Emperors New Clothes

I am sorry, but I am having serious doubts on BBM's ability to be a front-line manager. Maybe a world-class developer of players, but his tactics and game management are plain crazy and show no sign of adapting or improving.

We scored today because of decades-old proper football, overlaps, and crosses

The stuff he wants us to play is make-believe, Pep, and the billion-dollar sqaud barely makes it work when you have had some of the greatest players to ever play the game.

We won again despite him, rather than because of him; we simply have better players.

I hope he wakes up and starts to manage games rather than leave us wide open. Whatever he sees on the training paddock is not translating at home.

I think we'll be better suited to away games anyway, so that may help him.

I may be on my own, but todays was another hard watch

I've made this a sticky not because I agree with it, but because it should be an interesting discussion.

Now I'll give my opinion.

I think you're totally wrong. BBM has given these players freedom to play in the way they are.

We are creating chances. There's a common myth going that we don't but we are, we just haven't taken them but that will come.

We didn't play well today but we won because of changes the manager made.

He has given players confidence which they had lost after last season.

And my final point is we are top of the league (albeit Stevenage have a game in hand) after over a quarter of the season.

I do think too many fans our stuck in the Warnock way of thinking. I won't go into my serious misgivings about Warnock's ethics but I will point out that his style of play no longer works for a team that want to finish in the top two.

BBM has two jobs:

1. Improve our young players

2. Get us promoted this season

I believe he's expected to do both but 1 is more important than 2.

He's on course to do both.

I’m with you pal .

I find the side to side stuff boring tbh . However I find foootball these days more generally a bit boring , perhaps an age thing. The Dave Jones team we had would put 8 on our current lot .
Guess he can’t be knocked too much as we’re top of the league but I know exactly what you mean .

Players being over coached.

Today’s first half formation 4:1:5, what the heck!!!

What was Joel Colwill’s position in the first half, inside right? We lose the ball he slowly jogs back. Not having a go at him, but what was the tactic of leaving Turnbull on his own with. Front five with no movement…. Again what the heck. We had 15 minutes of good and the rest was passing it around aimlessly or hanging on.

Another different midfield pairing!

It’s a painful watch. Certainly won’t get the fans on the edge of the seat. Davies came on 30 seconds later strips the fullback Salech for once facing the right way not back to goal bang and it’s in the back of the net. Our build up play is so slow and ponderous said it before we lack any pace throughout the side.
Reading 26 shots 11 on target us 10 shots and 3 on target.

I've made this a sticky not because I agree with it, but because it should be an interesting discussion.

Now I'll give my opinion.

I think you're totally wrong. BBM has given these players freedom to play in the way they are.

We are creating chances. There's a common myth going that we don't but we are, we just haven't taken them but that will come.

We didn't play well today but we won because of changes the manager made.

He has given players confidence which they had lost after last season.

And my final point is we are top of the league (albeit Stevenage have a game in hand) after over a quarter of the season.

I do think too many fans our stuck in the Warnock way of thinking. I won't go into my serious misgivings about Warnock's ethics but I will point out that his style of play no longer works for a team that want to finish in the top two.

BBM has two jobs:

1. Improve our young players

2. Get us promoted this season

I believe he's expected to do both but 1 is more important than 2.

He's on course to do both.

I love the football debates and there are a few on here i like to read what their thoughts are as well.

I want to be a believer, and there were points in Chambers' performance to say these youngsters are hanging onto every syllable uttered from BBM whilst the good honest pro wellied it when it needed wellying.

I just don't see game management, and that's not important at the development level, whilst in the pro league it is. No idea what we ended up at, but it looked like a naive 424 with Turnbull and Rubin as the midfield shield. We got away with it today because of Trott, and it's a team sport, we won, and I am happy.
But, I would have posted this if it finished 2-2, 2,3 or 2-1

I've made this a sticky not because I agree with it, but because it should be an interesting discussion.

Now I'll give my opinion.

I think you're totally wrong. BBM has given these players freedom to play in the way they are.

We are creating chances. There's a common myth going that we don't but we are, we just haven't taken them but that will come.

