Honestly..who can defend Pearson now

[Bettsj2]

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.

You're dead right. In fact, I dont think they have actually started a game together which in itself is bewildering. Drinkwater started against Spurs on Boxing Day, played very well and hasnt featured since.

It's all just odd.

[artursteppe]

Talking of Liverpool, the reason they were the best team in England for so many years, under Shankly et al, was quite simply because they replaced two/three first team regulars every summer to maintain improving first team standards ( until Dalglish took the reigns that is ).

 

Not a lot of people actually realised that, at the time, or since. Many of the changes shocked so called experts, but Shankly and Paisley etc were right. Every other team always ended up 'rebuilding' a team when it got too old, as though this was not only normal but the right way to do it.

 

I definitely stand in the 'camp' of improve the first eleven as a priority.

[Babylon]

Talking of Liverpool, the reason they were the best team in England for so many years, under Shankly et al, was quite simply because they replaced two/three first team regulars every summer to maintain improving first team standards ( until Dalglish took the reigns that is ).

 

Not a lot of people actually realised that, at the time, or since. Many of the changes shocked so called experts, but Shankly and Paisley etc were right. Every other team always ended up 'rebuilding' a team when it got too old, as though this was not only normal but the right way to do it.

 

I definitely stand in the 'camp' of improve the first eleven as a priority.

There is no camp, nobody is arguing that it's not the best way to go about it (if possible). Purely that your squad CAN improve if you buy a bench player.

 

United often did the same under Ferguson as you mention, players let go when people thought they were still in their prime.

[cc_star]

You're dead right. In fact, I dont think they have actually started a game together which in itself is bewildering. Drinkwater started against Spurs on Boxing Day, played very well and hasnt featured since.

It's all just odd.

 

We were pretty phenomenal in that game too. If we could finish, Spurs couldn't have argued at going home with a 5-2 or 6-2 defeat

[The Doctor]

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.

 

No, I didn't, nor did I post any 'nonsense' (although you can't say the same) - at this point the only argument for keeping him is that it's too late for any change to save us and he's a good championship manager - whether he goes or stays now, I just couldn't care less; I'll just be quite disappointed that one of the best managers we've had in recent history ends in this way.

 

What I actually posted was his whole tenure, which has to be considered a success: 6 years ago when he first arrived we were a joke, heading to League 1 after years of undeservedly escaping the drop. He's given us a team to be proud of again - even if this season has been a disaster. You were talking as if his entire tenure was a disaster, and if you honestly believe that, well there's no hope for you ever being a functioning member of society again.

[psychonaut]

No doubt improving the bench players will improve the squad its just not really the best way to go about improving your team. Improving the starting 11 will by default improve the bench as mentioned in previous posts so clearly this is the better way to improve the squad.

 

Regradless of whether NP was happy with his first 11 I think it was extremely naive to assume that these players were capable of making the step up.The better approach would've been to improve the starting 11 and hopefully this wouldve inspired/spurred the players to up their game and compete for their place against better/improved players.

[Ollie93]

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.

 

This.

 

If you have a bag of 12 apples, two of which are rotten and you replace these with very good apples, the bag becomes better. You don't just buy a whole new bag.

[psychonaut]

This.

 

If you have a bag of 12 apples, two of which are rotten and you replace these with very good apples, the bag becomes better. You don't just buy a whole new bag.

 

Yeah but the point is there are not 12 apples there 22+ apples and rather than replace the rotton ones just buy two big fat dogs bollox apples and the rotton ones will be dicarded or put aside by default to make room.

[Cunningfox]

Pearson can't be defended now. I see some logic in what he's tried to do - keeping things tight with a 5-3-2. It has worked in that we have only lost by the odd goal, but the point is that we have kept losing by the odd goal and never looked like coming back into a game after inevitably going behind.

 

His blanket decision of 5-3-2 (or dressed up as a 3-5-2) is shocking. Sure play defensively against Man City or Arsenal away and keep things tight, but Hull at home FFS. When desperate for points he has persisted with something which hasn't worked all season.

