| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? 09:07 - Dec 3 with 2069 views | portmanking |
If things continue to drift like this through December, do we carry on backing McKenna out of blind faith? Are we happy to write the season off and go again next year with McKenna in the hope that it clicks in 26/27?! Comfortably the weakest Champ league I've seen in years and we're blowing it big style.
The lack of team spirit and personality in last night's team was hugely evident for me. The current side almost feels too structured, with our flair players not allowed to play off the cuff. The back-to-back side had a clear structure, but they played with real fluidity too.
Surely it's okay to love and respect McKenna for what he's done with us in the last four years but question the direction we're heading in? That's a balanced view, right? I haven't seen Kieran look that angry in a long time. Looked like he was chewing a wasp for most of that second half. |  | | |  |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:09 - Dec 3 with 1340 views | homer_123 |
If I'm honest, I suspect questions are already being asked internally.
The owners, Ashton and KM will be meeting regularly to discuss progress against targets etc. which would be very much business as usual. |  |
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| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:13 - Dec 3 with 1292 views | portmanking |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:09 - Dec 3 by homer_123 |
If I'm honest, I suspect questions are already being asked internally.
The owners, Ashton and KM will be meeting regularly to discuss progress against targets etc. which would be very much business as usual. |
Although we've made small inroads into the gap between us and 2nd, in the last six weeks, is that progress enough? We're in danger of being stuck in a bunfight for 2-3 playoff places with 10-12 other teams. That's the very definition of failure for a parachute team, surely?
Recruitment also has to be the biggest question asked IMO. Fans' Forums would be an ideal opportunity to get to grips with this, but people choose to ask about toilets and bus services instead. Who is in charge of recruitment for our first team? Because the last two windows have been shambolic and scattergun. | | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:13 - Dec 3 with 1287 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
We seem to be judging ourselves against the mediocrity of the league and the 'low' points tally of 2nd place.
We should judge ourselves against Cov, and at the very least a points target of 2 points per match.
If the target is 2 poiints per match, we are 8 points short of where we should be.
The worrying this is, KM looks lost on the sidelines, and doesnt seem to have any idea what his best team is.
It feels like the end of the Burley era, but I hope he can turn it around. [Post edited 3 Dec 9:15]
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| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:14 - Dec 3 with 1269 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:09 - Dec 3 by homer_123 |
If I'm honest, I suspect questions are already being asked internally.
The owners, Ashton and KM will be meeting regularly to discuss progress against targets etc. which would be very much business as usual. |
Questions should also be asked of Ashton in terms of recruitment etc. | |
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| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:16 - Dec 3 with 1247 views | Yallop2 |
Not now. One defeat in eight games.
Focus on getting behind the team Saturday |  | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:16 - Dec 3 with 1238 views | portmanking |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:13 - Dec 3 by Marshalls_Mullet |
We seem to be judging ourselves against the mediocrity of the league and the 'low' points tally of 2nd place.
We should judge ourselves against Cov, and at the very least a points target of 2 points per match.
If the target is 2 poiints per match, we are 8 points short of where we should be.
The worrying this is, KM looks lost on the sidelines, and doesnt seem to have any idea what his best team is.
It feels like the end of the Burley era, but I hope he can turn it around. [Post edited 3 Dec 9:15]
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I agree on your last point re. KM. He looks drained and lost. But what I really want to know is are these the players he wanted in the summer? Or are they just the ones Ashton/Werhun could afford/attract?
We can't keep feeling sorry for ourselves and blaming the August window. We knew Omari and Delap were likely to be off. The only surprise exit was obviously Morsy. But we've bought players that aren't robust enough, can't outrun opponents and, most importantly for a KMac team, can't handle the ball in tight areas.
Hardly *any* of them fit the brief for a KMac team IMO, bar Matusiwa, so did Kieran have much say in it? How much is led by the Ashton Dashboard?! | | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:18 - Dec 3 with 1218 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:16 - Dec 3 by portmanking |
I agree on your last point re. KM. He looks drained and lost. But what I really want to know is are these the players he wanted in the summer? Or are they just the ones Ashton/Werhun could afford/attract?
