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Managers and Statistics
It’s the international break again and once again a fallow time for club football. Demarai Gray has returned from u19 duty with England early as a precaution to an ankle injury while Bobby Moseley has been forced to return home from the Republic of Ireland u19 squad with a groin strain.
In some ways the international break couldn’t have come at a worse time for Blues; 4 points in two games away from home against Millwall and Charlton mean that I’m not the one to have had successful period recently in South London. Although I attended neither game and cannot comment on individual performances the consensus I saw online was that Blues have actually started to play football in the second halves of games and that maybe, just maybe we’re back on the upward curve.
There was a lot of rumour banded around after the defeat to Fulham about the safety of Lee Clark’s position; I will admit that I had heard strong whispers he was to get his marching orders but as we know now that wasn’t even close to coming to fruition. Although the last two games have helped to solidify Blues’ position in the table I can’t say with any conviction they’ve swayed my thoughts on Lee Clark. I’m not one of the “hang ’em high” brigade (as so charmingly put by Colin Tattum) but I have to admit I think the time for us to move on from Lee Clark has long passed.
I saw a stat on wikipedia earlier this week which showed only three permanent managers since the war had a lower win percentage than Clark’s (28.9% from 114 games) – John Bond (26.2% from 65), Joe Mallet (22.7% from 66) and Garry Pendrey (20.4% from 98). I will freely admit that statistics don’t really mean much and the “win percentage” one is a really bad one per se but it also struck me just how poor Lee Clark’s record really was in comparison.
The other thing I think the stats on that page demonstrated is how impatient I am as a fan now; Barry Fry was given 156 games before he got the boot; Trevor Francis 290. If you take out Chris Hughton (who bailed after one season of course) the last permanent manager to serve fewer games than Lee Clark was Lou Macari (who deserted us after 24 games to go to Stoke). In the 23 and a bit years since Macari went, we’ve had seven permanent managers which indicates the absolute patience shown by owners for managers over the last two and a half decades; compare that to Watford who are on their fourth permanent manager this season (Sannino, Garcia, McKinlay and now Jovanovic) – and to the glut of teams going through more than two in seasons of late – I can recall Blackburn, Wolves and Blackpool all doing that.
When Blues return to club action next Saturday they’ll be doing it against another team which has fired its manager in Bolton Wanderers. The Trotters are rooted to the bottom of the Championship having won only one of their first eleven games and conceded 21 goals. It’ll be interesting seeing if the change of manager galvanises them in the short-term or if they remain hanging around the bottom for the foreseeable future – whether that is an indicator for Blues’ fortunes should they relieve Clark is another thing altogether.
Tags: Lee Clark, Managers, Statistics
89 Responses to “Managers and Statistics”
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Another interesting stat from those figures, LC is one of the few managers who has managed to draw more games than he has won, I just wonder how many of those draws were achieved from winning positions.
For all his loyalty I do believe that it is for the betterment of both parties that LC should look for alternative employment and no one would really blame him.
KRO+DNM
stats dont tell the true facts that Clarks hands are tied.
José Mourinho couldnt buy any better IMO
We all know we need a change,but it’s the million dollar question. Who do we get?
José Mourinho
I hear Sir Alex has a few hours a week to spare
KRO+DNM
I think you have to forget the last two seasons and focus on this season, we have seen some decent football and to be honest two certain penaltys and an offside last week have gone against the team.
Regardless of league position we have a league 1 squad there is no guarantee anyone else would do better.
Can you imagine how hard it must be with no support from owners day in day out and I don’t think LC
Can be blamed for all everything this season.
There are some big teams with better players and more resource who are ahead of us by a just a few points.
Give the manager until January and then judge him.
I agree,
and as always, you shouldn’t look at a table until Boxing day
I find looking at a table on boxing day quite disappointing, all that cold meat and pickles!
I’ve seen Blues last three away games and they are playing well generally. I have been sceptical of Clark but can’t help but like him. But he can be frustrating. At Brentford I was seething when he unsuccesfully tried to protect a 1-0 lead against 10 men by taking off the strikers. Since then he’s been moving to or maintaining a 4-4-2 shape in games to keep the lead or try to win them. He should be applauded for that.
We may be playing better football, but we are in a results game and we are not getting them.
I think January will be too late as the window will be shut and we could be right in it if those better teams around us with new managers start to pull away.
