in 4 years if he isn't here to see it?

 

Not saying Marti is like this but if he sees Faes and Vesty have better attributes for what he wants short term and that gets us up, and the expense is a Nelson ends up gone im sure he'd take it. As fans we'd be gutted but the club gets what they want short term. 

 

Again though this all goes back to having a sporting director and the vision being clearly outlined. Otherwise you'll always have a manager coming in with his own short term aims at the forefront of every decision. 

[AyewJoking]

1 hour ago, MGLCFC said:

Playing Devil's advocate here, but if he selects Page, Nelson and Aluko and we are still struggling, will people still get on his back for giving youth a chance?

Cif has dug himself a hole by sticking with older players who have lost alot of points.

 

Throwing youngsters in now with the pressure of bringing us out of this "slump"  isnt ideal.

 

The Swansea win was massive for him but the Portsmouth game has reversed that somewhat.

 

Basically he's fooked

[Qwerty]

Was anyone else baffled by Marti’s post match interview last night, and how positive it was?  After Wrexham (similar situation - good first half, crap second half) he was visibly furious about the drop-off in the second half, and blamed the players’ complacency.  Last night I thought he’d be the same, but he just went on about how happy he was that the team dominated the first half.  He seemed un fussed by the massive drop off. This worries me a bit.  

[Dahnsouff]

4 minutes ago, Qwerty said:

Was anyone else baffled by Marti’s post match interview last night, and how positive it was?  After Wrexham (similar situation - good first half, crap second half) he was visibly furious about the drop-off in the second half, and blamed the players’ complacency.  Last night I thought he’d be the same, but he just went on about how happy he was that the team dominated the first half.  He seemed un fussed by the massive drop off. This worries me a bit.  

No he said it was not good enough. 
Maybe he feels calling the crap loudly clearly did not have the desired effect so he is trying some else.

Tummy rubs all round next time.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Some people seem to be conflating expectations we should walk the league with being disappointed we've dropped points to Preston, Oxford, Wrexham and Portsmouth.

[Larry_LCFC]

I think we need to accept that we have fallen off in an immeasurable way. Clubs that want promotion need to invest gradually in a squad that is capable and hungry and unfortunately we have reached the point of not having that anymore. 

Years and years of investing in the wrong players, if investing at all has brought us to this point. This hasnt just happened overnight, its been staring us in the face for several seasons.

 

We still have Premier League expectations with a mid Championship club. We are no longer feared in this league and I certainly wouldn't consider us a big fish in a small pond this time round. 

 

I dont even blame Marti tbh, despite some of his questionnable subs etc. There is only so many times you can polish a turd. I dont expect for a second that we will be promoted, and quite frankly we dont deserve to be.

Edited 19 October 2025 by Larry_LCFC

[RGFox]

Squad depth is a shambles tbh and not all his fault when alot of dross can't be moved on.

 

First half starting 11 is decent by championship standards but like last season the defence would be mullered weekly IF we went up somehow. 

 

Daka stepping onto the pitch is utterly ridiculous every week, stealing a living here. Has regressed in the 4 odd years here. Rather have a u23 upfront. 

[SafewayFox]

1 hour ago, Gamble92 said:

There seems to be a clamor for youth players to play and then when they eventually do they get treated more harshly by the fanbase than anyone. Some of the shit Barnes and Chilwell amongst many others was an absolute disgrace at times. Especially Barnes. 

Yet the players who have received the most vitriol aren’t academy players but Ward and Faes?

 

There are too many players who have let us down on multiple occasions, yet they keep getting the nod, hence the posts asking to  bring in the likes of Nelson, Aluko etc.

[VG Fox]

14 minutes ago, Larry_LCFC said:

I think we need to accept that we have fallen off in an immeasurable way. Clubs that want promotion need to invest gradually in a squad that is capable and hungry and unfortunately we have reached the point of not having that anymore. 

Years and years of investing in the wrong players, if investing at all has brought us to this point. This hasnt just happened overnight, its been staring us in the face for several seasons.

 

We still have Premier League expectations with a mid Championship club. We are no longer feared in this league and I certainly wouldn't consider us a big fish in a small pond this time round. 

 

I dont even blame Marti tbh, despite some of his questionnable subs etc. There is only so many times you can polish a turd. I dont expect for a second that we will be promoted, and quite frankly we dont deserve to be.

This exactly sums up my thoughts which is why I wish we would make the switch to youth and accept the consequences of not getting promoted in the short term, but as many have said, that comes with massive financial risk

[Gamble92]

6 minutes ago, SafewayFox said:

Yet the players who have received the most vitriol aren’t academy players but Ward and Faes?

 

There are too many players who have let us down on multiple occasions, yet they keep getting the nod, hence the posts asking to  bring in the likes of Nelson, Aluko etc.

Ward deserved everything he got and more. Faes has pushed for a move since pretty much the first season he got here. 

 

That hasn't got anything to do with the way academy players are treated by some fans. 

 

There needs to be a clear vision from the top down in any club. If that is to play academy players at the expense of the short term then you employ in positions above the manager to ensure this is carried out. You don't rely on a manager who has his own reputation to think about to put the clubs long term squad value at the heart of his decision making. 

 

[LCFCJohn]

14 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

History dictates no quarter is given to youth, (See @Gamble92 post above). Might still be a cost worth paying but to suggest fans forgive constant cock up because of youth is fanciful at best.

I agree for many fans yes, others are sick of the same old. Likewise you get a minority of fans that want to cram a team a teenagers.

 

Remember that if the senior players were performing, this conversation would be much reduced. There might be debate about a couple on the bench say.

 

Had we signed a Kone or Ivanovic and there were a goal threat, nobody would be mentioning Evans. Really, it’s becoming a big thing due to poor performances from individuals in areas of the pitches we have particularly talented young players, so Thomas-Aluko and the striker situation. 
 

I’m one for giving players so many chances, it’s taken me so long for example to accept Daka and Thomas will never offer more than they have to date. So it really looks (unless Carranza surprises us) that our strikers offer zero goal threat. So for example Evans, can he offer less than zero is the question?

 

Same as Thomas and Aluko.