Rob Edwards - the prodigal son returns

[prawnking]

Definitely not a team that is set up defensively and then gets humped out of sight by 4 goals.

So you want to keep Edwards then?

 

[YoungWolf]

I’m no Edwards apologist but do we actually think this squad is capable of more than 27 points? It was dreadful anyway and then was weakened in January.

The CBs and GK a probably 6/10, the Brazilians 7/10 and I’ll let Hugo Bueno off with a 5/10, but then the rest are awful and it’s all in the attacking third.

I think Summerville is bang average but he’d be our best player by a margin and you could say the same about Traore! Add the obvious in Bowen and Fernandes and they have way better players than us, yet still have a strong possibility of being relegated.

6 months ago we didn’t think we were beating Derby’s record. So I’m not actually sure what we’re expecting from a squad that was weakened

Yeah. I just can’t get worked up too much either way about Edwards. He’s probably quite shit, and I don’t see him taking us back up but I don’t see anyone doing that.

I can’t believe how bad our attack is. I watched a clip the other day of us beating Villa and I found myself envying our then front 3 that day of Trincao, Podence and Silva ffs.

I’d honestly get rid of every single one of them if I could, and that could include every single staff member across the departments. I want nothing to do with them

 

[PuntsWolf]

Definitely not a team that is set up defensively and then gets humped out of sight by 4 goals.

So you want to keep Edwards then?

I don’t think it was particularly set up defensively, but that’s largely irrelevant discussion point. We actually got worse after the “attacking changes”,

I didn’t want Edwards in the first place as nothing was screaming at me “great manager worth spending £3m on”, particularly when we were as good as done. But he’s here now and he’s hit getting sacked (unless we do go out with a whimper these last 6, even then not a guarantee).

But he’s done OK with what he’s been given and my opinion is very much this

I just can’t get worked up too much either way about Edwards. He’s probably quite shit, and I don’t see him taking us back up but I don’t see anyone doing that.

 

[prawnking]

You're both probably right about all that apocalyptic stuff, but that doesn't give us much to discuss

If we're talking about whether he could have done better with what he had, I'd say he's done between 'poorly' and 'just about OK'.

In terms of a weakened squad, we've lost bodies but none of us miss the contributions of Munetsi, Lopez and Arias, or the attitude and application of JSL.

The replacements could have made a difference, but we signed a Championship striker and a talented toddler, Edwards has to have had some say in that, so he can't just escape scot free there.

I suspect he's got slightly more of a tune out of the players left due to being everyone's smiley best mate and he probably smells lovely, but I still couldn't tell you what football he wants to play in this league or the one below. He hasn't built anything structurally or tactically, and I doubt he will in the Championship either, he'll be all vibes and effort

 

[Mel Evo]

I respect the view, but I do disagree. That feeling is no doubt partly driven by (what I consider) the outrageous easy ride he’s getting and will get from the media. No real idea why, for being a blokey bloke I guess. And a bunch of our fans - not on here. The ones who will indeed say, ‘well what do you expect with this bunch of players’ - the same ones claiming our midfield partnership was better than Neves and Mountinho. Well, which is it?

He’s overseen some breathtakingly bad performances. The Nov and Dec run was shocking. Now he’s presided over a completely spineless display lacking any convincing approach, after a near preseason. All this and he comes across with the self satisfaction of a man who has somehow ended up in sinecure. So I do understand the alternative view, but my word I’m depressed until he goes.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

In his early games we got what the performances deserved - nothing. We then improved slightly and got the odd draw and a win before a relative golden spell where we weren’t that good but defended competently and scored a ridiculously high proportion of the very few chances we created. I don’t think any of us would be confident we could repeat the Liverpool or Arsenal results now. Obviously we’d beat Villa but we always do!

In a sensible world between now and the end of the season he would need to pick up a few points to earn the chance to be hear next season. He’ll probably get one or two which will see him here until about November. Sadly the best we can probably hope for is that the players he has a part in signing are good enough for the next coach to put things right.

 

[jd1981]

Could someone have got more than say 27 points yes I think so. A good manager probably gets us in the mid 30’s and shooters chance of staying up.
Our pathetic situation and the blame mainly falls at the feet of that prick in Nottingham.
He kept us up last season but it really wasn’t hard to do when up against the 3 worst ever promoted sides.
I’ve gone through all his wins 4 were v those 3 said promoted sides, wins v Man U and Bournemouth were v sides reduced to 10 men with considerable parts of games left.
Wins v Spurs and Man U at the end of the season was right in the middle of their EL campaigns and our games were just more in the way for them.
Leaves the win v Villa and West Ham as his games where he won without mitigation.
Yes you can only beat what’s there but perspective is needed.
He then presided over the amateur preparations in pre season and a tactical snakes and ladders.
Since Jan last year Munetsi, Agbadou, Arias and Lopez have all been bombed out for being shite.
Wolfe barely kicks a ball, Jackson is a cartoon sketch and Tolu dips in and out. Only Krejci who has stayed consistent.
VP his mate and Jeff destroyed any chance we had of staying up.

