You could argue that you don't need a plan B when plan A is so effective, and the results show that it was effective. Nobody is slagging gus off here, it's just an observation of his strengths and weaknesses.
This
You could argue that you don't need a plan B when plan A is so effective, and the results show that it was effective. Nobody is slagging gus off here, it's just an observation of his strengths and weaknesses.
It really isn't. I don't think it was an accident that we almost never lost when we went in front and never won when we went behind in the latter years. Oddly Gus DID have several plans in his first couple of seasons but as the stakes increased he played it more and more safely.
We didn't lose a game where we scored first, so he knows how to hang onto a lead. That doesn't get repeated as much as the negatives.
I agree with both sides of this debate, but also quite often when we scored first it would end up a draw and we always seemed to be hanging on by the skin of our teeth at the end of the game. However saying that, we cannot ague with his results on paper.
The only real test for Gus now is to get his Prem job with the quality players he feels he needs. I certainly hope he gets his job so he can be truly tested in the top flight.
I won't be wishing him good or bad luck and I will judge him on the future rather than the past.
I think some people forget we finished last season 4th, with the fewest defeats in the league, 2nd highest goal difference, 19 wins...
Of course we were hanging on for a few games, or drawing when going in front, but jeez it's a tough league, I thought we were pretty damn good last year, with some big wins. I'm sure 11 of our 19 wins were by more than a single goal, so we weren't hanging on that much.
I agree that we did well, however not scoring in a 180 minutes against Palace, with question marks over his preparation for the game still hang.
We could argue that getting rid of Glenn Murray was a massive mistake and that Gus was unable to bring out the best in CMS. Another manager may have made them the perfect partnership. Lambert, same age as Murray, has gone through the leagues with Southampton and I don't see Murray of too much of a different player to him.
I could even argue that Murray was as key to our promotion as what Poyet was, if not more, and yet he let him go on a whim.
There are many questions that need an answer, however the only way they will be is when he manages a season in the Prem. Only then will he be able to answer his critics.
i think Gus would really suit Fulham... except for proximity to Chelsea. to the questions, he's a very good coach, very good motivator (anyone disagree, i point you to El-Abd). tactical... a tad myopic. he plays nice football, but lacks pace and no plan B. and cant win from behind. other minus is he keeps talking how much he'd like to manage Chelsea/Spurs/Leeds/whoever the journo poses. he didnt lay an egg, but he did crap on us after the game saying we'd hit the ceiling.
I agree that we did well, however not scoring in a 180 minutes against Palace, with question marks over his preparation for the game still hang.
We could argue that getting rid of Glenn Murray was a massive mistake and that Gus was unable to bring out the best in CMS. Another manager may have made them the perfect partnership. Lambert, same age as Murray, has gone through the leagues with Southampton and I don't see Murray of too much of a different player to him.
I could even argue that Murray was as key to our promotion as what Poyet was, if not more, and yet he let him go on a whim.
There are many questions that need an answer, however the only way they will be is when he manages a season in the Prem. Only then will he be able to answer his critics.
.....and we won't mention Murray anymore......
at least not as much....
You can argue anything with the benefit of hindsight
I won't be wishing him good or bad luck and I will judge him on the future rather than the past.
How can you judge anyone on what they haven't dome?