Thetownend.com

..... on people's judgments on real football mangers.

I was 50/50 on posting this in the other footy section, but I think with the current Malpas judging it fits in here quite nicely.

It's not completely recent, in fact it's been building up for a couple of years. Everybody seems to think that they're a genius football manager/coach because of their own genius tactics on the most recent Football Manager game.

Andy King was a classic. "Why are you putting [Heywood / Van der Linden] up front", or on the other end "Why are you putting Miglioranzi in defence".

The answer to the first question isn't as stupid as it sounds. Both Heywood and Van der Linden had played as strikers in their youth careers; and to be honest, whatever you say about Linden, with the exception of Ian Woan, he was by far the most technically gifted player we had (it's a shame him and king didn't get on). And he scored in the classic draw away to Wrexham. That was a coach journey and a half.

He played Migz in defense, when he was by miles the best player we had, and he was awesome.

But making a point wise, I'm saying that picking a team and telling them what to do isn't like setting tactics in the most recent version of FM. It's real people you're dealing with. Maybe STFC #11 doesn't like playing on the left wing and wants to play in the centre. What can you actually do to Rockey him up for the game?

I just think that too often we get loads of tactic criticism without taking into account it's actually real people that the manger has to organise.

i dont think its football manager that makes people see a manager isnt right to play a right winger in centre midfield and then complain about quality of crosses, leave one of your best defender out of the team for months when hes fit and your leaking goals or drop an imense slovakian goalkeeper when hes done nothing wrong.

its common sense. but i can see your point when people judge players. David Bellion used to bang thirty goals in the premiership in CM 03/04 if you bought him as a lower prem team and keep you up, but you shouldnt expect it in real life.

Who was that then?

jack smith

hahahaha

Oh dear.

Jack Smith's not bad yes, but I don't think that's terribly accurate to say he's our best defender.

McGovern in the middle and Easton right is baffling yes, but coming off the best game we've played in a while, give it a chance.

Smith's done well since he came back but I think he was being kept out of the side by Miguel who's had a great season, so you can see the sense in that. Seems like some people are just looking for reasons to bash Malpas

i said one of the best. Miguel has done really wel but he will never be smith, who in my opinion is superior. at the moment he is fitting them both in the team, great. i also think Miguel could be used as a right winger in some cases when were stuck as oposed to sticking Easton wide when he clearly is not at ease in that position.

smith isn't even that good

Didn't Easton score two goals from that very position the other week?

Yes and he had a very good game on the right of midfield on Saturday too. However Stevo's right in that he would prefer to play centre mid

i dont think its out of the question when your really stuck playing Easton there  but i think we have better options. i think Miguel would make a very good right midfield player.

and Easton isn't being played as a winger FFS.  Ardiles' team never had wingers and they weren't bad, not that you can compare now and then as we were quite literally in a different league.  It's just that people to criticise a formation without really knowing what it is.  I guess Malpas could help a little by explaining it, but then again, why does he have to?

If it was like Football Manager we'd all be screaming for Malpas to sign Chris James on a free and get Frazier Campbell in on loan  :D

based on that formation though we are completely lopsided because we have a natural winger on the other side.

we looked fairly balanced on saturday.

And when that natural winger is as good an mcnamee does it matter?

Let's be honest here, yes people play footie manager games but I don't think that is the reason people complain, it may make people more aware of how certain things play out - but I think most are sensible enough to know it is not real life.

Supporters all have their own opinions and that is what football is all about - opinions - you watch the team on the Sat and discuss and everyone has different opinions on certain things.

Personally I'd much prefer us in a rigid 4-4-2 instead of this 4-1-3-2 as I think we have got good crossers of the ball in the team (Mcgovern & Mcnamee) and only one them is being used to his potential while Easton is playing out of his best position and at times does not look comftable having to get forward down the wing as he is not a good crosser of the ball.

when we play 4-4-2 using proper wide men we don't create as much.  using 3 in the middle and one with creative license is a way of getting better possession.  Our best teams in the last 20 years, for entertainment value as well as performance, played without wingers.  In those teams we were "naturally" better down one flank as well when going forward (the right, back in those days).

To re-iterate what others have said, it appears as though Easton IS NOT being played as an out and out winger. More of a right sided midfielder.

There is a difference in regards to what is expected from him.

Because our fans are idiots?

Unfortunately, a minority (I hope) would still slate him whatever he did.

For those who are moaning about Easton on the right, think about it suggest a better alternative.

He could try plaing 4-4-2 with JPM on the right as a winger, but then everybody will moan about JPM not being up to the job.

Or he could say, try  5-3-2, but McNamee will have to be dropped and MM will  get blasted for a poor decision.

4-3-3: with our injuries Moses would have to start which according to some would be the worst footballing decidision in the history of football, and McNamee would have to be dropped again.

With Roberts out there is no out and out winger on the right, so WTF is he supposed to do? Now if he was to play Easton as a Winger on the right then he would be playing him out of position, and for that reason he ISN"T playing him as a winger.

There was a thread on here a while back about the difference between wide midfielders and wingers, and this is a case in example.

JPM is a winger

I think we create more when we have JPM & Mcnamee playing as wingers and hugging the touchline getting crosses into the box.

I think we have players in Paynter & Corr that can take the cross if needs be and hold the ball while bringing others into play

Well that's not how we played on Saturday and we created more on Saturday than I've seen for a long time .... possibly years  :D

a year?

We create more than we did Saturday with easton on the right?

Bearing in mind here that I have to rely on the radio and match reports ect to form an opinion:

I remember well everybody slating JPM's lack of pace and inability to beat his full-back when played as a winger. Which doesn't make him much of a winger IMO as those are two abilities that are instead of a good winger. It's not much point having a winger that can't make it ti the byline to whip that cross in. And of course should MM out him there then it would be a wrong decision by many.

Maybe MM has recognised this and decided to put JPM in the centre to take advantage of his (Supposedly) excellent range of passing.

Either way, it worked on Saturday didn't it?

Oh and I aslo remember hearing/reading of JPM continually drifting inside, definately NOT the mark of an out and out winger.

If you take Miguel away from left back, you leave McNamee to deal with the left hand-side on his own in terms of attacking. The reason McNamee is doing so well is the support he gets from Miguel. When Vincent was behind him he struggled

with the amount of chances we created on saturday that argument just doesn't hold up

Despite living billions of miles away, you've summed it up perfect;y

Ben - can you get your mate Ed to ask Maurice if he is shit hot at FM?

It could be like the cheese question, but mildly related to football, in a database algorithm kind of way.

I was just thinking that Dave, Bangkok, not meaning to sound patronising but you do seem to have a heck of an understanding bearing in mind you live so far away.  I know you can keep up with things on radio/net but fair play to you mate for keeping such an interest in Town!!  I salute you sir.

I think BR just plays alot of football manager. I don't think he actually cares about Swindon

To be honest, I think not attending matches helps me to see things in a different perspective to most.

My opinions are based on the radio: Ed Hadwin (Who is a professional), Match Reports and a compilation of others opinions on this and other forums, opposing teams included

I think that what I am trying to say is that my opinions are based mostly on fact other than my own emotion/personal opinion, if that makes sense.

If I question something then I do just that... I ask a question cos' I ain't there to decide for myself.

Aside's from that, I am a TEF'r which means that I have a noodle doesn't it!  :roll:

Close, its just you that I care about Si.  :wink: