What are we really expecting from Matos....

[Swanjaxs]

I'm still not entirely convinced we're not still in bounce territory in terms of the increased work rate (but that's not because of Matos, it's because I don't trust these players) but I think we are going to be ok. I fancied we'd finish 12th-15th and that's still where I expect us to be.

What I would love more than anything is for us to get to the end of the season comfortable enough to say yes, this guy looks the real deal, so let's ship a few out and get a few in and hopefully push for top 10 next year. With no mishaps, no dramatic long losing runs out of nowhere. Just a good manager, building quietly, and looking like he might hang around for more than 18 months. My expectations are no more ambitious than that. For now anyway.

Thats almost a positive post from you. Have a thumbs up

 

[Londonlisa2001]

This season is about survival and building more of an identity under Matos. He has done fantastic job since coming in with everything that's gone on. Realistically anything around 12th or there abouts would be hell of an achievements.

Every season for several years now we’ve been supposedly ‘finding our identity’.

12th will not be a hell of an achievement. It will be for Matos from where he started but won’t be for the club.
In fact, I’d suggest that with the amount we spent it will be bloody awful.

He seems to have injected energy and desire. Sadly, those that claimed (and still believe in some cases) that our players were top 6 or promotion quality if not for the manager will soon be clamouring for yet another change, else they’ll have to admit that just perhaps, these are not top 6 players.

I’m happy with how we’ve done in the past few games but, as I’ve said before, I have a lingering qualm in our inability to do anything against a top half team. Wrexham are now that but that was a bit of a one off.

Lots of energy today, sadly lacking in quality. It says it all really when our top player this year has been, without a shadow of a doubt, our goalkeeper, who is, I’d suggest, up there as one the top in this division, and yet we’re still 16th.

No creativity again.

I have a feeling we’ll finish 10th - no particular reason for that other than I think the energy part of it will see us do very well at home. But we are genuinely lacking quality again this year.

 

[Nottinghillbilly]

With the quality of players and now a proper gem of a manager recruited this term, we will absolutely be in contention

Our upturn since Sheezeball and his silly mind games is outstanding

 

[Ringwood]

12th would be a good finish.. still a lot of responsibility on a small group of players so we need a broader better squad to get a top 6th spot in future.

 

[Swans Jack]

Every season for several years now we’ve been supposedly ‘finding our identity’.

12th will not be a hell of an achievement. It will be for Matos from where he started but won’t be for the club.
In fact, I’d suggest that with the amount we spent it will be bloody awful.

He seems to have injected energy and desire. Sadly, those that claimed (and still believe in some cases) that our players were top 6 or promotion quality if not for the manager will soon be clamouring for yet another change, else they’ll have to admit that just perhaps, these are not top 6 players.

I’m happy with how we’ve done in the past few games but, as I’ve said before, I have a lingering qualm in our inability to do anything against a top half team. Wrexham are now that but that was a bit of a one off.

Lots of energy today, sadly lacking in quality. It says it all really when our top player this year has been, without a shadow of a doubt, our goalkeeper, who is, I’d suggest, up there as one the top in this division, and yet we’re still 16th.

No creativity again.

I have a feeling we’ll finish 10th - no particular reason for that other than I think the energy part of it will see us do very well at home. But we are genuinely lacking quality again this year.

Based on the contract (Matos) length and where we are at its very unluckily we will stray away from the direction we are going in. But this has been said before. Granted every season since... We have been in transitional period, but on truth this is the first appointment of this new ownership that wasn't influenced by results like Sheehan etc. Martin was a Coleman man. I do think this team is far better than what others think. 15 points out of 24 from this time last month. Is a good turnaround. Matos in the alternative view in the dressing room in recent video even said, which he has said from the start, this is a new way to play. Do we need better players in certain areas. Yes. But considering how Sheehan left us the up turn has been brilliant.

 

[MrSwerve]

To be honest, survival will be enough for me this season given our trajectory a month ago…as boring as it sounds.

 

[Nottinghillbilly]

To be honest, survival will be enough for me this season given our trajectory a month ago…as boring as it sounds.

This. Is such a poor shout.
How some luddites are still in the doldrums is beyond baffling

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

Thats almost a positive post from you. Have a thumbs up

Couldn't give a fuck about your endorsement tbh. I just type what I feel and will continue to do so regardless.

Have a thumbs up back though

 

[Dewi1jack]

Brenda took us up after Sousa taught us how to defend as a team.
Now Sousaball was sleep inducing- I actually fell asleep in one game. Didn't do that under any other manager.
Gave thought to binning the seasie, same seat since we moved to the Morfa, with Sousa in charge.

