Hold Your Nerve

[Nuwtfly]

Been a bit disappointing to see so many fans (not too many on here, mostly on Twitter) hitting the panic button after two defeats. I appreciate that this week has been something of a disaster (two defeats in a row and conceding six goals is going to annoy anyone), but we really need to hold our nerve here.

When Cocu was appointed, many on here (and on Twitter) said they fully expected a transitional season. With so many players leaving as their contracts ran out, and the departure of our three most talented players (Tomori, Mount and Wilson), we should all have expected something of a decline in playing performances going into this season. 

And now, as we begin to show the signs of a team going through a transition (inconsistent performances, the blooding of young players, trying different formations) many of us are suddenly losing our heads. 

What did you expect? You've seen other teams go through this and come out the other side. So why the pandemonium? 

Transitions take time. TIME. Some of you are calling it quits on this manager when he's had less games than Nigel flipping Pearson!

We know what the modus operandi for this season is. We know what the aims are. They were communicated to us very clearly at the start of the season by Mel, Cocu and most of the players. We are trying to build something at this club now. We are trying to stop the constant chopping and changing of managers that has caused us to fall into the mess to start with. We are trying to finally utilise the incredible academy Mel has worked so hard to build, whilst building a footballing identity and philosophy and simultaneously stay competitive.

You expect this to happen after 6 games? Come on. Let's get a hold of ourselves here. We have to back this team.

Now, before you call me a happy clapper, I do think Cocu has made some errors. The first being some of the choices in the Forest game. I think he underestimated just how much that game means to us as a fanbase, and threw some youngsters in at the deepest of deep ends. He will learn from that. You could tell he had in the interview after the game.

The second is the current use of formation. The 4-3-3, and the 4-2-3-1 to a lesser extent, aren't working because we are lacking any real quality in the wide areas, and a creative outlet in the 10 position. He needs to figure this one out, and I think he will. Richard Keogh suggested that he thought we looked good in a 3-5-2, and I agree with him. We've got the attacking full-backs to play this formation. Plus it means we can play Bielik in his preferred position of centre-half, with Keogh to the right of him and Clarke to the left. We could also play Waghorn and Marriott up top with each-other (which many of you wanted to see this season), and Lawrence in that 10 role behind the two of them. TL flourished in that system at Ipswich, so this might suit him in the long run.

Regardless of this though, any system, formation, style will all take time. We all knew this at the start of the season, and we owe it, not just to the management, but to Mel and his vision, to not only give this time, but to back it. Back him. Back the club. Loads of you already are, so this post isn't really for you.

Sorry this turned into something of a blogpost, but I've been stewing on what I wanted to say about all this since yesterday, and I couldn't really make it any shorter.

Up the Rams! ?

[IslandExile]

Well said @Nuwtfly. Bravo.

[SIWY]

Really feels like Bogle’s injury has effected us far more than I ever could have guessed. Not only does he do a sound job defensively but he contributes a lot going forward with assists and the occasional goal. We haven’t looked the same in attack since his injury and I think it’s no coincidence. After the international break I’d like to see us use 3-5-2 as was previously mentioned with the width provided by Lowe and Bogle. 

[Owd miner]

I'm ringing em now ...

[Cool As Custard]

Said to myself this season I wasn’t going to post anything good or bad about the new regime until the international break - too much chance for getting over excited or too down as things bed in - however @Nuwtfly has taken the words straight out of my mouth though.

We are exactly where I thought we would be before the season started - bottom 6! We’re exactly where we were under the The Bald Eagle after his first 8 games - that year we had lost 3 of our best players (Williams, Short & Pembridge) just as we have this year (Mount, Wilson, Tomori).

It took him a while to get the players at his disposal playing in the system best suited to them & the signing of Igor & playing him at the centre of the back 3 in a 3-5-2 was integral to our promotion surge. I’m not saying we are going to do the same this year but the parallels are remarkable. Just wait until Bielik gets going in the middle of a back 3 next to Keogh & Clarke with Lowe & Bogle bombing forward.

