Boxing day blues? Didnt watch so cant comment, altho remember a lot on here wanting bows to drop oshi at the start of the season and now all seem to want him back!
Boxing day blues? Didnt watch so cant comment, altho remember a lot on here wanting bows to drop oshi at the start of the season and now all seem to want him back!
Only in place of a midfielder at centre back. If the injured players were back he wouldn't get a look in.
He certainly contradicts himself does our Lee. Can't take a player out if they are playing well but then rotates players such as Maddison and Williams out of the starting 11 when they have played well the previous game. Complains about Pearce putting in a challenge when he can't win the ball but complains regularly about players not taking one for the team and taking a yellow card when the opposition are approaching our goal.
Apart from the 2nd half against Wimbledon I've not seen us play well yet this season. We've got too many average players, I'd argue none of this squad would get a starting place in a championship side.
Still January coming up, a couple of good additions along with Famewo and Innis back fit we can really push on in the 2nd half of the season
Thats fair enough - Pratley did make a mistake though and whilst Bowyer needs a settled back four he also needs to ensure that Oshilaja comes in if these mistakes become habit
Thanks @LouisMend I'll be in touch later in the week with the questions you need to ask Bowyer after the Hull game
Don't you want to put forward some questions for Lord Bowyer's presser later in the week for your Hull preview?
Come on man, if you're going to do a job do it properly!
The big concern for me is that Bowyer has no idea what his best team or formation is. Yes you need flexibility but it’s becoming a joke now.
Yeah, it's getting troubling now.
Curbs was there as a pundit. If I were Bowyer, I'd think I might say, "Hey, Curbs ..... got a minute?"
You know, IMO at least, I'd want to sit down with Curbs, if he were my old manager and ask him frankly what his impressions were. Another point of view from an experienced respected old hand, might just give Bow a different perspective and food for thought.
One thing I don't understand. Bowyer won't blood Barker in his natural position.and one we are crying out for. But he's happy to let a young loanee in Matsaan play in a position he's not natural in. I don't get it. What better place to get youngsters up to speed than this league?
He was happy to fill the side with them last year. I know his hand was forced somewhat but they did alright.
Thats fair enough - Pratley did make a mistake though and whilst Bowyer needs a settled back four he also needs to ensure that Oshilaja comes in if these mistakes become habit
Thanks @LouisMend I'll be in touch later in the week with the questions you need to ask Bowyer after the Hull game
Don't you want to put forward some questions for Lord Bowyer's presser later in the week for your Hull preview?
Come on man, if you're going to do a job do it properly!
Does Louis get invited to the press conferences before a match? - I thought his boss; Rich Cawley did that important work
Let’s not panic, we aren’t playing well. We had a poor summer window, but it was all too late. We have 2 decent central defenders, but they are injured. We need cover. January is vital now, let’s see who we get in (and more important out). Biggest frustration is Maddison, Williams and Aneke only seem to perfume off the bench. But we are still in the mix and if we can strengthen in Jan, this season is far from over.
Apart from the 2nd half against Wimbledon I've not seen us play well yet this season. We've got too many average players, I'd argue none of this squad would get a starting place in a championship side.
Still January coming up, a couple of good additions along with Famewo and Innis back fit we can really push on in the 2nd half of the season
Nothing wrong with this squad for league one whatsoever.
Look at the pedigree and quality of Lincoln’s squad..... and then ask whether Bowyer would be taking them to the top of the division when he’s struggling to make the play offs with a squad consisting of the likes of Maddison, Aneke, Williams, Watson, Matthews, Maatsen, Gunter, Shinnie, JFC, Famewo, Amos, Pratley.
They are more than good enough to get out of this division. Throw a couple of new signings in, plus Doughty, Inniss etc to come back for the run in.
Bowyer surely can’t afford not to go up automatically and I don’t think Sandgaard will stand for it.
He certainly contradicts himself does our Lee. Can't take a player out if they are playing well but then rotates players such as Maddison and Williams out of the starting 11 when they have played well the previous game. Complains about Pearce putting in a challenge when he can't win the ball but complains regularly about players not taking one for the team and taking a yellow card when the opposition are approaching our goal.