We can't keep feeling sorry for ourselves and blaming the August window. We knew Omari and Delap were likely to be off. The only surprise exit was obviously Morsy. But we've bought players that aren't robust enough, can't outrun opponents and, most importantly for a KMac team, can't handle the ball in tight areas.
Hardly *any* of them fit the brief for a KMac team IMO, bar Matusiwa, so did Kieran have much say in it? How much is led by the Ashton Dashboard?! |
I cant help but think Ashtons dashboard is a very basic excel spreadsheet. | |
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| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:19 - Dec 3 with 1203 views | tractorboy1978 |
I can't help but think he is overthinking it with the rotation and changes personally. Feel like he needs to pick his best/most effective 13/14 players for the way he wants to play and pick an 11 from that. Build some consistency, some partnerships and hopefully we see more fluidity.
I looked at that starting 11 last night and instantly knew it was going to be disjointed. Hardly surprising it was really. Azon has looked poor every time he has started. Akpom has offered nothing in the 10 all season. McAteer, the less I say the better.
Blackburn had a days less rest and started the same team as their previous game and looked better/fresher than us. When are we going to see the benefits of all our rotation? We certainly aren't at the moment. If anything the players look less prepared, match fit and confident. Players like Philogene and Clarke need to be played into their best form and brimming with confidence. Been saying all season we need to find a way to get them both on the pitch. | | | |
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| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:21 - Dec 3 with 1179 views | portmanking |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:18 - Dec 3 by Marshalls_Mullet |
I cant help but think Ashtons dashboard is a very basic excel spreadsheet. |
But if we can see that certain players don't fit the central #10 berth, the #9 position or even at right back, why can't people that *work* in the industry?
Fitness is another serious problem IMO. Akpom and Azon are the main culprits. I feel like we've bought them hugely undercooked. I'd rather have signed lesser, more robust players that could actually prove the difference at second tier level. | | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:22 - Dec 3 with 1159 views | tractorboy1978 |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:16 - Dec 3 by portmanking |
I agree on your last point re. KM. He looks drained and lost. But what I really want to know is are these the players he wanted in the summer? Or are they just the ones Ashton/Werhun could afford/attract?
We can't keep feeling sorry for ourselves and blaming the August window. We knew Omari and Delap were likely to be off. The only surprise exit was obviously Morsy. But we've bought players that aren't robust enough, can't outrun opponents and, most importantly for a KMac team, can't handle the ball in tight areas.
Hardly *any* of them fit the brief for a KMac team IMO, bar Matusiwa, so did Kieran have much say in it? How much is led by the Ashton Dashboard?! |
Incomprehensible to me that McKenna wasn't all over the recruitment. He will have approved all of these players. | | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:23 - Dec 3 with 1151 views | portmanking |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:19 - Dec 3 by tractorboy1978 |
I can't help but think he is overthinking it with the rotation and changes personally. Feel like he needs to pick his best/most effective 13/14 players for the way he wants to play and pick an 11 from that. Build some consistency, some partnerships and hopefully we see more fluidity.
I looked at that starting 11 last night and instantly knew it was going to be disjointed. Hardly surprising it was really. Azon has looked poor every time he has started. Akpom has offered nothing in the 10 all season. McAteer, the less I say the better.
Blackburn had a days less rest and started the same team as their previous game and looked better/fresher than us. When are we going to see the benefits of all our rotation? We certainly aren't at the moment. If anything the players look less prepared, match fit and confident. Players like Philogene and Clarke need to be played into their best form and brimming with confidence. Been saying all season we need to find a way to get them both on the pitch. |
I would be trying this against Coventry, personally:
Walton
Furlong O'Shea Greaves Davis
Matusiwa Nunez
Clarke Egeli Philogene
Hirst | | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:24 - Dec 3 with 1128 views | BseaBlue |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:19 - Dec 3 by tractorboy1978 |
I can't help but think he is overthinking it with the rotation and changes personally. Feel like he needs to pick his best/most effective 13/14 players for the way he wants to play and pick an 11 from that. Build some consistency, some partnerships and hopefully we see more fluidity.
I looked at that starting 11 last night and instantly knew it was going to be disjointed. Hardly surprising it was really. Azon has looked poor every time he has started. Akpom has offered nothing in the 10 all season. McAteer, the less I say the better.
