Allardyce: Stick or twist?

[Fishdo]

Was he attacking them?

Don't be daft mate!!! He ain't appointed the attacking coach yet... !!!

[hammerdivone]

I saw Allardyce this week, shovelling two sausages rolls into his gob at the same time.

The man will never change

What a pathetic post

[JohnSissonsWasMyHero]

The deal includes a top 10 finish and sexier football. I think we would all be happy with that.

To get a top 10 finish we need to get around 50 points if the last 10 years of final tables are anything to go by. 10th place only got more than 50 points on 2 occasions (and they were 51 and 52). So the questions are, is 10 more points realistic and can we do it?

I think that if we play the way we played for most of this season, it isn't realistic at all but with a few changes to style, and some better attacking, 10 more points (only 3 wins and a draw) could be got easily. For me, as for a lot of others apparently, this means changing the Nolan - Carroll axis. Apart from the fact that it's been sussed by the rest of the league, we don't actually seem to do it very well anyway, possibly because Nolan's legs have gone. As long as we don't get Kevin Davies as 'attacking coach', and get someone to play alongside Carroll, rather than a long way behind him, it can be done.

I've never been that fond of Allardyce but what's done is done and, anyway, it's the club that's important, not individual managers (or Board members for that matter).

COYI

[szola]

Presuming this thread ends up in the Hall of Fame, its time to assess the numbers!

Biggest thread (so far)

Summer 2012 transfer thread - started by M*A*R*C, take a bow, son!

1222 - pages
24423 - replies

it doesn't have most views though, that goes to aaronwhufc's transfer thread the year prior
it had 1745262 views before it was locked. Onepointsevenmillion views!!!

The stick and twist has so far

1101 -pages
22002 - replies
but only a mere 484942 views....even the kits thread has more people looking.

Can we make this thread the biggest yet?

[Hammer1972]

http://www.whufc.com/articles/20140522/ ... 84_3849254" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sam's plans..

[Hayden]

He's SAYING all the right things in the new article on the OS... It left me feeling optimistic for next season! Let's hope we can push on. COYI

[Hammer1972]

Agreed. I am so exhausted by all the negativity I am going to take his and the board's statements at their word and look forward to a better season, even if people think that makes me a mug.

[clawhammer]

The deal includes a top 10 finish and sexier football. I think we would all be happy with that.

To get a top 10 finish we need to get around 50 points if the last 10 years of final tables are anything to go by. 10th place only got more than 50 points on 2 occasions (and they were 51 and 52). So the questions are, is 10 more points realistic and can we do it?

I think that if we play the way we played for most of this season, it isn't realistic at all but with a few changes to style, and some better attacking, 10 more points (only 3 wins and a draw) could be got easily. For me, as for a lot of others apparently, this means changing the Nolan - Carroll axis. Apart from the fact that it's been sussed by the rest of the league, we don't actually seem to do it very well anyway, possibly because Nolan's legs have gone. As long as we don't get Kevin Davies as 'attacking coach', and get someone to play alongside Carroll, rather than a long way behind him, it can be done.

I've never been that fond of Allardyce but what's done is done and, anyway, it's the club that's important, not individual managers (or Board members for that matter).

COYI

The lack of a front line striker until Christmas and the horrendous injury list could easily have cost us 10 points IMHO.

[bubbles1966]

I think a lot of people felt that way until they saw the fully fit, first choice first team lose 8 out of the last 11.

The end of season collapse had been pivotal in turning 50:50 in January to 25:75 against by May.

[Aztec Hammer]

I think a lot of people felt that way until they saw the fully fit, first choice first team lose 8 out of the last 11.

The end of season collapse had been pivotal in turning 50:50 in January to 25:75 against by May.

I agree. Reality is beginning to set in that our centre forward isn't a goalscorer. Anyway the manager is here to stay so hopefully the right changes are made, he has us playing like we did in the last game against Spurs a bit more and Carroll starts scoring goals.

[woodford]

I think a lot of people felt that way until they saw the fully fit, first choice first team lose 8 out of the last 11.

The end of season collapse had been pivotal in turning 50:50 in January to 25:75 against by May.

spot on

I was pro - Allardyce up to that point, maybe clouded judgement based on how completely lost we seemed

[Crouchend_Hammer]

What we are striving for is the players playing well, as they did in the final home game of the season against Tottenham - a club who had spent many more millions of pounds than us - but not for one game, but consistently.

Clutching at straws a bit with this. We beat a 10-man team with not much to play for, whose manager was on the way out, with an own goal and a lucky free-kick!
Yes it was a decent performance but hardly Roy of the Rovers, and did not make up for the rest of the crap that had gone in the last before in the last couple of months

[last.caress]

There is no spoon.

[Fishdo]

Well it all sounds positive...

Yes we could pick through it and point out carefully chosen words and phrases. But I have promised myself I won't ... I will accept it at face value...

There has to be a point where we look forward at get positive about next season and what it will bring...


COYI

[QuintonNimoy]

There is no spoon.

The Casio digital only enhances the effect.

[uptonparkhurst]

Yes it was a decent performance but hardly Roy of the Rovers, and did not make up for the rest of the crap that had gone in the last before in the last couple of months

What's Roy Race up to these days?
Maybe he could be our new attacking coach?

[Sloop John B]

Clutching at straws a bit with this. We beat a 10-man team with not much to play for, whose manager was on the way out, with an own goal and a lucky free-kick!
Yes it was a decent performance but hardly Roy of the Rovers, and did not make up for the rest of the crap that had gone in the last before in the last couple of months

I think you're clutching at straws here... He's saying we played well in that game but need to play like that over the entire season... what's not to agree with there!!

Also... They were down to 10 men coz we ran them ragged and they simply couldn't handle it. Downing has stated he fired the ball into the wall intentionally as he'd seen the wall collapse on the previous free kick... or maybe he was lying.....

[MarylandHammer]

A couple of comments:

The appointment of an "attacking coach" is similar to American football. They have offensive and defensive coaches along with quarterback coaches and specific positional coaches.
However, how is that going to work with Sam? "OK Sam let's do A", "but I'm coach we are doing B".....I just am not sure he will be all accepting of this person or ideas. What if he is and they don't work?..."see I told you we should've hoofed it to AC"

Secondly, in his statement he says he will try to play attacking football. That's a get out of jail free type of disclaimer. When we don't play attacking footballt he will say well I only committed to trying.

I didn't want Sam let go but I think the statement by the board has undermined him somewhat. Was it deserved, maybe but as a person I am sure BFS felt it was a kick in the cobblers.
Back him or don't.....no wishy washy statements please.

The announcement has been made...stick it is...but now who will be this attacking maestro?

[Chicken Run Supreme]

From official site:

"What we are striving for is the players playing well, as they did in the final home game versus Tottenham - a club who had spent millions more than us - not for one game, but consistently"

We did. We played them 3 times and consistently beat them!!

Joking apart, I like the fact that Sam uses "we" and "us" throughout the statement. We are all in this together and irrespective of whatever people think of Sam, he aint going anywhere in a hurry and it's about time we put our differences to one side and just got on with supporting our team.

[riksdodgydeals]

bet big sam isnt happy, probably got told your having a new coach or you're out

i think this is the ideal solution as we saw against spurs the players we have can play, gotta make sure we do enough for survival in the league so its a tough balance to strike really

he does need probably 15m to spend it cant all be done on the cheap

maybe Ravel playing in place of Nolan will give us the extra 10 points cos Carrol knocking down to someone with some skill could make all the difference as long as he does Nolans tracking back we'll be on a winner