Brighton 1-1 Bolton

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Reebok Trotter wrote:

He is looking at all his options and the best way to do that is play them. Isn't that what new managers do ?

Name me one successful new manager who picked a different side every week, played players out of position before he'd seen them in their natural position, and kept picking the same shit defenders who have the worst record in the country over the past 12 months.

Training is where he looks at his options. Then he should pick a team and give it a chance.

Who would you play at the back?

And a successful manager who changed it every week, Rafa Benitez at Liverpool.

Fergie changes his side most weeks too. There's loads of managers who do.

I don't think Ream in midfield is that strange a decision, he's comfortable on the ball and we need a decent defensive midfielder, Campo started at CB and was moved there it's a similar thing and worth a try.

bwfc1874 wrote:
We'd of lost most of Dougie's games with Coyle in charge.

His selections are a little strange but hopefully this is just him trying to find a team that works.

If we keep comparing him to Owen Coyle he's in for a very easy ride.

How can you "find a team that works" in 90 minutes?

We could argue about this until Kevin Davies scores a hat trick but the fact remains that most of us would probably have happily taken a point before the game. If you can play crap and pick up points then you are in with a chance.

Your question is ambiguous because there is no such thing as a successful manager who has picked a different side every week and played players out of position and kept picking shit defenders. Doing that, I doubt any manager would be successful.

Reebok Trotter wrote: If you can play crap and pick up points then you are in with a chance.

I don't remember a team that played crap all season and still picked up enough points to challenge for promotion.

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David N'Goals.

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David N'Goals.

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"I can't believe it, I usually miss by this much"

At least the poor bugger is starting to score, unlike under coyle where he looked so shot on confidence it was scary.

It wasn't a great performance, even freedman has admitted that but at least were not leaking goals, there first goal should never have happened if the ref had looked at his fucking assistant. Bogdan sounds like he is back on form which is a massive bonus going forward and Freedmand actually has the balls to drop kevin davies which can only do ngog the world of good in terms of confidence.

I'm not going to start really laying into dougie until we see what he can bring to the team in january and start putting his stamp on the team, however the dropping of Spearing, Petrov and Lee has made me scratch my head, considering he is replacing them with the likes of Pratley.

We were flat out lucky today ..... that's all there is to it.

Arguing back and forth does not hide the fact that we were dominated and saved by the woodwork and goalie. I don't mind losing if we play well and get bounced by a fluke or bad ref .... but getting battered is not a good sign.

It's amazing how far our expectations have crumbled..... just a half a season ago we were hoping for an away point at Liverpool or Utd.....now some are happy we knicked a point at bloody Brighton etc.

terenceanne wrote:We were flat out lucky today ..... that's all there is to it.

Arguing back and forth does not hide the fact that we were dominated and saved by the woodwork and goalie. I don't mind losing if we play well and get bounced by a fluke or bad ref .... but getting battered is not a good sign.

It's amazing how far our expectations have crumbled..... just a half a season ago we were hoping for an away point at Liverpool or Utd.....now some are happy we knicked a point at bloody Brighton etc.

Nobodies denying we were lucky, what sort of reaction would you prefer?

I think some of us just aren't expecting change over night and see signs of progress.

Not to mention the fact I think some of the things fans are moaning about are ridiculous for instance;

1. Moaning about DF bringing on a 'loanee' in Butterfield
2. Playing defensively, when clearly we're shit at defending and the most important thing is to stop leaking goals
3. Nicking points when we didn't deserve them
4. Comparing him to Coyle

Typical ! The day I go to Wales for a family meeting, the 'chatbox' has a visit by royalty, no less than Nat herself, and I missed her ! Looks like it was a good one too.

aaron_bwfc wrote: but at least were[sic] not leaking goals, there[sic] first goal should never have happened if the ref had looked at his fucking assistant.

I knew this would come up. Firstly, not conceding a load of goals today was pure fluke so please don't try to say the low socreline points to an improvement on our part made by the manager.