Blackburn had a days less rest and started the same team as their previous game and looked better/fresher than us. When are we going to see the benefits of all our rotation? We certainly aren't at the moment. If anything the players look less prepared, match fit and confident. Players like Philogene and Clarke need to be played into their best form and brimming with confidence. Been saying all season we need to find a way to get them both on the pitch. |
I made a bit of a joke on here the other day about the players that start all being in competition with each other to earn their places back on the bench.
Maybe it is the lack of consistency and the chopping and changing but it really does feel that the players are not taking their opportunity when they in the starting 11. Probably doesn't help knowing that you will be on the bench the next game regardless though. |  | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:25 - Dec 3 with 1122 views | portmanking |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:22 - Dec 3 by tractorboy1978 |
Incomprehensible to me that McKenna wasn't all over the recruitment. He will have approved all of these players. |
So the recruitment *is* on Kieran then? It seems bizarre to me that Szmodics, Akpom, Azon and McAteer were given the green light by him.
Same with Ashley Young and Furlong, IMO. Young put in a Aluko vs Maidstone shift last night and Furlong gets a nosebleed over the halfway line (a slightly better Donacien).
This is serious, serious money we're wasting here. | | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:29 - Dec 3 with 1076 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:22 - Dec 3 by tractorboy1978 |
Incomprehensible to me that McKenna wasn't all over the recruitment. He will have approved all of these players. |
Especially after his contract renewal, he was in such a position of power to ensure that he would have final say. | |
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| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:34 - Dec 3 with 1042 views | tractorboy1978 |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:24 - Dec 3 by BseaBlue |
I made a bit of a joke on here the other day about the players that start all being in competition with each other to earn their places back on the bench.
Maybe it is the lack of consistency and the chopping and changing but it really does feel that the players are not taking their opportunity when they in the starting 11. Probably doesn't help knowing that you will be on the bench the next game regardless though. |
I can't imagine Philogene/Clarke are overly enamored to be sharing game time on a match by match rotation basis. I find that one puzzling to be honest. You have two of the best players in the Championship and you can't find a way to play them both? When you are starting with Kasey McAteer on the right hand side at times? And we haven't found a 10 option that works all season? | | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:37 - Dec 3 with 1027 views | NthQldITFC |
I completely agree with your analysis, particularly the middle paragraph, which is the best concise description of where we are that I have read.
But realistically we're talking about a total squad rebuild and expected tuning up period which would make say the first eight or so games of any season difficult, so I'd say we're in rut of ten games or so where we are unexpectedly underperforming in terms of 'team' - although of course, we've won a few of those games handsomely. It feels worse than it is, but the worry is understandable. It's very much a blip but it needs working out soon.
Weigh that against what we've seen in the three years or so of development under McKenna, and there's not even a small doubt in my mind that he's very much the way forward for this club still. |  |
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| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:43 - Dec 3 with 982 views | TractorJack |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:22 - Dec 3 by tractorboy1978 |
Incomprehensible to me that McKenna wasn't all over the recruitment. He will have approved all of these players. |
Of course but is what's being put in front of him good enough? |  | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:43 - Dec 3 with 970 views | StokieBlue |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:23 - Dec 3 by portmanking |
I would be trying this against Coventry, personally:
Walton
Furlong O'Shea Greaves Davis
Matusiwa Nunez
Clarke Egeli Philogene
Hirst |
Yep, that's a line up we need to try.
SB |  | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:47 - Dec 3 with 948 views | portmanking |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:37 - Dec 3 by NthQldITFC |
I completely agree with your analysis, particularly the middle paragraph, which is the best concise description of where we are that I have read.
But realistically we're talking about a total squad rebuild and expected tuning up period which would make say the first eight or so games of any season difficult, so I'd say we're in rut of ten games or so where we are unexpectedly underperforming in terms of 'team' - although of course, we've won a few of those games handsomely. It feels worse than it is, but the worry is understandable. It's very much a blip but it needs working out soon.
Weigh that against what we've seen in the three years or so of development under McKenna, and there's not even a small doubt in my mind that he's very much the way forward for this club still. |
I think the next two games will be very telling as to whether this group of players have the minerals to succeed.
If they can't summon the inner motivation and belief to take on 1st and 4th in the league, we've got no hope.