We didn't play well today but we won because of changes the manager made.

He has given players confidence which they had lost after last season.

And my final point is we are top of the league (albeit Stevenage have a game in hand) after over a quarter of the season.

I do think too many fans our stuck in the Warnock way of thinking. I won't go into my serious misgivings about Warnock's ethics but I will point out that his style of play no longer works for a team that want to finish in the top two.

BBM has two jobs:

1. Improve our young players

2. Get us promoted this season

I believe he's expected to do both but 1 is more important than 2.

He's on course to do both.

I love the football debates and there are a few on here i like to read what their thoughts are as well.

I want to be a believer, and there were points in Chambers' performance to say these youngsters are hanging onto every syllable uttered from BBM whilst the good honest pro wellied it when it needed wellying.

I just don't see game management, and that's not important at the development level, whilst in the pro league it is. No idea what we ended up at, but it looked like a naive 424 with Turnbull and Rubin as the midfield shield. We got away with it today because of Trott, and it's a team sport, we won, and I am happy.
But, I would have posted this if it finished 2-2, 2,3 or 2-1

Fair points.

I don't think we played well today but I'm in the "trust the process" camp. I think it will serve us well in the long term.

I do maintain that his job is to improve the young players and get us back to the Championship. Both we're on course to do.

If he achieves both, there are bigger challenges next season but I think that's a worry for next summer.

I am sorry, but I am having serious doubts on BBM's ability to be a front-line manager. Maybe a world-class developer of players, but his tactics and game management are plain crazy and show no sign of adapting or improving.

We scored today because of decades-old proper football, overlaps, and crosses

The stuff he wants us to play is make-believe, Pep, and the billion-dollar sqaud barely makes it work when you have had some of the greatest players to ever play the game.

We won again despite him, rather than because of him; we simply have better players.

I hope he wakes up and starts to manage games rather than leave us wide open. Whatever he sees on the training paddock is not translating at home.

I think we'll be better suited to away games anyway, so that may help him.

I may be on my own, but todays was another hard watch

My thoughts exactly and we are winning games because we have better players not because our tactics are superior. It is crazy that both Orient and Reading each had 26 attempts on our goal. Too much tinkering with team selection has led to the team being disjointed and playing with uncertainty. Not the sign of a master tactician in my eyes.

Would help if kept same side unless there's injury? If dont have same players week in week our players are uncertain of how fellow defenders positioning is? I Feel osho suffers from this as he's usually only regular starter most games ... hard to know what the tactics are other than its styled on Pep football! Unfortunately we dont have same quality players except trott....whilst dont necessarily need plan B you do need adaptation something bbm lacks in games ... 60min subs again extra defensive players to preserve lead both didn't stop readings attacking or their chances.. is being top of league masking his deficiencies as a 1st team coach?

I think he's doing fine were top of the league, we're winning games from losing positions which shows he can change things when it's not going our way

I just wish he would stick with a settled back 4 as the chopping and changing won't allow for continuity

I still believe the best is yet to come from this squad and we will get better once we stop having to break every few games for internationals and the team is able to get up a bit of momentum

I agree it's not perfect but it's a damn sight more fun than the disaster of last season

Far from perfect today, and last game but we would have never come from behind to win last season. I said I would say yay or nay after 10-12 games and now we're here & top of the league so it has to be a yay and we should stick with him for the foreseeable future. Hopefully he gets the backing he needs come January & we can go on and get promotion back to the Championship. I'm not sure what people are expecting from the manager, better than top of the league?

A few valid points made here.
But, taking into consideration the disaster of last season, where we were relegated in bottom spot, along with the fact that we offloaded many players in the summer, with minimal replacement.
In addition, the introduction of a few inexperienced youngsters and of course the arrival of a new manager with fresh ideas.

As a result, I find it harsh to be critical of the manager considering he has turned things around to see us top of the league this evening, which in itself we should be celebrating.
However, we do need a settled back four that stop making errors losing possession by overplaying out from defence.

We shouldn't just expect to walk this league without some battles like today.

