Brian: The right decision?

[l0y4l R0y4l]

I agree that Brian's preferred style wasn't the 'hoofball' that many (including myself) have come to term it as.

Ultimately it was to soak up pressure and then hit the opposition hard and fast on the counter. This worked a treat last season in a league where opposition players weren't skillful enough to break us down, and defenses weren't resolute enough to keep our excellent wingers at bay. We even managed to control games occasionally against teams playing 4-4-2 with a weaker midfield than ours. At times it was good to watch, others it was frustrating, but in the end it was very successful. It's why he is an excellent Championship manager, and will no doubt do very well at Leeds next season.

The problem this season came with our defense having to compete with considerably more skillful attackers, and wingers having to try and beat international full-backs. I think Brian anticipated this problem with his previous system and was looking to evolve (hence the signing of Guthrie) but when the going got tough he reverted back to norm, and perhaps that conservatism cost us this season.

I think Nigel will get us playing in a way that will enable us to control games if we do make it back to the big time, hence our defense will be under less constant pressure and our attackers will have more opportunities to take own defenders. Will that style be necessarily more effective next season than Brian's counter attacking approach? Probably not tbh..but it should give us a better chance next time we get promoted.

Top post, agree with everything, Adkins style may take longer to adapt to and may not get us as many wins but will give us a better chance of survival if we eventually do get promoted back to the PL.

[RoyallyFcuked]

When are people going to shut the fcuk up about Brian? Its in the past so move on, get over it, and if you cant see that it was the right decision then you are simply a brainless pcunt.

[Ian Royal]

I agree with the previous poster but one.

Fundamental issue was that our playing staff weren't good enough. It's impossible to know how to apportion out the blame for that, but clearly Brian has to take a slice of it for our summer activities. If you don't sing in the summer then it's hard to bring quality in during January when you're in the bottom three.

Did he get the best out of what he had? Probably not, no. But I think once you get into a losing streak it's hard not to try new things in a panic to correct the slide, perhaps resulting in a selection or two we all found a touch dubious.

The revisionist nonsense about how he loved a Wimbledon/Cambridge United style of play where you just launch it to the big man is total nonsense. Yes he liked to get it forward quickly and play the football in the final third but that's not necessarily a bad way to go as long as your players are good enough to do it. They were at Championship level but they weren't in the PL.

It certainly wasn't traditional route one long ball. But it was pretty hopeful, low percentage balls into the channels and striker. And that's close enough to hoofing for the label to stick. Feel free to come up with a better couple of word description that sums up its failure and ugliness. I'll use hoofball or aimless punting until you do.

"Failure and ugliness", lol. We've won titles playing balls into channels. Do you think Kevin Doyle never ran the channel? Dear God.

Probably not the best idea playing those balls when you don't have a pace advantage and there's no space for you to take advantage of.

Coppell had us playing an excellent mix. McDermott was way over reliant on it and did bugger all to remedy the fact it was never going to work with the players he had at this level. Nor did he do anywhere enough to move away from it when it obviously wasn't working. It will only get you so far. The quality of channel hoofing this season was far inferior to last season too. And even then we only really started to work when Roberts came in and we had something resembling quality link up through the middle upfront.

[Ian Royal]

It's chicken and egg, though - BMc was pragmatic enough to realise that with the players he had he had limited tactics he could play - and that in the Premier League trying to play any different way with those tactics would be a near-disaster.

Maybe if he'd had other players he'd have played different tactics, but in the period when Leigertwood was the only fit central midfielder, did people really expect him to try and play a fluid passing game.

He did what he had with the tools available. Perhaps if he'd had different tools then he'd have been able to play different formations, but he didn't have that option - and that's a whole different story. But I think the decisions made in the summer sealed our rate then, and nothing much done later or even in January could change that substantially.

He had Guthrie, and McAnuff. Players he ignored for central positions who have since shown they are capable of putting in decent performances.

It's clear from performances under Adkins, that playing teh right way, our squad could have done better if this system was tried when confidence wasn't shot and we weren't already doomed. Probably still would have gone down, but maybe we'd have stayed up, and it would have been a whole hell of a lot less dire along the way.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

If we'd gone 4-5-1 from the start we might have had a chance too regardless of the 'style'. We should have packed the midfield out right off the bat IMO & made it hard to score against us. We were far far too open.