In some ways I do agree that it *feels* worse than it is. Largely because of the mental fragility of the squad. Kieran himself said post-match that the drop-off after the Oxford defeat was an eyebrow-raiser. | | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:47 - Dec 3 with 942 views | portmanking |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:43 - Dec 3 by StokieBlue |
Yep, that's a line up we need to try.
SB |
Yeah, Egeli in the central 10 for sure. Let's stop talking about him ending up there and try him there now, especially given his physicality and finishing attributes. [Post edited 3 Dec 9:48]
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| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:48 - Dec 3 with 930 views | jasondozzell |
It's insane imo and really entitled stuff.
Look at the league table. It really isn't a disaster. Look at those sides in the top 6. What do you notice? I notice that they are sides that have been together with their manager for a good spell of time.
Compare that to us. KM has had 13 or so games with effectively a new squad and team.
'Wtite off the season'. It's just crazy talk. We've not been anywhere near as good as we need to be but equally we're nowhere near as bad as people are making out.
We need to improve. There is no manager I back to do that more than KM.
I feel like some of our support have no idea about the championship. |  | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:50 - Dec 3 with 905 views | lazyblue |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:13 - Dec 3 by portmanking |
Although we've made small inroads into the gap between us and 2nd, in the last six weeks, is that progress enough? We're in danger of being stuck in a bunfight for 2-3 playoff places with 10-12 other teams. That's the very definition of failure for a parachute team, surely?
Recruitment also has to be the biggest question asked IMO. Fans' Forums would be an ideal opportunity to get to grips with this, but people choose to ask about toilets and bus services instead. Who is in charge of recruitment for our first team? Because the last two windows have been shambolic and scattergun. |
You should have sent the question in then | | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:51 - Dec 3 with 906 views | SomethingBlue |
That was bad last night, not one good thing beyond a great moment for Sindre who will really kick on now. Weak, milky, careless, no aggression. And a few of the issues we showed are repeating themselves a little too much. But personal view is that a few are willing the crisis element on way too heavily when the overall position doesn't back it up. Maybe they need the drama, and I understand that in this day & age because it's the way people have been conditioned, but it's way too overwrought for me – things are fairly meh in this spell but we are within touching distance of the promotion places and should still be heavily backed to improve. Let's hope it is enough.
Definitely need a good December amid a tough run, I agree, but it's very hard to see things completely tanking. [Post edited 3 Dec 9:55]
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| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:51 - Dec 3 with 904 views | AljoBlue |
Failing to get a backup for Matusiwa, and a decent forward were disastrous failings in my view. I do wonder whether we will try to get Morsy back in Jan in an Aluko type role, come in when, like now, Matusiwa needs a rest, but off field provide the exmaple and leadership this squad seems devoid of.
Jack Taylor has looked miles off it all his Ipswich career but in what looks like a blip, actually performed well for a couple of games, before tonight, reverting to his anonymous norm.
Can we cancel Akpom's loan? at least it does not appear we will be obligated to buy him after this season - maybe Ajax might feel they could get money for him in January.
Youngs legs seem gone.
Leif had no energy last night
McAteer is the absolute epitomy of why championship football fans hate the parachute payment teams - £12 million overpaid | | | |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:53 - Dec 3 with 882 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| When *should* the difficult questions be asked then? on 09:48 - Dec 3 by jasondozzell |
It's insane imo and really entitled stuff.
Look at the league table. It really isn't a disaster. Look at those sides in the top 6. What do you notice? I notice that they are sides that have been together with their manager for a good spell of time.
Compare that to us. KM has had 13 or so games with effectively a new squad and team.
'Wtite off the season'. It's just crazy talk. We've not been anywhere near as good as we need to be but equally we're nowhere near as bad as people are making out.
We need to improve. There is no manager I back to do that more than KM.
I feel like some of our support have no idea about the championship. |
I dont really think any other sides have had a longer spell with their players and manager than we have.
KM has had a HUGE budget and control over how his squad evolves. He could happily choose a starting XI that has primarily been here for 12 months or so.
I dont think that KM should go, but he does have every available advantage over the rest of the league. We are c.8 points behind where we should be, and need to start turning things around. | |
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