Steve McClaren

[timeEd32]

Former Ajax skipper De Jong - who knows McClaren well from his days as FC Twente boss - told the American media after the game: “I think he’s a good coach who really knows what he wants. You saw tonight that we improved on some aspects of the game compared to (what we were playing) especially the end of the season last season.

 

“We want to play more from the back and keep the ball a little bit more.

[Pons Alias]

Anita needs to be playing when the the system has 3 in midfield like, I'd never have him in a version of 4-4-2.  Anyone who would needs their head read.

 

He's a player who could be very, very useful in the right system but if we're not going to play such a system it's pointless persevering with him tbh.

 

We were told this when we signed him.

[Kanji]

Anita needs to be playing when the the system has 3 in midfield like, I'd never have him in a version of 4-4-2.  Anyone who would needs their head read.

 

He's a player who could be very, very useful in the right system but if we're not going to play such a system it's pointless persevering with him tbh.

 

We were told this when we signed him.

 

Pons Alias...Sewelly's alter ego?

[TRon]

Anita needs to be playing when the the system has 3 in midfield like, I'd never have him in a version of 4-4-2.  Anyone who would needs their head read.

 

He's a player who could be very, very useful in the right system but if we're not going to play such a system it's pointless persevering with him tbh.

 

Colback shouldn't be starting in either system.

 

I've basically thought any time we play a small central midfielder you need to have 3 in midfield as they generally don't cover as much ground effectively box to box. That goes for Cabaye, Colback and Anita. Of those, probably Anita manages to close down players better as he's quicker over the ground.

[Marmoset]

Glad we're finally seeming to be aiming to develop a decent playing style.

 

Probably won't happen perfectly overnight though so I hope there's a bit of patience from the staff and fans if it doesn't immediately click and results aren't great to start with.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I like McClaren and rate him somewhat, but I have a strange feeling that this will all go pear shaped in a similar vain to how it went for Big Sam, but without the sacking from Ashley. It has that kind of feel for me.

[Elliottman]

I like McClaren and rate him somewhat, but I have a strange feeling that this will all go pear shaped in a similar vain to how it went for Big Sam, but without the sacking from Ashley. It has that kind of feel for me.

 

how come?

 

really can't see the comparison at all.

[timeEd32]

I like McClaren and rate him somewhat, but I have a strange feeling that this will all go pear shaped in a similar vain to how it went for Big Sam, but without the sacking from Ashley. It has that kind of feel for me.

 

I'm scared to ask, but what could that possibly be based on?

[KaKa]

I like McClaren and rate him somewhat, but I have a strange feeling that this will all go pear shaped in a similar vain to how it went for Big Sam, but without the sacking from Ashley. It has that kind of feel for me.

 

Nope. The players we appear to be after, and the quality of support staff makes it feel like we will do well.

[DJ_NUFC]

Allardyce had the stench of defeatism, a reputation for turgid football, and being an ugly fat fuck about him. Not to mention he proved his ineptitude with the transfers he brought in. He was always going to struggle in a club where all the fans want is a decent playing style. It's the one thing he's not really about. It was doomed from the beginning.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I don't mean based on the actual football, but based on the 'new dawn' scenario that seems to be being promoted at the moment. Big Sam was Shepherd's so-called wake up call, his big chance to move on from the previous type of set-up. This is Ashley's first real appointment for me, Pardew was Llambias' decision, this is Ashley's man. His Big Sam appointment if you like.

 

I just think he will fail outright. We won't get the right players needed and we will have another poor to average season. Fans will eventually turn and even more big style than with Pardew et al. McClaren doesn't have the charisma, con-man type skills and good will to keep any angst away anyway.

 

He badly needs 6 top quality players at least just to transform us from relegation candidates to top 8, and that isn't going to happen.

 

I will stick my neck out here and say he will walk long before his contract is up. Under another owner and with backing, McClaren would achieve something tangible. Under Ashley though, well its only ever going to be failure.

 

Top 8 seems to be the ultimate aim, but seriously? I'm not inspired one bit and see nothing but another 3 or so years of Pardew, minus the cuntishness and huge hammerings.

