Adkins - Pros and Cons

[Man Friday]

Just as Martin41 said a handful of posts ago. No more, no less.

[Royalwaster]

I don't think NA should go, for the reasons stated above - he's just not been given the resources to build a proper team; the fact that we've got a completely out of form RB and no-one to replace him with speaks to that.

But I do think that if we lose the next 2 games, he'll walk.

[Man Friday]

Don't be silly, of course he won't WALK.

[Woodcote Royal]

It would be the longest, cliched resignation speech in history and could take at least a week to write

If some of his "friends" would lend a helping hand, he could be gone by Tuesday

[andrew1957]

As I have said before I am far from convinced about Adkins. Last season I felt that we had a strong squad and that we underperformed and he was at least in part to blame. Although the huge injury list was mostly to blame - and we can only speculate if that was as a result of poor training methods or just bad luck.

However, I admire him for sticking with RFC in what must have been our darkest hour last summer, when even administration was a possibility. As a result very important players such as McAnuff (a player who always gave 100% and was massively underrated on here) were let go. Other key players were sold. We now have a much weaker and inexperienced squad than we have had for the last 10 years and before the season started I predicted a relegation fight and so IMO we are performing somewhat better than I expected so far. In truth I think we are most likely going to be a lower mid table side this season - one that wins a game then loses a couple. 50 points will probably be enough to survive and that is our only realistic target this season.

The good news is that we do have some great young players coming through who will be a year older by next season and more experienced. And some of the expensive deadwood will leave the club at the end of the season - which might free up some budget to bring in some better players.

And so perhaps overall Adkins deserves to be left to get on with it for the rest of this season and then he will have the chance to build “his” squad for the first time next summer and then he will have to perform or be out.

But in the cut throat world of football I rather doubt he will be given the time and so my prediction is that he will be gone by Christmas and Dolan will be the new manager for the rest of 2014/15. Although somewhat harsh on Adkins this might turn out to be a good thing as I have great respect for Dolan and think he might well turn out to be a successful long term option - but only time will tell.

[Man Friday]

Credit for "sticking with RFC"? Why wouldn't he, he was getting paid wasn't he?

[Winston Smith]

Has he gone yet?

[HoneyRoastHoax]

As I have said before I am far from convinced about Adkins. Last season I felt that we had a strong squad and that we underperformed and he was at least in part to blame. Although the huge injury list was mostly to blame - and we can only speculate if that was as a result of poor training methods or just bad luck.

However, I admire him for sticking with RFC in what must have been our darkest hour last summer, when even administration was a possibility. As a result very important players such as McAnuff (a player who always gave 100% and was massively underrated on here) were let go. Other key players were sold. We now have a much weaker and inexperienced squad than we have had for the last 10 years and before the season started I predicted a relegation fight and so IMO we are performing somewhat better than I expected so far. In truth I think we are most likely going to be a lower mid table side this season - one that wins a game then loses a couple. 50 points will probably be enough to survive and that is our only realistic target this season.

The good news is that we do have some great young players coming through who will be a year older by next season and more experienced. And some of the expensive deadwood will leave the club at the end of the season - which might free up some budget to bring in some better players.

And so perhaps overall Adkins deserves to be left to get on with it for the rest of this season and then he will have the chance to build “his” squad for the first time next summer and then he will have to perform or be out.

But in the cut throat world of football I rather doubt he will be given the time and so my prediction is that he will be gone by Christmas and Dolan will be the new manager for the rest of 2014/15. Although somewhat harsh on Adkins this might turn out to be a good thing as I have great respect for Dolan and think he might well turn out to be a successful long term option - but only time will tell.

Good post that. I hope Adkins has more time, he needs a run with the team when we we have some of our better players fit. Happy to judge him more harshly then.

[leon]

As I have said before I am far from convinced about Adkins. Last season I felt that we had a strong squad and that we underperformed and he was at least in part to blame. Although the huge injury list was mostly to blame - and we can only speculate if that was as a result of poor training methods or just bad luck.

However, I admire him for sticking with RFC in what must have been our darkest hour last summer, when even administration was a possibility. As a result very important players such as McAnuff (a player who always gave 100% and was massively underrated on here) were let go. Other key players were sold. We now have a much weaker and inexperienced squad than we have had for the last 10 years and before the season started I predicted a relegation fight and so IMO we are performing somewhat better than I expected so far. In truth I think we are most likely going to be a lower mid table side this season - one that wins a game then loses a couple. 50 points will probably be enough to survive and that is our only realistic target this season.

The good news is that we do have some great young players coming through who will be a year older by next season and more experienced. And some of the expensive deadwood will leave the club at the end of the season - which might free up some budget to bring in some better players.

And so perhaps overall Adkins deserves to be left to get on with it for the rest of this season and then he will have the chance to build “his” squad for the first time next summer and then he will have to perform or be out.

But in the cut throat world of football I rather doubt he will be given the time and so my prediction is that he will be gone by Christmas and Dolan will be the new manager for the rest of 2014/15. Although somewhat harsh on Adkins this might turn out to be a good thing as I have great respect for Dolan and think he might well turn out to be a successful long term option - but only time will tell.

Good post that. I hope Adkins has more time, he needs a run with the team when we we have some of our better players fit. Happy to judge him more harshly then.

who realistically will come back in and make a real difference?

Mccleary - our main issue isn't creating chances it's defending throughout the team hopefully he'll improve that
Williams - as above except more so.

Guthrie? What does he add that Norwood doesn't? Nothing I'd say.

Who else?

[SCIAG]

Getting Kelly and Cummings fit will provide competition for places at full back and allow us to switch it up if it isn't working.

Guthrie, Williams and Karacan are all strong defensively and would make packing the midfield a realistic option. They'd also help us keep possession and actually do something with it.

