| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:43 - Mar 22 with 1964 views | JimmyRustler |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:30 - Mar 22 by 442Dale |
Whilst the predictability of blaming the manager is not unexpected and, in part, valid, the team itself and the players within it need to take responsibility. Not set up any different from previous games when we’ve performed well, the right players in the right positions and yet we went from comfortable to safe to conceding within half an hour of football.
Individuals need to look at themselves, McNulty included when the midfield is not impacting games and he’s leaving Burger out of the squad, but the reaction has to be as measured as the analysis.
We are where we are with a manager who has limitations and a playing squad which has players with similar restrictions despite their obvious plus points (Mitchell being the perfect example today and even Rodney when he came on). Let’s not pretend that it would be so much different with somebody else overseeing the team.
Jay Bird and players of his ilk have had their standing increased ten fold in the last two months. Those within the game at our level and fans alike should recognise this. [Post edited 22 Mar 17:34]
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When you say previous games where we’ve played well, do you mean this mini run which has papered over the cracks?
I will credit Jim/our scouts for identifying and signing Bird but that signing has once again, papered over the cracks.
The football is boring, pedestrian and ineffective, which is down to the manager. You talk about the manager being limited, which is precisely what he is and precisely why he should be nowhere near managing the football club.
The truth of the matter is that our squad isn’t half bad and that our wage budget/outlay is likely to be one of the highest in the division. And I am convinced that a more competent manager would do a job with this set of players. |  | |  |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:46 - Mar 22 with 1948 views | _Windydale |
Of course we shouldn't do it but, even playing an injured Bird is better than playing Mitchell as a center forward. At the moment.
Him coming to the Dale has highlighted how desperately poor we are in that position handling high balls and 50/50 passes. A frustrating watch hes not strong enough, and easily bullied off the ball, just puts a token effort in to try. We shouldn't bother with any high balls just pass it straight into his feet. or go up the wings.
Devante's also gone backwards. A strong lad but appears to lacks confidence in control, and ability to use his physique, to create opportunities. Mostly settling for short passes.
I hope Jay gets fit, continues to make a nuisance of himself, dragging defenders about and banging them in. |  | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:47 - Mar 22 with 1936 views | 442Dale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:37 - Mar 22 by D_Alien |
I fundamentally disagree
I really do think a more 'worldly' coach (for want of a better word) would not only improve this squad but have them performing more consistently
It's a moot point whether a different coach would've been able to put this squad together, but there again, there's been a consistent theme throughout the campaign of the squad being unbalanced. I'm not sure our coach has that concept secure in his thinking, and yes - it's only been with the introduction of Bird that we've managed to pull our socks up enough to still be challenging in two competitions. Bird arrived two thirds of the way through the season... [Post edited 22 Mar 17:39]
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People can fundamentally disagree. It’s often reflective of result. Other opinions are consistent irrespective of that.
A manager who has faults, a squad that could have been assembled better, a team that is improving when it comes to results. The squad was just as unbalanced prior to the Oldham game when we won four in a row. The squad was just an unbalanced during the autumn/winter, nobody disputes that. That’s why nobody is claiming the manager is great. He’s doing ok though. |  |
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| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:47 - Mar 22 with 1929 views | jonahwhereru |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:04 - Mar 22 by daleitetilidie |
Hard to tell which team was in the bottom four and which team was trying to keep a playoff place. The only consistency with McNulty’s teams is their inconsistency, looking like a shoe in for the playoffs 3 games ago now wondering where the next win’s coming from. We stopped playing after about 20 minutes and never got going again. Sarfend and Alty for the playoffs? Not us am afraid not after a sh1t show like that. No doubt Jim’ll blame the pitch or some lame excuse. Let’s hope Bird’s back before too long cos without him we look lost. I |
Alty ,Southend and Gateshead have a worse last 6 match point returns than we do. Would imagine there will be Gateshead supports saying Rochdale and not them for the play off. If Alty do win that will be some resurrection because I think their two losses against us really hit them mentally. We will see. | | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:49 - Mar 22 with 1891 views | 442Dale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:46 - Mar 22 by _Windydale |
Of course we shouldn't do it but, even playing an injured Bird is better than playing Mitchell as a center forward. At the moment.
