Honestly..who can defend Pearson now

[Collibosher70]

Babs!

 

If Pearson has lost Babs, then its over. surely?

Not quite..Prussian and mark w.

[Spizz]

To be fair to Pearson, this is his first season in the premier league and the team have been competitive in most games. I think the director of football and owners have big questions to answer considering they suggested Pearson would have £180 mil to spend!!!!

[Bettsj2]

To be fair to Pearson, this is his first season in the premier league and the team have been competitive in most games. I think the director of football and owners have big questions to answer considering they suggested Pearson would have £180 mil to spend!!!!

This

Is a load of shit.

[The Doctor]

I simply suggested the pro Pearson brigade should come on here and provide some balance. If people still believe he's right for the job, let's hear why.

Last season has gone. Stop living in the past and discuss the here and now.

 

No you didn't. You talked about his entire tenure and your typical attempt at weaselling your way out won't fly here - your constant attempts to seem holier than thou will not work - you quite clearly said, and I quote:

 

 

 Is there any sort of argument that can be made for defending Nigel Pearson's tenure at this football club? If so, let's hear it.

 

 

and, yes there is - He came to us twice with us floundering and going backwards, he took over from a succession of managers who took us into League One for the first time in our history and he took us back up and, but for a penalty, to wembley. He left, we started to flounder under Sousa, who was tactically inept, and Sven, who thought money was enough. He came in again and slashed the squad while giving us more exciting football to watch and a romp to the title last season.

 

This season has been an incredible disappointment (although some realism is needed from the pearson out posters - who honestly wanted mass recruitment last summer? At the time, the general feeling round here was that we had a squad with some top young players that could make the step up). It's not played out like that, and the one argument remaining for Nigel is that in the likelihood we go down, he's a top championship manager. 

 

However, anyone who claims that his tenure at the club has been a failure, as you've so heavily implied there, is naive at best, and most likely a ridiculous person

[Guest Col city fan]

No you didn't. You talked about his entire tenure and your typical attempt at weaselling your way out won't fly here - your constant attempts to seem holier than thou will not work - you quite clearly said, and I quote:

and, yes there is - He came to us twice with us floundering and going backwards, he took over from a succession of managers who took us into League One for the first time in our history and he took us back up and, but for a penalty, to wembley. He left, we started to flounder under Sousa, who was tactically inept, and Sven, who thought money was enough. He came in again and slashed the squad while giving us more exciting football to watch and a romp to the title last season.

This season has been an incredible disappointment (although some realism is needed from the pearson out posters - who honestly wanted mass recruitment last summer? At the time, the general feeling round here was that we had a squad with some top young players that could make the step up). It's not played out like that, and the one argument remaining for Nigel is that in the likelihood we go down, he's a top championship manager.

However, anyone who claims that his tenure at the club has been a failure, as you've so heavily implied there, is naive at best, and most likely a ridiculous person

And you've made your argument as to why you'd keep him.

You didn't need all the nonsense that went with it did you?

It seems Nigel is the not the only one with anger issues at present.

[Lesta Legend]

To be fair to Pearson, this is his first season in the premier league and the team have been competitive in most games. I think the director of football and owners have big questions to answer considering they suggested Pearson would have £180 mil to spend!!!!

No they didn't, how is it some people still think this, am certain this 'fact' has been debunked a million times!

As for Pearson I can't defend him any longer,

- continued selection of out of form players

- playing players out of position

- worrying psychological behaviour with press

- continued mistakes and excuses

It's been all been repeated on the thread you could go on. I did trust Pearson to get us back up even if we got relegated, but he just looks a forlorn shadow of his former self - when the going got tough at the highest level he's seemingly self imploded. Sad.

[lgfualol]

Babs!

If Pearson has lost Babs, then its over. surely?

Exactly what I was thinking.

Season over. Again.

