DA next season

[redrobo]

With DA's contract coming to its end in the coming months wonder how the BoD's will view giving DA a further contract OR will that be in the hands of the new owner assuming by then that the speculation surrounding the current bidder will have come to a successful conclusion....

Could be interesting to see given a competitive budget how DA would go about assembling a squad that would be a more than capable of having a successful season in either EFl1 or EFL2 and not having to battle against another relegation threatened season.

[KenH]

I don't really believe that a new owner will give a significant increase in player's budget to enable us to be properly competitive in any league unfortunately. I think that we'll always be a low budget club punching above our weight. Our stadium size and local population numbers simply don't support a "big" club and without a massive increase in attendances (which isn't going to happen), a new owner isn't just going to pump money in year after year to cover ever increasing losses by us paying more wages than our attendances/income warrant. (In fact aren't there league affordability rules limiting players wages to income?).

Yes, I'm sure the manager will get an increase in budget, like we all know Robbo and Derek have a bigger budget than in League 2 and that the budget was increased slightly when the current owners took over (the budget having been at it's lowest possible during the "troubled" years of PMG and ownership fiasco). But I'm not convinced it will enable the manager to bring in a much higher calibre of player.

The reality is that the current situation in terms of attendances and wages budget is what "sustainability" looks like, and it's not particularly pretty. If we increase wages budget, that puts us back into loss making territory, and we all saw how that worked out during the PMG years!

[black morse]

I don't really believe that a new owner will give a significant increase in player's budget to enable us to be properly competitive in any league unfortunately. I think that we'll always be a low budget club punching above our weight. Our stadium size and local population numbers simply don't support a "big" club and without a massive increase in attendances (which isn't going to happen), a new owner isn't just going to pump money in year after year to cover ever increasing losses by us paying more wages than our attendances/income warrant. (In fact aren't there league affordability rules limiting players wages to income?).

Yes, I'm sure the manager will get an increase in budget, like we all know Robbo and Derek have a bigger budget than in League 2 and that the budget was increased slightly when the current owners took over (the budget having been at it's lowest possible during the "troubled" years of PMG and ownership fiasco). But I'm not convinced it will enable the manager to bring in a much higher calibre of player.

The reality is that the current situation in terms of attendances and wages budget is what "sustainability" looks like, and it's not particularly pretty. If we increase wages budget, that puts us back into loss making territory, and we all saw how that worked out during the PMG years!

My thoughts exactly. It is what it is

[Gone_Shrimping]

Yes +2.

I see we are advertising for a Head of Finance which will be the 2nd in just a few months.

Whatever the playing budget there are some projects that would improve the club if someone with money buys the club.

1. A designated training facility of our own. Even Accrington have managed that.

2. The away end needs altering to enable larger away followings. Move that wall and put the bottom tier of terracing in to increase the capacity to the same as the home end. This would increase revenues when the big clubs visit.

3. Purchase the 3G pitches and Gym back from Tyson Fury. If run properly the Gym could generate money and the pitches could be used by the youth of the area as intended.

4. Put a proper stand with a roof over the Open side. Just like Burton Albion have done.

[redrobo]

Yes +2.

I see we are advertising for a Head of Finance which will be the 2nd in just a few months.

Whatever the playing budget there are some projects that would improve the club if someone with money buys the club.

1. A designated training facility of our own. Even Accrington have managed that.

2. The away end needs altering to enable larger away followings. Move that wall and put the bottom tier of terracing in to increase the capacity to the same as the home end. This would increase revenues when the big clubs visit.

3. Purchase the 3G pitches and Gym back from Tyson Fury. If run properly the Gym could generate money and the pitches could be used by the youth of the area as intended.

4. Put a proper stand with a roof over the Open side. Just like Burton Albion have done.

1 Availability of land in the area has been a problem going back to Jim Harvey's days. The club looked extensively for land that could be suitable but non was available. Can't see things would have changed.

