Rousseau

Money, if well invested affords opportunity to a manager/coach.

 

Guardiola has used in such a way to create a footballing team, Mourinho has used it to create a big, solid unit with some speed.

IMO Guardiola would have to make several important changes to the MU squad to be successful.

 

What yesterday showed us is that Man Utd don't have an earthly wrt Champions League ambitions.

 

It also showed why Man City are so far ahead in the League and are the first English side for years that are at a level where they can be considered as real contenders for the CL.

Of course it affords opportunity, but the philosophy was the difference.

It's Mourinho's philosophy that is the problem, not the players. Mourinho is reactive, and if he played City at their own game they'd get annihilated.

If Utd and City swapped managers, Utd would win.

Again, money is not everything.

Money is not everything. If you put Guardiola in charge of that Man Utd squad, they'd have won yesterday like City did. It's the philosophy that makes it. We've got a first-hand example of what a philosophy can do to a squad with them.

Money helps, but it's not guaranteed. Man Utd have spent more than anyone over the last few years, apart from perhaps PSG, but neither have really over-achieved. PSG have won leagues, but they lost last year, and have been nowhere in the CL.

Guardiola is an exceptional manager. He will improve teams, and players, simply because he tells them what to do, what position to take up -- probably why Stirling looks better is because Guardiola is doing the thinking for him! There's an interesting story about Henry: where he scored for Barca one game, but Guardiola was upset because to do so he had moved out of position -- he may have scored but it effects the performance of all the other players, and it is always a team game with Guardiola.

Read anything about Juego de Posición and you will be fascinated -- if you like that kind of thing...

Pass marks is 3 points and over the line, much needed. Have to admit to falling asleep during this and other games but woke up at the winner (Im getting old and I am 8 hours ahead). But as I posted earlier we could be entering a title race from nowhere and I cant believe I am hoping Lennon pulls off a win tomorrow.

Very few get pass marks for me. McCrorie was alright, I suppose.

The switch to 4-2-3-1 (maybe 4-4-1-1) was beneficial, but we still struggled. Candeias and Tavernier were better 2nd half, and having Morelos up top made the difference -- I'm pleased he's back on the score-sheet.

Trying to defend Windass after that performance like...

Caught out by one silly attack, where John gets caught out, Holt doesn't cover, Wilson doesn't take him down and Alves/McCrorie don't mark the man.

We've been so poor and lethargic; there's no energy in the game. It's like we're waiting for things to happen rather than making them happen.

Miller has been useless, loosing control of the ball when in some of the few good positions to create something. We can't get Pena and Windass in the game.

Candeias is poor too -- he's not dovetailing with Holt like Jack does in the middle, which is perhaps not a surprise as he is a RM.

We need to see Morelos on for Miller and someone else for Candeias.

Wright is better dressed.

Touche.

Compare Aberdeen and St Johnstone's wage bills and then have another look.

Is that you moving the goalposts?

So you think Wright has done better with the relative wage bill?

St Johnstone have a third of the wage bill Aberdeen have. But Aberdeen have about a third the wage bill we have. Wright is beating teams, in terms of finishing position, that have pretty much the same wage bill (only Hearts have a significantly bigger wage bill, of around double), whereas DM is beating a team (Us), in terms of finishing position, with a third of the wage bill -- and he actually got close to Celtic on a couple of occasions with a vastly inferior wage bill. I don't think it's that conclusive. You can argue they've both done very well with their budgets, but I'd struggle to state that Wright has done better.

What's your next "fact"?

When you have Xavi, Iniesta and Messi in their pomp (all through the youth system *)......it must have made a managers life so much easier.

 

* the three Barca players with most all-time appearences for the club (more than 2,000 matches between them).

 

What made the Guardiola system (at Barca) so effective and difficult to defend against was the cutting edge that was and is Messi, often supplied by the other two aforementioned.

It certainly helps to have those players, but the tactical nous and playing philosophy elevated them, like it's elevating Man City now.

Wright has a better record against Celtc than McInnes.

What is his record against Celtic?

 

I think McInnes is rubbish, but he is still better than Tommy Wright.

