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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. 13:58 - Nov 24 with 1581 viewsBonneNIL

I am going to stick my neck out a bit here and say a lot of the players we have signed are underperforming to the point of almost phoning it in. It may be an unpopular opinion but some have got here and just appear to be cruising through doing just about enough but not really much else. Could it be the fact we are a relatively big club at this level with a decent wage with little pressure and a lack of aspiration as a club overall that is a key factor here? Are we continually recruiting the wrong sort of player because for years our standards have been so low?

Last night was dire, absolutely dire and we were beaten in 20 minutes. No spark, no desire, there was nothing to suggest we wanted to win that game at all. If you take all the games since Wycombe both league and cup and it's a pretty sorry state of affairs. We've drawn in normal time against two 4th division teams, not even good ones, and scored no goals in this terrible league. Is this the hallmark of the best squad in the league? Do any of this mob look Championship quality? If they were, why did their clubs let them go so easily? They have been absolutely rotten from arrival and the results appear to reflect that.

We were told Morsy would change our game. Morsy looks like a Poundland equivalent of a Mick McCarthy midfielder with an attitude problem with all the vision of Stevie Wonder. He's awful. I bet Middlesborough were thankful we took him off their hands and paid actual money for him. Is it just me seeing this? Evans isn't any good, bang average, Edwards runs around with no end product, Fraser is awful, Harper is probably one of the worst players we have signed in recent years, and how is Penny any good? Can anyone honestly tell me they look above this level? Can anyone tell me these guys are better than Bishop, Dozzell, and Downes? They honestly don't look it to me. Are any of those keepers much better than what we had? Celina isn't interested either.

I am ready to be torn to pieces on this one, but there has been much media hype about these new signings and a fresh start from the bomb squad but whichever way you try and look at it, we've done worse with these new signings than we did with the last lot and our best player this season, Donacien, was a Paul Hurst signing. Let that sink in.

Call me a bed wetter, or whatever, Paul Cook's biggest mistake to me has been to trust these people he worked with before to deliver again, and frankly, they have been far too comfortable. They have let him down, and while tactically Cook has been poor you can't blame him for the "meh" attitude shown on the pitch by nearly all the golden boys that the likes of the EADT built up as the greatest Town team ever assembled. They are not. They arent even good enough to get into the top 6 of this league and I bet at the end of the season and once their manager is sacked they will be further exposed as not up to the job and looking for their next payday elsewhere.

Rant over I guess.


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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:11 - Nov 24 with 1504 viewsHerbivore

Cook signed these players so it's rather moot, either way the buck stops with him.

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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:12 - Nov 24 with 1511 viewsSomethingBlue

It's just a little odd that two completely different sets of players have produced eerily similar failings.

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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:14 - Nov 24 with 1488 viewsBlueBadger

Cook is a VERY unlucky man really. He inherited one bunch of wasters who weren't very good and wouldn't play for him and now he's signed another 19 like it.

I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:21 - Nov 24 with 1455 viewsGuthrum

Perhaps more the mistake was to expect the squad - who are decent players for this level - to come in and utterly dominate like we'd signed Chelsea's first team in the third tier.

They're good, but there's not that much of a disparity with the other strong teams in the division.

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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:23 - Nov 24 with 1427 viewsGarv

Tell us what you really think.

I agree there's been a lot of hype over players who really didn't warrant it. Best examples being Harper and Edwards probably. But your third paragraph is so over the top it's untrue.

Would I take Downes back? Of course. Bishop and Dozzell? No chance. I do think Morsy has been a tad underrated but awful? Come on. Evans had a wobbly start but he's not 'no good'. Penney is underrated frankly and unless injured he was unlucky to lose his place after one poor game at Plymouth.

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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:28 - Nov 24 with 1396 viewsJon_456

Stopped reading after you called Morsy awful with an attitude problem. Anyone with a set of eyes can see he's a very good midfielder, especially at this level.

Of all the excuses Cook has, blaming the players this season cant be one of them.
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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:40 - Nov 24 with 1331 viewsHerbivore

Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:21 - Nov 24 by Guthrum

Perhaps more the mistake was to expect the squad - who are decent players for this level - to come in and utterly dominate like we'd signed Chelsea's first team in the third tier.

They're good, but there's not that much of a disparity with the other strong teams in the division.


Based on last night there's a huge disparity between us and the other strong teams, sadly not in our favour. I also don't think many people expected us to dominate, but I guess we expected better than 13th after 19 games and stagnating results at a time when we'd hoped to be kicking on.

