Steve McClaren

[Guest ElCid]

I saw about 40 minutes yesterday. Before Janmaat's sending off I was impressed by how determined we were to pass the ball around. The game was lost after the sending off, as Swansea away is the worst game to be down to 10 men.

 

Apart from Obertan, McClaren's team selections have been ok. As the season gets going Aarons and Perez will find their way into the side, hopefully Thauvin will sign too.

 

It's a horrible start, fixtures wise but there are some hopeful signs that a team is being rebuilt on the right foundations.

 

The defence remains a concern of course.

 

Sorry just don't agree one bit with what your saying. Team selection five players in that team should be nowhere near that pitch as first choice (Anita. Colback, Hiadara, Colo, Oberton) and you could add a 6th as there is noway Cisse should be playing as a lone  striker. Determined to pass the ball around do  you mean sideways and backwards as there are very few forward passes of the ball. I do agree about the defence but that's no surprisse when 50% of it as I said should be nowhere near first team choices and more worrying is that the alternatives are not up to scratch either.

 

that's true but who would have been in for colo, haidara, anita/colback?

 

we just don't have the squad.

 

obertan I agree with as there are 2 or 3 players should easily better than him in that position.

 

Should be getting players in but they're not and that's why until Ashley goes I will not be going back as the mistakes being made year after year are amateurish at best and a piss take at worst

[Mole_Toonfan]

Ideally neither of them (or Tiote) would be in the team.

 

[The College Dropout]

Untested kid with more CL experience than most of the squad.

 

Lerl.

Same applies to Mangala. And he struggled in his first PL season. It's a very different league.

[Tsunami]

When McClaren says he didn't learn anything new yesterday he's either confirming he already knew where we've got problems or he's just here for the ride after getting sacked by Derby. I see Cashley has distanced himself from the process of signings again. McClaren should be banging his door down. He needs reminding of his own words from the West Ham game.

[mozy]

I'm prepared to disassociate McClaren with Pardew and give him more than two games to make a judgement. And fwiw, I thought we went forward with a lot more of a gameplan than we have in ages against Southampton. Today was different cos we lost a man, were soon two down, and the game was completely gone.

 

We were rubbish going forward with 11 men too. There was just nothing in attack at all today.

 

We were definitely second best but I thought we had a couple of reasonable passages of play. There was plenty of that for 45 minutes against Southampton, too.

 

I just don't think you can extract anything from today. Any hope of a result was irreparably shattered by one player completely losing his nerve against a winger who had the better of him. I don't have any major issues with McClaren choosing to go for damage limitation; not in a game where it'd have taken an obscene performance to turn it around. Just put this one to bed and move onto the next one.

 

Just because he made a move that was undoubtedly negative doesn't mean he's Pardew mkII. The subs last week were pretty gash, granted, and I said so at the time.

 

I'd like to think that he's being patient with the set-up, with a mind for establishing a solid unit from the players available. I don't think it's a bad idea. Yes, there are plenty of talented options for the front six, and hopefully they'll start sneaking into the side once it's found a coherent formula for both attacking and defending as a unit.

 

Looking individually at the players waiting in the wings - Cisse has the nod over Perez, Cabella has been injured and Aarons is raw. The latter, by the way, has looked a promising player in the extremely fleeting appearances he's had, but I'm not up-in-arms that he doesn't get an immediate place on the teamsheet. We don't know much about him.

 

With the defensive personnel that we have, it's going to be difficult to forge a side that's always difficult to break down - particularly away from home. Like I say - he's aiming for something functional, much like Pardew did at the beginning of that 11/12 season. It doesn't mean that McClaren is Pardew - it means that he doesn't think we're going to fly immediately into playing swashbuckling football where the opposition are immediately pegged-back. Especially when our defense is likely to crumble without proper protection.

 

As I've said, I'm prepared to bide my time with McClaren in general, and I'm prepared to bide my time as far as seeing our best eleven out on the pitch. If, come Christmas, we're hovering in the bottom half of the table and he's still favouring the likes of Obertan over others who have more potential, I'll be concerned.

 

Most sensible post of the year.

[Dr Venkman]

 

When McClaren says he didn't learn anything new yesterday he's either confirming he already knew where we've got problems or he's just here for the ride after getting sacked by Derby. I see Cashley has distanced himself from the process of signings again. McClaren should be banging his door down. He needs reminding of his own words from the West Ham game.

