Mid season summary

[Lionsteele]

Just looking at opinions of everyone online from yesterdays game.

I must be watching different games to everyone else. I think the team (barring the QPR game) has improved quite a lot. I see a few comments saying crap progress, I can only assume these people do not watch nor go to the games.

Anyone who was expecting Edwards to come in, change the football & get results straight away without adding players must be smoking something strong. That’s not to mention the injuries we have had.

The 11 that finished that match along with a fit Leonard in for Harding, is for me, a strong team.

I thought barring the last 20 minutes of the first half we dominated. The ref killed the game with all the time wasting & lack of blatant decisions going against us.

Yes we didn’t create clear cut chance after chance but that’s to be expected going through a transition.

In my opinion if we carry on improving we will give someone a good hiding soon or later.

I do also expect it to be tight down the bottom come the end of the season just naturally with our run of games coming, but we should have enough to get through it.

I would expect 1 or 2 more signings before the end of the window to help!

In hindsight, would I choose another manager that was available at the time over Edwards ie Mowbray, Beale, Eustace, Jones etc? No I wouldn’t, I personally think we chose the best one out of the lot.
Time will tell if I’m right or wrong.

 

[cold blow]

We are unrecognisable to a few months ago and improving every game, the transition will take a while until the players settle with the new system, we can all see the progress and JE must also be learning that the Championship is harder than he thought.

 

[Stowwall]

Could do better.






And will.
COYL

 

[Lionsteele]

Could do better.

Water is wet

 

[PurleyLion]

Style of play has improved significantly under JE.

Unfortunately we’ve suffered from injuries and Saville’s suspension.

My concern is JE persisting with a single striker upfront. Makes defending too easy for opponents. Saturday’s goal came when, to the best of my knowledge, we had 3 players attacking the six yard line and another on the edge of the box, but we don’t do it often enough eg when BNC reached the byline in the 2nd half I think we only had Nisbet (who received stick for being in the wrong place ) in the box .

When everyone is fit and if JE gets it right in the opponents last third, I think the future could be bright

Three difficult games coming up, fingers crossed for at least 3 points

 

[silverlion]

We nearly all agreed that under GR things had gone stale. Many of us said on here that we were hard to watch. The football was bland and un exciting and change was needed. With Joe that is exactly what we have got. In any business when you implement change then it takes time. Rome was never built in a day. In my mind there has been significant change since Joe arrived. All my mates in block 29 would constantly bemoan the fact that under GR teams would have much more of the ball at the start, push us back, play around us and through us and we simply had no answer. We would have 4 at the back….sometimes 5… a bank of 4 in the middle and when we got the ball we would launch it upfield to Bradshaw who would bust himself into bits but would always be surrounded by 2 giant CB’s. Set pieces would be our big weapon and we would snatch a goal from a corner or more likely a free kick and then soak up all the pressure for the rest of the game and win 1-0. I can’t remember all the statistics under GR but I think of the wins we achieved 23 of them were with a 1-0 score line.
Under Joe we move the ball well and between the lines, have different approaches to create and score chances and we do to teams what they used to do to us by keeping the ball and using it better. He has attracted better players on loan, the squad have bought into his ideas and the improvement is slow and steady and beginning to bear fruit. Keep the faith.

 

[Gaeilge Millwall]

Lena Martell ................

 

[bazzwall]

What surprises is Joe and co have changed the style using the same players. Just goes to show Rowett was a spent force.

 

[Saxon Lion]

Lena Martell ................

One day at a time, eh. Bloody hell Gaeilge, you must be as old as me.

 

[Life with the Lions]

What surprises is Joe and co have changed the style using the same players. Just goes to show Rowett was a spent force.

I think it showed just how much Rowett didn’t trust his players to play and perform.

Many of which were his own signings.

 

[OKR]

We have improved a lot and it’s been good to watch at times. I bet JE didn’t think it would as hard as it has been, but I support and trust him to take us forward. I’m sure I am not alone in saying I look forward to going to games now after it being a chore for years. Theres defo more buzz about the place, and I’ve seen some old faces come back who couldn’t face anymore GR football.

 

[Ilderton Wanderer]

Lots of the usual Rowett bashing going on here, but for all the persuasive chatty post match interviews, possession stats and pretty passing around our own penalty area one crucial fact remains, as of yet our league position is not improving. I understand that Rowetts time was probably up but at this moment we are a little bit too close to the wrong end of the table for my liking.

I think people have got the blinkers on a bit when it comes to ‘Joe’. There seems to be a sense that we are doing better than what we actually are. Of course he has had injuries to deal with but then so did the previous manager, and all the while the core of the squad revolves around Leonard, Hutchinson and Bradshaw then them issues aren’t going away. Edwards has been afforded the luxury of two premier league players for the rest of the season so we really should be expecting a strong finish that will give us cause for optimism next year.

I can see the green shoots just like everyone else but I also want to see us start putting teams away with wins to match the performances and start getting up the table and hopefully achieve a top half finish like we did consistently under Rowett. Then we can say that we are genuinely progressing.