[hackneyfox]

No you didn't. You talked about his entire tenure and your typical attempt at weaselling your way out won't fly here - your constant attempts to seem holier than thou will not work - you quite clearly said, and I quote:

and, yes there is - He came to us twice with us floundering and going backwards, he took over from a succession of managers who took us into League One for the first time in our history and he took us back up and, but for a penalty, to wembley. He left, we started to flounder under Sousa, who was tactically inept, and Sven, who thought money was enough. He came in again and slashed the squad while giving us more exciting football to watch and a romp to the title last season.

This season has been an incredible disappointment (although some realism is needed from the pearson out posters - who honestly wanted mass recruitment last summer? At the time, the general feeling round here was that we had a squad with some top young players that could make the step up). It's not played out like that, and the one argument remaining for Nigel is that in the likelihood we go down, he's a top championship manager.

However, anyone who claims that his tenure at the club has been a failure, as you've so heavily implied there, is naive at best, and most likely a ridiculous person

I got ridiculed on here pre season for pointing out that we needed:

A goalie

2 full backs

2 centre backs

A winger

2 midfielders

2 strikers.

Had the same conversation almost every match about NFP being an idiot for starting the season with Konchesky and Morgan in the defence.

None of us thought that buying a cast off defender from QPR was a good idea.

To buy Albrighton and then not play him never made sense.

[Oxfordfox83]

He lost me at Villa in the Cup-the subs and selection couldn't have been more wrong.

And I think he has to go. I don't believe NP can be the one to motivate what will be a very strong Championship squad. If we'd gone down fighting I'd say stick with him, his Championship record is great, but after this I think the players won't trust him, and we could easily sink like a stone. No need for the next guy to be tainted by the end of this season though, let's have NP or a caretaker to see this one out.

No ill-will to the man, he transformed the club and gave us a brilliant season last year, but he's out of his depth and I think he knows it.

[sylofox]

I got ridiculed on here pre season for pointing out that we needed:

A goalie

2 full backs

2 centre backs

A winger

2 midfielders

2 strikers.

Had the same conversation almost every match about NFP being an idiot for starting the season with Konchesky and Morgan in the defence.

None of us thought that buying a cast off defender from QPR was a good idea.

To buy Albrighton and then not play him never made sense.

The whole summer was a joke.

 

Like you I got slagged down put down and banned.

For stating he was not strengthening the squad buying bench players.

Also for saying Vardy would like some others not be good enough.

 

The amount on here that said last seasons team would put us mid table was a joke.

But now seems everyone on here claimed our squad was not good enough lol

 

Wish I could be arsed to find some of the quotes to prove it.

[Babylon]

I got ridiculed on here pre season for pointing out that we needed:

A goalie

2 full backs

2 centre backs

A winger

2 midfielders

2 strikers.

 

Did you? Because I remember a lot of people including myself saying the same without ridicule. I disagree with The Doctor, a lot of people thought we might need more.

 

I had a list almost the same as yours, but much of that was down to not knowing if what we had would make the step up. I was edging on the side of caution, but I don't blame the management for having belief that what we had would have stepped up better than it did. In fact, with what we came up with we should really be in no worse position than Burnley and don't think we would be had he actually stuck to his beliefs.

 

The biggest critisism is not getting the best out of what we had, not the summer.

[Bettsj2]

The whole summer was a joke.

Like you I got slagged down put down and banned.

For stating he was not strengthening the squad buying bench players.

Also for saying Vardy would like some others not be good enough.

The amount on here that said last seasons team would put us mid table was a joke.

But now seems everyone on here claimed our squad was not good enough lol

Wish I could be arsed to find some of the quotes to prove it.

The biggest disappointment to me is Danny Drinkwater and Matty James. As a midfield combination, they were devastatingly good last year. How they look as ordinary as they do against not too spectacular opposition is bewildering.

[Babylon]

Like you I got slagged down put down and banned.

For stating he was not strengthening the squad buying bench players.

