From Modric to Mid Table: Is Sheehan Out of His Depth?

[JackSomething]

How long to you keep flogging a dead horse(Sheehan) though, we have picked the wrong head coach. Do we waste another couple of seasons or should we be like Watford and just change it straight away.

My kids have turned down going to the next couple of games with me because we are that boring to watch.

I'm not sure we should be looking to emulate Watford when it comes to managerial hirings/firings.

 

[Niigata Jack]

He deserved the chance.
The summer did look as if we had identified problem areas but we were bringing in players with potential.
For whatever reasons the jigsaw isn't taking shape.
Now is it tactics or players not capable?
At the moment I think a combination of both.
Something has to change, and that normally lies at the door of the coach.
Performances have to show signs of improvement of there can only be one other outcome.

Could be that he's being told on how to coach the team and the style to play, I haven't seen anything of yesterday's game, but going on his previous games there's very little comparison to the way we were playing last season under Sheehan to the way we are now playing under Sheehan.
The influence of Darren O'Dea perhaps.

 

[Bluenile]

Don't read it then - I will balance by saying I thought it was well written, clearly AI assisted but thats the way of it these days and I think it makes for a much better read as a result of it. Im not sure why anyone would care whether you have the attention span or brain capacity to read it or not but why take a dig at those who take the time to try and produce content. Maybe try and do better yourself or maybe go and read another site?

If you think reading A.I. articles is "the way of it these days", then count me out. Half the stuff that comes up on Google these days is a seemingly well-written article about one subject or another, and when you read it you soon realise that it's bot written, and although apparently full of correct grammar, totally lacks the soul of something passionately written by a fellow human. The whole point of something written about a subject we are all passionate about is that we can identify each other, both from our opinions and indeed our writing style and ability as well. You can keep your A.I. as far as I'm concerned.

 

[K23]

Don't read it then - I will balance by saying I thought it was well written, clearly AI assisted but thats the way of it these days and I think it makes for a much better read as a result of it. Im not sure why anyone would care whether you have the attention span or brain capacity to read it or not but why take a dig at those who take the time to try and produce content. Maybe try and do better yourself or maybe go and read another site?

Wow! At least you didn't overreact to someone's opinion then! Not bad for your first ever message on here compared with my 4,600+ so maybe you're the one who should consider reading another site if something as tame as my post is going to send you off on such a rant every time as it's not good for the blood pressure!

 

[Jackareme]

I think everyone needs to calm the fuck down and realise the environment that we are in. The championship.
This is the most brutal league in world football - where 90% of all games are competitive and normally decided by the odd moment of magic or a mistake.
Pick ANY team in this league and they are generally squeaking out results or slightly falling short, and all teams go on a run where results go their way and a run where they dont. Literally on any given day, any team can beat any other team given a little luck and application.
Squad depth is massive, as the grind is attritional.
So what about the Swans?
Competitive in generally every game, not firing on all cylinders, still looking for the right blend and tactical approach, and with a bench infinitely stronger than last season.
We are 4 points shy of the play offs with 2 home games in the next 4 days.
At some stage this team will start to turn close games into more points, and then this article will be consigned to the dustbin (where it probably belongs).
We bemoaned the rather err prosaic approach of Martin and Williams, and now we have a young coach who is pragmatic. Yes he shows his inexperience with some of his game management, but I think he will find the key to unlocking the potential of this squad.
If we stay within touching distance through Christmas, youi will see squads with less depth start to decline - and that will be our opportunity.

 

[sit_down_jack]

I think everyone needs to calm the fuck down and realise the environment that we are in. The championship.
This is the most brutal league in world football - where 90% of all games are competitive and normally decided by the odd moment of magic or a mistake.
Pick ANY team in this league and they are generally squeaking out results or slightly falling short, and all teams go on a run where results go their way and a run where they dont. Literally on any given day, any team can beat any other team given a little luck and application.
Squad depth is massive, as the grind is attritional.
So what about the Swans?
Competitive in generally every game, not firing on all cylinders, still looking for the right blend and tactical approach, and with a bench infinitely stronger than last season.
We are 4 points shy of the play offs with 2 home games in the next 4 days.
At some stage this team will start to turn close games into more points, and then this article will be consigned to the dustbin (where it probably belongs).
We bemoaned the rather err prosaic approach of Martin and Williams, and now we have a young coach who is pragmatic. Yes he shows his inexperience with some of his game management, but I think he will find the key to unlocking the potential of this squad.
If we stay within touching distance through Christmas, youi will see squads with less depth start to decline - and that will be our opportunity.

I like the measured response. Agree that the championship is tough and there will be games where you need to grind out results, I think that’s just the nature of the league.

What worries me is that it doesn’t appear to just be ‘not firing on all cylinders.’ We have pretty much the worst attacking numbers in the league and our defence gives up too many chances to be relied on solely.

Looking at a team like Middlesborough statistically, they are pretty mediocre going forward but are up the top end for defence. That’s what they’re good at, they may not score hatfuls but they can stay solid enough to be at the top or thereabouts.

Can anyone honestly say what our strengths are as a side? We give up too many chances to be a counterattacking team and we can’t seem to score when we have the ball. What kind of side are we?

