Steven Gerrard

[Rightdm00]

He's not a rookie manager but you can tell he is new to the game. Arteta went through these same growing pains and Arsenal stuck with. Unless we are going to bin him in the summer we have to give him time. Took him 3 years to get Rangers firing so not sure why we would expect anything quicker in a far tougher league. 

[El-Reacho]

Seems to be throwing the players under the bus in his interview. Don’t understand why he keeps picking them then. It’s not like we don’t have options.

[hippo]

1 minute ago, Rightdm00 said:

He's not a rookie manager but you can tell he is new to the game. Arteta went through these same growing pains and Arsenal stuck with. Unless we are going to bin him in the summer we have to give him time. Took him 3 years to get Rangers firing so not sure why we would expect anything quicker in a far tougher league. 

That last sentence says it all tbh.

Begs the question 'why'

[Tom13]

3 minutes ago, El-Reacho said:

Seems to be throwing the players under the bus in his interview. Don’t understand why he keeps picking them then. It’s not like we don’t have options.

He has too big an ego to blame himself.

[hippo]

1 minute ago, Tom13 said:

He has too big an ego to blame himself.

Look on the bright side...at least he didn't do the sulky thing in the chair. !

[gwi1890]

3 minutes ago, hippo said:

Look on the bright side...at least he didn't do the sulky thing in the chair. !

 

3 minutes ago, hippo said:

Look on the bright side...at least he didn't do the sulky thing in the chair. !

Your Making him out like Tim Sherwood 

[tomav84]

next season with a full transfer window behind him he won't have any excuses. for whatever reason, hes decided sanson isn't for him. and that's his call. clearly he's playing the current midfield 3 because he feels that it's literally his only option. we see that ramsey needs taking out of the side for a game or 2, he surely must do too but just feels he has no other option

it wasn't long ago where arsenal fans were calling for arteta's head...gotta give him time.

last 2 games have been utterly pathetic though. west ham and arsenal are good teams, but they've just taken 6 VERY easy points off us. i can take losing if we've made teams work for it.

[VillanousOne]

If there is not very much to play for I want to see Steve make some bold changes to tactics and formation that lead us to rotate the squad and attack with pace and width, not just endlessly beat the same tired looking horse over and over and over with the same players and tactics. 

Dean probably lost his job in part due to a poor preseason and unavailability of players (as well as many other reasons i'm sure) but Steve has an almost fully fit squad to choose from and try and attack teams with, Bailey and Traore, Sanson are talents many other teams don't have the luxury of. Even the injury to Digne screams that letting Targett go without a recognised left back to back him up looks a terrible decision.

If we play the same meek tedious way against Spurs there will be a back lash.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Seems properly pissed off in that interview 

Anyway, I think one thing we need to realise is that, we will never 100 percent agree with ANY manager, whether it be in systems, approach, attitude, substitutions etc.

It's even more difficult when they are " learning on the job " in a sense.

The one thing which will universally turn people, is if the Manager is too stubborn, doesn't show flexibility and seems arrogant.

I don't think we are anywhere near that point with SG yet . I don't think he is that type either.

I do have a minor gripe with him with regards to Sanson, some subs, and systems though.

Unfortunately, no manager will ever get it all right, or be liked by everyone.

I reckon they at least deserve support up until reasonable points though.

We've got work to do.

In my opinion, or until we at least get better players for certain positions, we need to work on the 4 - 3 - 1 - 2 we has served us reasonably well.

Edited March 19, 2022 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[Wainy316]

Really pissed off he used the narrow West Ham defeat as an excuse to switch back to his beloved 4-3-2-1 which hasn’t worked since Nakamba got injured.

[A'Villan]

23 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Seems properly pissed off in that interview 

Anyway, I think one thing we need to realise is that, we will never 100 percent agree with ANY manager, whether it be in systems, approach, attitude, substitutions etc.

It's even more difficult when they are " learning on the job " in a sense.

The one thing which will universally turn people, is if the Manager is too stubborn, doesn't show flexibility and seems arrogant.

I don't think we are anywhere near that point with SG yet . I don't think he is that type either.

I do have a minor gripe with him with regards to Sanson, some subs, and systems though.

Unfortunately, no manager will ever get it all right, or be liked by everyone.

I reckon they at least deserve support up until reasonable points though.

