Thetownend.com

well 3,0 up and we still fucked it up, MALPASj has just proved one thing 2nite, he has no tactics

edit: actually maybe I am being harsh. Maybe a poll would be of more use though.

IN for me, for now.

dont care if we won 5-0 tonight, once u lose the dressing room im afraid u lose your job

you have no charisma

In for me...not happy but theres been a few good moments....my main worry is he seems to get his substitutions wrong in a big way.....i booed the team v Millwall but didnt call for his head,though many did around me.

Recently i have wanted him out for lacklustre gutless performances, that did not seem the case tonight.

I didn't know he was Polish.

may sound cliche but whats important is how we bounce back from the dissapointment of losing a 3 goal lead.

If we can get a win on Tuesday and come back to the County Ground with a win and draw from two away games then we might just start positively against Huddersfield.

In, if only because it will explode a few obnoxious morons very small brains.

If the board got rid of all the hangers on Bryne, Williams etc then I would be happy for Malpas to stay and be his own man with his chosen team behind him. That does not seem possible so a definite Malpas Out.

kill them.

I agree about Byrne...he is lost without Sturrock....who incidently is showing at Plymouth what a good manager he is.

In for me. But only because I want to see Fitton save some face.

In truth he has been utter shite.

Who, in fairness, did well as caretakers. If we were showing the kind of spirit now at home that we did under them, we'd all be a lot happier

Unfortunately im going to say out, but he may turn it around.

Who knows?

Football is a funny old game.

In for the time being.

Just take this report from ThisIs:

Just got back to my brother's place in Durham and I can honestly say tonight was bloody awful - 3 nil flattered us - still I was was more than happy with the score line despite being second best for most of the game.
P Smith was diabolical yet again in goal and can't believe he is still being picked over Brez. Brez makes one mistake and is dropped Smithy has now made a string of mistake costing us dearly and is still in the team why?
We are a team that has absolutely no confidence and the question has to be asked why given the obvious ability of some of our players.
Surely someone should be saying to Malpas that his half time talks are clearly a disaster, so why don't they keep him away from the players?
First half we were lucky as we caught them on the break on three seperate occasions and scored other than that they were by far the superior side.
Second half they made a few tactical changes and upped their game and they were superb and we looked like the team we had seen all season, desperate.
This team has a major problem as it obviously lacks self belief in its own ability. Players who are usually so consistant in the way they used to perform seem to be lacking the confidence. Once they scored we simply fell apart and Malpas never had a clue has to how to change things round.
The man is a clown, we desperately need someone who can give clear direction in how to adapt when required even when we are playing poorly as we did tonight.

Have to say Dell, that sounds a very different summary from the very positive reports from the radio

6 more games

That will take us to 15 in the league and 1 more in the cup.

No improvements by then....well.....

Yeah, but they do big up Swindon to keep you listening?

And the radio were very critical of Malpas' late Smith/Casal substitution.

Fair enough, I didn't listen to the match on the radio, thank God ... if I had it would now be broken into incee weenie teenie little pieces.

Our cat fucked off half way through the second half and hasn't been seen since. She obviously knew what was coming.

It seems like alot of things went missing during the second half then Pauld.

I'm blaming the lack of drums

Your cat likes drums then?

i think town missed my cat tonight.



(my cat's name is digby, geddit?)

We could be in the bottom 3 tomorow

And Hull could be in the top 4 come Sunday evening. But we all know they won't be playing in Europe next season

Wigan did, anyway just pointing it out. Fwiw i would not want malpas gone when it sounds like we showed grit,heart etc but most said give him 10 games and that wont show happy reading will it

But we don't do the same at home Deano. You can bet they'll be low on confidence next week again and turn out a poor performance. I was prepared to give MM 4 games after Leeds so he has got 1 more in my eyes (that doesn't include cups) so if we lose next week i'm going to have to say it's time to look elsewhere sadly.

OUT  he has had his chance but if he stays much longer he will overtake mcmahon as the worst manager we,ve had,that takes some doing.3-0 and we fucked it up.

just curious to know under which manager were we last 3 nil up and went onto draw??

I'd say out I'm afraid but Fitton's ego (sincerely hope he doesn't have one) will take a knock and 3 year plan etc...starts again.