Him coming to the Dale has highlighted how desperately poor we are in that position handling high balls and 50/50 passes. A frustrating watch hes not strong enough, and easily bullied off the ball, just puts a token effort in to try. We shouldn't bother with any high balls just pass it straight into his feet. or go up the wings.
Devante's also gone backwards. A strong lad but appears to lacks confidence in control, and ability to use his physique, to create opportunities. Mostly settling for short passes.
I hope Jay gets fit, continues to make a nuisance of himself, dragging defenders about and banging them in. |
Fair assessment. Mitchell is going backwards and need to look at himself. All the attributes to play in the league but up to him if he wants to make the most of that.
Today he had an opportunity to say “forget Bird, remember what I can do”. If he had we’d have won that game. | |
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| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:51 - Mar 22 with 1875 views | rich_dale |
Without Bird we look a bit toothless. Need to get the ball in the box more often - still tend to check back too much. Maidenhead put it in the the danger area more often. Another frustrating watch against a team with inferior players. | | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:53 - Mar 22 with 1861 views | JimmyRustler |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:46 - Mar 22 by _Windydale |
Of course we shouldn't do it but, even playing an injured Bird is better than playing Mitchell as a center forward. At the moment.
Him coming to the Dale has highlighted how desperately poor we are in that position handling high balls and 50/50 passes. A frustrating watch hes not strong enough, and easily bullied off the ball, just puts a token effort in to try. We shouldn't bother with any high balls just pass it straight into his feet. or go up the wings.
Devante's also gone backwards. A strong lad but appears to lacks confidence in control, and ability to use his physique, to create opportunities. Mostly settling for short passes.
I hope Jay gets fit, continues to make a nuisance of himself, dragging defenders about and banging them in. |
I do wonder if Mitchell has been sounded out by other clubs given that his contract is up in the Summer? His numbers (on paper at least) are likely to attract interest from league clubs.
This, coupled with his ear cupping towards the Sandy leads me to believe he’s on his way out. That could possibly also go some way to explaining his apparent drop off in effort perhaps? It does seem odd that he’s the top scorer and was replaced by Bird at the drop of a hat. Maybe JM is also aware of his intentions?
Who knows. Either way, even if we somehow do sneak into the playoffs, we are doomed without a fit Bird (oo er). | | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:00 - Mar 22 with 1795 views | 442Dale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:43 - Mar 22 by JimmyRustler |
When you say previous games where we’ve played well, do you mean this mini run which has papered over the cracks?
I will credit Jim/our scouts for identifying and signing Bird but that signing has once again, papered over the cracks.
The football is boring, pedestrian and ineffective, which is down to the manager. You talk about the manager being limited, which is precisely what he is and precisely why he should be nowhere near managing the football club.
The truth of the matter is that our squad isn’t half bad and that our wage budget/outlay is likely to be one of the highest in the division. And I am convinced that a more competent manager would do a job with this set of players. |
The football wasn’t boring, pedestrian and ineffective during the wins though. The facts are what they are. Reaction comes after results, go back and read the match threads and the contributions after a good win.
Yes, the manager is limited, always said so. First to pint out the issues, even when we’re winning (squad construction) but I’m also a realist. Who would get better results than seventh in the table and the semi final of the Trophy after the last 4/5 years of upheaval? I’m not even saying there isn’t someone, but this happens after every defeat/poor result.
Win the next two and it’ll be “well done the players and Jim. More of that and it’ll start to convince me”. It’s lower league football, whether that be division 4/L1/L2/national league. You get some good stuff, some rubbish. When it’s persistent rubbish, which if the run after the Barnet game continued would have been the case, then a manager will know his job is on the line.
As it is, right now, we are doing ok with an alright manager but we should be doing better. In my opinion | |
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| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:06 - Mar 22 with 1734 views | 442Dale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:53 - Mar 22 by JimmyRustler |
I do wonder if Mitchell has been sounded out by other clubs given that his contract is up in the Summer? His numbers (on paper at least) are likely to attract interest from league clubs.
This, coupled with his ear cupping towards the Sandy leads me to believe he’s on his way out. That could possibly also go some way to explaining his apparent drop off in effort perhaps? It does seem odd that he’s the top scorer and was replaced by Bird at the drop of a hat. Maybe JM is also aware of his intentions?
