Is Pearson the long term answer?

[Thracian]

Can you name 5 teams that play entertaining football in our division? Unlikely. Who cares what the football looks like, or were you so entertained by Niges team in League 1 you are spoiled forever?

All we needed to do was get out of this piss poor division as soon as possible and by sacking Sven we lost momentum - he had a poor couple of initial home games but from game 4 picked up 16 points until he was sacked (10 games) when the league leaders picked up 18 in the same period - West Ham picked up 15 from their next 10 games so arguably he was sacked for performing as well as the top 2 - who knows what might have happened but it was a major cock up sacking him, attractive football notwithstanding

The League leaders for a start and I wouldn't call West Ham boring. Nothing else much matters. The teams who set out to score goals and to win both home and away are the ones most likely to be successful and one day both our club and our fans will grasp that.

And some of our Division One football was diabolical especially given the standard of the opposition.

[Dan]

No one forgets the season before when he escaped relegation and mounted a late challenge for the top 6 with Pearson and Sousas understrength and clapped out squad and no keeper to speak of - what I am talking about is the new team he put together in the summer with Nugent, Schmeical, Mills, Peltier, Konchensky, Beckford, Bamba (I know he came in Jan) which sounds to me like a completely new defence and attack and which he was given only 13 games to get right before being sacked, this on the back of 2 league defeats in 10 - I haven't made it up you know. I also know, before you tell me, that I should get over Sven, but really its Nige who should be told as it is he who is facing a similar fate at the hands of an inexperienced board.

Nige can no more be held responsible for what Sven's team achieve than Sven could be playing Sousa and Niges - so when Nige buys his new team, and only then, we should judge his management skills (same as at Hull this year where he started to get things going, not so much last year though). Lets hope, and I'll say this one more time, and perhaps you can understand , we give Nige more than 13 games when he has bought his team - not panick and sack him!!!!!

Whilst you raise some good points, I still don't think Sven was taking us anywhere near the top flight this year.

My main gripe with Sven this year was the fact we were going absolutely nowhere. Unconvincing from the start, inconsistent, no particular system in place that our squad was looking like working into. You've got the Derby game where we won 4-0, but what happened next game? Birmingham. We changed to be negative, we played with a more defensive mentality and lacked determination and any ideas when we went behind, and it was all too familiar. We were making the same mistakes as the year before under Sven and yet not producing the good bits as often. Last year was Sven's learning curve, fair play getting us to touching distance of the play-offs was a creditable effort considering we were 24th, but the reality is - we took steps backwards after this run and it made no real sense, constant tinkering with the team seemed to be the problem.

My point really, was that last year should've been the year he learned from his mistakes, and this year he should've kept up with positive football without the daft mistakes, in-fact we got the total opposite, he continued to buy dis-interested, money grabbing players, continued to tinker with the team needlessly, continued to produce an inconsistent team, continued to get us playing with no actual system, and the one thing he didn't continue with was being fvcking positive. Whilst 13 games seems a short time, he'd had a lot of time to prepare for this season, a lot of money to prepare, and if anything, we were going backwards, up and down, one step forwards two steps back and it was as clear as daylight that his chances of taking us to the Premier League were about as big as me winning the lottery.

[Dan]

I'm trying to understand your point here .... You seem to acknowledge that we are being served up with rubbish now whilst Sven played some decent stuff .... This is from the new manager that was bought in to motivate the players and fans, whilst the board sacked Sven for not being good enough.

So in short, you seem to be saying that we are being served inferior football from the same players with the new manager to that from the old manager, and yet you cannot understand why the new manager is being criticised?

I'll explain my point more clearly for you. Sven had us playing some lovely football in patches, not the finished article by any means but some really entertaining stuff at times. NFP has served up the sunday league fayre that i feared he would in the pursuit of winning at all costs. That would be bad enough if we were winning - but we're not so we are playing worse football and going down the league table. This is why I am critical of NFP.

Granted he hasn't had a transfer window yet - but he was bought in as Mr Motivator - it shouldn't matter, he was expected to get more from his existing squad and he simply isn't.

Lovely football, in patches, far too small patches considering the mass investment and the players brought in. Laughable.

[Babylon]

I'm trying to understand your point here .... You seem to acknowledge that we are being served up with rubbish now whilst Sven played some decent stuff .... This is from the new manager that was bought in to motivate the players and fans, whilst the board sacked Sven for not being good enough.

So in short, you seem to be saying that we are being served inferior football from the same players with the new manager to that from the old manager, and yet you cannot understand why the new manager is being criticised?