2 A solution would be, but very expensive, to build an extension at the away end that would go over the road behind the stand ( forming a tunnel that would still make the road usable). This would then become the HOME end with the AWAY end now the home end. Away coaches could park directly behind this stand.

3 Agree

4 Agree but the positioning of the Tyson Fury's Gym would create a problem that it could only be a stand that would cover approx 3/4 of the Berlin Wall due to limited viewing if built up to the current Gym.

ALL the above would cost mega bucks and would need a backer with endless finance to undertake the projects.

Priorities for me would be a Training Ground but where....

But first lets put together a team that is no longer in an annual fight against EFL1 relegation. We MUST retain EFL1 status.....but will we....

[Gone_Shrimping]

It would depend where they look for some land. The club came very close a few years ago to buying that land from the Lancaster and Morecambe Agricultural Society that the Westgate and Bare Cricket Clubs use just by the Crematorium.

There's quite a lot of Land near the By-pass between Ovangle Road and Heysham. Also quite a lot of land just off the Bay Gateway. Just needs someone with money and some creative thinking.

[redrobo]

It would depend where they look for some land. The club came very close a few years ago to buying that land from the Lancaster and Morecambe Agricultural Society that the Westgate and Bare Cricket Clubs use just by the Crematorium.

There's quite a lot of Land near the By-pass between Ovangle Road and Heysham. Also quite a lot of land just off the Bay Gateway. Just needs someone with money and some creative thinking.

I seem to recall that the land between Ovangle Road and Heysham presented some major problems about drainage being just below sea level. It would cost a huge amount just to create suitable drainage which could be a financial drawback for monies to be spent elsewhere.

Ideally the land near the Crematorium would be ideal but would the current users be prepared to release a suitable area There is land available between Torrisholme and Hest Bank / Slyne but would the current land owners be prepared to make it available BUT with farming now becoming an expensive occupation maybe releasing some land for sale would be a financial attraction to the current owners.

[Making Shrimp]

I don't really believe that a new owner will give a significant increase in player's budget to enable us to be properly competitive in any league unfortunately. I think that we'll always be a low budget club punching above our weight. Our stadium size and local population numbers simply don't support a "big" club and without a massive increase in attendances (which isn't going to happen), a new owner isn't just going to pump money in year after year to cover ever increasing losses by us paying more wages than our attendances/income warrant. (In fact aren't there league affordability rules limiting players wages to income?).

Yes, I'm sure the manager will get an increase in budget, like we all know Robbo and Derek have a bigger budget than in League 2 and that the budget was increased slightly when the current owners took over (the budget having been at it's lowest possible during the "troubled" years of PMG and ownership fiasco). But I'm not convinced it will enable the manager to bring in a much higher calibre of player.

The reality is that the current situation in terms of attendances and wages budget is what "sustainability" looks like, and it's not particularly pretty. If we increase wages budget, that puts us back into loss making territory, and we all saw how that worked out during the PMG years!

I agree with this entirely. Excellent post that sums up the situation.

This Sarbjot takeover has been going on for too long + I have doubts about such a young person who has no connection to the area, but I hope I am wrong and that Sarbjot can be the person we are all hoping for. For me, there are thoughts of the Bhatti Brothers and the team we have beaten twice comprehensively, but maybe that is unconscious bias and a racist subliminal thought that needs putting to bed.

[Gone_Shrimping]

It would depend where they look for some land. The club came very close a few years ago to buying that land from the Lancaster and Morecambe Agricultural Society that the Westgate and Bare Cricket Clubs use just by the Crematorium.

There's quite a lot of Land near the By-pass between Ovangle Road and Heysham. Also quite a lot of land just off the Bay Gateway. Just needs someone with money and some creative thinking.

I seem to recall that the land between Ovangle Road and Heysham presented some major problems about drainage being just below sea level. It would cost a huge amount just to create suitable drainage which could be a financial drawback for monies to be spent elsewhere.

