| This team isn’t very likable is it? 09:04 - Dec 14 with 6068 views | Wallingford_Boy |
Not calling out individuals here, but the dynamic isn’t right and it’s hard to get on board with what’s going on right now.
Remember our league one side when we went up, not as good as this current team, but was really easy to like them, they just seemed a proper team.
Don’t know what the solution is, throw more money at the squad? Probably not. |  |
| |  |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:09 - Dec 14 with 731 views | Churchman |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 18:03 - Dec 14 by itfcsuth |
We are in the phase of the building of the team we were before McKenna came in. The team now is not the team that will bring success to this club again, this time success being being in and maintaining a PL spot.
We were previously building a Championship squad in L1, now we want to build a PL squad in the Championship - tough task.
In our first build there we also misses as well as hits that had to be moved on pretty quickly: Pigott, Harper, Penney, Bonne, Fraser all spring to mind.
We are in that moment again, players will need to be moved on who are not in the long term picture. |
A very interesting post that I don’t disagree with. We are exactly in that place you describe.
For the poster that bleated on about the cost of the players we’ve bought, we will only have bought badly if collectively they are sold on for less than we paid for them and given what was made on Omari and Liam plus the obvious worth of Philogene and Egeli, who is a nailed on certainty to be a top PL player, that’s not going to happen.
Transfers don’t always work out. They never did and never will. I’ll add that we are operating in a different place to the dewy eyed, joyful, revisionist world that the bedwetters on here clearly loved of Oli Hawkins, Penney, Bonne and Frazer.
In terms of abuse, Herbivore is right. The stick Hirst and others are getting is disgraceful. GH is a good player not having the best of seasons, partly because of the team around him. He is one of our players. Why can’t the ‘mummy can I have another rusk’ brigade try supporting him?? It might even help him.
Lastly, somebody suggests the players we’ve bought are no better than the ones we bought for £1m a few years ago. Yes they are. I’ve seen both. Up close. Individually, the current players are a higher level. That they are not ripping every team to bits goes back to my first sentence and itfcsouth’s post.
But hey, the forum this week after a week off is for the dismals and not for those posting interesting balanced stuff last week. Unlike some, I’m perfectly fine with the individuals. How can you not warm to people like Azon, Nunez, Davis, O’Shea (my god he was good on Weds), Kipre, GH for example?
They’re our ffing players. Our team. And they’re a heck of a lot more competent and nicer than the likes of J Douglas who was so bad even the opposition laughed at him.
Lastly, Frimley: I’ve really enjoyed your posts in recent months. Please try not to drift into your old style of posts.
Ttfn |  | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:09 - Dec 14 with 731 views | Herbivore |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:05 - Dec 14 by FrimleyBlue |
Unfortunately hirst has become a different player. This seasons hirst is a shadow of his former self imo. |
He hasn't become a different player, he's not playing well. There's a difference. He has the same attributes he's always had but he and the team are lacking confidence and understanding. And for all he's not been at his best, he's only two league goals shy of his total for the entire 2023/24 season and we're not even halfway through yet, but we've come to expect a lot more from the team as a fan base. |  |
| |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:14 - Dec 14 with 724 views | FrimleyBlue |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:09 - Dec 14 by Herbivore |
He hasn't become a different player, he's not playing well. There's a difference. He has the same attributes he's always had but he and the team are lacking confidence and understanding. And for all he's not been at his best, he's only two league goals shy of his total for the entire 2023/24 season and we're not even halfway through yet, but we've come to expect a lot more from the team as a fan base. |
Its not the goals thats the issue herbz. He was never prolific. What made him great for us was the ball stuck to his feet. He held it. Stood strong against defenders where he then was able to pick out his fellow forwards. This season hes not winning the battles. The balls bouncing off him with ease. His biggest attribute was trapping the ball and its not existent this season imo. |  |
| |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:33 - Dec 14 with 694 views | Herbivore |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:14 - Dec 14 by FrimleyBlue |