We all know unfortunately that management is all about results in whatever field you work in, so for that reason MM, you is smoked. Yes we need additions to the squad to be SERIOUS play-off contenders, but we should at least be in top half come the end of the season and although its early days, I cant see that happen with MM in charge.

We don't want to be in a situation post Christmas where we put a new manager in place who has to perform miracles for us to survive relegation.

Lets not all be doom n gloom tho as I hear Liverpool are now putting in a bid for coxy! (incidentally, that was a question in the quiz and I saw timlin having a little chuckle about that one-make of that what you will!)

I think I'll wait to hear what Richy Pullen says rather than take a random opinion from thisis.

Oh and MM in, at least til Christmas.

OUT mainly for his inept tactics which include 11 men behind the ball on corners, stupid corner routine, not changing formation when leeds went down to 10 men, dropping ifil from the 16, dropping Brez for one mistake.

Andy king i think away to stockport...got my car broken into that day to top it off!

I would imagine it was when the Smoking Chimp was in charge and we drew 3-3 at Stockport.

That's four times in my time of following Town that I can recall us blowing 3-0 leads (that does include the play off final in '93 which of course we went to win) That is far too many.

Do you know what really pisses me off with Malpas:
It's his body language it's just all wrong on match days, he doesn't smile and show grit and pride, just leans against a post in the dugout with hunched shoulders, not knowing what to do, I feel he is just praying for lady luck to come to his aid. His demeanour must give a signal to the players, it certainly does to me.

We are a side which is rudderless with a yellow streak running right through us. When we concede nobody on the pitch will clench their fist and take charge and say 'come on sort this out'.
They just go through the same motions as Malpas, down, depressed and clueless.

The early season confidence of supporters, players and the management has long been shot to bits and it is getting worse each game, Malpas the buck stops with you, you cant motivate, so step aside.

How do you know MM can't motivate?  Just being devil's advocate for a sec.  Maybe MM does motivate the players, then Byrne deflates them with his over the top reactions on the side lines?  I don't  know personally but I do find it funny that it's almost accepted as fact that MM can't motivate anyone and it;s all his fault.

Sounds like he had his tactics right last night but we fucked up in defence again. It's the area of the pitch that's needed sorting the most and it hasn't been done.

I've lost patience, I want him out. That doesn't mean sack him now and look for a hasty replacement. Time and thought needs to be put into this. Fitton needs to realise he isn't right. I fully appreciate what he has done for the club, I trust him over the business decisions. I trusted him with the appointment of Malpas (a business decision) but he cannot ask me to trust him over the manager's poor performances.

How does Fitton know Malpas will suddenly come good? Maybe he has mystic powers? I'll look at our progress on the pitch and we're definitely worse off than before.

I was talking about his body language - maybe the man who is the first team manager and is meant to motivate those around him should go to motivating classes to find how a manager should motivate those who work for him. He reminds me of an old manager I use to work for, I came out of meetings with him not remembering a single word he said he was that boring, he finally got the sack when the sales hit an all time low under his management in a very short period of time, soon as a new manager came in with new ideas and energy he turned it round it a very quickly.

That is my point.

Fair enough Dell, it's a valid point.

I reckon MM put out a contract!  Seriously hope you recover.

I don't give a fuck about his manner, body language, if Byrne is a cunt, if Malpas has any charisma.

I just want to see improvements on the pitch. I've seen them up front, but the defensive issues are glaring out at everyone and they've not been sorted.

The issue is how we're playing. I don't care the reasons for it, something has gone wrong and the buck stops with the manager. Sorry Maurice, you aren't the manager for us.

That goes straight over me, explain?

Think it was intended for tcp's thread about him getting duffed up by some blokes last night.

Oh, is he OK.

OUT as other people has said the buck has to stop somewhere, for the playing side of things that can only be the manager.

If we carry on as we are averaging a point a game we get relegated.

 Not necessarily...take a season like 99/00. The scum, bizarrely managed to stay up with 45 points in 20th place. Cardiff, Blackpool, Scunny and Chesterfield went down.

Im starting to lose patience now.

We can all see what the two main problems are confidence and defensive mistakes. I really wish there was a quick fix for both but their isnt.

Only way to get a players confidence up is with results, if we'd won yesterday that would have gone part way to solving this.

