SOUSA OUT

[blueoveru]

I must admit that I like his style of play but, we have'nt got the players for his methods, we mess about in midfield because we are too slow and overdo the passing game so we lose the ball too frequently and put our defence under pressure, its a great system IF you have quick movement and find the spaces going forward ......but it's crap if you are pedestrian at it.

but nevertheless he's had enough matches to see only glimpses of his ideas and the rest of the time its wasted by overelaborate use of the ball in midfield, so he should have had a plan B by now, surely hes clever enough to know when a system is'nt working, changes are needed.

[Guest Bilo]

That's right it was his fault that Wayne Brown, Alex Buce and Nobby Solano all left the club.

The same Wayne Brown who couldn't handle anyone with a hint of pace?

The same Alex Bruce who was only here for the last month of the season?

The same Nobby Solano who was only utilised as a right-back towards the end of the season?

The real mainstays of our defence from the last two seasons, Hobbs, Morrison and Berner, are still here but a shadow of their former selves.

[breadandcheese]

That's right it was his fault that Wayne Brown, Alex Buce and Nobby Solano all left the club.

It's his fault he replaced them with Moreno, Lamey and Vitor.

[HonradaRaposa]

It's his fault he replaced them with Moreno, Lamey and Vitor.

Who else is there?

[breadandcheese]

Who else is there?

That's a pretty weak argument. I am not a manager with a scouting team, least of all, a manager who talks about his huge connections.

However, off the top of my head, players available who might have done a job:

Nicky Hunt - moved on a free to Bristol City - Tidy right-back at this level. Nothing spectacular but defensively ok and better than Lamey.

Anthony Gardner - moved on loan from Hull - Centre-back with a bit of pace. Better than Moreno.

[HonradaRaposa]

That's a pretty weak argument. I am not a manager with a scouting team, least of all, a manager who talks about his huge connections.

However, off the top of my head, players available who might have done a job:

Nicky Hunt - moved on a free to Bristol City - Tidy right-back at this level. Nothing spectacular but defensively ok and better than Lamey.

Anthony Gardner - moved on loan from Hull - Centre-back with a bit of pace. Better than Moreno.

Oh, my mistake.

[breadandcheese]

Oh, my mistake.

Neither of the players i've quoted are world beaters, but they're better than Sousa has brought in, which was your question.

[MrLuke]

I see Sousa has been linked with the AEK Athens job, we can only hope...

Link

[Babylon]

Neither of the players i've quoted are world beaters, but they're better than Sousa has brought in, which was your question.

Bit harsh on Vitor I think, he'll be ok from what i've seen.

[Kitchandro]

As has been asked, if the takeover has not gone through, the severence pay is an issue. This could keep him in a job for longer.

It's been clear from only a few games in that Sousa was not the man. I've said it a few times but the bulk of goals in the modern game are scored from set-pieces or moves requiring seven or less passes. Our set-pieces have not improved and the way Sousa plays is possession based football that makes it very difficult to break down the opposition. All these passes allow the opponents to get back and reorganise. This then leaves us needing to produce a great piece of play to create a goal. Unfortunately, we don't have Iniesta, Fabregas or Messi playing for us so this becomes difficult, requiring us to commit more men forward, leaving us vulnerable.

In short, Sousa's style is the wrong style.

I'm still not sure I understand his 'style'.

Is it

moving the ball quickly around the pitch using movement of players off the ball.

or is it

moving the ball quickly around the pitch using movement of players off the ball, keeping it for large periods and getting nowhere near the goal because the most important thing is to not lose the ball. No risks can be taken in an attempt to score (such as shooting or trying to play a longer, killer pass.

For me, there is nothing wrong with the first one, it's the 2nd one that's the problem

[Kitchandro]

The same Wayne Brown who couldn't handle anyone with a hint of pace?

The same Alex Bruce who was only here for the last month of the season?

The same Nobby Solano who was only utilised as a right-back towards the end of the season?

The real mainstays of our defence from the last two seasons, Hobbs, Morrison and Berner, are still here but a shadow of their former selves.

Bruce and Solano fair points, but Brown was not there to deal with pace, he was there to deal with long balls and crosses, something which is lacking this season. Hobbs was meant to deal with pace on the floor, Brown was the aerial presence.

[Houdini Logic]

Never trust a man with more vowels than consonants

[James.]

That's right it was his fault that Wayne Brown, Alex Buce and Nobby Solano all left the club.

That's a pretty weak argument. I am not a manager with a scouting team, least of all, a manager who talks about his huge connections.

However, off the top of my head, players available who might have done a job:

Nicky Hunt - moved on a free to Bristol City - Tidy right-back at this level. Nothing spectacular but defensively ok and better than Lamey.

Anthony Gardner - moved on loan from Hull - Centre-back with a bit of pace. Better than Moreno.

There's no pont arguing about who we could have bought in as HonradaRaposa's point is moot anyway. As Bilo has stated below the players who left were not even the cornerstones of our defence (Brown arguably) - the guys that were are still here.

The real mainstays of our defence from the last two seasons, Hobbs, Morrison and Berner, are still here but a shadow of their former selves.

[dandannieldanok]

I see Sousa has been linked with the AEK Athens job, we can only hope...

Link

How strange Perhaps the greeks read league tables upside-down.

[ozleicester]

Im still supporting Sousa. If this were fergie, wenger, or even MON... how many games would they be given?

We will not benefit from the manager merry go round.

[Guest Bilo]

How strange Perhaps the greeks read league tables upside-down.

I'd jizz myself if true. We get rid of Sousa AND get compensation from the Greeks.

[maddog]

We may have a nice little honeymoon period if a new manager comes in but at the end of the day it will probably end this season already sacking Sousa.