Then give Lawrence a free role behind Waghorn & Marriott - just as Ron Willems & Paul Simpson combined to sit behind Gabbiadini & Sturridge. Go a bit more direct & those 3 will give defences a lot more problems.

My only worry is that I dont think we have the strength sitting in midfield that Darryl Powell & Van Der Laan gave us. It’s a season too far for Huddlestone & Evans is dominant enough - this system would have been better suited to Bradley Johnson alongside a much stronger loan signing  than Dowell - I’d certainly have preferred someone more like Trevor Chalobah or might this be the role for Sibley & Knight with their energy to shine?

Even so I think that we are only 2 or 3 players & tweak of system away from a really exciting first 11. If we finish anywhere above 16th this season I’ll be happy as long as we are in a position where Cocu knows exactly what he needs to bring in over the next 2 transfer windows.

In todays world of keyboard warriors & Football Manager experts Jim Smith would have been out on his ear after the 5-1 mauling at Tranmere. We’d never then have had experienced the joys of Wanchope, Baiano, Eranio, Asanovic or Mikel Beck!

Patience is needed - Cocu is the man. He’s not stupid - he’s learning about the team, the league & the club. He’s shown he’s an intelligent guy. He just needs a bit of time & it will be sorted - we just need to stop feeling so entitled & presume that there is a better solution out there. There is no quick fix but if everyone get’s behind the players, the manager & the club has a bit of faith & patience then who knows what will happen.....

 

 

 

 

 

[Steve How Hard?]

It's gonna be a long 2 weeks this international break after the last two results. Well said @Nuwtfly, a bit of rationalisation in a time of mass hysteria. Baffles me how quickly the pendulum swings. One minute Cocu is a cool customer who calmly calculates changes required to change things during a game to the next minute being almost a clueless clown. I've no idea whether he'll adapt quickly to the madness of the Championship but for crying out loud at least give the man time before hanging him out to dry. 

[i-Ram]

41 minutes ago, Owd miner said:

I'm ringing em now ...

Div

[Cool As Custard]

34 minutes ago, Cool As Custard said:

Said to myself this season I wasn’t going to post anything good or bad about the new regime until the international break - too much chance for getting over excited or too down as things bed in - however @Nuwtfly has taken the words straight out of my mouth though.

We are exactly where I thought we would be before the season started - bottom 6! We’re exactly where we were under the The Bald Eagle after his first 8 games - that year we had lost 3 of our best players (Williams, Short & Pembridge) just as we have this year (Mount, Wilson, Tomori).

It took him a while to get the players at his disposal playing in the system best suited to them & the signing of Igor & playing him at the centre of the back 3 in a 3-5-2 was integral to our promotion surge. I’m not saying we are going to do the same this year but the parallels are remarkable. Just wait until Bielik gets going in the middle of a back 3 next to Keogh & Clarke with Lowe & Bogle bombing forward.

Then give Lawrence a free role behind Waghorn & Marriott - just as Ron Willems & Paul Simpson combined to sit behind Gabbiadini & Sturridge. Go a bit more direct & those 3 will give defences a lot more problems.

My only worry is that I dont think we have the strength sitting in midfield that Darryl Powell & Van Der Laan gave us. It’s a season too far for Huddlestone & Evans is dominant enough - this system would have been better suited to Bradley Johnson alongside a much stronger loan signing  than Dowell - I’d certainly have preferred someone more like Trevor Chalobah or might this be the role for Sibley & Knight with their energy to shine?

Even so I think that we are only 2 or 3 players & tweak of system away from a really exciting first 11. If we finish anywhere above 16th this season I’ll be happy as long as we are in a position where Cocu knows exactly what he needs to bring in over the next 2 transfer windows.