Its not the goals thats the issue herbz. He was never prolific. What made him great for us was the ball stuck to his feet. He held it. Stood strong against defenders where he then was able to pick out his fellow forwards. This season hes not winning the battles. The balls bouncing off him with ease. His biggest attribute was trapping the ball and its not existent this season imo. |
Yeah, as I said he's not playing very well and we expect more from him. But he hasn't suddenly transformed into someone who's not George Hirst, he's the same player playing less well. | |
| |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:37 - Dec 14 with 678 views | FrimleyBlue |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:33 - Dec 14 by Herbivore |
Yeah, as I said he's not playing very well and we expect more from him. But he hasn't suddenly transformed into someone who's not George Hirst, he's the same player playing less well. |
Same player playing less makes him a different player. Obviously not by definition but if you defended against hirst in our promotion season and then now I bet you'd feel like you were defending a different player. | |
| |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:44 - Dec 14 with 666 views | Herbivore |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:37 - Dec 14 by FrimleyBlue |
Same player playing less makes him a different player. Obviously not by definition but if you defended against hirst in our promotion season and then now I bet you'd feel like you were defending a different player. |
"Same player playing less makes him a different player. Obviously not by definition".
Classic Frimmers. | |
| |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:53 - Dec 14 with 651 views | FrimleyBlue |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:44 - Dec 14 by Herbivore |
"Same player playing less makes him a different player. Obviously not by definition".
Classic Frimmers. |
Not sure whats wrong with that tbh
"“I’ll be honest with you, when Arsenal signed him [Madueke], I’d seen him play quite a lot at Chelsea. I thought… I can see why Chelsea sort of let him go,” Neville said.
“I tell you – what a different player at Arsenal, and in the England games in the last few weeks.”
https://onefootball.com/en/news/hes-a-different-player-gary-neville-hints-chelse
Unless your belief is that you can only say different player if its an increase in performance rather than drop in performance? Altho rashford called himself a different player when he dropped in performance. [Post edited 14 Dec 19:57]
| |
| |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 20:04 - Dec 14 with 634 views | Herbivore |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:53 - Dec 14 by FrimleyBlue |
Not sure whats wrong with that tbh
"“I’ll be honest with you, when Arsenal signed him [Madueke], I’d seen him play quite a lot at Chelsea. I thought… I can see why Chelsea sort of let him go,” Neville said.
“I tell you – what a different player at Arsenal, and in the England games in the last few weeks.”
https://onefootball.com/en/news/hes-a-different-player-gary-neville-hints-chelse
Unless your belief is that you can only say different player if its an increase in performance rather than drop in performance? Altho rashford called himself a different player when he dropped in performance. [Post edited 14 Dec 19:57]
|
I don't rate Neville as a pundit to be honest so I don't put much stock in the trite phrases he trots out. Of course players can move clubs and their performances can improve or get worse or stay roughly the same. Sometimes they might even be given an entirely different role, and in that particular case it might make more sense to talk about them becoming a different player. But in Hirst's case he's at the same club and playing the same role, he's just not doing it as well. He's not a different player, he's the same player lacking form and confidence. Can't really be arsed to go round in circles on this though. | |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 20:10 - Dec 14 with 618 views | FrimleyBlue |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 20:04 - Dec 14 by Herbivore |
I don't rate Neville as a pundit to be honest so I don't put much stock in the trite phrases he trots out. Of course players can move clubs and their performances can improve or get worse or stay roughly the same. Sometimes they might even be given an entirely different role, and in that particular case it might make more sense to talk about them becoming a different player. But in Hirst's case he's at the same club and playing the same role, he's just not doing it as well. He's not a different player, he's the same player lacking form and confidence. Can't really be arsed to go round in circles on this though. |
I dont rate him either but they were words used. Also rashfords own words. Dont need to rate them just saying that players can be described as different players based on their individual performance levels.
