[WBA-Josh]

Drewks, AI is on a 12 month rolling contract. I think the next time we have to change coach, which will happen eventually because Irvine won't be able to coach us for the next 100 years, I think JP needs to give out a longer contract. These 12 month rolling contracts and 18 months contracts with a break off clause after 6 months needs to end because they don't show us fans and the media that the new guy has the total support of the management even if he does behind the scenes.

You don't have to worry about upsetting anyone baggietrousers, we're all tough skinned on here (BeefyBaggie literally is because he is a whale) and welcome to the site. In my opinion it is a bit premature to say that if AI stays until Christmas then we are gone because after Christmas we still have another 5 months of matches left to play. Our final 5 matches may be tough but there are still plenty of points to be gained before then. As for AI being out of his depth, I also think it is a bit premature to say that as well. Yes he has made mistakes and yes he has failed to rectify some problems but I don't think he is out of his depth. He definitely wasn't earlier in the season when we had our good spell.

[wba_1996]

When the Wednesday and Preston fans unanimously agree he was the worst manager in both of their history's then I think it tells you that he is out of his depth at a Premier League club.

Why should we have to settle for someone who would be viewed as an awful appointment by most League 1 clubs?

[WBA-Josh]

Of course the Preston and Sheffield Wednesday fans are going to say that, any clubs fans will say the same about coaches that failed at their clubs. It is funny how the Preston fans choose to forget what he achieved in his first season at the club though.

No one has said that we have to just settle for Irvine. I have said myself that he wasn't my first choice and he wasn't even my 29th choice but with that he being said, he has shown at times this season that he can step up to this level. He tactically outwitted last seasons wonder boy Mauricio Pochettino, gave the so called genius Louis van Gaal a tough time only 2 months ago with van Gaal having to throw on a guy he didn't like to save him and he was able to find a good formula which moved us up the table which made everyone all happy for a while. He has made mistakes but so has every other coach and manager this season.

Just remember that if Irvine is sacked, which could happen after the Villa game if we lose badly, we are stuck with Downing and Kiely for a few weeks. If you think the football under Irvine has been bad which it has at times, then D&K will be even worse like it was last season.

[drewks]

When the Wednesday and Preston fans unanimously agree he was the worst manager in both of their history's then I think it tells you that he is out of his depth at a Premier League club.

Why should we have to settle for someone who would be viewed as an awful appointment by most League 1 clubs?

To a certain extent I agree with you 1996; however JP & Co would obviously have done their homework on his past experiences, and must've been satisfied that he had since gained enough experience to be able to turn those mediocre records round. Obviously they'd also have been influenced by the fact that he'd be cheaper to employ than the likes of Moyes and (probably) Sherwood too, I'll grant you but I don't believe that JP would've appointed him just on his previous record - he wouldn't have given him the job and just crossed his fingers!

I really think that in flashes this season - and even during yesterday's game that has been slated by nearly all - we have been very fluid and comfortable in possession in the 60% midfield area, and this either isn't being recognised or is being forgotten by a lot of people when we lose games. Admittedly we haven't been able to be consistent in our performances in this way but IMO we have looked better in defence than we have since Roy was HC, and the midfield has too, with the limitations mentioned above. I agree we need to line up differently and just be more positive, but still think that AI hasn't yet proved that he's out of his depth.

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Oh, and welcome baggietrousers.....it's good to have different opinions aired on here and as far as I'm concerned they're all debated in a pretty civilised way. That's the important thing



.....innit

[wba_1996]

When the Wednesday and Preston fans unanimously agree he was the worst manager in both of their history's then I think it tells you that he is out of his depth at a Premier League club.

Why should we have to settle for someone who would be viewed as an awful appointment by most League 1 clubs?

I really think that in flashes this season - and even during yesterday's game that has been slated by nearly all - we have been very fluid and comfortable in possession in the 60% midfield area, and this either isn't being recognised or is being forgotten by a lot of people when we lose games. Admittedly we haven't been able to be consistent in our performances in this way but IMO we have looked better in defence than we have since Roy was HC, and the midfield has too, with the limitations mentioned above. I agree we need to line up differently and just be more positive, but still think that AI hasn't yet proved that he's out of his depth.

Yes we have had a lot of possession in the midfield, that is because we play with 5 centre mids who are all decent passers of the ball. But that possession is pointless because it goes sideways, backwards and then gets hoofed up to nobody - as can be seen by the fact that we have only scored once from open play in our last 8 games in all competitions and that our second top scorer is "own goal".

This problem could be easily solved by anyone with any knowledge of setting up a team, firstly by identifying wingers as a priority in the transfer window and then by actually playing wingers and setting up with some width in the team.

As for the defence, obviously it will look marginally better due to the fact that we set up so negatively and our aim is always to not lose and to go for the 0-0, maybe nicking a goal from a penalty or a corner. But, at home we are conceding on average around 2 goals a game, so I wouldn't even say that the defence has improved.

[Beefy 1965]

"As can be seen by the fact that we have only scored once from open play in our last 8 games in all competitions and that our second top scorer is "own goal".

That is a pretty dreadful fact

"But, at home we are conceding on average around 2 goals a game, so I wouldn't even say that the defence has improved".

That is also pretty damning and may continue when Benteke & The whore run at us next week,

I fear the worst, but if it means AI getting the sack then,....................  

[HarryJAllstarWBA]

He HAS to go. No creativity, no goalscoring threat. The football is just dire. It costs a lot of money to watch matches and I'm not happy with what I'm seeing with my money. Poor appointment from day one. We need to have someone lined up though, can't be having a repeat of last Winter. If the post-Clarke part of last season hadn't have been so bad, Irvine would have already gone

[TheFunkyJoker]

Really fear for us against the vile, who have now started scoring again, and we can't even score penalties.

At this point, I feel the best we can hope for is another 0-0 draw. I want AI to prove all of us doubters wrong and smash the vile, but we're more likely to be smashed tbh - surely that would HAVE to be the final nail in his coffin?

He's had his chance, he's fucked it, now let's get someone with a clue on board, please?

[silverbaggie]

Projecting ahead until after Xmas which players are we likely to lose to the African Nations Cup?

[betterthanbaird]

One of the reasons we have a lot of possession against shit teams is that we have hardworkers who are content to keep the ball and they work quite hard to win the ball back.

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Projecting ahead until after Xmas which players are we likely to lose to the African Nations Cup?

Group A

Equatorial Guinea, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon and Burkina Faso.

Group B

Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cape Verde and Tunisia.

Group C

Ghana, Senegal, South Africa and Algeria.

Group D

Ivory Coast, Guinea, Cameroon and Mali.

Think it is only Mulumbu.