Steve Clake - New Poll

[melonhead]

7 points from the last possible 33

Our worst run of form for some time I imagine.

got to think that much of that is down to the cup run, and near certainty we were already safe

[Winston Smith]

Would be interested to know when we last went on a run that bad

[genome]

Would be interested to know when we last went on a run that bad

12/13 surely

[genome]

Yep the end of the 12/13, 5 points from a possible 39.

[RoyalBlue]

7 points from the last possible 33

Our worst run of form for some time I imagine.

got to think that much of that is down to the cup run, and near certainty we were already safe

So therefore the management team's inability to motivate players for the bread and butter games that the supporters have paid good hard cash for!

And at what point did the near certainty that we were already safe kick in?

[RoyalBlue]

Exactly this. Strange people are now praising the pretty approach play, despite the lack of end result - something that Adkins was criticised for!

As someone asked on BBCRB - do they actually have any goals at the training ground to practice shooting into?!

It is very difficult to continually defend 0 and Clarke's teams are far too often producing 0.

Last season Obita produced some lovely set plays and crosses. This season his crossing and that of everyone else has been disgraceful.

Adkins may not have had a cluee how to coach a side defensively, but I've seen nothing to suggest Clarke has a clue offensively. What does he do with them in training that their crossing and shooting is so utterly lacklustre?

And his attempts to address it have been to buy players who are even shitter at scoring than the ones we've got. He's not even tried to address the gaping chasm on our left flank.

Tbf he only bought Yakubu on the cheap and brought Appiah in on loan. With no cash in January, what else could he have done?

Not wasted what little funds we had? Signed a better loan option?

Our scouting network would appear to be pretty crap if we are only capable of picking up decent loan players through Clarke's contacts with Chelsea.

[melonhead]

7 points from the last possible 33

Our worst run of form for some time I imagine.

got to think that much of that is down to the cup run, and near certainty we were already safe

So therefore the management team's inability to motivate players for the bread and butter games that the supporters have paid good hard cash for!

And at what point did the near certainty that we were already safe kick in?

about two months ago

think clarke himself would happily concede he has failed in that respect. and that is why we are going to have a very heavy cull this summer

you aren't guaranteed 9th place or above every season. no matter what you pay.

[Platypuss]

you aren't guaranteed 9th place or above every season. no matter what you pay.

However, you can guarantee that RoyalBlue will always be a myopic div.

[melonhead]

Last season Obita produced some lovely set plays and crosses. This season his crossing and that of everyone else has been disgraceful.

Adkins may not have had a cluee how to coach a side defensively, but I've seen nothing to suggest Clarke has a clue offensively. What does he do with them in training that their crossing and shooting is so utterly lacklustre?

And his attempts to address it have been to buy players who are even shitter at scoring than the ones we've got. He's not even tried to address the gaping chasm on our left flank.

Tbf he only bought Yakubu on the cheap and brought Appiah in on loan. With no cash in January, what else could he have done?

Not wasted what little funds we had? Signed a better loan option?

Our scouting network would appear to be pretty crap if we are only capable of picking up decent loan players through Clarke's contacts with Chelsea.

only got them at all as we managed to get a generous -no pay unless they don't play- deal for them.

[genome]

Lowest league finish since 01/02. Wow.

[melonhead]

bloody feels like it too.

just end this abortion of a season now.

anton has a hell of a lot to answer for imo

[genome]

01/02, and even 00/01 felt like more successful seasons as we achieved something despite technically finishing lower.

I'd say this season has been the worst since 99/00.

[Ian Royal]

Feels to me like the only support Clarke gets is from those who hated Adkins and want their opinion vindicated.

I wasn't happy with Adkins but Clarke been worse. Without the FA cup semi final there would be nothing really to hide behind.

In my opinion we either have to face facts and admit Clarke isn't the saviour we want him so desperately to be or the team arent good enough and have been the problem all along, suffered by all our recent managers.

