Daveangel -
Daveangel - 05-09-2021
(05-09-2021, 10:17 AM)charlie Wrote: Wanted to leave it until the morning before having my say. If people agree/disagree, that’s fine, it’s an open public forum for debate and it’s quite interesting seeing everyone’s views here.
York was superb. 4-0 was probably a bit flattering but that has set the benchmark for us. Then away to Guiseley it was like a new team after Cole went off. We were lethargic, had no grit nor tactical nouse to change things around when they came at us. Same against Kettering on the Monday. Outmuscled and outplayed by a team who wanted it more, for the second time in 3 days. Then to lose 9-0 to Chorley… even if we have some players out injured, on paper that XI should still have got at least a point yesterday. Congratulations to the usual suspects for watching it, and giving your support even after the past week.
Paul Groves may have a seriously impressive football CV, and there’s no doubting that. But firstly his actual managerial record is poor, and secondly as far as I understand his only experience at this sort of level was playing for Stafford in 2005. The top of non-league football has changed a lot in the last 5 years, let alone 15. He said after Kettering “if the league is going to be this physical” which, to me, says he didn’t understand the league, but now recognises he got it wrong, so can make changes. He should have had enough games last year to get a feeling for the league, but I didn’t think the performances or results after Rowe were that good. Considering that, and him saying he wants to play nice tippy tappy football, the players he brought in are probably good enough to play that as we saw in pre-season, but not good enough to win promotion from this league. We need big, strong, physical players who know this league, and that’s what James Rowe did last year.
To go into the new season after all the time off without a 5, 9 or even a full bench is absolutely scandalous. I thought those days were behind us, but there is absolutely no excuse for this if we want to be challenging at the top.
We had 2 opportunities to sign good, big strikers, and didn’t. We delayed over Harper and shock he’s been great for Chippenham. Instead of replacing Ben Morgan we bring in a relatively small loanee who, again, has never played at this level. AP talks about how patient Groves is with transfers, which may have benefits, but it feels naive, and I’m not completely sure Groves knows what he wants.
I’d like to think Adie Mings has been helping him on the recruitment front as he knows the league.
What worries me as well, is that we are full time, and have an assistant manager who is renowned for his fitness work, but we don’t look anywhere near fit enough. The players have looked worryingly tired since York.
It’s not good to hear Dawson and Harrison “had a fight” on the pitch after the match, but at least it shows some sort of passion that quite a lot of the squad have been missing.
There’s been a lot of talk about how the likes of Joe Hanks, Spencer Hamilton, Vince Harper, Sam Avery etc are not good enough to win promotion from this league, maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not true, but they showed passion and would never have let yesterday happen. That’s a simple fact.
I’m not Groves out yet because it’s far too early into the season, he’s admitted his mistake so it would be good to see him turn it around, but he doesn’t have long and the signs are not good. It’s simply not acceptable to lose 9-0, even before all of our investment.
Regarding Adie, all recruitment of players is dealt with by him and PG working in conjunction, so it’s not done without any knowledge of this level and PG isn’t solely responsible.
RE: Chorley -
Nigeglos - 05-09-2021
Tippy tappy with a power element might work at home but over the season, away from home some pitches won't be ideal for it. I agree with many of the comments, playing a little bloke up front, on his own, reminds me of the days when we were really struggling. It's like we are a league or two below.
I think that is a very fair point about the 5 and 9. That seems unforgivable to go into a season so badly prepared in two really key positions.
RE: Chorley -
Grey beard - 05-09-2021
(05-09-2021, 11:27 AM)Neil Wrote: Whatever happens this mess isn't going to sort itself out overnight. The biggest problem for me is that all of these players are new or newish to the club and if we do it again we'll just be in the same place but a few months down the line.
Whatever you think about Rowe he knew the type of player that was needed and he had the ability to go out and sign them. You need a manager who knows players. I don't think we have that in Groves. If the DoF is responsible for signing players then it's not Groves' fault that we've ended up with an ineffective squad especially considering that the better players were signed by James Rowe.