 

[Michu78]

I think everyone needs to calm the fuck down and realise the environment that we are in. The championship.
This is the most brutal league in world football - where 90% of all games are competitive and normally decided by the odd moment of magic or a mistake.
Pick ANY team in this league and they are generally squeaking out results or slightly falling short, and all teams go on a run where results go their way and a run where they dont. Literally on any given day, any team can beat any other team given a little luck and application.
Squad depth is massive, as the grind is attritional.
So what about the Swans?
Competitive in generally every game, not firing on all cylinders, still looking for the right blend and tactical approach, and with a bench infinitely stronger than last season.
We are 4 points shy of the play offs with 2 home games in the next 4 days.
At some stage this team will start to turn close games into more points, and then this article will be consigned to the dustbin (where it probably belongs).
We bemoaned the rather err prosaic approach of Martin and Williams, and now we have a young coach who is pragmatic. Yes he shows his inexperience with some of his game management, but I think he will find the key to unlocking the potential of this squad.
If we stay within touching distance through Christmas, youi will see squads with less depth start to decline - and that will be our opportunity.

I hope your right, but I see very little evidence so far in the team's ability to turn things around. I keep hoping the next game will be the one, but I just see us further regressing slowly after every game. We are tactically inept going forward, it's up there with the worst I have seen from us in twenty years. If the wingers are marked tightly and have no joy we are pretty much impotent in attack.

The biggest disappointed for me this season is is the way centre midfield function or lack of it. It just feels like a devoid of ideas from our main coaches who have been defenders all their careers.

 

[Vetchonian]

Could be that he's being told on how to coach the team and the style to play, I haven't seen anything of yesterday's game, but going on his previous games there's very little comparison to the way we were playing last season under Sheehan to the way we are now playing under Sheehan.
The influence of Darren O'Dea perhaps.

I dont get this O Dea influence thing.
Sheehan is the head coach his assistants should be dictating tactics etc yes offer advice but the head coach should be the one who dictates the style of play and his assisntants should assist to coach the players to follow that.
It was said last season that both Sheehan and Margetson were in Williams ear and alledgedly that of Colmans trying him to be more pragmatic....yet the then head coach decided to follow his way ....eventually resulting in him losing his job.
Aa head coach Sheehan needs to take a step back and look at what he did differently last season with still the majority of players he had then here and if O Dea is influencing things to the extent we are not achieving then he neess to revert to his type that got him the full time job.
Im not convinced he can see what is happening given his post match interview on Saturday where he spoke of our resiliance being the key to us getting a point. It wasnt our resilience but Southamptons poor finishing ,the woodwork and Vigaroux.

 

[sit_down_jack]

I hope your right, but I see very little evidence so far in the team's ability to turn things around. I keep hoping the next game will be the one, but I just see us further regressing slowly after every game. We are tactically inept going forward, it's up there with the worst I have seen from us in twenty years. If the wingers are marked tightly and have no joy we are pretty much impotent in attack.

The biggest disappointed for me this season is is the way centre midfield function or lack of it. It just feels like a devoid of ideas from our main coaches who have been defenders all their careers.

There’s definitely a serious lack of creativity from the midfield. Galbraith, Yalcouye, Stamenic and Franco only have 16 chances created between them in 10 games. Inoussa alone has 11. We have to figure out a way to get the best out of these midfielders as it feels like they could go up a few more gears.

Hopefully Sheehan and O’Dea can figure something out!

 

[3swan]

Could be that he's being told on how to coach the team and the style to play, I haven't seen anything of yesterday's game, but going on his previous games there's very little comparison to the way we were playing last season under Sheehan to the way we are now playing under Sheehan.
The influence of Darren O'Dea perhaps.

Could be?
On the other hand could Mark Fotheringham have had a big input last season
We can just sit on the sidelines and hope we see improvement very soon

 

[Vetchonian]

Could be?
On the other hand could Mark Fotheringham have had a big input last season
We can just sit on the sidelines and hope we see improvement very soon

You beat me to it maybe its not the new influence of O Dea but the loss of Fotheringham's input who was a midielder in his playing days unlike Sheehan , O Dea and Stearman who were all defenders....but then we should not forget the midfield maestro KOL.
Maybe it should be Fotheringham who deserves the credit for the end of season run.

 

[cmajack]

There’s definitely a serious lack of creativity from the midfield. Galbraith, Yalcouye, Stamenic and Franco only have 16 chances created between them in 10 games. Inoussa alone has 11. We have to figure out a way to get the best out of these midfielders as it feels like they could go up a few more gears.

Hopefully Sheehan and O’Dea can figure something out!

We need a proper 10 ( not Cullen) someone 30- 40 yards from goal that can either create through the middle or play our wingers in. Everything now goes out wide, and once they are marked out of the game that's that. Why Eom or Widell haven't been tried there is anyones guess, we are creating absolutely nothing of note. Many a decent plan has come together by stumbling across it, could it possibly be any worse than it has been this season, particularly Saturday.

 

[3swan]

You beat me to it maybe its not the new influence of O Dea but the loss of Fotheringham's input who was a midielder in his playing days unlike Sheehan , O Dea and Stearman who were all defenders....but then we should not forget the midfield maestro KOL.
Maybe it should be Fotheringham who deserves the credit for the end of season run.

That's the thing we'll all have opinions of where the issue might be but it's all guesswork really.
I think the only thing the majority agree on is that we need to see improvement, as the current style, or tactics, or player performance has to change

 

[sit_down_jack]

We need a proper 10 ( not Cullen) someone 30- 40 yards from goal that can either create through the middle or play our wingers in. Everything now goes out wide, and once they are marked out of the game that's that. Why Eom or Widell haven't been tried there is anyones guess, we are creating absolutely nothing of note. Many a decent plan has come together by stumbling across it, could it possibly be any worse than it has been this season, particularly Saturday.

Exactly, surely the coaching staff can see we’re not going to go anywhere soon with the way we set up to create? Our most creative player is Tymon and as good as he’s been, that tells you everything - nothing is created through the middle. Like you say, double up on us out wide and that’s us figured out. Something needs to change.

 

[J_B]

We need a 2025 version of Stephen Dobbie.