Personally i would give him another 10 games, which would take us to the end of November, Forest at home being the last one, if we're still in the bottom 3 then sack him. But with the mounting fan pressure i doubt he will be given that long.

I just can't see a new manager performing a magical houdini act on us and getting us back into the top six again. At the end of the day if we finish 7th or 17th, you get nothing more for the former.

Both are extremely slim at the moment, but i still think sticking with Sousa gives us more chance of a playoff place than not. It has been a complete disaster but the guys not had long.

I'm not saying stick him out for the season, like i said if we're still in the bottom three in 10 games time sack him, but i've got faith we can turn this around still. We massively over-achieved last season, now we are massively under-achieving so far but we've got to show some sort of loyalty to the man.

It's a shame we can't swap those 3 fooking cup wins for 3 League wins, that would leave us better than fine.

[Kitchandro]

We may have a nice little honeymoon period if a new manager comes in but at the end of the day it will probably end this season already sacking Sousa.

Personally i would give him another 10 games, which would take us to the end of November, Forest at home being the last one, if we're still in the bottom 3 then sack him. But with the mounting fan pressure i doubt he will be given that long.

I just can't see a new manager performing a magical houdini act on us and getting us back into the top six again. At the end of the day if we finish 7th or 17th, you get nothing more for the former.

Both are extremely slim at the moment, but i still think sticking with Sousa gives us more chance of a playoff place than not. It has been a complete disaster but the guys not had long.

I'm not saying stick him out for the season, like i said if we're still in the bottom three in 10 games time sack him, but i've got faith we can turn this around still. We massively over-achieved last season, now we are massively under-achieving so far but we've got to show some sort of loyalty to the man.

It's a shame we can't swap those 3 fooking cup wins for 3 League wins, that would leave us better than fine.

But if we are 4th bottom then, would he still be fit for the job? I don't think so.

[maddog]

But if we are 4th bottom then, would he still be fit for the job? I don't think so.

Well maybe not, but i think the risk of keeping him for another 10 games, with the possible reward of us being turned around and moving up the table, is a much better bet than the greater risk of bringing another new manager in now.

This is sort of similar to the MA situation, in the end sacking him early starting that chain of events which lead to relegation anyway. That should still be in the front of the minds of fans.

[Kitchandro]

Well maybe not, but i think the risk of keeping him for another 10 games, with the possible reward of us being turned around and moving up the table, is a much better bet than the greater risk of bringing another new manager in now.

This is sort of similar to the MA situation, in the end sacking him early starting that chain of events which lead to relegation anyway. That should still be in the front of the minds of fans.

In theory but we were still midtable when Holloway took over. 14th I believe, and there was still much of the season left. I hate Megson as much as anyone else but he was doing Ok before Bolton took him. If he had stayed I think we would have stayed up, and it was just unfortunate that he went.

I hope you're right about us moving up the table, I think we are risking more keeping him but we shall see.

[teblin]

Well maybe not, but i think the risk of keeping him for another 10 games, with the possible reward of us being turned around and moving up the table, is a much better bet than the greater risk of bringing another new manager in now.

This is sort of similar to the MA situation, in the end sacking him early starting that chain of events which lead to relegation anyway. That should still be in the front of the minds of fans.

MA was rubbish end of and i don't believe his dismissal was anything to do with football. Can't believe this is being brought up again.

As someone has said the reason for being midtable was more to do with megson than MA.

[blue blood]

If Sausa is sacked, who will make the decision as to which manager will be the succesful candidate? Milan? Would you trust him? TOP? Has he ever interviewed a football manager?

If we go down the route of getting rid of Paulo then this season will be written off - if it already is not. I wouldnt rule out a doulbe sacking if the next manager does not deliver instant success - history tells us this is possible. If a sacking/next manager not performing scenario is played out then relegation is a distinct possibility. If we stick with Paulo i think we will finish mid table, would i take mid table - yes!!

There is one thing that does not make sense amongs all of this - Paulo's team last season let in very few goals and now his team are delivering the opposite.

- Is Paulo instructing players to remain tight and compact leaving 10 men behind the ball? No.

- Is paulo instructing his team to score more goals by instructing players to get frowards - yes.

- Are the players too unfit to get back and hold their shape when they give the ball away, yes.

For what its worth I think we need to play compact football and just focus on tightening up the defence for the next game or three, go back to basics and make ourselves hard to beat. That is a short term objective that will get is moving in the right direction.

[Corky]

- Are the players too unfit to get back and hold their shape when they give the ball away, yes.

The manager sets out the training methods, along with his coaching staff. He should be making sure that the players are fit enough to last 90 minutes at a good pace.

[kimsalabim]

I can't believe i am looking at websites in the faint, diminishing hope that that clown has been sacked today.

Guess not.

[Guy]

9 games and 7 losses. We sit bottom of the table with a goal difference of -12.

Please Paulo, just go.

I'm not sticking up for Paulo Sousa at all here, far from it but I'd rather have a bad start in the league than a terrible freefall-esque finish that would end in relegation. At least there's plenty of time to save ourselves if we turn things around by beating S****horpe on Saturday - then if we don't, then act and get rid of PS. Things could be worse......although not much worse! To me this has been a reverse of the Peter Taylor situation so far (whereby he started so well) but ten years ago we were in the Prem. (even top of it in the October!) and still finished 13th in Taylor's first season, not bottom of the Championship! We got rid of Taylor the following season after a bad start, he who had slowly but surely dismantled O'Neill's team in the way that Sousa seems to be with Pearson's atm - yet when we ridded Taylor sop early on in Sept.2001, we were still relegated at the end of that season. I'm not saying keep Sousa if we don't win on Saturday but are there lessons to be learnt from the past if we do indeed sack him this early on?? I guess expectations aren't so high as they were ten years ago during Taylor's brief reign but they're not that much lower.......