Mcleish - 'I Accepted the challenge'

[Compass]

There's been loads of times where Collins has had plenty of space to pass the ball towards a midfield player, but instead just hoofs it resulting the ball to be lost 9 times out of 10. I wouldn't mind if it was the odd couple, but it happens so many time it's becoming sickening to watch. Giving the ball cheaply so many times is a horrible tactic. We was even doing it against Bolton reserves and that's unforgivable. If we carry on this like then every team will have more shots than us by miles. I dread to think when we give the big boys so many chances.

By now, it should have stopped if we was meant to be improving, but it seems it's never gonna stop because McLeish is very clueless and in time Chris you too will be frustrated when we see ourselves sitting at the bottom half of the table being outplayed by every team in the Premier League. There's a reason why he has 2 Premier League relegations. He isn't cut out for this level and I still can't believe the board hired him. It's gonna get very nasty around winter.

[john e]

There's been loads of times where Collins has had plenty of space to pass the ball towards a midfield player, but instead just hoofs it resulting the ball to be lost 9 times out of 10. I wouldn't mind if it was the odd couple, but it happens so many time it's becoming sickening to watch. Giving the ball cheaply so many times is a horrible tactic. We was even doing it against Bolton reserves and that's unforgivable. If we carry on this like then every team will have more shots than us by miles. I dread to think when we give the big boys so many chances.

By now, it should have stopped if we was meant to be improving, but it seems it's never gonna stop because McLeish is very clueless and in time Chris you too will be frustrated when we see ourselves sitting at the bottom half of the table being outplayed by every team in the Premier League. There's a reason why he has 2 Premier League relegations. He isn't cut out for this level and I still can't believe the board hired him. It's gonna get very nasty around winter.

if we win tomorow we go 5th in the league, it is no where near as bad as your making it

[ and i actually agree with a lot of what your saying re playing style]

[Chris Smith]

There are times in games when you are forced to play it long by pressure from the opposition, it's not a tactic. The other night was a perfect example, they pressed us and many times it went back from the midfield to the back 4 or the keeper and there was no option but to smash it upfield. It was a deliberate ploy as they knew they'd win 90% of balls in the air. When there's a ball on we'd pass it.

[olaftab]

This job is a huge stretch for McLeish. However it is astonishing that we (the Board) have lowered the expectation to such a degree that they think a Coach who has clearly failed in the Premier League is good enough for us. It is almost as depressing as DOL days.

[pauliewalnuts]

McLeish isn't a long ball manager. He has in the past been one who believes in not losing above everything else, with little attention paid towards attacking and actually winning.

Bolton was disappointing, but some of the reaction was over the top. Likewise, we still haven't lost a game in the league, so it is hardly desperate times.

I appreciate that he is currently getting to grips with the squad and settling in, and it will take time.

Whilst we've been about as entertaining to watch so far this season as Small Heath last season, there are enough mitigating factors given the fact he's not been here long to give him the benefit of the doubt.

The point at which I would turn against him would be the point at which it looks like he actually *wants* us to play that way.

Incidentally, whilst I think it is harsh and narrow minded of people to slaughter the manager five league games in, I think it equally narrow minded to reach for the "you're only saying that because of who he used to manage" script when people do moan about what they've seen so far.

[PeterWithesShin]

Agree with pretty much all of that Paulie, especially the last paragraph.

[Villanation]

There's been loads of times where Collins has had plenty of space to pass the ball towards a midfield player, but instead just hoofs it resulting the ball to be lost 9 times out of 10. I wouldn't mind if it was the odd couple, but it happens so many time it's becoming sickening to watch. Giving the ball cheaply so many times is a horrible tactic. We was even doing it against Bolton reserves and that's unforgivable. If we carry on this like then every team will have more shots than us by miles. I dread to think when we give the big boys so many chances.

By now, it should have stopped if we was meant to be improving, but it seems it's never gonna stop because McLeish is very clueless and in time Chris you too will be frustrated when we see ourselves sitting at the bottom half of the table being outplayed by every team in the Premier League. There's a reason why he has 2 Premier League relegations. He isn't cut out for this level and I still can't believe the board hired him. It's gonna get very nasty around winter.

if we win tomorow we go 5th in the league, it is no where near as bad as your making it

[ and i actually agree with a lot of what your saying re playing style]

To avoid the opportunistic snipping comment regarding McLiesh made earlier in the thread, think of it this way, we've won 1 in 5...Ok, we lose tomorrow and that's 1 in 6 against most of which has to be considered the Premierships easy options, the hard games will soon come and we have exited form the only competition we had any hope of.