Probably because you were and still are wrong. Buying bench players does improve your squad, if they are better than the bench players you had before. What it won't do is improve your starting 11. Your squad and your starting / best 11 are two very different things.

The biggest disappointment to me is Danny Drinkwater and Matty James. As a midfield combination, they were devastatingly good last year. How they look as ordinary as they do against not too spectacular opposition is bewildering.

How many games have they started together this season? I wouldn't be surprised if you could count them on one hand.

[sylofox]

Probably because you were and still are wrong. Buying bench players does improve your squad, if they are better than the bench players you had before. What it won't do is improve your starting 11. Your squad and your starting / best 11 are two very different things.

How many games have they started together this season? I wouldn't be surprised if you could count them on one hand.

Oh so lets be picky about a term used.

 

Whats the point in buying a bench player when your first team is not good enough.

The squad the first team whatever our first team/squad got no better.

[Guest MattP]

I got ridiculed on here pre season for pointing out that we needed:

A goalie

2 full backs

2 centre backs

A winger

2 midfielders

2 strikers.

Had the same conversation almost every match about NFP being an idiot for starting the season with Konchesky and Morgan in the defence.

None of us thought that buying a cast off defender from QPR was a good idea.

To buy Albrighton and then not play him never made sense.

I think most people had lists of 5-6 players minimum from what I remember. Don't think people were being ridiculed.

I thought we needed a new defence and keeper apart from RDL.

We have shockingly underperformed though even with what we have.

I think the real mistakes have been a lack of consistency and continuity - it's March and we still don't know our best team and formation.

[harpendenfox]

As has been pointed out above, the Lawrence substitution thing was a dreadful but illustrative moment on Saturday. No disrespect intended to Lawrence, who I hope will find his feet with us in the Championship next season, but as Babylon described he was substituted on to right midfield, and then moved back to right back a few minutes later. Now Albrighton might not be all that, but he has Premiership experience, and as recently as Man Utd away delivered a good cross from the right which Was headed home.

 

Forget the personalities, simple common sense would suggest that Albrighton had more chance of making something happen that could have led to a goal. To omit him from the bench seems quite extraordinary, and is illustrative of some seriously muddled thinking. You wonder if there is anyone on the coaching staff who has the personality to challenge Nige constructively, or if after last season's glories he became untouchable.

 

It was a horrible moment when Lawrence came on. I didn't hear booing, and I don't think any negativity was aimed at him, simply a collective feeling of something bordering on disbelief

[st albans fox]

Probably because you were and still are wrong. Buying bench players does improve your squad, if they are better than the bench players you had before. What it won't do is improve your starting 11. Your squad and your starting / best 11 are two very different things.

How many games have they started together this season? I wouldn't be surprised if you could count them on one hand.

Started - as a central two, just the one @ anfield with Hammond screening behind. DD injured after 35 mins (possibly the best we've played all season)

Also second half home to Spurs after king was subbed at half time.

All other games together were with DD wide in the diamond. This is one of my biggest issues with pearson. Just play DD instead of the extra defender and play EC and MJ holding or just one of them holding. This means either dropping one wide player or playing one upfront. One upfront with three in the midfield is a different ball game to with five at the back. Spurs on Saturday is a perfect opportunity to play this.

[hackneyfox]

Did you? Because I remember a lot of people including myself saying the same without ridicule. I disagree with The Doctor, a lot of people thought we might need more.

I had a list almost the same as yours, but much of that was down to not knowing if what we had would make the step up. I was edging on the side of caution, but I don't blame the management for having belief that what we had would have stepped up better than it did. In fact, with what we came up with we should really be in no worse position than Burnley and don't think we would be had he actually stuck to his beliefs.

The biggest critisism is not getting the best out of what we had, not the summer.

I understood why he didn't go out and buy replacements for all those positions as nobody knew who would make the step up but not replacing an ageing left back and a cumbersome centre half was criminal.

[hackneyfox]

Probably because you were and still are wrong. Buying bench players does improve your squad, if they are better than the bench players you had before. What it won't do is improve your starting 11. Your squad and your starting / best 11 are two very different things.

