jacketspuds Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 The problem Gerrard has is that 2/3's of the midfield is the same as the one that nearly got us relegated in our first season. I've not seen Luiz play as well as he did in that post-lockdown period 2 seasons ago, which speaks volumes. McGinn is a runner with no composure. However, it is totally on him that he did not push to sign a midfielder, when it should have been his priority. Everton managed to get Van de Beek on loan for **** sake, whilst we **** about trying to sign a midfielder whose club were adamant they would not sell for less than £50m. The buck stops with the manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCGB Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 We are regressing which is worrying. Dean’s time was up, but we should have set the bar higher than Gerrard. Only time will tell but I’m not convinced at this moment in time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarroki Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 Just now, Mantis said: Not sure a team that had recently lost 5 on the bounce (and deservedly so) would've been expected to beat Brighton, Palace away and Leicester. Not saying beating them was some sort of amazing achievement but I think everyone would've snapped your hand off for that when we'd just lost 5 in a row. I agree with that. I think I should have explained. What I mean by "done nothing" is that I don't think he's gone above and beyond what any managerial change would have achieved. Dean had to go I think, but Gerrard didn't have to come in and for him to prove he's the right appointment he had to do more than the bare minimum. In my eyes he's done less than the minimum with this recent form. Palace, Brighton and Leicester were all in a bad way when we faced them, as was Everton. I think any bog standard manager would get those results following Smith, I think someone like Moyes would have got more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_eristic Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 Pretty dire. If we don't win the next one, the sides below us will start reeling us in shortly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 Just now, jacketspuds said: The problem Gerrard has is that 2/3's of the midfield is the same as the one that nearly got us relegated in our first season. I've not seen Luiz play as well as he did in that post-lockdown period 2 seasons ago, which speaks volumes. McGinn is a runner with no composure. However, it is totally on him that he did not push to sign a midfielder, when it should have been his priority. Everton managed to get Van de Beek on loan for **** sake, whilst we **** about trying to sign a midfielder whose club were adamant they would not sell for less than £50m. The buck stops with the manager. Yeah midfield is absolutely the biggest issue (again). Pretty clear we tried to go for one in January but couldn't make it happen for whatever reason. Absolutely must be addressed in the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvilla28 Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 (edited) Biggest mistake we didn’t sign a general in the middle a defensive midfielder. The club has backed the new management they need to produce we a seeing the same mistakes and fragility previously. Edited February 13, 2022 by ozvilla28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regular_john Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 4 minutes ago, Mantis said: The key being WAS. It was completely stale and rotten by the end. Once again, don't know why people are incapable of nuance here - that Smith did a very good job with us but also that it was right he went when he did. Short term thinking, IMO. He had earned more time and had more than enough credit in the bank. You don't become a bad manager overnight. He was a good manager, still is, hence the turnaround at Norwich since he joined. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 Before today's result we were eighth in the league based on games since Gerrard became manager, today is our first defeat in four. Yes it was a diabolical performance, but I'm not getting carried away by one game, it's the only match since Gerrard came in where both the performance and result have been poor. Brentford was a poor result but we played well and should have won. Leeds was a performance with a lot of positives, a draw against them nowhere near as bad as some make out, they're only four points behind us having played most of the season with half their team missing, so this idea that that game should have been an easy win doesn't ring true to me, a draw against them was disappointing but not the worst result. That said today was one of the worst performances I've seen, need to bounce back against Watford 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 4 minutes ago, AVFCGB said: The bar should have been set higher. Purslow is in deep trouble if this goes wrong. Tell me he’s not Sherwood MK 2 ? Purslow must take most of the blame - hes paid an astronomical salary for a very inexperienced manager would have to consider his position if he is forced to sack Gerrard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 2 minutes ago, jacketspuds said: The problem Gerrard has is that 2/3's of the midfield is the same as the one that nearly got us relegated in our first season. I've not seen Luiz play as well as he did in that post-lockdown period 2 seasons ago, which speaks volumes. McGinn is a runner with no composure. However, it is totally on him that he did not push to sign a midfielder, when it should have been his priority. Everton managed to get Van de Beek on loan for **** sake, whilst we **** about trying to sign a midfielder whose club were adamant they would not sell for less than £50m. The buck stops with the manager. We need to get rid of Luz and McGinn from the starting 11 for next season. Our midfield has been a problem for 2 seasons and we have never never fixed it. McGinn is the player who angers me most. He's so inconsistent and his passing becomes shocking when he's having one of his very common bad days. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted February 13, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted February 13, 2022 5 minutes ago, Spoony said: Definitely agree with this. I’m perplexed by Gerrard so far but that certainly doesn’t change the fact Smith had to go. Under Smith we’d have lost that 4-0 today. Love the man but we were so very finished under him Smith went for games , tried to win .It was only a good decision to get rid of him if it was for a manager who would have definitely improved us, a proven winner. Gerrard maybe that manager but he hasn't shown he can change a team between games let alone during a game ( for me the sign of a great manager) He was a massive gamble with the future of our club , I just hope he can turn it around with a decent performance against Watford. Another poor performance with no points then we are looking at getting over the 40 points margin as being success, is that good enough? Not for me and I can see it coming tbh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 1 minute ago, regular_john said: Short term thinking, IMO. He had earned more time and had more than enough credit in the bank. You don't become a bad manager overnight. He was a good manager, still is, hence the turnaround at Norwich since he joined. Not really sure we could've afforded giving him much more time. We were fast being dragged into another relegation battle. And yes I know some people would say the same is happening now but at present we're still way off being in the thick of a relegation battle. Won't be if we carry on the way we are for the rest of the season of course but I don't think people appreciate just how bad the situation was in early November. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCGB Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 Needs to have a serious moment of self reflection tonight or this is going to end badly. Not good enough for our club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacketspuds Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 I'm absolutely not saying that we should sack Gerrard. But I'd much rather have Brendan Rodgers as manager, who looks on borrowed time at Leicester. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 8 minutes ago, CVByrne said: We just have weak players, nobody could coach players like McGinn or Luiz to be anything other than average, have just enough good moments to paper over how shit they are Physically, tactically, and skill wise. At one point, I legit thought about this as I watched a couple of them get easily brushed off the ball or out the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 1 minute ago, CVByrne said: Our midfield has been a problem for 2 seasons and we have never never fixed it. I’m amazed after consecutive transfer windows nothing has been done about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 1 minute ago, jacketspuds said: I'm absolutely not saying that we should sack Gerrard. But I'd much rather have Brendan Rodgers as manager, who looks on borrowed time at Leicester. If you think our defence is a bit iffy now... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 I want to see the back of so many players. McGinn, Watkins, Luiz, Mings. I just don't want them playing for us anymore. Just get new blood in and move on players who will clearly never be good enough for the top 6. The sheer inconsistency and bang averageness of those 4 players sums us up as a club right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 4 minutes ago, Mantis said: The key being WAS. It was completely stale and rotten by the end. Once again, don't know why people are incapable of nuance here - that Smith did a very good job with us but also that it was right he went when he did. When deciding the right time to ditch a manager you also have to factor in who out there is better than what you have. Man Utd have **** this up a few times too, missing out on the likes of Poch and Conte by getting the timing all wrong. It seemed to be known that Gerrard was taking over before the start of Dean's last match which always worried me. It didn't make much sense to me to have Gerrard as your number 1 choice in all of football unless your CEO is a Liverpool fanboy. It looks like they must have held back resources from Dean in the summer too, looking at the fees and wages we have spent in January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wainy316 Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 £40m a piece for Cash, Luiz and Watkins I’d absolutely bite the offerers hands off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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