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Whilst its a bit obvious who Malpas might have been talking to (ref:yesterdays adver headline) last night was very much a throwback to the sturrock era in terms of playing style in my opinion:

-2 hard working not "footballing" centre mids
-2 wingers told to stay wide
- Full backs not getting forward as much
- Frequent balls down the channels that often led to us moving up the pitch even if they wernt especially great

So has Malpas given up on his vision of us being a footballing passing team?  Frankly I hope he has because we looked a whole lot more effective last night then we did trying to be less direct. The removal of the pedestrian Nalis from centre mid helped, both centre mids got around the pitch well and won the ball back far more than any other game I've seen this season. If we could somehow sort the defence out we'd look a decent side - we did ride our luck a bit at the back still, the difference being we didnt get punished like we have so often this season.

The players looked a lot more comfortable playing in this fashion to me. I simply dont think we have the right players to try and be a passing team currently. There is not enough technical ability with the exception of a couple of players, nor is the teams movement, intelligence or pace particually good.

Best way to describe it I think we performed like a Paul Sturrock team.

Best way to play, hope we play in a similiar style every week.

I think the footballing passing style was more Byrne than Malpas tbh.

Or is this Sturrock Major trying to change the tatics to get Sturrock Minor a new contract? :)

What do you base that on then tails? (just interested)

Because Malpas is a jock and there is no way he'd encourage decent free flowing football.  :D

A concept that's completely alien to Alex Ferguson as well.

The Scottish invented the passing game. No wait was that the Hungarians. I get them confused.

good point, it's not like Scotland's ever produced any decent managers, too busy gettin pissed ain't they!!  Bloody jocks.

Glad you agree.

In all seriousness, we played some decent stuff under Byrne and we've played similar under Malpas, but not consistently. I don't think it always works and hopefully now the management team have found a way to play that does.

 Arthur Rowe's "push and run" Spurs side of the late 40's early 50's, invented sexy football. 

 A tradition they've tried to carry on til this day....it is also why STFC have had so many ex Spurs players and ex Spurs players as manager.

We also played some shit under Byrne & Williams like the Carlisle, Forest Green, Barnet and Brighton games. I think alot of peoples judgement on Byrne & Williams is clouded by the Swansea performance as the team weren't much better if any than now. The teams we beat or drew with under them were the likes of Bournemouth, Yeovil, Walsall & Hartlepool all of which were about the same standard as us or worst. I just don't get where this idea that we were good under Byrne and Williams comes from.

Aye but we played the Carlisle game with a shoestring squad due to injuries, we played most of the game with 10 men, Carlisle were absolutely flying at the time, the whole atmosphere at STFC was poisonous and even then it wasn't as if we were terrible. We played some fantastic football under Byrne and they played with passion as well so at least when we didn't get a result it wasn't due to the gutless performances we've seen under Malpas this season.

Doesn't matter what level they are at we still played well. Walsall were 4th when we played them at the Bescot as well and we were superb.

Because we at least looked like we were playing with some passion and pride. And it's probably around the last time we strung more than two decent performances together back to back. Oh, and you missed the Forest game off your list - hell of a performance, whatever the result.

And I tend to discount the Carlisle/Brighton games - remember that was when we were hoicking cardboard coffins to games? The morale of the whole club was rock bottom - I doubt any manager could have got much out of the players then.

But at the same time the players were probably playing for eachother and it brought them together as they were fearing for their future.

Did you see the Brighton game? I've rarely seen such a demotivated, disinterested shell-shocked performance. Now, I'm not having a go at the players, it was understandable as the club was on the verge of disappearing, but that's why I discount the Brighton/Carlisle games. Once it was clear the takeover was going to happen, the players relaxed and we saw some decent performances, under Byrne and Williams.

We'll have to agree to disagree but I think this seasons obvious coaching deficiencies go to show their not the mesiahs that many make them out to be and are out of their depth. The shit organisation isn't purely Malpas' fault and I think the near fight between Byrne and Zaaboub last season shows he's an abrasive character and would have man-managmenet issues and standing on the lines constantly swearing at players will only get you so far in the game.  Fitton appointed Malpas ahead of them which says everything really.....

Zaaboub was a gobby shit though! Throwing a temper tantrum for being subbed is not on.