 

I look at Burnley who are playing more or less the same team and same formations week in week out, exactly as they did last season and although they might also go down, at least they are giving it a go. We on the otherhand are limping to the odd dreary point once a month in an endless series of tight games, because for some reason Pearson refuses to give it a go.

 

I would have much rather stuck with the same players who got us up, play 4-4-2 every week, lose 3-0 one week and win the next. We'd have more points and would have given a few teams a scare along the way. Who knows we may still have got relegated but this season is just a shambles, and for me, Pearson has proven he cannot cut it at this level.

 

Despite the fact I love the guy for all he has done for us, it is looking like it's going to be an unhappy end to his tenure. Relegation is one thing, but the manner in which it has come about is the most disappointing thing. Pearson has always divided opinion, but he is in danger of taking us down being loathed by most City fans. As out most successful manager since O'Neill, that's just sad, very sad.

[seenitall]

I think he's almost finally lost me after Saturday. There just seems to be almost no joined up thinking with what he's trying to do, I'm not sure what he believes in any more. You obviously sign Ulloa and then Kramaric because you want to play a certain way, if that's the case then have the conviction to follow it through. Did he really envisage Ulloa on the bench and Kramaric out wide of a front three when he signed them? As it stands we'd have been better off spending £8m on a CB and £8m on a CM rather than two strikers who you don't play or play out of position.

 

Then we have the substitutions, people were moaning about keeping 3 at the back to start with during the subs, I didn't mind that. What pissed me off was we brought Lawrence on to play the wide midfield position instead of De Laet. Then 5/10 minutes later we switch to a four and them shove him at right back... that just didn't make sense to me. If you wanted to switch to a four then do it with the first round of substitutions. As it was it ended up being a wasted sub as he then got shoved at right back. Utterly pointless.

 

I wish the bloke would have just stuck to what he always believed in (4-4-2) and gone like that for the whole season. Rather than fecking about every other week with a new formation and new team. You signed these players to play a certain way, the squad was assembled for that so just bloody stick to it.

Now I really have seenitall - few years late to the party but glad you saw the light in the end fella

[Ollie93]

Yeah but the point is there are not 12 apples there 22+ apples and rather than replace the rotton ones just buy two big fat dogs bollox apples and the rotton ones will be dicarded or put aside by default to make room.

 

But we did buy two, In kramaric and cambiasso, possibly three if you count Ulloa. Well they cost enough, maybe they were bad apples before we bought them...

[Babylon]

No doubt improving the bench players will improve the squad its just not really the best way to go about improving your team. Improving the starting 11 will by default improve the bench as mentioned in previous posts so clearly this is the better way to improve the squad.

I'll say it again... nobody has argued otherwise before your post.

[tickler28]

If Poyet gets the boot get straight on the phone to him!!

[Max Power]

Poyet's as big a twat as Pearson and probably not even as good a manager.

[Ollie93]

If Poyet gets the boot get straight on the phone to him!!

 

Just wondering why you would Poyet?

 

He's managing a side who are clearly struggling to say up, if he gets sacked / they get relegated, he will be low on confidence and bring a negative attitude to the club? The same goes for Lambert IMO.

[The Doctor]

Now I really have seenitall - few years late to the party but glad you saw the light in the end fella

 

      - Months at best; prior to this season Nigel had been excellent for the club, and wanting rid of him would have been one of the signs of madness.

[hackneyfox]

That's a whole new team.

This season has proved that was effectively what we needed.

The right back would have been a proper defensive full back as an alternative to De Laet.

The centre backs were straight replacements as were the strikers, winger and left back.

Ideally the goalie would have been as well as I've never rated Schmeichel, great shot stopper that he is no defence could ever feel confident with him behind them.

[Guest MattP]

People are really calling for a manager that just lost 4-0 at home to Villa and was almost being physically attacked by his own fans?

[Robin JD Popley]

I'm just suprised he is still here right now... How he avoided the chop for that dross on Saturday is one thing but his third misconduct incident of the season too? The man must have some proper leverage over someone at our club.

