Just How Good is the Manager?

[Snowball]

We had a bad start this year, and, frankly, I thought we had no chance.



.

Is that despite the fact that we have been on a par with last season for a lot of the time, when we made the play offs, and I recall you were about the only one who thought we might manage it last season around this time, and even at Xmas.

And actually we HAVEN'T been on a par with last season. Last season we were ahead and then slipped back with 5 consecutive draws.


We had one truly outstanding player last season.

If we had Shane this season we'd be top two easily

[Snowball]

Apart from a rough start, last season was a general climb
and from Game 8 for ten games we were we were noticeably higher than this year




Average position for the 10 games 8-17 8.4 versus 14.3


16 16 18 13 08 11 15 07 06 07 10 11 08 06 10 10 09 11 11
08 04 10 13 20 23 14 15 14 15 15 15 16 16 14 14 09 11 10


But I'm just happy that we've crept back to the edge of contention with more than half a sesaon to go.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Ledge was outstanding for a long time after he joined us.

[Snowball]

Ledge was outstanding for a long time after he joined us.

Agreed.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

2010/11 2011/12


4games 5points 4 games 4 points

8 games 12 points 8 games 8 points

12 games 16 points 12 games 16 points

16 games 23 points 16 games 21 points

20 games 27 points 20 games 27 points


seems pretty similar to me. If that shows properly on HNA?

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

It's been pretty obviously the same old, same old in my opinion. Nothing quite clicking, but with a run of decent performances and results, it will then click and we can make a strong challenge again. Without that good run we'll be solidly mid-table.

Same as any team really, almost all top teams have a good run, stands to reason.

[Snowball]

No reason to argue about it, Harps, but there was a pretty large POSITION difference last year/this
as shown in the underlined portion below.

That is, from Game 8-17 last season we were "in contention" with an average position of 8.4

Other than the frst two games this year we have still to get as high as 8th.




Average position for the 10 games 8-17 8.4 versus 14.3


16 16 18 13 08 11 15 07 06 07 10 11 08 06 10 10 09 11 11

08 04 10 13 20 23 14 15 14 15 15 15 16 16 14 14 09 11 10


But I'm just happy that we've crept back to the edge of contention with more than half a season to go.

[Snowball]

Difference this season is we are already on a very decent run, worth an 80-point season
and a few unlucky results included in there like Palace and Blackpool.


I find it a little weird because we've hardly looked "great", but the results from Game 8 say different.

[Ian Royal]

It's been pretty obviously the same old, same old in my opinion. Nothing quite clicking, but with a run of decent performances and results, it will then click and we can make a strong challenge again. Without that good run we'll be solidly mid-table.

Same as any team really, almost all top teams have a good run, stands to reason.

It's just the Championship in general. Not much between about 16 - 20 of the teams. It's down to who can get the confidence and form going and keep it there.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

No reason to argue about it, Harps, but there was a pretty large POSITION difference last year/this
as shown in the underlined portion below.

That is, from Game 8-17 last season we were "in contention" with an average position of 8.4

Other than the frst two games this year we have still to get as high as 8th.




Average position for the 10 games 8-17 8.4 versus 14.3


16 16 18 13 08 11 15 07 06 07 10 11 08 06 10 10 09 11 11

08 04 10 13 20 23 14 15 14 15 15 15 16 16 14 14 09 11 10


But I'm just happy that we've crept back to the edge of contention with more than half a season to go.

That presumeably is due to the performances of the other teams, we are from my figures about similar to last season on points, depends on th make p of the results overal, less draws would affect positions of other teams, then again not sure is worth any of us examining each weeks table and comparing closely.

Good new iss we look stable, can make the play-offs and have something to build on and play for still.

[loyalroyal4life]

He should be doing another 100 games at least with a record like that! Good going Brian!

[marcusopp]

One thing you've all overlooked is the balance of our squad.
Last year we had a loan CB all season, the year before 3 of our back 4 were loaned in.
We loaned in Legertwood last year too.
This season all of our 15 man squads are OUR players. We're no longer the fluffers for other clubs.
To turn that situation around whilst maintaining our league position is unbelieveable.
Full credit to our management structure.
I really rate McD, but if he were to depart, i'll bet we've got another great 1st team coach who could step in.
Despite all the newbies moaning that we don't go out and bid on Messi and Ronaldo, we're in great shape. Building for the future.

[Snowball]

One thing you've all overlooked is the balance of our squad.
Last year we had a loan CB all season, the year before 3 of our back 4 were loaned in.
We loaned in Legertwood last year too.
This season all of our 15 man squads are OUR players. We're no longer the fluffers for other clubs.
To turn that situation around whilst maintaining our league position is unbelieveable.
Full credit to our management structure.
I really rate McD, but if he were to depart, i'll bet we've got another great 1st team coach who could step in.
Despite all the newbies moaning that we don't go out and bid on Messi and Ronaldo, we're in great shape. Building for the future.

Good Points

[Focher]

[Snowball]

Just imagine if you had the ability to express yourself in words
and didn't need to resort to cliches and old pictures.

[Focher]

Just imagine if you had the ability to express yourself in words
and didn't need to resort to cliches and old pictures.

id be dangerous

[T.R.O.L.I.]

If we had Shane this season we'd be top two easily

In. Your. Opinion.

Personally, whilst I agree that we would be better off, to say top 2 easily is a bit given the starts by Saints and West Ham.

[Extended-Phenotype]

He ain't done bad at all at a club that needs to sell all it's players each season. Considering that, since Sir Steve, we have become a club who basically just trials footballers for other teams, I think McD's stats soar over that of Coppell.

[Libertine]

I absolutely love the job Brian has done as a manager. Not to open up old arguments but in my very subjective, and undoubtedly unsubstantiable, opinion if he was given the money for an additional player or two last year we'd be in the Premier League right now.

[Snowball]

If we had Shane this season we'd be top two easily

In. Your. Opinion.

Personally, whilst I agree that we would be better off, to say top 2 easily is a bit given the starts by Saints and West Ham.

Of course it's opinion, but we'd've beaten Saints, that's a 3 point gain on Saints

I think we'd've won at Coventry and Palace, another 4 points

I think we'd've got something at Hull, Portsmouth, Forest, Blackpool and probably not lost to either Barnsley or Watford, worth 6-18 more points

01 21 10 1 0 28 08 3 3 4 16-15 +21 43 Southampton
02 21 05 2 3 18 12 7 2 2 18-08 +16 40 West Ham Utd
10 21 04 4 3 16 13 4 2 4 10-09 +04 30 Reading

01 21 10 1 0 28 08 3 3 4 16-16 +20 42 Southampton
02 21 05 2 3 18 12 7 2 2 18-08 +16 40 West Ham Utd
10 21 04 4 3 16 13 4 2 4 10-09 +06 36 Reading

Plus those six games Hull, Portsmouth, Forest, Blackpool, Barnsley, Watford. To imagine we wouldn't get two wins or 6 draws with Shane playing is a bit silly

Just six points would see us on 42. I believe we could possibly have won all six with Shane playing.

He's managing pretty close to a goal every 180 minutes in the Prem with a poor team.

IMO he'd be top-scorer in the Championship and we'd be top. COMFORTABLY