Yet Sturrock controlled him and got him to do a relatively good job for us........

Not really he was lazy as fuck.

I'm inclined to agree with glos on this one.  Byrne and Williams did little to suggest they'd be worth a go on a full time basis.

But no-one on here is saying that Byrne and Williams were (or are) worth a go full time are they?

Glos Robin has, just for a change, started ranting on a tangent.

Tails said our style of football is probably more down to Byrne more than Malpas for which I've seen no evidence whatsoever to back that up.....

I thought in spells we played some decent football last night!!!
Maybe it was just me ... it wasn't all just down the channels and we actually played it across the back a bit instead of hoofing it, the full backs received the ball from the keeper and tried to build as well, first this season at home.

I'm sure Talis was serious

Byrne and Williams in my opinion werent as good as some make them out and but then I dont think they are as bad and evil as others make them out to be.

I don't think anyone's characterised them as messiahs, just pointed out we played well and will passion when they were in charge.

I think it shows Zabooub was a sulky twat and commendable restraint on Byrne's part it took that long.
Except for the fact that's a gross caricature - yes Byrne's excitable and certainly does his fair share of jumping up and down etc. But that hasn't seemed to hinder Ferguson, 'Arry etc has it? And aren't you one of those who's slated Malpas throughout for "just standing there"?

A decision you've said was wrong from the outset. Now you're trying to use it to back you up. So was it the wrong decision or not?

Seems to me you've got it in for Byrne nearly as bad as you have for Malpas and will twist back the same arguments you've used against Malpas and argue the exact opposite to have a go at Byrne. No, I don't think he's the messiah, but the fact remains we played well under Byrne and Williams. And just because you apparently don't like Byrne personally, doesn't change that.

It may not have been suggested on this thread, but people have said before they wouldn't mind seeing Byrne and Williams in charge rather than MM.

In fairness to Tails our change in style of play coincided with Sturrock leaving. Malpas wasn't even here. I think it's yet another assumption but there's more evidence to suggest it's down to Byrne than Malpas. Maybe Malpas likes that style too though. Who knows?

Going back to the original point. The telling thing was the removal of Lee Peacock as a midfielder. That was something Malpas did after Barnet FA Cup, and to be frank its set us back 6 months. Weve wasted a good player on the reserves. A player that has all the qualities we struggle for (besides pace), determination, consistancy, passion, heart.

I like Easton. Nalis is OK. But the fact Pook started and we won means that both these players are on thin ice. We need a quality midfielder. I dont know how good Kavanagh is, but Carlisle got him on loan and he had it all. Shame we missed out.

Malpas is often willing to play midfielders as full backs, which is something I never saw Sturrock do. But then Malpas was having a word with a few 'top managers' in the week.

Malpas is on record as saying he'd like us to play a more open attractive style of football, fwiw, and is not one to meekly accept suggestions from his no 2 that go against his own instincts. Tails does have a point that Byrne probably agrees but I'd suggest it is that way round

I was trying to say that people are backing up their 25% football with 80% bollocks which is all good and to be expected. But I think it's bizarre that some people legitimise the assumptions they make by saying to someone's counter assumption that there is no evidence. More often than not, there is no evidence to support their assumption either, so it's all a load of bollocks in the end.

I wasn't saying it was Byrne's idea, just that there is more evidence.  FWIW I think Malpas and Byrne share the same football philosophy, just from what I've heard of the podcasts etc. That's purely opinion though, I don't know the coach driver well enough to get any gossip.

Dunno si at motherwell malpas played a very direct style.

Which almost took them down. Perhaps he wanted a different approach to that?

malpas came in and changed it.it didn't work.he then went back to the formation sturrock used and we got results.
looks like he's doing exactly the same now.

Perhaps Ifil's absence was key. A great man marker, but he always seems to get a lot of ball and wastes most passes. It was played out of defence much better vs Northampton, and our hard-working midfield had more chance to pick it up and challenge, the ideal role for Pook as it showed.

In a true JCP moment, my 'evidence' comes from someone who is currently a first team regular.

"Currently" a first team regular?  Pook it is then.

Indeed.

I really don't think it's hard to see anyway. As Si said, the style changed quite a lot when Sturrock left.