Chrissy Powell (the lack of)

[Heskey2011]

One thing I’ve learned over the years watching football following City is that it's not individuals that win leagues or cups it's teams and more importantly the relationships between players and coaching staff within those teams.

For me in League one and the playoff finishing season with Pearson the year after we had a team that player for player has nothing on the squad we now see at the KP.

So why couldn't Pearson or Sven get us to the playoffs? For me it was simply the lack of defensive presence in midfield and defensive organisation amongst the back four that led to our consistency in being inconsistent. Now the players we have today (imo) are better than those of the first NP spell but for some reason they couldn't cut it. Best example is Matt Mills, he was an amazing CB for Reading and i honestly was chuffed we got him, i thought he was destined for the PL but no he's been poor since he got here i know he's got it in him to be quality but it's just not showing.

Seeing CP smashing league one with Charlton and the attitude and commitment his players show when playing for him is a beautiful thing to watch and i personally think Powell or the lack of Powell is the reason behind our current underperformance.

Now i don't think we could get him back as Pearsons assistant manager or defensive coach and i wouldn't want him over Pearson but i honestly think this is where it all went wrong, we should have never let him go (if that was an option) and we will have a job on our hands replicating his influence.

1st thing on the summer shopping list should be a motivating experienced (ex-player) defensive coach that can bring the best out of the current defensive options. Player for player we have enough to win the championship next year it's all about getting the most out of the players we have and well maybe a good solid defensive midfielder.. (maybe)

thoughts?

[Corky]

Powell was our defensive coach last season when we conceded a hatful of goals early on.

I do think he's a good influence but you can't escape the fact our defence was a shambles at times last season.

[davieG]

If he had any strong influence I would suggest it was more to do with his bubbly enthusiastic character than any specific coaching skills. A happy squad has more chance of success than an unhappy one.

[Heskey2011]

If he had any strong influence I would suggest it was more to do with his bubbly enthusiastic character than any specific coaching skills. A happy squad has more chance of success than an unhappy one.

Completely at times this season the boys have looked miserable out there, heads down just getting through the 90mins, and all the transfers can't have helped team spirit / unity and ultimately happiness.

Maybe it's not his defensive tactics but the work ethic and mentality we're missing?

Just checked league stats and we have actually conceded more goals with CP than after him, but personally i think that's down to Casper

[_Fatboyslow_]

Thoughts....mmmm..... You made a mistake in mentioning Mills. You wait and see

[coolhandfox]

Hard to judge he's impact as a coach at Leicester from the outside, but do we really need to add to the coaching staff. With FFP around the corner we need to be reducing our wage bill not adding to it. I would be worried if we need a defensive coach with an ex top flight centreback as a manager!

A happy squad is a one that's winning games......................

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

One thing I’ve learned over the years watching football following City is that it's not individuals that win leagues or cups it's teams and more importantly the relationships between players and coaching staff within those teams.

For me in League one and the playoff finishing season with Pearson the year after we had a team that player for player has nothing on the squad we now see at the KP.

So why couldn't Pearson or Sven get us to the playoffs? For me it was simply the lack of defensive presence in midfield and defensive organisation amongst the back four that led to our consistency in being inconsistent. Now the players we have today (imo) are better than those of the first NP spell but for some reason they couldn't cut it. Best example is Matt Mills, he was an amazing CB for Reading and i honestly was chuffed we got him, i thought he was destined for the PL but no he's been poor since he got here i know he's got it in him to be quality but it's just not showing.

Seeing CP smashing league one with Charlton and the attitude and commitment his players show when playing for him is a beautiful thing to watch and i personally think Powell or the lack of Powell is the reason behind our current underperformance.

Now i don't think we could get him back as Pearsons assistant manager or defensive coach and i wouldn't want him over Pearson but i honestly think this is where it all went wrong, we should have never let him go (if that was an option) and we will have a job on our hands replicating his influence.

