Some Positives?

We survived a dire season and just avoided relegation.

We should have another healthy total of season tickets sold.  Money up front for new players, good support and a good atmosphere.

Thus is a positive as this level of support/income is better than many Div 2 clubs.  Even if we struggle the club still has the income.

Because we were so poor there will be a wholesale clear out of players.  This gives us a great opportunity to start afresh.  Massive pressure to get the recruitment right.

Stevenage and Crawley had massive improvements after being in the same position.

Finishing mid-table and the temptation is to stick with the same average players.

We have gone the longest without a 20 goal striker in the league.  Chesterfield paid good money for a striker and were clear at the top 2/3 years ago. When he got injured their season imploded.

Blackburn might get relegated.  Yet they have a striker on 31 goals - no one has scored more in the 4 divisions.

It is more important to spread the goals around the team. Reduced risk of injury to a key striker.  Keeps the opposition guessing.

To add:  we had to wait until June, when we won the Promotion Final, to know what division we would be in the next season.

We know this 6 weeks earlier, giving more time to plan and look at players.  Knowing the budget as well.

We have a last game without any pressure.  Can say goodbye to some players and/or play some youngsters or fringe players.

To be honest, I feel that if you remove some of the context from the situation - we’ve survived relatively comfortably.

I think that some of the performances post Doncaster have been positive & will stand us in good stead for next season.

However, you don’t always realise that when in the midsts of a prospective dog fight!

Quoted from bradzmilne

To be honest, I feel that if you remove some of the context from the situation - we’ve survived relatively comfortably.

I think that some of the performances post Doncaster have been positive & will stand us in good stead for next season.

However, you don’t always realise that when in the midsts of a prospective dog fight!

Agreed, but we do have to consider the likelihood that DA will abandon the 3-5-2 over the summer and revert to something more in keeping with his philosophies and the 'game model'. The change was needed and provided some much needed improvement to what clearly wasn't working at the time but I'm confident he'll want to get back there with the players he feels can play. In that vein of thinking we have to revert to the context of the Donny game and previous.

For me this is where the biggest improvements within the club are coming from, planning. JS has alluded that the game model they had in mind was knocked back under PH and they obviously gave him time to see if it worked and if our assumptions are correct then they also effectively handed PH the rope with which to hang himself. Continuing some assumptions further, in that DA is in sync with the owners and the game model then you'd like to believe that between DA, Joe and other supporting staff there is a plan in place to bring the 'right' players in to play according to the model.

Time will tell whether it works out but football doesn't work in straight lines and I'm sure there'll be some setbacks, hopefully at least we can see something a little more consistent over the course of the season which hopefully sees us flirting at the play off end rather than the relegation one.

Quoted from gtfc_chris

Agreed, but we do have to consider the likelihood that DA will abandon the 3-5-2 over the summer and revert to something more in keeping with his philosophies and the 'game model'[b][/b]. The change was needed and provided some much needed improvement to what clearly wasn't working at the time but I'm confident he'll want to get back there with the players he feels can play. In that vein of thinking we have to revert to the context of the Donny game and previous.

For me this is where the biggest improvements within the club are coming from, planning. JS has alluded that the game model they had in mind was knocked back under PH and they obviously gave him time to see if it worked and if our assumptions are correct then they also effectively handed PH the rope with which to hang himself. Continuing some assumptions further, in that DA is in sync with the owners and the game model then you'd like to believe that between DA, Joe and other supporting staff there is a plan in place to bring the 'right' players in to play according to the model.

Time will tell whether it works out but football doesn't work in straight lines and I'm sure there'll be some setbacks, hopefully at least we can see something a little more consistent over the course of the season which hopefully sees us flirting at the play off end rather than the relegation one.

Genuine question.
I'm no tactical genius, but isn't it possible to use this base, which the players are obviously comfortable with (and half of them are contracted next season remember), and tweak or adapt it to make it more pleasing on the eye?

Quoted from forza ivano

Genuine question.
I'm no tactical genius, but isn't it possible to use this base, which the players are obviously comfortable with (and half of them are contracted next season remember), and tweak or adapt it to make it more pleasing on the eye?