Who knows. Either way, even if we somehow do sneak into the playoffs, we are doomed without a fit Bird (oo er). |
Yeah, you’d have thought we’d have offered Mitchell a deal to stay which he’d have signed if he intended to. Prior to Christmas I’d have sold him to an EFL club impressed by his goalscoring record for a couple of hundred grand. There was talk at the time of how we had to keep him at all costs, especially after the Fylde FA Cup game.
As it was, we got to January and the subjects didn’t even come up - either a potential sale or ‘let’s get him signed’. He’s under performed and should be big enough to admit it. Sad, because I thought there was a real player in there. Sometimes it comes down to them as a person. | |
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| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:14 - Mar 22 with 1687 views | Rodingdale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:00 - Mar 22 by 442Dale |
The football wasn’t boring, pedestrian and ineffective during the wins though. The facts are what they are. Reaction comes after results, go back and read the match threads and the contributions after a good win.
Yes, the manager is limited, always said so. First to pint out the issues, even when we’re winning (squad construction) but I’m also a realist. Who would get better results than seventh in the table and the semi final of the Trophy after the last 4/5 years of upheaval? I’m not even saying there isn’t someone, but this happens after every defeat/poor result.
Win the next two and it’ll be “well done the players and Jim. More of that and it’ll start to convince me”. It’s lower league football, whether that be division 4/L1/L2/national league. You get some good stuff, some rubbish. When it’s persistent rubbish, which if the run after the Barnet game continued would have been the case, then a manager will know his job is on the line.
As it is, right now, we are doing ok with an alright manager but we should be doing better. In my opinion |
16 wins from 36 games. 44% win rate. Simply we don’t win enough with Jim.
The highlight today was the singing in the bar at half time.
But looking around me in the second half. Resigned expressions on faces, heads slowly shaking, glum, the odd grumble. That’s the experience on a match day under Jim.
442 and a dwindling bunch of McNulty apologists can state their opinion as fact, but it’s not good enough. Needs to change, but not sure it will.
Sixteen out of thirty six… | | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:19 - Mar 22 with 1661 views | nordenblue |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:37 - Mar 22 by D_Alien |
I fundamentally disagree
I really do think a more 'worldly' coach (for want of a better word) would not only improve this squad but have them performing more consistently
It's a moot point whether a different coach would've been able to put this squad together, but there again, there's been a consistent theme throughout the campaign of the squad being unbalanced. I'm not sure our coach has that concept secure in his thinking, and yes - it's only been with the introduction of Bird that we've managed to pull our socks up enough to still be challenging in two competitions. Bird arrived two thirds of the way through the season... [Post edited 22 Mar 17:39]
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It very much feels like for far too many games this season the team have got in and around the play offs in spite of JM rather than due to him. | | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:20 - Mar 22 with 1654 views | TalkingSutty |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:30 - Mar 22 by 442Dale |
Whilst the predictability of blaming the manager is not unexpected and, in part, valid, the team itself and the players within it need to take responsibility. Not set up any different from previous games when we’ve performed well, the right players in the right positions and yet we went from comfortable to safe to conceding within half an hour of football.
Individuals need to look at themselves, McNulty included when the midfield is not impacting games and he’s leaving Burger out of the squad, but the reaction has to be as measured as the analysis.
We are where we are with a manager who has limitations and a playing squad which has players with similar restrictions despite their obvious plus points (Mitchell being the perfect example today and even Rodney when he came on). Let’s not pretend that it would be so much different with somebody else overseeing the team.
Jay Bird and players of his ilk have had their standing increased ten fold in the last two months. Those within the game at our level and fans alike should recognise this. [Post edited 22 Mar 17:34]
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Disagree with that, the buck stops with the manager. It's all too predictable, the amount of points we throw away from dominant positions against poor teams is ridiculous. It's all about 'managing the game', it's never about going for the jugular away from home and bursting a gut to get that second and third goal. We stroll around with the ball with absolutely no urgency to get the ball into our opponents penalty area. This squad of players is easily good enough to finish in a play off spot and McNulty has been recruiting throughout the season, it's taken him until March to realise we need a forward who can hold the ball up and bring others into play. We play with the handbrake on, we over complicate the game, we drop points to the poorest teams in the league regularly. Mc Nultys best achievement was negotiating last season, i think this season we will have underachieved if we miss out on a play off place, this league is a very poor one. |  | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:20 - Mar 22 with 1656 views | JimmyRustler |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:00 - Mar 22 by 442Dale |
The football wasn’t boring, pedestrian and ineffective during the wins though. The facts are what they are. Reaction comes after results, go back and read the match threads and the contributions after a good win.
