The Spark

[TRon]

As soon as I saw that line up with three strikers, I thought this is the real Keegan. How many managers would have gone to Birmingham after they'd just tonked Spurs with only three midfielders so they could fit in another striker 

 

Hold on a sec, Allardyce played pretty much the exact same formation and system with all three of those at home to Derby, and he got hammered for it.

 

Keegan would have got hammered for it as well if he'd gone to Derby with a team cowering in fear of defeat. He didn't, he went to Birmingham to win and by the end Birmingham were hanging on for their lives with Martins having to be dragged off the pitch he so badly wanted to do them.

[Shearergol]

The second half performance had KK's motivational skills all over it.Maybe the performance has given Kevin confidence too.

 

KaKa told me that it was all down to Martins' motivational skills, not Keegan's.

[Tooj]

The second half performance had KK's motivational skills all over it.Maybe the performance has given Kevin confidence too.

 

KaKa told me that it was all down to Martins' motivational skills, not Keegan's.

 

[bulivye]

I like this positive vibe.

 

More of it.

 

You'd have thought we'd beaten brum the way the fans have reacted.

 

A win against Fulham and i'll probably as happy as i have been all season long.

 

Bring it on!

Hell yeah.

 

Thing is, if we scored first against Brum we'd have been gutted, but we showed great spirit and a much better style of play in the second half - showing fight that we didn't think we had in us.

 

So aye, bring on Fulham... not a guaranteed win but couldn't pick a much better fixture at this point.

 

1st time in a long time i'm looking forward to a game.

 

me too!  and it's on the telly here in the USA!  huzzah!     

[Doug]

KK,s optimism lights up the gloom that gets all of us down. I dont know how keeps it up.

The motivation and bold tactics were spot on for the Biirmingham game.

but hang on, everybody knows that KK does not understand football tactics.

everyone repeats this and we are always reminded of it in the papers to so it must be true, mustnt it?

 

Doug

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for fuck's sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

[ElDiablo]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for fuck's sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

 

[Guest alex]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for fuck's sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

Aye spot on. It's just another cliche that gets trotted out, a bit like our having a supposedly poor defence the last time he was here.

[fredbob]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for f***'s sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

Aye spot on. It's just another cliche that gets trotted out, a bit like our having a supposedly poor defence the last time he was here.

 

To be honest, i used to think that tactics were a vital aspect of the game, but having thought about it, i think there arent actually that many aspects to tactics. I think the important of tactics are way exaggerrated.

 

I mean, tactics that i think of are the tempo and style that you play, expoiting weaknesses and nullifying strenght of the opposition and tactical subsututions, as well as maybe mind games.

 

Aside from these things i dont see where any "acumen" can be exercised, it doesnt seem like such a substantial aspect of the game, well, not to the degreses of importance that a lot of people put to it.

 

Am i missing something?

[Guest Knightrider]

Most managers are tactically aware, and I include Keegan in that, but a good number of them really don't put much faith in them, preferring instead to put all their faith and trust into their players which is how Keegan works and that is no different to Wenger or Fergie who aren't master tacticians believe it or not.

 

No one can tell me though that KK isn't tactically aware, he's been in the game an awful long time and experienced the lot. He's an intelligent deep thinking guy too and despite popular myth he has shown numerous times some kind of tactical acumen. You don't take Newcastle United from near relegation to the then old 3rd division to within a whisker of the Premiership title in under 5 years or promote Man City and keep them there where they are today, if you're some kind of tactical ignoramus.

 

Anyway, I prefer a manager who puts his trust and faith in the players as it's all about them. If they perform to a man to the best of their ability, they will invariably win regardless of tactics and this is why Chelsea keep winning despite losing their special one. Tactics can only take you so far and due to the very nature of unpredictability in football, tactics can be very fickle indeed. What works a treat in one game against a certain opposition for example my be your achilles heel the next week and for all the hype about master tacticians, the best tactician in the Premiership, a certain Mr Benitez, undoes Liverpool in the league with his tactics while the likes of Wenger and Fergie let their players do the talking for them.

 

Tactics are important of course, but what happens on the pitch should dictate your tactics rather than the other way around and Keegan on that front has shown himself no better or worse than the vast majority of them, Wenger and Fergie included.

[Tooj]

HTT you're a walking paradox man. 

[Pilko]

I like this positive vibe.

 

More of it.

 

You'd have thought we'd beaten brum the way the fans have reacted.

 

A win against Fulham and i'll probably as happy as i have been all season long.

 

Bring it on!

Hell yeah.

 

Thing is, if we scored first against Brum we'd have been gutted, but we showed great spirit and a much better style of play in the second half - showing fight that we didn't think we had in us.

 

So aye, bring on Fulham... not a guaranteed win but couldn't pick a much better fixture at this point.

 

1st time in a long time i'm looking forward to a game.

 

me too!   and it's on the telly here in the USA!   huzzah!        

 

Hey, if Fulham were a band they'd be the All-American Rejects 

No wonder it's on in the USA!

[Pilko]

I like this positive vibe.

 

More of it.

 

You'd have thought we'd beaten brum the way the fans have reacted.

 

A win against Fulham and i'll probably as happy as i have been all season long.

 

Bring it on!

Hell yeah.

 

Thing is, if we scored first against Brum we'd have been gutted, but we showed great spirit and a much better style of play in the second half - showing fight that we didn't think we had in us.

 

So aye, bring on Fulham... not a guaranteed win but couldn't pick a much better fixture at this point.

 

1st time in a long time i'm looking forward to a game.

 

me too!   and it's on the telly here in the USA!   huzzah!        

