Minority Report v Nottingham Forest

Unlike most posters, I have sympathy for Schopp. He has inherited a team that had lost its main influence in midfield. He has lost 2 of his most important players to knee injuries. The players who were bought in the last transfer window do not look ready to me. Sacking him would merely appease all those who need someone to blame, and would tackle none of the root problems. My suspicion is that he needs a proper centre forward in order to play his way, and with both Morris and Oulare injured, there is no way of doing it his way successfully, so he is sticking with what the players already know, and have more confidence with. I do not propose to judge him until he has his injured players back in contention, and he can play the game his way.

 

Other than the generous referee bit I'm with you. Forest could have had a red card in the first half, but Palmer was booked instead for a follow up challenge, that was McGeehan-esque in it's wrongness.

How Sibbick was overlooked for Moon is baffling. Seeing we were overrun in midfield in the first half he chooses to bring Victor on for one of our fittest players?

The top & bottom of it is the manager is out of his depth. We were never going to repeat last year's achievements but we look like relegation fodder at the minute. The sooner he is shown the door the better.

 

Not sure the system changed to 4-3-3. Who were the two full backs,? All I saw was Moon, Helik and Kitching being overrun down both flanks with Brittain and Williams left floundering in midfield. Brittain was in midfield all game rather than being moved into midfield. Then again what difference does it make. Fact is, the manager hasn't the nous to change the system.

 

It was after 80 minutes, so there was 10 minutes plus 5 minutes of injury time still to go. Gomes came on and was joined by Brittain and Styles in a 3 man midfield. Admittedly, Moon had been covering for Brittain all match, but Brittain was clearly playing centrally after that point and Moon was exposed to the pace of Mighten, who had just come on. Forest had switched from 3-4-3 to 4-4-2 on 60 minutes when Grabban came on.

 

"but at the start of the second until the equaliser we were all over them at every opportunity"
With respect mate thats not how i saw it. I thought we were getting the run around and the 3 of us watching were all memering to each other that surley he would change formation soon as it looked like a matter of time before they equalise and added another.
I was uncomfortable at half time tbf but thought we would be better. I think (and i know they have bettter players) steve cooper totally schooled Schopp in tactics and it ended a very easy win for forest.

 

I agree with Loko, we were pressing like Val's team for the first 10-15 mins of the second half until the equalizer - with more composure we should have setup a few opportunities after disposing Forest in their own half. To me, taking Frieser off after they scored was the wrong decision, as much as people don't like Frieser he does the running required to press, unlike some of the others.

 

The First bit of the second half was our best spell easily. Woodrow chance, good pressing and winning the ball back high up the pitch.

But then they scored and we were pathetic.

 

My main gripe is the effort and energy expelled in attacking areas without even having an attempt at goal. I think we look like Tottenham at the minute.

 

Good report except for MotM - no way should Palmer get it, he stood like a statue in that second half at one point - it was really bad, and for their second goal the keeper threw it out the middle of the park with Palmer (and Styles) miles off. Helik gave the ball away for the first goal, so he doesn't get it either. Would have to go with the keeper, AGAIN!!

 

As you know I've always preached patience and perspective and like you I've been reluctant to judge Marcus so far, purely because he hasn't had all his resources to hand. He's definitely been dealt a poor hand.
However I'm not convinced that he will "play the game his way." when he has Mads, Carlton and Oulare back.
Not playing his way has been his downfall. When he started we read that he likes to pack midfield and let the opposition 'come on", triggering the press from us. He's not shown any of that. Instead he's tried to create an ineffective Schopp / Val mongrel hybrid which is an abject failure.
When things dont work its important that the manager effects change. Unfortunately so far he's not proved that he's incapable of doing that.
Like you I'm really interested in the tactics of the game and the different approaches of different managers. That being the case I was really looking forward to seeing how MS was going to handle our tactics. Oh for the heady days of that first half against QPR a few weeks ago when the football we played was the best I've seen in years. Yes years. It was the equipment of a complete football high.
To say I've been disappointed since then would be an understatement. He's not been able to replicate it at all.
It's logical to assume that he has a preferred way of playing but he hasn't shown any conviction in moving us towards that. In that regard one might reasonably charge him with a lack of leadership. All the tinkering illustrates a lack of belief in his own thinking.
He's like Ranieri on steroids.
Confused thinking from the guy in charge confuses the people who work for him. Whether it's a football club or any other business.
It's sad because his appointment was made with the right intent and on the back of previously successful forays into the managerial recruitment market.
I really try and be objective when considering situations like this. I'd like that objectivity to be supported by some / any signs of Marcus proving to be the right man but I can't find any.
We dont know the background but the other thing I can't quite grasp is why he didn't appoint his own number 2. Val didn't either but he had Adam Murray for continuity and knowledge of the league. It begs the question...why not, for example, appoint Disco as one of his assistants?
In posting these thoughts I think it's shaped my opinion on whether I think he should go or stay.
Lack of leadership, lack of conviction, lack of belief in his own tactics, and lack of foresight are all determining factors in assessing whether he's up to it.
Sadly I think he fails those four crucial tests.

 

Palmer has skill and flair in abundance. He can tackle. He is a player. I like him.

But to suggest he was MOM last night is akin to suggesting Schopp is Skybet Manager of the Month.

He was always one snidy tackle from a card. Wrongfully booked, but would have been given under the totting up process. He became a red-card-waiting-to-happen. But it was his concentration that was the worrying thing for me. The amount of times he failed to see a ball coming his way, or was slow to react was a real concern. Twice in the 2nd half he was away with the fairies. You can't let your mind wander like that in the Championship, no matter how low your confidence. I think it is mental sharpness he needs to work on - physical sharpness will logically follow.

Gomes for me in the weekend, much more alert and give RP a watching brief from the bench.

 

Unfortunately so far he's not proved that he's incapable of doing that.

........he's not shown he's capable of doing that

 

Oh sorry and your right.
I think last season taught me that big Val set up a certain way and pressed and defended from the front and more often than not negated tbe opposition playing out from the back (there were exceptions) this season we dont seem to be able to even do that as effectively. I absolutely believe he will bring his own system but it requires his Belgians in there....he may run out of time.

 

I think the center-mid partnership of Palmer and Styles is as weak as any i can remember. Add to that woeful defending and a none existent forward line. And there you have it, The 5h1t show that will get no better..
How i envy clubs like Luton and Coventry

 

Pretty how much how i see it...
our after match conversation arrived at...."if big Val" was still here with these players
1.Would performances be better?
2. Would results be better ?
Answer is yes to both.....so the coach needs to upskill and quickly.

 

I couldn't agree more on your match assessment, bang on.
on a slightly different note, our new CEO dropped in the box last night, doing his rounds.
He comes across as a straight talking fella, until he posed the question to me about what I thought the result would be, his face dropped when I said " I'm not sure well get a result, based on what ive seen, and what ive heard about Blackpool". He swiftly moved onto other members of our group, but the look on his face was priceless!!!!!!!!!.

 

I reread an article this morning that was written before his appointment and in that he was described as Val-lite.