Yes, the manager is limited, always said so. First to pint out the issues, even when we’re winning (squad construction) but I’m also a realist. Who would get better results than seventh in the table and the semi final of the Trophy after the last 4/5 years of upheaval? I’m not even saying there isn’t someone, but this happens after every defeat/poor result.
Win the next two and it’ll be “well done the players and Jim. More of that and it’ll start to convince me”. It’s lower league football, whether that be division 4/L1/L2/national league. You get some good stuff, some rubbish. When it’s persistent rubbish, which if the run after the Barnet game continued would have been the case, then a manager will know his job is on the line.
As it is, right now, we are doing ok with an alright manager but we should be doing better. In my opinion |
If you were to describe our play under Jim, I think I’ve summed it up pretty well. There are of course exceptions where for one reason or another, he appears to let the players off the leash. The baffling this is that this is when we play our best football and yet he hasn’t cottoned onto this. And tbh, that in itself showcases his limitations more than anything else.
I think playoffs should be the bare minimum for this squad of players but it should be a comfortable ask as opposed to how we appear to be limping into the top 7 at the moment.
My question to you would be if we don’t get in the playoffs this year (or get promoted), do you trust Jim as the manager who will get us there the following season? | | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:25 - Mar 22 with 1571 views | Newbury_Dale |
That was a performance typical of the McNulty tenure. Up against a struggling Maidenhead team without their two first choice strikers, we find ourselves 1-0 up and the overcoached, slow build-up play just takes over and we meander to nothing. Sidewards, sidewards, backwards.
We nearly nicked it at the end once the tempo picked up and we started to move the ball at pace and forwards. But why didn't we do this in the first half ? The game could have been put to bed. So frustrating. Two points lost. [Post edited 22 Mar 18:26]
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| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:27 - Mar 22 with 1537 views | EllDale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:06 - Mar 22 by 442Dale |
Yeah, you’d have thought we’d have offered Mitchell a deal to stay which he’d have signed if he intended to. Prior to Christmas I’d have sold him to an EFL club impressed by his goalscoring record for a couple of hundred grand. There was talk at the time of how we had to keep him at all costs, especially after the Fylde FA Cup game.
As it was, we got to January and the subjects didn’t even come up - either a potential sale or ‘let’s get him signed’. He’s under performed and should be big enough to admit it. Sad, because I thought there was a real player in there. Sometimes it comes down to them as a person. |
The club are in a difficult situation when it comes to renewing contracts at the moment.
There is a slim chance of promotion via the playoffs; if this did happen do they want to have a full squad of basically National League players? | | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:27 - Mar 22 with 1532 views | 442Dale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:14 - Mar 22 by Rodingdale |
16 wins from 36 games. 44% win rate. Simply we don’t win enough with Jim.
The highlight today was the singing in the bar at half time.
But looking around me in the second half. Resigned expressions on faces, heads slowly shaking, glum, the odd grumble. That’s the experience on a match day under Jim.
442 and a dwindling bunch of McNulty apologists can state their opinion as fact, but it’s not good enough. Needs to change, but not sure it will.
Sixteen out of thirty six… |
Ha. Do we really want to do this?
Apologist? Go back through ALL my posts. Consistent based on fact and fair with both criticism and praise.
If we at looking at the numbers: Currently, based on points per game, we are heading for 72-73 points. Would that have been acceptable before the season began?
Also, where was the post about stats when it was 16 wins from 33 games? A 48% win percentage. A stage when we were heading for 76-77 points.
We can all have an opinion, that’s football. But it’s best to remember how we reflect that after a win/draw/defeat. It also worth noting that conflating an opinion utilising facts with an opinion claiming it’s a fact leads to a misunderstanding. | |
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| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:29 - Mar 22 with 1507 views | D_Alien |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 17:47 - Mar 22 by 442Dale |
People can fundamentally disagree. It’s often reflective of result. Other opinions are consistent irrespective of that.
