5 questions I'd like to ask Artell

Quoted from grimps

It would be interesting to see the league positions and points on the board from when they both started here , I cant remember us being in the bottom 2 positions all season but I'm sure we was pretty early under Holloway

I'm dredging up the old memory and can't be arsed to do any proper research but I recall the start under Holloway being OK and we were in a relatively healthy position but results took a nosedive and kept going, it was like a death slide that seemed inevitable. The team looked poor and shot of all confidence. I think Holloway went before we hit the relegation zone but Hurst couldn't arrest the slide in time. But I'm 100% happy to be told otherwise.

I just hope he finds a happy medium between Artell ball and standard league 2 footy which would probably see us do relatively well .

Quoted from grimps

It would be interesting to see the league positions and points on the board from when they both started here , I cant remember us being in the bottom 2 positions all season but I'm sure we was pretty early under Holloway

20/21 - Hurst's first game in charge was Cambridge at home 2nd Jan - 22nd game of the season. Defeat saw us go into the bottom two.  We had briefly sat in the bottom two early on in the season but my hazy memory says we had a few games to catch up on early on?

https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/grimsby-town/league-progress/2020-2021

23/24

Hurst leaves us after the 16th game ( Town just dropped to 21st in the table).  Artell takes over just in time for the 20th game (point at MK Dons lifts us a whole place to 20th from 21st).  As we sit now, 22nd and hopes of using our game in hand to overtake Salford and finish 21st.  Very much a case of as you were.

https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/grimsby-town/league-progress

I think Hurst had a harder task in 2021 to be honest.  There wasn't much of a redeeming feature he inherited.  The spine of the team that battled to stay up (Eastwood, Menayese, Hewitt, Coke, Matete, LJL) were all brought in or had their position adjusted by Hurst in the case of Hewitt.  Artell at least had something to build on here, if not loads.

Both inherited poor squads and sides, the one Artell got is/was probably of better quality but lacked balance.  The squad Holloway handed Hurst was utter shite.  The league table absolutely masks how bad it was and the fact everyone was getting better as we were getting worse.  A team with someone like Danny Rose up top always has a chance.  A team with Ira Jackson Jnr up top doesn't.

I'd quite like to see us evolve the way we play now, gives us the protection to be defensively resillent and as shown by Saturday you can effectively dominate the ball. I think 5 at the back suits us as a club, Hurst stumbled upon it last year and got results and then it just so happened to be the formation we've reverted to in our time of need this. I don't think it's a coincedence, if done well then you can really dominate teams in wide areas with the centre backs joining the attacks aswell as having 3 bodies in the midfield to not be overloaded in there and 2 strikers to not leave one isolated like we see many a time this season.

Quoted from grimps

It would be interesting to see the league positions and points on the board from when they both started here , I cant remember us being in the bottom 2 positions all season but I'm sure we was pretty early under Holloway

We were 22nd when Hurst joined in 2020, 3 points off relegation (20 points in 21 games) and we ended up relegated by 5 points.

When Artell joined we were 21st, 4 points clear of relegation (19 points in 19 games). We’re now 6 points clear with a game in hand.

The positions were barely any different, yet the consensus was Hurst couldn’t possibly have done any different and it was impossible to get anybody who resembled a footballer in during January. Artell on the other hand has been regularly hammered for not being good enough, despite the outcome being very different.

Quoted from diehardmariner

I think Hurst had a harder task in 2021 to be honest.  There wasn't much of a redeeming feature he inherited.  The spine of the team that battled to stay up (Eastwood, Menayese, Hewitt, Coke, Matete, LJL) were all brought in or had their position adjusted by Hurst in the case of Hewitt.  Artell at least had something to build on here, if not loads.

Both inherited poor squads and sides, the one Artell got is/was probably of better quality but lacked balance.  The squad Holloway handed Hurst was utter shite.  The league table absolutely masks how bad it was and the fact everyone was getting better as we were getting worse.  A team with someone like Danny Rose up top always has a chance.  A team with Ira Jackson Jnr up top doesn't.

I think you're bang on here, the team Hurst inherited was awful and although he brought in much better players they struggled to overcome the shortcomings of the rest of the squad. I genuinely didn't think the current team would get relegated while the team Hurst inherited just looked like it was inevitable.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

Gravy with fish AND chips?! I can almost deal with chips and gravy - some weirdos actually like it.

But gravy with battered fish..are you a mentalist?!

I completely agree. Who in their right mind would do that?

Quoted from pontoonlew

We were 22nd when Hurst joined in 2020, 3 points off relegation (20 points in 21 games) and we ended up relegated by 5 points.

When Artell joined we were 21st, 4 points clear of relegation (19 points in 19 games). We’re now 6 points clear with a game in hand.

The positions were barely any different, yet the consensus was Hurst couldn’t possibly have done any different and it was impossible to get anybody who resembled a footballer in during January. Artell on the other hand has been regularly hammered for not being good enough, despite the outcome being very different.

There is one massive difference which you're overlooking. Hurst had inherited a dreadful squad from Holloway but the country had also just gone back into a full national lockdown. Recruitment in January is hard enough but persuading contracted players to move from their homes during that time must have been an absolute nightmare.

I think Artell has done alright incidentally and never advocated getting rid. I also think the recruitment of Tharme and Thompson has made a massive difference.

[quote=40]1. Does the body rule the mind or does the mind rule the body?

I’m pretty sure my bladder has declared independence from my brain

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

Gravy with fish AND chips?! I can almost deal with chips and gravy - some weirdos actually like it.

But gravy with battered fish..are you a mentalist?!

I tried it once and felt thoroughly ashamed of myself. Mind you, not the only thing I could give that description!