How many games have they started together this season? I wouldn't be surprised if you could count them on one hand.

Liverpool spent years and a fortune improving their bench but not the first eleven.

Improve your first eleven leads to an improvement of the bench.

[sylofox]

Liverpool spent years and a fortune improving their bench but not the first eleven.

Improve your first eleven leads to an improvement of the bench.

Someone gets it

[Gerard]

I got ridiculed on here pre season for pointing out that we needed:

A goalie

2 full backs

2 centre backs

A winger

2 midfielders

2 strikers.

Had the same conversation almost every match about NFP being an idiot for starting the season with Konchesky and Morgan in the defence.

None of us thought that buying a cast off defender from QPR was a good idea.

To buy Albrighton and then not play him never made sense.

That's a whole new team. 

[Babylon]

Liverpool spent years and a fortune improving their bench but not the first eleven.

Improve your first eleven leads to an improvement of the bench.

I'm well aware of that, but the point was and still is wrong. The squad will improve with better bench players, it's just wrong to say otherwise. It might seem like semantics to distinguish between the two (squad and starting 11), but I really don't think it is in this case.

[Gerard]

I'm well aware of that, but the point was and still is wrong. The squad will improve with better bench players, it's just wrong to say otherwise. It might seem like semantics to distinguish between the two (squad and starting 11), but I really don't think it is in this case.

 

What's the point of signing players who aren't good enough for the first XI?

 

The exception obviously being young players who have potential to be in the first XI.

 

Our squad is absolutely fine, we could put out this team if we wanted and none of these started on Saturday:

 

Schmeichael

 

Konchesky

Simpson

Wasilewski

Moore

 

Konckaert

Albrighton

Drinkwater

King

 

Nugent 

Ulloa

 

The "secret" to improving as a football team is to buy replacements for the first team that are better than what you have already got. If you keep doing that at some point you'll have the best team in the world.

 

Without me personally judging Albrighton as a player he has been a waste of financial resources as he's come here and doesn't even get on the bench. At 25 his room for improvement is minimal.

[GingerrrFox]

It was never realistic to expect 8+ players to come in the summer however of the players we did acquire only a few are of a high enough quality to improve the squad. Ulloa, Cambiasso and Upson are all improvements on what we already had. (For me if Upson had been fit all season we wouldn't be in the mess we are now, he's a quality centre back even at his age). However we needed even more quality, in the fullback areas and a creative influence going forward. Albrighton for me has been a massive disappointment, he's shown glimpses of ability but in reality he's all work rate but little else. He looks to whip the ball in at any opportunity, even if he's not in a position to do so and cannot beat a fullback to create space for himself. We needed better recruitment in the summer and more luck with injuries at crucial times.

[Babylon]

What's the point of signing players who aren't good enough for the first XI?

 

The exception obviously being young players who have potential to be in the first XI.

 

Our squad is absolutely fine, we could put out this team if we wanted and none of these started on Saturday:

 

Schmeichael

 

Konchesky

Simpson

Wasilewski

Moore

 

Konckaert

Albrighton

Drinkwater

King

 

Nugent 

Ulloa

 

The "secret" to improving as a football team is to buy replacements for the first team that are better than what you have already got. If you keep doing that at some point you'll have the best team in the world.

 

Without me personally judging Albrighton as a player he has been a waste of financial resources as he's come here and doesn't even get on the bench. At 25 his room for improvement is minimal.

Congratulations on wasting your last 5 minutes typing that out. Perhaps actually read what I've written. Have I suggested it's the way to go about building your team, nope. The point is, that your squad can be improved by signing bench players, end of story. Keep the squad as it was lasts year but sign someone else fractionally better than GTF and your squad improves. That's the point... nothing else is being argued.

 

What I will add, is that not everyone can go out and buy starting 11 players ALL the time. It just doesn't happen, here or anywhere else.