KRO+DNM
I’m still sticking to my Xmas statement. If we’re still down the bottom by then, there’s plenty of time to get a new manager and make use of the transfer window. I have a feeling we’ll be about halfway by then.. but we’ll see.
f we get the rub of the green I would agree, the Bolton game is going to be the key for me.
Lose that one then we will be in deep mire, we have some of the high fliers to come, Wolves, |Bournemouth, Watford before we get Forest and Derby over Christmas.
I’m more inclined to give him till the next international break in November< that will give us 4 home and 3 away and we need wins at home, not sure our away form will be enough this season.
KRO+DNM
With a bit of luck… and a few decent referees, we could easily be sitting in the top 10 by now. I believe we’re slowly becoming a top half of the table team now. We have literally been robbed of points over the last few weeks. It’s ok the ref’s boss stating there should have been a penalty and a sending-off against Norwich, but that doesn’t give us the extra 2 points we deserved. The cock up with the disallowed goal on Saturday cost another 2 points. If just those decisions had been given correctly, we would be sitting almost mid-table now, a couple of points off the top 10. Neither the manager, nor the players can be blamed for that. It’s not even funny anymore.
There should be some compesation when the Referee’s Association state that mistakes have been made.
The player should still be given a red card ban and one point given to the opposing team, same with disallowed goals. This is one reason I say that the technology is out there and it should be used, it is time the referees are made accountable for their inconsistencies, which are more obvious in the modern game and can be very expensive..
KRO+DNM
I’m not an advocate of technology in the game… but if the officials can’t do their jobs properly, then perhaps we’ll have to think about using it to, at least, get the important decisions right. It’ll be a sad day, but the ends justify the means.
I’m not really into technology, but with today’s game the price of even a basic decision being wrong is colossal. Personally I love the banter of “Was it, wasn’t it”
The FA already have a trial by TV for serious cases, so it would only be natural that the opposing team should be rewarded with an extra point. With technology a decision can be made virtually instantly, usually quicker it takes to retrieve the ball from the crowd.
It shouldn’t hold up the game anymore than the usual time wasting employed by managers and petty last minute substitutions in the modern game.
KRO+DNM
No guarantee anyone else could do better? So… There is NO manager (within the blues criteria) that could not get more than 2 home wins in 12 months? I GUARANTEE it! Id bet my while livelihood on it.
This ‘myth’ about having a ‘league 1’ squad really does tickle me, we have a poor squad by our recent standards, premier league standards, Steve Bruce’s championship standards when we could financially bully the countries second tear, in terms of the here, the now, we still a squad better than at least 40% of this division (credit to Clark for that).
I do admire Lee Clarks passion and commitment many people would of walked out on blues along time ago, there is no denying he has gave nothing short of 100% to us but the reality comes down to results, the win % and the fact we have spectacularly failed at home, the stats on Lee Clark are indefensible, there is no reasonable or logical debate to justify him being our manager.
In regards to the odd good result here and there… A particular theory comes to mind… ‘if you give a monkey a typewriter and an infinite amount of TIME, it will eventually write Shakespeare’.
What happened to the “Paper Trial” getting more like a “Sunday Sport” blog every post since your book.
If the stats do get rid of lc could you post who is in the seat to take over ?
Another thing the stats don’t tell you, is that Clark has had to by all his players from the UK… simply because we don’t have a scouting network in Europe. Because we can’t afford one. How many managers do you know, who can’t go out and buy a cheaper, better quality player from Europe? Let’s face it… any player can be made to look good on You Tube.
Hi Staffs from a freezing and snowy Kazakhstan -7c this morning,
I asked the question on the wall on Saturday if Blues had any scouts out this way, as there are some good young players with the likes of Aktobe and Astana, especially left sided players.
The answer back from Andy was that they have not the resources to scout in this area.
Hi KB. If you look back through the archives on the Birmingham Mail website, there was a very interesting article by Blues’ chief scout, Malcolm Crosby. It was around June/July time. It highlighted how the club just didn’t have the money to set up a scouting network in Europe, like most clubs have.
I’m not saying foreign players are better than ours, but at least it gives you a wider area to choose from… especially when you have very little in your purse to spend.
Hi Staffs from a freezing and snowy Kazakhstan -7c this morning,
I asked the question on the wall on Saturday if Blues had any scouts out this way, as there are some good young players with the likes of Aktobe and Astana, especially left sided players.