A manager who has faults, a squad that could have been assembled better, a team that is improving when it comes to results. The squad was just as unbalanced prior to the Oldham game when we won four in a row. The squad was just an unbalanced during the autumn/winter, nobody disputes that. That’s why nobody is claiming the manager is great. He’s doing ok though. |
As you know, i've been consistent in my doubts about JM, right from the start of last season when he was appointed full-time
I've tried grasping at straws every time we show a bit of form, only to be brought back down to earth time after time
It's the poor quality of the league we're in that's keeping us, and him, afloat |  |
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| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:29 - Mar 22 with 1505 views | EllDale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:25 - Mar 22 by Newbury_Dale |
That was a performance typical of the McNulty tenure. Up against a struggling Maidenhead team without their two first choice strikers, we find ourselves 1-0 up and the overcoached, slow build-up play just takes over and we meander to nothing. Sidewards, sidewards, backwards.
We nearly nicked it at the end once the tempo picked up and we started to move the ball at pace and forwards. But why didn't we do this in the first half ? The game could have been put to bed. So frustrating. Two points lost. [Post edited 22 Mar 18:26]
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It’s ANOTHER two points lost going off the comments on this thread. | | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:30 - Mar 22 with 1490 views | 442Dale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:25 - Mar 22 by Newbury_Dale |
That was a performance typical of the McNulty tenure. Up against a struggling Maidenhead team without their two first choice strikers, we find ourselves 1-0 up and the overcoached, slow build-up play just takes over and we meander to nothing. Sidewards, sidewards, backwards.
We nearly nicked it at the end once the tempo picked up and we started to move the ball at pace and forwards. But why didn't we do this in the first half ? The game could have been put to bed. So frustrating. Two points lost. [Post edited 22 Mar 18:26]
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That summed it up for me too. The players almost reverted back to “well let’s play how we train” rather than stepping it up and winning the game when we were clearly superior.
McNulty should have changed it earlier too. And that doesn’t mean taking off Henderson. | |
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| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:35 - Mar 22 with 1419 views | 442Dale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:29 - Mar 22 by D_Alien |
As you know, i've been consistent in my doubts about JM, right from the start of last season when he was appointed full-time
I've tried grasping at straws every time we show a bit of form, only to be brought back down to earth time after time
It's the poor quality of the league we're in that's keeping us, and him, afloat |
Maybe, but the analysis of a bad result has far outweighed that of a good one on here. We haven’t changed one bit in how the manager approaches games from pre season until now. How that has been reflected with selection/performances has been the only variable.
If we now win the next two home games, avoid defeat at Woking and then reach Wembley, there is no justification for saying the manager has listened/changed, because he won’t have. So if it’s well done Jim then, it’s well done Jim now.
If he did change we wouldn’t start with the same bloody formation every week. | |
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| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:36 - Mar 22 with 1405 views | Rodingdale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:35 - Mar 22 by 442Dale |
Maybe, but the analysis of a bad result has far outweighed that of a good one on here. We haven’t changed one bit in how the manager approaches games from pre season until now. How that has been reflected with selection/performances has been the only variable.
If we now win the next two home games, avoid defeat at Woking and then reach Wembley, there is no justification for saying the manager has listened/changed, because he won’t have. So if it’s well done Jim then, it’s well done Jim now.
If he did change we wouldn’t start with the same bloody formation every week. |
When your in a hole… | | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:42 - Mar 22 with 1349 views | BigKindo |
HT. Barnet 1 up at Alty |  | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:56 - Mar 22 with 1254 views | JimmyRustler |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:35 - Mar 22 by 442Dale |
Maybe, but the analysis of a bad result has far outweighed that of a good one on here. We haven’t changed one bit in how the manager approaches games from pre season until now. How that has been reflected with selection/performances has been the only variable.
If we now win the next two home games, avoid defeat at Woking and then reach Wembley, there is no justification for saying the manager has listened/changed, because he won’t have. So if it’s well done Jim then, it’s well done Jim now.
