Roberto Di Matteo

[Zatman]

7 hours ago, BigAl said:

His signings have been good each seem to have the same traits good attitude ,good characters ,Champ experience and winners .Been impressed so far .

and crucially they are better than what they replaced

[Hornso]

Does he have any contacts at Chelsea still? Might help in getting a couple of youngsters in on loan (if that's what we want...)

[dounavilla]

I'm surprised he hasn't dipped into the German leagues.

[Gary Thomas]

On 14/08/2016 at 00:07, alreadyexists said:

I agree, got the line up right, got substitutions right (although Green could've come on earlier potentially) and the tactics right so all in all, good work RDM.

 

Tony seems to be getting all the attention, but I think RDM is doing well in terms of signings, tactics and on the coaching front (with Carke, Bond etc).   Think we saw glimpses at Shef Wed, but we look like we are playing better football already.  Definitely a lot more movement, which is something we have been crying out for, and more organized.

 

Edited August 15, 2016 by Gary Thomas

[Ingram85]

31 minutes ago, Gary Thomas said:

Tony seems to be getting all the attention, but I think RDM is doing well in terms of signings, tactics and on the coaching front (with Carke, Bond etc).   Think we saw glimpses at Shef Wed, but we look like we are playing better football already.  Definitely a lot more movement, which is something we have been crying out for, and more organized.

 

Wonder if it's a conscious thing to take a little of the stress/focus off RDM/players? 

[markavfc40]

I had some reservations about RDM my main one being his lack of experience in terms of buying and selling players. I think so far he has got that pretty much spot on though.

We were crying out for leaders in the squad. Players that will give nothing less than 100% and lead by example. We also needed players that knew this division. In Elphick, McCormack, and Chester we now have that and they look soon to be joined by Jedinak. These players are all strong characters that will ensure the others in the squad will no longer get away with not giving their all. 

It is obviously early days but fair play to RDM. He inherited a shambles but has quickly got on with things and bought in some excellent coaching staff and some excellent players at this level. A few more players of a similar ilk and if he can get it all to gel he will be doing a great job.

Edited August 15, 2016 by markavfc40

[Guest av1]

4 hours ago, markavfc40 said:

I had some reservations about RDM my main one being his lack of experience in terms of buying and selling players. I think so far he has go that pretty much spot on though.

 

Many people expressed the same concern, and yet his ability in the transfer market (buying and selling) is what has impressed me the most. 

[Zatman]

I wonder with the amount we will likely end up spending this window, is RDM under pressure to go straight back up?

[Guest av1]

1 hour ago, Zatman said:

I wonder with the amount we will likely end up spending this window, is RDM under pressure to go straight back up?

I'd say so. £5m on a keeper, £12m on a couple of Center backs, £12m on a striker. All of our signings are up there with the record fees paid by Championship clubs for players in each position. Add that to guys like Amavi, Adama and Ayew, and we must have one of the most expensively assembled squads in Championship history.

To not get promoted this season,with he tools he has at his disposal would be disappointing 

[It's Your Round]

I think Dr Tony said they need to take a realistic approach and has set a target of promotion in two seasons. I seem to remember him tweeting as such a while ago. We all want to go back up straight away but if we narrowly miss out I don't think we should sack Di Matteo (I know nobody has suggested that). Two years is a reasonable target but we still go all out for promotion this season. 

[markavfc40]

10 hours ago, It's Your Round said:

I think Dr Tony said they need to take a realistic approach and has set a target of promotion in two seasons. I seem to remember him tweeting as such a while ago. We all want to go back up straight away but if we narrowly miss out I don't think we should sack Di Matteo (I know nobody has suggested that). Two years is a reasonable target but we still go all out for promotion this season. 

I think that is fair. There is no doubt though that the more we spend the more expectations are raised. Buying players is only half the battle though it is getting them all to gel. For what it is worth I think the kind of players we have gotten in so far, and the kind of players we are targeting, in the main won’t take time to settle. Elphick, Chester, McCormack are all experienced players and good characters. Likewise Jedinak. They will instantly give their all and expect the same from those around them. They won’t expect to be given time to settle and will demand of themselves they hit the ground running.

