Relegation

[yellowbow]

Posting this here as not sure where else to do so, seems the most apt being as the discussion is largely about the management.

“Sometimes you have to take a step back and think about the bigger picture.

A point away from home is always good, but more importantly I think the players showed their belief in each other and what we are trying to build here.

Note the word ‘build’ because I think it is a key one to remember”

An excerpt from Peps column in today’s Mail..

I’m trying not to join in with the Pep bashing here, I can see the guy is working as hard as he can under difficult circumstances but I have to pick him up on this. I fail to see evidence of ‘building’ on what was already in place. To me it’s been more a case of completely dismantling the model and starting again. I’d really like to see a coherent strategy and formula for going forward but at the moment it’s really difficult. Hopefully as January passes the way forward will become a lot more clear

 

[Peterdev]

That might not look likely now. But where are the next points coming from? Certainly not expecting anything against MK Dons or anyone else anytime soon

 

[horseman]

just said similar elsewhere

 

[jambon46]

That might not look likely now. But where are the next points coming from? Certainly not expecting anything against MK Dons or anyone else anytime soon

Why not ? MK aint that f*****g good, have you been reading the Thame Gazette?

 

[Sarge]

Why not ? MK aint that f*****g good, have you been reading the Thame Gazette?

 

[Southampton Yellow]

WE won’t get relegated and people who think we will need to take a good look at themselves..... But Pep has destroyed 2 years of forward thinking in 5 months.... Needs to go ....

 

[Deleted member 142]

Pep has contributed to its destruction but he’s not the architect of it.

 

[Sarge]

Pep has contributed to its destruction but he’s not the architect of it.

agree with that .... it has been a team effort

 

[Yellows1]

agree with that .... it has been a team effort

Including the ownership, starts at the very top!!!!!!

 

[bigdel]

I have been a member of this forum old and new for many years. And l don’t normally comment,
But l feel we are at a crossroad ‘s if we the fans , chairman manager and players don’t start pulling together we are in big trouble.lf the negativity from this forum rubs of on the players we will be knackered.We the fans make this club great no matter what manager or owner we have . Sorry for my rant Happy new year COYYS

 

[Foley]

But that doesn't mean that we have to live in a state of permanent depression. We have been awful at times, but there are still teams worse than us, and I think we will have more than enough to be safe this season. Things have to change, but some of the kneejerking is a little premature in my view.

I totally agree with that. kneejerk reactions seem to be all of the rage in todays immediate communication culture.
The next two games are big games. Even one win will be good enough to keep us away from relegation form. We do need to start turning things around after a bad run.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

The Walsall away match is also crucial next week as well as today v MKD and
Saturday v Blackpool.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Incorrect to call everything you don't like a knee-jerk reaction although fashionable.

This thread, for instance is the result of 1 year observing the increasing distance between owner's interest
ns the club's, fumbling of an inpet manager and the transformation of playing staff from young thoroughbreds to aged journeymen.

 

[Browny]

The Walsall away match is also crucial next week as well as today v MKD and
Saturday v Blackpool.

Our next 2 games are against teams in equally poor form as us, MK with 2 wins in 13, Blackpool with the same record in the League (its worse if you include losing to Boreham Wood in the FA Cup). Walsall are in slightly better form but still 4 wins in 13

So a decent chance to pick up points against equally out of form teams

Lets hope Jan brings a few new faces as the injury list we have would cripple most clubs and not sure that is being taken into account when assessing the manager

Fingers crossed

 

[WokinghamYellow]

Our next 2 games are against teams in equally poor form as us, MK with 2 wins in 13, Blackpool with the same record in the League (its worse if you include losing to Boreham Wood in the FA Cup). Walsall are in slightly better form but still 4 wins in 13

So a decent chance to pick up points against equally out of form teams

Lets hope Jan brings a few new faces as the injury list we have would cripple most clubs and not sure that is being taken into account when assessing the manager

Fingers crossed

These two home games will really show wether we are a true mid table team (as we should win them) or heading for a relegation battle

 

[The Hawk]

Incorrect to call everything you don't like a knee-jerk reaction although fashionable.

This thread, for instance is the result of 1 year observing the increasing distance between owner's interest
ns the club's, fumbling of an inpet manager and the transformation of playing staff from young thoroughbreds to aged journeymen.

Agree that DE has lost interest. A great shame but it’s hard to criticise when he’s losing ££ hand over fist.

But. You can’t really criticise a manager who is working with a chairman who has lost interest and is not investing in the squad.

If a manager is backed and is then not producing, carry on.

Given the lack of transfer funds and injuries, Pep is doing okay. This job is an absolute stinker at the minute. I can’t imagine anyone doing any better.

That’s why we come up against good teams we are exposed. Tanks v pop guns

 

[Paul Cannell]

Depends who's responsible for the signings, IMO.

 

[The Hawk]

Depends who's responsible for the signings, IMO.

It’s the manager. But we are shopping in Lidl. The quality is poor

Under Appleton we were shopping in Waitrose. Better quality

But given where we are shopping and where we are in the league today Pep has ya about where he should be expected to have us

 

[Gary Baldi]

DEs attention has definitely been elsewhere for the past 6 months with the various takeover rigmaroles. It's fair to say, a lot of fan energy has been expended on those rigmaroles. What we need now is for some communal breaths to be taken, some calm and for us focus on the league again without resorting to the we're down nonsense.

 

[Foley]

DEs attention has definitely been elsewhere for the past 6 months with the various takeover rigmaroles. It's fair to say, a lot of fan energy has been expended on those rigmaroles. What we need now is for some communal breaths to be taken, some calm and for us focus on the league again without resorting to the we're down nonsense.

Totally agree. This is a game of opinions and we can't agree all of the time. But relegation- seriously?
It could still happen, but with the players that we have we have 35 points from 26 games. We have a decent record against the lower teams generally (in the last 9 league games, we have only lost to Wigan, Blackburn and Bradford).
We have in that time beaten Plymouth, Doncaster and MK (drawn away to Southern/ Rochdale and Gillingham).
So to me suggesting relegation was a kneejerk reaction.
To put into perspective we now need what 15 points from 20 games (so we could win 5 and lose 15 and probably not go down).
I don't disagree at all with the lack of direction at the club. But IF we were to beat Blackpool and sign 2-3 quality players (plus getting Gino/ Mehmeti/ Raglan and Pekalski fit) things may just start looking a little better again?