Thank you Sven

[buzzy]

In mid-February we were NINE points clear of Reading. We're now 12 points behind. At no stage has Sven made us competitive against the top teams in this division. Even Rob Kelly, with no money spend and no transfer window, managed that - in his first three months in this league.

Blaming Sousa won't do any more. It's time you and others on here understood that..

i totally agree what you have said about sousa it just gets so boring people are still blaming him.

[buzzy]

...And look what happened with Rob Kelly.

Reading have gone on a remarkable run, have over taken many, and will have closed points on everybody who was above them in February so you're argument is pretty invalid, there. Their form speaks volumes about how good they actually are. Swansea were ten points ahead of them in February and now find themselves two points behind, does that make them a bad side? By your logic, yes. In fact, by your logic, any team that has lost ground to Reading is a poor side with an incapable manager, which, in turn, is EVERY SIDE IN THE DIVISION, you weapon.

Please, concentrate.

so are you blaming sousa then

[Alexikokopops]

I just think it's ace we have the opportunity to moan about not being in the play-offs given our start to the season

[The Doctor]

so are you blaming sousa then

do you actually read anything anyone posts?

At what point does MTWG even mention sousa in the post you quoted?

The reason reading have caught up ground is because they've won their last 8 and are unbeaten in about 12 now, while we've slipped up, perhaps partly down to svens re-shuffling of the defence (which by the way is because, like every other one of our departments, the defence hasn't got the fitness to complete a whole season with little disruption in terms of personel - which brings us back round to sousa).

I'm not just going to blame sousa, sven did make a few mistakes by pushing too hard for promotion this year but if you mess up in pre-season, if the training and the signings are right you'll pay for it over the course of the season, laying a big chunk of the blame at the feet of sousa.

Some factors which we have absolutely no control over have caused us problems lately as well.

Professional as yuki is, he can't play to his best while all the uncertainty about his country following the tsunami is at the forefront of his mind, and without yuki, wellens is poor.

This leaves us almost reliant on king and oakley in the middle and while oakley has been in form lately, he will struggle to play at this level effectively week in week out, meaning king is being forced to run the midfield single handed to some extent and as we've seen that's causing kings form to dip.

[Itsthejoeker]

Has anyone thought that maybe other teams are playing well? 8 games winning streak for Reading mean nothing? They are on form.

[FoxyPV]

I just think it's ace we have the opportunity to moan about not being in the play-offs given our start to the season

Definitely.

[marbelladave]

Much too busy to post much at the moment but there is one very important point that many people are not getting.

This season is a total one off, Sven was brought in with 10 games played and our team in total disarray, despite this he was asked to get us promotion.

With no pre-season, none of his own players etc, he chose not to try and build a team but to beg, buy and borrow players talented enough to get us up on ability alone, by late february it looked as if he might manage just that.

Then things fell apart, with a team light on organisation and the kind of team spirit that has to be built and can't be borrowed, it was very difficult to recover.

We went from playoff certainties to no hopers because the gamble did not quite work, the players could not sustain their form and we were found out, great try but no cigar, shame.

With a full pre-season, a few new players, next season should be fun!...

[teblin]

Plus its still not over.

I in no way think we will make the play offs but it is still not past tense.

[Charl91]

We might not have got the results we wanted thus far, but we're playing nice football. Hats off to Sven.

[Haydos]

Much too busy to post much at the moment but there is one very important point that many people are not getting.

This season is a total one off, Sven was brought in with 10 games played and our team in total disarray, despite this he was asked to get us promotion.

With no pre-season, none of his own players etc, he chose not to try and build a team but to beg, buy and borrow players talented enough to get us up on ability alone, by late february it looked as if he might manage just that.

Then things fell apart, with a team light on organisation and the kind of team spirit that has to be built and can't be borrowed, it was very difficult to recover.

We went from playoff certainties to no hopers because the gamble did not quite work, the players could not sustain their form and we were found out, great try but no cigar, shame.

With a full pre-season, a few new players, next season should be fun!...

Glad you're back to talk some sense!

The level headed among us are being over-run

[millzi]

Great shout, and posted whilst drunk, even more impressive!

[smudgerfox]

On the trashing of Pearson in earlier posts. Some people have very short memories. The majority feeling when NFP took over was that the club was in such disarray that like Leeds, Southampton, Charlton, Sheff Wed, we'd need more than one season in League One to get back out of it. When we got promoted most would have settled for mid-table but Pearson got us to the play-offs and as close to the play-off final as you could get. He did this on resources which would seem laughably low to Sven and his team.