 

[prawnking]

Our pathetic situation and the blame mainly falls at the feet of that prick in Nottingham.

I know I could go to more games and I can be a bit annoying but take it easy mate

 

[YoungWolf]

Nah I don’t think this squad is capable of 30+ points

 

[Langers]

Regardless of my thoughts on Edwards (which are similar to YW and Punts) no manager was keeping this squad up.

The vast majority of players of this squad are fucking shit.

Edwards could have done a lot worse, and I daresay a better coach would have done a bit better.

 

[Tony Towner]

I don't think there's a manager in world football that would have got this squad into the mid 30s. There's a creativity vacuum that goes beyond coaching and a talent one that only a really good one would overcome. Given the recruitment the only chance anyone would have had is with an interested JSL and Agbadou and I think the former would have stropped whoever was in charge.

As for Edwards, I thought he was the wrong appointment at the time and still do. There's only 1 guy in football who'd have given him the job and he was gone a month or so later. That said I don't think he deserves to be sacked, points wise we've done better than I expected, most at Xmas would have taken 12 and we exceeded that weeks ago, I do see tactical mistakes being repeated that don't fill me with hope, last night for instance it was clear early on we needed Tolu on, he waited until the game was gone until he made that change.

He was brought in for the Championship so it's only fair he gets a crack at it, I do think he'll fail for the reason I didn't want him originally, I don't think he's much cop, but he's due the opportunity to prove me wrong.

 

[jlo]

My saving grace with Edwards is at least I don't hate the bloke unlike the O'Neil and Lage type managers. But his team selections have been quite disappointing, even if he didnt have much to choose from

 

[prawnking]

I don't think there's a manager in world football that would have got this squad into the mid 30s. There's a creativity vacuum that goes beyond coaching and a talent one that only a really good one would overcome. Given the recruitment the only chance anyone would have had is with an interested JSL and Agbadou and I think the former would have stropped whoever was in charge.

As for Edwards, I thought he was the wrong appointment at the time and still do. There's only 1 guy in football who'd have given him the job and he was gone a month or so later. That said I don't think he deserves to be sacked, points wise we've done better than I expected, most at Xmas would have taken 12 and we exceeded that weeks ago, I do see tactical mistakes being repeated that don't fill me with hope, last night for instance it was clear early on we needed Tolu on, he waited until the game was gone until he made that change.

He was brought in for the Championship so it's only fair he gets a crack at it, I do think he'll fail for the reason I didn't want him originally, I don't think he's much cop, but he's due the opportunity to prove me wrong.

That's all very fair, and I can't strongly disagree, but I think a serious club wouldn't be so nice and fair about giving such mediocrity a shot.

A disaster like this season should have elicited a strong, focussed, reassuring response from the top imo, not a 'will this do?' wet fart scenario

 

[Tony Towner]

That's all very fair, and I can't strongly disagree, but I think a serious club wouldn't be so nice and fair about giving such mediocrity a shot.

A disaster like this season should have elicited a strong, focussed, reassuring response from the top imo, not a 'will this do?' wet fart scenario

Those above him are mediocricies too though. Shi II may or may not be a decent businessman, but in terms of football knowledge he knows as much as his predecessor but without the obvious arrogance and Matt Jackson is only here as the latest in the line of over promoted yes men Shi I liked to surround himself with. I wouldn't trust them to appoint anyone better and I really don't want us to go down the Mendes route again.

We'll see what the strategic review brings, but if it's status quo, then the issues at the club will remain bigger than who the first team head coach is.

 

[sycophantia]

I wasnt keen on Edwards in the first place like many on here and the first half dozen or so games gave me no optimism tbh. He did eventually make us harder to beat and we won a few without being 'good.' The games against Villa amd Liverpool were fun and I thought maybe he can do a job in the Championship, but after last night and thinking about his previous in the second tier I'm back to "he's just not good enough"

 

[PuntsWolf]

You're both probably right about all that apocalyptic stuff, but that doesn't give us much to discuss

I don’t see us making the required signings/sales to turn it around. And given the two other clubs getting relegated are going to have a better starting point and be willing to throw money around too then we will have to hope for the play offs in all likelihood.