 

If he was here for the ride I don't think he'd be discussing the possibility of learning something, because it wouldn't be a consideration for him.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

He's out of his depth, or rather NUFC and everything about it is too big an obstacle for him. He's at a club whose fans are utterly downbeat and pessimistic about everything and everyone and with good reason, whose transfer policy is ridiculous and whose owner only wants survival and maximum exposure for his sports stores.

 

McClaren is a good coach with a seemingly good backroom team around him, a coach with obvious ambition. But NUFC just isn't right for him and he isn't right for us. We will struggle to finish top ten this season and may even flirt with relegation. And then what about next season? Maybe finish 10th or 8th?

 

NUFC needed a whole new turnaround. A brave and exciting manager who wouldn't have a Colback or Obertan even in reserves never mind the first-team, someone who can excite fans and make them believe and the squad needs at least 100m of money spent on it. The signings thus far are all an unknown quantity and are as likely to fail than succeed.

 

It will be a continuation of Pardew, without the smugness, bull shit, crazy defeats and total tactical blackouts. Top 10 is our best hope under McClaren.

 

Well, bowl me over, where do I sign for that season ticket...

 

I'm no footy expert so I'm no as clued up as others but none of our new signings excite me or make me feel like we are making massive inroads. In fact, we are are as far away player and squad wise from where we need/must be as we have been under Ashley post Hughton. We desperately need a genuine PL goalscorer, a commanding experienced PL centre-back, cover in goal of decent quality, a LB and cover at FB and genuine width for the flanks.

 

We have Cisse to rely on as our only genuine PL goalscorer, and he is hot and cold. Colo is shot and this new fella is only young and will need time. Hadieria is young and not ready and we need cover for Janmaat. We have no width at present either. Aarons is young and inexperienced and Obertan is fucking shit. Sissoko is not a winger.

 

The fact Colback and Anita are starting and there is no place for Perez is also alarming from McClaren. Its Pardew level shit to be honest.

[Collage]

It will be a continuation of Pardew, without the smugness, bull s***, crazy defeats and total tactical blackouts.

 

"It will be a continuation of Pardew, except nothing like Pardew"

[54]

He's out of his depth, or rather NUFC and everything about it is too big an obstacle for him. He's at a club whose fans are utterly downbeat and pessimistic about everything and everyone and with good reason, whose transfer policy is ridiculous and whose owner only wants survival and maximum exposure for his sports stores.

 

McClaren is a good coach with a seemingly good backroom team around him, a coach with obvious ambition. But NUFC just isn't right for him and he isn't right for us. We will struggle to finish top ten this season and may even flirt with relegation. And then what about next season? Maybe finish 10th or 8th?

 

NUFC needed a whole new turnaround. A brave and exciting manager who wouldn't have a Colback or Obertan even in reserves never mind the first-team, someone who can excite fans and make them believe and the squad needs at least 100m of money spent on it. The signings thus far are all an unknown quantity and are as likely to fail than succeed.

 

It will be a continuation of Pardew, without the smugness, bull shit, crazy defeats and total tactical blackouts. Top 10 is our best hope under McClaren.

 

Well, bowl me over, where do I sign for that season ticket...

 

I'm no footy expert so I'm no as clued up as others but none of our new signings excite me or make me feel like we are making massive inroads. In fact, we are are as far away player and squad wise from where we need/must be as we have been under Ashley post Hughton. We desperately need a genuine PL goalscorer, a commanding experienced PL centre-back, cover in goal of decent quality, a LB and cover at FB and genuine width for the flanks.

 

We have Cisse to rely on as our only genuine PL goalscorer, and he is hot and cold. Colo is shot and this new fella is only young and will need time. Hadieria is young and not ready and we need cover for Janmaat. We have no width at present either. Aarons is young and inexperienced and Obertan is fucking shit. Sissoko is not a winger.

 

The fact Colback and Anita are starting and there is no place for Perez is also alarming from McClaren. Its Pardew level shit to be honest.

He played 2 competitive games man, way to early to give judgement, obviously it's going to take time for him to realise people like Obertan won't work, and so far he has done everything Pardew wouldnt, so that comparison is a bit weird. Just give the guy time imo.

[Pilko]

I'm no footy expert

 

[Guest palnese]

[Vinny Green Balls]

:lol:

[Guest Howaythetoon]

He's out of his depth, or rather NUFC and everything about it is too big an obstacle for him. He's at a club whose fans are utterly downbeat and pessimistic about everything and everyone and with good reason, whose transfer policy is ridiculous and whose owner only wants survival and maximum exposure for his sports stores.

