Premier League — Matchweek 14

Two huge games tonight for us, let's be honest.

Jim @1

In two minds as to what result I want from the Ipswich - Palace game; a draw would keep both of them below us but I think Palace will pull clear anyway so maybe a Palace win works best.

Early goal for Leicester, James Vardy after 2 minutes.

Palace ahead.

That Palace goal interrupted the foul count, as it just seems like a foul is conceded every minute.

The boy Davis for Ipswich has such a good cross on him. Quite like Hutchinson too. Must be nice to have a player who can cross a ball.

Oh dear, just got in, these results are not good for us, though the jellied eels are in freefall - Rudd 3-0 up - was that third not given, it said 3-0 on the BBC?

3-1, Paul.

Cheers Rob.

Leicester deserved that. Totally.

I was surprised at West Ham. They could have got something out of that, but were as competent as us in front of goal.

Win tomorrow and we leapfrog Leicester and are 1 point behind the Irons.

They are better than us in front of goal Danny, they scored.

Maybe it was just tonight Paul. They certainly had their chances.

Of course Leicester new what they had to do instead of US pissing about forever with the worst manager ever.

They got two v Arsenal Danny and beat the skunks away the game before that mate. Kudus, Bowen, Paqueta and possibly Summerville and Alavrez are better than what Dyche will put out tomorrow evening.

We slip 2 places to 17th, 2 points above Wolves.

A draw is no good. Only a win will move us back up the table.

A draw will keep us out of the bottom three MK.

Dyche “admits” making mistakes

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/dec/03/everton-sean-dyche-working-tirelessly-improve-struggling-form-dominic-calvert-lewin

Yes Paul, but they shipped 5 against Arsenal and 3 against Forest, now 3 against Leicester. Watching the match tonight, they looked very slow at the back, or maybe it was that Leicester were quick?

I agree, get something tomorrow, but go for the win. We're at home under the lights. I'm not sure what motivation the players need.

Or whether some of them can be motivated at all Danny. I just get the feeling that Dyche is not an inspirational gaffer and that his buzz words are not let's make progress but stay up, don't concede, wide men make sure to drop back, full backs don't get ahead of your winger

Agree Paul. I think the players could be motivated, I've just become increasingly trusted with his approach and, without knowing, I would imagine a lot of the players have too.

They're human Danny. How could they not? They see way more of him than we do. I would bet that some are sick and tired of gaffer days and all the time they are with him on 'the grass' and all the times he blames them.

I'd love to hear their mobile conversations and get togethers, if they have any!

I'm made up now that Chesterfield lost that semi against 'boro.

Have a comfy trip north tomorrow, man and dog - you should be in bed enjoying zzzzzzz

I've always wondered what Dyche's team talks would sound like. Based on what we get immediately after the game, and his presumably more considered programme notes, I'm pretty confident it would be a very similar random word generator to every other time he speaks.

Noise, on the grass, bit of devil, smell, change the story, managed in this league a long time, I've always said, I've said endlessly, individual errors... and so on.

I can see how they might not go out re-energised after a perplexing few minutes with him.

As for those who claim a change in manager won't produce an improvement... ask a Leicester fan if there was anything different tonight.

Ruud won't maintain that form, but they've got a very precious feelgood win on the board.

One of the laziest things I read on here Ernie is what other manager would get something more from this squad of players. It's actually a ridiculous statement for which there are so many counter-examples. But worse than lazy and ridiculous, it's a formula to do nothing.

A new manager would make a difference for better or for worse. There's always an element of risk but 'better the Devil you know' is another profoundly lazy statement.

Even better, a new manager with new owners with better business acumen.

The issue for me is that some seem to think, and who could blame them after more than a few years of tedium, rank duplicity, and anxiety, that new owners and a new stadium will quickly change our fortunes. I fear that this might not happen and that more patience will be needed, but that might be not so bad if we are seeing consistent if gradual development and progression.

PF, I actually think we may not see immediate improvement "on the grass" if the new owners are set on doing this right.

The club needs an absolute transformation. New digs are only part of that.

I'd happily see us embark on another period of relative (to some) austerity in the market if it meant we were starting to be more strategic in our recruitment and in becoming a more financially sustainable club.

This should have happened years ago. Back then we had some leeway for a reset but we didn't use it. The margins are much finer now and it's a vital job for the new owners.

A modern stadium doesn't do much if we can't become a modern football club.

Thanks Paul.

If I hear the phrase "on the grass" once more, I'll switch off. It grates me for some reason!!

Ernie, through fear of repeating myself from various threads, behave like a professional club, change the culture and change the mentality.

Right now we have a couple of priorities. Get enough points and get the takeover over the line.

Paul@23

Of course it’s lazy Paul and naive.

Different Managers have different man management skills, training methods, motivational techniques, tactical awareness, flexibility in anpproach etc.

Otherwise whats the point in having them.

Some Managers get the best out of what they have as opposed to constantly moaning about it or being too stubborn to change.

Nuno Santo at Forest with Chris Woods.

Hurzeler apparently concentrates his training sessions around who they are playing next based on tactical research around his opponents weaknesses and strengths. So training is different week in week out. Sounds obvious doesn’t it.

Ernie@24

I know what you are saying Ernie but staying in the division is everything

Maybe, Nigel.

Maybe it's a conversation for the summer. Though that means another 6 months will have passed.

We said "never again" over 30 years ago. Now we're perennial relegation battlers. The next step is the Championship unless the club actually changes.

Ernie@28

Completely agree mate

I remember that ‘never again’ stuff like it was yesterday. As others have said it’s the kids I feel sorry for.

Like you said a complete overhaul is needed and knowing American firms like I do there will be no prisoners. It will be an ongoing clear out process starting pretty much immediately and a lot of the planning will already be in place no doubt.

There’s no doubt in my mind that TFG has a team trawling through fans forums like this seeing the mood and getting fans perspectives. Those that say our voices are irrelevant are wrong. Even more so now after events at Roma, they won’t make that mistake again.

They will also have an Executive team in place ready for the day they will takeover.

It will take time but the immediate is the football. I’m confident we can get there.

Ernie (28), Going back in history, Yes I know, it was said after the Oldham game when we won promotion in 1954 that we must never be relegated again.

We've had a few tries since but have kept our head above the water, let's swim to safety this season and see what the future brings.

Nigel, you mentioned Roma but aren't they on the third manager this season and hovering above the relegation places?

Frankly, it doesn't bode well.

Charles @31

Yes, what I meant by Roma is that they didn't take into account the views of the fans before making key decisions which led to discontent amongst the ultras so I'm hoping that the mistakes they have made with Roma they have learnt from. Hopefully anyway.

Interestingly I was listening to an interview with Paul Merson about the forthcoming West Ham - Wolves game.

Merson believes that the losing manager will subsequently lose the fans and, once that happens, then the manager will inevitably get sacked.

It instantly made me think of the Roma situation, as Merson claimed that managers only get sacked when they have lost the fans. I must admit I can't think of any situation where that's not been the case other than with Roma but happy to be corrected here.

The much maligned Alex Iwobi just scored a cracker for Fulham.

Meanwhile, Alex Iwobi has just scored his second goal of the night, as Fulham lead Brighton 3-1.

I couldn't see what Dunk was so pissed about Fulham's second goal. He seemed to just crumple in a heap.

Brilliant turn and shot from Iwobi for the third.