Saturday

Quoted from chaos33

I’m going to presume that we won’t be in any danger of relegation. I suspect that the board may prefer to stick with the current managerial set up to the end of the season, even if we bounce around between 7th and 14th.
It’s difficult to know the details of what the relationship is between Hurst/Doig and JS/AP but I get the impression that they’re looking for stability/continuity if they can, and are prepared to take a long term view. The challenge there is that they will then come under pressure from large portions of the fan base if the results continue to be substandard. Personally I find this tricky too and there is a degree of conflict - I don’t think recent results are acceptable. I don’t think mid/lower table is acceptable. I don’t think we should accept mediocrity. But……I do understand that continuity can be the platform you need to build a proper challenge and that it takes time. Paul Hurst is a good manager, and is very well thought of by those who have worked for him - I know that for a fact. Losing the number and quality of players we have in recent weeks is really disappointing and unhelpful. A succession of further poor results from this point will make things really toxic and then our chances will be further limited. We need players and we need results. And quick.

Continued poor form will result in continuing falls in gate income. We’re already well over 1000 fans down on our Notts County home gate. We’re also six squad members down plus Efete and Clifton for Saturday.

It’s pretty clear that Hurst isn’t in trouble as he wouldn’t be getting the window to sort it but most would have been sacked by now.

Quoted from chaos33

I’m going to presume that we won’t be in any danger of relegation. I suspect that the board may prefer to stick with the current managerial set up to the end of the season, even if we bounce around between 7th and 14th.
It’s difficult to know the details of what the relationship is between Hurst/Doig and JS/AP but I get the impression that they’re looking for stability/continuity if they can, and are prepared to take a long term view. The challenge there is that they will then come under pressure from large portions of the fan base if the results continue to be substandard. Personally I find this tricky too and there is a degree of conflict - I don’t think recent results are acceptable. I don’t think mid/lower table is acceptable. I don’t think we should accept mediocrity. But……I do understand that continuity can be the platform you need to build a proper challenge and that it takes time. Paul Hurst is a good manager, and is very well thought of by those who have worked for him - I know that for a fact. Losing the number and quality of players we have in recent weeks is really disappointing and unhelpful. A succession of further poor results from this point will make things really toxic and then our chances will be further limited. We need players and we need results. And quick.

you sum my thoughts perfectly Chaos - have a gold star!

I do think it is a must win. Not just for Hurst but 1878 too - the long term plan is starting to look a bit iffy. I don’t doubt that Hurst is a safe pair of hands but we expect (rightly or wrongly) a bit more than we’re getting at present. As quick as support for a cause is built it can be lost.

All this talk about bringing new players in, I doubt if any will be better than what we already have.

1. A right back (or 2) desperately needed immediately from somewhere, who is already match fit and good to go ! Any wouldbe right footed Townsends kicking about who need game time?

2. Can Hurst find a tough attacking midfielder ?

Any Embletons or Matetes around?

3. Where is the extra elusive forward going to be found?

Woking's Campbell worth a bid ? Younger more mobile version of the Shop?

I wouldn't want to be paying Hurst's phone bill this week ?

And then he has the whole Fishy world demanding a win on Saturday !!

Easy peasy job, anyone ??????

What are people's realistic expectations for Saturday? I expect the crowd to be well down again, maybe just over the 4k mark, one or two new additions to the squad but if Coke comes in for Clifton that weakens us, i'd guess Wright may get a start instead of Sousa but that's a like for like swap. I like Taylor but we have to play to feet to get the best out of him as he can't run the channels so to me we just look like a plodding mid lower table team juggling our expanding collection of wide men to hopefully find a spark.

I think context is needed. For the last 6 games we've come up against a team in and around the playoffs (including Stockport in the FAT) mainly without our best player and mainly away from home. 1 point isn't good enough that's clear but what would sacking hurst achieve. If we sack him now we are unlikely to have somebody in place until the end of Jan so the transfer window would be fairly pointless even if we can sign players after the deadline. I say give him the next 10 games. It should be a better measure of how good we are as it includes a mix of better and worse teams and home and away games We should be looking for something close to 2 points a match in that time. If not we look elsewhere and give them time to prepare for next season.

Quoted from forza ivano

you sum my thoughts perfectly Chaos - have a gold star!

Just trying to be fair, balanced, philosophical. Realistically speaking, I think it will be really, really difficult to acquire half a dozen players, and it will also be really tricky if results don’t turn. Hostility from the terraces would be unhelpful, but probably understandable.

Has anybody noticed the similarities with last year at this time? Yes, we have new owners, but on the pitch not a lot has changed.

Hurst commented last year the club was a mess and this year it's his mess, the mess that he created. According to Hurst Bapaga didn't play because he was ill, whereas in reality, he was going back to Coventry. I've not been keen on Revan but he was a cover player at best, but now he's gone back meaning no cover for Efete as Clifton has been suspended. Not much thought about cover when Harry was carrying 4 yellows!

How many weeks/months to sign or loan a No 9 and still no progress. Bell was only a temporary loan to cover for McAtee's suspension. Hurst has known his position for wanting new blood in the squad and might have expected to hit the 1st Jan running, instead of nothing. We are nearly 2 weeks into the transfer window and 6 out and none in means a deficit of players.

Thank goodness it's not as bad as last year because we won't get relegated, but no wins in 11 is one of the worst runs we have been on. Nobody is faulting the effort of the teams but I am getting the impression that the sheep are performing to the best of their ability, which is not good enough.

Fine lines and on the edge of the margins are good-sounding excuses but don't get 3 points. It does get 3 points for the opposition though on several occasions. 3 points on Saturday are a must with no excuses, otherwise, I think JS & AP might get a different response from fans. Sustainability is great and I see where 1878 wants to go but it's results on the pitch that count. I'm OK with the plan for the long term and keeping a steady ship but the fans need feeding.

Quoted from Bawmariner

I think context is needed. For the last 6 games we've come up against a team in and around the playoffs (including Stockport in the FAT) mainly without our best player and mainly away from home. 1 point isn't good enough that's clear but what would sacking hurst achieve. If we sack him now we are unlikely to have somebody in place until the end of Jan so the transfer window would be fairly pointless even if we can sign players after the deadline. I say give him the next 10 games. It should be a better measure of how good we are as it includes a mix of better and worse teams and home and away games We should be looking for something close to 2 points a match in that time. If not we look elsewhere and give them time to prepare for next season.

For me, the context is we’re 12 or 13 places further down the league ladder than we were when he took over.

I wholly accept that he was left with a train wreck but he’s now in his third transfer window. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect better than we’re getting right now.