As for the defence I dont know what to think. It seems if the defence makes mistakes Malpas plan to stop it is to change the personal. We need to have a different back 5 every week and that cant be helping. Brez, Smith, Smith, Amankwaah, Ifil, Morrison, Kanyuka, Aljofree, Casal 9 defenders used already this season.

Without Vincent we lack a defensive leader and for whatever reason none of the others have the balls to do it. Cant we name Vincent as a sub and have him warming up down the side for 90 minutes.

Although I wasnt at the game, how much of a co-incidence is it that when Jack Smith went off we fell apart?

 Malpas in : don`t think he will be going anywhere too soon. His aim for this season don`t get relegated/ don`t get promoted.

Long term aim  promotion end of 2010/11 season.
Look at the players currently not performing will they be around at the end of 2010/11 season?  
Are there any young players who may step up to first team level this season or next?
Fitton is a shrewd businessman he`s not going to spend money unneccesarily the current squad should keep Town in league one and the wage bill stable.

Fitton`s here for the longhaul,  remember he backed the old board into a corner which took time and patience, prehaps supporters should employ similar virtues.

Out along with Byrne, Williams and the fitness coach (as the players all seem a bit lathargic). Granville however should be shot, what the fuck has he done to our keepers?

OUT - but he has been seriously let down by some of his senior pros who should be out the door with him - their attitude absolutely stinks. I said before I'd not have Peacock back in the side,. It looks like yesterday he proved me wrong. I'd like Malpas to do the same and hope he will but I just don't see any encouraging signs whatsoever.

=============================================================

Probably the exception that proves the rule.

OUT: Lets face it..grumpy Malpas just aint right for town. Noticed we're trying to chip it around a lot more but come on when we ever been good at head tennis? Scottish tactics..long ball..mighta worked for motherwell for a time but not for town.

Not just his tactics..we're a passionate club which is why we've always attracted larger-then-life characters to the CG. But malpas..well..hes bout as inspiring as gordon brown.

Paul Sturrock threatened to cut wages when we werent at the races and what does malpas do? 'chin up lads, could have been worse' PATHETIC  :doh:

long ball? has it gone up this season as i aint noticed

Paul Sturrocks dont alright for a dull boring Scots man who plays long ball....

  You're correct, how the hell did that happen?

in till xmas, but its not looking great. Its becoming very apparent something isnt working, especially in the defensive area. Even more apparent that when sturrock was around the defense looked reliable. its strange that maurice hasnt talent scouted a quality defensive coach, surely fitton would put his money to that?

Williams if kept on,should be left purely with the reserves and have no match day input with the

1st team.I had hoped that when it was announced that we had a fitness coach,a more modern

and sports science approach would be brought to the club.It hasn't! Couldn't believe the reports

of the reserves game at Exeter, when Corr injured himself by running around like a lunatic.He should

have been supervised and specific warm up routines followed,that's why we employ Dave Morrison.

Granville hardly made it as a pro keeper,in football when you watch other keepers being put through

routines at other clubs, they seem to have a far more professional approach.

I will wait, but it will be no away games for me. In 10 minutes late at home games, back to the pub 10 minutes after HT. Just like the end of last season. Just cant bear to watch this passionless, spineless, pointless dire drivel.

Then if we dont win the league by a streak in 2 and a half years time then all that feeling shit about the team and not wanting to go to Swindon games will have all been for nothing.

Malpas in, if only to wind up the support who think he plays long ball tactics?  Long ball?  WTF?  I know results haven't been outstanding but you can't label him as a long ball advocate.

Wish he did sometimes jan, i think thats what the problem is, players like aljofree and ifil are being asked to play the ball out instead of playing to their strenghs imo

I'm a football purest DRS, long ball footie deserves to be stuck in the early 90's with John Beck and the rest of Cambridge Utd.  Total football is the only way, the MM way   ;-)

I am inclined to agree we just dont have the defenders for it.

We haven't been playing good quality football though. Or I must have missed it through boredom.

I'm not saying that Si, what I'm saying is to label MM's style of football as long ball is not right.

At times we have played some good stuff, but not on a consistant basis.

I just think the players can't do the sexy Malpas football thing and run out of ideas so punt the ball up field.

It's no different to any other manager, although it sometimes seems less effective because nobody else is in position to do anything with it.