Very much so I would have thought and to be honest it’s a formation I like. When a wing back bombs it should be relatively easy to cover the space he leaves behind either via one of the three central defenders or a midfielder moving out. Don’t like formations that are too rigid and always feel it should be played like you do in a 5/6 a side game. Pass and move, it’s not rocket science get in the space to receive the ball and move it on, player moves out of position another one fills in. Over simplified I accept but what have lacked, Thompson & Conten apart, is midfielders who are comfortable at receiving and controlling the ball and moving it on quickly. I appreciate Swindon weren’t really competing too hard on Saturday but the difference Ainley, Khouri and Andrews made was noticeable and this was, IMO, that they all do the basics well and having them on the pitch together helps demo what is possible.

Quoted from forza ivano

Genuine question.
I'm no tactical genius, but isn't it possible to use this base, which the players are obviously comfortable with (and half of them are contracted next season remember), and tweak or adapt it to make it more pleasing on the eye?

I am not picking a fight with you just joining in the debate..

I hope 'pleasing on the eye' is not the key factor in next season's team - we need to do the basics, be more compact and competitive in midfield, move the ball quicker and be more incisive when we attack. Some of that will make us more pleasing on the eye but I'll take a very organised team who are difficult to beat and dangerous going forward. I'm not sure Thompson is pleasing on the eye (in a football sense, I'm not qualified to comment in other respects...) but he's been the first name on the teamsheet after Danny Rose since he got here.

Pleasing to the eye is nice if we can move the ball forward.  We played some good passing at times but it often ended with somebody turning back. I'd like a player like Mullin, without the cheating.  As soon as he gets the ball he's only got one thing on his mind. He doesn't care if he gets tackled or plays a bad pass in the end.  The next time he goes again.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

I am not picking a fight with you just joining in the debate..

I hope 'pleasing on the eye' is not the key factor in next season's team - we need to do the basics, be more compact and competitive in midfield, move the ball quicker and be more incisive when we attack. Some of that will make us more pleasing on the eye but I'll take a very organised team who are difficult to beat and dangerous going forward. I'm not sure Thompson is pleasing on the eye (in a football sense, I'm not qualified to comment in other respects...) but he's been the first name on the teamsheet after Danny Rose since he got here.

perhaps should have phrased it differently; presumably it's possible to mix this system with the way Artell and 1878 want the team to play?

I think Thompson is pleasing on the eye, to my football mind anyway.  He uses the ball well, creates space for others and is intelligent with when and how to give the ball.  If we're talking pleasing in that purest form of neat little triangle passes, I think he does that quite well too.  Very good at playing his way out of trouble as opposed to just hoofing it.

I think attractive football will definitely be on the agenda, I don't think 1878 have attempted to make a secret of that.  Of course attractive is subjective, I found Russell Slade's second season (first spell, definitely not second!) entertaining as hell but others found it dull as ditchwater.  I loved Alan Buckley's pass and move in both his first and second spells, but it also became dull and predictable towards the end of both reigns.

Formation wise, I'm not convinced that Artell will ditch 3-5-2 or a variation of it at least.  A lack of options largely dictated that 3-3-3-1 formation on Saturday but I think that has some legs too.  As with any system it's if you've got the players to make it successful.  4-4-2 is what everyone always wants to revert back to (especially when a side is struggling) but it's only effective if you've got the players, namely two midfielders who can dominate and compliment each other.  In the modern game that's rare, hence why a lot of teams don't use it anymore.  At our level one good central midfielder is hard to find, two is near impossible.

Second half I really enjoyed watching our 3-3-3-1 system in flow.  But it worked once Thompson was supported by the other 3 midfielders.  First half they were miles apart from him and he was fighting a one-man battle.  It also required Wilson to bully the defence, which he didn't do first half and that meant the ball just came back.

At Crewe, Artell heavily played 4-3-3 but he had two really good full backs in Perry Ng and the left back who's name escapes me.  Both absolutely dominated their flanks.  Further forward he had the likes of Callum Ainley and Charlie Kirk, players capable of genuinely unlocking teams.  How much Artell thinks we've got in the building who can do that or how well he can recruit in the summer will absolutely dictate what system we play.  I imagine he's got an idea in his mind now but nothing will be set in stone.

