Allardyce: Stick or twist?

[DaveWHU1964]

Seen Pulis mentioned more than once on here. It really is 'Absolutely-Anyone-But-Sam' for some now isn't it?

[Sloop John B]

Which tells me that overall we just haven't scored enough goals. 38 goals only in 35 games - this stat alone should tell us why we have only 10 wins this season.

38 goals isn't a great return (it's more than two up front Hull, and Benteke up front Villa though). Quite simply we haven't scored that many goals this season because we played a chunk of the season without a recognised striker and another chunk with a striker who was struggling in every department... for me that's all it is... make some decent signings in the summer...problem solved

[Sloop John B]

with him scoring how many ?

Does it matter?? Carroll might not be as prolific as we'd like but others have started to score since his return... maybe that's just luck as well...

[Turns to Stone]

with him scoring how many ?

It's a team game isn't it? We were bottom 3 without him. We're top 10 with him.

[woodford]

we paid 15 million pounds for him and he plays as our only striker , yes it matters :lol:

im not knocking Andy Carroll and im not particularly anti Allardyce, but lets not pretend everythings been ok since big Andys been back

I've always been pro rather than anti , but we need an overhaul as to be really honest we look utter crap. Not one off crap, but consistently crap, predictable and crap, and frankly painful to watch at times

My point earlier was that for someone who prides himself on stats , ours are ***** , and we may only stay up because others have absolutely imploded

[ageing hammer]

I have been disappointed with the football this year for sure but I don't care what manager we could have had here I don't think it would have made a difference. We had no strikers at one stage and virtually the entire defence out as well. I think with the way the Daves keep their money on their pockets then Big Sam is probably the best we can get to keep a team up that is starved of proper investment. Big Sam keeps teams up on a shoe string. The football is terrible and not entertaining. If they get in a better manager they would have to give him the money to do his magic, but I can't ever see the Daves doing that.

I would love if we could get in a manager that would play the so called West Ham way but to be honest is there such a person out there that can do that on the money the Daves will cough up.

The thing I keep thinking about is that for years we were always known for playing attractive football but always ended up in a relegation dogfight and often going down.

Now we are playing absolute dogshite and STILL are only narrowly avoiding the drop.

So maybe we do need to try someone else, that's my two and tuppence.

[Barnet Steve]

My main issue with replacing Sam is that Sullivan and Gold lack any knowledge of what else is out there. They are predictable in the extreme and we will get the relatively untested Mackay, which is not exactly a step forward for me. Especially if their network of contacts - Silkman? - get involved.

Then again, seeing people on here citing Rosler, Dyche, and even Zola as possibile replacements makes me boggle. I am no fan of the way we are playing nor of Sam's attitude at times, but we are a more stable force - and it would take a tried and tested manager with a better track record than BFS for me to be convinced. Pardew had one good season. Zola was Ok, but kept having players sold from under him.

I'd like Moyes or Laudrup, but neither would be subservient enough to Sullivan and Gold. Or would take Brady's nonsense.

[woodford]

It's a team game isn't it? We were bottom 3 without him. We're top 10 with him.

seeing as we're talking stats again, he was missing for 3 wins wasn't he?

I like Carroll, I think he's a great player though, and I don't think that he's the weak link by any means

[MB]

MB

take your point about our lack of a striker , but since he's been back he hasn't exactly turned the tide has he?

Completely agree and will not throw that top 10 form stuff at you as that is not based on a representative sample of games.

IMO, we looked better and performed better when he was back but suspended! A fully fit Cole seems to get more out of our wingers and we seemed to have a bit of tempo to our attacks.

Fitness is one aspect, but as I have bleated on in other threads the tempo of our game grinds to a halt with him on the pitch when he needs the opposite.

Was talking to my Liverpool supporting mate earlier and he said that Carroll's best performances for them were when they brought him on late in a match where they were pressing for a goal. He needs that quick tempo. In their normal formation he looked very average as they played a slower tempo passing game and he is not that good attacking the ball from a standing start.

It is clear to me, we've played that way without him this season so I am at a loss to explain it!

[Crouchend_Hammer]

I know no-one will agree with me, but in an ideal world Sullivan and Gold would sell up to Tony Fernandes and a new manager would be bought in

obviously it would never happen but would be truly fantastic IMHO

[woodford]

the truth of it is that had we had a proper replacement for carroll we wouldn't be sitting on 37 points

Whether that's Sams fault or the Daves who knows

We lack any depth and its cost us dear

At the start of the season , a guy on here was peeing his pants saying the lack of another striker could see us relegated and I laughed . Not laughing now though

[horsham_hammer]

...how the hell has he managed to get a promotion in his first season as manager and two decent mid-table finishes in one of the toughest leagues in the World, without spending significantly more money that the sides around him?

