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I just don't understand how McCarthy has gone from being the Manager who took us from the bottom of the Championship with just 7 points when he arrived in Nov 2012 ....to the end of that season with 60 points, the next season to 9th, then to 6th and the play-offs, followed by last seasons 7th finish.

So that's from bottom to 14th when he arrived, to 9th, 6th & 7th. Where the f*ck had it all gone so wrong and what is he doing differently. Or has his football always been shyte but he's managed to deliver results?

Thoughts and comments welcomed.

He started by tightening the defence. That's what kept us up. I don't understand how he's failed to do that for the last couple of seasons really. I guess poor fullbacks haven't helped, and the one-paced Skuse in front of them who shows no urgency on the pitch.

Midfield has been a problem throughout. While we had Murphy to aim long balls at, we got away with it. Now we have no target man and rely on creating chances through midfield, the deficiencies in midfield - identified at the time by the lack of goals they scored - have really been highlighted.

I might be the wrong person to be responding as I was bemoaning the poor football when we were winning in previous seasons. Essentially McCarthy played to his strengths (i.e. Long balls to Murphy) but now we have no strengths. Poor defence, invisible midfield, no target man. Couple that with playing people out of position (Chambers, Sears etc) rather than finding / bringing on young fullbacks / wide payers, and the problems are exacerbated.

In his defence, he really has been hampered through lack of funds and, more importantly, injuries. But McGoldrick unfortunately is unlikely ever to remain fit enough to play regularly. I can se Bishop going the same way. Williams was a waste of time bringing back because we knew he'd soon get injured again. So we have to stop relying on these players and being surprised when they are not available. Unfortunately it is the more skilful players who keep being injured.

MM has built a squad on "honest players" who show commitment but little individual skill. It's why, as I said in another thread, it doesn't matter whether we play Manchester City or Lincoln City, if a team closes us down we cannot cope. We lack a decent first touch and control, and a vision to make a quick pass, so repeatedly give the ball away. This is made worse by our lack of movement off the ball and of course the understandable lack of confidence.

There are suggestions in another thread that our coaching methods and individual requirements of players leave much to be desired.

So, in a nutshell, we have played poor football for many seasons, but were more successful as we had Murphy to aim at, and winning games bred confidence. Now Murphy and the confidence have gone, we are collapsing. I'm afraid the only short term solution is to get a new manager, as that can often bring new confidence to demoralised players. But hopefully a manager who can bring with hm some decent coaches, and a desire to play fooball and improve the basic skills of the squad through coaching or replacing them.

We seem to constantly have lengthy injury lists : usually to the most crucial players . WHY? They seem to get injured in training , not mataches ..... again, WHY ?

hallamblue wrote:We seem to constantly have lengthy injury lists : usually to the most crucial players . WHY? They seem to get injured in training , not mataches ..... again, WHY ?

it's probably going of at a tangent and not what this thread is about - but I'm astonished how certain players - and certain types of players ie mostly creative players - get injured for long periods. Yet, Chambers, Berra, Skuse, Douglas, Knudesn never seem to out injured for long periods of time - the odd game. Yes, these guys are proper geezers, but it does make me wonder if they're operating at 75 % - 80% fitness(or maybe they are allowed to or we wouldn't even notice), whilst the first sign of a twinge from a droppable player seems to mean weeks/months out. It seemed a bit dubious and coincidental that both Skuse and Chambers were unfit for the first Lincoln game, so I feel sometimes that Mick is being very cute and political in justifying his team selections.

"So that's from bottom to 14th when he arrived, to 9th, 6th & 7th. Where the f*ck had it all gone so wrong and what is he doing differently."

I think he's not doing that much differently - and that's the problem. What could be very good for us 2, 3 or 4 years ago - may not be good for us now. Players age, go off the boil, be transferred, opponents work us out, .... its constantly changing -EXCEPT MICK.

He's even said it " I'm just doing what I've always done" . Guess what - the football world is not going to hang around trying to fit into Mick McCarthy's vision of football - the football world moves on.

The team has run out of steam and probably the most important player that MM had, has now left us - Murphy. It wasn't just the 'once -in-a-career' 27-goal season, but the fact that he could make bad balls stick as a decent target man and that could do enough to justify poor hoofball football. Without him, we're forced to try to play (for want of a better word ) - football. Not really MM's strong point.

Andym,
You say they are honest players who show 'commitment'!
Sorry mate but that was hardly on show the other week was it?
ME might be over it but i aint!

bluejacko wrote:Andym,
You say they are honest players who show 'commitment'!
Sorry mate but that was hardly on show the other week was it?
ME might be over it but i aint!

I agree. I worded it badly. What I meant to say is that MM seems to value effort more highly than technical ability.

Andym wrote:

bluejacko wrote:Andym,
You say they are honest players who show 'commitment'!
Sorry mate but that was hardly on show the other week was it?
ME might be over it but i aint!

I agree. I worded it badly. What I meant to say is that MM seems to value effort more highly than technical ability.

Yes, he does... or he seems very uncomfortable with players with technical ability and doesn't really know what to do with them. He'll accept the odd one ie Lawrence or Fraser, but it's like they will have to single-handedly do something special. The collective effort seems to focus on huff and puff.

Kieron Dyer spoke up yesterday for Mick and the team. Some reasonable points, but he did mention impressive stamina statistics indicating that effort is being put in. It's not marathon running, it's football. We're obviuolsly building up impressive running stats because we're chasing the ball like headless chickens.

Andym wrote:

bluejacko wrote:Andym,
You say they are honest players who show 'commitment'!
Sorry mate but that was hardly on show the other week was it?
ME might be over it but i aint!

I agree. I worded it badly. What I meant to say is that MM seems to value effort more highly than technical ability.

I agree, it seems we are still working on that tact. The new guy on loan from Leeds sounds in this mold. Im not unhappy with having him as he sounds reasonably decent at what he does, but its not the holding role we are crying out for, its the creative spark from the middle of the pitch. I can only imagine the new loanee is there to be an option ahead of Douglas, can you imagine us lining up with Skuse, Douglas and new guy, would be the most defensive midfield known in history!

Only "attacking" mids we have available are Bru and Dozzell and neither are the answer for the full time role at this moment in time, we need to blend Dozzell in over the next year or two, hes still only 17 and this season will be a learning curve for him