Actually, I just had a quick look, and DM has 4 wins against Celtic in the last 4-5 years (12 pts), whereas Tommy Wright has 2 wins and 3 draws (9 pts) over the same period.

So, if I'm right... Wright does not have a better record against Celtic. Is that him ruled out now?

Wright has a better record against Celtc than McInnes.

What is his record against Celtic?

I think McInnes is rubbish, but he is still better than Tommy Wright.

I don't think we need three at the back at home, against Ross County. It is always an option, though, with McCrorie at DM, just dropping back.

We can't have an ex-Tim player, manager or a Tim fan managing Rangers. No chance. I can't believe any Rangers supporter would stand for it.

 

Proud'homme or Tommy Wright for this Bear.

I can't believe any Rangers supporter would want Tommy Wright...

The talk is about Jose trying to stop Man City, imagine Fergie doing that, he would be going after them full pelt.

 

Shocking if its off due to weather, 170k a week and cant play in a chill.

I kind of agree... partly. Fergie would've been more adventurous, but he was always difficult to beat in the big games -- it was, like Mourinho, about not losing first. He always played defensive-type players in big games, like Park.

However, I'm not sure a Fergie side could play that way against a Guardiola side -- Guardiola bested him several times in the CL, two finals if I recall correctly.

What about the side that Fergie played to beat Arsenal? It had 8 defenders, including Brown, Rafael, Vidic, Fabio, Smalling, Evra and O'shea!? (It even had Gibson!)

I'm not sure Candeias is a straight swap for Jack? I think he'd need to play at the tip of the diamond, but I wouldn't drop Pena.

It needs to be a more supporting player -- can Barjonas play there? I'm actually struggling to think of anyone else, which says a lot about our squad depth!

Where's the disagree button. You don't ask permission to speak to a candidate after 6 weeks deliberation unless you have decided he is the preferred candidate.

Disagree! (We do need a disagree button... perhaps something for the upgrade?)

Surely there are several options we approach to talk?

I still say it would have been foolish of the board to only interview one candidate.

I would have expected 2 or 3 to be taken to interview stage, and going by Kings words these would most likely be in a job.

We are only hearing about DM coz that is all the Scottish Media have been focusing on.

And Aberdeen are the only Club to release that fact. Nothing untoward there...

I think we're kidding ourselves on if we don't think back channels are used before payers and staff are approached.

 

After six weeks I don't think I'm being unkind by offering strong criticism.

We'd just be accused of tapping up!

The timescale is annoying, but I'm content if it's part of a process.

IMO, you don't offer the job to someone unless you know they want it. McInnes may be a bottler but we should have found that out before waiting six weeks to make a public fool of ourselves.

 

Only excuse here for the board is if he reneged on a private agreement to join us.

How would we know unless we approach them, and we can't do that unless we approach the Club first? Surely we approach several options, then talk to them to arrive at the best candidate. We didn't even talk to DM, and it wasn't even Rangers that released that information.

I think I've got a case of Cognitive Dissonance: I'm a wee bit gutted that we've not appointed DM, as it looked like he was an option -- although, actually there is nothing to say he was our only option, as someone (Darthter, maybe?) posted a few days ago --, but also relieved as I don't think he's any good!

Are you sure it was your hands that stung ?

I'm underwhelmed by his appointment but he would get my full support.

 

If we have an ex Ger coming in I would hope it is Kevin Thomson, but I doubt it would be as I think KT said at the weekend that McInnes wouldn't be his choice (I know for sure McInnes wouldn't be his choice).

You re-enforce my point.

 

He hasn't been in the top 5% and hence in this case the conclusion that stats produce is erroneous.

 

ie. whoever puts the data/system together may want to review how it's designed

He has, according to those stats. Actually, it says 'near elite', so I assume that means not in the top 5% but close to it.

The only conclusions drawn are from yourself. It merely presents data.

I used the quote with what was said on this thread about Windass and elite level output stats, in mind.

 

Windass isn't elite level, period....or in other words, the stats produce a conclusion that not even his mother could agree to.

Elite level as in the stats used in that radar put him in the top 5% in the league. It's not saying he'd walk into Barcelona's team!