Can we actually win games with our squad now?

Whilst watching MOTD last night I was struck by the humble approach to coaching of Roy Hodgson. When questioned about Palace's recent run of just one defeat in twelve games, and was it down to him he said no it's always about the players. The coaches role is to bring the best out of the squad, so they can then play the way you want them to. Very simple and very true.

It's become increasingly obvious, even to an exiled observer licke myself, just reading Slade's post match interviews that he obviously thinks his tactics are alright, we just need patience. I then look at the league table and when you understand that 50 points is the usual target to reach safety, you wonder where the hell those points are actually going to come from. I'm not advocating Buckley's return, far from it, but ask yourself this question - would the Great Man get anything better out of the squad of players? If the answer is yes then Slade must surely understand that it is he who has to change in the first instance as his gameplan(?) simply doesn't work. If the answer is no, then Slade must ask himself why he himself has got Town into this most uncomfortable of positions. His signings mainly, his game plan....it's not working and even the most stubborn of egotistical employers would have taken their collective heads out of the sand by now and demanded improvement.

Do fans think this squad is capable of producing the goods on the pitch with our current squad - forget Slade for the moment - and if so how do they do it? Russell if you're reading this, please, please, take on board that whatever it is you're doing wrong please stop, think, and recalibrate whatever it is that needs doing so we don't suffer the ignominity of non league football again in 2018-19.

I think any new manager, even if they were a short term caretaker,  coming in could lift the squad enough to get to 50 points .
The club as a whole needs to get rid of the egg once and for all . He should never have been allowed back in the first place . Lazy recruitment from fenty has caused so much damage to gtfc and it’s about time once the seasons over he left as well .

I have no doubt in my mind there is enough in this squad to limp over the 50 point line. Will they do it, for me it depends  on how quickly we jetison Slade.

There is enough in this squad to avoid relegation. With Summerfield, Clarke, Davies, Mills, McKeown, Dembele, Collins, Rose, Jones, Matt, K.Osborne, DJ and seemingly the new lad all decent enough, mid-table L2 players. They need some fire in their belly, a bit of belief instilled into them and some tactics that play to the strengths of the group. Then we need a clear out of the deadwood in the summer. I am certain there are at least two teams who have got a worse set of players than we have, realistically there's probably at least 5/6 teams with worse squads than us. However, I'm also certain that it is past the point of no return with Slade and this group and as you can't sack an entire squad and replace them in January, that means Slade has to go.

The squad isn't that bad. There's a serious lack of pace and a few that shouldn't have been signed and barring a mass injury crisis probably won't be used again.

But wade through that and you can muster up a decent 14/15 which will be more than enough to finish mid-table, comfortably.

The problem is that the manager isn't picking his best 11, or even his best 18. He's sending his side out with a lack of attacking focus or understanding. The players aren't sure what they're supposed to do and to be totally honest don't look like they are playing for him anymore.

As Louth said “lazy recruitment “  get rid now

There's a decent defence in there, disregarding the 'age' thing. Just a poor, lacklustre front line with too much asked of young Siriki and a mostly functional though at times creative midfield (Summerfield) who disappear for long periods which piles on the pressure for the defence.

I'm in no doubt we can grind our way to comfortable safety, but fresh ideas and approach and a quick clearout are needed.

We also waste one of our most creative outlets in jones as an out and out striker.

We've got a reasonable nucleus of 11/12 players that could see us just about hold on to our league status, unfortunately it's the toothless attack that's the problem. Yesterday, and on the whole at home this season, the full backs and Dembele have whipped in several decent balls into the box, but we've nobody with that strikers instinct to get on the end of them. I kept a close eye on Amond yesterday, and whilst he didn't score, i was still impressed with his movement on and off the ball. This is going to be a big problem if it's not addressed quickly, because in recent seasons on average you need to score at least 45 goals to stay up, so we're going to need to average at least a goal a game, and at the moment we're finding that hard to achieve....UTM

For this level this squad is ok not promotion material but it has more ability than current results and performances suggest.

It needs another striker who can get in the right places in the box and a little more pace at the back so we don’t have to defend so deep.

The bigger need at the meeting moment is movement, belief, confidence the right selection and the right shape. So maybe the players aren’t the issue hint hint 😉

Feel for the players at the moment as Slade is setting them up to fail far to often.

Yes.

GK. Haven't seen enough of Kean to write him off but Macca will be back in as soon as fit I'm sure.

For me we play our best back four. Mills, Collins, Clarke, Davies.

A midfield three of Summerfield, Jones, and Mccallister (Rose mayebe)

A pair of wingers in Dembele and DJ

Lone strike in Matt. I haven't seen Vernam play so not sure where he would fit.

