John Carver taking over as caretaker manager at the beginning of the year is not unlike when Glenn Roeder took over from Graeme Souness after the former Liverpool great was fired in early February of 2006.
John Carver – far too cautious and defensive
John Carver in his first seven games has done nowhere near as well as Glenn did, and in Roeder’s first seven games in charge, he had five wins and only one defeat – at Old Trafford.
In John Carver’s first seven games in charge we have one win and three defeats, and in the three draws we were ahead in each one of those games.
And in the last two games when we have gone ahead, Carver has hardly shown he is a positive manager willing to make the necessary moves to win the game.
John has simply tried to hang onto the lead, and when you try to do that you basically allow the opposition to attack you – and as we have seen they tend to equalize in those circumstances – and so we have essentially lost four points over the last two games.
John puts it in a positive light by saying we have been unbeaten in the last three games, but that means little, and points and wins are all that really matter, and in six games we have a measly six points with one solitary win against a struggling Hull City.
In the Chronicle today, former Newcastle midfield star Rob Lee has made that point:
“John Carver put on two defensive minded players for two attackers at Crystal Palace to make sure we got a point.” “That’s what everyone does.”
“We should be different. What does he have to lose? Go for the win. If it doesn’t work out then so what. We might finish eleventh and not tenth. Big deal. At least we tried.”
“Carver wants the job and I wish him luck. However, surely it would be better if the supporters can see that he is sending out his team to play in the way that crowd expect their team to be.”
John is a long shot for the head coach job to start with – so playing cautious football like he’s been doing and then complimenting himself after the games just doesn’t work.
After facing criticism for making too many defensive moves at Selhurst Park, John said he was in fact brave to start two strikers in the game.
John needs to show by his actions and not his words that he can be a brave and courageous coach who is willing to take chances when a win is possible.
Actions always speak louder than words, and self praise is no recommendation.
John talks a good game – but he doesn’t always coach a good game – at least not from what we’ve seen so far.
He’s got 13 games left to change all that.
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159 comments so far
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:16 PM
Comment #81Yes I would Stewie. I find our owner to be one of the most odious of people. Completely lacking in any of the positive human qualities. Greedy, ruthless, self involved. I feel that rounds it out nicely.
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:17 PM
Comment #82Followed by Mr. Burns, followed by Moe Szyslak Jeff.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:20 PM
Comment #83@geordietwo
He might be even MORE injury prone than Saylor !!!
carl
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:21 PM
Comment #84clinath
Remember ” he who pays the piper calls the tune”. Our former owner’s will be remembered for Keegan/Shearer and The Entertainers. We were every neutrals second team.
Jeff from Benwell
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:21 PM
Comment #85GeordieTwo
Made me chuckle
Lindisfarne
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:21 PM
Comment #86Mister Tuff is the poster Ian Toon ?
clinath@ed
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:22 PM
Comment #87Thanks for the response Carl. A simple don’t know would have done.
clinath@ed
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:23 PM
Comment #88?
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:27 PM
Comment #89!
sing in the corner
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:30 PM
Comment #90Jack Colback has been drawing quite a bit of fire lately. I think it’s unjustified. Defensive Mid players get the stick when the so called creative players are going missing and aren’t doing their job. Cabella and Sammy are promising but they both lose the ball a lot and the holding guy or guys get exposed. Colback does win the ball back enough when we play as a unit, his work rate is immense, passing better than many and when Sissoko hit a purple patch he looked good. For me Colback is in the Essien / Mascherano mould. He’s a future captain, just needs to develop and with experience he’ll grow in confidence to be a leader. Talks sense already when interviewed..
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:30 PM
Comment #91I always wear the thong of doubt when it comes to Ashley. Will he maintain his present course? Will he get worse? Has he got a brain tumour? He acts as if there is already a honey badger in his underpants. Could it get worse?
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:32 PM
Comment #92Good comment sing in the corner @90. I think he is a decent player who gets a bad rap more often than not.