I'll explain my point more clearly for you. Sven had us playing some lovely football in patches, not the finished article by any means but some really entertaining stuff at times. NFP has served up the sunday league fayre that i feared he would in the pursuit of winning at all costs. That would be bad enough if we were winning - but we're not so we are playing worse football and going down the league table. This is why I am critical of NFP.

Granted he hasn't had a transfer window yet - but he was bought in as Mr Motivator - it shouldn't matter, he was expected to get more from his existing squad and he simply isn't.

You seem to be including the odd performances from Svens team last year in your thinking. Forget them because Pearson doesn't have those players, so you can't compare.

Ths season we managed one decent performance under sven against Derby. And even then the performance seems to be hyped up to be better than it was.

Going on this seasons games I'm not sure how people can say what we watched under Sven was any better than under Pearson. So far I'd say The Millwall, Bristol and Reading games have been worse than anything i've seen under Pearson.

You are right about him being brought in to motivate and try to get more out of players. It's dissapoining it's not happened so far, but it has only been 7 games and he's working with an unbalanced squad that Sven couldn't create a team with either.

[Guest Col city fan]

You seem to be including the odd performances from Svens team last year in your thinking. Forget them because Pearson doesn't have those

players, so you can't compare.

Ths season we managed one decent performance under sven against Derby. And even then the performance seems to be hyped up to be better than it was.

Going on this seasons games I'm not sure how people can say what we watched under Sven was any better than under Pearson. So far I'd say The Millwall, Bristol and Reading games have been worse than anything i've seen under Pearson.

You are right about him being brought in to motivate and try to get more out of players. It's dissapoining it's not happened so far, but it has only been 7 games and he's working with an

unbalanced squad that Sven couldn't create a team with either.

Yep... Spot on

[seenitall]

Back to performances and entertaining football as the reason for sacking then - Nige better watch out!

[Corky]

We all know that.

[5waller5]

You seem to be including the odd performances from Svens team last year in your thinking. Forget them because Pearson doesn't have those players, so you can't compare.

Ths season we managed one decent performance under sven against Derby. And even then the performance seems to be hyped up to be better than it was.

Going on this seasons games I'm not sure how people can say what we watched under Sven was any better than under Pearson. So far I'd say The Millwall, Bristol and Reading games have been worse than anything i've seen under Pearson.

You are right about him being brought in to motivate and try to get more out of players. It's dissapoining it's not happened so far, but it has only been 7 games and he's working with an unbalanced squad that Sven couldn't create a team with either.

I don't disagree with this .... but let's face it, the board bought in NP to motivate the current squad and the fans above all else. Hearing what they were saying about his appointment it seemed to be around the feeling that Sven signed good players and didn't get the best out of them - I don't think there were many people that disagreed at that point. NP just hasn't galvanised that squad and seemed to have a honeymoon period of one game. He came and said that players needed to play with a smile and there needed to be fairness in their treatment. He managed to get them smiling for one game .... the body language of the players has become negative, the performances have become poor, and the football played lacking in any strategic direction as well as any fire.

I expected more from NP. The fact that he's now losing players to top Serie A sides without even playing them (whether they want to be here long term or not, so what - they are on loan and better than we have on permanent deals).

Millwall I agree was awful .... but the last two games have been equally as bad for me.

[wellyfox]

I am starting to think the NP lovers are as bad as the Sven haters.

No matter what they do some will not change there mind.

I am sat here starting to think how lucky we was the first time round.

Did we go up because of NP or inspite of him.

And the longer I think about it the less time I have for NP.

He seems to be turning into a one trick pony.

No plan b under Sven don't look like we have one under NP.

All we can say is he is loyal to his old boy's that sadley don't seem good enough now.

Is he a man of his word? No hes was gonna give everyone a fair chance and he's not.

But hey the bum boy's are happy he is back.

If we are lucky our owners will give him 13 matches after the deadline.

The honeymoon's over as far as I am concerned.

More dros to be served up week in week out.

Oh and to all them that said he won't put up with shite from the players.

DON'T MAKE ME FVCKING LAUGH :xmaslaugh: :xmaslaugh:

[ithuriel]

NP lover's, Sven haters, bumboys?

I'm going to call you captain cliche from now on.