 

McClaren is a good coach with a seemingly good backroom team around him, a coach with obvious ambition. But NUFC just isn't right for him and he isn't right for us. We will struggle to finish top ten this season and may even flirt with relegation. And then what about next season? Maybe finish 10th or 8th?

 

NUFC needed a whole new turnaround. A brave and exciting manager who wouldn't have a Colback or Obertan even in reserves never mind the first-team, someone who can excite fans and make them believe and the squad needs at least 100m of money spent on it. The signings thus far are all an unknown quantity and are as likely to fail than succeed.

 

It will be a continuation of Pardew, without the smugness, bull s***, crazy defeats and total tactical blackouts. Top 10 is our best hope under McClaren.

 

Well, bowl me over, where do I sign for that season ticket...

 

I'm no footy expert so I'm no as clued up as others but none of our new signings excite me or make me feel like we are making massive inroads. In fact, we are are as far away player and squad wise from where we need/must be as we have been under Ashley post Hughton. We desperately need a genuine PL goalscorer, a commanding experienced PL centre-back, cover in goal of decent quality, a LB and cover at FB and genuine width for the flanks.

 

We have Cisse to rely on as our only genuine PL goalscorer, and he is hot and cold. Colo is shot and this new fella is only young and will need time. Hadieria is young and not ready and we need cover for Janmaat. We have no width at present either. Aarons is young and inexperienced and Obertan is f***ing s***. Sissoko is not a winger.

 

The fact Colback and Anita are starting and there is no place for Perez is also alarming from McClaren. Its Pardew level s*** to be honest.

 

Admire your desire to write such a detailed opinion, but it's way to early to even contemplate making a judgement. Give the guy a chance. He might just surprise you.

 

I'm not arsed either way so he can stay here a year or 5. He won't surprise anyone though.

[AY]

What is realistic expectation tho? I don't think we could challenge for top 4 no matter how much we invest. The best players will always go to bigger teams. Top 8 or maybe top 6 is pretty much the highest we can hope. And not for a while.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Meh, pretty sure i'm seeing the same things being said everyweek. After a while it has to get boring to repeat yourself no?

[TRon]

 

 

McClaren is a good coach with a seemingly good backroom team around him, a coach with obvious ambition. But NUFC just isn't right for him and he isn't right for us. We will struggle to finish top ten this season and may even flirt with relegation. And then what about next season? Maybe finish 10th or 8th?

 

 

 

Well if we do all that and play better (read actual) football, then we are still making progress. I'm not convinced about McClaren either at this point, but I am convinced he and his team are a massive improvement on Pardew/Charver & co. One step at a time.

[samptime29]

He's out of his depth, or rather NUFC and everything about it is too big an obstacle for him. He's at a club whose fans are utterly downbeat and pessimistic about everything and everyone and with good reason, whose transfer policy is ridiculous and whose owner only wants survival and maximum exposure for his sports stores.

 

McClaren is a good coach with a seemingly good backroom team around him, a coach with obvious ambition. But NUFC just isn't right for him and he isn't right for us. We will struggle to finish top ten this season and may even flirt with relegation. And then what about next season? Maybe finish 10th or 8th?

 

NUFC needed a whole new turnaround. A brave and exciting manager who wouldn't have a Colback or Obertan even in reserves never mind the first-team, someone who can excite fans and make them believe and the squad needs at least 100m of money spent on it. The signings thus far are all an unknown quantity and are as likely to fail than succeed.

 

It will be a continuation of Pardew, without the smugness, bull s***, crazy defeats and total tactical blackouts. Top 10 is our best hope under McClaren.

 

Well, bowl me over, where do I sign for that season ticket...

 

I'm no footy expert so I'm no as clued up as others but none of our new signings excite me or make me feel like we are making massive inroads. In fact, we are are as far away player and squad wise from where we need/must be as we have been under Ashley post Hughton. We desperately need a genuine PL goalscorer, a commanding experienced PL centre-back, cover in goal of decent quality, a LB and cover at FB and genuine width for the flanks.

 

We have Cisse to rely on as our only genuine PL goalscorer, and he is hot and cold. Colo is shot and this new fella is only young and will need time. Hadieria is young and not ready and we need cover for Janmaat. We have no width at present either. Aarons is young and inexperienced and Obertan is f***ing s***. Sissoko is not a winger.