McCleary would add to our attacking thread, forcing teams to be more cautious and demoralising them when we score. He's also better at keeping possession than most of our wingers (except perhaps Taylor).

[HoneyRoastHoax]

who realistically will come back in and make a real difference?

Mccleary - our main issue isn't creating chances it's defending throughout the team hopefully he'll improve that
Williams - as above except more so.

Guthrie? What does he add that Norwood doesn't? Nothing I'd say.

Who else?

I know what you're saying, having them back means we would still likely have a shakey defence but there is a good chance we'l have a better attack. We are seriously having to put HRK out there?! I don't see us being far off getting better, bring back the injured guys spend money on the defence in Christmas and hey presto you have a contender. You can't deny we have given a good account of ourselves for good periods but invidual errors have cost us.



A lot of people moaning about the selection but the team hasn't failed, its hasn't collapsed.

[leon]

Getting Kelly and Cummings fit will provide competition for places at full back and allow us to switch it up if it isn't working.

Guthrie, Williams and Karacan are all strong defensively and would make packing the midfield a realistic option. They'd also help us keep possession and actually do something with it.

McCleary would add to our attacking thread, forcing teams to be more cautious and demoralising them when we score. He's also better at keeping possession than most of our wingers (except perhaps Taylor).

Well the right back position isn't working at the moment - when are either Cummings or Kelly back?

Karacan - I didn't include him because I'm not sure if we'll see him back unfortunately.

Guthrie - strong defensively? You've lost me there.

[Martin41]

Getting Kelly and Cummings fit will provide competition for places at full back and allow us to switch it up if it isn't working.

Guthrie, Williams and Karacan are all strong defensively and would make packing the midfield a realistic option. They'd also help us keep possession and actually do something with it.

McCleary would add to our attacking thread, forcing teams to be more cautious and demoralising them when we score. He's also better at keeping possession than most of our wingers (except perhaps Taylor).

Well the right back position isn't working at the moment - when are either Cummings or Kelly back?

Karacan - I didn't include him because I'm not sure if we'll see him back unfortunately.

Guthrie - strong defensively? You've lost me there.

Kelly is back......has been on the bench just not played yet.
Karacan , why don't you think we will see him back? Think I read he has joined in training.

[leon]

Yeah I thought Kelly was on the bench for the last few games.....

Karacan - I'm just pessimistic that he'll break down again. I hope not - we need his energy. He'll take time to get up to speed and may not be the same player after such a serious injury.

[gazzer, loyal royal]

personally i think he should go. We have only lost one player of the defensive unit from last season, yet we are so poor defensively it doesn't make sense. We fall into the same traps every game, starting well, not scoring and then sitting back and letting the opposition play, letting them have various chances and then going into the break chasing the game.

Some of his team selections don't make sense. Brentford away being the main one that sticks out. We have no goals coming from wide or central midfield and no one getting into the box. Can anyone do a comparison of goals and assists from midfielders at the some point last season?

i can appreciate we have lost some players, but is our squad really that different from last season. We regularly have 6 or 7 full internationals starting games, so its not for a lack of experience, just a load of individual performances that are letting us down.

[HoneyRoastHoax]

personally i think he should go. just a load of individual performances that are letting us down.

The team is performing as best as it can.

He is making changes to suit the opposition as he said against Blackburn if he had of gone for out and out wingers they would have had a field day through the middle.

As fans we only really pay attention to our squad, Nigel looks at the opposition and adjusts our strengths to meet their weaknesses.

I think the man has showed some loyalty to us over the past year and its a shame some of you lot can't extend that to him now.

Do you really think a different manager is going to stop Gunter making ridiculous costly decisions? Do you think a new gaffer is going to get HRK into some free scoring superstar? Do you not think he is actually making people like Hope and Nick play probably to as best as they can?

[No Fixed Abode]

personally i think he should go. just a load of individual performances that are letting us down.

He is making changes to suit the opposition as he said against Blackburn if he had of gone for out and out wingers they would have had a field day through the middle.

However, they had a field day any way.........

[HoneyRoastHoax]

personally i think he should go. just a load of individual performances that are letting us down.

He is making changes to suit the opposition as he said against Blackburn if he had of gone for out and out wingers they would have had a field day through the middle.

However, they had a field day any way.........

That is an awful attempt, no effort in there.

[No Fixed Abode]

I know m8. Especially in the 2nd half!

[P!ssed Off]

personally i think he should go. just a load of individual performances that are letting us down.

The team is performing as best as it can.

He is making changes to suit the opposition as he said against Blackburn if he had of gone for out and out wingers they would have had a field day through the middle.

As fans we only really pay attention to our squad, Nigel looks at the opposition and adjusts our strengths to meet their weaknesses.

I think the man has showed some loyalty to us over the past year and its a shame some of you lot can't extend that to him now.

Do you really think a different manager is going to stop Gunter making ridiculous costly decisions? Do you think a new gaffer is going to get HRK into some free scoring superstar? Do you not think he is actually making people like Hope and Nick play probably to as best as they can?

Perhaps a different manager might tell Blackman to pass the oxf*rd ball and stop going for a glory with a dribble or a shot every time.
Wastes so many opportunities.
Remove his 2 penalties from the equation and you've a shooting record of 27 shots, 1 goal.
997 minutes of league football and he's made 7 'Key passes'. (Key pass = a pass/cross that results in a shot)
The much derided HRK has made 7 'key passes' in only 368 minutes.
Meanwhile Blackman's attempted 44 dribbles. 44! That's 20 more than the next highest total.
24 of these attempts have resulted in the other team taking possession. And how much success have the 20 'successful' dribbles brought us? 2 penalties and numerous off target shots is not a great return.