The answer back from Andy was that they have not the resources to scout in this area.
I’m starting to realise that getting a decent manager in (not easy I admit) is the only solution to our predicament. We can’t buy top players, we can’t sell either a chunk or all of the club, we can’t bring any new investment. Out of that stalemate, the only option is a new gaffer. Our only hope is someone does a miracle with our players and takes up the division to the playoffs.
I truly believe that there are barely a handful of managers (especially in our price range) who could get us up towards the top 10 in the table with the players we have… although, I’m struggling to think of many tbh.
Can’t agree OP. LCs hands have been tied and therefore he is unable to compete for the better players. The better plays he did have in the squad have all been sold on the cheap, therefore he is shafted at both ends. No other manager could have fared better under those circumstances and many maybe even worse. And never have I heard LC moan about all of this, he just gets on with it manfully while all I hear is many fans bleating on about how rubbish he is. Get real people and open your eyes!
Results don’t lie though do they? I’m sick of hearing people defend the lack of finances as an excuse to keep LC in a job. The players he has bought in are giving it a go granted, but the fact is, over the last two seasons we have the worst home record of anyone in the Championship including all six clubs who have gone down to League 1, and it’s only by extremely good fortune that we weren’t one of them. Great Escape? We should never have been down there in the first place, with someone else in charge, we wouldn’t have.
Ideally we’d have someone in by the end of the month so they can have a decent look at the squad before the transfer window and get someone in, albeit on loan no doubt.
Clark is the last link to Pannu’s legacy. I don’t see a future for Blues while he’s still in charge.
Personally I believe Clark is a poor manager & the sooner he is gone the better, i pay good money to watch his poor decision making so if i wish to bleat about him i will, i believe we would get a better manager who could organise the team and win more than 2 home games a season, if supporters are happy with his stats fair play but don’t knock us bleaters who are there week in week out to be bemused by some of his crazy decisions, support him while he’s here glad when he’s gone KRO & have your say.
If you don’t like Clark, fine. If you want him out, fine. If you want to highlight his stats or poor record, fine. My only gripe is the way people throw childish names about, like Cack, Clown etc. It’s playground stuff.
that’s because staffs it shows how childish they really are………age range of their shoe size..lol
For me personally, if I see those kind of insults, I’ll just move past the posts without reading them… which is a shame, because they might have some valid points. But hey ho.
It was only a couple of weeks ago you were saying it was time for a change. Waiting until Xmas is crazy. It doesn’t give any time for a new manager, assuming you can get one in quickly, to assess the squad and see what he can bring in. The last half of last season was a disgrace. We were appalling and some of his team selections defied belief. You can’t keep going on about ifs and buts it’s about results. He has had long enough. If you look who is below us I will bet any money Wigsn, Fulham and probably Bolton will improve. That leaves us in deep sh*t.
personally clark frustrated as we are with the results staffs , but seems to galvanize him rather than put his head in the sand…. That’s why I give credit where its due….kro
sticking to my comments that Clark is not going any where but i do think things will be reviewed at the end of the season by BIH……………IMO
good morning everybody and I all hope we enjoy this short break before battle commences at home to Bolton next Saturday week…..I hope as many of us loving and loyal fans can get down there and make st. Andrews a great atmosphere again because weather we go or don’t lets get behind the team and manager and get the three points and try and put this whole ownership scandal behind us……….by the way chas your a top bluenose pal, no problem from me mate. KRO.
That’s my view too dave. We should support the players and manager despite our owners, not because of them. They’re doing their best… which is more than can be said for the owners.
This question/debate seems to go round in circles. My personal view is that I would like to see another manager in post, I don’t doubt Clarke’s passion and I’m sure he’s a nice guy but IT IS about results. Financial constraints notwithstanding, ours haven’t been good enough under LC.
I’m sure that just about any other club in the land would have parted company with a manager with this record by now but we all know that we are in a unique position with record to ownership and decision making at Board level and I feel that Greek PP won’t get a consensus whilst we remain in the Championship. AND he was on record in the last week or so, saying that LC’s job was not under threat!!
Pinch me someone………
Yes that last statement bothers me too, everyone’s job is under threat if they don’t perform to the required standards, so basically LC can do what he wants, Oh! he already does, and not get positive results in a business where results are paramount to any form of success.
I have nothing against LC personally I just feel he has taken the club as far as he can, regardless of how much he has to spend.
