Billy's building ... fullness of yer glass

[earthworm]

Billy keeps talking about building a side, so how do you think that's going? Saturday was frustrating, but if we look at it, and other games this season purely in terms of promise, how are we doing? Glass half full or half empty?

Here's his latest comment (we've had a few similar) ...

"I am very comfortable with the way we are working, we are very much a club that is a work in progress and, as long as we keep working, we will be where we want to be come the end of the season," he said.

"And I am talking about the end of the season, not the end of the month. This is a long-term thing.

I'm not knocking him for saying this sort of thing btw.

 

[Bridgfordred79]

I can tell you voted option 2 earthworm

I am optomistic.

We are playing well, and no where near going down.

 

[Deleted User]

i went with the majority because the squad is definitely coming along nicely and players are playing well generally but if this poll had asked about selection it would be a different story.

 

[king_congo_red]

Billy's definetly building something. He's inherited a good bunch of young players and has recognised their potential, instead of tearing the squad apart and starting again, with a view to being good this year, he's taking a long-term view which is good (as long as he doesn't start talking about five year plans)....

 

[Matt90]

The quality is there although the defense does need sorting out a little bit still....a few more bits to the jigsaw and we should be good.

:tysonflag2:

 

[adam09]

As above. It's a pretty tall order to bring in the amount of players we have this summer and get them playing beautiful football straight away. The only shame is that those players weren't really balanced out postionally. Would rather have 1 or 2 less strikers and replaced them with defenders.

But, hopefully, if we can get a mid-table finish this season, we can keep the group we have now and spend money on top defenders next summer (and Magic Majewski), and then think about promotion.

There is a lack of top defenders around available for reasonable fees at the moment.

 

[Pasty Power]

I voted 1 & do hope I'm right

I've not seen em since WBA, & thought it was a f**kin shambles on Saturday

I know it's already been said in the match thread But bloody hell 1 striker up front****!!!!!

 

[earthworm]

I can tell you voted option 2 earthworm

I forgot to vote on my own poll. I voted that we're doing okay. Its annoying to have lost against Blackpool, and in general this season, there's obviously some gaps, but we're coming on. I mean, we dominated possession, despite weird changes to the formation and team sheet, and look at the likes of the Middlesbrough performance.

I do think Billy will build us from a crap team that's scraped up from League One, to a force again in the Championship. I think we're a few paces down that road already, and it'll be worth the season ticket fee to watch us carry on progressing.

 

[adam09]

There's definate improvements from last season, that's for sure. But Blackpool did bring back all the frustrations of the last few years. The day we dominate games and win them, instead of losing 1-0, is the day we'll be champions!

 

[T9Red]

Its going to be a season of consolidation for sure. With some frustrating games at times.

Billys doing a good job.

 

[dbarraclough]

Will be ok in the long term. Just need an extra couple of strikers now

 

[mjb1991]

WES MORGAN, WES MORGAN, WES FOOKIN MORGAN! Worst player on the pitch, I'm not turning on him... he's a good, loyal player... He needs to step up his game and soon!

 

[Darth Pierre]

we havnt progressed since calderwood was here this time last season

playing well and losing.....bad sign im afraid

think another relegation scrap again this year

 

[Daniel]

The problem is we missed out on 2 major transfer targets for various reasons.

Matt Mills and Shaun Barker. In all honesty neither have been pulling up tree's from what little I've heard but we have failed to strengthen the defence.

In January I can see us buying another full back (left back) and Centre back, with Lynch and maybe Julian Bennett given a chance to perform in their natural centre back positions. If these do not perform I wouldn't be suprised to see the transfer out list at the end of the year along the lines of...

Wilson
Morgan
Chambers
Bennett

 

[king_congo_red]

If these do not perform I wouldn't be suprised to see the transfer out list at the end of the year along the lines of...

Wilson
Morgan
Chambers
Bennett

A tad harsh on Wes I think. He's certainly proven to be worthy of at least getting the opportunity to show what he can do with some better quality defenders added around him...

As for Wilson, Chambers and Bennett, all are still very young for defenders, so any combination of them could stay as cover.

 

[Daniel]

A tad harsh on Wes I think. He's certainly proven to be worthy of at least getting the opportunity to show what he can do with some better quality defenders added around him...

As for Wilson, Chambers and Bennett, all are still very young for defenders, so any combination of them could stay as cover.

I can see us with an entire new defence next season TBH... I think certainly with all the deflected goals and certainly the number of goals conceded last season and so far this season is good reason to believe we need 2 new central defenders. Despite their best efforts and support, it is plainly clear to see by the stats, they are simply not Championship standard.

I imagine they tried to tempt Dawson back on loan at least in a hope he would help Morgan find his former form... Certainly no chance of that happening now!

 

[Bridgfordred79]

The problem is we missed out on 2 major transfer targets for various reasons.

Matt Mills and Shaun Barker. In all honesty neither have been pulling up tree's from what little I've heard but we have failed to strengthen the defence.

In January I can see us buying another full back (left back) and Centre back, with Lynch and maybe Julian Bennett given a chance to perform in their natural centre back positions. If these do not perform I wouldn't be suprised to see the transfer out list at the end of the year along the lines of...

