Am I on a different planet?

[Dunc]

We have the players who seem to be playing well in spells. However we fall for a 'sucker punch' at home all too often. When does that start to become an issue that the manager isn't addressing???

I think that is refered to with the lapses in concentration which is down to the inexperience and lack of games that players in crucial positions usually play.

It'll come

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

Lets put it this way. At the start of the season we were playing poorly, not creating chances and people were moaning that this was the worst footballing team of recent memory, even worse than MA's last year, and the results are poor.

Now we are playing good football, creating chances and people are moaning that we aren't getting results, which is a fact, there is no getting away from it.

However, the improvement in the team/quality of football/effort is significant in comparison to 2-3 months ago and as with many young sides its consistency and concentration lapses that is costing us.

The difference between CL & Billy Davies/Steve Cotterill is that BD had a nucleus of a good team before he arrived to which he added shrewdly. CL has a completely new team the majority of which are under 25. Cotterill has added veterans and older players on short term contracts in a similar manner to MA and plays extremely dour 4-5-1 football.

The improvement from my perspective is continuing, the next stage is to combine the attractive football with results which I don't think is unsurmountable by any stretch.

I'm with CL because I buy into the long term building programme he is undertaking not the quick fix MA tried. I'm also with him because I cannot see any benefit in replacing him with our 4th manager in 4 years, stability for these young players is the key.

I might be proved wrong but I see ourselves in the same position as Derby 2/3 years ago when they finished in the bottom 6 with a very young and inexperienced side but finished 4th the season after because of the tough grounding they had the season before.

Good post Dunc, however I would just like to iriterate that I am 100% behind CL and I too have bought into the long term planning and building as I really do believe it will have a positive impact on our club, but I am concerned that although CL has got the right philosphy, we are struggling to string results together and that maybe because tactically he is lacking that little bit, maybe he is still learning the English game, or perhaps we are one or two games away from everything clicking, but I do know one thing it is very fustrating because I can see so many good things happening and yet we still lie perilious close to the relegation zone, it is truly baffling.

As for your views on Steve Cotterill and Billy Davies I cannot agree, when Davies took over at Preston he inherited an average squad, he has lost 3 excellent strikers in Healy, Fuller and Cresswell and one of the best left sided midfielders in Eddie Lewis and yet he still managed to guide an unfashionable club like PNE to the play off final, and yet again this season he has managed to position them nicely in the top half whilst building with a young squad, as for Cotterill he has worked a minor miracle and if playing 4 - 5 -1 delivers dour football but with results then surely he should be complimented as an excellent tactican, lets be honest Burnley have no money and very little in the way of big name players.

I do believe the transfer window offers CL a great opportunity to solve 3 problem positions, left back, right wing and a new striker to supplement the 3 main strikers in our squad, if Craig can bring in the right people then who knows maybe the 2nd half of the season will provide the platform for 2006 / 2007 if not then I really do fear for him.

 

[Hazzman]

I think that is refered to with the lapses in concentration which is down to the inexperience and lack of games that players in crucial positions usually play.

It'll come

I think the same, we have raw and green players who will come good, its just a lack of experience espically for the likes of Gerrbrand, Hume and SMith who all seem hungry, want a challenge and they willing to learn from it. The interviews I have read with Gerrbrand, I'm very impressed with the attitude.

 

[BOB HAZELL]

Just how long do people think that those within the club will tolerate the situation as we now find it........??

Personally, most of what is written I agree with, but do people really believe the club will hold their nerve......

Judgement day is approaching.........

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

Just how long do people think that those within the club will tolerate the situation as we now find it........??

Personally, most of what is written I agree with, but do people really believe the club will hold their nerve......

Judgement day is approaching.........

You obviously know a lot more about the situation, does this mean successors have been discussed or are we just going to blindly sack the manager and then hope a saviour falls out of the sky ?

 

[Redditch Fox]

Just how long do people think that those within the club will tolerate the situation as we now find it........??

Personally, most of what is written I agree with, but do people really believe the club will hold their nerve......

Judgement day is approaching.........

To be honest, I think that it is only because of the particular way that the club is run that Levein - rightly or wrongly - is still in a job.

Since Administration we have a board where there is no particular strong figure (in terms of share ownership). In fact the structure looks more like a community enterprise in the social economy than a traditional football club.
As it happens I don't think this is the best set up for LCFC although I fully appreciate that no big money person(s) were willing to come forward.

On the footballing side, I consider that the benchmarks for LCFC are between battling for promotion in the second tier division and survival (with the occasional cup run) in the top tier.

Of course, we could be on the verge of a new dawn when when under the current management we will rise from 19th position (below even Micky's Coventry whose squad looks extremely threadbare compared with ours) to at least a top half position. However, just because we have had three less than successful managers, it doesn't mean that we all have to make a virtue out of sticking with a fourth.

