Next Up - Freeman's Replacement

[Jugs]

He may well have, but he was playing with a bunch of lads scarred from that 5-0 hammering, some of whom still haven't recovered. That cup team was a mess. Plus Holden had just got injured, and that was a big loss.

Are any of them still here?

It was said tongue-in-cheek, but some fans continue to blame our collapse - which is still ongoing - on that 5-0 defeat. Certainly, Chungy hasn't recovered his form whilst the club on the whole has been on a continual decline.

Overall we got less points each game, with Sturridge than without him that season. That's what I believe and it happens to be supported by the facts.

You can perm any number of games within that, to prove your notion, but it still stands scrutiny over the course of the season.

Every now and then, a team experiencing a lull needs a fillip. It's one of the reasons they get loans in, to give the club a spark. Regardless of the season as a whole, there are often key moments in a season when a team needs to string a few wins together. Important wins. The difference can be a new arrival. You could argue we got more points without Djorkaeff in the team than with him in the 2001/02 season, but who's going to deny that his arrival helped us out? Are we going to say, 'we didn't need him, we could have stayed up anyway' because stats prove that point? In the season Sturridge was here, we may well have got more points in the first half of the season than in the second half, but it discounts the fact that we were on dreadful form when he arrived. If he hadn't arrived, our points tally in the second half of the season could have been significantly less. Perhaps he 'played for himself' but he got us the points. The team was dire in that home against Wolves - they certainly weren't going to get us the points.

[thebish]

Every now and then, a team experiencing a lull needs a fillip.

surely not code for Philip Brown???

[EverSoYouri]

He may well have, but he was playing with a bunch of lads scarred from that 5-0 hammering, some of whom still haven't recovered. That cup team was a mess. Plus Holden had just got injured, and that was a big loss.

Are any of them still here?

It was said tongue-in-cheek, but some fans continue to blame our collapse - which is still ongoing - on that 5-0 defeat. Certainly, Chungy hasn't recovered his form whilst the club on the whole has been on a continual decline.

Overall we got less points each game, with Sturridge than without him that season. That's what I believe and it happens to be supported by the facts.

You can perm any number of games within that, to prove your notion, but it still stands scrutiny over the course of the season.

Every now and then, a team experiencing a lull needs a fillip. It's one of the reasons they get loans in, to give the club a spark. Regardless of the season as a whole, there are often key moments in a season when a team needs to string a few wins together. Important wins. The difference can be a new arrival. You could argue we got more points without Djorkaeff in the team than with him in the 2001/02 season, but who's going to deny that his arrival helped us out? Are we going to say, 'we didn't need him, we could have stayed up anyway' because stats prove that point? In the season Sturridge was here, we may well have got more points in the first half of the season than in the second half, but it discounts the fact that we were on dreadful form when he arrived. If he hadn't arrived, our points tally in the second half of the season could have been significantly less. Perhaps he 'played for himself' but he got us the points. The team was dire in that home against Wolves - they certainly weren't going to get us the points.

I don't know about Worthy and Jugs, but I'm happy to leave this argument (which I think started with Worthy and me talking about Elmander's final season and what might have been had Sturridge not stolen his thunder) where it stands. It's been fun, but it's starting to feel like a penalty shootout with no goalies (i.e. could go on forever). Can we agree to move on, please?

[Worthy4England]

He may well have, but he was playing with a bunch of lads scarred from that 5-0 hammering, some of whom still haven't recovered. That cup team was a mess. Plus Holden had just got injured, and that was a big loss.

Are any of them still here?

It was said tongue-in-cheek, but some fans continue to blame our collapse - which is still ongoing - on that 5-0 defeat. Certainly, Chungy hasn't recovered his form whilst the club on the whole has been on a continual decline.

Overall we got less points each game, with Sturridge than without him that season. That's what I believe and it happens to be supported by the facts.

You can perm any number of games within that, to prove your notion, but it still stands scrutiny over the course of the season.

Every now and then, a team experiencing a lull needs a fillip. It's one of the reasons they get loans in, to give the club a spark. Regardless of the season as a whole, there are often key moments in a season when a team needs to string a few wins together. Important wins. The difference can be a new arrival. You could argue we got more points without Djorkaeff in the team than with him in the 2001/02 season, but who's going to deny that his arrival helped us out? Are we going to say, 'we didn't need him, we could have stayed up anyway' because stats prove that point? In the season Sturridge was here, we may well have got more points in the first half of the season than in the second half, but it discounts the fact that we were on dreadful form when he arrived. If he hadn't arrived, our points tally in the second half of the season could have been significantly less. Perhaps he 'played for himself' but he got us the points. The team was dire in that home against Wolves - they certainly weren't going to get us the points.

For me Djorkaeff added to the team - we didn't fundamentally change the way we played because of him. He came in, Warhurst went out. Sturridge (not his fault, managers choice) changed the way we played - he came in, Elmander got pushed to wide right MF - he shouted and stamped his feet if he didn't get the ball where HE wanted it. I didn't see any of that go on, with Djorkaeff - I didn't spot him waving WC Winners medals at Stig Toftig and shout. "into my feet you stupid bas*ard" - then again Sturridge might not have tried that with Toftig either.

[Jugs]

Every now and then, a team experiencing a lull needs a fillip.

surely not code for Philip Brown???

Haha.

I don't know about Worthy and Jugs, but I'm happy to leave this argument (which I think started with Worthy and me talking about Elmander's final season and what might have been had Sturridge not stolen his thunder) where it stands. It's been fun, but it's starting to feel like a penalty shootout with no goalies (i.e. could go on forever). Can we agree to move on, please?