He has done well under difficult conditions and for that I applaud him, but a lot of our problems stem from his poor team selections, negative tactics and some mind-boggling substitutions.
KRO+DNM.
The point is Chris, realistically, who could we bring that could do a better job in these circumstances? The most popular name so far, has been Gary Rowett… but where is the evidence that he could do a better job than Clark? Basically, there isn’t any. He’s only ever managed in lower leagues, just like Clark did. There’s no telling if he could make the step up. Some of the other names I’ve seen bandied around.. we’ll I just shake my head in disbelief.
Staffs it’s not just a case of what manager we should go for, it’s a case of what manager in their right mind would want the job, our 2 previous managers bailed cos they saw the problems from within & before that Bruce bailed just before BIH took over so that says something. I do wonder how LC would get on if he had a few mill to spend, if you look at the amount of players brought in & how muce he’s spent, it’s pitiful
Spot on ChrisG. People keep referring back to the purchases of Mullins, Lovenkrands and Ambrose. Two points: 1) IIRC, we were under a transfer embargo right up until nearly the start of the season. He brought in what was, on paper, the best of what was left available at that time. 2) I don’t remember anyone complaining about them at the time. The fact that they didn’t work out (apart from Mullins in spells) is no one’s fault. Even the great managers have had their failures… ask Fergie.
Last season, all he was allowed was loan signings and, anyone who knows football is aware that loans either come off, or they don’t. Plus, not being able to afford loan fees or much in wages, he had to resort to players who hadn’t much 1st team experience. Yes, it was a disaster, but it was a risk he had no choice but to take. To say he doesn’t learn by his mistakes… well, I can only refer to the fact that he started the season with only 1 loan player (for the season) and he’s picked a more settled side this season. So that’s 2 lessons learned at least.
On the other foot we don’t see teams queuing up to offer LC an alternative option.
LC seems to have learnt some lessons especially in his consistence with selections and square pegs into round holes.
Some of his substitution decisions seem a little bizarre at times, though many have been due to injuries he still seems insistent on changing at the 60 minute mark but at least the last two have been like for like with Koby and Demarai.
Looking at managers who have recently been changed I can’t say I am enthused to go chasing any, probably the surprise was Garcia, but his chest pains must have been more than just that.
I think Gary Rowett could be one for the future but by the time we are rid of BIHL and in a position to look at the future even Gary will be too old :-)
KRO+DNM
I agree about Rowett for the future.. maybe in about 3 or 4 years time, when he’s got a bit more experience. The only manager I can think of, that is free and has the requisite experience for this division and these circumstances, is Gary Megson. I know he wouldn’t be a popular choice, but he gets things done and sorts things out pretty quickly. Whether he’d be long-term is another matter. Depends on results I suppose.
The only other question…
Who would want to come and have their hands and feet tied, I know that BCFC is a big named club and many would normally jump at the chance given our facilities and fan base.
Under the current ownership fiasco only someone certified would consider the club, maybe Big Ron…
Only joking
KRO+DNM
I’ve heard worse names than Big Ron bandied about Chris.
and to pour scorn on the so negative band if they had bother to the charlton game blues fans were singing to clark to give them a wave………….kro
Poor piece this. Seems like pandering to the anti-Clark mob. If you no longer go to games any more you are no longer in a position to comment. The throwaway line about seems like we are beginning to play football in second half a case in point. We have played football in the second half of a lot of games and certainly first half. Charlton and Norwich were were in control for 75 per cent of game. Clark’s win percentage it is easy to blame by stats but they don’t tell the whole story of having to change the team every year and the worst budget in the league meaning players of poorer quality. Seems to me you are becoming one of these armchair fans
I do go to games, unfortunately the combination of living in Croydon and being in HK has meant I’ve not been to the last few
You went to Millwall and Charlton though?
I’ve seen better football these last 2 months than I’ve seen the previous 2 years put together. I’m happy with the way we’re playing so far this season and, the only criticism I would have, is with the individual errors that keep blighting us. But, that’s what you get with players of the quality we have. But for those errors and some right minging officials, we’d be challenging for the top 10 by now. If we can keep up the confidence we’ve gained recently, I see no reason why we can’t climb the table… even with Clark in charge.