If it is the latter, you have to ask how they managed to put in a performance like they did against Arsenal and why they can't replicate that - which in my mind brings it back to the manager again.

And yourself, Ian and RB are doing the same thing but to the other extreme, defending Adkins because you don't want to admit that he failed to live up to the hype you built him up with after his appointment.

You seem to be the last three left in that regard as most of the other people who very vocally backed him can admit it just wasn't working out where it matters.

Now Clarke has made mistakes. However, he has at least shown some understanding of what our problems are, something which Adkins either didn't want to admit there were problems or couldn't see what they were.

you keep saying this but not one of us has said Adkins was doing a good job.
Clarke himself has said the problem was with elements
In the squad all along, not the previous manager.

And arguing Adkins was shit is no defence of Clarke when his record is worse!

[melonhead]

adkins had a decent striker though tbf
but couldn't stop us conceding goals long enough for him to be much use

[genome]

As I said. Clarke's defensive organisation + Glenn Murray = playoffs I reckon. Get a decent striker in in the summer.

Can't think of many knocking about though tbh.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Feels to me like the only support Clarke gets is from those who hated Adkins and want their opinion vindicated.

I wasn't happy with Adkins but Clarke been worse. Without the FA cup semi final there would be nothing really to hide behind.

In my opinion we either have to face facts and admit Clarke isn't the saviour we want him so desperately to be or the team arent good enough and have been the problem all along, suffered by all our recent managers.

If it is the latter, you have to ask how they managed to put in a performance like they did against Arsenal and why they can't replicate that - which in my mind brings it back to the manager again.

And yourself, Ian and RB are doing the same thing but to the other extreme, defending Adkins because you don't want to admit that he failed to live up to the hype you built him up with after his appointment.

You seem to be the last three left in that regard as most of the other people who very vocally backed him can admit it just wasn't working out where it matters.

Now Clarke has made mistakes. However, he has at least shown some understanding of what our problems are, something which Adkins either didn't want to admit there were problems or couldn't see what they were.

I'm not defending Adkins. Scrutiny of Clarke does not equal support for our last manager.

[No Fixed Abode]

As I said. Clarke's defensive organisation + Glenn Murray = playoffs I reckon. Get a decent striker in in the summer.

Can't think of many knocking about though tbh.

Get in Dominic Solanke on loan from Chelsea.

[Royalcop]

Bamford may even be available from Chelsea on loan if he doesn't go back to Boro. Funding the acquisition of a decent striker this summer will be a key test of the Thais' credibility imo.

[Ian Royal]

adkins had a decent striker though tbf
but couldn't stop us conceding goals long enough for him to be much use

Adkins signed a decent striker.

We kept more clean sheets under Adkins. The only reason Clarke's got a better defensive record is because when we collapsed under Adkins we let in loads, rather than just one or two. Either way we still lost. We just won a lot more under Adkins to make up for it.

And just for sandman. This isn't a defensive of Adkins, he wasn't doing a good enough job. It's context for how badly Clarke is doing.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

3 of our most successful managers all saw results get worse before they got better.

McGhee took 2 years to turn things around

Pardew - 5 months into his reign we looked to be heading for Div 4. Calls for his head after loosing at home to Swindon the year we went up. Pants day, etc.

Coppell did nothing for 2 years with a decent budget. Fans calling for him to be sacked boxing day 2004.

Clarke has inherited a team ruined by dreadful management both on and off the pitch. A decent manager who clearly knows what he is doing. I couldn't imagine Adkins digging out a draw at Bradford or taking an in form Arsenal to ET. Our league form has been dreadful, but at least he now knows this current lot cant cut it. Better to find that out now rather than do half decent and carry over the problems til next season.

Judge him from the 1st game of next season. But don't compare him to what the club achieved when we had money. Those days are well and truly gone. Top half will prob constitute a success given what the club has been through.