| COOK IN! 08:17 - Sep 15 with 5883 views | blueysbackside |
Just what was everyone expecting?
I thought we were all on board with the new plan at the start of the season. You know, the one where we made unprecedented changes — those being an entire new starting XI and almost a new squad. And I repeat ‘unprecedented’ — NO OTHER TEAM HAVE DONE THIS.
Just how long did we think it would take for everything to come together on the pitch?
We’ve played just a handful of games. These players — and the boss — need time. We’ve played what’s arguably our starting back five just once this season. Our stellar signings, Morsy and Celina, have not yet featured together on the pitch — and won’t for a while. Morsy has, of course, played just once.
What do you expect when there are no partnerships formed on the pitch? These take time with SO many changes. We are not integrating one or two players into this team, but 19. NINETEEN.
Write off this season, forget it. We’re not going up. Next season, perhaps. We’ve turned into the pot noodle brigade, demanding instant gratification.
Some fans in here are even giving Cook until the end of this month if he doesn’t win a League game. Utter madness.
On the first day of this season, we drew 2-2 with Morecambe. That team featured just one player - KVY - who started the last game of the previous season.
A number of peeps in here have pointed to Morecambe as another team who have made numerous changes. As I keep pointing out, what they’ve have done isn’t to the same scale.
They had five players who started that game who also started their play-off final win of last season, (with other familiar faces on the bench).
So what am I getting at?
Well, in a nutshell, I believe Cook needs at least until Xmas before we start contemplating another new manager.
If you look at our current squad, Kayden Jackson is our top appearance maker in the League (95), followed by Woolfie (64), Norwood (58) and Holy (57), none of whom are regular starters now.
So I’d argue most our players wouldn’t know their way into town, let alone the attributes of the player in front of them on the pitch.
I feel sorry for Cook. I think we’ve turned into a version of Watford in League One, with a group of players assembled with little input from the boss.
And to even try to see what 19 players can do in a game.....he hasn't got another pre-season. It's a thankless task
But do you really think that any manager at this level would have turned us into world beaters by now? Wait, be patient.
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| COOK IN! on 08:43 - Sep 15 with 760 views | blueysbackside |
| COOK IN! on 08:38 - Sep 15 by Herbivore |
Wait, we didn't have a preseason? |
another pre-season ie weeks on the grass with games to look at players/improve fitness | | | |
| COOK IN! on 08:43 - Sep 15 with 760 views | Herbivore |
| COOK IN! on 08:41 - Sep 15 by homer_123 |
Revisionism
Wait for the '....but everyone wasn't here for pre-season' - like that isn't normal for any club. |
Indeed. Other sides were still making signings on deadline day, and the likes of Morsy have had a full preseason and played a few competetive games even if not at Town. |  |
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| COOK IN! on 08:44 - Sep 15 with 760 views | blueysbackside |
| COOK IN! on 08:41 - Sep 15 by homer_123 |
Revisionism
Wait for the '....but everyone wasn't here for pre-season' - like that isn't normal for any club. |
I meant another pre season....to get players' fitness up/to look at players etc | | | |
| COOK IN! on 08:45 - Sep 15 with 757 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| COOK IN! on 08:44 - Sep 15 by blueysbackside |
I meant another pre season....to get players' fitness up/to look at players etc |
I'm lost now. |  |
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| COOK IN! on 08:47 - Sep 15 with 755 views | blueysbackside |
| COOK IN! on 08:40 - Sep 15 by homer_123 |
You seem to be writing off what went before the summer.
My question to you - what have you seen during the games so far that indicates we are moving in the right direction? What evidence is there to suggest that Cook was right and it was the squad that was the reason he couldn't get wins last year? What is the common factor that you see when you consider our results are similar with the current new squad and the squad from last year?
No one is questioning that we have made big big changes. As I have said, for me 'progress' is what you are looking for. Explain to me how after two solid weeks of training we actually go backwards, look worse and get thumped at home. |
what have you seen during the games so far that indicates we are moving in the right direction?
He needs games, he needs time. Celina hasn't even played yet. Morsy has played once. Our starting back 5 have played just once together. These players haven't had a pre season under Cook. Cook now has little time to play with to integrate everyone. Give him until Xmas.
Forget last season. I'm glad he overhauled the squad. | | | |
| COOK IN! on 08:49 - Sep 15 with 750 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| COOK IN! on 08:47 - Sep 15 by blueysbackside |
what have you seen during the games so far that indicates we are moving in the right direction?
