Bowen's Tenure

[Snowflake Royal]

If you had told me after Gomes got sacked that, under the new manager, we would be mathematically able reach the playoffs with 3 games left then I would've bitten your hand off.

I'm fully behind him, he's steadied the ship after a horrendous few years, just need to rectify the home form and I think we can look at top half next year.

I said when Bowen was appointed that if he'd come from outside the club we'd all be delighted with the appointment given his pedigree.

Can't believe anyone thinks he hasn't done a good job.

[Snowball]

If you had told me after Gomes got sacked that, under the new manager, we would be mathematically able reach the playoffs with 3 games left then I would've bitten your hand off.

I'm fully behind him, he's steadied the ship after a horrendous few years, just need to rectify the home form and I think we can look at top half next year.

I said when Bowen was appointed that if he'd come from outside the club we'd all be delighted with the appointment given his pedigree.

Can't believe anyone thinks he hasn't done a good job.

That's (some) Nobbers for you

Take the last three games WDW, three clean sheets 6-0, that is superb, but we "FAILED!!" because we couldn't beat Huddersfield

All sides have blips or fail to win "easy games"

Leeds couldn't beat Luton...

He leans towards defence which is less than exciting, but 46 x 1-0 wins would be quite good

[Zip]

Only the top five have a better goal difference than us.

[Snowball]

Only the top five have a better goal difference than us.

Bonkers, isn't it?

It is going to depend on who we can keep etc, but I fancy an exciting season next year

(watching on iFollow...)

[Zip]

Only the top five have a better goal difference than us.

Bonkers, isn't it?

It is going to depend on who we can keep etc, but I fancy an exciting season next year

(watching on iFollow...)

I think next season will be tough. Bowen is going to have to wheel and deal and I think it very likely our squad will be weaker at the start of the new season than it is now.

[Hound]

I suspect the squad will be weaker, if not the first 11 by too much. I do think we’ll lose Swift who has been a big part of this season though

I don’t think we’ll massively miss anyone else who might go if we make a couple of sensible signings, and there should be plenty of options available

[Zip]

Yep agreed. Swift is the one most likely to go and he will be a miss. Even when he is not playing particularly well he is still the one we rely on to make that pass that leads to a goal.
Ejaria will need to step up and ensure Swift isn’t missed.

[URZZZZ]

Difficult one.

The fact that, for a change we aren’t in a relegation battle and also should finish mid table I think indicates success to a point, for sure.

Bowen isn’t the sort of managerial appointment that many could get excited about but as has been said in a way steady was probably what we needed.

Can he kick on a progress next season? Who knows, I’m not hugely confident but it’s Worth giving him the chance based on this season 8 think.

If he can slim and tweek the squad over the summer and try to address a few things, home form obv is a key factor then who knows, let’s wait and see,

Yeah, I agree with this

I’m not much of a fan, but obviously he deserves a shot next season given the turnaround in results since he’s joined

[URZZZZ]

If you had told me after Gomes got sacked that, under the new manager, we would be mathematically able reach the playoffs with 3 games left then I would've bitten your hand off.

I'm fully behind him, he's steadied the ship after a horrendous few years, just need to rectify the home form and I think we can look at top half next year.

Can't believe anyone thinks he hasn't done a good job.

Not sure too many are aligned with that thought

Got to remember there were numerous people unhappy with the methods we undertook to get 3rd place in the championship a few years back, hence the low attendances that season. Doesn’t mean people think he’s doing a bad job, just not enthralled with the style

[Stranded]

If you had told me after Gomes got sacked that, under the new manager, we would be mathematically able reach the playoffs with 3 games left then I would've bitten your hand off.

I'm fully behind him, he's steadied the ship after a horrendous few years, just need to rectify the home form and I think we can look at top half next year.

Can't believe anyone thinks he hasn't done a good job.

Not sure too many are aligned with that thought

Got to remember there were numerous people unhappy with the methods we undertook to get 3rd place in the championship a few years back, hence the low attendances that season. Doesn’t mean people think he’s doing a bad job, just not enthralled with the style

I get wanting to be entertained at football but surely for most fans the order must be:

1. Winning with style
2. Winning
3. Losing with style
4. Losing

Seems to me though that some would prefer 3 to 2.

[Snowball]

Can't believe anyone thinks he hasn't done a good job.

Not sure too many are aligned with that thought

Got to remember there were numerous people unhappy with the methods we undertook to get 3rd place in the championship a few years back, hence the low attendances that season. Doesn’t mean people think he’s doing a bad job, just not enthralled with the style

I get wanting to be entertained at football but surely for most fans the order must be:

1. Winning with style
2. Winning
3. Losing with style
4. Losing

Seems to me though that some would prefer 3 to 2.