You do raise a point however about the hirst role and maybe one to be looked at. Has his role changed in anyway compared to that promo season. Closer to the box now compared to then or vice versa. Pressing more or less. Etc etc. Baring in mind our actual style does seem different that you would assume would then change the role of the forward in comparison to previous. Think that might be one for a different day lol. | |
| |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 20:12 - Dec 14 with 618 views | portmanking |
Do you know what? The ITFC media team have a lot to answer for in this regard, IMO.
They've made zero effort to provide peeks behind the curtain into this squad to get to know their personalities/characters. In fact, it's borderline negligent IMO. When you think back to the Coffee Club stuff and so many other videos and soundbites we'd get from the back-to-back squad, is it really any surprise that some fans feel disconnected with the new crop of 25/26? |  | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 21:49 - Dec 14 with 538 views | Cafe_Newman |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 20:12 - Dec 14 by portmanking |
Do you know what? The ITFC media team have a lot to answer for in this regard, IMO.
They've made zero effort to provide peeks behind the curtain into this squad to get to know their personalities/characters. In fact, it's borderline negligent IMO. When you think back to the Coffee Club stuff and so many other videos and soundbites we'd get from the back-to-back squad, is it really any surprise that some fans feel disconnected with the new crop of 25/26? |
That's a very interesting point. |  | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 22:22 - Dec 14 with 504 views | Reuser_is_God |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 20:12 - Dec 14 by portmanking |
Do you know what? The ITFC media team have a lot to answer for in this regard, IMO.
They've made zero effort to provide peeks behind the curtain into this squad to get to know their personalities/characters. In fact, it's borderline negligent IMO. When you think back to the Coffee Club stuff and so many other videos and soundbites we'd get from the back-to-back squad, is it really any surprise that some fans feel disconnected with the new crop of 25/26? |
We liked them because they won games every week, not because we could watch them have a cup of coffee.
That coffee club was pre Nsiala at Charlton, Morsy at Bristol etc etc
Win games & fans love you, don’t win games & they will struggle.
Nothing more to it than that. |  |
| |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 23:33 - Dec 14 with 455 views | Vaughan8 |
I'm glad it's not just me. I was only saying this to a few people the other day.
The team is hard to like. Not sure if it's just a load of new players. It's not because they are winning every game, or we'd never like any team.
A lot of our players seem to just fall over (Akpom and Azon) and even Azon vs Stoke, did what I hate where the player rolls around on the floor, gets ignored, then just jumps up and runs. Just a personal pet hate of mine.
Too many "namby pamby" players and not enough "warriors". I can't put my finger on it. | | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 09:11 - Dec 15 with 380 views | tractorboy1978 |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 18:32 - Dec 14 by Kieran_Knows |
Some people are talking as if we have to make up 8 points with only 3 games left or something.
There’s 25 games to go ffs, stop getting your knickers in a twist some of you lot and grow up a little bit. [Post edited 14 Dec 18:35]
|
Always hard to topple good teams that are in a habit of winning games though. When you do the maths/statistics, it's getting harder and harder by the game to seriously get ourselves into the top 2 picture. The magic 2 points per game from here on in would take us to 84 points. That isn't going to be enough even if (as I suspect) the total needed is lower this year. Unless Boro really implode, we are in the realms of needing 100+ point season form from here on in to get in the top 2 IMO. [Post edited 15 Dec 9:13]
| | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 09:16 - Dec 15 with 374 views | portmanking |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 09:11 - Dec 15 by tractorboy1978 |
Always hard to topple good teams that are in a habit of winning games though. When you do the maths/statistics, it's getting harder and harder by the game to seriously get ourselves into the top 2 picture. The magic 2 points per game from here on in would take us to 84 points. That isn't going to be enough even if (as I suspect) the total needed is lower this year. Unless Boro really implode, we are in the realms of needing 100+ point season form from here on in to get in the top 2 IMO. [Post edited 15 Dec 9:13]
|
Yeah, this is it. It's just the reality now. We've boxed ourselves into a corner where we can probably only afford to lose 2-3 more games for the rest of the season. | | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 09:20 - Dec 15 with 358 views | ITFCSG |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 22:22 - Dec 14 by Reuser_is_God |
We liked them because they won games every week, not because we could watch them have a cup of coffee.