He needs games, he needs time. Celina hasn't even played yet. Morsy has played once. Our starting back 5 have played just once together. These players haven't had a pre season under Cook. Cook now has little time to play with to integrate everyone. Give him until Xmas.
Forget last season. I'm glad he overhauled the squad. |
Even without Celina and Morsy, we had a squad that should be capable of good performances and wins.
...these poor excuses have to stop.
Why do we forget last season? [Post edited 15 Sep 2021 8:49]
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| COOK IN! on 08:49 - Sep 15 with 742 views | blueboyd |
erm... he is useless. | | | |
| COOK IN! on 08:51 - Sep 15 with 733 views | jayessess |
| COOK IN! on 08:41 - Sep 15 by Herbivore |
You do realise that finding your feet is not incompatible with grinding out a couple of sketchy wins, right? You don't just write off the prospect of picking points up because the team is still finding its feet, especially when we have so much more individual quality than every other side we've faced. |
And, like, that's the actual skill in being a manager! Strategy, tactics, coaching and motivation that enable your players to adapt to different situations! |  |
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| COOK IN! on 08:53 - Sep 15 with 731 views | blueysbackside |
| COOK IN! on 08:38 - Sep 15 by fab_lover |
Yes, but...
1. The reason there is an entirely new team is down to Cook. He took a team last season which wasn't far off the play-off places and "broke" it.
2. Our "stellar" signings were amongst the last made. What if they hadn't come here ? What if they get injured ?
3. Footballers are meant to form these partnerships not just when they are playing in front of crowds. That was the worse thing about the Bolton game - they'd had two weeks in training to find some sort of cohesion, there isn't any.
I said to my friends who are fans that I was worried that Cook had been given the keys to the piggy bank after he did so badly last season, and that if he got it wrong, we were in big trouble. No way with the signings we have would anyone expect us to tread water this year; but at the moment, we're not treading water, we are going under.
I'm a manager myself, not football obviously, but Cook was given a hell of "free pass" last season, which would have been acceptable if this season, there was any sign of a change. There isn't. As a manager, you live and die by results, and when you've had as long as he has, and not come up with them, your position becomes untenable with each day that goes by when you fail to get the results. On paper, Cook should have worked, but the game isn't played on paper. I'm sure he's a lovely bloke, but so what ? He's assembled a team which isn't working, that's down to him and no-one else; but whether he should have had that opportunity after last season's results was to me very debatable, and I take no pleasure in currently being proven right. |
Very good points
1) he was entirely justified in breaking the team. we had a poor squad
2) yes this is a good point. wait and see what happens with them. surely you agree with that?
3) wasn't it a new back five for that game? I'd wait to see if they improve as a unit, rather than judge on one game together
What if the top brass had the say on the majority of signings? Have you ever thought of that? | | | |
| COOK IN! on 08:55 - Sep 15 with 718 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| COOK IN! on 08:53 - Sep 15 by blueysbackside |
Very good points
1) he was entirely justified in breaking the team. we had a poor squad
2) yes this is a good point. wait and see what happens with them. surely you agree with that?
3) wasn't it a new back five for that game? I'd wait to see if they improve as a unit, rather than judge on one game together
What if the top brass had the say on the majority of signings? Have you ever thought of that? |
It was Cooks decision to play a 'new back 5' that game. (To be fair 3 of the 5 had played a number of matches together).
His selection, his tactics, his fault.
These excuses are tiresome. | |
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| COOK IN! on 08:55 - Sep 15 with 719 views | jayessess |
| COOK IN! on 08:53 - Sep 15 by blueysbackside |
Very good points
1) he was entirely justified in breaking the team. we had a poor squad
2) yes this is a good point. wait and see what happens with them. surely you agree with that?
3) wasn't it a new back five for that game? I'd wait to see if they improve as a unit, rather than judge on one game together
What if the top brass had the say on the majority of signings? Have you ever thought of that? |
Cook's on record saying that isn't the case, that they all drew up a list of signings together and he was delighted they'd got 80% of the players they were targeting. [Post edited 15 Sep 2021 9:01]
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| COOK IN! on 08:58 - Sep 15 with 717 views | Dubtractor |
| COOK IN! on 08:53 - Sep 15 by blueysbackside |
Very good points
1) he was entirely justified in breaking the team. we had a poor squad
2) yes this is a good point. wait and see what happens with them. surely you agree with that?
3) wasn't it a new back five for that game? I'd wait to see if they improve as a unit, rather than judge on one game together
What if the top brass had the say on the majority of signings? Have you ever thought of that? |
"What if the top brass had the say on the majority of signings? Have you ever thought of that?"