If i balls up at work i get called silly names such as clown,idiot etc don’t bother me one bit so i don’t know why it bothers you so much when people have a dig at Lee Clark & call him names, Some supporters including myself get angry at the way the Club is run by BIH & the way the team is run by Lee Clark so may use silly names to express how we feel! It isn’t harming anyone & if it was that bad i don’t think Dan would allow it on here, Managers get called a lot worse from the terraces & as of yet i don’t believe it as killed anyone. We have different opinions about Mr Clark i do respect yours & for Blues sake hope mine is wrong.
Fair enough. If you feel you must.
Then don’t bleat when someone calls you a clown, or an idiot, or a bonehead!
how do you know it’s not hurting anyone? Maybe not physically but I’m sure he would be hurt mentally, as you would be, if he read some of the comments made about him – let’s hope he doesn’t
Diddums. He is on £300k pa.
So, by the same token, Zigic deserved all the abuse he took because he was on £60-70k pw? I don’t think any amount of money entitles you that level of abuse.
rumour regarding Clark no facts……..delighted :)
Does anyone know wether pp will be resigning his post at bihl and as for lee Clark for purely football reasons lets hope we change managers sooner rather than later two decent results should not paper over the cracks
We all now that LC has little/nothing to spend.
Trouble is that in his third season he as had to rebuild his team due to his failure in the previous seasons. We have sold 1 and struggled to giveaway other players he signed Ambrose & Mullins etc.
He signs loan players and doesn’t play them.
I don’t expect top half given the budget but is it really too much to expect from LC that he shows he has learned something from his previous 2 years ?
LC also has the ability to make good players average and average players bad. As % how many of LC’s signings have improved ?
Look the team that lost got thrashed against Burnley, how did they lose so badly ?http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19615055
The answer is Lee Clark. Without doubt he is part of the gloom at St Andrews.
If he is vaguely anything like a good manager why has nobody been linked with him ? Who would give him a job when he does go ? These questions, just as much as the stats indicate that Lee Clark is a very limited manager.
“He signs loan players and doesn’t play them.”
Most loan players go out to get game time.. which means they ain’t been getting any at their clubs.. which in turn means they’re not fit for first team football. It makes sense to get those players fit before they’re chosen for the first team. For instance, Brek Shea came in, played a couple of games and it was obvious that he was nowhere near match fit. So, he was taken out and has been in the development squad getting his fitness levels up. Unfortunately, when that player is fit, he might not be able to get into the side straight away, because of the form of others. I don’t think anyone deserves to be dropped atm.
Btw… it was Barnsley, not Burnley who thrashed us.
ide rather have lee clarks track record over the last three seasons than BIHL track record but then that don’t count for much does it, our home form abysmal our away form respectable, BIHL form home and away disgracefull and embarrassing so things can only get better cant it ? …..league one players very much holding there own in the championship, playing good football and taking the game to better teams higher in the league…we should be higher in the league with atleast 19 points but were not and that’s because weve spent hardly any money and lee clark admitedley as
ballsed up a few times but chin up and lets get through this together and stay away from that bottom three because that’s an achievement in itself if you think for a minuite and look back at where we were going in to the Bolton game!!! KRO.
Call us what you like but we do not get payed and payed well for managing Birmingham city FC. He has been called unstable and I think that sums him up in the most polite way possible and if you recall it was Dan who called him that,
Personally I could indeed have called him far worse.
As someone who not only did see both the South London games and most of the games under the control of the three managers you mention I would offer this thought. The three managers all were poor and all had to work with no money. John Bond and Gary Pendry were in charge when our finances were far worse than they are now.
Clarke for a week has reproduced last years away form. He has to start winning home games REGULARLY and maintain a solid away record.
Clarke’s selections are still mystifying. Had Spector not been injured Caddis would have continued to wander around our midfield like a lost sheep. Having signed Gleeson to fill the midfield hole why did it take 10 games to get him in the side? Gleeson had two solid games and prevented that 2nd half fade out. Caddis is not a great defender but plays his best football at right back. It would be easy to say Clarke is turning things round but you cannot help think that he stumbles on the better selections.
Must agree Al.
Clarke lost me @ Brentford.
Winning 1 nil at half time then taking off 2 strikers against 10 men and
Trying to preserve lead and eventually lucky to get a draw.
He’d be a good assistant but he’s no manager or head coach.
How’s Hastings & Bexhill?