 

[Lionsteele]

Lots of the usual Rowett bashing going on here, but for all the persuasive chatty post match interviews, possession stats and pretty passing around our own penalty area one crucial fact remains, as of yet our league position is not improving. I understand that Rowetts time was probably up but at this moment we are a little bit too close to the wrong end of the table for my liking.

I think people have got the blinkers on a bit when it comes to ‘Joe’. There seems to be a sense that we are doing better than what we actually are. Of course he has had injuries to deal with but then so did the previous manager, and all the while the core of the squad revolves around Leonard, Hutchinson and Bradshaw then them issues aren’t going away. Edwards has been afforded the luxury of two premier league players for the rest of the season so we really should be expecting a strong finish that will give us cause for optimism next year.

I can see the green shoots just like everyone else but I also want to see us start putting teams away with wins to match the performances and start getting up the table and hopefully achieve a top half finish like we did consistently under Rowett. Then we can say that we are genuinely progressing.

Of course results have to improve but as stated, he wasn’t going to come in & change everything while getting result after result.

Massive shift in trying to get past the previous managers way of playing with the exact same squad.

The whole point of this post was referring to the results but taking a lot of encouragement from what’s being seen.

This was also based on a lot of negative comments from what a majority of people were saying, so don’t think anyone has their blinkers on if you have been watching the same games I have.

Who knows, might not work out for him but I’m sure as anything that he was the best option looking at some of the other clubs.

 

[STWall]

Lots of the usual Rowett bashing going on here, but for all the persuasive chatty post match interviews, possession stats and pretty passing around our own penalty area one crucial fact remains, as of yet our league position is not improving. I understand that Rowetts time was probably up but at this moment we are a little bit too close to the wrong end of the table for my liking.

I think people have got the blinkers on a bit when it comes to ‘Joe’. There seems to be a sense that we are doing better than what we actually are. Of course he has had injuries to deal with but then so did the previous manager, and all the while the core of the squad revolves around Leonard, Hutchinson and Bradshaw then them issues aren’t going away. Edwards has been afforded the luxury of two premier league players for the rest of the season so we really should be expecting a strong finish that will give us cause for optimism next year.

I can see the green shoots just like everyone else but I also want to see us start putting teams away with wins to match the performances and start getting up the table and hopefully achieve a top half finish like we did consistently under Rowett. Then we can say that we are genuinely progressing.

I believe we will "start putting teams away" Ilderton but patience, patience, patience.

 

[HappyLion]

In my opinion if we carry on improving we will give someone a good hiding soon or later.

I agree. Its close to coming together and we will cane someone.

 

[Edward Alistair]

Lots of the usual Rowett bashing going on here, but for all the persuasive chatty post match interviews, possession stats and pretty passing around our own penalty area one crucial fact remains, as of yet our league position is not improving. I understand that Rowetts time was probably up but at this moment we are a little bit too close to the wrong end of the table for my liking.

I think people have got the blinkers on a bit when it comes to ‘Joe’. There seems to be a sense that we are doing better than what we actually are. Of course he has had injuries to deal with but then so did the previous manager, and all the while the core of the squad revolves around Leonard, Hutchinson and Bradshaw then them issues aren’t going away. Edwards has been afforded the luxury of two premier league players for the rest of the season so we really should be expecting a strong finish that will give us cause for optimism next year.

I can see the green shoots just like everyone else but I also want to see us start putting teams away with wins to match the performances and start getting up the table and hopefully achieve a top half finish like we did consistently under Rowett. Then we can say that we are genuinely progressing.

If you start out looking for the negatives, you will find them.
If you start out looking for the positives, you will find them.
It's a pity both aren't done equally for Rowett and Joe.

 

[wonderwall]

Definite improvements in a lot of areas, except for the most important one, the results, I am still not sure we will stay up and thats not a dig at the manager I am just not convinced we are going to win enough games. If everyone below us mirrors that poor form then I suppose we will be ok anyway. First time we have had to look down instead of up as to how our season will finish for a few years though.

 

[TheOneAndOnlyGazza]

Definite improvements in a lot of areas, except for the most important one, the results, I am still not sure we will stay up and thats not a dig at the manager I am just not convinced we are going to win enough games. If everyone below us mirrors that poor form then I suppose we will be ok anyway. First time we have had to look down instead of up as to how our season will finish for a few years though.

Only need 12 - 17 points going on likely totals to stay up.

 

[norwichmark]

Definite improvements in a lot of areas, except for the most important one, the results, I am still not sure we will stay up and thats not a dig at the manager I am just not convinced we are going to win enough games. If everyone below us mirrors that poor form then I suppose we will be ok anyway. First time we have had to look down instead of up as to how our season will finish for a few years though.

I know you got to do it, but 3 wins on the bounce and everyone looks up instead of down.

 

[PurleyLion]

Only need 12 - 17 points going on likely totals to stay up.

Comments like this are dangerous

Don’t tempt fate