Winning, especially getting a cup or promoted, is THE deal, agreed.

Revie's Leeds could grind out 0-0's away, sneak 1-0s. Bill Shankly used to say "Defence is part of the game", and then there was "Boring Arsenal" and "1-0 to the Arsenal" etc

I LIKE "Getting hammered but stealing 0-0" when we are away to a VG side and expected to lose 3-0

But, ultimately, I don't like negative sides, totally HATED Stamball, even though we made third place.

I want SOME joy watching the game.

I think, on balance, to be "wonderful to watch" and 7th would do me.

[royalp-we]

I suspect the squad will be weaker, if not the first 11 by too much. I do think we’ll lose Swift who has been a big part of this season though

I don’t think we’ll massively miss anyone else who might go if we make a couple of sensible signings, and there should be plenty of options available

Agreed Swift would be a big loss. Every successful club needs a few all-round ‘stand out’ midfield performers who can get amongst the goals too (see Pereira, Hernandez, Benrahma etc); if Bowen is to be successful a lot with depend on how well we recruit a replacement for Swift; or whether Ejaria / Olise can step it up another gear.

[From Despair To Where?]

I'd trade Swift for a decent DM in a heartbeat. Mind you, I'd rather forgo the permenant signing of Ejaria to sign a decent DM. Pele would be ideal but maybe too costly. We need that sort of player to allow the rest of the midfield to play.

[Snowflake Royal]

I'd trade Swift for a decent DM in a heartbeat. Pele would be ideal but maybe too costly. We need that sort of player to allow the rest of the midfield to play.

Swift's probably our best midfielder, but yeah, be content to sacrifice him for Pele, someone similar or Baker for example.

Pele, Rino, Ejaria
Baker, Rino, Ejaria

That's a pretty balanced midfield. Swift just sometimes lacks a bit of running for all his other quality.

[From Despair To Where?]

I amended my original quote to say I'd rather keep Swift over Ejaria though because I think Olise can grow into that Ejaria role.

Ideally I'd like all 3 of Pele, Swift and Ejaria.

Rinomhota is a guaranteed starter for me. He's the closest thing we have to a James Harper or a Mick Gooding.

[Snowflake Royal]

I amended my original quote to say I'd rather keep Swift over Ejaria though because I think Olise can grow into that Ejaria role.

Ideally I'd like all 3 of Pele, Swift and Ejaria.

Agree. With Ovie it's how good could he be rather than how good he is right now.

And Olise hopefully has a big role to play. Performances just dropped a little in recent games.

I think Olise, Ejaria and Swift is probably one too many. Because Swift and Rino doesn't play to each others strengths really, and Swift is a bit sluggish to play the AMC role ahead of Rino and Pele regularly.

But these are good problems to have. When was the last time we had 5 midfielders you'd actually be happy to see play regularly next season?

[From Despair To Where?]

It's easy to forget that Olise is still only 18 and this is his first real experience of non agegroup football.

[Forbury Lion]

If you rescue a drowning man does he complain because he’s not in an Olympic Swimming Final?

Only if he wasn't actually drowning and you've just messed up his qualifying race

[RoyalBlue]

If you had told me after Gomes got sacked that, under the new manager, we would be mathematically able reach the playoffs with 3 games left then I would've bitten your hand off.

I'm fully behind him, he's steadied the ship after a horrendous few years, just need to rectify the home form and I think we can look at top half next year.

I said when Bowen was appointed that if he'd come from outside the club we'd all be delighted with the appointment given his pedigree.

Can't believe anyone thinks he hasn't done a good job.

That's (some) Nobbers for you

Take the last three games WDW, three clean sheets 6-0, that is superb, but we "FAILED!!" because we couldn't beat Huddersfield

All sides have blips or fail to win "easy games"

Leeds couldn't beat Luton...

He leans towards defence which is less than exciting, but 46 x 1-0 wins would be quite good

You should be working for the Government the way that you very carefully choose cut off points for stats that help support your argument. We have FAILED because of his abysmal home record and the fact that the 'football' he usually gets his team to play is only marginally more entertaining than watching paint dry.

He has failed because he has built his team and style of play around one injury prone striker and continues to get them to play that style when that striker isn't even in the squad.

He has failed because our team have an average of less than 4 shots on target per game. That's worse than under Gomes. I need to check but I suspect it is worse than under Stam!!

Hopefully I will have to eat my words next season but at present I can only foresee another distinctly average season of boring football, something I doubt the owners will be overly willing to tolerate.

[Snowflake Royal]

You sound fun.

But then I remember you tearing into Madejski week on week too.