How do the players win?
This was my initial thought when I read it as well. Pratley will never get dropped. He’s definitely Bowyer’s pet, for want of a better term.
I am just a frustrated fan at the moment. I think Bowyer gave me sense of invincibility the way he took us up 2 years ago, and brought a glimmer of hope in what was a bleak time, and I’ve tended to think of him as being able to achieve the impossible, based on what he did in the circumstances. Even last season, we almost did it. I think apart from some really poor performances against Brum, Reading, Millwall and then being blown away by Leeds, we carried ourselves so well given Taylor pissing off and the subsequent break in the season.
Even when we had all those injuries last year, we still kept going.
I just look at this league and I think it’s very toilet. However, we seem to be fitting in quite nicely.
At the moment, I think we need to get rid of a few and bring a few in in Jan if we can. I would send Levitt back, get Bogle moved on if we can. I don’t personally see benefit in JFC, he occasionally has a good game, but more often than not, he’s midfield fodder. After that, Pratley starting week in week out is a frustration. I just can’t see much of a way forward at the moment. We’re still 6th, which isn’t the end of the world, and it could get better, of course it can, but I can’t see it at the moment.
What about we win or we lose as a team not this blame game Bowyer does all the time but is never at fault himself with his awful team selection & tactics!
Bowyer's selection / tactics should have won the game today though... I dont think he got much wrong in that regard
How can his decisions ensure that one Centre-Back doesnt go walkies (how do you know Oshilaja wouldnt have done worse?) or his Full-Back stupidly jump for a challenge that was likely to result in a foul?
Bowyer can only instruct his players so much, it comes to the point when they themselves have to take the blame
Matthews and Pratley for their brief moments of stupidity have to take responsibility for that
If Lee plays the players in their correct positions, his decisions are more likely to result in eg centre halves playing at centre half, rather than keep moving out of position into midfield.
I also agree that the manager's selection and tactics should have won the game against a team bottom of the away league table.
How far can anyone defend this nonsense? He has two left backs that he signed. Both have recently been playing well. He plays neither and plays a right back instead.
He has 2 fit centre halves (I admit with weaknesses), but plays Pratley there once again, who is looking more and more uncomfortable.
He plays Maatsen in midfield and leaves out Maddison & Morgan.
Bloody hell where will Schwartz play if he signs, centre half? A winger at right back?
Apart from the 2nd half against Wimbledon I've not seen us play well yet this season. We've got too many average players, I'd argue none of this squad would get a starting place in a championship side.
Still January coming up, a couple of good additions along with Famewo and Innis back fit we can really push on in the 2nd half of the season
I disagree
Amos, Famewo, Inniss, Maddison, Gunter, Maatsen and probably Washington, Aneke, Matthews and Williams could all be championship players imo
I honestly think we just need to sort our system out and get a bit of consistency in team selection
Even he doesn't rate deji I'd still have him play at CB rather than Pratley or Gunter. With Pratley in front in the DM role and having other players in their correct positions you'd like to think that our strengths and game plan would make up for his short comings.
And that's the main issue, we just don't impose OUR play on the oppo, too many formation and personnel changes game to game to negate the oppositions play rather than putting faith into our own.
Also in oshilja, if you think he's that sh!t then why bother naming him on the bench, stick an u23 or Barker there.
I think we are all saying the same thing. When we all think we have more tactical nous than the manager then something clearly is wrong. I think if we’d played Ragarse Rovers Bowyer would put out a side to nullify them rather than play to our own strengths. That’s exactly what is wrong. Play our best available side and players in the right position.
Amos
Gunter Deji Pearce Purrington
Gilbey/Forster-Caskey Morgan. Maatsen Maddison
Washington. Aneke
. Right footed players on the right and left footed players on the left and we might get some width! It really should be simple!
Left back in midfield. Right back at left back. Centre mid at centre back. Perfectly decent centre back on the bench. Most creative midfielder on the bench. All that against one of the leakiest defences in the league. That is all
Spot on. Would love to know why.