Our recovery from relegation was entirely due to NFP and of course his coaching staff - what manager doesn't have a team around him dumbo. Chiefly due to his organisational skills and his ability to get the very best out of every single player (including some very modest talents like Wayne Brown). There were footballing basics at play - a transparent selection policy, emphasis on solid defence and an unwillingness to bow to big egos.

These are basics which seem completely lost on Sven. The idea of signing a player from outside the Premiership or who doesn't have Champions league or World Cup experience or working to improve a player, just seem completely alien to him. Yet this is meat and drink to Championship life. All teams at the top, have some ordinary, journeymen players, not just in the squad but in the team. When I was at the Norwich 2-3, there was hardly a star name on the teamsheet, barely anyone with even a bit of Premiership experience. A team of misfits. But they utterly outplayed us from start to finish.

I don't want rid of Sven, I don't want NFP back, but let's be clear about SGE's limitations.

[Bob Weasel Fox]

in Sven :sge: we MUST trust. Come on City

[marbelladave]

Glad you're back to talk some sense!

The level headed among us are being over-run

Thanks, what should have been a nice break in the Caribean has turned into a full on disaster, including a very rushed and totally unwanted house move, chaos indeed.

Sven has clearly been missing my analysis and advice, too late now I guess....

On the trashing of Pearson in earlier posts. Some people have very short memories. The majority feeling when NFP took over was that the club was in such disarray that like Leeds, Southampton, Charlton, Sheff Wed, we'd need more than one season in League One to get back out of it. When we got promoted most would have settled for mid-table but Pearson got us to the play-offs and as close to the play-off final as you could get. He did this on resources which would seem laughably low to Sven and his team.

Our recovery from relegation was entirely due to NFP and of course his coaching staff - what manager doesn't have a team around him dumbo. Chiefly due to his organisational skills and his ability to get the very best out of every single player (including some very modest talents like Wayne Brown). There were footballing basics at play - a transparent selection policy, emphasis on solid defence and an unwillingness to bow to big egos.

These are basics which seem completely lost on Sven. The idea of signing a player from outside the Premiership or who doesn't have Champions league or World Cup experience or working to improve a player, just seem completely alien to him. Yet this is meat and drink to Championship life. All teams at the top, have some ordinary, journeymen players, not just in the squad but in the team. When I was at the Norwich 2-3, there was hardly a star name on the teamsheet, barely anyone with even a bit of Premiership experience. A team of misfits. But they utterly outplayed us from start to finish.

I don't want rid of Sven, I don't want NFP back, but let's be clear about SGE's limitations.

Once again, I think you are missing the point.

Sven (with Top's backing) had a crack at a promotion run from a position at the bottom of the table, a truly ambitious call. To make it possible he brought in the best players that he could get in a hurry and hoped that their natural ability would carry us through. This was always a short term plan, rebuilding this summer whatever happened.

In late february it really was looking like he might have done it, but it fell apart, and we really did not have the team spirit or the organisation to recover, shame. At no point did Sven really attempt to build a team and develop players, it was an ambitious, short term gamble and it nearly payed off.

Like Pearson he lacks impact during the game itself, a good 'tactical' first team coach might be needed, with Powell gone we have space for such a person.

[21st Century Fox]

marbelladave makes the point I think alot of people have been trying to get across only he made it alot clearer. Sven's reign so far has been a one off gamble to get promotion out of what started out looking like a lost season, this won't be his approach next season as he'll have time and a transfer window to actually build a properly functioning squad. The loan market was just there to be used when we needed it, I'm sure he'll use it again next season (we'd be mad not to with the rule on squad sizes in the Premiership) but not to the extent it was this season.

Although next season Sven still won't be a 'hungry', young British manager so some people will never be pleased.

[Corky]

Totally agree with marbelladave.

I'd like to see how Sven does next season. It was a tough job this year to get us up given the circumstances, next season should be different, a full pre-season and the ability to bring in permanent players and replace those who aren't wanted.

If we struggle to mount a challenge then no excuses. After our start I thought we'd be nowhere the top six at any point this season, the frustration comes from being so close and falling when we could see the line.

Let's use the positives and try again.

[MC Prussian]

Is this the same Nigel Pearson that is currently three points and two places better off than us?

It's the same Nigel Pearson who had an entire pre-season with Hull at his disposal.

Maybe that's why he's a spectacular three points and two places better off than us at the moment?

[MC Prussian]

On the trashing of Pearson in earlier posts. Some people have very short memories. The majority feeling when NFP took over was that the club was in such disarray that like Leeds, Southampton, Charlton, Sheff Wed, we'd need more than one season in League One to get back out of it. When we got promoted most would have settled for mid-table but Pearson got us to the play-offs and as close to the play-off final as you could get. He did this on resources which would seem laughably low to Sven and his team.