Thats literally a made up argument to support your point. |  |
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| COOK IN! on 09:00 - Sep 15 with 705 views | hype313 |
| COOK IN! on 08:53 - Sep 15 by blueysbackside |
Very good points
1) he was entirely justified in breaking the team. we had a poor squad
2) yes this is a good point. wait and see what happens with them. surely you agree with that?
3) wasn't it a new back five for that game? I'd wait to see if they improve as a unit, rather than judge on one game together
What if the top brass had the say on the majority of signings? Have you ever thought of that? |
They haven't, which Phil has alluded to on so many occasions.
Keep up. |  |
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| COOK IN! on 09:01 - Sep 15 with 709 views | TooManyCooks |
For me, it's not a "Cook in" or "Cook out" debate, but as I've pointed to in my own posts, this is a project that will take time and as you rightly point out, only a few weeks ago the board was overjoyed to have new owners and a new squad and prepared to give them time to develop.
I am also a fan and understand how difficult it is to be patient after 13 years of flops, we've given managers and teams room before and it bit us on the ar5e, but this isn't just a few bodies, we are a whole new club and new team, run by people who actually have a real world plan and a wealth of football knowledge too, we just need to give them the time to succeed. Cook, Ashton, Gamechanger have all said several times from the outset that the project will take time and they have asked the fans to be patient whilst we find our feet.
Why don't we try looking at some of the positives, we've gone from a team who don't have a shot on target in 90 minutes, to a team that bangs goals in for fun, the defence will improve as relationships build and we have our captain and leader present, that's still a game or two away, but it's coming. Keep the faith. | |
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| COOK IN! on 09:04 - Sep 15 with 696 views | fab_lover |
| COOK IN! on 08:53 - Sep 15 by blueysbackside |
Very good points
1) he was entirely justified in breaking the team. we had a poor squad
2) yes this is a good point. wait and see what happens with them. surely you agree with that?
3) wasn't it a new back five for that game? I'd wait to see if they improve as a unit, rather than judge on one game together
What if the top brass had the say on the majority of signings? Have you ever thought of that? |
Point 2 for me is the main one.
Cook has been saying recently that our failures are down to these 2 players not being on the pitch. As a manager, you try not to get in a position of "single point of failure", or if you have one, you mitigate against it sharpish.
I regard it both as him clutching at straws, and also sending the rest of the team the message that without these "saviours", you're not good enough. In both ways, that's exceptionally poor management.
I remember with fondness Big Fat Joe and what he was able to do with a team he couldn't change. A good manager. I wonder what our new signings bar the "star duo" are thinking about Cook, and whether they are happy being here. |  | | |
| COOK IN! on 09:08 - Sep 15 with 681 views | blueysbackside |
i meant 'another' pre-season. Some sharp posters out there this morning! lol. Sorry | | | |
| COOK IN! on 09:12 - Sep 15 with 669 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| COOK IN! on 09:08 - Sep 15 by blueysbackside |
i meant 'another' pre-season. Some sharp posters out there this morning! lol. Sorry |
Not sure what you mean by 'another pre-season'? | |
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| COOK IN! on 09:12 - Sep 15 with 674 views | blueysbackside |
| COOK IN! on 08:41 - Sep 15 by Herbivore |
You do realise that finding your feet is not incompatible with grinding out a couple of sketchy wins, right? You don't just write off the prospect of picking points up because the team is still finding its feet, especially when we have so much more individual quality than every other side we've faced. |
Ordinarily, yes.
We are, however, in an unprecedented situation.
NINETEEN new signings - and our new back five have played once. Our stellar signing hasn't played. Our club captain has played just once - and i doubt even recognises some of the faces in the squad.
Sketchy wins would have come with a bit of luck.
Individual quality? Then the best squads would always win the League?
Cook needs time!!!! When would say enough is enough? | | | |
| COOK IN! on 09:29 - Sep 15 with 643 views | thebooks |
| COOK IN! on 09:04 - Sep 15 by fab_lover |
Point 2 for me is the main one.
Cook has been saying recently that our failures are down to these 2 players not being on the pitch. As a manager, you try not to get in a position of "single point of failure", or if you have one, you mitigate against it sharpish.
I regard it both as him clutching at straws, and also sending the rest of the team the message that without these "saviours", you're not good enough. In both ways, that's exceptionally poor management.
I remember with fondness Big Fat Joe and what he was able to do with a team he couldn't change. A good manager. I wonder what our new signings bar the "star duo" are thinking about Cook, and whether they are happy being here. |
Now JR was a proper manager. You wouldn’t be getting any of this “I need time” nonsense.
