Steve McClaren

[Guest ElCid]

We spent the majority of two games against the two best possession teams in the league, with a man down ffs

 

In order to reverse the utter rubbish we'd been served up by al pards in the last few years, SMC needed to get back to basics. Professional attitude on and off the pitch, respect for the fans, better communication, proper coaches and backroom staff, and a solid defensive shape that should become hard to break down. This is a game where the 11 players on the pitch (haha) at any given time need to make collective and individual decisions in split seconds. You can't influence that in 5 minutes. It takes bloody time. It's nowhere near good enough at the moment, but McClaren has earned the chance to show what he wants to do.

 

No one's saying we'll win the league next year or owt. But not seeing encouraging signs from the evidence we've had so far is just being stubborn for the sake of it.

 

So by playing two players who can't pass the ball more than 10 yards sideways and backwards, are physically out muscled consistently every game and leaving your main striker isolated without service is the way forward. I can't see encouraging signs it just reminds me of last year but instead of hoofing the ball forward we are now trying to play keep the ball with 10 yard balls between the defence and Colback/Anita. As an attacking force we are virtually a non entity currently - sorry when I see basic mistakes being made which are so obvious then I will call it. If your happy with that so be it but don't know how you can be to be honest. Yes we have been down to 10 men but before we were the team was set up wrong at Swansea and against Arsenal. Add to the fact Sissoko is not a winger and Perez being dropped again (or even De Jong) not being selected to the detriment of the team and resulting in your main striker being totally isolated, then I'm sorry that is certainly not  an improvement.

 

I've clearly said that the way we're playing is still nowhere near good enough for the future. The fact that he has gone back to basics with the stuff I've highlighted bodes well in that he has to start from somewhere. I also have gripes about the 2 tiny dancers in midfield, and I don't think it's how we should line up once we have settled as a squad with new players and totally new management. I am however willing to be patient and let the new coaching do its job, as the signs are encouraging.

 

I disagree about the encouraging  signs as you can't be when he is getting a basic and obvious error in playing these two AND continuing to do it. I put money on it now that he doesn't change it anytime soon either and let's see then if your still saying encouraging signs.

[mozy]

Get a f***ing grip.

 

Stop acting like a tool ... how about an intelligent articulate response to defend your points .... 'Get a grip' is hardly Rene Descartes stuff is it ... either that or don't reply at all.

 

This wasn't actually even in response to anything you said, unless you are just a Pseudonym of TCD. Saying that, I absolutely think you, ElCid and TCD need to get a fucking grip. Why?

 

Because we have played 4 league games in the 2015/2016 season. This coming after 4 years of a team being built around Mike Williamson's lack of pace/ability and relying almost entirely on luck and Moussa Sissoko counter attacks to score goals. How long do you expect it to take players to adjust to a system that is based around actual passing and movement? I expect to see incremental signs of improvement, which 99% of people agree are happening.

 

I can understand people having questions about team selection and formations etc, but to say this is more of the same Pardew shit and that you're writing McClaren off after 4 games is idiotic.

[The College Dropout]

This is the Steve MC side I was expecting though. Well organised and defensive. He's done well to sort the defence out but we don't look like scoring. Aye, we are passing it but i'd rather look like scoring.

[ilikenewcastle]

This is the Steve MC side I was expecting though. Well organised and defensive. He's done well to sort the defence out but we don't look like scoring. Aye, we are passing it but i'd rather look like scoring.

 

To be fair, we've had 2 games with 10 men against superior teams and a game at Old Trafford where we probably produced more chances than we'd have expected. If we're not creating against West Ham and Watford I'll start to worry.

[The College Dropout]

This is the Steve MC side I was expecting though. Well organised and defensive. He's done well to sort the defence out but we don't look like scoring. Aye, we are passing it but i'd rather look like scoring.

 

To be fair, we've had 2 games with 10 men against superior teams and a game at Old Trafford where we probably produced more chances than we'd have expected. If we're not creating against West Ham and Watford I'll start to worry.

Let's be honest. Didn't look like scoring against swansea anyway. Ditto Arsenal.