That coffee club was pre Nsiala at Charlton, Morsy at Bristol etc etc
Win games & fans love you, don’t win games & they will struggle.
Nothing more to it than that. |
Yes but circumstances are different now
When you depend on a squad made up of journeymen, freebies and youth players I can accept losing
BUT
When you have spent £150 million and still be worse off than the squad you replaced; spending £15 million for Greaves and £12 million for McAteer and a whopping £40 million for Philogene and J Clarke who only show flashes of talent
Then questions need to be asked,
And obviously fans get displeased. It’s the fans’ money that are feeding these overpaid and underperforming players after all. | | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 09:35 - Dec 15 with 319 views | portmanking |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 09:20 - Dec 15 by ITFCSG |
Yes but circumstances are different now
When you depend on a squad made up of journeymen, freebies and youth players I can accept losing
BUT
When you have spent £150 million and still be worse off than the squad you replaced; spending £15 million for Greaves and £12 million for McAteer and a whopping £40 million for Philogene and J Clarke who only show flashes of talent
Then questions need to be asked,
And obviously fans get displeased. It’s the fans’ money that are feeding these overpaid and underperforming players after all. |
Whilst I am in total agreement at the staggering amount of money we've spunked, the likes of Greaves and McAteer didn't put these price tags on their own heads. Ashton and Werhun were the ones stupid enough to pay £27m for the pair. | | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 09:45 - Dec 15 with 305 views | ITFCSG |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 09:35 - Dec 15 by portmanking |
Whilst I am in total agreement at the staggering amount of money we've spunked, the likes of Greaves and McAteer didn't put these price tags on their own heads. Ashton and Werhun were the ones stupid enough to pay £27m for the pair. |
Because players are the ones fans see on the pitch and are easy targets?
That saying I totally agree Ashton and Werhun are equally, or even more culpable than McK for the poor recruitment. How many of these players were identified by McK, or were they instead bought to fulfil Ashton’s player trading model? Were players like Akpom, Azon loaned and Cajuste brought back not because they fit the system but for some other unknown reasons?
Look at how the scum reacted to Knapper when he sold Nunez to us. Not Manning. They knew who to blame.
Here we have a CEO and his sidekick squandering tens of millions buying and loaning overpriced and underperforming players that are not fit for purpose, who seem more interested in turning PR into some multipurpose entertainment arena and rubbing shoulders with celebrities.
And yet plenty of people here still think he’s the second coming of Christ. Ffs | | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 10:01 - Dec 15 with 291 views | eireblue |
I like them.
Jaden with his funny ear celebration thing, Walton somehow still looking like he needs to eat a bit more, Azor being the smallest person on the pitch but most fierce, Jack Clarke’s hair, Nunez smiling
I mean, sure, it’s not the same as supporting a team with some short term loans, couple of journeymen and overworked youngsters hoping to get the cherished 15th placed finish in the Championship, obvs, but still, I think this team is likeable. |  | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 10:32 - Dec 15 with 251 views | dirtyboy |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 20:12 - Dec 14 by portmanking |
Do you know what? The ITFC media team have a lot to answer for in this regard, IMO.
They've made zero effort to provide peeks behind the curtain into this squad to get to know their personalities/characters. In fact, it's borderline negligent IMO. When you think back to the Coffee Club stuff and so many other videos and soundbites we'd get from the back-to-back squad, is it really any surprise that some fans feel disconnected with the new crop of 25/26? |
I've made this point a few times and think you're absolutely right.
We simply don't feel like we know these players as people.