Also no good starting your best 2 strikers & then leaving the creative players (Maddison & Morgan) on the bench. We might be in a decent position with a game in hand but we should be so much higher up - probably 2nd. 4 points dropped in the last 2 games against teams that are in bad run of form & who are leaking goals.
When Bowyer starts Maddison, people moan that he’s not starting Williams.
When Bowyer starts Williams, people moan that he’s not starting Maddison.
Dont worry if we lose when we start both it'll be because Pratley started over Oshilaja
Fans know that Bowyer has only picked the right team when we win, unfortunately they have the hindsight to know if we've won or not
Whereas Bowyer wont have that advantage before picking the team what'll actually happen
Because the opposition will come along with their own game plan!!
And lets not pretend, as even when the team sheet gets announced, the en mass comments will start saying Bowyer has got it wrong, even if we go on to win
Deji is a CB (a CB who Bowyer signed) and yet he thinks Pratley is a better option? That’s just odd, especially alongside Pearce as it’s slow. I do appreciate your optimism but I think Bowyer would have to murder your family for you to consider criticising him.
Again though, apart from one brief moment where Pratley went for a Boxing Day stroll he didnt do anything wrong
You're right calling for Oshilaja but how do you know he's not going to make even more mistakes that are going to be even more costly?
That is why I'm reluctant to moan about the Manager's choices
Because we're able to sit here and complain that one choice was wrong, yet dont know if the other option was worse
That stroll played a major part in the goal though. If Bowyer doesn’t trust Deji to start a League 1 game there’s something seriously wrong there. He wasn’t particularly good last season but he has plenty of experience at this level and I’m presuming did well enough to catch the eye of Bows and/or Gallen.
If Deji played poorly im hoping the majority of fans would aim the criticism at the player, I certainly would.
For me Bows is opening himself up for criticism. I cannot understand how you can defend Matthews playing at LB and Pratley at CB when Deji and Purrington were both available.
If it’s true players aren’t training well enough to be picked I am massively concerned to be honest. It’s Lee Bowyers job to motivate this players, both in training and on the pitch. We’re not talking about 18 year olds here either. Last season he repeatedly spoke about effort and it came down to injuries, inexperience and a general lack of quality. I agreed with him and he had my sympathy due to budgets, off the pitch shit etc. This season there has been more criticism with regards to effort and that worries me.
You see I cannot understand how fans can instantly presume that Oshilaja and Purrington would do better
Just want to check that its the same Purrington fans have been slating as being rubbish for the last season and a half, the same Oshilaja everyone thought was playing shit at the start of this season?
If Oshilaja plays against Hull then the fans calling for him to play surely have to take criticism if it goes wrong
Unfortunately that wont happen will it?
I’m assuming Deji would be better than Pratley because it’s his position. Pratley has filled a gap and done a job for the team but today wasn’t his first below par performance at CB. I’m reluctant to criticise him because he’s playing out of position.
No I don’t agree the fans should take the criticism. Like I said, Bowyer signed Deji as a CB. Are you not concerned that Bows now seems to think Pratley is a better bet? If that’s the case he’s worthless to the club (for the record I think he’s ok at this level).
I've already voiced my concern that Bowyer surely isnt starting Deji because he potentially could be off in January to free up wages
I think it would be a good question to raise to Lee (@LouisMend?) as to why Deji isnt getting much game time
Of course it could also be down to the fact that Oshilaja isnt doing enough in training compared to Pratley
If you cant do it there, can you honestly be relied upon to produce the required performance when it matters in a game?
Asked that today, typing it up now
i know that you are now on the way home but another question that i would ask is why he (bowyer) is playing players out of their position? I pay a tenner for a bit christmas cheer but i get nought from him and his team.
Did you want Bowyer to match them up in a 3-5-2 like Curbs said or do you want him to play both luxury players? There's no way Williams and Maddison can play together in a central midfield three.
They played together in the 2nd half against Wimbledon - and tore them to shreds.