 

Fulham are playing live at St. James Park...

The All-American Rejects

[Doug]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for f***'s sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

 

Exactly right,

plus he is now three years older and wiser than when he was last in the game.

 

Doug.

[fredbob]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for f***'s sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

 

Just to play devils advocate and kind of contradict myself in one post, how does what you've put have any relevance to Keegans tactical nous. Surely the only true measuree of Keegans tactical nous is decision which have benefitted us in games and so far there have been a few decisions he's made which havent exactly dispelled thoughts of tactical naiveity albeit in difficult circumstances.

 

I mean, by your definition, who isnt a tactitian? Mclaren is even Graham Taylor is...

[AyeDubbleYoo]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for f***'s sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

 

Just to play devils advocate and kind of contradict myself in one post, how does what you've put have any relevance to Keegans tactical nous. Surely the only true measuree of Keegans tactical nous is decision which have benefitted us in games and so far there have been a few decisions he's made which havent exactly dispelled thoughts of tactical naiveity albeit in difficult circumstances.

 

I mean, by your definition, who isnt a tactitian? Mclaren is even Graham Taylor is...

 

I see what you're saying, I suppose I was just driving at the fact the his lack of tactical awareness has been exaggerated and he is a very experienced manager with not a bad track record. He knows how to win football matches in general.

 

And the fact that his decisions don't always agree with what the fans would do doesn't mean they're not correct. The martins sub for example, many people reacted badly at first, but a lot of arguments have been made on here suggest it might have been a good move bearing in mind the circumstances.

 

I'm happy that the team is in KKs hands, although he's not a tactical genius he knows the style of football he wants to play, and he can motivate players and buy the right players. I think those are the biggest attributes a manager needs.

[bulivye]

I like this positive vibe.

 

More of it.

 

You'd have thought we'd beaten brum the way the fans have reacted.

 

A win against Fulham and i'll probably as happy as i have been all season long.

 

Bring it on!

Hell yeah.

 

Thing is, if we scored first against Brum we'd have been gutted, but we showed great spirit and a much better style of play in the second half - showing fight that we didn't think we had in us.

 

So aye, bring on Fulham... not a guaranteed win but couldn't pick a much better fixture at this point.

 

1st time in a long time i'm looking forward to a game.

 

me too!   and it's on the telly here in the USA!   huzzah!        

 

Hey, if Fulham were a band they'd be the All-American Rejects 

No wonder it's on in the USA!

 

then we'd better beat them, eh?    i'm just happy it's on FSC b/c i don't have sentanta! 

[Guest optimistic nit]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for f***'s sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

Aye spot on. It's just another cliche that gets trotted out, a bit like our having a supposedly poor defence the last time he was here.

 

To be honest, i used to think that tactics were a vital aspect of the game, but having thought about it, i think there arent actually that many aspects to tactics. I think the important of tactics are way exaggerrated.

 

I mean, tactics that i think of are the tempo and style that you play, expoiting weaknesses and nullifying strenght of the opposition and tactical subsututions, as well as maybe mind games.

 

Aside from these things i dont see where any "acumen" can be exercised, it doesnt seem like such a substantial aspect of the game, well, not to the degreses of importance that a lot of people put to it.

 

Am i missing something?

 

 

if your team cant exploit weaknesses and nullify stregnths then you have a pretty shit team.

[Mowen]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for f***'s sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

 

Just to play devils advocate and kind of contradict myself in one post, how does what you've put have any relevance to Keegans tactical nous. Surely the only true measuree of Keegans tactical nous is decision which have benefitted us in games and so far there have been a few decisions he's made which havent exactly dispelled thoughts of tactical naiveity albeit in difficult circumstances.

 

I mean, by your definition, who isnt a tactitian? Mclaren is even Graham Taylor is...

 

Kevin Keegans "tactical nous" has benefitted us in more than a couple of fucking games. I think his record at Newcastle United could dispel most thoughts of tactical naivety.

[Tooj]

Class interview on The Beeb website today.

 

On about the press.

 

"I was a manufactured player who won the European footballer of the year twice." 

[lovejoy]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for f***'s sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

 

precisely.

 

as HTT says, many managers put their faith in their (best) players as oppose to being tactics mad.

 

ask ac milan how tactically aware fergie is afetr their game(s) last season.

 

its bollocks man.

[madras]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for f***'s sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

 

precisely.

 

as HTT says, many managers put their faith in their (best) players as oppose to being tactics mad.

 

ask ac milan how tactically aware fergie is afetr their game(s) last season.

 

its bollocks man.

thats wrong lovejoy if you are making out he just picks his best players.

[lovejoy]

The idea that KK is not a tactician is laughable - he's managed three premier league clubs and the national team for f***'s sake. He doesn't have the same image as maybe a Wenger or Benitez, but he knows a hell of a lot about the game.

 

precisely.

 

as HTT says, many managers put their faith in their (best) players as oppose to being tactics mad.

 

ask ac milan how tactically aware fergie is afetr their game(s) last season.

 

its bollocks man.

thats wrong lovejoy if you are making out he just picks his best players.

 

i'm not, by any stretch.

 

im suggesting that tactics are only a part of his talents as a manager, and a pretty small one at that.

 

i think fergie's big strength is that he gets the best out of those who play for him, whether its ronaldo or park ji sung.

 

 

[TRon]

A couple of half decent results and Keegan is already badgering the board in public about giving Michael Owen a new contract. I'd say the spark is back and itching to ignite come the summer. Keegan's looking more and more like his old self  and as always, his team is starting to reflect it.