Jaffka's gossip thread on the ins and outs at the 'Bok

[officer_dibble]

Thing I always thought under allardyce was that a lot of 'average' defenders could be forged into a formidable unit. Think Charlton, whitlow at centre half, jon newsome, even meite played in a successfull defence. Good attacking players are harder to sort...we clicked with anelka for instance...stelios was a class act.

I think we've got some excellent attacking players, lack a goalscorer maybe (dunno about sordell yet).

i think a good coach (allardyce) could forge a decent defensive unit out of these players.They aint the best but its been done. Tomkins got promoted last yeaf ffs! If Coyle swalled his pride and got some help in...

[BWFC_Insane]

Thing I always thought under allardyce was that a lot of 'average' defenders could be forged into a formidable unit. Think Charlton, whitlow at centre half, jon newsome, even meite played in a successfull defence. Good attacking players are harder to sort...we clicked with anelka for instance...stelios was a class act.

I think we've got some excellent attacking players, lack a goalscorer maybe (dunno about sordell yet).

i think a good coach (allardyce) could forge a decent defensive unit out of these players.They aint the best but its been done. Tomkins got promoted last yeaf ffs! If Coyle swalled his pride and got some help in...

Our problems are not the back four. They are how the team is set up to protect them.

Our failings last season were all about Coyles failure to realise our midfield was being walked through all the time!

[Lord Kangana]

Jon Newsome played under Todd. And was brought in along with Warhurst to plug a f*cking shocking defence.

Point taken though.

[thebish]

Thing I always thought under allardyce was that a lot of 'average' defenders could be forged into a formidable unit. Think Charlton, whitlow at centre half, jon newsome, even meite played in a successfull defence. Good attacking players are harder to sort...we clicked with anelka for instance...stelios was a class act.

I think we've got some excellent attacking players, lack a goalscorer maybe (dunno about sordell yet).

i think a good coach (allardyce) could forge a decent defensive unit out of these players.They aint the best but its been done. Tomkins got promoted last yeaf ffs! If Coyle swalled his pride and got some help in...

Our problems are not the back four. They are how the team is set up to protect them.

I suspect it is actually both.

the back four didn't need masses of players swarming through the breech to look crap on saturday..... they managed that all on their own.

[Worthy4England]

Thing I always thought under allardyce was that a lot of 'average' defenders could be forged into a formidable unit. Think Charlton, whitlow at centre half, jon newsome, even meite played in a successfull defence. Good attacking players are harder to sort...we clicked with anelka for instance...stelios was a class act.

I think we've got some excellent attacking players, lack a goalscorer maybe (dunno about sordell yet).

i think a good coach (allardyce) could forge a decent defensive unit out of these players.They aint the best but its been done. Tomkins got promoted last yeaf ffs! If Coyle swalled his pride and got some help in...

Our problems are not the back four. They are how the team is set up to protect them.

I suspect it is actually both.

the back four didn't need masses of players swarming through the breech to look crap on saturday..... they managed that all on their own.

I think it's both too. Defensively, we're pretty shoite right the way through - it's part of how we managed to dump a two goal lead to West Brom.

I'd agree from MF they need more protection, someone sitting in front, but they're still organised like a pub team anyhow, so it would probably make only a marginal difference.

[bobo the clown]

But defending is, essentially, simple .... but takes some protection, as said, and a plan. Solidity, no risks, covering, knowing who should be where ... & being there.

But you do need a coach.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Can we have a coach to teach the strikers how to shoot and another one to show the midfield players how to pass and work as a unit too?Oh and a tactical coach who looks at the strength of the opposition and briefs the players and advises the manager on the strengths of his own players and how to balance them.

And a fitness coach /nutritionist who can advise players that sitting on your arse watching the euros eating pie and chips all summer isnt a good way to keep in shape.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Hang on. What exactly does Owen Coyle do? I know he's called the manager but what does he bring to the party so to speak?

[Worthy4England]

Hang on. What exactly does Owen Coyle do? I know he's called the manager but what does he bring to the party so to speak?

He brings the pies.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Hang on. What exactly does Owen Coyle do? I know he's called the manager but what does he bring to the party so to speak?

He brings the pies.

Of course

I should stop reading this forum until the season starts. It's very wrong to be getting cynical preseason. It's usually the best part of the year before reality kicks in.

I'm already getting images of performing seals and arm waving and hopeless cavalry charges and Zat Knight on his arse and Sordell on the bench and Pratley just beeing Pratley and baffling post match interviews that make you question your sanity. It's all coming back.....oh god...no... last season wasnt just one long bad dream was it.

[Prufrock]

Defending takes two things. Good defenders, and practice. We probably have a half.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Would you really want a guy who you spend ages courting but doesn't reply to your calls, you don't know where he is and we can't work out who his actual agent is ?

I reckon the problem is that he doesn't have a fax machine.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

Have to say Im a bit worried about this season. Logically we should be one of the teams that challenge for automatic promotion....I cant think of a better team in this league, on paper.

