David Flitcroft: Yes or No

[Flashheart]

You and Reg have given two examples of teams that played 'well'. That's at least 2 that are using the excuse of it being L2. Exeter are playing decent football and they're 3rd. The 'it's Div 4' excuse doesn't hold any water. I'm not trying to say it's a good league by any means, because it clearly isn't. I'm just not buying the excuse. Persistently and predictably hoofing up the field only to lose possession doesn't cut it.

The frustrating thing is that we can look half decent when we keep it down, but we don't. Like I said, though, I wouldn't be moaning if we were getting results, but we're not. We're crap AND we're losing. 5 on the bounce now.

[donkey]

So far this season we've been truly awful in each game I've seen, with the exception of Port Vale. In the Vale game we were competent and won comfortably. Like others i can accept a sacrifice of style for success, but we are not having success, so the style really shows. This is the worst footballing side i have ever seen represent Town.

[Tails]

You and Reg have given two examples of teams that played 'well'. That's at least 2 that are using the excuse of it being L2. Exeter are playing decent football and they're 3rd. The 'it's Div 4' excuse doesn't hold any water. I'm not trying to say it's a good league by any means, because it clearly isn't. I'm just not buying the excuse. Persistently and predictably hoofing up the field only to lose possession doesn't cut it.

The frustrating thing is that we can look half decent when we keep it down, but we don't. Like I said, though, I wouldn't be moaning if we were getting results, but we're not. We're crap AND we're losing. 5 on the bounce now.

I never used that excuse...?

[Flashheart]

I know. Reg did. That's what I was objecting to.

[pauld]

I don't pay too much attention to the literal interpretation of Flitters post match thoughts... rather assume he means his priority is what happens in the offensive and defensive third.  With us atm it is vulnerabilty at corners and free kicks. OK you can always concede an odd goal from a set piece, but we're doing too many.

Well clearly, he didn't mean it 100% literally or he wouldn't have any midfielders, we'd just be playing a 5-0-5 or something. But it's a clear indication that he doesn't want/like a passing game or building an attack, he is looking for defenders to win the ball and hoof it long. And I do get the "Just do what it takes to get out of the division" so I could put up with it if it works. But it isn't. We've gone from being shit at playing nice football to being shit at playing ugly football. I think FH sums it up very well:

I was willing to sacrifice style for effectiveness this season. We've sacrificed style, but we've not really seen the effectiveness.

What worries me especially about Flitcroft is that he seems to be either massively inflexible or simply lacking the wit to have a plan B. On all fronts - his in game tactics, his man-management and his overall strategy.

[Tails]

I know. Reg did. That's what I was objecting to.

Ah, my mistake. I get his point to be honest. League Two is garbage.

I still think our form will pick up and we'll be in and around the top 7 anyway. Maybe I'm blindly confident in Flitcroft but I can see him taking us up - it's the next step I worry about.

[Reg Smeeton]

Well clearly, he didn't mean it 100% literally or he wouldn't have any midfielders, we'd just be playing a 5-0-5 or something. But it's a clear indication that he doesn't want/like a passing game or building an attack, he is looking for defenders to win the ball and hoof it long. And I do get the "Just do what it takes to get out of the division" so I could put up with it if it works. But it isn't. We've gone from being shit at playing nice football to being shit at playing ugly football. I think FH sums it up very well:What worries me especially about Flitcroft is that he seems to be either massively inflexible or simply lacking the wit to have a plan B. On all fronts - his in game tactics, his man-management and his overall strategy.

As things stand we've won more games than we've lost, and have a positive goal difference. Only 3 sides have scored more than us and oddly of those sides only 1 has scored, a dodgy pen against us. It's obvious that things aren't great atm, certainly not helped by injuries, but I've seen enough to think that Flitters should get the window. The alternative would probably be back to Power, Brady and TT, getting in a bogof deal on more Feruz, Colkett, Dabo style acquisitions.