Apart from the 2nd half against Wimbledon I've not seen us play well yet this season. We've got too many average players, I'd argue none of this squad would get a starting place in a championship side.
Still January coming up, a couple of good additions along with Famewo and Innis back fit we can really push on in the 2nd half of the season
Nothing wrong with this squad for league one whatsoever.
Look at the pedigree and quality of Lincoln’s squad..... and then ask whether Bowyer would be taking them to the top of the division when he’s struggling to make the play offs with a squad consisting of the likes of Maddison, Aneke, Williams, Watson, Matthews, Maatsen, Gunter, Shinnie, JFC, Famewo, Amos, Pratley.
They are more than good enough to get out of this division. Throw a couple of new signings in, plus Doughty, Inniss etc to come back for the run in.
Bowyer surely can’t afford not to go up automatically and I don’t think Sandgaard will stand for it.
And then Sandgaard the hero will become the villan if he outed Bowyer without giving him time.
I think we will all differ on who would be part of our best side. But if you pick it, surely you only chop and change through necessity. You want players to build an understanding which makes for a better team. Some changes are forced on Bowyer, but he loves to chop and change.
A reason for this could be to keep the squad fresh. But when we do have a break and play a team that doesn't, they seem to be more on it. Maybe we will see the benefits in the coming weeks or maybe it is a load of bollocks from a manager who thinks he is smarter than he is. Hopefully we will see the benefits when we are so much fresher than our opponents.
I rate Pratley highly, and he is playing out of position. But he has been shite a few times recently and Bowyer calls out other players but not him and keeps playing him when Williams can have a great game and get dropped. This will have an affect on morale if disgruntled players believe there is favouritism going on.
IF Sangaard ain't getting an itchy ring piece now, then perhaps he ain't as shrewd as we think...
Its been said before, but I think this season is a free hit for Bowyer in eyes of Sandgaard. Unless we end up losing the next 10 games in a row I doubt TS will get a twitchy trigger finger. We stuck by CP in 2010/11 during his bad run, the argument being he hadn't had a chance to build his best team. You could argue the same for Bows.
IF Sangaard ain't getting an itchy ring piece now, then perhaps he ain't as shrewd as we think...
Its been said before, but I think this season is a free hit for Bowyer in eyes of Sandgaard. Unless we end up losing the next 10 games in a row I doubt TS will get a twitchy trigger finger. We stuck by CP in 2010/11 during his bad run, the argument being he hadn't had a chance to build his best team. You could argue the same for Bows.
This is what puzzles me. We have made lots of tactical errors lately but are still decently placed. If Sandgaard believes Bowyer may not be the man to take us forward, I don't see why he would write off a season that could still be potentially successful.
Maybe Sandgaard is waiting for Bowyer to go on another run of wins, but if that doesn't come, he will be more than aware of short comings fans are moaning about and there will be a tipping point when he believes he can still affect things surely.
It is up to Bowyer to get back on track. Stop moaning about players. take responsibility and put it right or he will be toast. That wouldn't be disloyalty but ambition on Sandgaard's part.
Why won’t bowyer start Williams and Maddison in the same 11. I can only recall them playing against Wimbledon together in the second half and we scored 4!
I think you can play them both in a diamond. If you have Pratley or Watson at the base of the diamond, you can have 2 of Williams, JFK, Morgan and Shinnie either side of it with Maddison at the tip. Anther option would be Gilbey either side when he gets his form back.
If Maddison is injured or off form, Williams can fit into the role at the tip. For me our best side has to have either Watson or Pratley at the base of the diamond, so the only way they should play together is if Pratley is playing centre half or we are playing a better side than us.
Williams would be the first midfield name on my team sheet.
Comments
How do the players win?
Still January coming up, a couple of good additions along with Famewo and Innis back fit we can really push on in the 2nd half of the season
Come on man, if you're going to do a job do it properly!
Dont know why Bowyer can’t see it.
Curbs was there as a pundit. If I were Bowyer, I'd think I might say, "Hey, Curbs ..... got a minute?"
You know, IMO at least, I'd want to sit down with Curbs, if he were my old manager and ask him frankly what his impressions were.