 

I hope I'm wrong because I like McClaren and regard him as a top-class coach and a decent manager in general. We are a busted flush however...

[Ashley17]

So hang on, Pardew had us midtable despite all his massive failings, but we need 6 top class players to move us into the top 8? I'm not sure I go along with that, getting the best out of what we've got will get us to midtable and with 3 or 4 additions we can break the top 8, one of which we've already got. We're in desperate need of one or two as a bare minimum as we all know, but the league is of fairly poor quality.

[Guest chopey]

In our current squad what we lack in quality we make up for in numbers

[Unbelievable]

In our current squad what we lack in quality we make up for in numbers

 

 

I'm with HTT on this one. Ultimately we are still operating under Ashley's flawed model and it will once again fail to deliver what they promised.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

So hang on, Pardew had us midtable despite all his massive failings, but we need 6 top class players to move us into the top 8? I'm not sure I go along with that, getting the best out of what we've got will get us to midtable and with 3 or 4 additions we can break the top 8, one of which we've already got. We're in desperate need of one or two as a bare minimum as we all know, but the league is of fairly poor quality.

 

Pardew had us flirting with relegation and with this squad, from 16th to 8, 8 places, is a huge jump given the paucity of talent or required skills on offer. We need lots of talent and soon otherwise its another extremely average season. McClaren and co will see to it that we won't be fighting relegation even given our current squad, but we will struggle to break the top ten and even if we do get x number of quality players and finish 8th, sorry but that does not excite me one bit!

[Ashley17]

Well no, it's not exciting and it never will be until there's a change of attitude at boardroom level. In Pardew's final season, he had this squad midtable, and there's not much changed since then. We'd been in the bottom 3 but we were also in the top 5 at one stage, midtable was about average

[Disco]

Our squad is/was absolutely toss, handily so has the league been in the last 2-3 years.

[Wallace]

Top 8 is way beyond us without some serious investment and even then I am not sure it would be enough.

 

All the other teams are also aiming for the top 10 and most of those were in a better place than us at the end of last season and have already improved their squads.  McClaren would have to be some sort of genius for get us into the top 8 and I don't rate him that highly.  I just think with some backing, he will do an OK job.

 

[Yorkie]

He's here to do a maximum of an okay job, and I think be probably will. Tbh nothing would surprise me. I'd be as surprised if we signed 6 players as I would be if we signed 0. Likewise if we finished 7th or finished 18th.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Top 8 is way beyond us without some serious investment and even then I am not sure it would be enough.

 

All the other teams are also aiming for the top 10 and most of those were in a better place than us at the end of last season and have already improved their squads.  McClaren would have to be some sort of genius for get us into the top 8 and I don't rate him that highly.  I just think with some backing, he will do an OK job.

 

Think you are vastly overestimating the quality of the Premier League tbh.

[ponsaelius]

We had the worst run (in terms of both results and the degree of ineptitude) I've ever seen a top flight football team have and we still stayed up by 4 points. McClaren will get us mid-table with his eyes closed IMO, especially if we get a CB and a striker of note.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I don't think the league is particularly bad TBH. It'll always seem that way if all you're looking at are the three shit teams that keep you up. The top (approximately) six are pretty strong, and a couple of the promoted teams did really well too.

[Hanshithispantz]

I'd be massively surprised if we finish outside of the top 10 like.

[Hanshithispantz]

I don't think the league is particularly bad TBH. It'll always seem that way if all you're looking at are the three shit teams that keep you up. The top (approximately) six are pretty strong, and a couple of the promoted teams did really well too.

John Carver had a 15% win rate for half of the season and we finished 9 points lower than 10th place Crystal Palace, managed by Alan Pardew.

[Mole_Toonfan]

I don't think the league is particularly bad TBH. It'll always seem that way if all you're looking at are the three s*** teams that keep you up. The top (approximately) six are pretty strong, and a couple of the promoted teams did really well too.

 

Outside the top 5 or 6 it's bang average at best IMO, even Spurs i don't think are that good tbh.