| So the first international break of the season 13:31 - Sep 3 with 6163 views | JakeITFC |
Probably a fair time to assess our start.
Positives:
- Edwards looks a real find, magnificent ability to beat a man in either direction, full of confidence and the end product doesn't look too far away
- We've added a lot of genuine pace to the side which is something that has been lacking
- The atmosphere around the place has improved massively and I think a lot of people seem impressed with a lot of what Hurst says, even if it hasn't materialised yet on the pitch.
Negatives:
- The size of the squad overhaul
- The lack of experience in the squad due to the overhaul
- The playing style/pressing promised hasn't really been evident for much of the time
- Six loanees
- Making wholesale changes to personnel and shape before the Norwich game suggests he's not particularly sure in his system/squad
- Not using youth players
- Upsetting the apple cart with media comments (Knudsen/Chambers in pre-season, Dozzell loan talk, post-Exeter remarks)
I realise that my list of negatives is much longer than the positives, and being that most people seem quite happy with him there are probably some things that I've missed that other fans are impressed by.
It's my opinion that it's not been a particularly good start to life at the club for Hurst, and giving his willingness to deviate from his ideas this early it's quite a big worry that he is out of his depth. Hope to be proven wrong. |  | | |  |
| So the first international break of the season on 18:21 - Sep 3 with 1921 views | JakeITFC |
| So the first international break of the season on 16:46 - Sep 3 by Kieran_Knows |
Think that's a fair assessment, although just a couple of small things.
Squad overhaul? I'm not so sure it was an overhaul as such, just replacing players. We lost 9 players due to contracts expiring and loan players returning to their clubs, followed by the sales of Webster, Waghorn and Garner. Whether we've replaced them correctly is another matter, but they needed replacing.
You mention that you know for a fact that some players haven't been happy with certain remarks (appreciate that you won't say who of course), but I'd be interested to know if its any of his new 12 signings, or players that were here last season that feel way?
Either way, think this is a big couple of weeks for PH to finally find a settled 11 that he can depend on and really hammer home his ideas. |
Some of it was forced, some of it wasn’t, but either way we’ve lost nearly half of our league minutes from last season. That’s obviously going to have an impact on performance, especially whilst other players are bedding in. I think Hurst deserves to wear that as a valid criticism and hope that he can prove it to be untrue. | | | |
| So the first international break of the season on 22:54 - Sep 3 with 1849 views | Kieran_Knows |
| So the first international break of the season on 18:21 - Sep 3 by JakeITFC |
Some of it was forced, some of it wasn’t, but either way we’ve lost nearly half of our league minutes from last season. That’s obviously going to have an impact on performance, especially whilst other players are bedding in. I think Hurst deserves to wear that as a valid criticism and hope that he can prove it to be untrue. |
I don’t disagree with your point, but don’t really feel PH had a choice (other than Waghorn, Webster or Garner).
I’d personally say the releasing of McGoldrick, Hyam, Gleeson, Bru and Carayol were all justified, with the first 2 feeling like their time here had run its course with the latter 3 no more than squad players.
Still though, as I say, a very fair assessment with plenty to work on these next 2 weeks. R_I_G pointed you out to me yesterday in Degeros, will have to come over and say hi next time if I see you about! |  |
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| on 23:03 - Sep 3 with 1847 views | _ |
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| So the first international break of the season on 07:23 - Sep 4 with 1787 views | C_HealyIsAPleasure |
| So the first international break of the season on 14:05 - Sep 3 by Guthrum |
That may be so, but he's the manager and that's part of his job. You can be as chummy as you like most of the time, but when shouting's got to be done, none of the great managers have ever shied away from it (c.f. Alex Ferguson's famous "hairdryer"). |
When did Ferguson ever criticise his players in public though? At least to the level and frequency which Hurst has since he joined here? (Braintree, Adeyemi, Exeter...) |  |
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| So the first international break of the season on 07:24 - Sep 4 with 1787 views | C_HealyIsAPleasure |
| So the first international break of the season on 16:27 - Sep 3 by HarryWright |
haha stop being so dramatic. Another thing Mick left? a team who could barely pass a football and had been trained to HOOF |
Also a team that finished in the top half last season, and 4 times in the last 5 seasons... | |
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| So the first international break of the season on 08:40 - Sep 4 with 1762 views | itfcjoe |
I seem to have more concerns than most at the moment - think Ben summed it up well on Blue Monday podcast and match review this week with regards to feeling like he could see what we were trying to achieve, but after Sunday's game and the team and style who knows now?
This is a huge 2 weeks, and we need to get some wins under our belt, or the discontent that I have heard behind the scenes will start to rear it's head even more so which isn't a good thing.
There has been too big an overhaul, and too many comments made publicly which will p155 off the senior players, which isn't wise to me.
All a bit scattergun for me currently, and not convinced by it. |  |
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| So the first international break of the season on 08:44 - Sep 4 with 1744 views | hype313 |
| So the first international break of the season on 08:40 - Sep 4 by itfcjoe |
I seem to have more concerns than most at the moment - think Ben summed it up well on Blue Monday podcast and match review this week with regards to feeling like he could see what we were trying to achieve, but after Sunday's game and the team and style who knows now?