I am not saying that Levein should get the push now, becaue I think this would only increase the difficulties - but if there isn't a drastic improvement than I just think it would be wrong to go down the same track for next season.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

To be honest, I think that it is only because of the particular way that the club is run that Levein - rightly or wrongly - is still in a job.

Since Administration we have a board where there is no particular strong figure (in terms of share ownership). In fact the structure looks more like a community enterprise in the social economy than a traditional football club.
As it happens I don't think this is the best set up for LCFC although I fully appreciate that no big money person(s) were willing to come forward.

On the footballing side, I consider that the benchmarks for LCFC are between battling for promotion in the second tier division and survival (with the occasional cup run) in the top tier.

Of course, we could be on the verge of a new dawn when when under the current management we will rise from 19th position (below even Micky's Coventry whose squad looks extremely threadbare compared with ours) to at least a top half position. However, just because we have had three less than successful managers, it doesn't mean that we all have to make a virtue out of sticking with a fourth.

I am not saying that Levein should get the push now, becaue I think this would only increase the difficulties - but if there isn't a drastic improvement than I just think it would be wrong to go down the same track for next season.

Good post Redditch, I dont want Levein to be sacked, especially not on boxing day, I would like him to be given until the end of the season and then reassess the situation based on whether the club has progressed and whether there is genuine belief that he is capable of taking the club back to a position where it can challenge for the top 6 in this division.

Results need to improve, and when I say that, it is because I am well aware that although he has done a very good job in creating a young and energetic squad who at present are playing some entertaining football, football at the end of the day is a results driven industry.

I am neither a fickle bonehead nor do I wear rose tinted spectacles, we need to start to show that this squad, maybe with a few additions is capable of mounting a challenge on the top 6 next season, at present this doesnt appear to be the case and this is causing the board and some supporters to become twitchy. So Levein has to in January sign the players required to enable him to have a first choice, settled starting XI, and that team then has to start to show signs that it can deliver results, but for that IMO Levein must be given the opportunity. Levein at present is not producing results and therefore he has created his own pressure, he now needs to show he is the right man for the job.

 

[Redditch Fox]

I think amongst Levein's problems are:

- opponents are not too bothered whether or not we play 'more attractive' football providing they believe they are going to score more goals than us - plenty of sides have gone down the pan playing attractive football;

- how does reducing the budget for 2006/7 to accommodate the loss of parachoute income chime with bringing in better players in the January window?

 

[Real Sharapova]

My reading of it is that the budget is set to cope without the parachute payment for 2006/07. Money will be tight, but some players may/will be on the way out, freeing up money, and perhaps in one case bringing in a fee, i.e. Williams, Wright, Tiatto. One would hope that there is something in the budget to look at a couple of players in January.

 

[Chuck T Masala]

The only columns that count are Pts, F and A. There is no column for shots on target. We are not too good to be relegated. We have to fight to earn our place in this divsion. We need points, we need to win more at home, we need to score more goals. Attractive passages of play are great to watch, bring em on, but stick the fecker in the net at the end of em, after all that is the primary objective of the game.

I am not unhappy with our style, when it comes off, I am unhappy that we are 19th and too inconsistent, I am unhappy that we did not beat Crewe at home with our 1st 11 out.

We can oooh and ahh at our near misses all night long, its the points that bring true joy.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

The only columns that count are Pts, F and A. There is no column for shots on target. We are not too good to be relegated. We have to fight to earn our place in this divsion. We need points, we need to win more at home, we need to score more goals. Attractive passages of play are great to watch, bring em on, but stick the fecker in the net at the end of em, after all that is the primary objective of the game.

I am not unhappy with our style, when it comes off, I am unhappy that we are 19th and too inconsistent, I am unhappy that we did not beat Crewe at home with our 1st 11 out.

We can oooh and ahh at our near misses all night long, its the points that bring true joy.

And that is what Levein will be judged on, you can have all the long term plans in the world, but whilst looking with a long term outlook you still have to concentrate and ensure that short term objectives are also maintained. My biggest concern is at the present we seem to be getting carried away with this long term goal and lets be honest were we to be relegated, god forbid, then all the hard work and foundations put in place by Levein would no doubt disintegrate anyway. The short term is important and we have to start winning games otherwise the long term plans will be nothing more than fantasy.

 

[Durham Fox]

And that is what Levein will be judged on, you can have all the long term plans in the world, but whilst looking with a long term outlook you still have to concentrate and ensure that short term objectives are also maintained. My biggest concern is at the present we seem to be getting carried away with this long term goal and lets be honest were we to be relegated, god forbid, then all the hard work and foundations put in place by Levein would no doubt disintegrate anyway. The short term is important and we have to start winning games otherwise the long term plans will be nothing more than fantasy.