A few valid points made here.
But, taking into consideration the disaster of last season, where we were relegated in bottom spot, along with the fact that we offloaded many players in the summer, with minimal replacement.
In addition, the introduction of a few inexperienced youngsters and of course the arrival of a new manager with fresh ideas.

As a result, I find it harsh to be critical of the manager considering he has turned things around to see us top of the league this evening, which in itself we should be celebrating.
However, we do need a settled back four that stop making errors losing possession by overplaying out from defence.

We shouldn't just expect to walk this league without some battles like today.

Absolutely spot on and I agree about the back four even though I think he'd start Lawlor every game at this point,if he was available

I think he's doing fine were top of the league, we're winning games from losing positions which shows he can change things when it's not going our way

I just wish he would stick with a settled back 4 as the chopping and changing won't allow for continuity

I still believe the best is yet to come from this squad and we will get better once we stop having to break every few games for internationals and the team is able to get up a bit of momentum

I agree it's not perfect but it's a damn sight more fun than the disaster of last season

The frustration is the changes are upfront by sticking Robinson with salech and putting ball in box with more forward think midfielders... no coincidence that we are generally losing when the changes come ... could playing Salech & Robinson from start benefit us as we might just being lead come halftime? Tbh all the changes are same as in nearly every game even down to the timing of 60/70mins substitutions.

Let’s be honest. If we were in the championship we would be where we were last season. A championship team would have well beaten us today. I love 3 points but you always have to look at the standard we are playing.

A 2-1 win to go top of the league and still people moan. What a miserable bunch.

A 2-1 win to go top of the league and still people moan. What a miserable bunch.

We all love the win, but even the manager said we did not play well. We want Cardiff to get promoted and not in the bottom 3 in the championship, next season. We will get there but no point having blinkers on, just because we won at this stage of the season.

I loved being at the stadium at the end but it was relief, that we got over the line and not about the performance.

It’s a painful watch. Certainly won’t get the fans on the edge of the seat. Davies came on 30 seconds later strips the fullback Salech for once facing the right way not back to goal bang and it’s in the back of the net. Our build up play is so slow and ponderous said it before we lack any pace throughout the side.
Reading 26 shots 11 on target us 10 shots and 3 on target.

I totally agree - unless we wise up we are going to get a good thumping off the next good side we meet. I watched the Lincoln v Stevenage game today and they are both likely candidates. We need to stop this tippy tap possession based game and clear our lines and get crosses into the box to Salech/Robinson. Achieving 80% ineffective possession is worthless!!

Let’s be honest. If we were in the championship we would be where we were last season. A championship team would have well beaten us today. I love 3 points but you always have to look at the standard we are playing.

But we're not in the Championship so the point is irrelevant.

The job is to improve young players and get us promoted. He's on course to do both.

Let’s be honest. If we were in the championship we would be where we were last season. A championship team would have well beaten us today. I love 3 points but you always have to look at the standard we are playing.

But we're not in the Championship so the point is irrelevant.

The job is to improve young players and get us promoted. He's on course to do both.

I think it is relevant because although BBM's target is to improve young players, his main aim should be to take the club to the next level where we can be competitive. There are few signs of this happening so far but it is early days and it is only fair to give him sufficient time to complete the task.

Let’s be honest. If we were in the championship we would be where we were last season. A championship team would have well beaten us today. I love 3 points but you always have to look at the standard we are playing.

But we're not in the Championship so the point is irrelevant.

The job is to improve young players and get us promoted. He's on course to do both.

I think it is relevant because although BBM's target is to improve young players, his main aim should be to take the club to the next level where we can be competitive. There are few signs of this happening so far but it is early days and it is only fair to give him sufficient time to complete the task.

Well I would argue that he's had 12 games to improve the players.

I think since the first game it's not just the young players that have improved but we've also seen better performances from the likes of Chambers and Robinson.

I would expect (I don't know for sure) the plan is to improve players as the season goes on, while achieving promotion.

We'll deal with this if and when it happens, but promotion would mean we'd need more additions anyway.

The main goal of this season is being promoted and we're top of the league with over a quarter of the season gone.