Yeah, alright. Though let it be said that I was a fan of Elmander and wanted him to be given a new contract. I just believe the team needed a boost at that time.

For me Djorkaeff added to the team - we didn't fundamentally change the way we played because of him. He came in, Warhurst went out. Sturridge (not his fault, managers choice) changed the way we played - he came in, Elmander got pushed to wide right MF - he shouted and stamped his feet if he didn't get the ball where HE wanted it. I didn't see any of that go on, with Djorkaeff - I didn't spot him waving WC Winners medals at Stig Toftig and shout. "into my feet you stupid bas*ard" - then again Sturridge might not have tried that with Toftig either.

Hmm, I wouldn't say we fundamentally changed the way we played when Sturridge arrived but my memory is a bit hazy on our actual style of play.

[EverSoYouri]

*** Scraps career plans to be a marriage guidance counsellor or work for ACAS...

[Worthy4England]

*** Scraps career plans to be a marriage guidance counsellor or work for ACAS...

It's been a slow news day on the Freedman's replacement front...

[thebish]

*** Scraps career plans to be a marriage guidance counsellor or work for ACAS...

why don't you just decide who won - and announce the winner - worthy or jugs - a straight knockout or a win on points - doesn't matter as long as you decide either way - I'm sure both will then accept it with grace and move on!

[Worthy4England]

*** Scraps career plans to be a marriage guidance counsellor or work for ACAS...

why don't you just decide who won - and announce the winner - worthy or jugs - a straight knockout or a win on points - doesn't matter as long as you decide either way - I'm sure both will then accept it with grace and move on!

Might need to get a couple of last points in before the decision.

[thebish]

a quick jab to the ribs?

[Worthy4England]

Hughton moved miles in, in the betting today. Mowbray moved out slightly...

We didn't move Ricketts onto the Right Wing to accommodate Djorkaeff...

[thebish]

Hughton moved miles in, in the betting today. Mowbray moved out slightly...

We didn't move Ricketts onto the Right Wing to accommodate Djorkaeff...

[Jugs]

Hughton moved miles in, in the betting today. Mowbray moved out slightly...

We didn't move Ricketts onto the Right Wing to accommodate Djorkaeff...

Haha.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I would expect Hughton and the others named by Nixon to move in on the betting. because they've been named by Nixon, which then gets picked up as "reports" by the local press, and then repeated by every halfwit site scouring NewsNow for "info", at which point it becomes the accepted truth because it's been on lots of sites.

Sometimes, it even is true...

[Jugs]

This is going back some years, but it was Nixon who first mentioned Megson's name. I laughed it off at the time, though I felt that stirring sense of apprehension and fear that I'm feeling in regards Mowbray. The feeling that it could be true.

[Worthy4England]

This is going back some years, but it was Nixon who first mentioned Megson's name. I laughed it off at the time, though I felt that stirring sense of apprehension and fear that I'm feeling in regards Mowbray. The feeling that it could be true.

I think Nixon is currently saying Mowbray not in the frame. I'm not sure what I'd think if it was Mowbray. Probably I'd go for let's see what he does then come to a view..

[Worthy4England]

I would expect Hughton and the others named by Nixon to move in on the betting. because they've been named by Nixon, which then gets picked up as "reports" by the local press, and then repeated by every halfwit site scouring NewsNow for "info", at which point it becomes the accepted truth because it's been on lots of sites.

Sometimes, it even is true...

Agree DSB. They can't be reading very closely, Mowbray moved into fav yesterday, albeit Nixon said he wasn't in the frame. Think Sky suggested he might be, which is probably why he shifted in the market.

[LeverEnd]

This is going back some years, but it was Nixon who first mentioned Megson's name. I laughed it off at the time, though I felt that stirring sense of apprehension and fear that I'm feeling in regards Mowbray. The feeling that it could be true.

Always liked Mowbray, seems like a top bloke. If he's appointed I'd be right behind the guy and willing him to do well. Any friend of Rioch's is a friend of mine and all that.
Unfortunately I don't think he's very good, so it'd be more hope than expectation.

[Jugs]

I'd back Mowbray - I'd back any manager we appointed (well, to a degree). But we all have our own personal preferences I guess, and guys we'd rather we avoided. I suppose the best thing to avoid is hiring someone like Megson again, who was on a hiding to nothing from day one because no one, it seemed, wanted him.

My personal feeling right now is I'd like someone who can capture the imagination. A Mowbray or a Hughton doesn't strike me as being of that mould, but like I said, I'd get behind whoever is in charge because, at the end of the day, he'd be one of us.

[bobo the clown]

Who could we get that would "capture the imagination" ?

We need solid, capable & experienced. I'd fear a reaction if it was Mackay just because of the fact that some large section would go onto the attack due to recent revelations. There are decent number who would fit the general bill.

I'll admit to thinking "really ?" when Rioch was appointed. I was delighted with Coyle's selection. I remember seeing the negative reaction to Megson and thinking how unreasonable that was. I came on here when we got Freedman and made the comprehensive response of "Meh !" which sort of summed up my view.

It is a bit of a lottery, like all recruitment, but the main thing is not to make obvious errors.

Talking of which I see Di Canio is reported to have chucked his hat in the ring. To quote a former boss of mine when a guy came over to us and said "Denis ... just to say I'm chucking my hat in the ring for that job vacancy". He looked up and between puffs on his fag said "You do that Ralph. I'll just pick it up and toss it right back out again !"

He taught me a lot did Denis.