Steve McClaren

[huss9]

would rather he had spent £25m on defenders and only £10m on a striker if he was that limited by funds.

 

 

[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.

[huss9]

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.

[The College Dropout]

what are you talking about/who are you talking to?

 

what you've said in the last 3 posts is absolutely correct btw but what would your solution be?  seems like most people here just want to continue with what we've got on the assumption that the pardew factor will wear off in time

 

it won't, it needs eradicating from the club with better personnel selections, tactical setups and an acknowledgement that we have the worst defence in the league, or at least one of the worst 2 or 3

 

I'm someone who doesn't believe in the "Pardew factor". IMO Pardew as a PL manager based on results is a 4. McClaren a 5. To me, nothing changed for me. The problem is still here. Mike Ashley. Honestly, we need a CB, LB at the very least to become a solid unit. Won't happen.

[mrmojorisin75]

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.

 

obertan should never have been allowed to play games while aarons is alive and colo should never have been handed the captaincy and a new contract thus basically guaranteeing him a place at the heart of the defence

 

colback and anita should not be starting together in midfield and cisse should not be playing as a lone striker with a perfect lone striker just signed sitting getting angry on the bench

 

in terms of what mclaren has got wrong/right so far he's not doing fucking great

[mrmojorisin75]

what are you talking about/who are you talking to?

 

what you've said in the last 3 posts is absolutely correct btw but what would your solution be?  seems like most people here just want to continue with what we've got on the assumption that the pardew factor will wear off in time

 

it won't, it needs eradicating from the club with better personnel selections, tactical setups and an acknowledgement that we have the worst defence in the league, or at least one of the worst 2 or 3

 

I'm someone who doesn't believe in the "Pardew factor". IMO Pardew as a PL manager based on results is a 4. McClaren a 5. To me, nothing changed for me. The problem is still here. Mike Ashley. Honestly, we need a CB, LB at the very least to become a solid unit. Won't happen.

 

go to the mike ashley thread then

 

we're discussing mclaren here the same way we discussed everything that pardew got wrong when he manager, ashley might place restrictions but it's their job to rise above those restrictions and improve what they have

 

mclaren, like pardew, knew what he was signing up for

[The College Dropout]

"Their job is to rise above those restrictions"

 

It's not like.

 

I can berate McClaren for being bang average but I can't be bothered. I don't see us dramatically improving the way some others do if we stick with the core of:

Colo Mbemba

Anita Colback

Cisse

 

I'd be tempted to try fistpumps eventually.

[mrmojorisin75]

"Their job is to rise above those restrictions"

 

It's not like.

 

I can berate McClaren for being bang average but I can't be bothered. I don't see us dramatically improving the way some others do if we stick with the core of:

Colo Mbemba

Anita Colback

Cisse

 

I'd be tempted to try fistpumps eventually.

 

is this a joke?

 

firstly what's the job of a football manager if not to get the best out of what he's handed to work with?

 

secondly bolded you've highlighted everything that mclaren specifically is getting wrong through his own choices   he's the only one on the planet who would choose this core ffs

[The College Dropout]

I'm not defending McClaren - i've never rated him.

 

Right now we are below par (which is midtable). If we are to avoid a very tough season Colo & Cisse need to go at the very least.

 

But it's difficult when the alternatives are Fistpumps and an untested kid in the PL.

[Twinport53]

I'm not defending McClaren - i've never rated him.

 

Right now we are below par (which is midtable). If we are to avoid a very tough season Colo & Cisse need to go at the very least.

 

But it's difficult when the alternatives are Fistpumps and an untested kid in the PL.

 

I assume you mean Mitrovic? Who had more touches and won more headers in 13 minutes, than Cisse did in 60'?

[mrmojorisin75]

I'm not defending McClaren - i've never rated him.

 

Right now we are below par (which is midtable). If we are to avoid a very tough season Colo & Cisse need to go at the very least.

 

But it's difficult when the alternatives are Fistpumps and an untested kid in the PL.

 

he's chosen to back colo and offer him a new contract when everyone knows his finished

he's chosen to play anita and colback as protection for one of the worst defences the league has seen in the last 2-3 years, not even pardew was this fucking stupid

he's chosen to play obertan ahead of genuine talent like aarons and perez

he's chosen to play cisse as a lone striker which he's been poor (at best) at in his entire 4 years at the club

 

these are steve mclarens choices, not mike ashleys - there are alternatives to all of them, some of them tactical rather than personnel, but there are alternatives, at the moment he's making a lot of wrong decisions

[The College Dropout]

I'm not defending McClaren - i've never rated him.

 

Right now we are below par (which is midtable). If we are to avoid a very tough season Colo & Cisse need to go at the very least.

 

But it's difficult when the alternatives are Fistpumps and an untested kid in the PL.

 

I assume you mean Mitrovic? Who had more touches and won more headers in 13 minutes, than Cisse did in 60'?

 

I'm not disagreeing with you ffs. There's just a chance he won't be the answer. The sooner we find out the better obviously.

 

But overall the squad isn't where it needs to be. Any manager will make mistakes, especially a bang average one. I'm sure Cisse is for the hook soon, Obertan too. It's that midfield and Colo that I think might take a long time.

[Twinport53]

I'm not defending McClaren - i've never rated him.

 

Right now we are below par (which is midtable). If we are to avoid a very tough season Colo & Cisse need to go at the very least.

 

But it's difficult when the alternatives are Fistpumps and an untested kid in the PL.

 

I assume you mean Mitrovic? Who had more touches and won more headers in 13 minutes, than Cisse did in 60'?

 

I'm not disagreeing with you ffs. There's just a chance he won't be the answer. The sooner we find out the better obviously.

 

But overall the squad isn't where it needs to be. Any manager will make mistakes, especially a bang average one. I'm sure Cisse is for the hook soon, Obertan too. It's that midfield and Colo that I think might take a long time.

 

You said yourself it's difficult to take Cisse out when the replacement is an untested kid. Yet the untested kid performed better in 1/4 of the same pitch time. Doesn't sound like a difficult choice at all.

 

Nobody on this board could make a case for not bringing Mitrovic into the team at any point. Yet here you are.

[Mole_Toonfan]

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

 

Lerl.

[Twinport53]

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

 

Lerl.

 

Cisse was fucking around in Ligue 2 with Metz around the age of 21, I think. So yeah, hard decisions.

[Cronky]

With Mitrovic, I think it's probably a question of fitness rather than lack of experience. Certainly, if he can't replace Cisse as main striker we'll be in trouble. Cisse doesn't have the all round ability or the heart for that role.

 

A CB who can replace Colo, and a CM who can replace Anita should be the priorities. Anita is doing okay, but doesn't protect the back four well enough.

[Twinport53]

With Mitrovic, I think it's probably a question of fitness rather than lack of experience. Certainly, if he can't replace Cisse as main striker we'll be in trouble. Cisse doesn't have the all round ability or the heart for that role.

 

A CB who can replace Colo, and a CM who can replace Anita should be the priorities. Anita is doing okay, but doesn't protect the back four well enough.

 

As opposed to the Jack "iron curtain" Colback?

[Ronaldo]

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

[ponsaelius]

Our central midfield is an absolute joke. Colback/Anita are both crap at most things.

[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.