I noticed around the forums, etc, that Clark is still being criticised for tinkering with the team, but the facts suggest otherwise. From the 11 league games so far:
RANDOLPH ——11
EDGAR ———– 11
GROUNDS —— 10
COTTERILL —– 10
DAVIS ————- 10
DONALDSON — 10
CADDIS ———– 9
Very little ‘tinkering’ there. Most of the selection changes have been through injury.
Good point and a positive stat that OP has forgot to mention. Or what about a stat about player sales since BIHL took ‘control’? Or a stat about salaries paid to players or divisions players recruited from since BIHL took ‘control?. What about a stat of transfer fees paid or salaries paid to BIHL execs or pocket expenses? What about a stat about whinging fans who think that Ron Manager could do a job etc.
Stats can be made to look like anything you want, that’s why politicians use them. Me – I look at the reality and understand that any situation made is due to much more than stats.
Yes this is a positive point for this season and the football is more enjoyable
An old school teacher of mine encouraged me to debate the side of the argument I didn’t agree with to achieve a more rounded view of the world. On that basis this is what I think Clark has done right…
1) His tactics when playing away from home are fairly decent
2) Apart from the 3 amigo’s he signed when he first started (Lovenkrands et al) his Bosman signings have been shrewd.
3) The way he’s managed younger players has been good
4) His management of player problems has been impressive – Ziggy and Ravel became galvanised and Clark showed the utmost integrity when supporting Fahey despite totally unfair moans and gripes from certain Blues fans.
5) The players seem to be backing him.
6) He has displayed great integrity in the face of the circus that is BIH.
Big Al, its hard to disagree with any of those six points you’ve made. KRO.
It’s very easy to disagree. Its total rubbish.
Have to agree on point 6 but the other 5 points you raised bare little resemblance to the truth or the relality of his terrible regime at SA…..point 7 should read he has an appalling results record …..point 8 should read ……he’s out of his depth.
He hasn’t showed integrity or loyalty, the reason he has not walked
is the £300k he gets payed plus the fact no one else would employ him. It really is that simple, plus there is an argument for suggesting the people who go to the games are having a more adverse effect on the club than those who do not go.
No one can tell me a boycott would not have an effect all that commercial revenue lost catering etc, plus local pubs and businesses. By continuing to go to games this thing will drag on and on bring on Admin I say quicker the better regardless of staff job losses.
I have to agree with you and interestingly it’s not in the owners interest to go into administration they would lose millions.I still maintain that starving them of money will bring this nightmare to an end but stress its a personal choice as I can see the argument against this action.
Absolute cobblers.
to be fair to him staffs he has not tinkered so much with the starting line up and in 9 0f the 11 games weve done very well upto the hour mark then BANG injuries or bad tactical substitutions and it all falls apart but credit him for at least playing a more regular line up…. lets hope he keeps it that way because like you I believe we will climb the table and not have the drama of going to Bolton last game again and needing a minor miracle….but as ive said many times if our home form doesent improve asap its going to be a long hard winter for all of us. KRO.
I’m hoping we go to Bolton on the last day, looking to do the double over them. ;-)
The main problem with the blues side is the same one as last season, the defence…
You are not going to win games in the Championship when you concede goals like the ones we have conceded these past two seasons.
I like Lee Clark, mainly for his passion and honesty and to be fair to him the signings and his overall management of the squad has been fantastic in my opinion. The problem is, you look at the statistics and they don’t look good and for me it all points to the defence leaking goals – Clark simply still hasn’t sorted the back line out in two years of being at the club.
I understand injuries have hit the team but he must play Will Packwood instead of Robbo at CB even if he makes mistakes, he will learn and hopefully improve later on in the season.
Has anyone heard anything about why Hancox isn’t in the team this season?
I get why people are calling for Clark’s sacking with a more serious intent lately but I think we are lucky as the article points out that we are not supporting a club that has had a conveyor belt of managers, one after another… so why not take the positives from our current manager and stay with him as he deserves our commitment until the end of this season.
KRO
I see your point about the defence, but it’s not been so much a collective thing this season, just mainly individual errors. Unfortunately, no manager can account for those. For me, the attack has been just as culpable, maybe more so, in us not winning matches.
In 10 games, Clayton Donaldson has 2 goals.. Cotterill the same stats. Wes Thomas, in 6 games (+4 as sub) has 3 goals. 5 other players have 1 goals each. It’s not a great return really is it? It’s not as though we’re not creating plenty of chances. If the forwards could score a few more goals, it might take a bit of pressure off the rest of the team.