 

The fact Colback and Anita are starting and there is no place for Perez is also alarming from McClaren. Its Pardew level s*** to be honest.

 

Jesus Christ, we've played 2 games! 

[huss9]

lack of defensive recruits is worrying. no way the fat man is going to sanction much more in the way of spending if we sign thauvin.

[Hanshithispantz]

He's out of his depth, or rather NUFC and everything about it is too big an obstacle for him. He's at a club whose fans are utterly downbeat and pessimistic about everything and everyone and with good reason, whose transfer policy is ridiculous and whose owner only wants survival and maximum exposure for his sports stores.

 

McClaren is a good coach with a seemingly good backroom team around him, a coach with obvious ambition. But NUFC just isn't right for him and he isn't right for us. We will struggle to finish top ten this season and may even flirt with relegation. And then what about next season? Maybe finish 10th or 8th?

 

NUFC needed a whole new turnaround. A brave and exciting manager who wouldn't have a Colback or Obertan even in reserves never mind the first-team, someone who can excite fans and make them believe and the squad needs at least 100m of money spent on it. The signings thus far are all an unknown quantity and are as likely to fail than succeed.

 

It will be a continuation of Pardew, without the smugness, bull s***, crazy defeats and total tactical blackouts. Top 10 is our best hope under McClaren.

 

Well, bowl me over, where do I sign for that season ticket...

 

I'm no footy expert so I'm no as clued up as others but none of our new signings excite me or make me feel like we are making massive inroads. In fact, we are are as far away player and squad wise from where we need/must be as we have been under Ashley post Hughton. We desperately need a genuine PL goalscorer, a commanding experienced PL centre-back, cover in goal of decent quality, a LB and cover at FB and genuine width for the flanks.

 

We have Cisse to rely on as our only genuine PL goalscorer, and he is hot and cold. Colo is shot and this new fella is only young and will need time. Hadieria is young and not ready and we need cover for Janmaat. We have no width at present either. Aarons is young and inexperienced and Obertan is f***ing s***. Sissoko is not a winger.

 

The fact Colback and Anita are starting and there is no place for Perez is also alarming from McClaren. Its Pardew level s*** to be honest.

 

Jesus Christ, we've played 2 games! 

2 games on the back of being shite for 4 year and our answer to this was to ignore improving the squad and hire some shit cunt.

[Yorkie]

I'm just so exhausted from hating, I simply have to give him time. He might do a shit job - well aware of that possibility, but at a glance he appears to have more of a game plan than Pardew.

[KaKa]

He's out of his depth, or rather NUFC and everything about it is too big an obstacle for him. He's at a club whose fans are utterly downbeat and pessimistic about everything and everyone and with good reason, whose transfer policy is ridiculous and whose owner only wants survival and maximum exposure for his sports stores.

 

McClaren is a good coach with a seemingly good backroom team around him, a coach with obvious ambition. But NUFC just isn't right for him and he isn't right for us. We will struggle to finish top ten this season and may even flirt with relegation. And then what about next season? Maybe finish 10th or 8th?

 

NUFC needed a whole new turnaround. A brave and exciting manager who wouldn't have a Colback or Obertan even in reserves never mind the first-team, someone who can excite fans and make them believe and the squad needs at least 100m of money spent on it. The signings thus far are all an unknown quantity and are as likely to fail than succeed.

 

It will be a continuation of Pardew, without the smugness, bull s***, crazy defeats and total tactical blackouts. Top 10 is our best hope under McClaren.

 

Well, bowl me over, where do I sign for that season ticket...

 

I'm no footy expert so I'm no as clued up as others but none of our new signings excite me or make me feel like we are making massive inroads. In fact, we are are as far away player and squad wise from where we need/must be as we have been under Ashley post Hughton. We desperately need a genuine PL goalscorer, a commanding experienced PL centre-back, cover in goal of decent quality, a LB and cover at FB and genuine width for the flanks.

 

We have Cisse to rely on as our only genuine PL goalscorer, and he is hot and cold. Colo is shot and this new fella is only young and will need time. Hadieria is young and not ready and we need cover for Janmaat. We have no width at present either. Aarons is young and inexperienced and Obertan is f***ing s***. Sissoko is not a winger.

