Current Predicament...

[Flashheart]

I reckon Delf could score a few for us. Somebody finally spotted one of his runs against Rochdale..... and he put it away.

[horlock07]

Its hardly as if the change in the loan rules came as a surprise, we all knew it was coming. The worry is more how injury prone our players seem to be although it could be just that the way we play encourages a kicking - see Arsenal also being very injury prone?

[Peter Venkman]

Martin Ling made it work.

Did he though?

I loved Ling as boss but his results were very up and down, we won 5 and lost 4 with a terrible away defeat at Fleetwood of 5-1 which must go down as one of our worst ever performances, yet the next 3 games after he left we got 7 points from.

Rochdale (A)     1-3 L
Scunthorpe (H) 2-1 W
Fleetwood (A)    1-5 L
Walsall (H)        2-1 W
Chesterfield (A)  4-0 W
Rochdale (H)      2-1 W
Shrewsbury (A)  1-0 W
Gillingham (H)    1-3 L
Burton (A)          0-1 L

The next 3 games after Ling left were...

Southend (H)     4-2 W
Crewe Alex (H)   4-3 W
Sheffield U (A)   1-1 L

Luke Williams first 12 games in charge were 6 wins, 4 draws and 2 defeats.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

That's a very interesting list of players - or, at least, the make up of it.

A quick, approx count, reveals 22 midfielders, 6 strikers and 2 CBs.

This is one of the failures of the recruitment policy - it's been so unbalanced. Defenders have almost universally been loans and freebies.  It's almost as if Power only sees any value in recruiting midfielders.

[horlock07]

Did he though?

I loved Ling as boss but his results were very up and down, we won 5 and lost 4 with a terrible away defeat at Fleetwood of 5-1 which must go down as one of our worst ever performances, yet the next 3 games after he left we got 7 points from.

Rochdale (A)     1-3 L
Scunthorpe (H) 2-1 W
Fleetwood (A)    1-5 L
Walsall (H)        2-1 W
Chesterfield (A)  4-0 W
Rochdale (H)      2-1 W
Shrewsbury (A)  1-0 W
Gillingham (H)    1-3 L
Burton (A)          0-1 L

The next 3 games after Ling left were...

Southend (H)     4-2 W
Crewe Alex (H)   4-3 W
Sheffield U (A)   1-1 W

Luke Williams first 12 games in charge were 6 wins, 4 draws and 2 defeats.

Can we go back to your method where a 1-1 counts as a win? 

[Flashheart]

Ling had the system working. We were passing the ball as per our philosophy, while threatening on the attack and being secure at the back. (Or at least more secure than usual). This was also with a team that he had no input to in terms of recruitment. I'm not just referring to results, I am also referring to making it work to provide decent performances.

Although he did make it work results wise as well. Winning 5 in 9 is promotion form.

[A Gent Orange]

I reckon Delf could score a few for us. Somebody finally spotted one of his runs against Rochdale..... and he put it away.

Well, both Kasim and Rodgers put lovely balls into his feet on Saturday and only once did he get a shot away. Not blaming him but he isn't quite on it at the moment all the time.

[Bob's Orange]

Well, both Kasim and Rodgers put lovely balls into his feet on Saturday and only once did he get a shot away. Not blaming him but he isn't quite on it at the moment all the time.

He didn't really have a proper pre-season so I guess is not as 'match sharp' as he could be.

Which is a bit of a guess, he could be just like a jigsaw and go to pieces in the box.

[Peter Venkman]

Can we go back to your method where a 1-1 counts as a win? 

Oops yes we can

[Peter Venkman]

Ling had the system working. We were passing the ball as per our philosophy, while threatening on the attack and being secure at the back. (Or at least more secure than usual). This was also with a team that he had no input to in terms of recruitment. I'm not just referring to results, I am also referring to making it work to provide decent performances.

Although he did make it work results wise as well. Winning 5 in 9 is promotion form.

I just remember us playing the system any better under Ling than under Cooper, just the players and fans seemed more behind Ling than Cooper. I could be wrong as my memory is crap lately.

LW's first 12 games in charge, 6 wins, 4 draws and 2 defeats is promotion form too but we didn't carry that form on till the end of the season.

[Reg Smeeton]

Ling had the system working. We were passing the ball as per our philosophy, while threatening on the attack and being secure at the back. (Or at least more secure than usual). This was also with a team that he had no input to in terms of recruitment. I'm not just referring to results, I am also referring to making it work to provide decent performances.

Although he did make it work results wise as will. Winning 5 in 9 is promotion form.

It was actually 5 from 8. Rochdale was a cup game, so doesn't count when considering league matters.  When you get into trouble like we did early doors last season, then you need something like PO form in order to get out of the mire.  The Iffy season after we lost a record 8 on the spin, we only lost 3 of the next 20, but the damage had been done.

We're not quite there yet this season....but the home form, will need to pick probably from the next game, to avoid getting into quicksand.

[A Gent Orange]

That's a very interesting list of players - or, at least, the make up of it.

A quick, approx count, reveals 22 midfielders, 6 strikers and 2 CBs.

Except at least one of the three centre back slots has been consistently taken by a long-term loanee (Turnbull - until this season) and frequently more, including Stephens, Williams, Lelan and now Lloyd Jones.

[Costanza]

*Tangent* Josh Lelan is now a Kenya international.

Please continue....

[Batch]

Well, both Kasim and Rodgers put lovely balls into his feet on Saturday and only once did he get a shot away. Not blaming him but he isn't quite on it at the moment all the time.

He didn't really have a proper pre-season so I guess is not as 'match sharp' as he could be.

Which is a bit of a guess, he could be just like a jigsaw and go to pieces in the box.

8 starts and 2 sub appearances. if he isn't fit and match sharp now he never will be

[Flashheart]

I just remember us playing the system any better under Ling than under Cooper,

Which raises the point that Cooper had it working us well, well enough for us to reach a playoff-final in fact. Our best finish in 15(?) seasons. Another example that it can work. Granted we had more quality in that squad, but we should still be doing better than we are. The current manager just isn't up to it.