Ideally the land near the Crematorium would be ideal but would the current users be prepared to release a suitable area There is land available between Torrisholme and Hest Bank / Slyne but would the current land owners be prepared to make it available BUT with farming now becoming an expensive occupation maybe releasing some land for sale would be a financial attraction to the current owners.

The land by the Crematorium where Westgate and Bare play cricket was very close to being a done deal but there was a 5 year notice that had to be given to the tenants which stopped it I believe. A pity because there are changing rooms on the land so the vital services such as water and electricity are already provided.

They always used to say the best crop a farmer could have on his land was caravans so maybe some land could be acquired from that source.

[redrobo]

DA has to go NOW and put Baz in charge for the rest of the season.

Might as well go out with some spirit rather than the attitude of the team at the moment which reflects the negativity of DA.

If he had any regard for a club who brought him back into the game TWICE then he should call it a day NOW and be remembered as the manager who got us promoted NOT as the manager who got us relegated for the FIRST TIME IN OUR HISTORY.

However I suspect he will stay on until the BoD and new owners decide otherwise.

[mrpotatohead]

Loving the idea about the multi million pound super stand with a tunnel under it ..just the tonic....hilarious!!

[Gone_Shrimping]

Possibly a minority view here but I will be quite happy to continue with DA in charge next season whichever division we are in.

If we are still in EFL1 then no question he will have done well.

If the worst happens and it's EFL2 then I can't think of anyone with a better CV to have us competing at the top end of that division again. Any players left from the Robinson era will have been released and he can recruit the players he wants to be here and more importantly players who want to be here.

[Little Shrimp]

Possibly a minority view here but I will be quite happy to continue with DA in charge next season whichever division we are in.

If we are still in EFL1 then no question he will have done well.

If the worst happens and it's EFL2 then I can't think of anyone with a better CV to have us competing at the top end of that division again. Any players left from the Robinson era will have been released and he can recruit the players he wants to be here and more importantly players who want to be here.

The first bit of sense I've read on here/Facebook for a while.

This season we haven't been good enough, and I do think we are ultimately deserving of the position we're in. It's easy to stick this all on the manager, as many people across all football clubs do, but it completely misses the wider point.

If everything was stable, staying up would be a big task. However, things have not been stable at all. The managerial upheaval has caused a right mess. I don't have any big frustrations with Derek over his selections this season - the thing that actually bugs me is his initial departure which set off this farce of events! But moving on from that, he's been attempting to build a squad around the remains of Robbo's squad, with people tied onto two year contracts with built-in wage increases etc. That's already a tricky task, then made even harder by the lack of financial flexibility we have due to the ownership situation.

Which brings us to another point! People are vastly underestimating how much more difficult this whole off field saga will have made things for both Derek and the players. It's embarrassing to see all this blame directed at Derek when our 'friends' at Bond Group are far more deserving of any frustrations for this situation.

Yes, there are things Derek and the players could have done better. There always will be in any team. But take one of the smallest budgets in the division, a squad overhanging with two year contracts from a previous manager, ownership issues making it even harder to move in the transfer market, ownership issues just generally making things more stressful etc, and the likely outcome is relegation. Oh, and not to mention your star striker having a sulk all season, and then your loanee striker who quickly becomes your best striker getting a season ending injury in January just when you're hitting form!

Cursed season. Derek not faultless but to put any large portion of blame on him is hugely unfair and pretty blinkered thinking, just look at the wider situation!

As GS has said, there are few with a better L2 record than Derek. And with the money tied up in Robbo contracts now finished with, I'd look forward to seeing what he'd be able to build once again in L2.

[black morse]

Possibly a minority view here but I will be quite happy to continue with DA in charge next season whichever division we are in.

If we are still in EFL1 then no question he will have done well.

If the worst happens and it's EFL2 then I can't think of anyone with a better CV to have us competing at the top end of that division again. Any players left from the Robinson era will have been released and he can recruit the players he wants to be here and more importantly players who want to be here.

The first bit of sense I've read on here/Facebook for a while.

This season we haven't been good enough, and I do think we are ultimately deserving of the position we're in. It's easy to stick this all on the manager, as many people across all football clubs do, but it completely misses the wider point.