Quoted from forza ivano

Genuine question.
I'm no tactical genius, but isn't it possible to use this base, which the players are obviously comfortable with (and half of them are contracted next season remember), and tweak or adapt it to make it more pleasing on the eye?

3-5-2 when set up properly with excellent wing backs who are capable of getting up and down the flanks can be a really good formation in a footballing sense. My concern with it though is that you're reliant on just one player each side for your width who has to have the required ability with the ball, stamina and ability to defend at a consistently very high level in order for it to work well. Essentially two of your better players have to be the wing backs e.g Notts County with Jodi Jones or you're always going to be sacrificing some attacking intent from out wide. If we've got a very average budget for the division we're in which is likely, then the chances of finding a suitable player that we can afford for both flanks is probably quite low. Then what happens if one of them gets a long term injury? The chances of us being able to afford four good players capable of playing wing back is virtually nil. So in that situation you're a bit stuck. Do you just persevere and have no width or threat going forward on that side? Or do you change formation? If you change formation what do you change it to? If you're planning on setting up as a 3-5-2 as your main formation then do you sign wingers? Do you sign them if you're often not going to use them more often than not and if you don't sign them then you're very limited to what you can change your formation to?

Equally if you're going to really have the wing backs pushing forward then you'd better hope that your full backs are very good and very mobile. Again, Notts County are a perfect example of the issues with this as their defence is the worst in the league because they're so often over run. This is in spite of having some very good wing backs and central midfielders in front of them.

It's not an easy problem to solve. It's helped to shore us up and ensure our L2 survival but it's a difficult formation to set up perfectly. An easy formation to either become very difficult to break down or to allow lots of players to get forward  (Us as the former, Notts County the latter) but getting the balance right is very hard.

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

To add:  we had to wait until June, when we won the Promotion Final, to know what division we would be in the next season.

We know this 6 weeks earlier, giving more time to plan and look at players.  Knowing the budget as well.

We have a last game without any pressure.  Can say goodbye to some players and/or play some youngsters or fringe players.

that was the season before....

For me the positive is that most of the best players in the squad are contracted to us next season and the ones where there are question marks mainly aren't contracted.  That is a great position for the manager to be in.

Contracted to us and strong contenders to be in a starting 11 next season:

Tharme, Thompson, Rose, Vernam  - only 4 but what a four to have already signed up for next year and to build a team around

Contracted to us and potential contenders to be in a starting 11 next season:

Mullarkey and Rodgers have done well in the final third of the season and could slot back in alongside Tharme, or be strong squad members
Eastwood came back into the team a changed player from the one with his confidence shot - as a minimum, a strong back up
Wilson has done well at times and definitely worthy of a place on the bench

Contracted to us and with question marks:
Hunt, Pyke

Contracted and one for the future
Gardner

If you look down the long list of players who aren't contracted, are there any who we'd be really gutted to lose?  Whilst there are some that it would be good to keep (Ainley probably tops that list) there are no massive losses. Whereas in previous years, we've nearly always lost someone we'd like to keep - Fox, McAtee, Crocombe. I expect Artell to maybe offer half a dozen contracts from this group, leaving space for 6-8 new signings who should all be first team contenders.

The worry is, mullarkey has gone on record as saying he is better as a right sided CB in a three. If we go to a back four where does he fit in?

Quoted from kevikov

The worry is, mullarkey has gone on record as saying he is better as a right sided CB in a three. If we go to a back four where does he fit in?

York.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

York.

It’s by no means out of the question that Altrincham will be making their first appearance as a football league club next season. Certainly one possible avenue to keep an eye on here if he doesn’t fit next season’s intended template.

It would be nice to have the flexibility to switch between 3-5-2 (or 3-4-1-2) and 4-3-3, but not sure we will have the budget to sign 2 really good FBs to make the latter work. When we played this earlier in the season both FBs were continually exposed, not helped by Eisa’s non track back non tackling playing style.

I will do my player appraisal seeing as it's over now based on what I think will happen rather than what I want myself .