:xmaslaugh:

[Babylon]

I don't disagree with this .... but let's face it, the board bought in NP to motivate the current squad and the fans above all else. Hearing what they were saying about his appointment it seemed to be around the feeling that Sven signed good players and didn't get the best out of them - I don't think there were many people that disagreed at that point. NP just hasn't galvanised that squad and seemed to have a honeymoon period of one game. He came and said that players needed to play with a smile and there needed to be fairness in their treatment. He managed to get them smiling for one game .... the body language of the players has become negative, the performances have become poor, and the football played lacking in any strategic direction as well as any fire.

I expected more from NP. The fact that he's now losing players to top Serie A sides without even playing them (whether they want to be here long term or not, so what - they are on loan and better than we have on permanent deals).

Millwall I agree was awful .... but the last two games have been equally as bad for me.

If players don't want to be here, no decent manager will keep them on. You hewrnit time and again from managers about not keeping unhappy players.

Quite a few people were saying many of the players aren't as good as we thought and almost everyone said we had no width from day one.

Until he is given a chance to craft the team in his image then it's impossible to judge him properly. He had a slow start at hull until he managed to ship out the dross and bring in young hungry players like he did first time round here.

[Babylon]

I am starting to think the NP lovers are as bad as the Sven haters.

No matter what they do some will not change there mind.

I am sat here starting to think how lucky we was the first time round.

Did we go up because of NP or inspite of him.

And the longer I think about it the less time I have for NP.

He seems to be turning into a one trick pony.

No plan b under Sven don't look like we have one under NP.

All we can say is he is loyal to his old boy's that sadley don't seem good enough now.

Is he a man of his word? No hes was gonna give everyone a fair chance and he's not.

But hey the bum boy's are happy he is back.

If we are lucky our owners will give him 13 matches after the deadline.

The honeymoon's over as far as I am concerned.

More dros to be served up week in week out.

Oh and to all them that said he won't put up with shite from the players.

DON'T MAKE ME FVCKING LAUGH :xmaslaugh: :xmaslaugh:

Deary me. So people are bum boys if they defend the fact he has only been here 7 games and is currently working with someone elses squad, and has so far been unable to sign anyone.

Stop dragging up the give everyone a chance crap. Did he say the chance was in a game? How do you know the chance isn't during training? Besides Danns and Abe have both started games and been poor and average respectively. Fernandes wanted out, he said as much... Why would anyone play him?

And you accuse others of having made their minds up. To me it sounds like you are the one who already has.

Personally I'll wait until he's made some signings and had a year like Sven did.

[deep blue]

If players don't want to be here, no decent manager will keep them on. You hewrnit time and again from managers about not keeping unhappy players.

Quite a few people were saying many of the players aren't as good as we thought and almost everyone said we had no width from day one.

Until he is given a chance to craft the team in his image then it's impossible to judge him properly. He had a slow start at hull until he managed to ship out the dross and bring in young hungry players like he did first time round here.

Babs, agree with most of your thinking, but not on your reference to unhappy players. I presume you're thinking primarily of Fernandes.

Of course, it's all guesswork, cos anyone who knows the truth of the matter is not going to spill. I find it hard to go along with the theory that he wanted out as soon as Sven got the boot, even though Sven may have been a large part of his original reason for coming. The fact is that Sven wasn't playing him regularly, Fernandes might have already been getting disenchanted, and it makes sense to me to think thathe would have seen NP's arrival as a new opportunity for him to establish himself in the team. Also, there are many who say he can't have impressed in training; but to me it's unthinkable that an international of his pedigree and experience didn't have the nous to know how to impress in training.

Ah well, it's all personal opinion.

Although I'm disappointed and puzzled that NP hasn't given some players an opportunity on the pitch before the transfer window, and although he still seems to show negative signs of mulishness and overcaution, I still harbour strong hopes that he will come good for us if given a reasonable length of time to sort things out in his own way. I am in the camp that believes he did brilliantly for us before, and was doing a very solid job at Hull.

[Bob Weasel Fox]

January 2012 - the month that will shape the whole season

[Guest Col city fan]

January 2012 - the month that will shape the whole season

I guess you are right. However two things spring to mind:

- the Jan transfer window can be notoriously risky. Clubs won't really want to get rid of many players and will want over the odds for them

- who would have thought that we would be relying on Jan transfers to 'kick-start' the season?

What a complete fook up the season has been so far.

[seenitall]

Deary me. So people are bum boys if they defend the fact he has only been here 7 games and is currently working with someone elses squad, and has so far been unable to sign anyone.

Stop dragging up the give everyone a chance crap. Did he say the chance was in a game? How do you know the chance isn't during training? Besides Danns and Abe have both started games and been poor and average respectively. Fernandes wanted out, he said as much... Why would anyone play him?