If he did change we wouldn’t start with the same bloody formation every week. |
It’s never going to be well done Jim if we scrape into the playoffs as that is the absolute bare minimum we should be expecting with this squad, this budget and in a division this turgid. Aside from a few games here and there, the football has been horrifically uninspiring since he took over. And you could put up with that if it’s yielding exceptional results. But it isn’t. No goals vs Ebbsfleet (who concede around 3 a game), a loss at home to Boston where we once again gifted them the first goal through fancying about and a draw at a dismal looking Maidenhead side tells you all you need to know about our attacking set up and prowess. And the lack of adventure, lack of shooting when in perfect ranger, crab like midfield approach, passing back to the keeper, not leaving a man up at a corner when we need a goal etc etc has to be down to managerial instruction | | | |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:58 - Mar 22 with 1242 views | 442Dale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:20 - Mar 22 by JimmyRustler |
If you were to describe our play under Jim, I think I’ve summed it up pretty well. There are of course exceptions where for one reason or another, he appears to let the players off the leash. The baffling this is that this is when we play our best football and yet he hasn’t cottoned onto this. And tbh, that in itself showcases his limitations more than anything else.
I think playoffs should be the bare minimum for this squad of players but it should be a comfortable ask as opposed to how we appear to be limping into the top 7 at the moment.
My question to you would be if we don’t get in the playoffs this year (or get promoted), do you trust Jim as the manager who will get us there the following season? |
Sorry, missed this whilst on my apologist crusade…
It’s a very good question. I have big doubts about McNulty’s ability to get us promotion. Bizarrely these doubts would remain if we were two up in a play off final at Wembley in June. If we go back to when he first took over after Bentley left, I believed his philosophy was one that would not bring us success, to the point where when we won at Wimbledon in his first game I recall ripping to bits his analysis of the game. It was a focus on how a team performs being all important that I didn’t agree with.
Still don’t. But I do accept he’s created a good atmosphere around the club, the squad he’s built fits how he wants to play and they all seem quite happy. Can also recognise where we’ve evolved to be more effective, as illustrated by the arrival of Bird, whilst acknowledging how that in itself magnifies the weaknesses of being over reliant to a structure you believe in.
The formation changing to a 3-4-3 was interesting and made use of the squad we had built. We didn’t have an Amorim situation where we were playing players out of position and we need only look at Gordon and Beckwith as examples of how McNulty has developed players within this. Gordon was a bog standard right back, not someone who could play as a CH in a two, now he’s been captain for much of the season and come on leaps and bounds - even as an attacking threat. Beckwith came as a LB but, some recent form aside, has shown he could play at a higher level in that Jack O’Connell role.
With that comes an obvious McNulty failing: his persistence with what he thinks is best. That formation has remained in situ bar the latter stages of two games (I think), Tamworth away and Boston the other night. Both times we’ve created chaos when it’s been changed. Sometimes chaos is good.
So, despite going all round the house with this, I’ll finally answer that question: I don’t know. He has to be be a more adaptable manager who admits he has to change to succeed. Whether that will be with us, who knows. But right now it’s his biggest issue. At the same time I believe, rightly or wrongly, our fanbase has become a lot more reactive over the last few years. Stuff like “worst manager ever” and “he has to go”, did this happen under similar seasons pre Hill? Calls for Parkin to be sacked during the goalless run in his first season, or terrible period in his second when we threw away a playoff place? The game has changed, but I used to think we remained much the same as a fanbase.
Jay Bird has proven to be the player that proves him right at the same time as proving him wrong. | |
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| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:59 - Mar 22 with 1206 views | 442Dale |
| Refwatch - Maidenhead United v Rochdale on 18:56 - Mar 22 by JimmyRustler |
It’s never going to be well done Jim if we scrape into the playoffs as that is the absolute bare minimum we should be expecting with this squad, this budget and in a division this turgid. Aside from a few games here and there, the football has been horrifically uninspiring since he took over. And you could put up with that if it’s yielding exceptional results. But it isn’t. No goals vs Ebbsfleet (who concede around 3 a game), a loss at home to Boston where we once again gifted them the first goal through fancying about and a draw at a dismal looking Maidenhead side tells you all you need to know about our attacking set up and prowess. And the lack of adventure, lack of shooting when in perfect ranger, crab like midfield approach, passing back to the keeper, not leaving a man up at a corner when we need a goal etc etc has to be down to managerial instruction |
But it has been “well done Jim” over the last month. I’ll stop short of posting the links.
You’ll not get any argument about the frustration around the poor displays. Because I felt it today. | |
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