BMcD - time to go? and other questions over his management

[Deleted User 2299]

I can't believe hoofing it isn't plan A. If you hold BM in high regard and he cant get his team to stop playing hoof ball after 20+ games he really does need sacking!
I believe when he started this season with no wingers and signed Smith, it was because hoofing was his plan A. Maybe the reason no one moves into space when Lees has the ball, is more due to them knowing he's told to hoof it.

I was surprised last Saturday playing wingers and still hoofing Maybe this was down to having no time on the training ground to change the style. I do believe we wont see 3 at the back this Saturday and we will see a passing game

[rss1969]

Pulis has drilled and changed the attitude of his squad, without the addition of 6 or 7 players. They are probably not good enough man for man to compete in the prem, so he uses organisation to his benefit.

As in Crystal Palace, now bottom of the Premier League? He's taken them to a place lower than when he took over (and only one place was available below at that time).... I'm not sure he'd be top of my list if I'm wholly honest

I never said we should appoint tony pulis............I was using him as an example, as well as poyet. I think we would all agree that Palace's performances and the shape and balance of their team has improved. Stats will show less goals conceded and better results for both managers since taking over. There seems to be a pattern, a belief, something tangible for Palace and Sunderland fans to give them some hope. All without spending millions in the transfer market.

[isrodger]

Agree, hoof ball, we all don't like.
But, also, there's aimless hoof and hope ball and then there's considered, measured long ball, mixed in with a bit of passing and moving type of more free flowing footie, that'd we'd all like to see a bit of.
Also, if we signed a Crouch type (PC imo is also a decent 'footballer' aswell, especially for a big fella) and then had a foil, or two, to play off his knock downs, together with 2 decent wingers (Gradel types), who could get to bye line and put decent crosses in, then that might not be such a bad thing?

I think it takes a very good side to avoid the long option when you have a 6-4 centre forward.... And we're not that good or courageous side. I'm sure rogers at Liverpool, got rid of Carroll as much on the basis he would have on the playing pattern as the lads ability.

Wilkinson favoured a direct approach, however he filled his midfield with mentally strong characters in tems of ball possession in batty, strachen, and mccallister. Let's face it our football has gone down hill ever since we lost the one player who was truely comfortable in possession - snodgrass.

[Costy]

I can't believe hoofing it isn't plan A. If you hold BM in high regard and he cant get his team to stop playing hoof ball after 20+ games he really does need sacking!
I believe when he started this season with no wingers and signed Smith, it was because hoofing was his plan A. Maybe the reason no one moves into space when Lees has the ball, is more due to them knowing he's told to hoof it.

:

Can't agree with any of this. I just can not see him directing defenders to blast it forward when they get it. Hunt and Mcormack were supposed to be the preferred striking partnership; two mobile, hard working players - no way could he have seen any benefits in a deliberate long ball game with those two up top. The problem was Hunt turned out to be poor at making the right runs, finding space, controlling the ball and pretty much everything else which was a bad error of judgement on McDermott's part in all honesty, so he had to turn to Smith who I'm sure was bought as a plan B type player, an asset in certain circumstances and one for the future.
I believe that a chronic shortage of confidence is the main problem with many of our players now. While not being brilliant they're all professionals yet many are regularly making the kind of errors that you would see in a bad Sunday league game. Confidence can turn average players into good ones and good ones into great ones but it also works the other way and things that normally come naturally seem difficult if you're low on it. You could clearly see it against Wednesday - playing the safe channel ball again and again, not wanting it to feet, not trusting others with it and making outrageously bad errors when it did come, Zaliukas in particular. Why this has happened who knows, but it is a big part of Mcdermott's job to instil it again.

[Deleted User 2299]

Didn't think Hunt and McCormack played upfront together.
You might be right, but if true after 20+ games the manager has to take full responsibility for not getting his team to play how he wanted 90% of the time if you are.