And you accuse others of having made their minds up. To me it sounds like you are the one who already has.

Personally I'll wait until he's made some signings and had a year like Sven did.

That's 13 games after he bought his players (on and on we go)

[Babylon]

Babs, agree with most of your thinking, but not on your reference to unhappy players. I presume you're thinking primarily of Fernandes.

Of course, it's all guesswork, cos anyone who knows the truth of the matter is not going to spill. I find it hard to go along with the theory that he wanted out as soon as Sven got the boot.

That's the thing though, it's not a theory. It's based on an interview he gave in which he categorically stated (before Pearson arrived) that he wanted to leave because of Svens sacking.

[5waller5]

If players don't want to be here, no decent manager will keep them on. You hewrnit time and again from managers about not keeping unhappy players.

Quite a few people were saying many of the players aren't as good as we thought and almost everyone said we had no width from day one.

Until he is given a chance to craft the team in his image then it's impossible to judge him properly. He had a slow start at hull until he managed to ship out the dross and bring in young hungry players like he did first time round here.

I admire your optimism and wonder where mine has gone .... I think it's the simple fact that when a new manager arrives you usually see an uplift in results and better brighter football. the football we are watching is the dross that i feared when NP was linked .... and I just can't imagine watching another year of it before we throw in the towel and admit that it was the wrong decision to appoint him (and I really liked him last time around).

[seenitall]

Nige has 10 points from his seven games, Sven had 11 from his first 7 this season and 14 from his first 7 after Sousa - does that mean Top shouldn't have fired Sven or he should because although he got more points the football was not attractive enough?

[Babylon]

I admire your optimism and wonder where mine has gone .... I think it's the simple fact that when a new manager arrives you usually see an uplift in results and better brighter football. the football we are watching is the dross that i feared when NP was linked .... and I just can't imagine watching another year of it before we throw in the towel and admit that it was the wrong decision to appoint him (and I really liked him last time around).

I wouldn't say I was optimistic. I will never get carried away with a win, and I won't with a loss either.

I liked Pearson before, but that's gone. I will judge him on what he does here, but my point is you can't judge someone on 7 games when they have been left a squad so unbalanced. He turned us around when he brought in his own men before and he turned Hull around once he had built the team he wanted.

I would say we have a good base to work from. I think you could sign 3 or 4 players and completely turn our fortunes around, but as it stand the players we have got aren't good enough for promotion as they have proved that under Sven and Pearson.

The football we are watching now is no worse than it was under Sven this season, and there are no guarantees you get instant results with a new man. Sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn't, it's not a berometer on how things will pan out in the end.

We're all annoyed with results, the manager will be also. We have all known since the summer that the squad was lop sided. Fingers crossed the can do the deals in Jan to change that around and get a balanced team.

[Babylon]

Nige has 10 points from his seven games, Sven had 11 from his first 7 this season and 14 from his first 7 after Sousa - does that mean Top shouldn't have fired Sven or he should because although he got more points the football was not attractive enough?

Sven getting sacked had little to do with quality of football, if they wanted amazing football we would not have got Pearson back. They want winning football, time will tell whether he can tweak the squad to get that.

[Tielemans63]

It amazes me that people are on NP's back after 7 games. I'm not an NP lover but recognise he did a fine job for us last time around. It's unbelievable the stick he's getting already.

[Guest Col city fan]

It amazes me that people are on NP's back after 7 games. I'm not an NP lover but recognise he did a fine job for us last time around. It's unbelievable the stick he's getting already.

Yes it is.. He ain't even had the chance to sign anyone else yet..

There seems an amazing amount of anger around...

Aimed mainly at Nige and Wellens... People still seem to be smarting at Svens departure.

[Tielemans63]

Yes it is.. He ain't even had the chance to sign anyone else yet..

There seems an amazing amount of anger around...

Aimed mainly at Nige and Wellens... People still seem to be smarting at Svens departure.

Agree 100%. Sven played Wellens more or less every week too (and he didn't pick Fernandes too often) - yet Pearson is hammered for it and Sven wasn't really.

[Corky]

Nige has 10 points from his seven games, Sven had 11 from his first 7 this season and 14 from his first 7 after Sousa - does that mean Top shouldn't have fired Sven or he should because although he got more points the football was not attractive enough?

Why were we three points worse off this season when Sven had a whole pre-season to get the squad together compared to last season when we had 8 points from 10 games and were a shambles?

Sven was sacked because we were losing home games with shocking performances and playing dull football away. And we weren't winning enough games.