Perfect sense. Take note people....

 

[Feriol]

Perfect sense. Take note people....

can never find a pen when you need one!

 

[Brauny Blue]

And that is what Levein will be judged on, you can have all the long term plans in the world, but whilst looking with a long term outlook you still have to concentrate and ensure that short term objectives are also maintained. My biggest concern is at the present we seem to be getting carried away with this long term goal and lets be honest were we to be relegated, god forbid, then all the hard work and foundations put in place by Levein would no doubt disintegrate anyway. The short term is important and we have to start winning games otherwise the long term plans will be nothing more than fantasy.

I understand where you are coming from, but if it was that we took 1 step back before taking 2 forward, would you bite the bullet with the current situation. Instant success is more likely to be achieved on rocky foundations.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

I understand where you are coming from, but if it was that we took 1 step back before taking 2 forward, would you bite the bullet with the current situation. Instant success is more likely to be achieved on rocky foundations.

I am not after instant success Brauny, I would be happy with a mid table finish, as I would have been at the start of the season, but at present regardless of performance or style of play, we have a real danger of being dragged into the relegation battle. I agree with Craig's long term plans but at the same time some attention must be paid to the short term situation, what is the point of having a 3 year plan, if after 12 - 18 months you have been sacked or suffered relegation, your plans are down the drain.

I am not saying we should take a short term stance, far from it but what we do need to do is find some middle ground, that allows long term foundations to be placed but whilst at the same time the short term future of the club is secured.

 

[Brauny Blue]

I am not after instant success Brauny, I would be happy with a mid table finish, as I would have been at the start of the season, but at present regardless of performance or style of play, we have a real danger of being dragged into the relegation battle. I agree with Craig's long term plans but at the same time some attention must be paid to the short term situation, what is the point of having a 3 year plan, if after 12 - 18 months you have been sacked or suffered relegation, your plans are down the drain.

I am not saying we should take a short term stance, far from it but what we do need to do is find some middle ground, that allows long term foundations to be placed but whilst at the same time the short term future of the club is secured.

But if we were relegated ( which we won't be) and bounced back with a potent and strong championship side within the next two years, wouldn't it be worth it? . The thing that puzzles me is that too many people think we have a god given rite to be challenging for promotion, and thats the type of attitude that will often end in disappointment and failure. We have to be realistic, we have very little money and post administration the club is slowly trying to find its feet again. Its no good dwelling on what we were 5 years ago because todays climate is so far removed from the previous era.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

But if we were relegated ( which we won't be) and bounced back with a potent and strong championship side within the next two years, wouldn't it be worth it? . The thing that puzzles me is that too many people think we have a god given rite to be challenging for promotion, and thats the type of attitude that will often end in disappointment and failure. We have to be realistic, we have very little money and post administration the club is slowly trying to find its feet again. Its no good dwelling on what we were 5 years ago because todays climate is so far removed from the previous era.

I dont believe we have a god given right to be challenging for promotion, we fallen a long way, but I also do not believe we have hit rock bottom either, at worst we are a mid table side, I am happy for the club to make slow progress, but at present in terms of results we are not making progress we are going backwards. On the other hand the acceptance of mediocrity from supporters is meaning 2 years after playing in the prem, fans are preparing themselves and accepting the possibliltiy of playing in league 1 next season, have we really fallen that far, I dont think so.

 

[Brauny Blue]

I dont believe we have a god given right to be challenging for promotion, we fallen a long way, but I also do not believe we have hit rock bottom either, at worst we are a mid table side, I am happy for the club to make slow progress, but at present in terms of results we are not making progress we are going backwards. On the other hand the acceptance of mediocrity from supporters is meaning 2 years after playing in the prem, fans are preparing themselves and accepting the possibliltiy of playing in league 1 next season, have we really fallen that far, I dont think so.

In terms of results, yes we are below par but i'd sooner have a side thats under performing with the potential to move forward rather than what we had a year ago.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

In terms of results, yes we are below par but i'd sooner have a side thats under performing with the potential to move forward rather than what we had a year ago.

Definately, agree with you there, it is just fustrating, IMO we have a good squad, one that should be doing better, so you do start to question whether the manager is the right man to maximise the talent at his disposable. It is one thing to be a good judge of a player, which on the whole I think Levein is pretty good at, but then having the ability to mould that into a competitive unit with the mentality and belief to consistently win football matches is a whole different propostition, and that is where my doubts lie with Levein at present, although I really do hope he proves me wrong.

 

[MKFox]

cl out by end of jan...