Frustration v realistic expectation

[mattitouk]

I wouldn't say "whinger" Barry, but you certainly don't sound to chipper. :smile:

 

[rigsby]

I like to have high expectations in life.
when we love something very much there are times when we seek even more structure, order and particularly rationale. For example , "we can't expect much, we haven't got the money." Tosh
of course the money is a key component, but alongside other incentives, relationships, the weather, training, personalities, fate and fortune, tactics, business planning, facilities, coaching, injuries, referees, timing the market, loanees, I could go on, so many things play a part in success and failure

its not all about the money. Shrewsbury, not a big budget, second in the league. Second best defence, only 14 meagre goals conceded, against our 34 . They have had some injuries too. They rely on 6 defenders , excluding goalie on Loan from Man Utd, average age 27. They even have 3 defenders in their early twenties out on loan to sides like Chesterfield in league 2. How many do we loan out for experience to league 2

2 of Shrewsburys stars at the back come from the National league. Wow two signings 100% success, (not the 100-1 unlikely to happen scenario Rationale there then? ) Guess what NONE of the others come from the premiership or Championship, they come from Bury, Mansfield, Rotherham and Hartlepool. Nil cost for 3 of them. So what does that say about their strategy, philosophy? Scouting and our costly and risky approach age wise, squad size wise , wages wise?

One last comparator , they strangely have 4 young, degree ridden back room boys named Physio, sports therapist, sports science intern and an Analyst. All geared to training, fitness
and recruitment
But no we can't do any of this because, the players aren't out there of course and nobody makes it from the lower leagues, and our favourite, we can do begged all as weve got no money comparedto others, so let's accept we must finish 14 th surely!

Are you now having a dig at our backroom boys ?.

Your other stuff we have heard before but just to let you know we do have people with degrees in sports science etc.

 

[Tampa Blue]

Ex PL Manager, EX PL Assistant Manager, Ex PL Scout, EX PL Players - mid table League 1 Team.

I think that the expectation was to challenge at the top of the League but sadly the reality is that they are EX PL for either reasons of ability, age or a combination of both.

Personally I think it is time for a change of philosophy from the man at the top.

 

[Zeuss]

Agree preseason there was a lot of hype and talk about a promotion push and expectations were huge,but the talk wasnt just from us supporters but also from RM and PB,it was their expectations also,along with the players they bought in and how ell we did last year those expectations were justified.That it hasnt and now im sure will not eventuate can be put down to several factors ,1. Injuries have played a big part. 2 players not performing to the best of their ability,due to either age,or dressing room bust up or no confidence in manager i dont know.3 Players just going through motions off their last payday before retirement.Reading the match threads seems only a few can put their hands upto having had a good season,Oxley,Lenny Elvis when given a run and Kryptonite before he was injured.

That’s a very reasonable summary,but add an important 4th reason:the manager has repeatedly been making inexplicable selections e.g. Timlin instead of Hendrie at LB.
Also,while Ox and Lenny have obviously been our 2 outstanding players,rather than 2 promising youngsters who have only played a handful of games,3rd place has to go to Demetriou who has been consistently very good all season.

 

[meerkat54]

To be honest when we made some so good signings back in the summer I did expect us to progress not go backwards. A massive disappointment for me was Kightly . PB has not disappointed as he has been true to form and can no longer take us forward this season. Some of his team selections and tactics have just left me stunned. Happy Christmas everyone !

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

We have a team just missing out on the play-offs one season and not losing any major components. (At the time Atkinson and Thomson were not considered major, however we have missed Atkinson hugely).

We added some quality in Kightly/Turner/Kiernan, and kept Leonard.

I dont think the expectatin of improving last season was unfounded, and I for one, expected at least a similar season, based on the squad, the teams coming up and coming down from the Championship.

Then we have had, Ranger in prison, Kiernan injured, Turner injured, Coker injured, penalties missed, Ferdinand having a not great start (possibly due to personal issues). Wordsworth (who is pivotal to our team), being injured and in and out.

All of that has derailed the squad and the results have suffered as a result, and we are struggling to get back on track. Its possible everything could click soon and we could threaten the play-offs this season, but personally I cant see it.

