[DanTheSmethwickMan]

Went to the game and just about stayed awake.

Cannot be happy with a point after watching that hull side, they were there for the taking. No width as usual and no pace, it is like watching paint dry.

The atmosphere was not the same as a usual away day and neither are the home games anymore. But what have the fans got to get excited about watching this pile of crap. Irvine is ruining the atmosphere with his negative approach of trying to not lose a game but also not going to win it.

Changes need to be made. Shocking

[tidy]

Is there a time when a post quotes a post that quotes another quote ....and you forget where you started??

Well, onto the last 40 mins of the game which is all I saw......pardon me for being a lone voice but I didn't think we were anything like as bad as all the other posts suggest.
That's it.  

You are not a lone voice, drewks.

[Beefy 1965]

Sorry Guys but as much as i respect your opinion,.........

92% want Ted out, 4% unsure. 4% Keep.

Poll via westbrom.com.

This Football is on par for the worst i have ever seen, Only Gould & Buckleys era were probably worse, Yet even then at least they had a go to win now and again

[spicydingo]

Finally registered just to post something I wrote somewhere else, in response to "I think Irvine will be the first manager to be sacked"


On the one hand... I bloody well hope so... His tactics and management of the team make me feel ill.

On the other hand, what's the point really.. we've had 5 managers in 5 years, no decent managers want to work within our system, we also refuse to get rid of some of our backroom staff to make room for new blood.... The problems go far deeper than the manager / head coach.

I almost just want to see what happens when someone gets a full season or two, I'm morbidly curious at this point. If we go down, we go down. Begging for some stability.


I accept Irvine might be a terrible option to have stability with but the point stands as a generalisation, and to be fair if I'm going to play devil's advocate; Newcastle were all over the place and playing terribly, the board stuck with him against fans wishes and he turned it around. I do also accept though, that Pardew does at least have previous success to draw upon.

[Worldclassalbion]

Finally registered just to post something I wrote somewhere else, in response to "I think Irvine will be the first manager to be sacked"


On the one hand... I bloody well hope so... His tactics and management of the team make me feel ill.

On the other hand, what's the point really.. we've had 5 managers in 5 years, no decent managers want to work within our system, we also refuse to get rid of some of our backroom staff to make room for new blood.... The problems go far deeper than the manager / head coach.

I almost just want to see what happens when someone gets a full season or two, I'm morbidly curious at this point. If we go down, we go down. Begging for some stability.


I accept Irvine might be a terrible option to have stability with   but the point stands as a generalisation, and to be fair if I'm going to play devil's advocate; Newcastle were all over the place and playing terribly, the board stuck with him against fans wishes and he turned it around. I do also accept though, that Pardew does at least have previous success to draw upon.

Spicy, welcome. If AI stays we will definitely be relegated, I'd rather have everything unstable and stay up to be honest.

The thing with Pardew is he likes to attack teams and wants to win, AI sets up 'not to lose'. He has to go otherwise in the words of Private Fraser 'We're Doomed'

[Beefy 1965]

Some good points Spicy,

Yet AI's CV reads Failed at Preston and Sheff Wed,..............

Just makes you wonder what JP was thinking off.

[brandhall baggie]

I've never felt so despondent with a managerial appointment!!

I've never wished for a man to lose his job, but my god even I've put Irvine's sacking on my Christmas wish list.

[WBA-Josh]

I think AI was appointed because Peace wanted someone who wouldn't rock the boat, would train everyone in a professional face to face manner and would utilise a compact style of play based around a solid defence and quick counter-attacking. Essentially someone that is like Roy Hodgson was and has the same ideas that Hodgson had. That does make sense because that period was generally good (Hodgson's rigid, boring 4-4-2 aside) and the players, some still make up the core of our squad, were very happy.

However, there does come a time when clubs have to move forward and not try to stay in the past or redeliver what worked in the past. I personally wasn't overly thrilled by the appointment of AI. I could understand the thinking behind it (the above) but I wanted us to keep Pepe or bring in someone who would have changed things and moved us into a fresh future like Pepe wanted to.

At the moment I am still behind AI (I did lose some patience with him though) and I don't want to see him sacked (I wrote on one thread earlier in the week that I wanted him gone but I was annoyed after the Arsenal match and I allowed myself to be influenced) because it will mean more changes and instability over the tough Christmas period which is fast approaching. However, I think that if we lose to Villa on Saturday, Peace will pull the plug because a defeat to Villa at home will make AI's job completely untenable with regards to how most supporters will react. It could end up like Wolves with Mick McCarthy after we beat them 5-1.

If the above happens, which I really hope doesn't because any confidence that our squad has left will be shot to pieces, my choice of replacement is still Quique Sánchez Flores.

---

Is there a time when a post quotes a post that quotes another quote ....and you forget where you started??

Well, onto the last 40 mins of the game which is all I saw......pardon me for being a lone voice but I didn't think we were anything like as bad as all the other posts suggest.
That's it.  

I didn't think we were that bad either. We looked solid defensively which is something that Irvine deserves credit for, we moved the ball around well with some purpose at times and the midfield 5 was more flexible due to the rotation of their positions when we had possession.

Overall I'm happy with the point yesterday. It wasn't perfect but it is a start and most importantly it stopped the rot, which after 4 straight defeats, was needed.

[drewks]

Agree with you totally Josh, and hope that there are more than me that do!!

The points about (a) instability with ANOTHER new coach and (b) moving us forward, as a club, IMO are particularly poignant and although I think it was totally wrong to get rid of Pepe Mel with HIS 'new direction', I feel that we should stick with AI for the short term at least, just for stability. It may be uninspiring, it may be safety first, but, unlike a lot of posters I feel that AI WON'T get us relegated this year, and if JP does have 2nd thoughts about moving the club forward, the middle of the season is the wrong time to start it!!  

Does anyone know what contract AI is on? Presume it's a rolling 12 month-type, knowing JP??

[baggietrousers]

I know football is all about opinions, and I really don't want to upset anyone being so new to this forum, but I couldn't disagree more with drewks and josh, I do honestly believe if AI stays until Christmas then we are gone. You cannot get away from it, he is totally out of his depth.