So, was Ritchie right all along then?

Only improve the current crop of players if they are going to improve what we already have?</p>

Mattis isn't anywhere near the quality of Togwell in midfield. I could understand him signing him as 'backup' for Togwell, but not to replace him, surely?</p>

 

For me, Ritchie was proved right some time ago.

Wish he was still the manager.

 

No

Eckersley obviously is an improvement.

We have not had sufficient time to judge Mattis

McCann looks useful and a squad improvement.

Cant see constantine being worse than those two wasters we had up front today.

Or perhaps people think its better to have a smaller, thinner squad who tended to concede 2 goals every game.

 

And at least we played football with him in charge. The squad enjoyed his relaxed management and it showed. Poor decision to get rid. Very poor.

 

Well, he certainly replaced him today

I was expecting us to sign someone with a bit of physical presence, but Mattis doesn't fit the bill in that respect.

Personally, I haven't seen any evidence to back up Mr Shepherd's very public criticism of AR. Gordon has egg on his face at the moment as far as I'm concerned.

Constantine (who I think Andy DID want to sign) is not going to solve the midfield problems we witnessed today.

 

we were down already with AR nt

 

RE: No

I can understand signing improved squad players. But McCann and Mattis certainly aren't better than Howard and Togwell. To even contemplate starting them in front of these when both are fit is crazy. It was obvious we needed cover, as the Robbie Williams selection proved. But to sacrifice Togwell to accommodate Mattis was suicide today.

 

RE: No

Ritchie was right in that he didn't want to waste what little money he had on players who he didn't think were going to improve the squad. Seems fair enough to me.

And when he was sacked, we went straight out, and panic bought, like some bloke who realises that its 6 o'clock on Xmas eve and the local garage is the only place left to get a present for the missus.

And it didn't improve the squad.

 

We are down now with Davey!

Difference is, Ritchie's team played entertaining football and lost...instead of dross and lose!

 

I never wanted Ritchie sacked. Deeply ashamed and upset that week.

 

May be they are an improvement

They aren't of the required standard though.

I think Andy tried to sign Constantine in the summer so there is no reason to think he wouldn't have tried again.

 

Not really

I thought Mattis would be a back up for Togwell, maybe it'll be different when Devaney is back?

 

"Accomodate" Togwell is exactly right

AHowever, (as I said earlier), I'm not even sure that Togwell would have even played today had Disco not been banned.

 

Southend

have the confidence in their Manager, and it will be interesting to see how they finish up at the end of the season. GS didn't have confidence in Ritchie, so he panicked. Poor businessman. Too old.

 

I think you'll be suprised.

As GudjonFan has pointed out. With Devaney in today...Togwell was on the bench.

 

When Devaney is available again

Assuming Disco is back in the team, do you think Togwell will play ahead of Mattis?

I won't bring this up again, as I'm labouring the point a bit.

 

I hope not, we'll see next week. nt

 

He tried to sign him in September

as the transfer window closed.

AR the alledged saint ought to really have brought in the necessary quality in fecking June / July then we would not be where we are now and if the board were tying his hands should have come out and said so but he did not because I dont believe it to be true.

 

Ritchie has a proven record of promotion from League one

He's just the sort of manager Mr Shepherd will be looking for again in the summer.

Sometimes you just have to accept that you don't have the resources to stop up. That's not anyone's fault, it's just a fact of life.

How does firing the manager that got us here in the first place help?

 

RE: When Devaney is available again

he should but he won't. If I was Sam I'd think **** this for a game of soldiers.