If everything was stable, staying up would be a big task. However, things have not been stable at all. The managerial upheaval has caused a right mess. I don't have any big frustrations with Derek over his selections this season - the thing that actually bugs me is his initial departure which set off this farce of events! But moving on from that, he's been attempting to build a squad around the remains of Robbo's squad, with people tied onto two year contracts with built-in wage increases etc. That's already a tricky task, then made even harder by the lack of financial flexibility we have due to the ownership situation.

Which brings us to another point! People are vastly underestimating how much more difficult this whole off field saga will have made things for both Derek and the players. It's embarrassing to see all this blame directed at Derek when our 'friends' at Bond Group are far more deserving of any frustrations for this situation.

Yes, there are things Derek and the players could have done better. There always will be in any team. But take one of the smallest budgets in the division, a squad overhanging with two year contracts from a previous manager, ownership issues making it even harder to move in the transfer market, ownership issues just generally making things more stressful etc, and the likely outcome is relegation. Oh, and not to mention your star striker having a sulk all season, and then your loanee striker who quickly becomes your best striker getting a season ending injury in January just when you're hitting form!

Cursed season. Derek not faultless but to put any large portion of blame on him is hugely unfair and pretty blinkered thinking, just look at the wider situation!

As GS has said, there are few with a better L2 record than Derek. And with the money tied up in Robbo contracts now finished with, I'd look forward to seeing what he'd be able to build once again in L2.

Thank you LS for putting the big picture clearly. I think most of us agree that the last 2 games have been crucial and the results have basically finished us in this division. It is,therefore, understandable that everyone feels the pain but all your points are valid and have had a huge impact on performances throughout the season.

Until the ownership problem gets settled it's going to very difficult to see a way forward and the main aim has to be keeping the club alive and in League football.

[Phoenix Shrimp 2017]

Possibly a minority view here but I will be quite happy to continue with DA in charge next season whichever division we are in.

If we are still in EFL1 then no question he will have done well.

If the worst happens and it's EFL2 then I can't think of anyone with a better CV to have us competing at the top end of that division again. Any players left from the Robinson era will have been released and he can recruit the players he wants to be here and more importantly players who want to be here.

The first bit of sense I've read on here/Facebook for a while.

This season we haven't been good enough, and I do think we are ultimately deserving of the position we're in. It's easy to stick this all on the manager, as many people across all football clubs do, but it completely misses the wider point.

If everything was stable, staying up would be a big task. However, things have not been stable at all. The managerial upheaval has caused a right mess. I don't have any big frustrations with Derek over his selections this season - the thing that actually bugs me is his initial departure which set off this farce of events! But moving on from that, he's been attempting to build a squad around the remains of Robbo's squad, with people tied onto two year contracts with built-in wage increases etc. That's already a tricky task, then made even harder by the lack of financial flexibility we have due to the ownership situation.

Which brings us to another point! People are vastly underestimating how much more difficult this whole off field saga will have made things for both Derek and the players. It's embarrassing to see all this blame directed at Derek when our 'friends' at Bond Group are far more deserving of any frustrations for this situation.

Yes, there are things Derek and the players could have done better. There always will be in any team. But take one of the smallest budgets in the division, a squad overhanging with two year contracts from a previous manager, ownership issues making it even harder to move in the transfer market, ownership issues just generally making things more stressful etc, and the likely outcome is relegation. Oh, and not to mention your star striker having a sulk all season, and then your loanee striker who quickly becomes your best striker getting a season ending injury in January just when you're hitting form!

Cursed season. Derek not faultless but to put any large portion of blame on him is hugely unfair and pretty blinkered thinking, just look at the wider situation!

As GS has said, there are few with a better L2 record than Derek. And with the money tied up in Robbo contracts now finished with, I'd look forward to seeing what he'd be able to build once again in L2.

