| Criticisms of McKenna and drift 19:46 - Apr 9 with 7383 views | Mullet |
Well today seems like a good day and time to start them eh? Another decent away following, a good rendition of EEJB and some lovely old faces to catch up with all before we got going.
I think seeing a lino go down injured and then a stadium announcement asking for anyone with a ref qualification to step up was a first, and stark reminder of the nature of this league. We'd already taken the lead and could have a goal before then had Chaplin's header been like Norwood's and anywhere away from the keeper's hands.
It's pretty clear when we want to, this side can keep the ball away from pretty much any team. But that stoppage in play never really saw us a hit stride and our lurching from comfortable, to casual to careless seemed to be a continuous cycle.
One the game restarted we didn't look all that ruthless. Trying to find the right opening, the right shot instead of just taking whatever we were presented with is grand when you're winning. However, once we were down to ten men it was only ever an equaliser away from everything falling apart.
God knows what Burgess was doing when he saw red, he was miles up the pitch, there was no challenge to make and when you fly in like that after so many bad tackles from either side you're not getting a telling off.
It also meant the subs of Bonne and Celina had to be scrapped. So when Whalley hit his worldie, it was no surprise we'd spent the few mins between looking shakier and retreating more.
I'm not sure I'd keep Norwood, the fire is there but he seems to self-combust far too much. He probably protected Mors a bit in getting his booking but rode his luck not getting a second card. A change might do all parties good.
Penney did little to suggest he's the answer. The same issue of getting caught behind and hitting the first man with his crosses too often means he's not got long to really progress as much as needed. Thompson came in and made a couple of good interceptions and seems far more coachable, but isn't the LWB we need for next season either.
It's pretty remarkable we keep giving points away, we can't leave 9th like it's some sort of toxic partner of ours, and we can look so dominant but be so fragile. Ultimately, this isn't McKenna's team and it might not even be one he's made in his image. So worrying about the problems when the season is now stagnant is rather pointless, and makes moaning fairly redundant too.
After today I'd probably sign Bakinson and look to coach him if I was McK and really let go of Norwood and Bonne and see if there is a striker better suited to taking the kind of chances we do make than just having one of each type and throwing them on.
I'm still not sure if it's that we can't kill teams off, or we can't bring ourselves to deviate from recycling the ball so much that we miss the opportunity to have shot, to drill a low cross in to make keeper's hesitate or defenders flick out a leg and divert the ball into a scramble.
For me, there's little left to worry about other than giving minutes to those he wants to keep here and seeing what connections they make. Outside of all that, we looked pretty much on the beach already.
The pressure is creeping up on McKenna already and I think that's fair enough but he has done a lot of very good things with this team, and deserves the summer and plenty of backing before any of us worry too much. The flaws all look very superficial to me. |  |
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:06 - Apr 11 with 1767 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 08:36 - Apr 11 by abracaDOBRA_ |
Our record under Cook at the back end of last season was awful. Mckennas isnt. |
Lost just 2 in the final 12 games didn't he?
Lots of draws hence the questions were there about scoring goals. |  |
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:16 - Apr 11 with 1741 views | abracaDOBRA_ |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:06 - Apr 11 by FrimleyBlue |
Lost just 2 in the final 12 games didn't he?
Lots of draws hence the questions were there about scoring goals. |
Lost to Gills, pompey, 3-0 to Wimbledon, Fleetwood, 3-0 to Northampton, lots of 0-0s as well. So yeah, more than 2. |  | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:19 - Apr 11 with 1737 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:16 - Apr 11 by abracaDOBRA_ |
Lost to Gills, pompey, 3-0 to Wimbledon, Fleetwood, 3-0 to Northampton, lots of 0-0s as well. So yeah, more than 2. |
Thats going back to the last 16 games isn't it? | |
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:23 - Apr 11 with 1732 views | tractorboy1978 |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:19 - Apr 11 by FrimleyBlue |
Thats going back to the last 16 games isn't it? |
19 points in his 16 games.
15 points in his last 12 if you want to be arbitrarily select 12.
Woeful either way. |  | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:27 - Apr 11 with 1719 views | abracaDOBRA_ |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:19 - Apr 11 by FrimleyBlue |
Thats going back to the last 16 games isn't it? |
However many games his record was awful, and we all chose to ignore it hoping it would get better. Difference now is Mckenna has got results to back him up | | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:37 - Apr 11 with 1711 views | Kieran_Knows |
'The pressure is creeping up on McKenna already and I think that's fair enough but he has done a lot of very good things with this team, and deserves the summer and plenty of backing before any of us worry too much.'
Jesus wept. |  |
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:42 - Apr 11 with 1688 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:23 - Apr 11 by tractorboy1978 |
19 points in his 16 games.
15 points in his last 12 if you want to be arbitrarily select 12.