As a fan base we don’t know what we want.

We want youth to get their chance.

We want exciting matches to watch.

We want to play passing football.

All the above are happening and still some aren’t happy.

W@nkers I say.

Yes, the w@nkers booing at half time. Thick as mince.

As a fan base we don’t know what we want.

We want youth to get their chance.

We want exciting matches to watch.

We want to play passing football.

All the above are happening and still some aren’t happy.

W@nkers I say.

Today wasn't the best performance but I am a little bemused by this forum tonight.

We're top of the league in mid October. Things can't be that bad.

Of course the levels have to improve but we're in a great place before we've hit full stride, surely something to be happy about.

PS. Great win for Oxford against Snowfall FC.

For me the last two home games have been a concern with the ease in which the opposition are carving us open and shooting at will. Our midfield is weak and is crying out for a right frame of mind Robertson, our set up is perfect for him to control games so let's hope he starts soon. For me we HAVE to find a way of starting both Saleck and Robinson and get balls into the area far quicker than we are, as for the defense i think when Lawlor is fit he'll make a huge difference.

Rome wasn't built on a day!
Give the young lads time to learn from the mistakes at this early stage and the manager chance to build on the squad over the next couple of years into a team that may eventually challenge to get back into the Premiership.
I, for one, certainly don't want to return to 'hoofball'
We have to give the club time to learn to play football the modern way, which I believe the manager is all about.
My biggest concern is whether Tan will back BBM if we are promoted with the quality he needs.

But.....one step at a time.

I think he's doing fine were top of the league, we're winning games from losing positions which shows he can change things when it's not going our way

I just wish he would stick with a settled back 4 as the chopping and changing won't allow for continuity

I still believe the best is yet to come from this squad and we will get better once we stop having to break every few games for internationals and the team is able to get up a bit of momentum

I agree it's not perfect but it's a damn sight more fun than the disaster of last season

I agree with you. It's not perfect and his tinkering of back 4 is a worry. But fish had lots of straps on his legs when he came on and lawlor out injured. So was Chambers osho the only 2 full cb pairing available?.
Hopefully a settled 11 again can come this month with less games than we've had last 2 months

Rome wasn't built on a day!
Give the young lads time to learn from the mistakes at this early stage and the manager chance to build on the squad over the next couple of years into a team that may eventually challenge to get back into the Premiership.
I, for one, certainly don't want to return to 'hoofball'
We have to give the club time to learn to play football the modern way, which I believe the manager is all about.
My biggest concern is whether Tan will back BBM if we are promoted with the quality he needs.

But.....one step at a time.

Good post

As a fan base we don’t know what we want.

We want youth to get their chance.

We want exciting matches to watch.

We want to play passing football.

All the above are happening and still some aren’t happy.

W@nkers I say.

Today wasn't the best performance but I am a little bemused by this forum tonight.

We're top of the league in mid October. Things can't be that bad.

Of course the levels have to improve but we're in a great place before we've hit full stride, surely something to be happy about.

PS. Great win for Oxford against Snowfall FC.

Yeah battered them. Should have been more. Ciaran Brown back from injury today. He’s such a massive part of the Oxford team.

With these youngsters we have a high ceiling and a low floor. We will have to put up with inconsistency. We will also have to put up with rotation to keep these boys fresh. That can be a problem with the defence for sure.

Im waiting for everyone to change their view on Osho and say we shouldn’t have signed him.

If anyone told us we would be top after 12 games who wouldn’t have snapped their hands off.

We have some weird ‘fans’ don’t we? At least a win keeps Barnet Blue off the forum.

Rome wasn't built on a day!
Give the young lads time to learn from the mistakes at this early stage and the manager chance to build on the squad over the next couple of years into a team that may eventually challenge to get back into the Premiership.
I, for one, certainly don't want to return to 'hoofball'
We have to give the club time to learn to play football the modern way, which I believe the manager is all about.
My biggest concern is whether Tan will back BBM if we are promoted with the quality he needs.

But.....one step at a time.

Hopefully Tan will sell up if we get promoted.