Yeah, the first paragraph on the post from 'redflagsherriff' was a total load of bollocks.

Hes mixing up long ball and boring football. We were just boring against Millwall.

Don't get me wrong Spence, the football against Millwall was awful, boring, mind numbing, gash etc.

However the very next match, for 60 mins MM & co managed to turn it around to get us into a 3-1 up position (according to the beeb the best football we've played all season).  Another silly mistake by Smith changed the whole match and we come away disappointed with a point, typical.

Yeah you're both right.

If only he could sort out the defence, I think we'd be one of the best sides in the league. I haven't seen anyone this year who I thought we're really good, except Leeds who played well with 10 men.

Agree with that Si.  I wonder if it's been suggested to bring in a "defensive" coach like Luggy had.  Someone to take the defenders to one side and sort it out.  I know MM's a "we defend as a team" man, but a full time defensive coach could make a difference.

Now I'm aware that as a former international defender perhaps MM could do this but maybe with his other managerial duties he couldn't devote enough time to one set of players.  A defensive coach could.

Just an idea really.

Janaage, we wouldnt be doing too bad if you could take 45 minutes here, 30 minutes here, 60 minutes there and piece them all together into a 90 minutes of determined and focused football.

The truth is when teams really have a go at us, we fold. Partly because the defence isnt up to it, and partly because we are mentally fragile.

Why are we so mentally fragile (especially at home)?  Because our supporters don't support, they just whinge.  It's obvious the players don't enjoy playing at home anymore, and they fans have to take some responsiblility for that.

Well, I can hardly raise myself to get to a game at the moment.

The support wont improve. The rot set in when we beat Cheltenham 3-0 at home last season and we didnt have a single chant. I was livid back then, now its just pitiful.

There is no inspiration at the moment, no mission statement. Its pretty hopeless and it needs changing.

I agree. It's our club, our team, we'll all be here long after MM, Cox, Fitton et all have gone, yet for whatever we don't seem to be able to build up any kind of atmosphere to inspire our current side to perform in front of.

Of course they're not enjoying coming to the CG and seeing players lacking in confidence play poorly.

Just wish everyone went up the pub for a few hours before the match got tanked up and just decided to get behind the lads from the start.  It's like a morgue at the CG at kick off these days.

I honestly dont think that would help. Its all about hope.

Not changed my mind Malpas out, the only way I could put up with him here any longer is getting rid of Bryne and Williams and employ a more experienced No. 2, Williams is just not need, another job for the boys.

Re: Long balls - at times we try to play it on the deck but as mentioned we have professional centre backs who cant pass 10 yards straight to a team mate and end up hitting it long.
If we are going to hit long when under pressure at least hit down the channels and not straight down the middle, giving us time to close down the opposition, and regroup in the opponents half.

Corners: Why do we bring every player back when the opposition have a corner, we just clear our line and back it comes again and again and again.

Leave two up front at all times, McNamee (what is he doing defending) and possibly Cox, leave pacey players that always makes your opponents worry, and will keep three of four of the opposition back.

All these things seem so basic to me.

Also Dell,on corners of our own they have a routine on the edge of the box but there is no cohesion and if a bad ball is delivered in we are busting a gut to get organised..also the long floaty ball to the back post just dont work....i just feel at home we seem more worried about the oppo and are very rigid in our play and the only time we get abit of a breather is when Mcmanee recieves the ball.
Against Leeds we had 3 players dropped back marking Beckford and if they had pushed up into the box he wouldve had to drop back on account of them only having 10 players...its not rocket science...in short we give teams much to much respect at the County Ground.

Jan the supporters just whinge argument is bollocks, we conceded 3 the other night was that the crowds fault? Qpr,colchester,and leeds the fans were not on their backs malpas admitted that himself when saying he expected it soon if they keep playin so poor. Fucksake these players have proved they can rise to the challenge when they played when not being paid. The fans are not the problem the problem is no defence,no hard tackling midfielders and a overall worryingly lack of pace throughout the team.

And all these things we were doing under Sturrock. I remember him making an impassioned defence of the "everyone back for corners" tactic at a fans forum on the grounds of it being about percentage football. For the record, I agree, it drives me mad as well, but it's not like it's some strange quirk of Malpas's.

