Our Fan Base

[Bryanswan]

One of the things that is kicking so many of our fans up the arse is the fact that Russell Martin appeared to be put on a pedestal before we’d even played a game.
We won 2 games out of 5 in his first month and people were like “omg this is amazing,the Swansea Way is back I can see exactly what he’s doing.”
I couldn’t see it then and I said so and I still can’t see it now,I also remember ECB saying the same.
Saying that I’m more than happy to see out this season and let him have a pre-season and bring in players he wants.
Mind you I’ll say it now that I’m not certain bringing in half the MK Dons team is going to take us to the heights many of our deluded fans expect.

The last good manager we had was Potter and before that Laudrup, I think many were just glad to see the back of Cooper.
For myself I wanted to see a manger come in and play better football than the previous season and a half. And barring the time under Potter the 3 or 4 seasons before that too.

I think even if you think its not going great, giving a manager time is what is needed, if we stay up and are then struggling at this time next year then maybe we need to reconsider our direction. But for now we have to get behind the team, a negative atmosphere when fans are allowed back in will just make sure we do badly.

Also, yes we cannot just sign MKdons players, maybe 1 or 2 of the good ones, but there is plenty talent elsewhere.

 

[sainthelens]

One of the things that is kicking so many of our fans up the arse is the fact that Russell Martin appeared to be put on a pedestal before we’d even played a game.
We won 2 games out of 5 in his first month and people were like “omg this is amazing,the Swansea Way is back I can see exactly what he’s doing.”
I couldn’t see it then and I said so and I still can’t see it now,I also remember ECB saying the same.
Saying that I’m more than happy to see out this season and let him have a pre-season and bring in players he wants.
Mind you I’ll say it now that I’m not certain bringing in half the MK Dons team is going to take us to the heights many of our deluded fans expect.

The last good manager we had was Potter and before that Laudrup, I think many were just glad to see the back of Cooper.
For myself I wanted to see a manger come in and play better football than the previous season and a half. And barring the time under Potter the 3 or 4 seasons before that too.

I think even if you think its not going great, giving a manager time is what is needed, if we stay up and are then struggling at this time next year then maybe we need to reconsider our direction. But for now we have to get behind the team, a negative atmosphere when fans are allowed back in will just make sure we do badly.

Also, yes we cannot just sign MKdons players, maybe 1 or 2 of the good ones, but there is plenty talent elsewhere.

That last comment is key.
I've often found that when managers go back to their previous club to pick a few is just lazy scouting. If going to MK is the summit of where he goes then I'm worried.

 

[monmouth]

So in the cold light of day, I’m trying to figure out what I really think about yesterday and where we are. The fact is, leaving aside the sending off, we got much closer to them than I expected when I saw the teamsheets. We played some nice stuff, particularly in beating the press. Some of that was as good as we’ve seen for many, many years.

But…I don’t enjoy watching us much. Probably no more than I enjoyed watching Cooper’s percentage channel hoofing and shape obsession. I’m trying to work out why this is, as I’ve watched Harry Gregg’s idea of ‘football’, so surely this should be more enjoyable? Maybe it is just expectation or ‘entitlement’ then.

Overall though, I think that Soton fan was right. It is so frustrating. After beating the press with real skill, we then went backwards and had to do it again. When we made a dynamic forward break, we often turned backwards again rather than looking for a positive option. Extra wholly unnecessary passes, often just back and forth between two players while the opposition just stood there, and a reluctance to take responsibility to shoot. All done at snails pace.

All that said, stop making stupid defensive mistakes and take gilt edged chances and we win the last few games and everyone is a lot happier, which gives space to try and develop a few more things. A new goalkeeper upgrade is essential, but a lot of weaknesses will remain.

Of course we have to stick with Martin. I just hope he realises he has to develop and learn, just as much as the players. If ‘the process’ isn’t working, you have to change ‘the process’. A good manager makes the best of his resources and modifies his strategy accordingly while trying to get better resources. Cooper didn’t do it, Martins not doing it. He really must.

So a mixed bag. I think there is potential there, but it needs significant tweaks to not just remain potential, and I’m pig sick of watching the same ways we beat ourselves week after week when we could be winning those exact same games and dominating the opposition rather than just pointlessly dominating possession.

Martin, sort it out.

 

[Darran]

The last good manager we had was Potter and before that Laudrup, I think many were just glad to see the back of Cooper.
For myself I wanted to see a manger come in and play better football than the previous season and a half. And barring the time under Potter the 3 or 4 seasons before that too.

I think even if you think its not going great, giving a manager time is what is needed, if we stay up and are then struggling at this time next year then maybe we need to reconsider our direction. But for now we have to get behind the team, a negative atmosphere when fans are allowed back in will just make sure we do badly.

