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1more said:
He managed a side to the worst ever league position in our entire history. Nowhere near doing fine in my book.
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Hmm. He didn't put us here though. I imagine his target was to reach the play offs, which he did, with a cup finalmalong the way. A little it of luck and we would have gone up. Par score I think.
 


fyl2u said:
It's not the same tactics though, and we're anything but lethargic IMO. And he's addressed areas of the pitch that needed addressing with his recruitment.

He experimented with a new formation in preseason and in the early matches that would hopefully get us more clean sheets while still allowing us to attack. Unfortunately it didn't do either of the intended things and the criticisms of all the 1-1 draws started to appear. He then ditched that formation and started winning game after game after game with the more attacking formation. He's being criticised on this very thread for our xG rating, even though he made a point in this very same interview of saying that we need to create more chances because we've got some quality players in that end of the pitch that can put those chances away.

Using recruitment as evidence that he's trying to address some of the same things he's criticised for:
- Last season we ended up with too many defensive-minded central midfielders and fans were calling out for us to sign a more attack-minded one. We got rid of a few of the defensive ones and signed Dobson, bringing better squad balance in the middle of the park.
- Last season we lost Maja and everyone could see we needed to replace him. We splashed out a division-record fee to bring in a replacement with a great record at this level.
- Grigg wasn't scoring the goals we needed, the fans were crying out for a striker who could score goals. We brought in McNulty who is scoring goals.
- Cattermole, Oviedo and Honeyman were seen by many on here as "clogging up the wage bill", preventing us from bringing in better players. They're now all gone.
- Many fans felt the central defence needed improvement on last year, with Ross saying we needed more clean sheets. We've brought in Willis who is a massive improvement.
- 09 has been playing adequately at right back but many fans felt we needed cover, competition or replacement for the position. We brought in McLaughlin.
- With Oviedo and James gone, many fans felt we needed another left-back as cover, competition or replacement for Hume. We brought in De Bock who looks absolutely class on the YouTube video (I know, I know) of him that was going around when he signed.

As far as I'm concerned, he does seem to be trying to address the same concerns that are being levelled at the team by the critical element of the fans. If only it were a case of telling the players "I want you to play an exciting attacking brand of football today" and them go out and do it. I am 100% certain that he does not tell them to take their foot off the gas and sit back on a narrow half-time lead, like some folks on here would have you believe.
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good post and i agree with most of it, other than the first line. we look no better on the pitch than we did a year ago. nothing has improved in that sense.

we look absolutely woeful to. and winning when playing bad is all well and good as long as long as it turns into winning when playing well. as the other direction from winning and playing bad is not winning and playing bad
 
Pacific said:
not playing absolutely shite football and playing like a team of strangers relying on individual quality to get us through games would be nice Jack
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And maybe stop giving the opposition a goal head start because of the useless tactics he instills on the team.
 
daveyt said:
^^this^^

We do have the odd entitled few who think just because they’ve stuck with it through thin and thinner they’re beyond question
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I've had people on here telling me I don't know what I'm talking about as they've seen so many relegations and Wembley defeats in the last 30 years. I'm sure some think the pain is only relevant to them. Ffs I've been going since the late 70's, but they don't seem to realise its a pain we've all been through. Just some of us don't behave like spoilt little kids.
 
19FTM73 said:
Hmm. He didn't put us here though. I imagine his target was to reach the play offs, which he did, with a cup finalmalong the way. A little it of luck and we would have gone up. Par score I think.
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Utter failure no matter how its dressed up
 
19FTM73 said:
Failure to hit his target - or failure to exceed it? He hit his target, in good stead for this season, and 2 points off top with a game in hand. Expectations need to be balanced.
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Failure to get promoted. Ross even said himself if he didn't get promoted last season he failed.

The blokes not a winner, he hasn't got that attitude. Hes a defensive manager playing horrendous defensive cowardly football. Football that's not fitting for Sunderland in division 3.
 
1more said:
Failure to get promoted. Ross even said himself if he didn't get promoted last season he failed.

The blokes not a winner, he hasn't got that attitude. Hes a defensive manager playing horrendous defensive cowardly football. Football that's not fitting for Sunderland in division 3.
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Ah well, difference of opinions....that's what its all about. Hope we win tonight anyway though marra. Nice to have a win on top of the wider good news.
 
19FTM73 said:
Failure to hit his target - or failure to exceed it? He hit his target, in good stead for this season, and 2 points off top with a game in hand. Expectations need to be balanced.
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Every time we get into a good position, we screw it up.. Pressure getting to him?

He can't seem to capitalise on an open opportunity, and we had plenty of chances last season
 
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