I genuinely can't believe that our defending as a team is as bad as it is.
Poor Vigs us going to get RSI if he keeps making the number of saves as he has.
He is the one we need to thank for us not being in the relegation zone.
Most saves by far of the championship goalies.
Truly, we look woefull.
Although our football is becoming so much better to watch.
Ronald diving is heading towards superstar status. Already overtaken Chico
Personally, I hope we keep Vitor, as he looks like he can bring the youth through to the 1st team as well.
Changing a manager every few months really is getting on my tits. Plus I do reckon he is going to have decent contacts for hungry loan players to bring in.

 

[sit_down_jack]

Every season for several years now we’ve been supposedly ‘finding our identity’.

12th will not be a hell of an achievement. It will be for Matos from where he started but won’t be for the club.
In fact, I’d suggest that with the amount we spent it will be bloody awful.

He seems to have injected energy and desire. Sadly, those that claimed (and still believe in some cases) that our players were top 6 or promotion quality if not for the manager will soon be clamouring for yet another change, else they’ll have to admit that just perhaps, these are not top 6 players.

I’m happy with how we’ve done in the past few games but, as I’ve said before, I have a lingering qualm in our inability to do anything against a top half team. Wrexham are now that but that was a bit of a one off.

Lots of energy today, sadly lacking in quality. It says it all really when our top player this year has been, without a shadow of a doubt, our goalkeeper, who is, I’d suggest, up there as one the top in this division, and yet we’re still 16th.

No creativity again.

I have a feeling we’ll finish 10th - no particular reason for that other than I think the energy part of it will see us do very well at home. But we are genuinely lacking quality again this year.

I’ll admit to being one of the people who thought the attacking output would improve if we changed manager and I still think that has been the case but not as much as I initially thought. I was hoping we’d see a bit better from some of our wide players than we have in terms of end product. There are clearly not enough goals and assists in us at the moment.

Our recruitment needs to improve if we want to get anywhere near the top 6 I think. I like the potential that we brought in this summer and some will develop into good players and assets but we didn’t bring in enough players for the here and now and I think top 6 was way wide of the mark for this season.

The owners in their Christmas statement said they were disappointed at our position and the aim for the season was to improve on last seasons finish, I think they may have their eyes opened a little bit as to that. It’s going to take multiple seasons/windows to get us competing for top 6 places.

 

[Cooperman]

I hope the one thing that we are all agreed on is that we are in a better place concerning the manager. If anyone believes that Matos is a backward step from Sheehan, then raise your hand now. Assuming that we are all in agreement, then we now need a little bit of patience and a sprinkling of luck in the next few transfer windows. Look at Newcastle, wealth beyond what they are able to spend, yet on a trajectory that nobody would describe as steep.

 

[swansvalleyjack]

No, you're being negative, but as you were.

Snappy easy headline reply I suppose, with little thought - but...

Being realistic is assessing a situation rationally and managing expectations.

Being negative is assessing the same situation irrationally and expecting the worst outcome..or conversely - with irrationality especially - a ridiculous outcome.

Based on the first half of the season and our league position, it's entirely reasonable to deduce we're not play off contenders as we don't have the quality. It's also reasonable to believe from recent results and performances that Matos is a decent manager, with a different culture ethos, but who needs good financial transfer help in the Summer. That was my take.

Negative or irrational would be suggesting that we are in dangerous relegation country, that Matos is not the man for the job.. or alternatively that we have the quality for play offs. No way was I suggesting either scenario.

Realistic is mid table and a change of culture away from the slow, boring backwards-sideways "style" & scaredy-cat approach of the several seasons from Cooper onwards.

At the WBA game on Sunday I actually enjoyed it ( long time since I could say that !) - not necessarily from the "skills" aspect but from the passion, effort and going till the end. Latter didn't quite work at Millwall today, but that's why we'll be mid table.

So for me the biggest change, and thank god for it, is the move away from sideways-backwards..and as others have said, let's hope the owners give him the tools in the summer for a re-build. Plus maybe unearth some hidden gems ( hello Angel and Michu mark-2 )

Mathos is a breath of fresh air and the best of luck to him

 

[EllaReidh]

We spent alot of money in the summer to turn an average mid table squad into an average mid table squad

 

[swansvalleyjack]

Ronald diving is heading towards superstar status. Already overtaken Chico

Good points but for me the superstar was Gomez..do you remember the quintuplet roll-overs when on the floor

 

[Swans Jack]

We spent alot of money in the summer to turn an average mid table squad into an average mid table squad

To be fair, the ambition is there by the club, in the summer. Sadly we had a terrible pre season and then what we had under Sheehan. Again, it's gonna take a few windows. I'm just happy we have a manager that actually seems to have potential. Let's get to safety fast and see where we are at then.