- Joined
- 5 Dec 2017
- Messages
- 8,692
He should treat himself to a third naan as wellDes will be downing a few bottles of Cobra tonight.
And maybe the extra cash from the playoffs means he’ll be able to buy some plants to brighten up the office
It all works great so long as the front five maintain the required energy levels. We played really well for first half. Second half we could not maintain the work rate and Exeter made life difficult until we regrouped and they tired late in the game.Well done Des. He’s put his stamp on things since Bolton and I think the Des haters are going to have to give it a rest till September. I actually think we’d have been fifth under Manning, though things would probably have been more controlled, so Des has done all that’s expected of him so far.
Can’t disagree with that, I’m un-Des-ided rather than a full Des lover but he’s done really well to finish fifth ahead of Barnsley Lincoln and BlackpoolTarget achieved. Well done Des. Regrouped well after a disappointing week which could easily have derailed us for today.
Job far from done but we can at least look back at finishing 5th with some pride as a minimum and a foundation for next season. Wembley would be fantastic and promotion frankly unthinkable from where we were just weeks ago, but who knows. We’re in the hat.
Don’t think there will be many left calling for his head even if we don’t go up. It’s absolutely right that he should oversee the summer and a good crack at next season.
He’s grown on me. So has the football. I’d be lying to say I’m head over heels but can’t argue with the league finish and there seems to be some positive momentum about it all now that wasn’t there for a long time. I can fully get behind that.
Game on.
A fair point- we had the toughest game on paper ( Lincoln of course had a tough game but Pompey seen to have been on the beer for the last week!)Well done Des Buckingham! The one manager of the four ‘in contention’ clubs to hold his nerve and execute his game plan. I was a bit worried at the beginning of the second half that we were perhaps going back to that ultra deep defensive line of old but he got us a bit further up and although Exeter had a lot of the ball it was in relatively safe areas for us. A massive box ticked today for him, good substitutions at good times too.
If I ever found myself in a Wetherspoons, and they didn't serve fresh Allsopp's Arctic Ale, I would be out of there before you could say moistWetherspoons, where cheap beer and lager is nearly always close to being out of date, hence the cheap price! and taste!
If u want a cheap pint of anything then go to Wetherspoons, if u want a decent pint of anything that tastes as it should, but that’s much more expensive, then go elsewhere!
Absolutely. It can’t be discredited just because we all did musical chairs on game 46 - this game was worth as much as all the others. I have always said a table doesn’t lie and I therefore have no ifs or buts about the result of the league season.Can’t disagree with that, I’m un-Des-ided rather than a full Des lover but he’s done really well to finish fifth ahead of Barnsley Lincoln and Blackpool
We’ve got to sort out the midfield first of all but I agree set pieces are feeble. Barnsley, Blackpool , Peterborough fans will all be picking holes in their teams as well, don’t forgetAbsolutely. It can’t be discredited just because we all did musical chairs on game 46 - this game was worth as much as all the others. I have always said a table doesn’t lie and I therefore have no ifs or buts about the result of the league season.
That’s not to say you can’t pick holes in things. For example, our set pieces are that bad you wonder just how far we could go in the play offs if we suddenly found a way to be even vaguely threatening consistently. They need looking at now both attack and defence as it could be the difference - we aren’t going to tear Peterborough a new one again, it’ll be tighter and cagier. And then of course there’s a potential final where a moment is all it needs. I just pray this isn’t a Des blind spot, being a generally small side is not an excuse.
But there’s a lot to be thankful for - pressing, fast aggressive style of football. Once we get a few more players that fit the profiles of Desball you can see it having legs and that’s enough encouragement for me for now.
Oh yes, but in terms of what we can action before we kick a ball in the play offs I think this is potentially the largest area for gain. We have players that will win you free kicks all game long…We’ve got to sort out the midfield first of all but I agree set pieces are feeble. Barnsley, Blackpool , Peterborough fans will all be picking holes in their teams as well, don’t forget
What in particular would you say about midfield @werthersoriginal ? We are overly dependent on Brannagan in that defensive midfield role and could really do with him being further forward. But he does well there and we have the option - as today - of bringing Josh McEachran on and pushing Cam further forward. RR is still capable of a brilliant pass and we have pace on the wings. Is it a strength in depth thing or am I being too positive?We’ve got to sort out the midfield first of all but I agree set pieces are feeble. Barnsley, Blackpool , Peterborough fans will all be picking holes in their teams as well, don’t forget
Dunno, I’m not a football expert like the super brains on here. But it seems to me that for the last two seasons we’ve been too easy to overrun in midfield and tend to lose a lot of 50-50s - even today at times. We need someone tougher and bigger, without going down the Lincoln route.What in particular would you say about midfield @werthersoriginal ? We are overly dependent on Brannagan in that defensive midfield role and could really do with him being further forward. But he does well there and we have the option - as today - of bringing Josh McEachran on and pushing Cam further forward. RR is still capable of a brilliant pass and we have pace on the wings. Is it a strength in depth thing or am I being too positive?
Don’t worry Werthers, I’m no Pep or Klopp. Sometimes I’ve thought we’ve needed some older and calmer heads in midfield. Tyler is a young lad (although mature beyond his years) and Ruben can lose his temper. I would like to see a calmer stronger mentality in our midfield. I’m not complaining that much though. Especially after today.Dunno, I’m not a football expert like the super brains on here. But it seems to me that for the last two seasons we’ve been too easy to overrun in midfield and tend to lose a lot of 50-50s - even today at times. We need someone tougher and bigger, without going down the Lincoln route.