1st thing on the summer shopping list should be a motivating experienced (ex-player) defensive coach that can bring the best out of the current defensive options. Player for player we have enough to win the championship next year it's all about getting the most out of the players we have and well maybe a good solid defensive midfielder.. (maybe)

thoughts?

I saw Mills play a few times last season at Reading, and he was sheer quality, head and shoulders above the rest. It remains very strange to me that he has not performed anything like as well this season. He DOES have great ability.

Chris Powell has worked wonders as Charlton, who are streets ahead of the rest. This all done on a shoestring budget, and it is good to see. He is going to be a fine manager, but may struggle with the same side next season in this division, unless there is substantial investment..

[deep blue]

Powell was our defensive coach last season when we conceded a hatful of goals early on.

I do think he's a good influence but you can't escape the fact our defence was a shambles at times last season.

Forgive me if my memory isn't accurate, but I thought that Powell's move to Charlton coincided more or less exactly with the start of our awful run starting mid-February. Our defence might have been suspect early on, but by January it was performing well. Then, inexplicably, Sven started tinkering about with it and we lost lots of silly goals.

He was was replaced by the German guy who did nothing for us (nor for Stockport, who he left us to manage).

[Babylon]

I saw Mills play a few times last season at Reading, and he was sheer quality, head and shoulders above the rest. It remains very strange to me that he has not performed anything like as well this season. He DOES have great ability.

But the Reading fans said he'd have the odd brilliant game (usually on tv) and then be awful the next week. Look back at what they said about him, it has been spot on. I'd rather it hadn't been!

[hbkkids]

Agree. I would prefer chrissy p to nigel. Can not wait till charton away next season

[Corky]

Forgive me if my memory isn't accurate, but I thought that Powell's move to Charlton coincided more or less exactly with the start of our awful run starting mid-February. Our defence might have been suspect early on, but by January it was performing well. Then, inexplicably, Sven started tinkering about with it and we lost lots of silly goals.

He was was replaced by the German guy who did nothing for us (nor for Stockport, who he left us to manage).

He left in early January, just before we embarked on a 5-match winning run.

We conceded plenty all season, especially early on.

[deep blue]

He left in early January, just before we embarked on a 5-match winning run.

We conceded plenty all season, especially early on.

Apologies - it was a good theory while it lasted. I should have checked my facts first; I have done now - Chris Powell left us on 14th Jan.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

But the Reading fans said he'd have the odd brilliant game (usually on tv) and then be awful the next week. Look back at what they said about him, it has been spot on. I'd rather it hadn't been!

I think I saw him at Reading five times last season, and he was quality on those occasions. The Reading fans around me appeared to love him. He certainly has not performed well for us though.

[buzzy]

But the Reading fans said he'd have the odd brilliant game (usually on tv) and then be awful the next week. Look back at what they said about him, it has been spot on. I'd rather it hadn't been!

proberly thought he was god when he was playing for them .pissed off when he came to us so changed there minds about him

[cc_star]

Most Reading fans thought Mills reputation was built on the back of his defensive partner, looking at them across the season it's hard to imagine they miss him.

Our defence was a key reason our mini-revival last season failed, we let in too many goals... Chrissy P was defensive coach... Although many including me put the weak defence down to Sven's excessive tinkering swapping out Hobbs, Vitor, Mee, Bruma & weak defensive LB in PvA.

Chrissy P seemed to be a positive influence in terms of team spirit, which counts for a lot... But I don't think we missed or miss him.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Powell was our defensive coach last season when we conceded a hatful of goals early on.

I do think he's a good influence but you can't escape the fact our defence was a shambles at times last season.

Corky is right as usual. Our defence was tight as a camel's bumhole in a sandstorm under NP's first tenure when we had Taggs as our defensive coach, someone I realistically feel we could get back.

[ithuriel]

Things started going wrong for Sven after Powell left but i think it was more down to the fact teams had learned how to close us down and stop us playing our football, it all started going wrong on that painful friday evening against Bristol City and we never did learn how to play against those kinds of teams last season or this.