Excellent well reasoned posts which I agree with entirely. At the end of the day DA is our most successful manager ever. The squad needs a massive shake up and I personally feel we currently need continuity at management level. He deserves at least another 12 months but the question for me is would he stop?

[Keith]

Yes, there are things Derek and the players could have done better. There always will be in any team. But take one of the smallest budgets in the division, a squad overhanging with two year contracts from a previous manager, ownership issues making it even harder to move in the transfer market, ownership issues just generally making things more stressful etc, and the likely outcome is relegation. Oh, and not to mention your star striker having a sulk all season, and then your loanee striker who quickly becomes your best striker getting a season ending injury in January just when you're hitting form!

Cursed season. Derek not faultless but to put any large portion of blame on him is hugely unfair and pretty blinkered thinking, just look at the wider situation!

I agree with what you are saying, but, in games like yesterday, where it really was a 'must win', to continue with a style that hasn't been working, and wasn't working yesterday, is 100% his stubborn fault. Every substitution was like for like. We ended the game with five defenders on the pitch and unable to create any clear chances. Derek's post match interview, in effect says we are where we should be and, basically, given up.

Obviously, we're not good enough for a top half of the table, but we're not competing with other relegation rivals. Derek said we dominated the game yesterday. Really? Because the game I saw, Milton Keynes could have [should have] scored three while we didn't create a single decent chance. He also said, something along the lines of, 'few teams would go to Milton Keynes, and dominate like we did', but MK had the joint worst points return from home games all season (along with FGR), so almost every team dominate there... except us.

His negative football, especially against other weak teams, is why we will be relegated.

[redrobo]

You have to admire DA for sticking to his beliefs and continuing to play the game the way he has throughout his career to date.

He is stubborn and apparently unable to change or see that a more adventurous game could bring us results we so badly need.

However his unwillingness to change may cost him come the end of the season and possibly even before.

Whatever happens to him he will be remembered for his promotion winning season but also his apparent reluctance to see that there is another way.....sad really

[redrobo]

Loving the idea about the multi million pound super stand with a tunnel under it ..just the tonic....hilarious!!

[Freez]

If we go down, it will be because we haven’t got enough points. That’s my thoughts!

[Little Shrimp]

I agree with what you are saying, but, in games like yesterday, where it really was a 'must win', to continue with a style that hasn't been working, and wasn't working yesterday, is 100% his stubborn fault. Every substitution was like for like. We ended the game with five defenders on the pitch and unable to create any clear chances. Derek's post match interview, in effect says we are where we should be and, basically, given up.

Obviously, we're not good enough for a top half of the table, but we're not competing with other relegation rivals. Derek said we dominated the game yesterday. Really? Because the game I saw, Milton Keynes could have [should have] scored three while we didn't create a single decent chance. He also said, something along the lines of, 'few teams would go to Milton Keynes, and dominate like we did', but MK had the joint worst points return from home games all season (along with FGR), so almost every team dominate there... except us.

His negative football, especially against other weak teams, is why we will be relegated.

I'll be a bit brutally honest here - there are a couple of key aspects to analysing a football match that you're completely missing here.

First is that the end product (not many chances created) is not necessarily a direct result of managerial instruction. At no consistent point in the second half of this season have I really felt that Derek's clearly told the players to sit back for the whole game and be negative (games away at big sides are weird to judge given how early we've conceded). It's true we've failed to create enough chances, and ultimately Derek should take a level of responsibility for why that might be, but to say it's because we didn't play positive tactics is shortsighted and quite simply false.

Second is getting too hung up on the 'whiteboard' formation and not thinking about personnel. Formations can wildly vary in attacking/defensive nature depending on who's in them. Last season when Derek played 352 he had Toums and Fane sitting in midfield. This season we've had Shaw and Weir. It's far more offensive this season. That horrible run we went on last season under Derek was due to overly negative tactics. This one isn't at all. In fact, I'd argue it's the opposite - we lack solidity in midfield.

Leading on from that, attacking isn't about putting as many attacking players on the pitch as feasible and saying 'go on lads, have a go'. It's about creating a system with balance that let's the attacking players operate in a way that's constructive and creates chances.