Woeful either way. |
Oh 100% it was still wasn't great. But I see where the other poster is coming from when he says that most people said next season after a window, we'd see the goals for column improve etc. I chose 12 as upto until Cambridge we were 12 unbeaten under KM weren't we? Just trying to be fair with a comparison in regards to games played.. [Post edited 11 Apr 2022 11:44]
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:43 - Apr 11 with 1687 views | abracaDOBRA_ |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:37 - Apr 11 by Kieran_Knows |
'The pressure is creeping up on McKenna already and I think that's fair enough but he has done a lot of very good things with this team, and deserves the summer and plenty of backing before any of us worry too much.'
Jesus wept. |
I also found that line a bit OTT. No pressure is on him atm, we've lost one and drawn one to an unbelievable goal and suddenly were talking about pressure! | | | |
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 12:36 - Apr 11 with 1632 views | gordon |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:43 - Apr 11 by abracaDOBRA_ |
I also found that line a bit OTT. No pressure is on him atm, we've lost one and drawn one to an unbelievable goal and suddenly were talking about pressure! |
Yes, it's totally nuts. If he replicates his form so far over a whole season, we'll be challenging for the second automatic promotion spot. |  | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 12:42 - Apr 11 with 1618 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 12:36 - Apr 11 by gordon |
Yes, it's totally nuts. If he replicates his form so far over a whole season, we'll be challenging for the second automatic promotion spot. |
Isn't it 6th in the form table? | |
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 13:04 - Apr 11 with 1599 views | abracaDOBRA_ |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 12:42 - Apr 11 by FrimleyBlue |
Isn't it 6th in the form table? |
'If he generates the record over a whole season'
Form tables are usually either 6 or last 10 games | | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 13:14 - Apr 11 with 1585 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 13:04 - Apr 11 by abracaDOBRA_ |
'If he generates the record over a whole season'
Form tables are usually either 6 or last 10 games |
Well yeah. But if those above us generates the record over a whole season aswell wouldn't we still be 6th? | |
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 13:47 - Apr 11 with 1534 views | AlanG296 |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 13:14 - Apr 11 by FrimleyBlue |
Well yeah. But if those above us generates the record over a whole season aswell wouldn't we still be 6th? |
Assuming we can play Gillingham twice but not 3 of the top 6 in every 19 games | | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 14:14 - Apr 11 with 1503 views | gordon |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 13:14 - Apr 11 by FrimleyBlue |
Well yeah. But if those above us generates the record over a whole season aswell wouldn't we still be 6th? |
No, 87 points would be a fair bit above 6th place! It's been an unusual second half of the season, but basically any of those 6 or so teams with good form since Christmas would expect to be challenging for top two if they replicated that form over a whole season.
EG, Peterborough got promoted by 7 points last season with a PPG ratio the same as McKenna's since taking over. [Post edited 11 Apr 2022 14:15]
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 14:21 - Apr 11 with 1484 views | longtimefan |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 22:05 - Apr 9 by Nthsuffolkblue |
I am pretty sure I have heard the call for anyone with a qualification to make themselves known so they can step in as fourth official before. The FA don't provide a reserve match official at any level I don't think. Maybe the Premier League does. |
It's happened at Portman Road before. Last time I remember was when my Ipswich Referee Association colleague Chris Dale took over as 4th official.
https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/ipswich-town/roy-of-the-rovers-stuff-for-ipswich-to
I was down behind the stands at halftime and never heard the tannoy appeal. When I went back up into the stand just before the restart, my son told me they were asking for qualified refs and I'd missed my chance  | | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 14:54 - Apr 11 with 1436 views | OldFart71 |
A friend of mine is a big Man Utd fan and he say's they have plenty of possession but can't score. I do wonder with McKenna being a coach at Man Utd has brought with him a lot of their style. It's not really McKenna's fault that we have half a dozen strikers but only one on a dozen goals, a second on nine and then you go down to Norwood and Jackson and finally Pigott with none. maybe the problem is not just the strikers as in tight matches Morsy has only scored a couple and the defence has only a couple between the lot of them. I presume that McKenna knows who he wants as he's already flagged a few up to the C.E.O. It's a pity about this league that we have to play so many teams that know what we are about and "Park the bus" but we have to live with this fact and find ways to beat them. | | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 15:16 - Apr 11 with 1411 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 14:21 - Apr 11 by longtimefan |
It's happened at Portman Road before. Last time I remember was when my Ipswich Referee Association colleague Chris Dale took over as 4th official.
https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/ipswich-town/roy-of-the-rovers-stuff-for-ipswich-to
I was down behind the stands at halftime and never heard the tannoy appeal. When I went back up into the stand just before the restart, my son told me they were asking for qualified refs and I'd missed my chance |
Thanks for confirming. I was pretty sure I had heard it at Portman Road. I wonder how many other fans could have stepped in but were beaten to it by Chris Dale. I also wonder whether he would have been allowed to run the line had there been another injury or whether the replacement is only allowed to the 4th official. |  |
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 15:29 - Apr 11 with 1394 views | ElephantintheRoom |
Good article but I have to say a chronic inability to score goals whilst never threatening to get into the play offs are slightly more than superficial problems.