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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:46 - Nov 24 with 1302 viewspennyfathersleg

Im actually fully inclined to agree with this. I've said for a while that I wonder if the players are as good as we were told.

Hladky - no better than Holy
Walton - an upgrade but has made costly mistakes
Edmundson - definitely an improvement. one of the best centre backs we've had at club for a long time
Burgess - looked good in his first game, but has steadily got worse. no better than what had. possibly better in a 3
Coulson - sick note, so not sure how good he is.
Penney - Average. not convinced he's any better than Kenlock
Aluko - was surprised we signed him, but I think he has been great!
Burns - love his pace, but I do think his first touch lets him down sometimes. Definitely an improvement though
Evans - doesn't do anywhere near enough. Not sure he is any better than Bishop
Harper - looks very poor. Definitely not an upgrade on Dozzell. maybe he will improve though.
Morsy - we were told he would be the answer. Not sure that's true. Not as good as Downes
Edwards - Lots of pace and looked awesome to begin with but has no end product (was there a reason other clubs didn't sign him?)
Carroll - sick note. Hopefully he will come good though. I like what I saw of him
Celina - hasn't hit the highs of previous. Hopefully he will still come good - he was the cherry on top wasn't he?
Barry - not sure what to say about him...
Bonne - Class and definitely an improvement
Piggot - Not played enough, but can't say I've been blown away. No better than Nors, but probably a better attitude
Fraser - looks technically good but so lightweight
Chaplin - I like Chaplin, but did seem to go missing last night. I expected more though

That's my valuable opinion. I played for many years in the clacton Sunday league, so I feel fully qualified to do so

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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:53 - Nov 24 with 1272 viewsGuthrum

Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:40 - Nov 24 by Herbivore

Based on last night there's a huge disparity between us and the other strong teams, sadly not in our favour. I also don't think many people expected us to dominate, but I guess we expected better than 13th after 19 games and stagnating results at a time when we'd hoped to be kicking on.


I expected us to be doing considerably better than that (altho, unlike some, not apparently just because we used to be in a much higher division than many of our opponents, several decades ago), but I don't think it's down to the players per se.

More structural, process and perhaps tactical issues.

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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:58 - Nov 24 with 1224 viewsIP4_Blue

Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:11 - Nov 24 by Herbivore

Cook signed these players so it's rather moot, either way the buck stops with him.


This
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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 15:01 - Nov 24 with 1200 viewsjayessess

Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:23 - Nov 24 by Garv

Tell us what you really think.

I agree there's been a lot of hype over players who really didn't warrant it. Best examples being Harper and Edwards probably. But your third paragraph is so over the top it's untrue.

Would I take Downes back? Of course. Bishop and Dozzell? No chance. I do think Morsy has been a tad underrated but awful? Come on. Evans had a wobbly start but he's not 'no good'. Penney is underrated frankly and unless injured he was unlucky to lose his place after one poor game at Plymouth.


Dozzell's better than every midfielder currently at the club, which is why he got a move to the Championship and why he's starting near enough every week for the team that's 6th in the league above us.

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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 15:01 - Nov 24 with 1196 viewsHerbivore

Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:53 - Nov 24 by Guthrum

I expected us to be doing considerably better than that (altho, unlike some, not apparently just because we used to be in a much higher division than many of our opponents, several decades ago), but I don't think it's down to the players per se.

More structural, process and perhaps tactical issues.


I'm not really sure what we're trying to be in all honesty. I do think we have good players but too many similar types of player in some areas and then a lack of quality in other areas. It's a concern that our improvement after our disastrous start has flatlined, in fact it's regressed a fair bit over the past 6 games.

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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 15:02 - Nov 24 with 1185 viewsElephantintheRoom

No - we have the Wigan kit man to help out and some inexperienced coaches too. Don't forget the performance assessors and fitness gurus either.. The fact that none of these hangars on have been successful at their previous clubs could be relevant.

Add in the Britol City smarm merchant and the elusive O'Leary and you have a cabal of nonentites with no connection to the club other than the whiff of cash. And hey guess what - the players are here for the cash too..... free money and lots of it to spread around like confetti.

Even the pretend owners are basking in free money. Only Brynsley Schwartz has his finger on the till button - and guess what - it isnt his money either.

So no - it's not really Cook's fault - he's just an arrogant buffoon. It's not the inadequat coaches or the ludicrous fitness gurus either - they are just along for the ride.

It's not the three fantasist's fault either - they sensed a oil well of cash to be mined with someone else's money.