Last season, we managed to achieve that in the end with Fane destroying in midfield, then Wildig and Phillips (something which worked before under Derek in L2) having a bit of freedom to play. The issue is this season we've lacked a solid/consistent defensive player/structure in midfield to allow our talented players to have the freedom to create.

That ultimately boils down to recruitment, and for the reasons I've explained in my previous post I don't think it's at all fair to blame Derek for any shortcomings in that area. I think he's down a great job in converting Gibson to try and find a solution, but ultimately it's his first season in the role and he will have shortcomings there (eg, he looked way out his depth vs Ipswich away), and a lot of the time he's been needed at LB due to Melbourne's injuries.

The one main hesitancy I have is not giving Stockton and Mellon a bit more of a go in that 352. That said, we've since seen that Mellon was overall nowhere near the level of Kieran Phillips, and there were a few weird factors that went into that 5-1 win against BR (their kamikaze defence, and Crowley having one of the best individual performances many of us have witnessed in a Morecambe shirt).

Honestly, I think Derek has tried to give the talented players we have a bit of freedom to play, but hasn't really found a way to coach them to get the best out of them all. We've been starting with midfields of Shaw, Weir and Crowley - that's incredibly attacking! But unfortunately it lacks balance, and that's due to personnel.

Derek's not been perfect, but if you want to label him as the main factor for our position then I'm afraid to say that you're quite simply massively wrong.

[Keith]

Honestly, I think Derek has tried to give the talented players we have a bit of freedom to play, but hasn't really found a way to coach them to get the best out of them all. We've been starting with midfields of Shaw, Weir and Crowley - that's incredibly attacking! But unfortunately it lacks balance, and that's due to personnel.

Derek's not been perfect, but if you want to label him as the main factor for our position then I'm afraid to say that you're quite simply massively wrong.

As I mentioned, at 1-0 down, sticking with the same-old-same-old with like for like substitutions was an example of where he was at fault. Once we'd gone a goal behind and not created anything, he may as well have gone for it, because losing 2-0 or 3-0 was no worse than losing 1-0.

Why I think we need two up front is because we're not getting in to the penalty area enough. We keep looking at the fact we've not had a penalty all season, but part of that is, we're not on the ball, in the area enough to get them in the first place. I posted elsewhere, in defence of Love, who I think is being scapegoated. Our 'penalty shout' at Milton Keynes (which I don't think was, I think it was two players coming together, 50:50) involved Love. He and Hunter (I think?) were the only two Morecambe players in the penalty area. Our other moment of 'almost' creating, involved Love getting a really dangerous cross in, but again, only one player in the penalty area. I bet Love covered more ground than any other player. He was getting forwards, but with only an isolated forward was in the box.

Our previous 'penalty shout' also involved Love, when he got kicked in the head. That one should have been a penalty. But again, the point is, Love was our furthest forward player. Where is everyone else? We've scored six goals in our last twelve games. Okay, those twelve included Derby, Sheffield Wednesday & Bolton, but also Cambridge, Oxford & Milton Keynes. Love was at fault for MK's goal, but we can't expect him to be both our most offensive player, and also do the job in defence.

I think we've got some very talented players, but it clearly isn't working. I agree, it isn't as simple as saying 'throw more attackers on', but when an approach continues to fail, game after game, then something has to change. Or, we just go down without a fight. Playing as we are, I can't see us getting another win this season. In fact, I think we'll struggle to get another five goals.

[redrobo]

For me it's midfield that is one of the major problems in that (as I've suggested before) it's made up in the main by loan players who are not used to being in a relegation battle coming from clubs where they have been playing mainly U21 football that lacks a competitive edge.

They are loaned out to clubs like ourselves to learn and have found it difficult to adjust to the situation we and they find ourselves in.

DA has to take some blame for the team structure after all they are in the main all his signings this season.

[Little Shrimp]

Why I think we need two up front is because we're not getting in to the penalty area enough.

