THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

[Pobble]

THE GOOD
We have now won three out of four, even though one was Stockport.
THE BAD
By winning three out of four we are now stuck with the worst and most tactically inept Manager in the league for a bit longer.
THE UGLY
An excellant new ground partially spoilt by penny pinching cost cutting.

2011 should be the time for change.!!!![/b]

[feelingguilty]

Dont post often but I am going to bite!!!

Biggest change we can look for in 2011 is for everybody to get behind what is happening and not always take the negative view - pretty sad approach to life.

[Seasider9601]

With all due respect Pobble, why do you only EVER post negativity on here ?

[parkyboy]

+hy not be positive Pobbles like the majority of supporters , i hope you are man enough to apologise for all your negative posts at the end of the seson

[Christies Child]

THE GOOD
We have now won three out of four, even though one was Stockport.
THE BAD
By winning three out of four we are now stuck with the worst and most tactically inept Manager in the league for a bit longer.THE UGLY
An excellant new ground partially spoilt by penny pinching cost cutting.

2011 should be the time for change.!!!![/b]

Even I have to acknowledge that recent results have lifted my personal gloom, and that is down to the entire 'team' performing as the manager quite rightly expected remembering that we have the strongest' team ever on paper.

[Sammy h]

He has started playing a team we all know should have started from the beginning.

The only reason I wanted him sacked is because of his baffling team selections, he seems to have sorted this out now...

[Peckishparrish13]

THE GOOD
We have now won three out of four, even though one was Stockport.
THE BAD
By winning three out of four we are now stuck with the worst and most tactically inept Manager in the league for a bit longer.
THE UGLY
An excellant new ground partially spoilt by penny pinching cost cutting.

2011 should be the time for change.!!!![/b]

I see why you have put this pobble, i was calling for his head a while ago, but now i think we just need to be supporting our lads and we can go on another 7 game winnig run!
COME ON YOU SHRIMPS!

[Bare Ben]

By winning three out of four we are now stuck with the worst and most tactically inept Manager in the league for a bit longer.

This statement defies belief. It is just complete and utter garbage.

[bigreddog]

THE GOOD
We have now won three out of four, even though one was Stockport.
THE BAD
By winning three out of four we are now stuck with the worst and most tactically inept Manager in the league for a bit longer.
THE UGLY
An excellant new ground partially spoilt by penny pinching cost cutting.

2011 should be the time for change.!!!![/b]

I know I shouldn't even bother, but I just can't help myself. But before I respond first and foremost you're entitled to your opinion like everybody else, so I'm not going to question motives, backing of the club, integrity, parentage or anything else. criticism isn't always a sign of disloyalty.

Anyway having said that I'd better get on with disagreeing with you:

1. winning three out of four in any league is a good run of results, and the fact that the other game was a derby means that was by no means an ordinary game. Stockport may not be the best side in the league, but it's disrespectful to their football club and to our players to suggest that one doesn't count.

2. Our Manager. "the worst and most tacticaly inept in the league", other than the fact I suspect you think tactics are little white mints, I refer you to your first point. if we've won three out of four there must have been something tacticaly sound in there somewhere. On top of that there are a number of chairmen (most especilly ours) who disagree with you given the battalion of manager sackings so far this season. And may I ask what do people want from our manager? who in the space of 4 1/2 seasons (not counting where we end up this year) has achieved 5th, 3rd and promotion, 11th, 11th and 4th. Or to put it another way: in five finishes he's managed play off spots 3 times. Name one manager anywhere in the UK that can match that.


3. The ground is in the main part magnificent, and I think we should recognise that it's still a bit of a work in progress from what we wanted, but we've just come through a huge recession and it's unfair to blame the directors for penny pinching, when they and the chairman have done nothing but put their hands in their own pockets and put money into the club, not just this year but every year.

Or to put it another way in the Taoist tradition: Freedom resides in the recognition of limitations. In knowing how far you're able to reach, you'll have perfect freedom to choose just how far within that range to reach. The ideal of unlimited freedom is an illusion.When you realise where you come from, you naturally become tolerant, disinterested, amused, kindhearted as a grandmother, dignified as a king. Immersed in the wonder, you can deal with whatever life brings you.

or just watch this:

http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/2030921318

.

[Christies Child]

I know I'm a sad old fart, but it still brings a shed load of tears to my eyes when I watch the greatest day in our history...so far!