This seems to be a point that is missed by some - this is a tough league and like it or not we're currently in the bottom 10 or so teams who, at the start of the season, can finish anywhere in the bottom half of the league - a couple of wins on the bounce (See Feb) can propel you to the dizzy heights of 10th whilst a couple of defeats in a row (see April) had us looking over our shoulder again. Seeing as the league is so tight in the bottom half a bad run of injuries (Carroll, Reid..) or a difficult set of fixtures (Liv (H), Ars (A)) can have quite an affect on the league table. Additionally, any team can beat any other team on any given day so a couple of freak results here and there can also sway the league and see teams climbing 3 or 4 places up the table which makes our position look worse. I find it quite amusing when I see comments in the match threads such as "it's only Hull/Palace/Fulham" or whatever - there are no easy games.

As I said yesterday, I am pro Allardyce and think he's doing a good job - I'm just not quite sure what people are expecting from a side that are in their the second season back in the top flight. We're in the bottom-half-of-the-table 'mini league' and are clearly building and gradually improving the squad so we can break in to the top 10. I don't think the football has been anywhere near as awful as people make out (yes it's been boring at times but certainly not all the time) - we need a creative player and to be more clinical - hopefully Allardyce and the board have learnt from last years summer window and can sort this out this summer.

On our day we're one of the better sides in the bottom half of the league - a couple of quality signings/squad players/loans in the summer and we'll cement our position further or even find our way in to the top ten. We're in a far better position now than we were before Sam and, in my opinion, he's earnt the right to be given the chance to continue building this summer.

[SammyLeeWasOffside]

Not in our case though. Despite our record number of clean sheets this season we only have 37 points.
Which tells me that overall we just haven't scored enough goals. 38 goals only in 35 games - this stat alone should tell us why we have only 10 wins this season.

How have newcastle got 4 more wins from 1 more goal then? Or Palace 3 more wins from 10 fewer goals. West brom have scored 41 and it has brought them 6 wins.

Its not how many you score its when you score them.

[wizzo_66]

I know no-one will agree with me, but in an ideal world Sullivan and Gold would sell up to Tony Fernandes and a new manager would be bought in

obviously it would never happen but would be truly fantastic IMHO

You mean we'd be on the verge of bankrupcy?

[prophet:marginal]

It's a team game isn't it? We were bottom 3 without him. We're top 10 with him.

Carroll

Starts:
Chelsea 0-0
Swansea 2-0
Stoke 1-3
Man U 0-2
Hull 2-1
Sunderland 2-1
Liverpool 1-2
Arsenal 3-1
Palace 0-1

Played a part in 3 victories, scoring once during those games.

Subs:
Cardiff 2-0
Newcastle 1-3
Everton 0-1

Played a part in victory, although we'd have probably still won if he'd not come on.

Notably missed three of the 4 straight victories recorded in February.

He's been useful, but hardly pivotal to our movement towards safety; which is still not definite, with 3 matches to go.

[Rio]

the truth of it is that had we had a proper replacement for carroll we wouldn't be sitting on 37 points

Whether that's Sams fault or the Daves who knows

We lack any depth and its cost us dear

It has to be the Dave's. I'm sorry but I cannot for the life of me see a manager of Sam's experience being satisfied going into the start of a season with the striking options we had. No way, The last minute scramble to bring names in points to that. It's a massive concern for the future if you believe the rumours Sullivan wants a more hands on approach in transfers too.

As I and many others have alluded too, our owners let him, let us down very badly indeed.

[SammyLeeWasOffside]

I know no-one will agree with me, but in an ideal world Sullivan and Gold would sell up to Tony Fernandes and a new manager would be bought in

obviously it would never happen but would be truly fantastic IMHO

QPR were awful last year, a real cesspit of a club. This year with (probably) the highest wage bill in championship history they couldn't get close to automatic promotion. They are set for a huge ffp fine or a transfer embargo. Their football isn't great, have been out scored by 11 teams and have one more goal than Brum.

What exactly would be the fantastic bit?

[Crouchend_Hammer]

what on earth has that got to do with Tony Fernandes? He has bankrolled them. Redknapp has ****ed it up not the owner

People moaning about the Dildo brothers, Fernandes would be a much better option as an owner, because a) he probably has more cash, b) doesn't have Brady in his entourage c) would not spend his entire time spouting nonsense in the press

[Rio]

what on earth has that got to do with Tony Fernandes? He has bankrolled them. Redknapp has ****ed it up not the owner

People moaning about the Dildo brothers, Fernandes would be a much better option as an owner, because a) he probably has more cash, b) doesn't have Brady in his entourage c) would not spend his entire time spouting nonsense in the press

He's signed the cheques that have allowed them to get into a huge mess thats what it's got to do with him.

Our lot our attention seekers, Fernandes is even worse. Recipe for disaster

[Crouchend_Hammer]

Yet people want Sullivan and Gold to hand Allardyce more money for transfers?? You can't have it both ways....