Our recovery from relegation was entirely due to NFP and of course his coaching staff - what manager doesn't have a team around him dumbo. Chiefly due to his organisational skills and his ability to get the very best out of every single player (including some very modest talents like Wayne Brown). There were footballing basics at play - a transparent selection policy, emphasis on solid defence and an unwillingness to bow to big egos.

These are basics which seem completely lost on Sven. The idea of signing a player from outside the Premiership or who doesn't have Champions league or World Cup experience or working to improve a player, just seem completely alien to him. Yet this is meat and drink to Championship life. All teams at the top, have some ordinary, journeymen players, not just in the squad but in the team. When I was at the Norwich 2-3, there was hardly a star name on the teamsheet, barely anyone with even a bit of Premiership experience. A team of misfits. But they utterly outplayed us from start to finish.

I don't want rid of Sven, I don't want NFP back, but let's be clear about SGE's limitations.

Pearson's success in a relatively short amount of time has clearly pulled the wool over some people's eyes.

He had two full seasons to work with and on a team that was his own, unlike Sven.

Pearson also had the fortune of managing us in League One, which is slightly less demanding and lacking in quality compared to the Championship.

I can't recall most of our current loan players having Champions League or World Cup experience. Sven had limited resources in terms of time and only one loan transfer window to build upon.

And can we please stop wanking over Norwich or Leeds or any other team in this league that has had a manager at the helm for more than just one single season - comparing them to Sven's situation is pointless.

But I guess the haters can't stop hating.

Disliking Sven because he is Sven? Sheesh, you lot are deluded.

[The Doctor]

On the trashing of Pearson in earlier posts. Some people have very short memories. The majority feeling when NFP took over was that the club was in such disarray that like Leeds, Southampton, Charlton, Sheff Wed, we'd need more than one season in League One to get back out of it. When we got promoted most would have settled for mid-table but Pearson got us to the play-offs and as close to the play-off final as you could get. He did this on resources which would seem laughably low to Sven and his team.

Our recovery from relegation was entirely due to NFP and of course his coaching staff - what manager doesn't have a team around him dumbo. Chiefly due to his organisational skills and his ability to get the very best out of every single player (including some very modest talents like Wayne Brown). There were footballing basics at play - a transparent selection policy, emphasis on solid defence and an unwillingness to bow to big egos.

These are basics which seem completely lost on Sven. The idea of signing a player from outside the Premiership or who doesn't have Champions league or World Cup experience or working to improve a player, just seem completely alien to him. Yet this is meat and drink to Championship life. All teams at the top, have some ordinary, journeymen players, not just in the squad but in the team. When I was at the Norwich 2-3, there was hardly a star name on the teamsheet, barely anyone with even a bit of Premiership experience. A team of misfits. But they utterly outplayed us from start to finish.

I don't want rid of Sven, I don't want NFP back, but let's be clear about SGE's limitations.

Please point out the pearson trashing because all I see are mentions of pearson in posts by certain posters (in paticular StanSP and MTWG) trying to inject a bit of sense into this thread.

Oh and samilktray's post but you can never take anything he says seriously.

[The Sven Revolution]

I think no one here wants Sven sacked in the summer, thank God for the common logic in even the Sven non-believers! So that's settled then..

Now lets just wait and see where we are come Dec 2011 and then we can start to pass a judgement on whether we want him as our manager or not.

And hang on for 1 fookin second..this season is NOT YET OVER!!! If we beat Forest and other results go our way (both of which is possible, going by how unpredictable things have been for us and in general in the Championship this season)..we could be within couple of points of 6th with 3 to play...give up when the Fat lady sings...and she may be clearing her throat but by no way has she started singing yet...after Forest may be..but not yet..so there is still HOPE!!!

[Guest Col city fan]

I think no one here wants Sven sacked in the summer, thank God for the common logic in even the Sven non-believers! So that's settled then..

Now lets just wait and see where we are come Dec 2011 and then we can start to pass a judgement on whether we want him as our manager or not.

And hang on for 1 fookin second..this season is NOT YET OVER!!! If we beat Forest and other results go our way (both of which is possible, going by how unpredictable things have been for us and in general in the Championship this season)..we could be within couple of points of 6th with 3 to play...give up when the Fat lady sings...and she may be clearing her throat but by no way has she started singing yet...after Forest may be..but not yet..so there is still HOPE!!!