[ockers]

[2. Our Manager. "the worst and most tacticaly inept in the league", other than the fact I suspect you think tactics are little white mints, I refer you to your first point. if we've won three out of four there must have been something tacticaly sound in there somewhere. On top of that there are a number of chairmen (most especilly ours) who disagree with you given the battalion of manager sackings so far this season. And may I ask what do people want from our manager? who in the space of 4 1/2 seasons (not counting where we end up this year) has achieved 5th, 3rd and promotion, 11th, 11th and 4th. Or to put it another way: in five finishes he's managed play off spots 3 times. Name one manager anywhere in the UK that can match that.

glad youve changed your tune from earlier in the season Darren when you Garry Hocking and a number of others were wavering in the globe bar and telling me how many games he has left or was that too much beer????

[bigreddog]

somebody's realy wound you up this week haven't they. like any mere mortal in any walk of life I have the odd crisis of faith ( on and off the football pitch), there are some who wouldn't back sammy if he won us the champions league, and I'm most certainly not one of those. I fundamentally keep the faith, but I wont ever be a fundamentalist.

[ockers]

somebody's realy wound you up this week haven't they

im fine darren
its just i remember how much stick sammy came in for in the bar that saturday
and its not something ill forget
perhaps thats something you should be wary of if youre taking on this new role of supporters chairman

[bigreddog]

If you mean that it's inherent in supporting a football club that one may be surrounded at times by people wanting a moan or to vent their spleen, then I completely understand and when I agreed to help with the supporters club the thought did cross my mind that some people could try and use it as a vehicle for a bit of a whinge.

If you mean i should be wary of the fact that you remember every complaint about every match in every bar, that would be a whole different ball game (pardon the pun)

[RedRedWine1]

We all say ridiculous things sometimes Sean. Remember when you called Carl Baker a 2-bit 10-a penny non-league player???

Anyway, you've got to love and admire the godfather, Sammy "Et tu, Brute?" Mac. I think he's great, and he has done wonders for this club. Yet for some it will never be good enough. A comment that I once overheard still makes me laugh. It was something along the lines of "Jim Harvey is never going to get the credit he deserves whilst Sammy is still in charge". All I want to know is just when on earth is Sammy going to get the credit that he deserves???? When he's gone and his successor is struggling to match his achievements????

[shrimper]

Too right.

We've seen it all before so we can take all this banter without getting overly wound up.

There are those who have an axe to grind, keep quiet when things are going well, wait and wait for a poor run then leap on it and get stuck in.

There are others who are all happy clappy when things are going well then, blown by any ill wind that appears, start having a go when things get tough.

And there are others who stay positive throughout, even in the face of what look like unarguably dire times and, probably correctly, get accused of being naive and having rose-tinted specs.

It was ever thus and it's all part of footballing life's rich tapestry.

If I'd been in that bar-room debate a few weeks ago I'd probably have said Sammy had a few games to turn it round, to be honest. Had we lost at struggling Stockport and then faced the tough run of games we now have, defeats against Shrewsbury and Torquay would have seemed almost inevitable and his position would, at the very least, come under the spotlight.

That's not to say I'd want to see him lose his job. I wouldn't. But I'd have probably been honest enough to say that it was a possibility it could happen.

Don't feel too guilty Bigreddog - just honest comment.

Anyhow, we didn't lose, things look better now and I'm glad.

And, as for 'he's now playing the team we all knew...'. Really? Capaldi and Shuker? Really?

No. Sammy made a huge decision to play two of the players most people had dismissed as 'more of the manager's rubbish players he's brought in'. You might even say he gambled with his job. Imagine the clamour if we'd lost at Stockport with those two in the starting
line-up!!

As it happened they've both done well in those games, we've played well as a team in both and got the points that have taken us into a far more healthy position.

We'll have our hiccups again before the season's out - and it'll probably all blow up again once or twice.

Whatever we think - let's all just keep supporting the 11 the manager puts out on the field, eh? To be fair, we're pretty good at that - even quite a lot of the critics choose to be positive while there's a game to win!