Players under contract
Eastwood - will more than likely be retained as backup
Rodgers- will be retained as either 2nd or 3rd choice CB
Tharme- First choice CB
Mullarkey- Will be retained unless a decent bid comes in , good end to the season in his primary role.

Hunt- more than likely given pre-season within Artell's favoured system to impress
Khouri- on a long term contract , probably given pre-season to see if he can force his way into the reckoning , if not loan to a NL side to further development .
Thompson- 1st choice CM
Vernam- will be retained , need him injury free for a long period .

Rose - 1st choice striker
Pyke- will be retained unless someone is willing to take him on - suspect Artell would be willing to release
Wilson- Doubtful he will stay if he wanted back down south in January , will probably leave for a nominal fee .
Gardner- Given pre-season to impress and then probably loaned out to NLN

Out of contract
Amos- will be released
Glennon- expect to be released
Maher- expect to be released
Hume - will probably be offered a year , but might go out looking for better .
Ainley- expect him to be offered a year
Clifton- think he will be offered 1 year but might look for better/have suitors
Arthur- will be released
Eisa- will be released
Green- depends who the 1 year option favours , suspect will mean a year's extension
Holahan- with a heavy heart will be released
Khan-released

Loans
Cartwright - will leave with best wishes doubt we will see him back next season
Smith- one of the only interesting one's think he might get offered a year .
Andrews- did a job at times but doubt he will be back
Wood- doubt will be back
Obikwu- think he will be back if Coventry will drop him down to league 2 again - Artell rates him no doubt.

Kids
Bramwell- possibly offered another year
Esell- will be released
Tomlinson - likely released
Braithwaite- possibly offered 6 months or a year 50/50

So we will probably start the summer with a minimum of 11 senior players under contract upto a maximum of 14 or 15  so we will probably be looking to recruit a mimimum of 10 with a maximum of 15 i would say .

Will be a busy summer

Quoted from gtfc_chris

Agreed, but we do have to consider the likelihood that DA will abandon the 3-5-2 over the summer and revert to something more in keeping with his philosophies and the 'game model'. The change was needed and provided some much needed improvement to what clearly wasn't working at the time but I'm confident he'll want to get back there with the players he feels can play. In that vein of thinking we have to revert to the context of the Donny game and previous.

For me this is where the biggest improvements within the club are coming from, planning. JS has alluded that the game model they had in mind was knocked back under PH and they obviously gave him time to see if it worked and if our assumptions are correct then they also effectively handed PH the rope with which to hang himself. Continuing some assumptions further, in that DA is in sync with the owners and the game model then you'd like to believe that between DA, Joe and other supporting staff there is a plan in place to bring the 'right' players in to play according to the model.

Time will tell whether it works out but football doesn't work in straight lines and I'm sure there'll be some setbacks, hopefully at least we can see something a little more consistent over the course of the season which hopefully sees us flirting at the play off end rather than the relegation one.

People on this forum quote Game Model as if its some secret formula method of playing. So what is this Game Model that PH didn't want to buy into, and DA has? And how is this Game Model going make Grimsby Town a winner, compared to the other 23 League 2 teams we are competing with.? You write it as if you know what it means, so share your knowledge.

Quoted from kevikov

The worry is, mullarkey has gone on record as saying he is better as a right sided CB in a three. If we go to a back four where does he fit in?

Im sure he could squeeze in on the end of the bench.

The main positive for me, and it’s come out this week, is that it’s now clear what went wrong this season. Also, We aren’t looking  for a new manager and starting at square one again, and everyone now seems to be on the same page.

Quoted from forza ivano

Genuine question.
I'm no tactical genius, but isn't it possible to use this base, which the players are obviously comfortable with (and half of them are contracted next season remember), and tweak or adapt it to make it more pleasing on the eye?

I think it's possible to make football work anyway you want it to. It's only a guess that he'll revert to a back 4 again but obviously I'm not DA so he may very well stick with this and tweak as you've said. Part of my guesswork with the boards game model, even though I don't think they'll be this specific, is that they'll base it on things they enjoyed from yesteryear Town teams like creative wingers.