We've got work to do.

In my opinion, or until we at least get better players for certain positions, we need to work on the 4 - 3 - 1 - 2 we has served us reasonably well.

Sorry just to nitpick, I never took issue with Smith throughout his reign, and it took me until November, the month following his appointment in October, to be of the mind he was a very astute and capable man. From him proving my thoughts founded, for the reasons I'd identified, I was very keen and eager to see where we went under him.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the hierarchy canned him based on being able to bring in someone they deemed to have a higher ceiling than DS, because the five consecutive losses we had were all against top half teams and 4 of which are challenging European placing.

I'm not sure and my opinion isn't too strong as I lack the real insight on the ins and outs and goings on at our club, but recruitment aside, I think DS could very well be a better tactician and coach than SG. Success comes in many ways, shapes and forms. 

[Zatman]

1 hour ago, Rightdm00 said:

He's not a rookie manager but you can tell he is new to the game. Arteta went through these same growing pains and Arsenal stuck with. Unless we are going to bin him in the summer we have to give him time. Took him 3 years to get Rangers firing so not sure why we would expect anything quicker in a far tougher league. 

He has managed nearly 100 more games than Arteta

[nick76]

Extremely bad day at the office for this guy!

[lexicon]

Two scenarios:

1) Stick with Gerrard. The summer sees the departure of several players that he doesn't want or don't fit into his plans - Buendia, Bailey, Traore and Sanson could all easily depart. Then give him the keys to the rebuild, which would likely see him build a team around players like McGinn, who will never seemingly lose his place.

2) Stick with those players and get a manager in who we believe can get a tune out of them, smaller number of changes in the team with the core remaining largely unchanged. Less chance of signing Coutinho.

To be honest, right now, I'd choose option 2 without a second thought because I rate the players we have and don't trust him to be able to get it right. It's too much of a risk for me. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

10 minutes ago, Zatman said:

He has managed nearly 100 more games than Arteta

This is an ironic post.

The likes of you and Hippo are always quick to point out that he is inexperienced and a rookie, and that his experience in Scotland doesn't count.

However now it suits, he's a seasoned manager. lol

To be fair, let's look at how many seasons and investment Arteta has had, plus Artetas early results vs SG.

Also, look at what the two had to work with comparatively, in their nucleus stages.

[nick76]

Just now, lexicon said:

Two scenarios:

1) Stick with Gerrard. The summer sees the departure of several players that he doesn't want or don't fit into his plans - Buendia, Bailey, Traore and Sanson could all easily depart. Then give him the keys to the rebuild, which would likely see him build a team around players like McGinn, who will never seemingly lose his place.

2) Stick with those players and get a manager in who we believe can get a tune out of them, smaller number of changes in the team with the core remaining largely unchanged. Less chance of signing Coutinho.

To be honest, right now, I'd choose option 2 without a second thought because I rate the players we have and don't trust him to be able to get it right. It's too much of a risk for me. 

I’m sticking with 1).  I thought in the summer we were a midtable team, I don’t think we have a strong squad, I don’t think some of the players are good enough.  Gerrard was poor today but we have players that aren’t good enough for a European place challenge.

[Davkaus]

I'm glad he's pissed off in the interview.

Sounds better than the tired and disinterested slumping in the dugout. Again.

Seems to have no fight in him at all when things aren't going our way.

[AV82]

1 hour ago, El-Reacho said:

Seems to be throwing the players under the bus in his interview. Don’t understand why he keeps picking them then. It’s not like we don’t have options.

..and it comes to this. Instead of rotating, trying different combinations and keeping players fresh he runs them ragged and then destroys their confidence before, we hope, conceding that other players deserve a chance. Ridiculous man management.

[lexicon]

2 minutes ago, nick76 said:

I’m sticking with 1).  I thought in the summer we were a midtable team, I don’t think we have a strong squad, I don’t think some of the players are good enough.  Gerrard was poor today but we have players that aren’t good enough for a European place challenge.

 

We were a midtable team last season and made quite a few upgrades. I don't see it as standing still. 

[M_Afro]

He often mentions the fact that we lack aggression in our team. I expect us to be looking to address that in the summer. We also lack any kind of ability to be horrible. Arsenal were so much smarter than us today. Breaking up play, wasting time, breaking any momentum. We have lots to learn.