Are we currently seeing Sam Allardyce’s revenge on the board after they dared to question his methods in the summer…or is he as poor a manager as many believe? Personally I reckon it’s a bit of both!
It must be clear now even to the most pro-Allardyce supporter that the man is not going to change his ways an inch.
And the latest victim of his game-playing is poor Mauro Zarate who this afternoon was made to look a mug in the match against Malaga by being played in a role which is simply not his game.
For the Argentine to have been seen to any effect he would have needed players to link with him but neither of our wingers are assigned to do that.
Nor do we have midfielders cute enough to string through nice balls to feet – thus giving the player a chance of impressing.
Given that Allardyce knows exactly how the Carlton Cole/Kevin Nolan works – or more to the point, doesn’t work, why wasn’t Zarate played in yesterday’s game.
He may not have had the ball played to him in a preferred manner but he would certainly perhaps have had the chance of profiting from a few Cole knockdowns.
Now, however, we shall never know because as sure as God made little apples Allardyce won’t do it in the League campaign.
Sam Allardyce doesn’t really approve of skilful players. At heart he’s a stats man who looks at stamina, strength, speed levels and all the rest of it.
It is impossible to quantify skill so those possessing it in spades don’t really get a sniff in Sam’s world.
That we haven’t seen him make the slightest attempt to adapt to a new attacking style doesn’t surprise me one little bit although like most others I have spent the summer praying I had it all wrong.
There’s been no sign of attacking coach Teddy Sheringham and indeed barely a word from him anywhere since his appointment was made.
There’s nothing worse than seeing yourself become the victim of a giant con but on all available evidence since pre-season started that’s what’s happened.
I believe the owners and the fans have all been taking in by Allardyce’s apparent acceptance of the conditions placed upon him. Silly them …silly us!
I don’t believe there will be a pre-season sacking although for me, instead of spending another couple of million on a player that money would be much better used as Allardyce’s pay-off.
My view is that if things go as they appear they might he’ll be gone by the end of September.
The fans were right all along – the bloke should have been fired at the end of last season. On the strength of all we’ve seen so far we are in a bigger mess now than we were then.
Spot on – he’s ruining our Club!
BFS out now!
A very intelligent post Hugh. I was excited by our 6 new recruits, but the results in preseason have been the most dire, since I can remember. Sam is more stubborn than a mule. It would seem he wants to prove his point and will take the club down in flames if he doesn’t get the big payout he wants. I feel sorry for the fans who traveled all the way to NZ to watch us lose to 2 so called inferior sides. The owners obviously put a lot of money up to plan the tour and try to improve our world brand, but Sam had other ideas, and decided to serve up a very cold dish. His revenge was even sweeter in Germany, where we couldn’t even achieve a single shot at goal, on or off target. The man is a disgrace and should not be allowed back inside the Boleyn ground ever again. I just hope you are right that come the end of September, he will be gone. With a new manager, this season could see us gain a solid footing in the league before we move into the Olympic Stadium. I just hope the Davids think with their hearts and not as businessmen who don’t want to payoff the school bully. COYI
You are dead right, although it gives me no pleasure in saying so. I don’t like to see anyone lose their livelihood, they have families and responsibilities but Sam is a manager out of touch and living in the past with a brand of football that belongs back in his Bolton days. I don’t understand why he won’t try to embrace a different style as he is always in the “shop window”, so to speak and those who can adapt and be flexible tend to be those most in demand. I do think he had blotted his cv at West Ham over the past two seasons and we are playing far below the par of the players we have. What he did today to Zarate would have me fuming as a board member; here we have a good player who plays the No. 10 role really well ( I have seen that at first hand) and here is a manager refusing to try and get the best out of him by playing him as a lone striker up front, and one so cut off from his link up players that he might as well not have been on the pitch; criminal. He has to go and ASAP. Get identifying the new boss DS and DG because that is where we have been for almost a season now.
Very good summation of what’s happened.
This obese leopard never had any intention of changing its spots. Just using the supposed changes as a source of new excuses.
Save the 4 million on a striker and stop
The rot now.
The walrus will never change and will happily
Take us down stick 2 fingers up and walk at the
end of the season.
If Dave Moyes wants the job get him in now
before it’s too late.
Great and informative post.. I was one who advocated giving BFS the chance BUT having watched the two games in Germany I was left totally dumbfounded BY the lack of anythink being played in the oppositions halfe … I Now totally agree spend any money left to get rid of Sam, Moyes couldn’t do any worse..
Just to say again LOVE reading these messages and your articles are great Thanx again
Thanks mate
Sam has fallen on his sword. Imagine the reaction if we play like this against Spurs. Dread. They’ll cut us to pieces with sheer delight. We will never progress under him & if anything we are getting worse as Hugh Southon says. Comprehensively beaten by two A League sides, now this. Yep, correct, doesn’t auger well for the future, as it stands.
Seriously, I have never been duped by Big Sam. He fails to inspire, and certainly lacks the tactical ability to introduce a ”plan B. 4-4-2…no chance! Too busy accommodating Nolan to feel the need to play a Zarate or Morrison. It would also be a good idea to play Downing on his favoured flank and dispense with the poor defending qualities and deficient short game that Jarvis provides. Yeah, Sam generally does well with the back four but a goal down and we ain’t gonna win!
Well written and I could not agree with you more. The performances over the weekend especially the malaga game(where we were lucky to only lose by 2) was an embarrassment to the club. It in my opinion only highlights as well that in football terms the present owners haven’t got a clue really, because if they did he simply wouldn’t be in charge any more. It’s nothing to do with andy Carroll missing, it’s the system,style of play and manager that needs to change and quickly. The fact hugh, that teddy has not travelled to either New Zealand, Germany or put on one attacking session during preseason is nothing short of a joke…