This is a huge 2 weeks, and we need to get some wins under our belt, or the discontent that I have heard behind the scenes will start to rear it's head even more so which isn't a good thing.
There has been too big an overhaul, and too many comments made publicly which will p155 off the senior players, which isn't wise to me.
All a bit scattergun for me currently, and not convinced by it. |
Agree Joe, especially on your last point, when he first came in you could see he was trying to inject some much needed pace, but to me it seems very scattergun, almost like he was starting to panic with signings and formation after 5 games, I'm yet to be convinced. |  |
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| So the first international break of the season on 08:50 - Sep 4 with 1728 views | itfcjoe |
| So the first international break of the season on 08:44 - Sep 4 by hype313 |
Agree Joe, especially on your last point, when he first came in you could see he was trying to inject some much needed pace, but to me it seems very scattergun, almost like he was starting to panic with signings and formation after 5 games, I'm yet to be convinced. |
Think someone noted yesterday that from the last pre season game only 4 starters are still in the team, and from the Barnet game the week before it is 2.
We are still effectively in pre season, but are dropping points every week and that matters. | |
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| So the first international break of the season on 08:55 - Sep 4 with 1713 views | Kieran_Knows |
| So the first international break of the season on 08:50 - Sep 4 by itfcjoe |
Think someone noted yesterday that from the last pre season game only 4 starters are still in the team, and from the Barnet game the week before it is 2.
We are still effectively in pre season, but are dropping points every week and that matters. |
Indeed. It's nothing that a good or win or 2 wouldn't be able to sort out, however I don't see where they're coming from at the minute. | |
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| So the first international break of the season on 08:59 - Sep 4 with 1700 views | Steve_M |
| So the first international break of the season on 08:50 - Sep 4 by itfcjoe |
Think someone noted yesterday that from the last pre season game only 4 starters are still in the team, and from the Barnet game the week before it is 2.
We are still effectively in pre season, but are dropping points every week and that matters. |
Did Shrewsbury have a big squad last season? I wonder if Hurst is conscious that they tailed off a bit and has used the budget to make a bigger squad here to cover for that
That's a bit like what McCarthy did in 15-16 though and it all ended up very unbalanced.
With the exception of Nolan and Nsiala most of the signings seem like players Hurst would have signed at Shrewsbury had they got promoted. Performances are more in line with a weak third promoted team so far, lots of enthusiasm, flashes of really good stuff but ultimately undone by not being good enough.
Hopefully that will change soon. |  |
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| So the first international break of the season on 09:03 - Sep 4 with 1686 views | No9 |
A lot of good points | | | |
| So the first international break of the season on 09:05 - Sep 4 with 1683 views | itfcjoe |
| So the first international break of the season on 08:59 - Sep 4 by Steve_M |
Did Shrewsbury have a big squad last season? I wonder if Hurst is conscious that they tailed off a bit and has used the budget to make a bigger squad here to cover for that
That's a bit like what McCarthy did in 15-16 though and it all ended up very unbalanced.
With the exception of Nolan and Nsiala most of the signings seem like players Hurst would have signed at Shrewsbury had they got promoted. Performances are more in line with a weak third promoted team so far, lots of enthusiasm, flashes of really good stuff but ultimately undone by not being good enough.
Hopefully that will change soon. |
That's how I feel about recruitment, Hurst has said he likes to do most of the scouting so is clearly looking at people he has worked with before and those he was targetting at Shrewsbury - Edun and Roberts have said he has been after them before.
There are positive signs, generally defensively, but we don't seem to have enough spells like the 15 minutes leading up to the goal where we were relentlessly attacking and penning them in. Hopefully we can do more of that soon.
Some of the selections are baffling though, Graham starting on Sunday didn't work (and did anyone expect it to with no games under his belt?), Donacien being dropped as a loanee and then Edun being on the bench was strange too.
Again, we go into the Hull game with no idea how we will be looking to line up and the personnel | |
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| So the first international break of the season on 09:12 - Sep 4 with 1667 views | hype313 |
| So the first international break of the season on 09:05 - Sep 4 by itfcjoe |
That's how I feel about recruitment, Hurst has said he likes to do most of the scouting so is clearly looking at people he has worked with before and those he was targetting at Shrewsbury - Edun and Roberts have said he has been after them before.
There are positive signs, generally defensively, but we don't seem to have enough spells like the 15 minutes leading up to the goal where we were relentlessly attacking and penning them in. Hopefully we can do more of that soon.
Some of the selections are baffling though, Graham starting on Sunday didn't work (and did anyone expect it to with no games under his belt?), Donacien being dropped as a loanee and then Edun being on the bench was strange too.
Again, we go into the Hull game with no idea how we will be looking to line up and the personnel |
Unfortunately Hurst doesn't know his best 11 yet, understandably so give the turnaround in players, however time isn't something you get in this league, it's brutal, you don't have the luxury of testing out varying formations in the hope you stumble across something that works.
