[valpayne]

We were 2-0 up at half-time in the Gateshead game (although I admit we were poor in the 1st half).  I wish people would stop bigging up TP by comparing him to AFI. It's such a cheap, easy argument that really is not saying much given how poor AFI was.

I get that people are pleased with TP for laying the foundations for Premiership survival and I think he deserves credit for that (although I also think he had a bit of luck in his first couple of games).  However I am still fuming and feeling let down after these two gutless and tactically poor local derbies, where we've managed to concede 4 goals in 2 games against a team that has only been scoring about 1 in 2 all season.

Playing Lescott at LB after we have already seen him struggle in this position several times is madness. We have all seen enough of Poco this season to know that he can play. I don't care whether TP doesn't like Poco's attitude; Just play the best LB at LB for God's sake.  And don't tell me it's because Poco tackles too hard. Since when was TP put off by that? He keeps playing Yacob who is a card-magnet, and who somehow manages to get sent off just by being tackled, so it can't be because of that!  And as other's have pointed out, there is no point playing 4 big lads hoping for a scrappy set piece when you can't even get up the pitch to win a corner in the first place. Also, is that the extent of our attacking ambition? Hoping for a set piece goal against Villa?

I keep hearing that TP's strength is that he adapts his tactical set up around the players he's got. If that is true, why does he keep playing 442 when we only have 2 fit strikers? This effectively means we can't make an attacking change from the bench. It also means both strikers have to stay on the pitch for the entire game, which is problematic because by 65-70 mins they're completely knackered from chasing after aimless hoofs from our 4 big lads at the back. This is why we were never going to score in a month of Sundays at the end of the last game, even with 11 men on the pitch.  

And as I said in my first post on here, I can't believe people want to trust him with taking control over our transfer dealings given his record on this front at Stoke.

I honestly don't think there's any hero worship going on here May68 just a recognition of the fact that AI was clearly out of his depth as was Mel. Its not their fault It was peace that appointed them and things were looking really grim in December. TP's appointment was simply a much more pragmatic one at the time. He has a proven premiership record and a very recent success in avoiding the drop. I appreciate he isn't everyones cup of tea but he appears to be getting the job done that he was employed to do. Avoid the drop. We must do that by hook or by crook because the money incentive is bigger than ever in this league now and with money comes better quality players. I've asked this question several times but as yet nobody has given a single answer. Who was available when AI was sacked that people here think would have been a better appointment than TP? If anyone can provide me with a name that would have realistically took the job on I'm all ears and I'll bow to better knowledge than mine.