In todays world of keyboard warriors & Football Manager experts Jim Smith would have been out on his ear after the 5-1 mauling at Tranmere. We’d never then have had experienced the joys of Wanchope, Baiano, Eranio, Asanovic or Mikel Beck!

Patience is needed - Cocu is the man. He’s not stupid - he’s learning about the team, the league & the club. He’s shown he’s an intelligent guy. He just needs a bit of time & it will be sorted - we just need to stop feeling so entitled & presume that there is a better solution out there. There is no quick fix but if everyone get’s behind the players, the manager & the club has a bit of faith & patience then who knows what will happen.....

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry forgot about Shinnie for the 2 in midfield - him & Sibley holding with Lawrence , Waghorn & Marriott free to roam & interchange upfront with Bogle & Lowe providing the width...

[alexxxxx]

Next couple of weeks will be vital to get gel the team together until the next international break. 

Unfortunately some members of our squad will be absent when we could do with them at Moor Farm but I'm sure the rest of them will be working hard together to get us back on track for the next block of games. 

This is a good time for a reset and a chance to lift the spirits of the players. 

[CWC1983]

@Nuwtfly

Good post. I said it a few weeks ago, but the Bielik signing and Rooney announcement probably moved the fanbase expectation from a season of transition to playoffs. The Bielik signing was one of the biggest in the league I think. 

In todays world, I dont think managers are given the time to build something while they languish in the bottom half of the table. Especially when the fanbase and owner are desperate for the Premier league. 

If results continue the sound of discontent from the stands will become louder to the board. 

The big unknown is the Rooney impact in January. Hopefully it brings a positive impact and the club kicks on. He will definitely improve the squad. 

I honestly believe fans would settle for a transition season if the football on the park was entertaining and exciting. Id hope Cocu at least tries to get the team playing this way. 

 

[europia]

We've not much choice really. 

[falconram]

The guy came in late on, players gone, loans not of his choice, this season always difficult.

This season will be a slog , end of this season more players gone with contracts up.

He was given 4 years this season was to get us through blood the accadamy lads see were we are.

I've been going since 1977 and seen some dross , this isn't that bad 

[BobbyD]

3 hours ago, Cool As Custard said:

Sorry forgot about Shinnie for the 2 in midfield - him & Sibley holding with Lawrence , Waghorn & Marriott free to roam & interchange upfront with Bogle & Lowe providing the width...

Shame you didn’t post this at the start of the season but just waited until things started going pear shaped .... otherwise you might have had some credibility 

[Warren Hobhead]

It’s a post that I agree with but I find it hard to reconcile the fact we have smashed our transfer record on a player with no experience at the level and we are just a few months away from the arrival of Rooney.

It doesn’t tend to marry up with the mantra.

I’m fully behind Cocu and at no point will I be calling for change.

The idea of spending less, and of integrating the youth players, both are sound and admirable principles.

Spending £8m on Bielik and god knows how much on an ageing MLS player...? 

They don’t fit the philosophy.

And whilst I’m here, we’ve looked by and large an absolute mess this season because we have no legs in the centre of midfield. By all accounts Johnson, Bryson and even Butterfield are getting rave reviews at their new clubs and we have to watch Huddlestone plodding around like a man on stilts stuck in quick sand.

[Bubbles]

Once we play Bielik in midfield we'll be sound.. trust me

[cheron85]

13 hours ago, Nuwtfly said:

Been a bit disappointing to see so many fans (not too many on here, mostly on Twitter) hitting the panic button after two defeats. I appreciate that this week has been something of a disaster (two defeats in a row and conceding six goals is going to annoy anyone), but we really need to hold our nerve here.