[bigreddog]

fair point about the team selection Glenn, I listened to your radio commentary and it was honest to look at the selection of Capaldi and Shuker as a "gamble", nobody was even sure how we would line up right upto kick off. Sammy rolled the dice and it worked and we should all be thankful, it's what he gets paid for at the end of the day, it's what he's good at, and that's why we're on here chating and Sammy is at home, hopefully relaxing, and preparing our team for another win on saturday.

it's football, and as the old saying goes, opinions are like arseholes, everybody's got one

[Sammy h]

Shrimper, I am presuming the team selection comment was aimed at me. Not all people thought Shuker was a bad player.

We are playing better and winning games because -

A) We now have a set formation and the same back 4 week in week out.

B) Laurence Wilson is playing left midfield

C) Mark Duffy is being played

The one person who I think should be playing though is Scott Brown for Drummond. Hope that clears things up.

[marky No.1]

.... and if you ain't got one, you truly are in the shit!

[shrimper]

Shrimper, I am presuming the team selection comment was aimed at me. Not all people thought Shuker was a bad player.

We are playing better and winning games because -

A) We now have a set formation and the same back 4 week in week out.

B) Laurence Wilson is playing left midfield

C) Mark Duffy is being played

The one person who I think should be playing though is Scott Brown for Drummond. Hope that clears things up.

Yes it was. But others have made similar points, so it's not just a comment directed at you.

I was intending to highlight that I don't think it's much to do with any particular 'selection' or format that people have been clamouring for. More the manager picking a side, which he does every week, and the players actually playing well.

We've won lots of games when Wilson hasn't played left midfield and lost lots when Duffy has played. I don't think either of those guarantees success.

Neither is our current steady back four something that we've all clamoured for (certainly not the one that's played these past two games with Capaldi as one of them). Again we've had steady back fours before and lost plenty (though I agree, chopping and changing -sometimes because we have to - doesn't help).

I just think the team clicked well in those games and will again in future - but that same side may well also lose a few.

We've won and lost plenty with 4-4-2 and there have been spells when five across the middle has worked and when it hasn't.

It's about players playing well.

Having said that I do like having Duffy in there because he always 'looks' dangerous and able to beat a man, even when it doesn't quite come off for him. Having players like that put defenders in two minds which means they're less keen to push forward.

[marky No.1]

On the subject of pushing forward: When we were down to 10 on Saturday we soaked a lot of pressure particularly from corners. IMO rather than bring everyone back into the box I feel it is better to have one man near the halfway line as an outlet. We just seemed to invite more pressure on ourselves. That one man can often take 2 opposition players away from our penalty area.

Any thoughts ?

[Pandashrimp]

He has started playing a team we all know should have started from the beginning.

The only reason I wanted him sacked is because of his baffling team selections, he seems to have sorted this out now...

Agreed. I always backed the no knee-jerk reaction brigade, however i find his team selections at times baffling! In Sammy we....believe!

[Pandashrimp]

On the subject of pushing forward: When we were down to 10 on Saturday we soaked a lot of pressure particularly from corners. IMO rather than bring everyone back into the box I feel it is better to have one man near the halfway line as an outlet. We just seemed to invite more pressure on ourselves. That one man can often take 2 opposition players away from our penalty area.

Any thoughts ?

100% agree. Attack the best form of defense. Despite his apparent airial presence!!! Leave Shuker up top for a quick long counter...but more as Marky says for a tactical reason.

[ockers]

We all say ridiculous things sometimes Sean. Remember when you called Carl Baker a 2-bit 10-a penny non-league player???

Anyway, you've got to love and admire the godfather, Sammy "Et tu, Brute?" Mac. I think he's great, and he has done wonders for this club. Yet for some it will never be good enough. A comment that I once overheard still makes me laugh. It was something along the lines of "Jim Harvey is never going to get the credit he deserves whilst Sammy is still in charge". All I want to know is just when on earth is Sammy going to get the credit that he deserves???? When he's gone and his successor is struggling to match his achievements????

he still is i told him so....

[George Dawes]

in a nutshell it's fair to say Sammy as again stumbled across what seems a winning formula with his best eleven.. but anyway moving forward ->

a key player who's been part of it Spencer with his clever link up play is now out for a few games so will have to see what SM comes up with because at the start of the season he was playing this 4 4 1 1 with Mullin upfront and it failed on a fair few occasions..

maybe SM will pull out a ace card of a selection and play both Mullin and Jevons upfront who were successful last season as a partnership and incidentally how many times have they played together this term ?

so lets not get to carried away and just see if lessons have been learned this weekend..