If we dont make the play-offs or at least the top 8 or 9 then this season will be an expensive failure, and I think PB will pay for that with his job (Fingers crossed) :winking:

 

[LBBlue]

The disappointment is that we have gone backwards fast. The only losses player wise from last year were Thompson, Atkinson and Coker through injury ( a big loss).

The signings we have made in 2017 have been a big disappointment:

Robinson - so bad he's been banished
Hendrie - had we seen him since he played for us on loan nowhere near what we hoped for
Turner - stop gap centre half who looks ok but not with Ferdinand
Kightly - dodgy hamstrings only started 12 games and a not had the impact we wanted
Kiernan - its very quiet on him - shouldn't he be back training?
Wright- Seems to have had one good season at Gillingham when he got 13 of his 19 career goals looks very average to me.

None of these have improved the side.

Oxley has been a revelation - thank god. There only 3 keepers who have made more saves than him yet we have still conceded 34 goals.

Lenny was our youngest (25) starter on Saturday and is expected to be on his way.

We haven't replaced Atkinson and Thompson. The right flank is still a great problem. However McLaughlin and Coker seemed to buttoned the left flank on Saturday.

I haven't got a clue where Kightly should play - on the right he stifles Demetriou.

I think midfield has been the biggest problem - how many times do we make chances like Bradford's first goal? A chance he couldn't miss. We build too slowly, don't get enough players into the box and shoot poorly from distance.

The biggest let down is the entertainment at home. We've played 14 league games ( plus 3 cup ties) since we last scored 3 in a game at home. Last year we did it 7 times in the league. In those 17 games we've only managed 2 goals five times. And we've played most of the poorer sides.

We need to make sure we don't slip further back, write this year off, continue to blood a few youngsters and build for next year -with a different attitude.

 

[BasildonShrew]

Didn't want to mention all their other league 1 and 2 players and 5 loanees, one doing very well in midfield, the other second highest goalscorer, so I won't mention this other difference in approach , recruitment and style, wouldn't want to be ticked off as a whinger

You also missed the other week 10 of the 14 Shrewsbury players who played had played non league football in the past.

 

[McNasty]

You also missed the other week 10 of the 14 Shrewsbury players who played had played non league football in the past.

That's nothing Martin. Most of ours will be playing non-league in the future.

Obviously not the OAPs still playing.

 

[BasildonShrew]

That's nothing Martin. Most of ours will be playing non-league in the future.

Obviously not the OAPs still playing.

Ken that did make me laugh

 

[Mick]

That's nothing Martin. Most of ours will be playing non-league in the future.

Obviously not the OAPs still playing.

there's always walking football ....... oh, wait a minute

 

[Barry.C]

I suppose a bit more frustration as that mega rich power house of a Northern Club, that is Scunthorpe ,our next opponents, are doing so well and relying on the use of 7 defenders with an average age of 23 ! They have all been brought in over the past 2 years. Charlie Goode came from the Ryman league ( Hendon- what? another non leager I hear you say ) but they must be a rich lot with a huge budget as they paid undisclosed fees for Clarke (Coventry ) , Wallace ( Hull ) and Burgess. Mc Cardle was a free from Bradford City and Townsend a free from Hull, but it has paid off given their terrific record this year and very good defence. They obviously chose not to pay high wages for the elderly citizens from higher echelons and invest in youth in the main

 

[McNasty]

there's always walking football ....... oh, wait a minute

Mick, I tried that --- nearly killed me. :smile:

 

[southendkid]

I suppose a bit more frustration as that mega rich power house of a Northern Club, that is Scunthorpe ,our next opponents, are doing so well and relying on the use of 7 defenders with an average age of 23 ! They have all been brought in over the past 2 years. Charlie Goode came from the Ryman league ( Hendon- what? another non leager I hear you say ) but they must be a rich lot with a huge budget as they paid undisclosed fees for Clarke (Coventry ) , Wallace ( Hull ) and Burgess. Mc Cardle was a free from Bradford City and Townsend a free from Hull, but it has paid off given their terrific record this year and very good defence. They obviously chose not to pay high wages for the elderly citizens from higher echelons and invest in youth in the main

I'm guessing you've mentioned Charlie Goode because he started for them last match, that was the first time he'd started a league game this season. Looking at their Echo equivalent it was because their first choice was suspended so he'll probably not be playing against us. Aside from that and a grand total of 15 minutes from the bench he's been limited to cup performances. He's not exactly Scunthorpe's star man.