Fully agreed - We've played two sides tipped to be title challengers (West Brom, Brentford) a team who's had a flying start (Swansea) a team we know should be playoff contenders (Brizzle) and two teams with some PL experience in them

Plus - We've missed 2 penalties - If we'd scored those we'd be level on points with 6th place

The Brentford game is the only one we've been embarrassed in - I thought we were better than Swansea and West Brom (and definitely were better than Huddersfield) and deserve more points than we have so far this season

13 hours ago, Nuwtfly said:

Now, before you call me a happy clapper, I do think Cocu has made some errors. The first being some of the choices in the Forest game. I think he underestimated just how much that game means to us as a fanbase, and threw some youngsters in at the deepest of deep ends. He will learn from that. You could tell he had in the interview after the game.

I have to admit I was pro his attitude towards the game - However I do admit that it's not endeared himself to a section of the support and has probably put a little unnecessary pressure on himself 

Still - Two week break and then we just have to play a team who was in the Premier League last year and then the team who took us apart in the league twice last season and are one of the favourites for the title

[TommyPowell]

This picture illustrates PCs main problem

[TommyPowell]

Just now, TommyPowel said:

This picture illustrates PCs main problem. Dowell with disgusting body language

 

[RamontheMoor]

14 hours ago, Nuwtfly said:

Been a bit disappointing to see so many fans (not too many on here, mostly on Twitter) hitting the panic button after two defeats. I appreciate that this week has been something of a disaster (two defeats in a row and conceding six goals is going to annoy anyone), but we really need to hold our nerve here.

When Cocu was appointed, many on here (and on Twitter) said they fully expected a transitional season. With so many players leaving as their contracts ran out, and the departure of our three most talented players (Tomori, Mount and Wilson), we should all have expected something of a decline in playing performances going into this season. 

And now, as we begin to show the signs of a team going through a transition (inconsistent performances, the blooding of young players, trying different formations) many of us are suddenly losing our heads. 

What did you expect? You've seen other teams go through this and come out the other side. So why the pandemonium? 

Transitions take time. TIME. Some of you are calling it quits on this manager when he's had less games than Nigel flipping Pearson!

We know what the modus operandi for this season is. We know what the aims are. They were communicated to us very clearly at the start of the season by Mel, Cocu and most of the players. We are trying to build something at this club now. We are trying to stop the constant chopping and changing of managers that has caused us to fall into the mess to start with. We are trying to finally utilise the incredible academy Mel has worked so hard to build, whilst building a footballing identity and philosophy and simultaneously stay competitive.

You expect this to happen after 6 games? Come on. Let's get a hold of ourselves here. We have to back this team.

Now, before you call me a happy clapper, I do think Cocu has made some errors. The first being some of the choices in the Forest game. I think he underestimated just how much that game means to us as a fanbase, and threw some youngsters in at the deepest of deep ends. He will learn from that. You could tell he had in the interview after the game.

The second is the current use of formation. The 4-3-3, and the 4-2-3-1 to a lesser extent, aren't working because we are lacking any real quality in the wide areas, and a creative outlet in the 10 position. He needs to figure this one out, and I think he will. Richard Keogh suggested that he thought we looked good in a 3-5-2, and I agree with him. We've got the attacking full-backs to play this formation. Plus it means we can play Bielik in his preferred position of centre-half, with Keogh to the right of him and Clarke to the left. We could also play Waghorn and Marriott up top with each-other (which many of you wanted to see this season), and Lawrence in that 10 role behind the two of them. TL flourished in that system at Ipswich, so this might suit him in the long run.

Regardless of this though, any system, formation, style will all take time. We all knew this at the start of the season, and we owe it, not just to the management, but to Mel and his vision, to not only give this time, but to back it. Back him. Back the club. Loads of you already are, so this post isn't really for you.

Sorry this turned into something of a blogpost, but I've been stewing on what I wanted to say about all this since yesterday, and I couldn't really make it any shorter.

Up the Rams! ?

Exactly this ⬆️.

Great post @Nuwtfly

[Curtains]

We don’t need to hold our nerve .

We have no say as fans 

We just pay to watch the team end of.