 

The more time we waste getting rid, it will only have more of a negative effect long term. Our players looked clueless at the weekend and that is his fault - no matter how anyone tries to sugar coat it.

[hackneyfox]

- Months at best; prior to this season Nigel had been excellent for the club, and wanting rid of him would have been one of the signs of madness.

Really?

That spineless team he put out in the first home play off?

That awful run prior to the playoff against Watford?

Some of the team selections and the vast majority of his substitutions?

In all his time here I have appreciated the 2 promotions, between those for me has been lacking and this season has backed up all I've always thought about him.

Much appreciation and thanks for the 2 promotions though.

[foxfanazer]

As much as I think his days are numbered here, the alternatives still look really underwhelming! Suggestions like Lambert and Poyet I just don't get?

I never want us to appoint for the short term and I just don't see any long term possibilities out there atm.

[Ricey]

I'm just suprised he is still here right now... How he avoided the chop for that dross on Saturday is one thing but his third misconduct incident of the season too? The man must have some proper leverage over someone at our club.

 

The more time we waste getting rid, it will only have more of a negative effect long term. Our players looked clueless at the weekend and that is his fault - no matter how anyone tries to sugar coat it.

 

After the debacle of that Sunday after the Palace game, the owners are probably taking their time with any decision.

 

I don't see much point in giving him the remainder of the season, I think it will only damage things further.

[The Doctor]

Really?

That spineless team he put out in the first home play off?

That awful run prior to the playoff against Watford?

Some of the team selections and the vast majority of his substitutions?

In all his time here I have appreciated the 2 promotions, between those for me has been lacking and this season has backed up all I've always thought about him.

Much appreciation and thanks for the 2 promotions though.

 

You mean the Cardiff playoff where we matched them and were denied a couple of obvious penalties when Cardiff decided to play basketball in the box, and lost thanks to Whittingham moving a freekick several yards forward?

The awful run was awful but was little more than a blip compared to the rest of his tenure. Prior to this season, he's clearly been good for the club - anyone who wanted him gone before this season is little more than wanting to cut off your nose to spite your face. Now, ttfn has summed it up perfectly in the other thread, but it's impossible not to be bemused by people who have wanted him sacked while he was turning us into a good championship side rather than the dross served up under Levein, Kelly, Allen, Megson, Hollowhead, Sousa and Sven.

[Robin JD Popley]

After the debacle of that Sunday after the Palace game, the owners are probably taking their time with any decision.

 

I don't see much point in giving him the remainder of the season, I think it will only damage things further.

 

That is a fair point Ricey; I just think his position is so untenable now. Most people don't want him here, as I said the other day I refuse to boo at any point during a game because it doesn't do anything but make you more frustrated but the boos that rang round our ground on Saturday plus the fact I'd say a good quarter of people left early... What does that say to our board?

 

(According to some people on here it probably makes them plastic fans but I'd be more inclined with they're ****ed off!)

[Babylon]

Really?

That spineless team he put out in the first home play off?

That awful run prior to the playoff against Watford?

Some of the team selections and the vast majority of his substitutions?

In all his time here I have appreciated the 2 promotions, between those for me has been lacking and this season has backed up all I've always thought about him.

Much appreciation and thanks for the 2 promotions though.

Your critisism over the years has been over the top and mostly unwarranted. We all know that, just look at your list.

 

Spineless team in first play off - no mention I suppose of being a newly promoted team actually making the play offs against an expensively assembled Cardiff team, with the unfortunate timing of the Wayne Brown incident days prior.

 

Awful run prior to Watford -  How about the brilliant run prior to the bad run that had us in the top two come Feb.

 

Some of the team selections and the vast majority of his substitutions? - The team selections and substitutions that got us to promotions and two play off finishes.

 

What happens when you ignore anything positive, you tend to only see the negative. He might be making a pigs ear of it this season, but the rest of his time here we've had noting but decent seasons. Other than the months after Sven went and he returned.