If we're talking about whether he could have done better with what he had, I'd say he's done between 'poorly' and 'just about OK'.

If JD says he’s averaging 27 points Over 38 games then that objectively has us in the “OK” category with a dreadful squad no?

In terms of a weakened squad, we've lost bodies but none of us miss the contributions of Munetsi, Lopez and Arias, or the attitude and application of JSL.

No, but we didn’t make it stronger

The replacements could have made a difference, but we signed a Championship striker and a talented toddler, Edwards has to have had some say in that, so he can't just escape scot free there.

Difference to what? We were getting relegated regardless? Spending money on PL players would have been silly.

I suspect he's got slightly more of a tune out of the players left due to being everyone's smiley best mate and he probably smells lovely, but I still couldn't tell you what football he wants to play in this league or the one below. He hasn't built anything structurally or tactically, and I doubt he will in the Championship either, he'll be all vibes and effort

I see this a lot and it’s a view I simply don’t understand. We started trying to play by playing into JSL who couldn’t give a fuck/is shit as a target man. We then switched it to Tolu and tried to play off the second balls. Now we’re trying to play into the feet of Mane/Bellegarde/AGomes and then work from there. But sadly there is zero quality In the final third to make any of this work, but that is the plan. Whether he has a long term plan or strategy I don’t know. He might want to play with wingers but we have none. He might want to play with two 10s like we are but he’s currently playing two shit CMs there so it doesn’t work. A team with no pace, no 1v1 winners, no wingers, no skill, no ball striking ability, no physicality outside of Tolu. I’d find it hard to form a successful plan also.

 

[Mel Evo]

VP rightly gets the stick he deserves for his part in our shambles. Do you think Edwards would have kept us up if he’d have come to replace GON last year though? I, rather obviously, do not.

 

[prawnking]

I don’t see us making the required signings/sales to turn it around. And given the two other clubs getting relegated are going to have a better starting point and be willing to throw money around too then we will have to hope for the play offs in all likelihood.

If JD says he’s averaging 27 points Over 38 games then that objectively has us in the “OK” category with a dreadful squad no?

No, but we didn’t make it stronger

Difference to what? We were getting relegated regardless? Spending money on PL players would have been silly.

I see this a lot and it’s a view I simply don’t understand. We started trying to play by playing into JSL who couldn’t give a fuck/is shit as a target man. We then switched it to Tolu and tried to play off the second balls. Now we’re trying to play into the feet of Mane/Bellegarde/AGomes and then work from there. But sadly there is zero quality In the final third to make any of this work, but that is the plan. Whether he has a long term plan or strategy I don’t know. He might want to play with wingers but we have none. He might want to play with two 10s like we are but he’s currently playing two shit CMs there so it doesn’t work. A team with no pace, no 1v1 winners, no wingers, no skill, no ball striking ability, no physicality outside of Tolu. I’d find it hard to form a successful plan also.

Yes, maybe OK is an objectively fairer assessment. He certainly seems to have the media onside with this view anyway.

If the club didn't make the team stronger (or at least more balanced) during the window in a net sense, then Edwards has to take a cut of that responsibility...it didn't just happen to him. We could have bought even one asset with a single one of the characteristics you mention...but we didn't

And the difference it would have made would have been to potentially enable him to play the way he wants to play to be as competitive as possible in the league we're in, relegation or not. And as for spending money on PL players, we paid a decent wedge for A Gomes from the sounds of it.

We may have written the season off from October onwards as fans, but the club and manager can't, and no one's paying millions for you or me to form a successful plan, we're paying him.

If you're saying he had his hands tied behind his back this season (mainly due to the players at his disposal), do you see anything in him that makes you comfortable with him and his decision making/team building at the helm of our play-off push next season?

 

[Mel Evo]

We may have written the season off from October onwards as fans, but the club and manager can't, and no one's paying millions for you or me to form a successful plan, we're paying him.

I agree with this. I don’t think it’s acceptable that we failed to get ourselves at least in the relegation battle from where we were in October with the demonstrable ability to go out and spend a lot of money on a manager and coaching team. Regardless of all the other challenges. Picking Edwards was a choice, consistent with all the other bad ones made recently in our predictable but not inevitable decline. Just because it looked likely doesn’t mean we should just wave it through.

 

[Lycan]

'We will be a PL club in August 27'

All comes down to the above for me. Whether you believe the cunts or not is a different question but the club have been very bullish about that.

If you gave every Championship club a blank slate and a brief to win promotion in one season precisely zero out of 24 clubs would appoint Rob Edwards.