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

It's simple really.

We were a Chump team playing in the Prem. MaccyD gave us half a chance with the great Jan points tally but, when it came to the two games that mattered - Wigan and Villa - we just didn't turn up.

Four points from those two and we would have stayed up.

Result? Zero points, George Dawes sacked and we're relegated. Simples.

[Man Friday]

When are people going to shut the fcuk up about Brian? Its in the past so move on, get over it, and if you cant see that it was the right decision then you are simply a brainless pcunt.

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

Or, in your case, in the land of the small-brained you're completely brainless.

[loyalroyal4life]

After watching tonight's game it IS the right decision and..... WE MOVE ON

[creative_username_1]

4 points from 21 (obvs haven't checked)

[Hampshire Royal]

We've got 5 points from the last 21. We only got 4 from the previous 21. Definitely an improvement - with more to come.

[Woodcote Royal]

if you cant see that it was the right decision then you are simply a brainless pcunt.

Many thanks Mr Royally Fcuked Brainless Pcnut for reminding so many why the less time spent reading such clueless drivel the more enriched their lives will be.

[melonhead]

probably the right decision, possibly should have been made sooner even
and thats from a staunch brian fan

[maffff]

+1 Brendy. Stronger yes from me now.

[croche]

Just curious if the right decision was to replace Brian right away instead of getting someone in a care taker position to hold over until end of the season. Trying to pluck a manager from a club who is heading to the playoffs is a bit retarded when they could have just been patient and got their man. Season was over when Macdermot was sacked so no need to hurry in finding a replacement. Personally feel like Adkens is the wrong person and will end up being another Rodgers.

[Wycombe Royal]

Just curious if the right decision was to replace Brian right away instead of getting someone in a care taker position to hold over until end of the season. Trying to pluck a manager from a club who is heading to the playoffs is a bit retarded when they could have just been patient and got their man. Season was over when Macdermot was sacked so no need to hurry in finding a replacement. Personally feel like Adkens is the wrong person and will end up being another Rodgers.

Like Wolves last season? Isn't it better to get a manager in to assess the squad BEFORE the season ends so he has a better idea of who doesn't fit in with his plans and where he needs to strengthen?

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

Just curious if the right decision was to replace Brian right away instead of getting someone in a care taker position to hold over until end of the season. Trying to pluck a manager from a club who is heading to the playoffs is a bit retarded when they could have just been patient and got their man. Season was over when Macdermot was sacked so no need to hurry in finding a replacement. Personally feel like Adkens is the wrong person and will end up being another Rodgers.

Wrong person based on .?

[winchester_royal]

The fact that Adkins has no track record in getting clubs promoted, and the fact that there's been absolutely no signs of improvement in our general play since he came in.

Should have broken the bank to get Mark Hughes in...never mind

[windermere_royal]

pleeeease let this thread slip off the page, its been debated and debated, he`s gone, he`s not coming back...MOVE ON.

[RoyallyFcuked]

When are people going to shut the fcuk up about Brian? Its in the past so move on, get over it, and if you cant see that it was the right decision then you are simply a brainless pcunt.

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

Or, in your case, in the land of the small-brained you're completely brainless.

Erm yeah right.....

In the land of the pcunts, you are the king.

[AirRaidSiren]

Just curious if the right decision was to replace Brian right away instead of getting someone in a care taker position to hold over until end of the season. Trying to pluck a manager from a club who is heading to the playoffs is a bit retarded when they could have just been patient and got their man. Season was over when Macdermot was sacked so no need to hurry in finding a replacement. Personally feel like Adkens is the wrong person and will end up being another Rodgers.

First of all, we were Rodgers second managerial post and Adkins fourth.
Secondly, Rodgers had been a club manager for only six months before joining us, Adkins had been club manager for 10yrs before joining us.
Thirdly, Rodgers has no accolades as club manager before joining us, Adkins had League of Wales, League one, League one play off winners, League one runners up and Championship runners up for his accolades. Hell of a difference in the two, don't you think?
Fourthly, Adkins win rate is far superior than Rodgers overall, who is having his best win ratio at the club he is at now.

Two completely different and bad ones to compare and the blue print is already set in on how we are going to play as long as Adkins is manager. Onwards and upwards, I cannot see any other outlook for us.

Be positive.