Genuinely don't really care about the play-offs... but if we expose our bottoms against Forest and get spanked like we did at Reading both Sven and his team will need shooting

This is Forest away.... I want passion, commitment, effort and victory

[seenitall]

We hated O'Neill for a while and moaned about Pearson when he arrived. We were annoyed when Megson left, and Brian Little. We even got the big arse when McGee left and some were pleased Taylor arrived. We wanted Yak out and he scored a hat trick next game and Weale in and he's a joker who can't catch a cold. If i were Sven I would be relieved that the wise City fans didn't believe in me, what with their record of making the right call and all that.....

[ACF]

Sven out, Frank Burrows in.

[cc_star]

On the trashing of Pearson in earlier posts. Some people have very short memories. The majority feeling when NFP took over was that the club was in such disarray that like Leeds, Southampton, Charlton, Sheff Wed, we'd need more than one season in League One to get back out of it. When we got promoted most would have settled for mid-table but Pearson got us to the play-offs and as close to the play-off final as you could get. He did this on resources which would seem laughably low to Sven and his team.

Our recovery from relegation was entirely due to NFP and of course his coaching staff - what manager doesn't have a team around him dumbo. Chiefly due to his organisational skills and his ability to get the very best out of every single player (including some very modest talents like Wayne Brown). There were footballing basics at play - a transparent selection policy, emphasis on solid defence and an unwillingness to bow to big egos.

These are basics which seem completely lost on Sven. The idea of signing a player from outside the Premiership or who doesn't have Champions league or World Cup experience or working to improve a player, just seem completely alien to him. Yet this is meat and drink to Championship life. All teams at the top, have some ordinary, journeymen players, not just in the squad but in the team. When I was at the Norwich 2-3, there was hardly a star name on the teamsheet, barely anyone with even a bit of Premiership experience. A team of misfits. But they utterly outplayed us from start to finish.

I don't want rid of Sven, I don't want NFP back, but let's be clear about SGE's limitations.

Yup, League 1 can be a graveyard for 'big' 2nd tier clubs that make the drop. Pearson's achievement for a club that had been in disarray for many years was startling. Not only in getting us back up at the 1st time of asking, but doing so by winning the league with relative ease and making short work of where many other clubs like Forest, Leeds & many others struggle. Likewise the following season getting into the playoffs when most people would have reasonably expected a transitional, stabilising season was fantastic.

People certainly have very short memories around here

Pearson's success in a relatively short amount of time has clearly pulled the wool over some people's eyes.

He had two full seasons to work with and on a team that was his own, unlike Sven.

Pearson also had the fortune of managing us in League One, which is slightly less demanding and lacking in quality compared to the Championship.

I can't recall most of our current loan players having Champions League or World Cup experience. Sven had limited resources in terms of time and only one loan transfer window to build upon.

And can we please stop wanking over Norwich or Leeds or any other team in this league that has had a manager at the helm for more than just one single season - comparing them to Sven's situation is pointless.

But I guess the haters can't stop hating.

Disliking Sven because he is Sven? Sheesh, you lot are deluded.

Your 1st point, see my comment just above about league one and Pearson's relative success.

Secondly, who cares what experience the players have, or who they've played for, if they can't make a team. a team of individuals isn't a team, and certainly not a great one. One of Sven's problems is he thinks the best players make the best team, he did that for England (where only McClaren & Capello's ineptitude makes Sven look good) & he's doing the same now for us

I don't think anyone hates, Sven - I certainly don't, but more & more people are bewildered by the blind love-in he gets from some sections of people, when he clearly has more than a few, damn obvious flaws.

[The Doctor]

Yup, League 1 can be a graveyard for 'big' 2nd tier clubs that make the drop. Pearson's achievement for a club that had been in disarray for many years was startling. Not only in getting us back up at the 1st time of asking, but doing so by winning the league with relative ease and making short work of where many other clubs like Forest, Leeds & many others struggle. Likewise the following season getting into the playoffs when most people would have reasonably expected a transitional, stabilising season was fantastic.

People certainly have very short memories around here

Your 1st point, see my comment just above about league one and Pearson's relative success.

Secondly, who cares what experience the players have, or who they've played for, if they can't make a team. a team of individuals isn't a team, and certainly not a great one. One of Sven's problems is he thinks the best players make the best team, he did that for England (where only McClaren & Capello's ineptitude makes Sven look good) & he's doing the same now for us

I don't think anyone hates, Sven - I certainly don't, but more & more people are bewildered by the blind love-in he gets from some sections of people, when he clearly has more than a few, damn obvious flaws.

so i guess almost every other manager england have ever had is inept then since sven is the second best manager england have ever had, only behind ramsey - and i have my doubts ramsey would be top if it weren't for a russian linesman and his atrocious eye-sight.