Quoted from 140381

The main positive for me, and it’s come out this week, is that it’s now clear what went wrong this season. Also, We aren’t looking  for a new manager and starting at square one again, and everyone now seems to be on the same page.

That's a good point which I haven't seen made before

The first positive for me is that we are still in L2 and have don't under our own steam. The new season will allow Artell to sign players he wants, as opposed to inheriting a team, which will probably mean that we will play the 'Grimsby Way'!

A clean sheet to work with and an opportunity to progress.

Quoted from mariner91

3-5-2 when set up properly with excellent wing backs who are capable of getting up and down the flanks can be a really good formation in a footballing sense. My concern with it though is that you're reliant on just one player each side for your width who has to have the required ability with the ball, stamina and ability to defend at a consistently very high level in order for it to work well. Essentially two of your better players have to be the wing backs e.g Notts County with Jodi Jones or you're always going to be sacrificing some attacking intent from out wide. If we've got a very average budget for the division we're in which is likely, then the chances of finding a suitable player that we can afford for both flanks is probably quite low. Then what happens if one of them gets a long term injury? The chances of us being able to afford four good players capable of playing wing back is virtually nil. So in that situation you're a bit stuck. Do you just persevere and have no width or threat going forward on that side? Or do you change formation? If you change formation what do you change it to? If you're planning on setting up as a 3-5-2 as your main formation then do you sign wingers? Do you sign them if you're often not going to use them more often than not and if you don't sign them then you're very limited to what you can change your formation to?

Equally if you're going to really have the wing backs pushing forward then you'd better hope that your full backs are very good and very mobile. Again, Notts County are a perfect example of the issues with this as their defence is the worst in the league because they're so often over run. This is in spite of having some very good wing backs and central midfielders in front of them.

It's not an easy problem to solve. It's helped to shore us up and ensure our L2 survival but it's a difficult formation to set up perfectly. An easy formation to either become very difficult to break down or to allow lots of players to get forward  (Us as the former, Notts County the latter) but getting the balance right is very hard.

Very much the Chris Wilder approach but there's also the potential and I could definitely see Artell liking it of having overlapping centre-backs.  Both Maher and Mullarkey have done it when playing in a back 3, not so sure it's really in Rodgers' skillset though.  Attacking wise it lessens the burden on one man but is an absolute nightmare to defend against.  The wingback cuts inside which causes overload in the middle, so the winger/fullback has to come inside but then it's a case of who tracks the roaming centreback.  Reece Hall-Johnson was outstanding at this when Jolley used this system.  

Having a genuine screener of the defence really helps this system as they give that level of protection that frees up one of the centrebacks to go.  Thompson is a very, very good screener of his defence and has the intelligence to move into areas that need occupying.  Your other cover option is the wingback on the other side drops in it becomes a lopsided defence.

I like this approach and would be happy if Artell set up with this as his main system.  But more than than any other system, it requires a fair few players with very defined roles and skills.  Your wingbacks need to more than just runners as they're cutting inside and need to release the overlapper, plus they need to be able to drop in and be proper defenders.  Your centrebacks need to be able to overlap at speed and then deliver decent crosses.  Then you need a holding midfielder good enough to read the game and fill in, as an addition to their own role.  As said, Thompson would be excellent at that.  If he's not available though it would be a huge gap.

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

To add:  we had to wait until June, when we won the Promotion Final, to know what division we would be in the next season.

We know this 6 weeks earlier, giving more time to plan and look at players.  Knowing the budget as well.

We have a last game without any pressure.  Can say goodbye to some players and/or play some youngsters or fringe players.

Erm................................didn't we have that at the start of this season and look where it got us?

Quoted from DB

The first positive for me is that we are still in L2 and have don't under our own steam. The new season will allow Artell to sign players he wants, as opposed to inheriting a team, which will probably mean that we will play the 'Grimsby Way'!

A clean sheet to work with and an opportunity to progress.