You're right that we don't get the ball in the area enough. If just sticking two up front was a credible solution, then we'd all be football managers! Sadly, it's rarely that simple.

We had a fair amount of the ball around the penalty area on Saturday. And pausing the game at certain moments, we often had plenty of players about. As you've said, Love's driving runs forward are a good threat, and one that you need when playing with wing-backs.

But the interplay between our players in these moments just isn't good enough. Not enough players are making dangerous movements, everything is a bit ponderous, and some of the use of the ball is quite frankly sloppy. Compare that to MK, who weren't great overall but sharp and aggressive around our box.

This fallacy that we're playing negative football is nonsense. There is some good stuff that goes into getting us to the point where we have sustained pressure outside the opponent's box. Some aspects of the performance vs MK were really pleasing. We were aggressive and risky in how we lined up, and tried to play on the front foot. We ended up getting exploited defensively for it and unfortunately, the risk didn't pay-off attacking wise as we continued to struggle to create once in the final third.

Listen to comments that neutrals make. They've all said similar things in recent weeks - nice looking side, try to play and get forward, but just very blunt in the final third (it's almost like our best striker got injured in January and last season's star striker is having a season long sulk). It's a puzzle that Derek and the team will 100% be working on, and you're daft if you think otherwise.

[KenH]

But the interplay between our players in these moments just isn't good enough. Not enough players are making dangerous movements, everything is a bit ponderous, and some of the use of the ball is quite frankly sloppy.

I agree. We're also nowhere near quick enough. Sadly, Crowley slows us down with his pirouettes (similar re Arthur really), and wanting to keep possession of the ball completely ignoring players around him waiting for the pass, meanwhile the opposition players have time to get into better defending positions for when he finally makes a pass or tries to take the ball forward himself. Both Crowley and Arthur are clearly gifted & talented players but don't actually get anywhere for their efforts. That's not to blame them as such, because other players around them aren't experienced enough and don't have the foresight to see the intent, hence I agree with other posters mentioning the lack of experience of our loanee youngsters such as Weir and Shaw. In fact I think Weir and Shaw's performances have nose dived since Crowley joined us and they're really the 3 players who should be controlling the midfield and feeding the ball into the striker and wingers, but they'd not doing that job at all at the moment.

[Gone_Shrimping]

But the interplay between our players in these moments just isn't good enough. Not enough players are making dangerous movements, everything is a bit ponderous, and some of the use of the ball is quite frankly sloppy.

I agree. We're also nowhere near quick enough. Sadly, Crowley slows us down with his pirouettes (similar re Arthur really), and wanting to keep possession of the ball completely ignoring players around him waiting for the pass, meanwhile the opposition players have time to get into better defending positions for when he finally makes a pass or tries to take the ball forward himself. Both Crowley and Arthur are clearly gifted & talented players but don't actually get anywhere for their efforts. That's not to blame them as such, because other players around them aren't experienced enough and don't have the foresight to see the intent, hence I agree with other posters mentioning the lack of experience of our loanee youngsters such as Weir and Shaw. In fact I think Weir and Shaw's performances have nose dived since Crowley joined us and they're really the 3 players who should be controlling the midfield and feeding the ball into the striker and wingers, but they'd not doing that job at all at the moment.

I think that the budget or size of it dictated that we had to operate this season with 5 and now 6 loanees so Derek has done a fantastic job in my opinion to keep us competitive when really up against the odds. Apparently the cost of loaning Adam Phillips from Burnley in previous seasons was £250 per week. I imagine Barnsley will be paying him a salary many times in excess of that but no way could we have signed him permanently.

The longer this ownership saga goes on , the more worrying it is to me. We will soon be at the end of the season and we will not be in a position to sign decent out of contract players without new well- heeled owners.

To me this is why Derek is vital to keep on as manager. He got us promoted on a shoestring budget and if the worst happens and we go down we do not want to be fighting relegation battles like we did under Jim. Derek would ensure we are at the right end of the table.