Di Matteo inherited a huge mess but I think he has done remarkably well already in who he has bought in both in terms of coaches and players. The players are not only very good players for this level but in a number of cases leaders who will ensure the others around them give their best.

I still maintain it is a huge ask to get promoted this season but what we do over the next couple of weeks could well see me change that view. If we can get three or four more signings of the same standard we have already signed and get another three good results before the International break I would not be be surprised to see the whole thing take off, us get on a real roll, and expectations rise and that may not be a bad thing as expectation can be a burden for some players but you bring in the right characters, as I believe we are doing, and they will thrive on it.

Edited August 16, 2016 by markavfc40

[Butterfingers]

13 hours ago, av1 said:

Many people expressed the same concern, and yet his ability in the transfer market (buying and selling) is what has impressed me the most. 

I have to admit, the standard of the signings so far (and the players we're linked to) has surprised me.  Pleasantly surprised that is.

I always disagreed with the claims that RDM had no experience in rebuilding a side-This was irrelevant in my book.  Most managers rebuild sides by the time the 3rd or 4th transfer window has closed.

In many ways, walking into a shambles is easier than walking into somewhere where there are positives.  There were little positives at Villa so every position needed improvement.  Most managers would jump at that chance-Especially given a decent budget, as RDM has.

He still has to get it right of course.  I think most have picked up on the half hearted players all not having a sniff so far.  The replacements have all been warriors.  Nobody is going to cheat a living here anymore.  The big indication for me was Petrov-How easy and popular would it have been to give him a one year contract?

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Only problem with "narrowly missing out" is that our better players go, and we have to start reshuffling again. It is better all round for us to go up first time. The better players we have now could become squad players, and so on and so on.

[bobzy]

19 hours ago, av1 said:

I'd say so. £5m on a keeper, £12m on a couple of Center backs, £12m on a striker. All of our signings are up there with the record fees paid by Championship clubs for players in each position. Add that to guys like Amavi, Adama and Ayew, and we must have one of the most expensively assembled squads in Championship history.

To not get promoted this season,with he tools he has at his disposal would be disappointing 

I agree he's under pressure to an extent, but not so sure that not getting promoted would = disappointing.  This is a huge upheaval and getting all those players to gel with each other straight away would be very impressive.

If we're challenging for automatic promotion at the end of the season, I'd be delighted rather than merely thinking that's par for the course.

[Guest av1]

2 hours ago, bobzy said:

I agree he's under pressure to an extent, but not so sure that not getting promoted would = disappointing.  This is a huge upheaval and getting all those players to gel with each other straight away would be very impressive.

If we're challenging for automatic promotion at the end of the season, I'd be delighted rather than merely thinking that's par for the course.

Yeah maybe. I'll admit that a few weeks ago i thought we had absolutely no chance of promotion, due to the lack of quality and attitude in the squad. So i guess having done such a great job to change all that, it would maybe be unfair give RDM pelters for not gaining promotion, given that its his great work that has made me optimistic for it. 

But, as i said in an earlier post, our spending, for the vast majority of teams in this division, is as mind boggling as how we perceive Man UTD spending £90m on Pogba.

I understand the mess RDM walked in to, but our spending power relative to our competition means he needs to have a good season. I could easily revise my opinion that he would be under pressure for not gaining promotion, would you agree though that finishing outside the playoffs would have to be seen as failure?

[daggy_333]

Substitutions were FAR too late today. Needed changes around the hour as we were losing the midfield battle.

[Guest av1]

9 minutes ago, daggy_333 said:

Substitutions were FAR too late today. Needed changes around the hour as we were losing the midfield battle.

edit

 

Edited August 16, 2016 by av1

[Dr_Pangloss]

Poor result, should be turning teams like this over at home comfortably. Still clearly lacking quality, couldn't finish the game when we were on top in the first half.

[kurtsimonw]

4-4-2 for too long. They had the spare man all day and controlled it far too easily needed to bring Gardner on earlier and NOT for Tshibola. 

[jonno_2004]

10 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

Poor result, should be turning teams like this over at home comfortably. Still clearly lacking quality, couldn't finish the game when we were on top in the first half.

You mean the same team that beat Newcastle last weekend? We demonstrated in the first half we were clearly a cut above, just didn't put away the chances away. Lessons to learn, onto the next one.