Please explain the "Grimsby Way"

Quoted from diehardmariner

Very much the Chris Wilder approach but there's also the potential and I could definitely see Artell liking it of having overlapping centre-backs.  Both Maher and Mullarkey have done it when playing in a back 3, not so sure it's really in Rodgers' skillset though.  Attacking wise it lessens the burden on one man but is an absolute nightmare to defend against.  The wingback cuts inside which causes overload in the middle, so the winger/fullback has to come inside but then it's a case of who tracks the roaming centreback.  Reece Hall-Johnson was outstanding at this when Jolley used this system.  

Having a genuine screener of the defence really helps this system as they give that level of protection that frees up one of the centrebacks to go.  Thompson is a very, very good screener of his defence and has the intelligence to move into areas that need occupying.  Your other cover option is the wingback on the other side drops in it becomes a lopsided defence.

I like this approach and would be happy if Artell set up with this as his main system.  But more than than any other system, it requires a fair few players with very defined roles and skills.  Your wingbacks need to more than just runners as they're cutting inside and need to release the overlapper, plus they need to be able to drop in and be proper defenders.  Your centrebacks need to be able to overlap at speed and then deliver decent crosses.  Then you need a holding midfielder good enough to read the game and fill in, as an addition to their own role.  As said, Thompson would be excellent at that.  If he's not available though it would be a huge gap.

You say about Rodgers but the thing most of us raved about when he signed was his ability to bring the ball out of defence, we've seen it in recent weeks that he's often seen overlapping Charles on the left hand side. I'd actually say he's better than Maher at joining in the attacks but Maher is better on the ball.

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

We survived a dire season and just avoided relegation.

We should have another healthy total of season tickets sold.  Money up front for new players, good support and a good atmosphere.

Thus is a positive as this level of support/income is better than many Div 2 clubs.  Even if we struggle the club still has the income.

Because we were so poor there will be a wholesale clear out of players.  This gives us a great opportunity to start afresh.  Massive pressure to get the recruitment right.

Stevenage and Crawley had massive improvements after being in the same position.

Finishing mid-table and the temptation is to stick with the same average players.

We have gone the longest without a 20 goal striker in the league.  Chesterfield paid good money for a striker and were clear at the top 2/3 years ago. When he got injured their season imploded.

Blackburn might get relegated.  Yet they have a striker on 31 goals - no one has scored more in the 4 divisions.

It is more important to spread the goals around the team. Reduced risk of injury to a key striker.  Keeps the opposition guessing.

Same response as my previous post, we had all this at the start of this season.

We have had 3 sets of managers, a shed load of players and they couldn't even manage 2 league wins in a row. This season nearly ended in a disaster and I don't want it repeated next season. We need a huge clear out of players, backroom staff and yes Artell as well as I don't trust him with what he might do. Reading several comments from Crewe fans he apparently took over a really good squad of players that didn't need improving and he got them promoted. He then started bringing in his choice of players and he took them down.

I would like him to prove me wrong but it is a big gamble as I don't see the owners throwing tens of thousands of pounds on that many new better players.

I would add that when Hurst was sacked we were 4th from bottom, yet here we are with players that Artell brought in and still 4th from bottom.

Quoted from DB

The first positive for me is that we are still in L2 and have don't under our own steam. The new season will allow Artell to sign players he wants, as opposed to inheriting a team, which will probably mean that we will play the 'Grimsby Way'!

A clean sheet to work with and an opportunity to progress.

Is it clear what went wrong last year or is this a narrative that gives those who are here now a fresh start ( including the owners)and those who have gone carry the can ? A common situation in any business. Truth is we don’t know but  the optimists will happily convince themselves the narrative is correct for now at least.

I quite like Rodgers bringing the ball out, but he doesn't fill me with confidence when he's gone further than the halfway line if that makes sense?  

In terms of his confidence, he's one of many who had it shot to pieces and Artell has slowly given them it back.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Please explain the "Grimsby Way"

If you read my comment I did put a ! ( exclamation mark ) after it. I don't know what it is, do you?, all we know it has been quoted by 1878 I believe.

Quoted from HerveJosse

Is it clear what went wrong last year or is this a narrative that gives those who are here now a fresh start ( including the owners)and those who have gone carry the can ? A common situation in any business. Truth is we don’t know but  the optimists will happily convince themselves the narrative is correct for now at least.