It is not as if we have not been creating chances and we have the wide players who can get the crosses over, though I still can’t see what Duffy has to do to get some game time. I admit that Gray and now Arthur are staking their claim.
I think Randolph has been culpable for many silly errors which have led to goals, I also wonder why Packwood has been given the cold shoulder in the light of the latest bout of injuries to hit our defence.
Hancox has his limitations but was creative when going forward last season, Caddis formed a good partnership with Burke and like Hancox gave us that extra edge when going forward, I don’t think he is what we are looking for in midfield.
KRO+DNM
I think that’s the problem for Duffy. At Doncaster, it worked with Duffy on the right and Cotterill on the left, cutting in. But, at the moment, we have Gray and Arthur vying for the left wing spot, which means that Cotterill is lining up on the right, which is also Duffy’s position. Who are you going to drop for Duffy? Cotterill is our most productive player so far this season and I can’t see the fans being happy if homegrown kids Gray or Arthur are dropped to shoe-in Duffy. Personally, I like the look of Duffy and I’m disappointed not to see more of him.
Can’t argue with the home-grown players, they are certainly giving LC a nice headache.
The reason Cotterill is the standout player at the moment is the fact he is chosen above Duffy, personally I think Duffy has more to offer. Cotterill does just enough but like Burke, he could do more during a game.
I would like to see Duffy have a run of games then se who has the better stats.
KRO+DNM
Randolph never fills me with confidence. Looking back at just our last half a dozen games, what struck me about Leeds Utd’s goal, Sheff Wed’s first goal, Jerome’s first for Norwich, both Fulham goals, Millwall’s goal, was the fact that none of them were shots that gave the keeper no chance. Every one of those shots went straight past him, within touching distance. Harsh? Maybe, but I don’t think so.
If the forwards could score goals they wouldn’t be playing for us.
I think there are parts of Mitch Hancox’s game that still need work. He’s an asset going forward and he has the passion of a Bluenose, but that’s not necessarily enough. His defensive positioning and concentration aren’t brilliant and I hoped he would have improved those aspects by now, but, from what I saw towards the end of last season, he hasn’t. I sincerely hope he improves this season and pushes for a regular place in the team. Unfortunately, apart from one glaring error, Grounds has done a fairly decent job at left back so far.
Has anyone thought about converting Hancox into a left sided midfielder. He is reasonably quick and a decent left foot. He got some crucial crosses in from the left at the end of last season.
I advocated Hancox as playing in front of a left full back last season. To be honest, I think he’d make a better left-sided midfielder than a full back.
Those Blues fans who got rid of the Sullivan\Gold\Brady era are hopefully regretting their decision. Right now we are a club hanging on and hoping for better days ahead. Owners in prison and owners who have rarely communicated with fans. Sullivan may talk a lot but his commitment was always there. Clark has worked hard to put together a team with little money. Stats do not consider circumstance and Clark has had to work under VERY difficult circumstances. KRO Blues, including Clark. Fans: get behind the team and their management staff before we await reasonable owners…
I can’t help but think that lee Clark really does get more stick than he deserves I believe he has done excellent in bringing youth through the ranks and also found a few gems along the way.the team is playing better more exciting football than I have seen in a long time and is more or less a brand new squad of players who from my point of view seem to be progressing rather well.i do agree he makes some bad rescissions with substitutions but we are a club fighting against relegation and like many clubs sometimes you have to shut up shop I just believe he does it at wrong times.i would like to ask people’s views though of the football we played under Steve Bruce yes we got results but pretty much watched bcfc defend for 90 minutes every game and it was boring but nobody complained
Dan just seen a notice of changes of issued capital 1,500,000,000 shares released at a nominal value of 3 cents approx 27% of total value of shares I assume Tricor Tengis Limited are the dealers????
Is this significant?????
I’m still glad Gold and Sullivan have gone. They lied to us, how many top players were the always on about buying? they ripped us off, we were expected to pay top prices for tickets to watch generally second rate players, and didn’t care about the club except as a money maker for themselves, compare their spending here with what they have spent at West Ham, but most of all, if they had stayed they would eventually have wanted the council to build them a ground, sold Stans, kept the money and dropped us in the mess Coventry are in.
It’s just a shame they sold to the Chinese rather than people with real financial weight.