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Manager Thomas Frank
- Thread starter The Fighting Cock
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Be nice to give the boot to the decision-makers too. Starting with that thundercunt Gooner.
Get in big sam hes an older frank both boring
Well? Or fine against a promoted team who have half their first team missing?
I’m just back from a freezing afternoon at the stadium, and honestly, I’m still trying to process how that slipped away.
The First Half: High Intensity, Zero Edge
We started exactly how we wanted to, on the front foot and playing with genuine intensity. Our press was working; we forced several turnovers in dangerous areas, but poor quality haunted us in the final third.
Whether it was a moment of hesitancy, an unnecessary extra touch, or just poor decision-making, we failed to capitalise on the chaos we created. This is where it falls on both the quality of the squad and the coaching. The patterns of play are not there to get us into the box, the "final ball" feels like it's lacking the clinical drilling required at this level.
The Half-Time Shift
I don’t know what was said in that locker room at half-time, but the second half felt like a recurring nightmare. It looked eerily similar to the dying days of the Jose, Conte, and Ange eras—a passive, nervy energy that invited Sunderland back into the game.
Accountability: Players & Frank
I’m tired of blaming just the dugout. The players have to be held accountable for letting the opposition dictate the tempo in the second half. Whatever the game plan was, the execution was non-existent.
That said, Frank isn't off the hook. I’m holding him just as responsible for the tactical shift (or lack thereof) at the break and the timing of the substitutions. We looked unbalanced and lost the midfield battle entirely.
Key Takeaways from the Cold:
• The Gray Factor: We were nowhere near as fluid or composed without Archie Gray. He’s becoming the glue that keeps the transition play together.
• The Tel substitution: Contrary to what some might think, we were definitely not a better side without Mathys Tel today. We lacked that spark of unpredictability upfront. He brought some urgency and attacking to the left side that we had been missing.
A disappointing day out. We have the intensity, but until we find the clinical edge and the mental fortitude to kill games off, we’re just repeating the same mistakes.
Overall it’s an improvement on the recent drab performances. It’s a long way from good enough.
The First Half: High Intensity, Zero Edge
We started exactly how we wanted to, on the front foot and playing with genuine intensity. Our press was working; we forced several turnovers in dangerous areas, but poor quality haunted us in the final third.
Whether it was a moment of hesitancy, an unnecessary extra touch, or just poor decision-making, we failed to capitalise on the chaos we created. This is where it falls on both the quality of the squad and the coaching. The patterns of play are not there to get us into the box, the "final ball" feels like it's lacking the clinical drilling required at this level.
The Half-Time Shift
I don’t know what was said in that locker room at half-time, but the second half felt like a recurring nightmare. It looked eerily similar to the dying days of the Jose, Conte, and Ange eras—a passive, nervy energy that invited Sunderland back into the game.
Accountability: Players & Frank
I’m tired of blaming just the dugout. The players have to be held accountable for letting the opposition dictate the tempo in the second half. Whatever the game plan was, the execution was non-existent.
That said, Frank isn't off the hook. I’m holding him just as responsible for the tactical shift (or lack thereof) at the break and the timing of the substitutions. We looked unbalanced and lost the midfield battle entirely.
Key Takeaways from the Cold:
• The Gray Factor: We were nowhere near as fluid or composed without Archie Gray. He’s becoming the glue that keeps the transition play together.
• The Tel substitution: Contrary to what some might think, we were definitely not a better side without Mathys Tel today. We lacked that spark of unpredictability upfront. He brought some urgency and attacking to the left side that we had been missing.
A disappointing day out. We have the intensity, but until we find the clinical edge and the mental fortitude to kill games off, we’re just repeating the same mistakes.
Overall it’s an improvement on the recent drab performances. It’s a long way from good enough.
.no fan of O'Neil, and certainly don't want to get bogged down on him - I think the point being made was just how a manager can effect change rather drastically and immediately (my addendum to that was even shit ones can
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I think they're both as shite as each other based purely on the experience of trudging up to the lane to watch clueless crap week in week out. But replying mainly to say agreed re that Brentford away game last year. I remember thinking we would lose but that single win did change the stakes for us, relegation was no longer possible and I gave Ange a pass to an extent after that. Even though I thought he was shit before it anyway.