It’s pretty simple really. Cook took a team just outside the playoffs and on a fairly decent run and ended up in 15th or whatever.
He then asked for a brand new team — got it in spades — and hasn’t been able to get anything of that either. To have no wins at all regardless of gelling or whatever is poor. Questioning his fit with Ipswich, choice of coaches or just his plain performance is perfectly natural.
I do think it’ll be fine simply because our players are better than everyone else’s. I’d fancy my chances with this squad. |  | | |
| COOK IN! on 09:32 - Sep 15 with 637 views | blueysbackside |
| COOK IN! on 09:00 - Sep 15 by hype313 |
They haven't, which Phil has alluded to on so many occasions.
Keep up. |
Believe what you want! I have my doubts. | | | |
| COOK IN! on 09:34 - Sep 15 with 629 views | blueysbackside |
| COOK IN! on 09:12 - Sep 15 by Marshalls_Mullet |
Not sure what you mean by 'another pre-season'? |
You have a squad before the start of the season. You have a pre season with them.
He now has 19 new signings going into September. He doesn't have the luxury of no games to bed them in, boost fitness etc. Hence why I referred to not having another pre-season. | | | |
| COOK OUT! on 09:36 - Sep 15 with 624 views | BiGDonnie |
Nope!
We've seen less than nothing. In fact we're getting progressively worse under this shower. |  |
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| COOK IN! on 09:37 - Sep 15 with 617 views | Nazemariner |
| COOK IN! on 08:24 - Sep 15 by Marshalls_Mullet |
"I thought we were all on board with the new plan at the start of the season. You know, the one where we made unprecedented changes — those being an entire new starting XI and almost a new squad. And I repeat ‘unprecedented’ — NO OTHER TEAM HAVE DONE THIS."
This was Cooks choice, so he owns the consequences.
The gelling excuse doesnt cover no wins in 8 matches and a 5-2 home defeat to Bolton.
Cooks has had half a season and managed 4 wins.
Cook appointed one of the most inexperienced coaching teams in the history of football.
Its OK to question Cook. |
I doesn't really matter if we as the fans question Cook, it's whether or not the new owners are questioning him, and i believe they probably are.
The owners, and anyone with more than a handful of grey matter between their ears, were well aware that this season was one of rebuilding, and that promotion was unlikely to be acheived.
It'll be Cooks approach that will concern the owners. I firmly believe they will insist in bringing in an experienced assistant for Cook, or maybe even a good old fashioned DOF. |  | | |
| COOK IN! on 09:38 - Sep 15 with 614 views | thebooks |
| COOK IN! on 09:34 - Sep 15 by blueysbackside |
You have a squad before the start of the season. You have a pre season with them.
He now has 19 new signings going into September. He doesn't have the luxury of no games to bed them in, boost fitness etc. Hence why I referred to not having another pre-season. |
Morecambe signed 19 new players and have four more points than us. They’ve scored one less goal than us (scoring for fun!) but have conceeded 6 less.
I suspect the players we have signed are better than Morecambe’s. | | | |
| COOK IN! on 09:40 - Sep 15 with 599 views | blueysbackside |
| COOK IN! on 09:01 - Sep 15 by TooManyCooks |
For me, it's not a "Cook in" or "Cook out" debate, but as I've pointed to in my own posts, this is a project that will take time and as you rightly point out, only a few weeks ago the board was overjoyed to have new owners and a new squad and prepared to give them time to develop.
I am also a fan and understand how difficult it is to be patient after 13 years of flops, we've given managers and teams room before and it bit us on the ar5e, but this isn't just a few bodies, we are a whole new club and new team, run by people who actually have a real world plan and a wealth of football knowledge too, we just need to give them the time to succeed. Cook, Ashton, Gamechanger have all said several times from the outset that the project will take time and they have asked the fans to be patient whilst we find our feet.
Why don't we try looking at some of the positives, we've gone from a team who don't have a shot on target in 90 minutes, to a team that bangs goals in for fun, the defence will improve as relationships build and we have our captain and leader present, that's still a game or two away, but it's coming. Keep the faith. |
I agree with all of this, you won't be surprised to read.
My fear is that we are now being run a la the Pozzis at Watford.
The top brass have a talk with the boss and then go and buy some fantastic talent. It's then left to the boss - some of whoms recommendations were taken on board - to make a team out of them. If it doesn't work, the boss gets the boot. A new man comes in and the process begins again.
I just hope we give Cook a little bit of time. | | | |
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