Bolton Wanderers 1-2 M'brough

We've conceded seven goals in three games.

We've scored three.

That's worrying.

And you can't just keep putting it down to individual lapses in concentration and errors.

Collectively at the back we look poor.

But, hang on, I thought he'd sorted this out last season and brought in "better" quality during the summer?

He's got largely his "own" defenders in now but we're still shite.

We are going backwards.......again.

okocha wrote:

bwfc1874 wrote:The point is that they're cheaper Okocha. 

I'd also argue that Feeney, Beckford, Cravies are of more use than Eagles, N'gog, Sordell.

I'd still argue that on his budget he's done very well for recruitment, both in terms of players out and in. I think there are two major problems at the moment - 

1. Not enough investment to be able to fully overhaul an unbalanced/not good enough squad.
2. Tactics on the whole, too much chopping and changing for me. We need to stick with a lineup and formation, be it slightly cautious or not the players need to learn a system because at the moment changing it every game can't help with gelling together. 

Yesterday didn't sound like the worst performance in the world, with some better fortune we may have got something. But it's the same old story at the moment. I think Sluffy's right and we'll be relying on loans again, where Freedman's eye for talent has got us out of shit every season so far.

False economy if they get us relegated.
Also, don't agree with you about the relative merits of the players you mention. Managed properly, Eagles, Ngog and Sordell  are ex prem players with much more potential and skill. I bet BSA would have found ways to utilise them to the max.

Ex-Prem players?! Sordell has played about 10 minutes premier league football in his life, how did you come to that conclusion.

Eagles? One season each for Burnley and Bolton, never set the world alight and clearly not a premier league player.

N'gog? Premier league player? Don't make me laugh.

The fact is they played in the prem. I didn't say they were outstanding prem quality, but obviously they have/had something about them that could have been nurtured, given the right management and coaching. Clearly more innate ability than those who've only ever plied their trade in the lower reaches. You can't argue with that.......or can you? I expect so!

okocha wrote:The fact is they played in the prem. I didn't say they were outstanding prem quality, but obviously they have/had something about them that could have been nurtured, given the right management and coaching. Clearly more innate ability than those who've only ever plied their trade in the lower reaches. You can't argue with that.......or can you? I expect so!

1874 argues with himself in the mirror!

There is no way Eagles and Ngog are prem quality, I don't really think Sordell is TBH.

It says a lot due to the fact Ngog & Eagles can't find a club!!!

But by that logic the fact somebody (Coyle) has made a mistake in signing them for a premier league team automatically means they're better than any championship player who wasn't so lucky? Which is complete bollocks Im afraid. N'gog and Eagles are still free agents, I'd say that says more about their innate ability.

karlypants wrote:There is no way Eagles and Ngog are prem quality, I don't really think Sordell is TBH.

It says a lot due to the fact Ngog & Eagles can't find a club!!!

Exactly.

Can't defend N'gog as he had so many chances and was ultimately crap, but Eagles WAS a prem player. He shone at Burnley in their cup run and promotion campaign and has played well for us previously. Also you are forgetting that Dougie wanted to build a team around Eagles so even he must of thought he was good, he just couldn't get the best out of him. If that's a motivation issue then it falls at the feet of the manager.

A good manager can get more out of players. Its becoming more evident to the masses that DF is anything but a good manager.

Eagles has never performed in the premier league, so can never be regarded as premier league quality. 

Simple as that.

JAH wrote:Also you are forgetting that Dougie wanted to build a team around Eagles so even he must of thought he was good

Dougie doesn't know what he's doing and is running out of ideas fast.

Eagles was a good Championship player, far and away our best player in the 2012/13 season.

The only reason he hasn't found a club is he's a greedy bastard - if he was after reasonable wages there would be a queue of clubs.

bwfc1874 wrote:Eagles has never performed in the premier league, so can never be regarded as premier league quality. 

Simple as that.

The stats say otherwise


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

You won't find a Burnley or Bolton fan that thinks Eagles was successful in the premier league.

All you've done there is prove he's played in the premier league, which proves nothing.

Breadman wrote:We've conceded seven goals in three games.

We've scored three.

That's worrying.

And you can't just keep putting it down to individual lapses in concentration and errors.

Collectively at the back we look poor.

But, hang on, I thought he'd sorted this out last season and brought in "better" quality during the summer?

He's got largely his "own" defenders in now but we're still shite.

We are going backwards.......again.

Technically speaking, every goal is avoidable but any honest person would recognise that sometimes an attacking team "earns" a goal and by that I mean a well-worked set piece, a flowing move well finished, a shot into the top corner etc. I'm talking about the goal being more down to the attacking teams skill and effort than the defending teams incompetence.
Of the 7 goals we've conceded I reckon 4 were entirely down to bad defending and the other 3 were due to a mixture of bad defending and good attacking.
But I'm struggling to think of any of those goals where you could honestly say "Wow. That was a great goal. Fair play to the opposition."

It was interesting to see that Dougie decided to go with a different one of the several systems he claims to have been drilling into the squad over the summer. It shows that he recognises that 4231 has been worked out and that opposition will go over the top of it (Watford) or round the side of it (Forest) so the 2 defensive mids are marginalised. However there's a big difference between seeing that something isn't working and finding an alternative that does work. We'll see what next week brings but I'd be surprised if there aren't more changes.

bwfc1874 wrote:You won't find a Burnley or Bolton fan that thinks Eagles was successful in the premier league.

All you've done there is prove he's played in the premier league, which proves nothing.

 
Well that's what you asked. Your memory seems to be going old timer, so let me remind you:

"Eagles has never performed in the premier league, so can never be regarded as premier league quality. 

Simple as that."

I have proved that he did perform in the Premier League and what's more he scored a few goals to boot! I could put up his stats for the Championship which over the years is even more impressive, but you didn't state Eagles has never performed in the Championship. Are we making progress?

You know exactly what I meant, if you didn't then I'm worried for you and anybody you're related to.

I just watched Joey Obrien, Nobby Nolan & VazTe all playing prem footy for West Ham.....I'd argue Eagles is better than all three of them for starters.

terenceanne wrote:I just watched Joey Obrien, Nobby Nolan & VazTe all playing prem footy for West Ham.....I'd argue Eagles is better than all three of them for starters.

My ninety-six year old grandma is better than those three are now mate. Not a fair comparison really. But I agree Eagles had a lot of quality, he just lacked the spirit to produce it consistently at this level. He was something of a "luxury" player, capable of moments of brilliance but lazy most of the time and in a club like ours with such thin resources we couldn't afford a man like that.