 

 

2 half chances and one genuine chance is hardly anything to talk about in attacking terms.

 

 

I don't consider any of the teams we'v faced to be real untouchable top quality.

[Fenham Mag]

This is the Steve MC side I was expecting though. Well organised and defensive. He's done well to sort the defence out but we don't look like scoring. Aye, we are passing it but i'd rather look like scoring.

 

We look more attacking than Pardew's side, even with only 10 men.

[Gallowgate Toon]

This is the Steve MC side I was expecting though. Well organised and defensive. He's done well to sort the defence out but we don't look like scoring. Aye, we are passing it but i'd rather look like scoring.

 

To be fair, we've had 2 games with 10 men against superior teams and a game at Old Trafford where we probably produced more chances than we'd have expected. If we're not creating against West Ham and Watford I'll start to worry.

Let's be honest. Didn't look like scoring against swansea anyway. Ditto Arsenal.

 

 

2 half chances and one genuine chance is hardly anything to talk about in attacking terms.

 

 

I don't consider any of the teams we'v faced to be real untouchable top quality.

 

Pretty sure McClaren himself has said the passing/attacking would come later, the focus is on making us solid first. After last season, he has to be super careful with confidence, especially as do/did have quite a tough opening run of games. I think there's a plan in place and this has to be remembered, it took us quite a while to look an attacking force under KK when he came back, let's not forget.

[The College Dropout]

But KK is known for attacking football. My opinion of SMC is that he's defensive. He's not in Sam's league of awfulness but Big Sam would say the same shit.

[themanupstairs]

This is the Steve MC side I was expecting though. Well organised and defensive. He's done well to sort the defence out but we don't look like scoring. Aye, we are passing it but i'd rather look like scoring.

 

To be fair, we've had 2 games with 10 men against superior teams and a game at Old Trafford where we probably produced more chances than we'd have expected. If we're not creating against West Ham and Watford I'll start to worry.

Let's be honest. Didn't look like scoring against swansea anyway. Ditto Arsenal.

 

 

2 half chances and one genuine chance is hardly anything to talk about in attacking terms.

 

 

I don't consider any of the teams we'v faced to be real untouchable top quality.

 

Pretty sure McClaren himself has said the passing/attacking would come later, the focus is on making us solid first. After last season, he has to be super careful with confidence, especially as do/did have quite a tough opening run of games. I think there's a plan in place and this has to be remembered, it took us quite a while to look an attacking force under KK when he came back, let's not forget.

 

There's also the small matter of the massive windfall that clubs are hoping to cash in on next season. Priority will clearly be to set up defensively and play the counter-attack for 10 or 11 clubs in the division as they try to avoid relegation.

[Gallowgate Toon]

But KK is known for attacking football. My opinion of SMC is that he's defensive. He's not in Sam's league of awfulness but Big Sam would say the same s***.

 

But from what I can gather, SMc hasn't played defensive football since he went to Holland.

[Guest ElCid]

This is the Steve MC side I was expecting though. Well organised and defensive. He's done well to sort the defence out but we don't look like scoring. Aye, we are passing it but i'd rather look like scoring.

 

To be fair, we've had 2 games with 10 men against superior teams and a game at Old Trafford where we probably produced more chances than we'd have expected. If we're not creating against West Ham and Watford I'll start to worry.

Let's be honest. Didn't look like scoring against swansea anyway. Ditto Arsenal.

 

 

2 half chances and one genuine chance is hardly anything to talk about in attacking terms.

 

 

I don't consider any of the teams we'v faced to be real untouchable top quality.

 

Pretty sure McClaren himself has said the passing/attacking would come later, the focus is on making us solid first. After last season, he has to be super careful with confidence, especially as do/did have quite a tough opening run of games. I think there's a plan in place and this has to be remembered, it took us quite a while to look an attacking force under KK when he came back, let's not forget.

 

There's also the small matter of the massive windfall that clubs are hoping to cash in on next season. Priority will clearly be to set up defensively and play the counter-attack for 10 or 11 clubs in the division as they try to avoid relegation.