Also undisclosed fees suggests they're paying more than the £0 we're paying for players. I'm not sure how accurate TransferMarkt is but they're claiming Scunthorpe spent £135k for Burgess.

 

[rigsby]

I suppose a bit more frustration as that mega rich power house of a Northern Club, that is Scunthorpe ,our next opponents, are doing so well and relying on the use of 7 defenders with an average age of 23 ! They have all been brought in over the past 2 years. Charlie Goode came from the Ryman league ( Hendon- what? another non leager I hear you say ) but they must be a rich lot with a huge budget as they paid undisclosed fees for Clarke (Coventry ) , Wallace ( Hull ) and Burgess. Mc Cardle was a free from Bradford City and Townsend a free from Hull, but it has paid off given their terrific record this year and very good defence. They obviously chose not to pay high wages for the elderly citizens from higher echelons and invest in youth in the main

Probably because Scunthorpe pay higher wages than us, in fact they pay higher wages than Bradford. You boys really should do some research before you post.

Any way you backed Bury (buy loads buy early) and Gillingham (buy a bargain from the Essex senior league) this season so you can't change to Shrewsbury and Scunthorpe in December.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Probably because Scunthorpe pay higher wages than us, in fact they pay higher wages than Bradford. You boys really should do some research before you post.

Any way you backed Bury (buy loads buy early) and Gillingham (buy a bargain from the Essex senior league) this season so you can't change to Shrewsbury and Scunthorpe in December.

Are these 'Facts' readily available to us mere mortals?

 

[Mad Cyril]

We are not in Orient's position so I can't say I am that bothered about our current situation.

 

[Uncle Leo]

In terms of being realistic or not, I see every season where we don't win the Champions League as a wasted one. Go big or go home.

 

[AndyT]

Are these 'Facts' readily available to us mere mortals?

I know a little bit about the McArdle transfer 'DWB', as mentioned in the OP of the Bradford City Pre-Match thread, but here's more on this from "The Width of a Post" :-

"Rory McArdle’s cult hero status aside – and there surely can be no doubt now that he joins the likes of Stuart McCall, Bobby Campbell, Wayne Jacobs, Peter Beagrie and co. on the pantheon of all-time Bradford City greats – more pressing is what this means for Bradford City’s transfer activity, in the immediate and longer term.

Scunthorpe offered better wages, but, crucially, a three year deal that, obviously, City weren’t prepared to match. If not always communicated, the club’s transfer strategy – although surprising in light of last season’s fifth-placed finish and McCall’s vocal and now clearly unfulfilled wishes to keep his squad together – is obvious, and best summarised in nine words plucked from this (translated) German interview with Edin Rahic and Stefan Rupp: “creating a young team that stay together for years”.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I know a little bit about the McArdle transfer 'DWB', as mentioned in the OP of the Bradford City Pre-Match thread, but here's more on this from "The Width of a Post" :-

"Rory McArdle’s cult hero status aside – and there surely can be no doubt now that he joins the likes of Stuart McCall, Bobby Campbell, Wayne Jacobs, Peter Beagrie and co. on the pantheon of all-time Bradford City greats – more pressing is what this means for Bradford City’s transfer activity, in the immediate and longer term.

Scunthorpe offered better wages, but, crucially, a three year deal that, obviously, City weren’t prepared to match. If not always communicated, the club’s transfer strategy – although surprising in light of last season’s fifth-placed finish and McCall’s vocal and now clearly unfulfilled wishes to keep his squad together – is obvious, and best summarised in nine words plucked from this (translated) German interview with Edin Rahic and Stefan Rupp: “creating a young team that stay together for years”.

No idea where Scunthorpe get their money from. They aren't exactly a big club