[BambooToTheFuture]

Quite agree FH.

If you want the short version, just go to the bottom paragraph   soapy tit wank

The baffling persistence of entertaining Matt Taylor at CDM is annoying me. Flitcroft tried this when he first arrived and he looked all at sea. Almost thankfully, to injury Taylor was positioned at LB and we saw an improvement from the player which led to assists and quite simply a few extraordinary goals. The kind of contribution a certain BOO should look at if he was ever going to be professional enough to stay in the game. Why oh why on earth once "Defensive cover" was back he put Taylor in CDM is beyond me. Another issue is Knoyle. Not the lad personally but he was supposed to be our "LB" when he was fully fit and ready. Now it may seem a contradiction but if Knoyle was tipped as our no.1 LB then why did Flitcroft not draft him into the side in matches where we were getting results (e.g take off Taylor at 65/70/75 mins and let Knoyle build some match time). No he either left him on the bench or didn't make the squad at all.

For me, it's unfortunate that Elsnik has had a few injuries, while we're talking about having "no midfield" it's more because the midfield is bypassed in the style that DF wants us to play. When Elsnik is in the squad we have a tendency to keep it on the ground a little more and we get a bit more creative. He has great awareness and gets himself into great positions. Gordon is similar but not quite as good (needs his hand holding at times, so can go down with whatever the current morale is), Elsnik does seem a cut above even in this first set of pro games at a dire level. He will go on to better things. May miss out with Derby if they go up. If transitioning a player is done right he'll play in a top 6 league one team next season (on loan or maybe someone will offer Derby an early lower fee), then we'll see how he kicks on. Elsnik is integral to linking our "creativity" because he's linked well with Taylor, Preston and he's pounced on the forward's scraps. He'll make a good no.10 or "false 9"

Sorry this was meant to be about Flitcroft. My own opinion? I don't think Flitcroft has the tactical nous or man management to go any higher than L2. We are L2, right now but the squad is good enough to (when ran efficiently and to it's strengths) probably bob above the dotted line in L1. If, and this is massive. If we can attract around three half decent signings in January (just to give the rest of the squad a kick up the arse) then this league is for the taking. We know, that a squad that is 1 point above average can storm the division. The trouble is, the man at the helm doesn't seem to be aware/is too stubborn to notice when he's had a fairly decent starting XI. Quit picking your "yes" boys, expect a bit of backchat from the odd over inflated ego (this is football in the modern day, it's here to stay). If you can't manage that environment, take out the mischief makers but not at detriment to a settled squad. Discipline but without isolation. Let the individual know that you're pissed off but do it as a whole group, anonymously, so that individual knows that when he lets you down, he also gets the rest of the squad punished too (didn't want to say it but a la PDC). It's simple management. Got a bad egg or two, let them know, let the whole team know, without ever having to say who it is. Support younger prospects, back them by giving them shades of the "limelight". Instill confidence into older, more experienced heads by knowing their strengths and play them in their strongest positions. Work with them in training to concentrate on their weaknesses and level them.

I'm not a manager at any level, well except for myself (hmmm). I expect others to give me a world of shit for saying this but, just because you don't "manage" doesn't mean you can't have a better view of how to manage a team. Sometimes you need a set of eyes looking in to say "this is shit, we can be much better and we don't even need to spend any money to make improvements."

The short case:

Flitcroft doesn't have the skills to take us up. I think mid table to 10th is the best he'll manage right now. Unless he has a revelation and drops the over stubborn attitude of "I'm right, you're wrong" and admits to himself he doesn't know what his best XI is (even when he's had a semi successful system...), then unless it changes I think he should be gone by the first week of January. Time is certainly ticking for Mr Flitcroft...

I could say so much more but I'd bore the shit out of you and I probably already have.