You can't look at our present position but you can look at our form, we lose tomorrow that's 1 win in 6 that's the kind of form that gets a team relegated.

B'ham City where a difficult team to beat last season, as said by Alex Ferguson......They got plenty of great draws, and where are they now.

[PeterWithesShin]

In Europe? *winky*

[Dave Cooper please]

17th would seem accomplishment in his eyes no doubt and probably the board's as well because it's another season where they can get their greedy hands on the Premier League money.

Marvellous!
Randy the asset stripper. He's put no money whatsoever into our club has he? He's only in it for the Sky cash.
 *Rolly eye and utter cockend emoticons*

[andym]

There's been loads of times where Collins has had plenty of space to pass the ball towards a midfield player, but instead just hoofs it resulting the ball to be lost 9 times out of 10.

most of these times yes collins is in lots of space, but no one else is in space to receive the pass because they haven't bothered to move. our movement on and off the ball is terrible- many of our players move towards the defenders marking them!. i have watched all the games this season, i went to bolton and i think we do try and pass it on the floor. mcleish was regularly out on the touch line screaming at them to move, to keep it on the deck. i dont agree with people going mcleish's tactics are just to hoof it, because from what i have seen they are not.

our problem is that however much mcleish wants us to pass and move, you need to work on it in training a lot for it to be effective in a game. you need all the players to be practice at passing technique, at movement.  we had houllier who yes tried to implement it last year but went way over the top and pissed everyone off, and before that we had 4 years under MON where training was basically come in for a few hours and play a bit of 5 a side, and the tactics were to get the ball asap to ashley young. as a result a lot of the other players stagnated in terms of ability on the ball. they never had to take much responsibility to hold on to the ball, to pass and move. all they had to do was run around, throw their body in the way when defending and smash it out wide to the skill players when they had it. great when you have these skill players and they are on form, but its a total short term approach and one that ultimately limits you - hence why we could never break the top 4 despite many things going our way. as we saw too often when we came up against a decent side and ash was marked out the game, the other guys hadnt got a clue.

and now the skill players are gone we are seeing it again. other players are now having to take responsibility, but they seem so off the pace and out of practice in terms of keeping possession its untrue.  at bolton i dont think we managed to keep it for more than 15 seconds. so many passes were overhit, underhit or miles wide of the intended target. in the rare event they were to a player, the ball was bobbling and difficult for the receiver to control.  i look at our squad on paper, compare it to other teams and it still looks decent, better in a lot of cases. yet then i watch these other teams and see that they are able to keep the ball, to pass and move so much better than us. i saw the names in boltons midfield on tuesday, and thought they shouldnt really be better than ours- eagles, muamba, pratley and holden (who had just come back from 6 months out). yet they were far ahead of us in terms of keeping the ball, movement off the ball and of controlling the midfield. 

i think we have some good players at the club still, and that with those guys we should be playing much better football than we are. i think a huge amount of our problems can be solved on the training pitch with work on technique, passing and movement. problem is im not sure mcleish is the guy to implement that work correctly. and given the supposed attitude of some of our players last season, im not convinced all the playing staff have the desire to put in the extra work necessary.

[Chris Smith]

Incidentally, whilst I think it is harsh and narrow minded of people to slaughter the manager five league games in, I think it equally narrow minded to reach for the "you're only saying that because of who he used to manage" script when people do moan about what they've seen so far.

I agree with much, not all but much, of your post, Paulie, but strongly disagree with this bit. I have absolutely no doubt that there would be far more patience shown if it wasn't for who he was formerly employed by. I'm not saying it's the only reason and I'm not saying it is true of everyone but the Small Heath factor does make a difference.

[dave.woodhall]

Is there a name for the internet law that says the more idiotic the statement, the more convinced the poster is that 'everybody' thinks the same?

[PeterWithesShin]

I don't give a flying fuck where he came from. Although I suppose it would add to the piss taking pot if we took their most successful manager in living memory and he led us to some success.

All I care about is what he does for us, and so far he's just about done ok, which given our fixture list to date isn't overly inspiring. So put me firmly in the "sitting on the fence" section of our support. I assume it's where most of our support currently is regarding him.

[Dave Clark Five]

Did William Shakespeare talk about people who 'doth protest too much'?

[Villanation]

In Europe? *winky*

  Can' t argue with that..