Wilson
Morgan
Chambers
Bennett

Wilson has potential.

Expect us to keep him.

 

[Snake]

The quality is there but Billy doesn't seem to have any clear idea on how to use it currently. Many of the predictions about what would happen under Davies are starting to come true with the quality of football deteriorating and key players, whether by design or accident, becoming isolated. Personally, I am slightly concerned about his management of the club, though currently it is nothing more than slight concern. I am hoping that he will learn from the mistakes he has made so far this season and pick a settled XI.

 

[Daniel]

The quality is there but Billy doesn't seem to have any clear idea on how to use it currently. Many of the predictions about what would happen under Davies are starting to come true with the quality of football deteriorating and key players, whether by design or accident, becoming isolated. Personally, I am slightly concerned about his management of the club, though currently it is nothing more than slight concern. I am hoping that he will learn from the mistakes he has made so far this season and pick a settled XI.

Forgive me, but from the evidence (admitadly one game) this season, you are so far off the mark, we'd need sat nav to get you back... Is this what one unluck defeat does to a person. I understand we were shit, but against Ipswich I can tell you, first hand we were very good... I mean very very good. At times, we didn't look far off a premiership team. I'd say Davies is pushing us to becoming a very very good team.

 

[Snake]

Forgive me, but from the evidence (admitadly one game) this season, you are so far off the mark, we'd need sat nav to get you back... Is this what one unluck defeat does to a person. I understand we were s**t, but against Ipswich I can tell you, first hand we were very good... I mean very very good. At times, we didn't look far off a premiership team. I'd say Davies is pushing us to becoming a very very good team.

And against Watford we were awful, against Reading we didn't even seem to go out with the intention of winning the game (though obviously, few managers actually set out to draw matches), against West Brom we were devoid of basic skills and shapeless (though still probably should have won). I don't think one game against one of the worst sides in the division currently is any accurate gauge, though that's not to say that I think 8 matches is a very good gauge either - there's a long way to go yet. I am SLIGHTLY CONCERNED rather than majorly. I am concerned because I feel that Davies has picked the wrong side in most matches this season. I am concerned because he has been unambitious away from home meaning we've drawn matches we might have won. I am concerned because Chris Cohen is playing for the sake of it, and Robert Earnshaw seems to pull the short straw of all our strikers.

And, having seen the Ipswich match, can you think of any way to justify Paul Anderson not even getting on the pitch on Saturday?

 

[Daniel]

And against Watford we were awful, against Reading we didn't even seem to go out with the intention of winning the game (though obviously, few managers actually set out to draw matches), against West Brom we were devoid of basic skills and shapeless (though still probably should have won). I don't think one game against one of the worst sides in the division currently is any accurate gauge, though that's not to say that I think 8 matches is a very good gauge either - there's a long way to go yet. I am SLIGHTLY CONCERNED rather than majorly. I am concerned because I feel that Davies has picked the wrong side in most matches this season. I am concerned because he has been unambitious away from home meaning we've drawn matches we might have won. I am concerned because Chris Cohen is playing for the sake of it, and Robert Earnshaw seems to pull the short straw of all our strikers.

And, having seen the Ipswich match, can you think of any way to justify Paul Anderson not even getting on the pitch on Saturday?

All fair points, but seriously we are not football managers. We do not see the players day in and day out. Who are we to judge on what the team the manager puts out?

I appreciate what you are saying, but in my opinion I think you are far off. Because without Billy we would not have signed the players we did, we would not have survived the way we did last season?

On that basis we don't really have a right to question his tactics or motivations, albeit fustrating to see us not winning, we are creating the chances. They will go in, and once the season is a little older than 10 games the negative comments that crop up will evaporate.

Surely rather than be negative, would it not be more productive to trust the manager, give him the chance he has quite clearly earned and leave it at least till Jan and then see where we are? I think at the very least he deserves that from us and the team deserve that support...

 

[T.B.T.]

I'm optimistic and confident that we have the foundations for a great squad to challenge promotion within a couple of seasons with Billy as manager.

As fans, Billy will only be as good as the last game, the performance and the result we achieved. Following the Derby game, all was well and everyone was praising him for his managerial prowess. A defeat and the criticism and doubts begin again.

We are still lacking in certain areas and I'm sure Billy and the club are continuing with efforts to resolve the issues and strengthen the gaps we still have.

We all make judgment and comment on what we see and hear. However, we don't know it all and I'm sure there are very valid reasons why Billy made the decisions he did on Saturday. Maybe he wanted to try out a few new things which, had we pulled it off, we would be praising his creative selections rather than condemning them.

As a forum, we are all free to comment, debate and express our opinions yet we shouldn't lose sight of the entire picture.

 

[saunders:]]

I think there should be a more positive choice than number 1

 

[Bridgfordred79]

If we had Keane as boss I would be worrying.

But because we have BD, I a very optomistic.

 

[nunuschmu]

we havnt progressed since calderwood was here this time last season

playing well and losing.....bad sign im afraid

think another relegation scrap again this year

don't often agree with VHS but this is almost spot on, except I don't think we're playing that well.. although I'm confident we'll end above relegation. Not good enough tho'.