Alex Neil Post Match


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wigan had multiple games in hand. Sheff Wednesday, 11 points behind us in 8th at the time, had two games but nobody else did. We were two points from top despite games in hand. We were sloppy in some games, namely Accrington and Lincoln and we’re unfortunate with a skeleton crew at Wycombe despite playing some brilliant stuff, probably the best we’ve played away from home.

The Bolton defeat was a bit of a surprise to everyone given how we’d played for two months and was a complete knee jerk decision.

Neil inherited a very talented squad of players, gave excuses which people have bought about players being ridiculously burned out (which didn’t help in subsequent performance when your manager is saying he’d play someone else if he could). He had new signings to bolster what was a covid and injury depleted squad that LJ didn’t have as well as some players now returning from injury with a far easier set of fixtures, most of which were at home where our form had been excellent. The two caretaker games withstanding, he needs to be getting this squad into the play offs or he’s finished here.

Mitigations for Johnson but aggravations for Neil. Seems reasonable….
 
I’m not sure you can separate into separate things sacking Johnson and needing to find a replacement. It was a huge call to sack LJ when we did…at the end of the window with the team still on the thick of a promotion battle albeit form was wavering. To sack him could only have been the right decision if we were to make an immediate appointment and ensure a smooth transition. It was not an option to sack LJ and do what we did.
 
He’s tightened the defence which was imperative, shame LJ couldn’t see that. He is a dour Scot but he knows how to get promoted if not this season then I dare say he will have us winning the league next
He knew how to get promoted... 7 years ago.
 
They were ridiculously burnt out. Doyle come straight from academy football into playing first team football every single week. He’s simply a dreadful defender

I wouldn’t disagree the kid needed a bit of a break. The others could have been rotated. He bought some time with it as an excuse though.
 
MK Dons were absolutely gash mind, it was a disgrace we lost to them. Of course Johnson’s last games weren’t great, but sacking him did the exact opposite to giving us a chance of automatics, they actively sabotaged any chance we had of the. Whatever you think of johnson the players were clearly on board and it dented their confidence hugely when he went.

Neil hasn’t helped himself by insisting we play negative anti football which doesn’t suit us, particularly at home and is struggling to get a tune out of the leagues top scorer. My point is simple, he needs to at least get us play offs or he’ll be gone. Which will be fair enough for me.

I mean your logic is exemplary. Basically everyone we played under Johnson were really tough opponents but everyone we’ve played under Neil are crap (including two of the top three teams in the division).

I think every team in the division is crap. It’s a crap league. But you’re just offering defence for Johnson and prosecution for Neil. It’s ludicrous and lacks objectivity.
 
Mitigations for Johnson but aggravations for Neil. Seems reasonable….

There are mitigation’s for both. I’m saying the objective for Neil is very very clear this season. It would have been for anybody when you sack your manager when you’re third. Or else... what was the point in sacking him.
 
There are mitigation’s for both. I’m saying the objective for Neil is very very clear this season. It would have been for anybody when you sack your manager when you’re third. Or else... what was the point in sacking him.

You’ve offered zero mitigation for Neil. Below, you’re saying you fail to see how Neil has shown anything to suggest he’s an improvement on Johnson after just 8 games in charge.

If you were to say you don’t think he represents an upgrade on Johnson based on his career record (that’d be a tough claim to make also) and therefore shouldn’t have been appointed then that’s one thing but your comparison of their records and situation whilst at Sunderland (in terms of recent form) doesn’t stand up to any kind of scrutiny.

Just say you never wanted him and don’t have a good feeling about him. It’s a load easier and more honest. I was the same with Johnson!
 
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