Barring 1 game the season is over. I think we should look forward to a fresh start with some new players. On the other hand, you infer that this is wrong, so how would you like us to start the new season?

Quoted from arryarryarry

Same response as my previous post, we had all this at the start of this season.

We have had 3 sets of managers, a shed load of players and they couldn't even manage 2 league wins in a row. This season nearly ended in a disaster and I don't want it repeated next season. We need a huge clear out of players, backroom staff and yes Artell as well as I don't trust him with what he might do. Reading several comments from Crewe fans he apparently took over a really good squad of players that didn't need improving and he got them promoted. He then started bringing in his choice of players and he took them down.

I would like him to prove me wrong but it is a big gamble as I don't see the owners throwing tens of thousands of pounds on that many new better players.

I would add that when Hurst was sacked we were 4th from bottom, yet here we are with players that Artell brought in and still 4th from bottom.

I think this is exceptionally harsh on multiple points. He took over Crewe when they were 18th in L2 and had won twice in their last 17 games. Hardly a squad of world beaters. The line up for Davis' last game before he was sacked only had three players in it that played their final game before Covid curtailed the 19/20 season at which point Crewe were top of L2. So he's either brought through from the youth team or signed the majority of a squad that got automatic promotion from this division including signing both of the team's top scorers for that promotion winning season. It's always easier when you get good youth players coming through like he was fortunate to do so with Crewe but you've still got to get them used to men's football and playing as a team which he clearly did quite well. Claiming he took over a really good squad three years before their promotion is a complete re-write of history.

Equally so is the disingenuous comment about signing his own players. He had the January transfer window to sign players in which is notoriously difficult. Particularly if you're in a L2 relegation fight as nobody wants relegation out of the league on their CV. Yet two of the players he signed have been two of our three stand out players since January and without them I'm fairly certain we'd have gone down, Thompson particularly. Smith, Hume and Obikwu have also all played a role to a greater or lesser extent as well. That is not a bad hit rate at all given the circumstances.

There are certainly still questions about Artell and my concern would be that he reverts to trying to be Barcelona 2.0 with L2 players without allowing any flexibility for when it's not working. Hopefully the experience since January will have taught him something and he'll be a bit more pragmatic and flexible whilst still attempting to get the team playing more. However, he's earned the right to take us into next season and I suspect we'll be better than we were this season.

Quoted from diehardmariner

I quite like Rodgers bringing the ball out, but he doesn't fill me with confidence when he's gone further than the halfway line if that makes sense?  

In terms of his confidence, he's one of many who had it shot to pieces and Artell has slowly given them it back.

Well it was Artell that continued shooting it to pieces actually, after a brief improvement under Pearson/Davies. He was then forced to change by the players themselves after results became catastrophic.

Yes, held at gunpoint by his players to change the tactics.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Yes, held at gunpoint by his players to change the tactics.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Yes, held at gunpoint by his players to change the tactics.

I heard that he woke up to find a horse's head in his bed. That was a clear threat by those scheming players.

Quoted from DB

If you read my comment I did put a ! ( exclamation mark ) after it. I don't know what it is, do you?, all we know it has been quoted by 1878 I believe.

"Grimsby Way"?  I've asked what "Game Model" meant/ was that's been mentioned by 1875, DA and others on this forum, and received loads of X's, either telling me to sod off, or that they were pretending that they knew, and all I was doing is embarrassing them in asking.

The only "Grimsby Way" I know from 2002-3 is mediocrity. This season we have one better and added "Delusion". When we lose heavily "we play much better than the opposition", and when we slip down the League Table, "everything is alright as the Data shows things are positive".

Artell can’t win can he. If we had gone down it would all be his fault. As we stayed up it’s the players who are to get the credit.

It wasn’t the players who brought in Thompson and Tharme though was it?

He inherited a team with downward momentum heading for the NL and managed to do what Hurst couldn’t in 2021.

Our recent form over 13 game is top ten standard. We have beaten two teams in the top 6, got away points at three other teams in the top ten, and have several clean sheets in the process.  So I think he deserves some credit and has earned the right to take us into next season.