We need to get someone like Gary Johnson in ASAP.
Still in shock from this result ,bloody glad I'm away this week in Newquey and maybe miss the last installment???
RE: Chorley -
Severnside - 05-09-2021
Only AP has come out and said sorry.
He must be at a loss to understand the bus hasn't just lost its wheels its bloody driven over a cliff.
Dave said that Adie and PG recruit well that makes AP and EMs problems even more difficult to resolve and resolve it must be as we are going backwards faster than Lewis Hamilton on rewind......
RE: Chorley -
Prorsum Semper - 05-09-2021
(05-09-2021, 01:24 PM)Nigeglos Wrote: I think that is a very fair point about the 5 and 9. That seems unforgivable to go into a season so badly prepared in two really key positions.
And half are defence being brought in as loan players just before the start of the season,How was he working on Shape,tactics etc,The more I think about it the worse it seems.
Hereford fans seems to think the same as happened there and that hasn't gone well either.
RE: Chorley -
MrMatt - 05-09-2021
This might just be me but I get the feeling that some players think they’re doing the club a favour by joining us. I got the same impression from James Rowe when he was here.
I don’t know the players personally so I may be well off but it’s just a feeling I get.
RE: Chorley -
OldDirtyGlasses - 05-09-2021
AP, Adie & Tom Webb interviewed Paul, along with a host of other candidates. From what I understand it was a pretty unanimous decision that Paul was the standout candidate. I wouldn’t say Adie or Sir Tom know nothing about this league, and listening to Tom’s co-commentary last season, he clearly still knows a truckload about football, tactics, desire etc. I think it’s difficult to believe Paul has pulled the wool over their eyes & snuck his way in here without any knowledge of this league. Unfortunately when this stuff goes sour it’s the manager who is easier to get rid of than a bunch of players. But ultimately they are the ones who need to turn up on the pitch & for whatever reason they haven’t been.
Note: Ian Holloway is available.
RE: Chorley -
Darran - 05-09-2021
If Mings really has been part of the process in signing players then he can sod off as well. I'm sure Groves can talk a very good game and that came across in the interview, but are you really telling me that he knew the National League North in any depth having been in Israel and with no need to know anything about it until our job came up? Wasn't it Mings who told him to apply? Groves has basically admitted he wasn't expecting the league to be so physical and the Chorley manager yesterday basically said he couldn't believe we didn't change tactics.
Thought this made for interesting reading as it isn't far off what is happening to us based on his time at Bournemouth 9 years ago.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/19816075
We can only hope the silence is him getting sacked, but we hardly heard from him in the time the season ended until the first pre-season friendly so maybe its no surprise he's not said anything.
RE: Chorley -
SHANDY LOVE MACHINE - 05-09-2021
I hope Paul Groves stays on and turns it around. He is a different type of manager to most, I reckon there's something in there that will steady the ship and kicks us on. Might be difficult to see at the moment, but I just have a gut feeling.
I'm also not a big fan of hire and fire clubs, I think it says more about the ego of the Chairman than anything else. Sometimes things just need a little time to brew. We clearly need a signings in key areas, the injury room to empty, and the door shown to one or two players. See where we are then.
I'm probably in a minority with this view.
RE: Chorley -
Severnside - 05-09-2021
(05-09-2021, 04:00 PM)SHANDY LOVE MACHINE Wrote: I hope Paul Groves stays on and turns it around. He is a different type of manager to most, I reckon there's something in there that will steady the ship and kicks us on. Might be difficult to see at the moment, but I just have a gut feeling.
I'm also not a big fan of hire and fire clubs, I think it says more about the ego of the Chairman than anything else. Sometimes things just need a little time to brew. We clearly need a signings in key areas, the injury room to empty, and the door shown to one or two players. See where we are then.
I'm probably in a minority with this view.
I think you are definitely in a minority of one or two.