I thought he had a clear idea when he first came in, I'm suspecting he is struggling and unless we get wins onboard it will only get worse as he desperately tries different formations, thus losing the stability so many positions require. | |
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| So the first international break of the season on 09:16 - Sep 4 with 1655 views | Swansea_Blue |
| So the first international break of the season on 13:51 - Sep 3 by Reuser_is_God |
Agree with what you say but a few points.....
'The lack of experience in the squad due to the overhaul' - something he seems to be looking at with Walters & possibly Collins.
'The playing style/pressing promised hasn't really been evident for much of the time' - the biggest of the negatives IMO, hope this will be rectified over the break.
'Upsetting the apple cart with media comments (Knudsen/Chambers in pre-season, Dozzell loan talk, post-Exeter remarks)' - Not sure he really upset the apple cart. Knudsen/Chambers comments were just your usual new manager clean slate etc cliche you get, Dozzell loan talk was curtailed due to the tests they done finding deficiencies around his knee so they decided it best to keep him here under our care & the Exeter remarks were needed IMO & got a reaction with a good performance against Villa. |
Before we appointed Hurst, didn't quite a few people familiar with his teams say that he wasn't a massive departure from Mick style-wise? A bit better, but is still a bit of a percentage-based, functional style rather than free-flowing attacking flair? This seem bit better, but I don't think we'll be seeing a massive improvement. |  |
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| So the first international break of the season on 09:18 - Sep 4 with 1649 views | Kieran_Knows |
| So the first international break of the season on 09:12 - Sep 4 by hype313 |
Unfortunately Hurst doesn't know his best 11 yet, understandably so give the turnaround in players, however time isn't something you get in this league, it's brutal, you don't have the luxury of testing out varying formations in the hope you stumble across something that works.
I thought he had a clear idea when he first came in, I'm suspecting he is struggling and unless we get wins onboard it will only get worse as he desperately tries different formations, thus losing the stability so many positions require. |
Think that's why these next 2 weeks are crucial. Don't think anyone is away on international duty (unless I've missed someone), so should be time for Hurst to find a settled 11 and hopefully drum in his ideas as to what he wants. | |
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| So the first international break of the season on 09:24 - Sep 4 with 1631 views | chicoazul |
Hurst has definitely gone after the senior players in a big way. Getting rid of some, calling out others in the press, dropping Bart. On the one hand this is admirable, on the other it could backfire in a big way. |  |
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| So the first international break of the season on 09:28 - Sep 4 with 1621 views | chicoazul |
| So the first international break of the season on 09:18 - Sep 4 by Kieran_Knows |
Think that's why these next 2 weeks are crucial. Don't think anyone is away on international duty (unless I've missed someone), so should be time for Hurst to find a settled 11 and hopefully drum in his ideas as to what he wants. |
Walters, Jonas, Bart maybe? | |
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| So the first international break of the season on 09:29 - Sep 4 with 1613 views | itfcjoe |
| So the first international break of the season on 09:18 - Sep 4 by Kieran_Knows |
Think that's why these next 2 weeks are crucial. Don't think anyone is away on international duty (unless I've missed someone), so should be time for Hurst to find a settled 11 and hopefully drum in his ideas as to what he wants. |
JoN Walters is the only one | |
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| So the first international break of the season on 09:30 - Sep 4 with 1605 views | Kieran_Knows |
| So the first international break of the season on 09:28 - Sep 4 by chicoazul |
Walters, Jonas, Bart maybe? |
I know Bart wasn't called up, and aren't the Danish players in dispute with their FA, so Knudsen isn't away either?
Think you and Joe are right on Walters, forgot he still plays for Ireland! | |
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| So the first international break of the season on 09:36 - Sep 4 with 1582 views | ITFCBlues |
| So the first international break of the season on 08:40 - Sep 4 by itfcjoe |
I seem to have more concerns than most at the moment - think Ben summed it up well on Blue Monday podcast and match review this week with regards to feeling like he could see what we were trying to achieve, but after Sunday's game and the team and style who knows now?
This is a huge 2 weeks, and we need to get some wins under our belt, or the discontent that I have heard behind the scenes will start to rear it's head even more so which isn't a good thing.
There has been too big an overhaul, and too many comments made publicly which will p155 off the senior players, which isn't wise to me.
All a bit scattergun for me currently, and not convinced by it. |
The senior pro’s have been mollycoddled for far too long now. If they can’t take criticism after abject displays then frankly they’re not mentally strong enough or good enough to be anything other than a lower mid-table plodder. |  |
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| So the first international break of the season on 10:59 - Sep 4 with 1532 views | PhilTWTD |
| So the first international break of the season on 09:30 - Sep 4 by Kieran_Knows |
I know Bart wasn't called up, and aren't the Danish players in dispute with their FA, so Knudsen isn't away either?
Think you and Joe are right on Walters, forgot he still plays for Ireland! |
And Chalobah. |  | | |
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