Don't see why you seem to feel Byrne and Williams are the problem alone - the team played well for them as caretakers, so they must have been getting something right. Do you think that somehow freed from their constraining influence, Malpas would transform into Phil Scolari? Or the team into a collection of Gerrards and Ronaldos? And as for Williams being "jobs for the boys", he's reserve team manager, hardly a hanger-on, as you imply. There certainly are problems but simply lashing out at random at members of the coaching staff is arbitrary at best.

I'm still sat on the fence. I can see the pros and cons for both sides of the argument. But when I see fans moaning when we're winning 2-0 it just makes me want Malpas to stay... and then we draw and I see our fans look almost happy that we've thrown it away... and it still makes me want Malpas do turn it around.

No excuse for fans doing that rich they are just pricks. I have my reasons for not believing he can do it but while they are playing people should encourage them.

I believe we have a section of our fan base that want Malpass out that would be happier for us to lose our next 3 games and get rid of him, than to get 3 wins. Therefore thay do not qualify as true fans in my eyes and should bloody well piss off and "support" some other team. We are better off without them. Fitton saved this club from oblivion and his judgement should be trusted. If Malpass fails to deliver over a sustained period then Fitton will act, he is not a fool. However in the meantime get behind the manager and players. Friday was frustrating in the extreme but a draw at Hartlepool overall must be considered a decent result and if it wasnt for a goalkeeping howler it would have been a brillaint 3 points.

Agree re Sturrock - it was a stated tactic of his to bring everyone back at corners and free kicks, whereas at the moment I reckon it's the players who have decided it on the pitch, probably down to lack of confidence. The trouble with leaving McNamee up front at corners is that you need someone who can hold up the ball from the clearance, and won't lose it ... McNamee's too lightweight for that role, he's too easily bullied off the ball and needs the ball delivered to feet. He needs to be outside the box, for sure though.

As for Malpas, I'm in... I saw enough at the end of last season to see what he was trying to do, and I liked what I saw compared with a lot of the negative stuff I saw under Sturrock. It will come good. Fitton knows more than anyone about Malpas and what he is trying to do behind the scenes, and I trust his judgement more than I do a few keyboard warriors...

When Williams was in charge he had a terrible record, dont think he has the experience or the knowledge for his position. Bryne/Malpas - the old quiet one and noisey one routine, doesn't work for me, unless it was the other way around and Malpas was shouting and raving and Bryne was in the support role.

Bryne has not got too much experience either as a No. 2 apart from Swindon, Malpas has not got any previous experience of English lower league football ....

It's just a very bad mix for me .... We need an experienced manager or No. 2 at Swindon, that's my view not a random lashing of members of the coaching team.

That's fair enough Dell. But I think they stand or fall as a management/coaching team. I think perhaps my comments were better aimed at some other posts we've seen over previous weeks which simply dismiss Byrne and Williams with no real rationale other than "they're shit" or "Byrne shouts too much". Whereas your rationale, when explained, is rather more considered. But as I say, I think they'll stand or fall together (ie Malpas and Byrne as manager and assistant, and to a lesser extent Williams as reserve manager)

By the way, I was referring to the joint Byrne/Williams caretaker period post-Sturrock and pre-Malpas rather than the brief post-Wise Williams caretaker period. But I don't think he was really in charge long enough to have a "record", terrible or otherwise

This appears to be all about confidence.  Some fans don't have confidence in the manager.  Some are doubtful, but for the sake of fairness want more time.  Some are hopeful things will turn around based on attractive football having been tried, and some of those remain confident things will be turned round.  Some just can't stand the negativity and just want to get behind the manager and team.  

But who's confidence really counts?  That would be the confidence of the board, perhaps influenced from the business perspective by fans who don't show up, or are negative towards the manager and possibly the team when they do.

So what will it take just to maintain the current confidence of the fans?  Just some speculation.

JPT win at Hereford (Div II next season for them very possibly).

Home win against Huddersfield, but a good performance and draw might suffice.

A decent performance at Southend not necessarily a win or draw.

Home win against Northampton, but a good performance and draw might suffice if there has been a home win vs. Huddersfield.

A decent performance against Oldham at home, not necessarily a win, if four points from Huddersfield and Northampton both at home.

Anything less than remaining in the JPT and four points from the next four league games, and possibly the pendulum will have swung too far.