Another point of view from an experienced respected old hand, might just give Bow a different perspective and food for thought.
Bowyer won't blood Barker in his natural position.and one we are crying out for.
But he's happy to let a young loanee in Matsaan play in a position he's not natural in.
I don't get it. What better place to get youngsters up to speed than this league?
He was happy to fill the side with them last year. I know his hand was forced somewhat but they did alright.
Look at the pedigree and quality of Lincoln’s squad..... and then ask whether Bowyer would be taking them to the top of the division when he’s struggling to make the play offs with a squad consisting of the likes of Maddison, Aneke, Williams, Watson, Matthews, Maatsen, Gunter, Shinnie, JFC, Famewo, Amos, Pratley.
They are more than good enough to get out of this division. Throw a couple of new signings in, plus Doughty, Inniss etc to come back for the run in.
Bowyer surely can’t afford not to go up automatically and I don’t think Sandgaard will stand for it.
I am just a frustrated fan at the moment. I think Bowyer gave me sense of invincibility the way he took us up 2 years ago, and brought a glimmer of hope in what was a bleak time, and I’ve tended to think of him as being able to achieve the impossible, based on what he did in the circumstances. Even last season, we almost did it. I think apart from some really poor performances against Brum, Reading, Millwall and then being blown away by Leeds, we carried ourselves so well given Taylor pissing off and the subsequent break in the season.
Even when we had all those injuries last year, we still kept going.
I also agree that the manager's selection and tactics should have won the game against a team bottom of the away league table.
How far can anyone defend this nonsense?
He has two left backs that he signed.
Both have recently been playing well.
He plays neither and plays a right back instead.
He has 2 fit centre halves (I admit with weaknesses), but plays Pratley there once again, who is looking more and more uncomfortable.
He plays Maatsen in midfield and leaves out Maddison & Morgan.
Bloody hell where will Schwartz play if he signs, centre half?
A winger at right back?
This nonsense has to stop.
Amos, Famewo, Inniss, Maddison, Gunter, Maatsen and probably Washington, Aneke, Matthews and Williams could all be championship players imo
I honestly think we just need to sort our system out and get a bit of consistency in team selection
And that's the main issue, we just don't impose OUR play on the oppo, too many formation and personnel changes game to game to negate the oppositions play rather than putting faith into our own.
Also in oshilja, if you think he's that sh!t then why bother naming him on the bench, stick an u23 or Barker there.
Gunter Deji Pearce Purrington
Gilbey/Forster-Caskey
Morgan. Maatsen
Maddison
Washington. Aneke
.
Right footed players on the right and left footed players on the left and we might get some width!
It really should be simple!
So set the team up to accommodate them both.
A reason for this could be to keep the squad fresh. But when we do have a break and play a team that doesn't, they seem to be more on it. Maybe we will see the benefits in the coming weeks or maybe it is a load of bollocks from a manager who thinks he is smarter than he is. Hopefully we will see the benefits when we are so much fresher than our opponents.
I rate Pratley highly, and he is playing out of position. But he has been shite a few times recently and Bowyer calls out other players but not him and keeps playing him when Williams can have a great game and get dropped. This will have an affect on morale if disgruntled players believe there is favouritism going on.
Maybe Sandgaard is waiting for Bowyer to go on another run of wins, but if that doesn't come, he will be more than aware of short comings fans are moaning about and there will be a tipping point when he believes he can still affect things surely.
It is up to Bowyer to get back on track. Stop moaning about players. take responsibility and put it right or he will be toast. That wouldn't be disloyalty but ambition on Sandgaard's part.
If Maddison is injured or off form, Williams can fit into the role at the tip. For me our best side has to have either Watson or Pratley at the base of the diamond, so the only way they should play together is if Pratley is playing centre half or we are playing a better side than us.
Williams would be the first midfield name on my team sheet.
You certainly cannot argue that CP' first season can be compared to This season for Bowyer.
Powell inherited Parkinson's side. In his second season he had a full rebuild.
Bowyer and Gallen have built and patched this side over two and a half, seasons