Reminds me though of Ramos. We won the league cup and it was great, but we were abysmal every week in the league. And people said there's nothing left to play for. I remember thinking well what about all the money us supporters pay into your bank accounts every week.
Oh I got it, sorry. Was just adding a bit of context. I have no doubt if fecking Harry Redknapp came back for the rest of the season, he'd do a better job..no fan of O'Neil, and certainly don't want to get bogged down on him - I think the point being made was just how a manager can effect change rather drastically and immediately (my addendum to that was even shit ones can
Agree with most of this except that Tel was clearly gassed by 70 odd minutes and it was leading to gaps defensively. Decent shift by the kid before that though
Yeah as much I love Poch (a bit less after his Chelsea stint), I'm really not sure we should go back. Think he's lost the edge. But such an easy way for our cunt owners to get some fans back on side...that's why they'll do it, no cause they care about the football being better.
Bingo. I think they'll do it now. Really didn't think they would've a few months ago, but it'd be a massive PR stunt and getting him would be very easy.
I think he got found out, CL run massively papered over huge cracks and his style got very stale. But as I said, fuck it, anyone but this guy.
Frank wouldn’t know elite talent if it slapped him in the face.
He’s a fucking nerd who sees football totally through the prism of his data bank.
Probably got nutmeg rushed on the playground once too many times and that started his villain arc.
We wouldn't even create the chance in the first place to score that kinda goal and that's the issue.
I'd entertain these Frankincense coated arguments about how incredibly shit the players are if it was a case of high xg but chances and final passes always being fucked up rather than the absolute garbage 0. Something XG football that's being coached at the moment and stinking up the place every week.
Long balls, long throws, isolated number 10s playing like a striker, huge gaps on midfield that necessitate it going long etc etc
Get this bum gone
Because Levy failed to back him at the crucial moment.
In fact he showed a lot of flexibility over his last 2 years to extend the peak of that team.
That’s 100% a system issue
Game shifted when Le Bris made the change to bring on Ballard and sacrifice a winger. They went to back 3. Moment they went back 3 & pushed the wingbacks on touch line, our press lost control. Davies was overloaded especially on left side and Porro on the right side.
We couldnt win the 2nd balls anymore. Players were marking space in middle , marking no one.
Tactics Frank was sleeping in the dugout...Sunderland kept crossing from their right side.
Eventually goal came out of one such move.
We failed to win 2nd balls, and likes of Porro & Bentancur kept giving possession away. More we gave up, more they attacked in a coherent fashion.
By the time, Frank got Spence in for Davies (like for like), win slipped away.
We couldnt win the 2nd balls anymore. Players were marking space in middle , marking no one.
Tactics Frank was sleeping in the dugout...Sunderland kept crossing from their right side.
Eventually goal came out of one such move.
We failed to win 2nd balls, and likes of Porro & Bentancur kept giving possession away. More we gave up, more they attacked in a coherent fashion.
By the time, Frank got Spence in for Davies (like for like), win slipped away.
I can too but swap that attack of richy, Odobert, tel and kudus for Solanke, Maddison, kulusevski and Xavi and it’s a completely different team and we probably piss that second half. Yet it seems completely forgotten in the rage to sack another manager. Whilst Frank has to shoulder some blame as soon as I saw that starting line up I said we were fucked. There seems zero acknowledgment from a lot of the big loudmouth spurs accounts on social media of that and it’s just “sack Frank he’s useless” with no real thought behind it. Addicted to chaos.
Yeah I said this at the time Frank hasn’t reacted. The swapped things about at the start of the half too and we did nothing to counter it. The subs compounded it but he’s got hardly any options off the bench.
I don't know man. That last 18 months was horrendous, like 1.2 points a game or something from the Feb when the poor form started to when he was sacked, like 1 win away from home in that tome. Unwilling to drop that disgusting Winks/Sissoko partnership, favourites that could play like shit not be dropped. No subs until like minute 80. Loads of possession, but do nothing with it.
Again, I'm in the 'fuck it's camp. Can't be worse than this.