 

You need to score goals to win games and the way this team is set up it won't - we would be a far better team also so just can't understand the logic

[The College Dropout]

But KK is known for attacking football. My opinion of SMC is that he's defensive. He's not in Sam's league of awfulness but Big Sam would say the same s***.

 

But from what I can gather, SMc hasn't played defensive football since he went to Holland.

 

Fair enough but I haven't seen it yet. I'm drawing no conclusions except we haven't loooked like scoring thus far.

[STM]

But KK is known for attacking football. My opinion of SMC is that he's defensive. He's not in Sam's league of awfulness but Big Sam would say the same s***.

 

But from what I can gather, SMc hasn't played defensive football since he went to Holland.

 

Fair enough but I haven't seen it yet. I'm drawing no conclusions except we haven't loooked like scoring thus far.

 

We scored against Southampton, had 10 men against 2 sides and looked a real threat on the break against Man Utd.

 

Not having a pop at you personally but some of the posts on the last couple of pages have been astonishing.

[Kanji]

But KK is known for attacking football. My opinion of SMC is that he's defensive. He's not in Sam's league of awfulness but Big Sam would say the same s***.

 

But from what I can gather, SMc hasn't played defensive football since he went to Holland.

 

Fair enough but I haven't seen it yet. I'm drawing no conclusions except we haven't loooked like scoring thus far.

 

Isn't that a conclusion you've just drawn?

[jackyboy]

Flavour of the month in the PL apparently is sitting back and hitting sides on the break, especially at home.  Once we get the hang of playing with 11 men for 90 minutes I think it will work.  In all fairness to SMcL he's just had to endure half of one match and 75 minutes of another playing with 10 men and did well to avoid leaking a lot of goals which could be crucial come the end of the season

[Ash]

But KK is known for attacking football. My opinion of SMC is that he's defensive. He's not in Sam's league of awfulness but Big Sam would say the same s***.

 

But from what I can gather, SMc hasn't played defensive football since he went to Holland.

 

Fair enough but I haven't seen it yet. I'm drawing no conclusions except we haven't loooked like scoring thus far.

 

Isn't that a conclusion you've just drawn?

 

[Heron]

The performance and attitude of the players is a million times better than last season and I put a lot of that down to Steve McClaren and his team. Not sure why people are on his case thus far tbh.

[Figures 1-0 Football]

I don't necessarily think anyone can judge us this much from our opening four games (five, if including Northampton).

 

Against Southampton, we played attacking football and went for it - we ran out of steam after a woeful pre-season and ended up drawing the game.

Against Swansea, we played a majority of the game with 10 men against a team who are known for holding the ball and are very good at home.

Against Man Utd, we had an excellent game plan which we executed very well and could have snatched a win at points.

Against Arsenal, we were reduced to 10 men very early on which resulted in us trying to play the same against Man Utd.

 

We've had a very hard start imo, should we have kept 11 men on the field then we would have picked up a lot more than 2 points. Had we had a better pre-season (not SMC's fault) then we probably would have beaten Southampton.

 

There is no point judging him until 10 games in, when the league starts to take shape. After Chelsea/Man City we have a run of games where you could argue, all of them are easily winnable until the end of the year.

 

All I have drawn from the start of the season is the fact that we are much, much more organised and appear to be playing a much more passing style of football. We've bought in some excellent attack minded players.

 

If we went "all out attack" in the four games we've played so far, especially after going down to 10 men in two of the games - we wouldn't be sat here with 2 points, we'd have much less and probably got thumped 4-0+ in two of the games.

[The College Dropout]

But KK is known for attacking football. My opinion of SMC is that he's defensive. He's not in Sam's league of awfulness but Big Sam would say the same s***.

 

But from what I can gather, SMc hasn't played defensive football since he went to Holland.

 

Fair enough but I haven't seen it yet. I'm drawing no conclusions except we haven't loooked like scoring thus far.

 

We scored against Southampton, had 10 men against 2 sides and looked a real threat on the break against Man Utd.

 

Not having a pop at you personally but some of the posts on the last couple of pages have been astonishing.

 

PLayed almost 45 minutes with 11 men at Swansea. Created zilch. Didn't look a real threat against Man Utd at all, we invited pressure and soaked it up. Rarely hit them on the counter. 0 shots on target. Zilch against Arsenal. 2 shots on target in 3 league games.