Jeff from Benwell
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:32 PM
Comment #93Carl
Be careful
Mr Tuff – the blogs answer to Phil Dowd is on your case.
welshgeordie9
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:36 PM
Comment #94i think jail, mrs tuff and average is actually the same person,
Jeff from Benwell
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:37 PM
Comment #95sing in the corner
Colback is good and has a head piece on him
Sissoko is good but a bit on the thick side
The CP midfield cleverly tried to shuffle ours to the wings – Wee Jackie sussed it and resisted Sissoko let himself be pushed around
Credit to Pardew
welshgeordie9
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:38 PM
Comment #96People use to say that i use multiple accounts which is load of bs.
welshgeordie9
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:39 PM
Comment #97Used
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:40 PM
Comment #98When was the last time we had a positive goal difference at the end of a season? I’m too lazy to look it up but surely it must have been the season we finished fifth? In that case leaving out the Championship season for obvious reasons have we only had one positive goal difference season in the Prem during the Ashley era?
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:41 PM
Comment #99No, you just have multiple personalities welshie.
toon kk
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:41 PM
Comment #100Looking at the next nine games, we’ll be lucky to get six points at the very best, going off our current form. Mash is gambling on other clubs poor form to keep us up.
carl
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:41 PM
Comment #101Jeff
I didn’t expect the red carpet! He’s taken a terrible pounding
from tequila and he’s plain knackered.
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:45 PM
Comment #102There’s grumpy welshie, snarky welshie, sleepy welshie, dopy welshie, sneezy welshie etc etc.
Jeff from Benwell
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:46 PM
Comment #103Carl
I used to have plain knackers but now they are a bit mottled – whoops sorry wrong blog
Jeff from Benwell
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:48 PM
Comment #104GeordieTwo
Wtf is snarky ?
A Canadian thing ?
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:48 PM
Comment #105Can we please just stick to footy lads? Not thongs, welshies, pipers, etc etc? Harrumph.
toon kk
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:50 PM
Comment #106Carful girls it’s a football blog.
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:50 PM
Comment #107Snarky is a combination of snappy and quirky Jeff. It’s a well known welsh term.
Jeff from Benwell
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:51 PM
Comment #108oh ok
welshgeordie9
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:53 PM
Comment #109GeordieTwo
You spend more time talking about thongs and honey badgers than you do about football.
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:54 PM
Comment #110That’s very cruel to say welshie. You’ve cut me deep. I await your choice of weapons sir. Salad tongs or oven mitts?
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:55 PM
Comment #111Nobody had answered my statto question about goal differences either. Harrumph.
optimistic prime
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:56 PM
Comment #112Jack Pass Back
Does exactly what it says on the tin, if you can’t find space he’ll make some for you by pressing when he shouldn’t with the added bonus of 5 free kicks a game.
Available for free from crap clubs in the North East.
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:56 PM
Comment #113What about a carful of girls toon kk mate? You want to throw welshie in there?
Jeff from Benwell
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:57 PM
Comment #114FFS welshie look at this !!!!
http://media.inktastic.com/thumbnail/124/538/14/14538124.1.png
Jeff from Benwell
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:58 PM
Comment #115It’s a honey badger thong!!!
They do exist !!!!!
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 8:00 PM
Comment #116How did you get that picture of welshie’s best thong Jeff? There are privacy issues involved here.
welshgeordie9
Feb 13, 2015 at 8:02 PM
Comment #117Jeff
Thanks for that, i just spat my hot tea everywhere.
Ha ha ha
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 8:02 PM
Comment #118That’s cruel on Jack optimate. He has scored a few for us (more than several of our strikers in fact). And he’s a Geordie. I can’t think of any other positives right now but give me time.
GeordieTwo
Feb 13, 2015 at 8:03 PM
Comment #119Ok that goal difference question was a tough one. How about this. Who has the best left foot in the club?
toon kk
Feb 13, 2015 at 8:05 PM
Comment #120G2
Thats what I was thinking along with one or two others. !!!!!!! HA!!!!!!!
I think all this negativity at our club has taken its toll !!!!!! Harrumph