Also, yes we cannot just sign MKdons players, maybe 1 or 2 of the good ones, but there is plenty talent elsewhere.

That last comment is key.
I've often found that when managers go back to their previous club to pick a few is just lazy scouting. If going to MK is the summit of where he goes then I'm worried.

See someone has just said O’Riley from MK Dons will be massive for us.
Will he?
How does anyone know that?

 

[monmouth]

That last comment is key.
I've often found that when managers go back to their previous club to pick a few is just lazy scouting. If going to MK is the summit of where he goes then I'm worried.

See someone has just said O’Riley from MK Dons will be massive for us.
Will he?
How does anyone know that?

Maybe he’s 6 foot eight and 45 stone?

I doubt any MK Dons player will transform us. Unless we buy them all, and it transforms us into MK Dons.

 

[Darran]

See someone has just said O’Riley from MK Dons will be massive for us.
Will he?
How does anyone know that?

Maybe he’s 6 foot eight and 45 stone?

I doubt any MK Dons player will transform us. Unless we buy them all, and it transforms us into MK Dons.

Exactly. :lol:

 

[Manselton Jack]

We looked like we were playing walking football on times yesterday.
We need far more movement in the final third & look for the occasional longer pass to keep the opposition guessing - we have done it on times but not often enough & not in recent games.
We need balls in behind for Obafemi to run onto (as we did for the sending off), he's clearly not a player who's going to dribble past a defender

 

[PSumbler]

It is wrong (I believe) to just dismiss links with MK Dons players - if they aregood enough then of course we should sign them up.

The bit that worries me is that we seem to think that 36% of their team that sits outside the play off spots in L1 will transform us to being a mid to top end Championship side.

Fisher seems to have potential but is he better than Benda? O'Riley and Twine are highly rated but in Downes and Ntcham we have two good midfielders already.

Looking in the lower leagues for good talent is a good strategy but looking at one club for good talent is Championship Manager territory (the computer game not the division)

 

[sainthelens]

We looked like we were playing walking football on times yesterday.
We need far more movement in the final third & look for the occasional longer pass to keep the opposition guessing - we have done it on times but not often enough & not in recent games.
We need balls in behind for Obafemi to run onto (as we did for the sending off), he's clearly not a player who's going to dribble past a defender

Obafemi is clearly not a player.

 

[Darran]

It is wrong (I believe) to just dismiss links with MK Dons players - if they aregood enough then of course we should sign them up.

The bit that worries me is that we seem to think that 36% of their team that sits outside the play off spots in L1 will transform us to being a mid to top end Championship side.

Fisher seems to have potential but is he better than Benda? O'Riley and Twine are highly rated but in Downes and Ntcham we have two good midfielders already.

Looking in the lower leagues for good talent is a good strategy but looking at one club for good talent is Championship Manager territory (the computer game not the division)

Spot on,exactly the point.

 

[monmouth]

Fisher seems to have potential but is he better than Benda?

I really we had given Benda another go. For all the heart in mouth stuff with the ball, I reckon he would have saved three of the Forest goals, all of the Reading ones, and had a better shot at the Boro one on one situation.

 

[CurtessECarr]

Let's be honest We have a dodgy keeper. Our defence is not very good. When we have the ball we have no one who can play a killer pass and if you watch Piroe he's on the move all the time looking for one. How often do we play it into his feet? Our box to box play is usually from theirs back to ours. We rarely muster any shots on target in the first half. We are not a great watch despite what some are saying on here. Half the season has gone where is the improvement? Perhaps I need stronger glasses.

 

[monmouth]

Let's be honest We have a dodgy keeper. Our defence is not very good. When we have the ball we have no one who can play a killer pass and if you watch Piroe he's on the move all the time looking for one. How often do we play it into his feet? Our box to box play is usually from theirs back to ours. We rarely muster any shots on target in the first half. We are not a great watch despite what some are saying on here. Half the season has gone where is the improvement? Perhaps I need stronger glasses.

Apart from that though?

 

[Manselton Jack]

We looked like we were playing walking football on times yesterday.
We need far more movement in the final third & look for the occasional longer pass to keep the opposition guessing - we have done it on times but not often enough & not in recent games.
We need balls in behind for Obafemi to run onto (as we did for the sending off), he's clearly not a player who's going to dribble past a defender

Obafemi is clearly not a player.

Maybe not but he's our player & we spent a lot of time looking at him given that we also targeted him last January & only an injury stopped us signing him then.
He must have more to his game than we've seen so far otherwise our recruitment team need shooting.
Using him properly might help!

 

[EagleEye]

Well at least we know he’s not going to be much use on the left wing now