[jayohaitchenn]

Knoyle isn't a left back tho fam

[BambooToTheFuture]

Knoyle isn't a left back tho fam

Well, he's a FB and he's more of a FB than Iandolo. I was talking in the sense that getting him match time. Fair enough but the simple solution would've been to put Purkiss at  LB and slot Knoyle at RB when subbing Taylor. My bad on the RB/LB front but my point was transitioning the player into the team. DF hasn't done that right and we now have a young player (he's about 20 isn't he?) with lowered confidence.

[Reg Smeeton]

I could say so much more but I'd bore the shit out of you and I probably already have.[/b]

Knoyle is a right back, could he play left back? I don't know.

Taylor has played his career as a midfielder, when Cobblers turned us over twice last season, there he was in that position.  However I can see the decision to shift him back into midfield and then use Iandolo at left back there is a bit strange, similarly given the problems in central mid, not to give Tom Smith a run out in the Boycott game to have a look.

However, Flitters wouldn't be the first to tinker with players, well I remember Danny Williams arguably our most successful manager, sticking a youthful Rod Thomas into a sort of wide midfield role at Eastville in 66, he was terrible, we went on a 10 match run without a win. He also flirted with Joe Butler as full back.

Now bear in mind this side contained 9 of the Wembley 69, 12.

Danny then hit on the idea of Rod as a right back, with Joe holding.  Sometimes your hunches work other times not, all managers do it.

Look at Guardiola, has probably the biggest budget in world football, yet is reduced by injury to sticking in Fabian Delph a career long midfielder in at left back.

[REDBUCK]

Making a statement like " transitioning the player into the team" loses all credibility.

[BambooToTheFuture]

Making a statement like " transitioning the player into the team" loses all credibility.

Sorry Roebuck, how would you like me to change it to make you happy? Merry Christmas soapy tit wank 

[BambooToTheFuture]

Knoyle is a right back, could he play left back? I don't know.

Taylor has played his career as a midfielder, when Cobblers turned us over twice last season, there he was in that position.  However I can see the decision to shift him back into midfield and then use Iandolo at left back there is a bit strange, similarly given the problems in central mid, not to give Tom Smith a run out in the Boycott game to have a look.

However, Flitters wouldn't be the first to tinker with players, well I remember Danny Williams arguably our most successful manager, sticking a youthful Rod Thomas into a sort of wide midfield role at Eastville in 66, he was terrible, we went on a 10 match run without a win. He also flirted with Joe Butler as full back.

Now bear in mind this side contained 9 of the Wembley 69, 12.

Danny then hit on the idea of Rod as a right back, with Joe holding.  Sometimes your hunches work other times not, all managers do it.

Look at Guardiola, has probably the biggest budget in world football, yet is reduced by injury to sticking in Fabian Delph a career long midfielder in at left back.

Yes RE: Taylor but it's evident with us and the current system that he works best as a Forward thinking LB.  Other than the young loans, DF has not really phased in any of our own youth prospects. As you say in Boycott Cup or the last 20 mins of a match. Why?

Also I think he needs to decide who his no.1 is (bar injury) and stick with it. There is a lot of squad unsettling by DF and most of it is unnecessary.

[Reg Smeeton]

Yes RE: Taylor but it's evident with us and the current system that he works best as a Forward thinking LB.  Other than the young loans, DF has not really phased in any of our own youth prospects. As you say in Boycott Cup or the last 20 mins of a match. Why?

Also I think he needs to decide who his no.1 is (bar injury) and stick with it. There is a lot of squad unsettling by DF and most of it is unnecessary.

I don't know why, however we're not privy to what happens in the background.

As regards Flasher and his Exeter example... they are of course the very epitome of why you don't sack the manager.  Last season at the same stage as us 21 games in their record was W 7 D 3 L11... 24 points happily in the Conference mix. They hadn't won a single home game, which added to the previous season was something like 1 win in 17.

Their fans wanted Tisdale out... they stuck with it and ended up in the Wembley PO, the corner turned in Jan when they had a nice little run of 7 straight wins. Did they do something in the window   I don't know, maybe PV as our south-west correspondent can help.