Massively underrated aspect. |  | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 10:34 - Dec 15 with 246 views | tractorboy1978 |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 09:45 - Dec 15 by ITFCSG |
Because players are the ones fans see on the pitch and are easy targets?
That saying I totally agree Ashton and Werhun are equally, or even more culpable than McK for the poor recruitment. How many of these players were identified by McK, or were they instead bought to fulfil Ashton’s player trading model? Were players like Akpom, Azon loaned and Cajuste brought back not because they fit the system but for some other unknown reasons?
Look at how the scum reacted to Knapper when he sold Nunez to us. Not Manning. They knew who to blame.
Here we have a CEO and his sidekick squandering tens of millions buying and loaning overpriced and underperforming players that are not fit for purpose, who seem more interested in turning PR into some multipurpose entertainment arena and rubbing shoulders with celebrities.
And yet plenty of people here still think he’s the second coming of Christ. Ffs |
I just don't buy that McKenna has anything other than full involvement in recruitment. The idea anyone has come in without his complete approval is difficult to comprehend really. He runs the show on the football side of things and wouldn't accept being given players he didn't want. I think it is far more likely McKenna has made some errors of judgement in the transfer market or players have let him down and not been what he expected. Someone like Akpom for example - brilliant for his mate Carrick in a very similar system but it really has not worked here at all. McAteer is a player that I know McKenna liked but he's been so disappointing. | | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 10:40 - Dec 15 with 222 views | baxterbasics |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 22:22 - Dec 14 by Reuser_is_God |
We liked them because they won games every week, not because we could watch them have a cup of coffee.
That coffee club was pre Nsiala at Charlton, Morsy at Bristol etc etc
Win games & fans love you, don’t win games & they will struggle.
Nothing more to it than that. |
Am late to this thread, haven't read every page, but yes I agree it comes down to this.
Start winning more games, or at least put in more consistent performances, and suddenly more of us will learn to love this team.
That's all it takes. No need to overanalyse. |  |
| |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 11:06 - Dec 15 with 190 views | tractorboy1978 |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 09:16 - Dec 15 by portmanking |
Yeah, this is it. It's just the reality now. We've boxed ourselves into a corner where we can probably only afford to lose 2-3 more games for the rest of the season. |
And we have Millwall/Coventry away in 2 of our next 3 games. Make or break for me. | | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 11:13 - Dec 15 with 177 views | Iwasthere |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 10:34 - Dec 15 by tractorboy1978 |
I just don't buy that McKenna has anything other than full involvement in recruitment. The idea anyone has come in without his complete approval is difficult to comprehend really. He runs the show on the football side of things and wouldn't accept being given players he didn't want. I think it is far more likely McKenna has made some errors of judgement in the transfer market or players have let him down and not been what he expected. Someone like Akpom for example - brilliant for his mate Carrick in a very similar system but it really has not worked here at all. McAteer is a player that I know McKenna liked but he's been so disappointing. |
Totally agree, some of the more prominent posters on here will write anything to deflect criticism from McKenna. | | | |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 12:06 - Dec 15 with 129 views | Wallingford_Boy |
| This team isn’t very likable is it? on 19:53 - Dec 14 by FrimleyBlue |
Not sure whats wrong with that tbh
"“I’ll be honest with you, when Arsenal signed him [Madueke], I’d seen him play quite a lot at Chelsea. I thought… I can see why Chelsea sort of let him go,” Neville said.
“I tell you – what a different player at Arsenal, and in the England games in the last few weeks.”
https://onefootball.com/en/news/hes-a-different-player-gary-neville-hints-chelse
Unless your belief is that you can only say different player if its an increase in performance rather than drop in performance? Altho rashford called himself a different player when he dropped in performance. [Post edited 14 Dec 19:57]
|
Nothing is wrong with it, you make a valid point. He's a different player in that he is not playing as he used to.
We all know Herbie loves an argument, 99% of his posts are him disagreeing with people (which is fine btw, that's the idea of a forum!) | |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