We sit deep due to lack of pace. Get the midfield to press and break with the running power of Jones,  DJ and Siriki.  

Use matt as the big man. Almost in the same way we played at Chesterfield first day of the season then abandoned straight away after!!

The fact that slade won't try such a formation exposes weakness in the teams abilities more often than not.


Just shows how blinkered he is I think.

Yes but not with Slade in charge He is clueless and the players don't want to perform for him. There is enough in the squad (names mentioned in a post above) to finish comfortable mid table but not with the baldy teacher in charge

Give it to Dave Moore NOW for the remaining games (we are more than halfway through the season) Don't spend any money in the transfer window - save it for the new guy in August. Don't play Kelly Woolford etc. Get Macca back asap (please!) and give them all a kick up the bottom

or give it Lowerfindus - I like his team!

We need to win 4 or 5 more games out of 18, maybe less with draws, clearly within our grasp. We're priced between 20/1 and 50/1 to go down (although some idiot on Betfair took the 5/1 I offered this morning).

Quoted from Ipswin

Yes but not with Slade in charge He is clueless and the players don't want to perform for him. There is enough in the squad (names mentioned in a post above) to finish comfortable mid table but not with the baldy teacher in charge

Give it to Dave Moore NOW for the remaining games (we are more than halfway through the season) Don't spend any money in the transfer window - save it for the new guy in August. Don't play Kelly Woolford etc. Get Macca back asap (please!) and give them all a kick up the bottom

Macca will be out for some time Swin - he was limping really badly yesterday

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Macca will be out for some time Swin - he was limping really badly yesterday

How can you get that injured just stood waiting for something to happen?

No...as Russ said yesterday...it lacks craft and it lacks a goal scorer.....

it seemed lost on him that he assessed the squad last season, recruited in the summer and can now recruit again ....but he is already talking about the summer recruitment again.

Goals win games....i think JT said pre match yesterday that there was only 8 goals in the starting 11 selected......and didnt it show !?!?

Quoted from lowerfindus

Yes.

GK. Haven't seen enough of Kean to write him off but Macca will be back in as soon as fit I'm sure.

For me we play our best back four. Mills, Collins, Clarke, Davies.

A midfield three of Summerfield, Jones, and Mccallister (Rose mayebe)

A pair of wingers in Dembele and DJ

Lone strike in Matt. I haven't seen Vernam play so not sure where he would fit.

We sit deep due to lack of pace. Get the midfield to press and break with the running power of Jones,  DJ and Siriki.  

Use matt as the big man. Almost in the same way we played at Chesterfield first day of the season then abandoned straight away after!!

The fact that slade won't try such a formation exposes weakness in the teams abilities more often than not.


Just shows how blinkered he is I think.

I'm not as convinced as some that the players we have are good enough to stay up.

With McKeown out I really worry that the other two are not good enough to prevent us conceding.

I also worry about the central defence partnership, we leak too many goals in and around the 6 yard box.

As regards the midfield, the choice of McAllister is surely a joke, does anyone seriously think he will play again for us? I don't rate either Berrett or Rose but I think we have to play both Dembele and DJ as Woolford is a waste of space. Summerfield has to start because of his battling qualities, I would agree that we should try Jones in there as he cannot do any worse than he has been doing up front.

If there are no additions then the new lad has to start but seeing as Matt is likely to be out for 3 games then we need another striker in this week, the rest  are not simply good enough. I think the times Matt has played up front on his own he has not looked good enough.

With a new half-decent manager and the folllwing team we should comfortably get 50 points.

                        McKeown (New goalkeeper needed whilst he’s injured)

Mills             Clarke      Collins         Davies


                  Rose         Summerfield


Dembele               Jones              DJ


                          Matt
                

Quoted from davmariner

With a new half-decent manager and the folllwing team we should comfortably get 50 points.

                        McKeown (New goalkeeper needed whilst he’s injured)

Mills             Clarke      Collins         Davies


                  Rose         Summerfield


Dembele               Jones              DJ


                          Matt
                

For me,

                  Macca/Keane

    Davis   Clarke  Osborne  Mills  
  
   Demblle  Summers  Jones   DJ

                  Verman                  
                              Matt

Matt is now suspended

Quoted from GrimRob

We need to win 4 or 5 more games out of 18, maybe less with draws, clearly within our grasp. We're priced between 20/1 and 50/1 to go down (although some idiot on Betfair took the 5/1 I offered this morning).

Initials RS?

               Kean
Mills Clarke Collins Davies
    Summerfield Berrett
               Rose
Dembele           Dj
         Jones/Vernam