What would it take to restore some confidence and take the pressure off.  Unbeaten in the next three home games with two out of three wins, and still in the JPT, and no more silly mistakes.  

I've been very critical of Malpas recently, but I'd be ecstatic if he could turn it around and sort out the issues.

I think it is frustrating that the fans, the moment things haven't looked so good have dismissed Malpas and stated they want him to leave. Whilst I can't see him turning it around (and thus stating he should probably be forced out), I am not one of those people who purely want him to leave (if that makes sense?).

I think what I'm trying to say is that Malpas has got it very wrong in certain aspects but if he was to make inroads into putting that right, I'd be very happy with him staying. As for chanting for him to leave or moaning about Malpas during games, I have avoided to do so. My personal view is you leave that sort of thing until the game is done. I can post some quite vitriolic stuff at times but I have even refrained from doing this - when the game is done I simply want to get out and away from the football.

This is the part I will trust Fitton on. If Malpas isn't working into the forseeable future, I do think Fitton will get rid. I don't believe Malpas will suddenly come good just because Fitton has said so.

Maybe if the fans actually get behind the players at home he might actually turn it around? It's at home where the problems lie to a certain extent as on the road we are picking up some points and not losing. Show some support, get behind the lads and if we still play shite and have a few more horror shows at the back then we know it's more likely to be poor management from Malpas than the players just being too scared to play their normal game at home.

I always get behind the team, as with most fans in my section of the DR until the Millwall game, then it all changed, fans who have done nothing but support the team got very very ugly with abuse at the end of the match others like myself just sat there silent. Now why is that, are we all of a sudden bad supporters, it is hard to cheer the crap that is being brought to the table.

I wasn't aiming my post directly at people on here. Most people are good supporters on here whom i am sure did their best to get behind the team against Millwall. It doesn't help when you have a section of idiots chanting Malpas Out when it's still only 1-1. No wonder the players play shit, every bad thing they do is met with such a negative response from some of the home fans sometimes. I don't blame the fans for being pissed off (i was totally pissed off after Leeds) we pay our money and deserve an opinion. But maybe a full 90 with no Malpas out or booing will actually have a positive effect on the players?

I know this is a bizarre thing to bash Malpas over the head for, but has anyone else noticed he has consistantly praised us as supporters when weve been nothing but shite?

Every week, we are silent, and then Malpas says we are great!!?

I think hes been fearing the atmosphere ever since he got here. First game V Forest the atmosphere was brilliant, then nothing, weve not lent one ounce of home support at home.

Our home support is shite now.

Our present home support (noise) is the worse I have seen/heard, anywhere in professional football. It is a joke how a few hundred away fans can outsing, cheer, 7,000 homers.

I tend not to want to cheer players who could not give a fuck.

To be fair, I think it's likely they were always ugly - perhaps you just hadn't noticed? Don't think you can blame Malpas for some of our fans not being the best looking

Speak for yourself paul :-)

yeah you ugly fucker

You cant really say it,s because of the ST arrangement,last season 50 P.Vale fans out sung us,Support was poor against leeds last season too,if a game like that cant get the fans going then it's a poor show.

why dont you all stop fucking moaning about it and start singing then?

At last another fucker on my wavelengh

its hardly fucking rocket science, start singing, stand up, as if you give a fuck about being embarrassed, theres about 20 of us who sing at the back of the drs nearest the townend.

fucking moaning about it. jesus wept.

Same here problem i have had is people actually look in disgust for singing.

I earlier said Malaps out and that senior players had let him down. I was at the Natural History Museum today and after having spoken to the Great Mannatee I've changed my mind. I'd rather have Aljofree and JPM out than Malaps. Malaps I'm sure has given 100% - those two bastards have given fuck all. As senior professionals I'm not so sure they're undermining him and causing a lot of the unrest. I have absolutely fuck all evidence to support this theory but if it came to a choice of who I'd rather have, I'd rather have Malaps than them 2 fucking useless, unprofessional cunts. They're cunts - Malaps ain't. 

I do and i dont think im that far from you,when you lot sing me and my boy join in but we are kinda on our own bar a few below us.

Ive sung at games all my life right from my townend days in the late seventies onwards.

Not my fault I'm ugly. Malpas made me hideous

Youre right, all the nippers fast chanting usually makes it more difficult than rocket science.