A short summary would be he’s got to build his own team - and that’s been said about every manager since Keane arrived.
I, like most think McKenna has something about him and will be addressing those superficial problems in the summer BUT can he fix them if it’s down to over-egging the recipe?
I’m also of the opinion he won’t be here this time next season. If Town are 9th after three months he’ll be fired. If Town actually look and play like a promotion team he’ll be headhunted. | |
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 19:02 - Apr 11 with 1323 views | longtimefan |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 15:16 - Apr 11 by Nthsuffolkblue |
Thanks for confirming. I was pretty sure I had heard it at Portman Road. I wonder how many other fans could have stepped in but were beaten to it by Chris Dale. I also wonder whether he would have been allowed to run the line had there been another injury or whether the replacement is only allowed to the 4th official. |
I spoke to Chris at an RA meeting the week afterwards and he definitely wasn’t the only volunteer they had, but he was the most senior of those that did. He was also asked prior to starting that whether he would be ok with running the line should another injury occur. | | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 19:20 - Apr 11 with 1300 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 19:02 - Apr 11 by longtimefan |
I spoke to Chris at an RA meeting the week afterwards and he definitely wasn’t the only volunteer they had, but he was the most senior of those that did. He was also asked prior to starting that whether he would be ok with running the line should another injury occur. |
Very interesting. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I assume his seniority would have trumped yours even if you had heard the call? | |
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 21:04 - Apr 11 with 1264 views | longtimefan |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 19:20 - Apr 11 by Nthsuffolkblue |
Very interesting. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I assume his seniority would have trumped yours even if you had heard the call? |
Indeed it would have. | | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 21:29 - Apr 11 with 1225 views | SuperKieranMcKenna |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 11:43 - Apr 11 by abracaDOBRA_ |
I also found that line a bit OTT. No pressure is on him atm, we've lost one and drawn one to an unbelievable goal and suddenly were talking about pressure! |
Cook had a 29pc win ratio for us, McKenna has 53pc without frivolously signing players. Not sure how the two are compatible. | | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 07:32 - Apr 12 with 1107 views | ArnieM |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 21:43 - Apr 9 by xrayspecs |
Good post.
January is not a time to do major transfer business, so the summer window will be first real opportunity for KM to reshape the squad.
There are some obvious gaps in the squad but I would argue that all but Norwood and Penney of today's starters should be here next season. I would sign Bakinson. Of today's subs, Piggott, Carroll, El Miz, and Bonne have question marks over them.
I can see first team places for Baggott and Nbada next season.
So, potentially looking for four priority additions during the summer - LWB, No.10 and two forwards. |
I wonder if Ndaba could play LWB ? |  |
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| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 07:50 - Apr 12 with 1080 views | franz_tyson |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 07:32 - Apr 12 by ArnieM |
I wonder if Ndaba could play LWB ? |
Ndaba has been getting good reviews. Salford fans seem to think he's better at CB, but he has played LB often. It's mentioned about his strength and speed. Could he play LWB? Not sure, but Thompson is really a LB and has got plenty of games.
If Ndaba can cross a ball then maybe he could. I have a feeling Ndaba has more strength and speed than Thompson so could be better in the final third.
We really need a proper LWB. Someone who can pick up the defensive duties, but has the ability to go past full backs and swing a cross in. I think Ndaba could be handy cover and maybe push for a place in the defence.
Who knows? Maybe MCkenna will revert to a different formation. He's gone for 3 at the back because it suited the squad, but he might feel that needs tweaking now he's got the chance of a summer transfer window. | | | |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 08:10 - Apr 12 with 1055 views | Churchman |
| Criticisms of McKenna and drift on 21:29 - Apr 11 by SuperKieranMcKenna |
Cook had a 29pc win ratio for us, McKenna has 53pc without frivolously signing players. Not sure how the two are compatible. |
They are not in the least bit comparable in any way shape or form. Cook was a terrible fit for this club who spudded up the wall about as good an opportunity a manager of his level could ever get. The kindest thing you can say about him was tried hard but painfully limited.
McKenna looks like he might be far better for this club. He’s made a really good start in his first four months. How anyone can use the term ‘pressure’ in relation to him given he’s barely through the door is beyond me. If the remaining games are disappointing I’ve no doubt the old favourite ‘no free hits’ and ‘McKenna out’ will come out from the usual suspects.
Neither is the football club in the least bit comparable with this time last year. Not even close, thank goodness. McKenna isn’t going anywhere, unless the first four months of the season are catastrophic or he/his family have trouble settling in the area. Man United aren’t going to approach him anytime soon and I think it’s clear that he sees an opportunity here to build something.
People just need to give him and the club a little support, time and patience. |  | | |
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