 

The fact Colback and Anita are starting and there is no place for Perez is also alarming from McClaren. Its Pardew level s*** to be honest.

 

Jesus Christ, we've played 2 games! 

 

An extraordinaire diatribe. 

[Yorkie]

Like I said after the game, I think he's trying to simply build a coherent unit at the moment. He's going for something functional and I honestly don't think that's a bad way to attack it, given that 99% of the team is the same team that lost 8 on the trot recently. We're riddled with a losing mentality that has suffered from negative, reactionary tactics fitted to contain the opposition every week - regardless of who it is. There was never, aside from 11/12, something you could call 'our way' under Pardew. Ever since we lost 4-0 at Wigan, the team has been set up with each individual opposition in mind - it's going to take time to establish our own personality.

 

If we're going to establish that personality, we need to go back to basics first. Morale is a factor too, so avoiding incoming hammerings like at the weekend is important, hence why I didn't have any real problems with the 4140.

[Pilko]

Like I said after the game, I think he's trying to simply build a coherent unit at the moment. He's going for something functional and I honestly don't think that's a bad way to attack it, given that 99% of the team is the same team that lost 8 on the trot recently. We're riddled with a losing mentality that has suffered from negative, reactionary tactics fitted to contain the opposition every week - regardless of who it is. There was never, aside from 11/12, something you could call 'our way' under Pardew. Ever since we lost 4-0 at Wigan, the team has been set up with each individual opposition in mind - it's going to take time to establish our own personality.

 

If we're going to establish that personality, we need to go back to basics first. Morale is a factor too, so avoiding incoming hammerings like at the weekend is important, hence why I didn't have any real problems with the 4140.

 

Completely agree with all of this. No matter who the new manager was, the restrictions in terms of not being able to radically overhaul the squad would always make improvement a gradual process, after three years of absolute dirge. Anyone who is already whining about Steve McClaren after 2 games must be off their fucking tits

[Hanshithispantz]

Every man and his dog was whining about his appointment 6 months before he got the gig, and they'd still be whining now if it wasn't for some arbitrary requirement to accept any shite we're given until they prove what we already know, that they're not good enough.

 

But aye nowt will change under Mike so whatever, I cannot force myself to like it so I may aswell twist on about it.

[Exiled in Texas]

He's out of his depth, or rather NUFC and everything about it is too big an obstacle for him. He's at a club whose fans are utterly downbeat and pessimistic about everything and everyone and with good reason, whose transfer policy is ridiculous and whose owner only wants survival and maximum exposure for his sports stores.

 

McClaren is a good coach with a seemingly good backroom team around him, a coach with obvious ambition. But NUFC just isn't right for him and he isn't right for us. We will struggle to finish top ten this season and may even flirt with relegation. And then what about next season? Maybe finish 10th or 8th?

 

NUFC needed a whole new turnaround. A brave and exciting manager who wouldn't have a Colback or Obertan even in reserves never mind the first-team, someone who can excite fans and make them believe and the squad needs at least 100m of money spent on it. The signings thus far are all an unknown quantity and are as likely to fail than succeed.

 

It will be a continuation of Pardew, without the smugness, bull s***, crazy defeats and total tactical blackouts. Top 10 is our best hope under McClaren.

 

Well, bowl me over, where do I sign for that season ticket...

 

I'm no footy expert so I'm no as clued up as others but none of our new signings excite me or make me feel like we are making massive inroads. In fact, we are are as far away player and squad wise from where we need/must be as we have been under Ashley post Hughton. We desperately need a genuine PL goalscorer, a commanding experienced PL centre-back, cover in goal of decent quality, a LB and cover at FB and genuine width for the flanks.

 

We have Cisse to rely on as our only genuine PL goalscorer, and he is hot and cold. Colo is shot and this new fella is only young and will need time. Hadieria is young and not ready and we need cover for Janmaat. We have no width at present either. Aarons is young and inexperienced and Obertan is f***ing s***. Sissoko is not a winger.

 

The fact Colback and Anita are starting and there is no place for Perez is also alarming from McClaren. Its Pardew level s*** to be honest.

 

Wouldn't top 10 be an improvement for this season and/or next?

 

I agree that in 5 years time we would like to be more than "just 10th" but getting up to 10th this season would be good. And I would take

a continuation of Pardew, without the smugness, bull s***, crazy defeats and total tactical blackouts. Top 10 is our best hope under McClaren.

for now while we work on getting better looking football and ultimately better results.