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Exactly what we need TLG, a dose of positivity

My theory is that Cormack wants the whole back room structure sorted; coaching, academy. Basically a whole DNA - pathway to first team, pathway for coaches to step up too. This whole "three year project" is more about Thelin leaving a legacy on the club, an imprint. That's why he has backed Thelin a hell of a lot more than Glass, Goodwin or Robson because they weren't offering that. And I think results wise, Thelin winning the cup and banking £6m+ from Europe, that was probably ahead of schedule - the club likely were aiming for that in his second or third season. It would also explain why Thelin doesn't feel the need to throw in Bilalovic and Kjartansson. I think he's quite happy to develop these guys and have the next manager enjoy the fruits of his labour. Like I said, just a theory. If he gets sacked next week, someone delete this.

My colleague found this quite amusing, let's just say I'm known for being a little more cynical in work. Kind of you to say though

The square pegs is a big problem. His system is dependant on WBs but we don’t actually have any. We have a collection of converted left and right sided midfielders or CBs into FBs. Lobban has done well but I’m not sure he is a WB. Our wide attacking players are easily defended as they always cut into traffic. We were arguably better when we had next to useless haddies like Morris as at least he would take the ball to the goal line and cut it back into areas of danger where Nisbet could do what he does. All our attacking play is into congested channels or on the edge of the box. We are toothless as a result. Very little bite or dig in midfield means we struggle to win ball, maintain any posession or build from a platform. Teams overrun us easily in that area. If we get the gaps right between middle and back we are hard to beat but utterly inept up front, if we get the gaps further up right we start to look dangerous but wide open at the back. We seem to fluctuate between these two set ups in game.

I think the January window could be the make or break of Thelin as Afc manager. It will be just as important to move the right players on as well as bring the right players in but if we do that I don't think we are that far away from a good team.

no I was just being flippant I said already I think he (genuinely) doesn't want to be here

Car crash?

TLG is my fav on here for always being glass 3/4 full

Winning the cup Buying shite players Playing in a fucking awful tournament

I'd advise him to write his resignation in English next time.

Bit in bold is where I am at the moment. I want it to work with Thelin but less and less confident it will. The recruitment over the summer definitely has not helped with players brought in not being good enough or ready for first team football but Thelin has not helped himself with stubbornly sticking to a formation, initially, then sticking with trying to play out from the back with a goal keeper who is clearly struggling with it. I am not sure giving Thelin another window will suddenly make us progress but at the same time do not want to back to square one by sacking him.

I’m still firmly in the ‘desperately want it to work but increasingly unconvinced it will’ camp. Im trying to find excuses in my head every time we come out like a drunk boxer for first half after European games, why we don’t seem to have a set 11 and endlessly tinker, don’t give players a look in then bring them on at Parkhead, can’t defend balls into our box, can’t play out from back, play Jensen in every position on the pitch and he still runs forward, stops and runs back, Karlsson cuts in and smashes a shot of the first defender, Lazetic can’t play anywhere except in the pocket of the biggest centre back……the frustrations go on. Massive 5 games coming. Will determine whether we are battling to be the best of the bottom 6 or genuinely competing for 3rd. I’m not convinced it’ll be the latter at this stage.

First half had me thinking they were not as good as ranking suggested but second half they looked much better and as you say 2nd was a really good goal.

Mitov is a goalkeeper A lot of our problems come from the fact that our manager thinks he’s Franz Beckenbauer

Mitov is one of the better shot stoppers in the league but his awareness is next to zero and he is rubbish at crosses and clearances. I would hope there is better out there but asking who I would pick from our league is limiting the choice to a local charity shop and not a good one at that.

Not that I follow English football as closely as I used to, but i wouldn't mind seeing Aston Villa win the league. I've had a bit of a soft spot for them for years. I am not sure exactly why.

I think he probably deserves at least the January transfer window, and it'll be the first with a sporting director. And if you're giving him that, then you're essentially giving him until April, unless the form becomes terrible again. I do have my doubts now. Some really poor decision making coming from Thelin; namely I don't think he's used the squad well enough this season, and I think the tactics are wrong. But I have not lost faith with him the same way I did with Goodwin and Robson. We're in December, we no longer have the European games, and there's still a lot to play for - third is still very much there, and should we be any less confident about winning the cup than we were at this stage last season? So I'm still backing him for now, but a bit pissed off with him.

Oh my god, this is one of those facts I am embarrassed not to know, but I had always assumed it was written by UB4 - not a cover of a Neil Diamond song! Well I never. The fact I hate UB40 probably helped me pay no attention to the songs actual origin.

Are we sure we’re not taking Clarkson’s issue with sitting on the bench too literal? My interpretation was “I need to be playing not sitting on the bench” rather than “I refuse to sit on the bench”. Of course, it could just be complete bollocks to begin with.