Ultimately it's the Arizona Pension Fund which is to blame - for believing a powerpoint presentation presented by a bunch of chancers.

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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 15:14 - Nov 24 with 1136 viewsDavoIPB

Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:23 - Nov 24 by Garv

Tell us what you really think.

I agree there's been a lot of hype over players who really didn't warrant it. Best examples being Harper and Edwards probably. But your third paragraph is so over the top it's untrue.

Would I take Downes back? Of course. Bishop and Dozzell? No chance. I do think Morsy has been a tad underrated but awful? Come on. Evans had a wobbly start but he's not 'no good'. Penney is underrated frankly and unless injured he was unlucky to lose his place after one poor game at Plymouth.


Yep agree totally. Morsy does make a really big diference and does look a good player. Evans a bit hit and miss but him and Morsy ran the show at Sunderland. Way better than Bishop and Dozzell. Downes yes a quality player and wish he had played for the team.

Penney is a good player at this level and Edwards is too. We missed him when not on the pitch last night. Chaplin seems to be the one who is not performing. Bonne a big improvement on Norwood and Jackson just needs to find the net again.

Still think we are better as a team and actually last night we did really fight for it. We battled, won the ball. Morsy controlled a lot of the game. We did outpass them except in final third (something that can be sorted). Our defence needs sorting but we do have a very good centre half in Edmundson who is leagues ahead of anybody we have had at the club for a while.
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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 17:46 - Nov 24 with 995 viewsHighgateBlue

Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:28 - Nov 24 by Jon_456

Stopped reading after you called Morsy awful with an attitude problem. Anyone with a set of eyes can see he's a very good midfielder, especially at this level.

Of all the excuses Cook has, blaming the players this season cant be one of them.


I'd be interested to hear what excuses he /does/ have...?
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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 17:58 - Nov 24 with 964 viewsmrshallisfit

Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:28 - Nov 24 by Jon_456

Stopped reading after you called Morsy awful with an attitude problem. Anyone with a set of eyes can see he's a very good midfielder, especially at this level.

Of all the excuses Cook has, blaming the players this season cant be one of them.


I think Evan's has coasted in the majority of games.
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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 19:59 - Nov 24 with 867 viewsFightingEssex

Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 14:28 - Nov 24 by Jon_456

Stopped reading after you called Morsy awful with an attitude problem. Anyone with a set of eyes can see he's a very good midfielder, especially at this level.

Of all the excuses Cook has, blaming the players this season cant be one of them.


Morsy. Has he really done anything though? He hasn't really done anything much since coming in, a lot of people have credited him with the improvement in terms of us giving away silly goals but much of that has been down to good performances from Edmundson and Donacien rather than any support from what is appearing to be a very bland midfield without Burns or Aluko in it. Evans, Edwards, Fraser, Harper as others stated only a real hardcore Cook-ist would say they were any better than Dozzell, Downes and Bishop. I'd take Downes over Morsy every day of the week and if anyone thinks Morsy is better than Downes I really can't help you!

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Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 10:44 - Nov 25 with 671 viewsGarv

Is it all Paul Cook? The players have been a massive let down. on 15:14 - Nov 24 by DavoIPB

Yep agree totally. Morsy does make a really big diference and does look a good player. Evans a bit hit and miss but him and Morsy ran the show at Sunderland. Way better than Bishop and Dozzell. Downes yes a quality player and wish he had played for the team.

Penney is a good player at this level and Edwards is too. We missed him when not on the pitch last night. Chaplin seems to be the one who is not performing. Bonne a big improvement on Norwood and Jackson just needs to find the net again.

Still think we are better as a team and actually last night we did really fight for it. We battled, won the ball. Morsy controlled a lot of the game. We did outpass them except in final third (something that can be sorted). Our defence needs sorting but we do have a very good centre half in Edmundson who is leagues ahead of anybody we have had at the club for a while.


Well said.

Overreaction to Tuesday. Main issues were the imbalance of the three behind Bonne and the full backs. It's a pretty easy fix once players are fit and available again, and I can't see us having many more games like that this season. Rotherham were so far and away the best side we've seen.

Cook shouldn't avoid blame for the side he picked because in hindsight it wasn't right. Celina playing wide right for example, didn't go well at all, despite probably being our best hope. But I do think it's more a personnel issue than anything tactical.

For all that we felt completely dominated while watching
live on Tuesday we did have our moments in the first half. We played like an away side and that's obviously the disappointing thing, but I don't think us scoring before half time would have been a huge surprise. Second half was different and their second just killed it.
[Post edited 25 Nov 2021 12:22]

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