What would you do if you were PH,

[swindonwhite]

Before we travel back to Swindon was wondering what you all would do if you were PH

[Deleted User 496]

Before we travel back to Swindon was wondering what you all would do if you were PH

do about what?

[Deleted User 728]

.. er .. in what sense, mate ??

If you mean what would you do given our next fixture is against Wolves, I would :

1. Hold a postmortem on the 'Boro game with the players
Ask them what went wrong, where they think they could improve, etc.
Make it a proper open forum with no consequences : a real "within these four walls" discussion of how best to proceed. They're his front-line in all this and part of the job of improving our lot is by getting them to buy into the whole shebang and - to use an actually useful management-speak expression - take ownership of the situation. They've been outstanding at times this season so why are performances so varied ??

2. Tactically, we have to tighten midfield
I really feel we should go 352 or 3511 for the Wolves game. We need three bodies in the middle because the ones we've got aren't good enough so it's a case of strength in numbers if nothing else for me.

3. Play the best players in their natural positions.
Heck has had a good look at everyone. It sounds simple enough but we've not seen much of it at this club in the past few seasons. No more Anita or Berardi at left-back. No more Pablo or Roofe out wide. If it means good players are left out then look at it as competition for places and challenge the ones picked to perform or risk getting hooked at half-time for their colleague - I'm looking at Saiz/Hernandez, Alioski/Sacko, Phillips/Vieira, O'Kane/the tea lady when I say that.

4. Bite the bullet with Wiedwald.
He must be pulled out of the firing line and permanently dropped, though it pains me to have to say it. The choice now is really between Lonergan and Peacock-Farrell. At this stage of the season I really would give Bailey a game and see if he can do a Robbo/Carson for us ...


Assuming they're fit, my team for Wolves would be this, with Saiz not quite so cocky sitting on the bench itching to prove Heck wrong for leaving him out (his attitude sucks) :

[swindonwhite]

Sorry all. From now to the end of the season and plans for the summer.

[Deleted User 496]

Sorry all. From now to the end of the season and plans for the summer.

I wouldn't assume he'll be here next year. From now till end, play some of the U23s please. I'd like to dream............

Also, agree with rigger above re playing players out of position.

[swindonwhite]

Totally agree let's find the next Harry Kewell or Alan Smith.

[swindonwhite]

And then sell them.

[DominanceUK]

The season was over a while back tbh. I watched the post-match interview with PH last night and I had a feeling that he now knows how big this job is and how hard it is going to be to be successful here. We're a mid-table team at best IMO. Yes, it's mathematically possible to make the play-offs but it's the same old stories over and over again. I'm hoping that PH has made it clear to the players that for the rest of the season, they are playing for their futures, and I do mean every player. Teams just bully us now and have been for quite some time. No height, no muscle, nobody can tackle or even pass in the middle of the park with the exception of Forshaw. No pace out wide, we have nobody apart from Sacko with genuine pace. We are so predictable at times. There's no confidence in the defence probably because of Felix. No leadership at all, all I see them doing is patting each other on the back or slapping each other's hands when they make a clearance for a corner etc. When we concede, there's nothing. I said this last night, I feel sorry for PH because all I can see happening is recruitment will be poor, results will be poor and the manager will get the chop - I would love to be proven wrong but I guarantee it will happen. All we ever seem to do is go round and round in circles.

Big summer clear out needed for me and allow PH to build a team for the next couple of years but it won't happen.

[Costy]

I would continue playing the first squad members, rotating slightly here and there to get a proper assessment of which players are good enough and which are not. I'd also recall Klich and have a proper look at him. For what it's worth, I'd be delighted if Saiz, Jannson, Hernandez, Forshaw and Ayling are still here. Berardi maybe for his versatility. Pennington and Ekuban have potential. Klich and De Bock are unknown quantities at this point.Other than that I think we can and need to improve on every one.
In addition, I'd seek assurances from AR on what the intentions moving forward are in terms of spending and strengthening. If we want to go up, a lot needs to happen.

[Deleted User 728]

One other thing to consider is the management structure.

Regardless of whether Orta is any good at his job, the real question is can an English club with an English manager succeed if he's restricted to the role of head coach under a director of football.

I can't think of a single, long-ish term success with that system using English coaches. Foreign, yes, because they're used to it, but the role of manager is a fundamentally different one here to on the continent ..