Also, don't blame the ref. It is not relevant. For several reasons.

Firstly, he din't give the handball in the build up which the AR flagged for. Perhaps the ref saw the handball and correctly deemed it to be unintentional.

Secondly, even if the ref made a mistake. There was a subsequent set play in-between the alleged hand ball and the goal. So play was effectively reset. Conceding the goal was our own fault - it could have happened after any similar free kick.

Thirdly, if you fall into the trap of saying the opening goal was not deserved then what about all the other chances they had. There were plenty of other times that we were only saved by the keeper and the woodwork. Plus, should we really have had an opportunity to score in the 96th minute when there had been barely any stoppages?

Regardless of the result Bolton were poor and not worth the point. But for the last gasp equaliser there would be a lot more negativity about the manager on here today.

Getting battered at Brighton is progression?

Some of you really need to wake up.

We were lucky yesterday. It's probably one of the luckiest results I've ever seen tbh. Brighton destroyed us and should've won 5-0. I wasn't impressed with the team selected and wasn't impressed with how most of our team played. Well done to Bogdan though. I've been critical of him at times but he was superb yesterday. I expect more changes for the Blackburn game because yesterdays team is not the answer.

On the one hand it's been argued that Freedman needs to look at the options, make changes, try different things and on the other that he should stick to a settled team.

I can't say I'm happy with the performances or results to date - 7 points out of a possible 15 against a target of 10 - but considering that DF has to look at the options and the side is in flux whilst he finds whatever it is he's looking for, I think it's unjustified to complain. At least not yet.

I didn't particularly want Freedman in the first place, but now he's here we have to let him get on with it. He inherited a squad that was decimated by much-needed salary cutbacks so I'm not expecting to see Brazil. Personally I'm not happy with the lack of opportunity some players, particularly younger players have had, but to his credit he's focussed on protecting the defence and that's led to an improvement in the goals conceded column. He's turned defeats into draws which is a start, but in doing so has had to compromise the attack a little.

We are where we are and we are who we are so don't waste your time whingeing about it.

Looking at all the comments over the past few games, it seems to me that DF just hasn't got the quality players he needs. It comes across to me that he's moving players around to find the right combination, but they just don't have the ability to do what is necessary, regardless of where. or how. they are played. Simply put, the squad is very poor. Having said that, I believe they can be brought back up to spec, but not without time, patience, and some new players, in order to break up the mental stagnation that seems to prevail over the whole setup. The win and 4 draws, no matter how gained, or whether they were deserved, are vital, and all help with the rebuilding of the mental, tactical, and physical changes we have to make. Support the manager, he's trying to build something, but doesn't have the right parts at the moment.

gloswhite wrote:Looking at all the comments over the past few games, it seems to me that DF just hasn't got the quality players he needs. It comes across to me that he's moving players around to find the right combination, but they just don't have the ability to do what is necessary, regardless of where. or how. they are played. Simply put, the squad is very poor. Having said that, I believe they can be brought back up to spec, but not without time, patience, and some new players, in order to break up the mental stagnation that seems to prevail over the whole setup. The win and 4 draws, no matter how gained, or whether they were deserved, are vital, and all help with the rebuilding of the mental, tactical, and physical changes we have to make. Support the manager, he's trying to build something, but doesn't have the right parts at the moment.

Exactly right Glos. I would say that OC had the same dilemma except that he was dogmatic about trying to get the same players playing the style he wanted and came across as unwilling to compromise the style even when it was obvious they couldn't make it work. DF seems to be trying to work out what can be done with these players rather than pre-determining the style to be played.

Dougie has brought in one player, and as i understand it, the opinion of butters has been fairly good so far.

Hopefully thats a sign of things to come when Dougie finally gets the chance to build his own team.

Another loanee though. Not convinced playing 2 or 3 loanees every match will tell us a great deal of what a settled side would look like. Needs must I suppose.