The main issue to me is Coyle. He has made a long career out of moving from club to club every two years, and it is not until now that he is trying to do something long term. And I feel that it is that initial spark and enthusiasm that he brings to a new project that makes him successful. Once that goes he is what his talent (or lack of) makes him....an average manager (just as he was an average player). Gartside wants him to build the club as Allardyce did, but BSA was a good long term strategist whereas Coyle, now the initial breezy couple of years are over, appears to operate more in a game to game fantasy world of magnificent free flowing stylish football....without any backbone or long term vision whatsoever. Having said all of that, I dont necessarily think it was a mistake to stick with him, I think that was the best option available, a case of damned if we do, damned if we dont, but at least sticking with him does provide some stability.

Just like last season I will be watching games hoping that somehow we can prevail despite the manager, or hoping that Ive got it completely wrong and Coyle majestically leads us to a successful season (i.e. promotion), but with a deep rooted sense that it will not end well.

[Chrisfu]

Have to say Im a bit worried about this season. Logically we should be one of the teams that challenge for automatic promotion....I cant think of a better team in this league, on paper.

The main issue to me is Coyle. He has made a long career out of moving from club to club every two years, and it is not until now that he is trying to do something long term. And I feel that it is that initial spark and enthusiasm that he brings to a new project that makes him successful. Once that goes he is what his talent (or lack of) makes him....an average manager (just as he was an average player). Gartside wants him to build the club as Allardyce did, but BSA was a good long term strategist whereas Coyle, now the initial breezy couple of years are over, appears to operate more in a game to game fantasy world of magnificent free flowing stylish football....without any backbone or long term vision whatsoever. Having said all of that, I dont necessarily think it was a mistake to stick with him, I think that was the best option available, a case of damned if we do, damned if we dont, but at least sticking with him does provide some stability.

Just like last season I will be watching games hoping that somehow we can prevail despite the manager, or hoping that Ive got it completely wrong and Coyle majestically leads us to a successful season (i.e. promotion), but with a deep rooted sense that it will not end well.

I too am pretty peeved about the Portsmouth result... not so much other pre-season results, as I expected we'd hit our stride by the Portsmouth game. But to say Coyle has *no* long term strategy is off the mark. His first real aim was to ensure the stability of the club by slashing the wage bill, which he has done. Then, he replaces them with much cheaper and when possible, younger players that are (on paper at least) knocking on the door of a first-team place.

The only thing he hasn't managed to do yet is make that gel on the pitch, which realistically he has to do in competitive league games. He'll get the standard "let's see where we are come December" from the board. If we're doing shite, we shop around for someone else.

I'll stick my neck out and say that if we're not challenging for the a play-off place by the beginning of December that he'll be on his way, I have no doubts about that. Until then, the club need to stay calm and now take any silly risks by upsetting the apple cart right before the start of the season.

[bobo the clown]

You'd give him till December ?? If the shambles of the, albeit preseason, Pompey gave is how we are when the gun goes off he should be gone by September.

... & that's early September.

[Whookam]

His first real aim was to ensure the stability of the club by slashing the wage bill, which he has done.

By relegating us and so not being able to renew the contracts of the highest earners...

[Chrisfu]

His first real aim was to ensure the stability of the club by slashing the wage bill, which he has done.

By relegating us and so not being able to renew the contracts of the highest earners...

I wasn't suggesting for one second that relegating us was part of his strategy. There's no doubt in my mind though that we had a lot of high-earning dead-weight on the books that needed to be cut one way or the other at the end of the season. It was unsustainable and carrying that on would have sent us the way of Pompey. We very nearly stayed up, carrying that dead weight, a raft-load of injuries *and* the shock of the players seeing team mate almost die on the pitch. With that in mind, he deserves until December to get us into a play-off spot. He's got one shot at redemption, and I hope he takes it and he's the one to take us back up.

There is no one waiting in the wings, no queue for the managers job what so ever. Someone else stated the Wolves situation, where they sacked off their manager with no follow-up plan. I'm sure we'd all love Sandy Stewart in charge for half a season...

Don't forget that Reading at Christmas last year weren't looking anything like promotion possibilities. If Coyle has us in a play-off spot in December, damn straight he should be allowed to carry on. If he doesn't, in that time we should have sought out some potential candidates for a replacement.

[Wandering Willy]

You'll not make yourself popular if you keep writing sensible stuff on here.

[Chrisfu]

You'll not make yourself popular if you keep writing sensible stuff on here.

Haha well, I'm all for hearing other ideas. I just think that right now, Coyle is still our best of very few options. If we're looking dogshit by December I'll calling for him to make like a tree and get outta here too.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

You'll not make yourself popular if you keep writing sensible stuff on here.

Haha well, I'm all for hearing other ideas. I just think that right now, Coyle is still our best of very few options. If we're looking dogshit by December I'll calling for him to make like a tree and get outta here too.

"Make like a tree"??

You mean take root and stay put for years?