 

We looked against Soton aye. I believe we tried to clsoe up shop and invited pressure on ourselves too early in that game.

[Village Idiot]

Too soon to judge a brand new manager after so few games, particularly after taking over such a damaged unit. I didn't watch the Arsenal game, but going off previous performances I think progress is being made, despite the lack of results.

 

We'll see how the team does in a few months,  when McClaren has had more time to mold it.

[mozy]

But KK is known for attacking football. My opinion of SMC is that he's defensive. He's not in Sam's league of awfulness but Big Sam would say the same shit.

 

Derby finished 1st and 4th in goals scored in his seasons there. So your opinion is wrong.

[The College Dropout]

with the exception of....

[Guest ElCid]

But KK is known for attacking football. My opinion of SMC is that he's defensive. He's not in Sam's league of awfulness but Big Sam would say the same s***.

 

But from what I can gather, SMc hasn't played defensive football since he went to Holland.

 

Fair enough but I haven't seen it yet. I'm drawing no conclusions except we haven't loooked like scoring thus far.

 

We scored against Southampton, had 10 men against 2 sides and looked a real threat on the break against Man Utd.

 

Not having a pop at you personally but some of the posts on the last couple of pages have been astonishing.

 

So are you saying to me playing Anita and Colback together playing 10 yard sideways and backward balls are good tactics, playing Sissoko on the wing is a good tactic, totally isolating your centre forward is a good tactic and if you think this team looks threatening then your watching a different game from me. Yes we were down to 10 men we were being totally overrun before that at Swansea and before the sending off yesterday every time Mitrovic got the ball there was nobody anywhere near him. At Man Utd we had one really threatening break away at the end and one quality cross from a defender which Mitrovic produced a very good header from totally indicating the type of service required - again you must be watching different game to me. Yesterday the one time Sissoko got to the edge of the area before the sending off, he produced a shot from a silly angle to have a shot from and with two players waiting in the box. Playing these two in the centre of midfield will no only produce negative football but is also totally to the detriment of the team an it's so blindl obvious even a blind man can see it but obviously not you.

[Guest ElCid]

But KK is known for attacking football. My opinion of SMC is that he's defensive. He's not in Sam's league of awfulness but Big Sam would say the same s***.

 

Derby finished 1st and 4th in goals scored in his seasons there. So your opinion is wrong.

 

Remind me again please what Derby done at the end of the season?

[STM]

But KK is known for attacking football. My opinion of SMC is that he's defensive. He's not in Sam's league of awfulness but Big Sam would say the same s***.

 

But from what I can gather, SMc hasn't played defensive football since he went to Holland.

 

Fair enough but I haven't seen it yet. I'm drawing no conclusions except we haven't loooked like scoring thus far.

 

We scored against Southampton, had 10 men against 2 sides and looked a real threat on the break against Man Utd.

 

Not having a pop at you personally but some of the posts on the last couple of pages have been astonishing.

 

So are you saying to me playing Anita and Colback together playing 10 yard sideways and backward balls are good tactics, playing Sissoko on the wing is a good tactic, totally isolating your centre forward is a good tactic and if you think this team looks threatening then your watching a different game from me. Yes we were down to 10 men we were being totally overrun before that at Swansea and before the sending off yesterday every time Mitrovic got the ball there was nobody anywhere near him. At Man Utd we had one really threatening break away at the end and one quality cross from a defender which Mitrovic produced a very good header from totally indicating the type of service required - again you must be watching different game to me. Yesterday the one time Sissoko got to the edge of the area before the sending off, he produced a shot from a silly angle to have a shot from and with two players waiting in the box. Playing these two in the centre of midfield will no only produce negative football but is also totally to the detriment of the team an it's so blindl obvious even a blind man can see it but obviously not you.

 

Put your tampon back in man.

 

I've been very pleased with our performances so far. Sissoko is our most threatening wide player.

 

I'm never going to agree with your opinion, well because it's ludicrous and you are largely on your own.

 

Come back to me in 5 games time.