What a difference 3 league games make

[mattythestokie]

Waking up on December 26th I couldn’t wait for the Birmingham game. Something like 10 games unbeaten, sold out away allocation and just an hour away.

Fast forward 3 games and walking out of Bristol City his position was untenable. Lost 2 of 3, not scoring in any. But it felt like we had lost 10 and not scoring in any.

Goes to show how fast something can change. I’m sure after the Millwall game, his position was not at all threatened. Performances were poor, but I’m sure the board were content so long as getting the points.

In the space of less than 1 week, from the 26th to the 1st, it’s all changed.

That unbeaten run really was covering up some serious problems

[elystokie]

He'd have probably got away with it if he'd kept his gob shut.

I'm not convinced he didn't want out anyway, maybe he decided to take the pay off ages ago.

[mrcoke]

It made no difference to me.

The unbeaten run only postponed the inevitable. Apart from Derby even the wins in that run were very scratchy. Time and again we lost winning positions to draw proving Rowett hadn't fixed the defence malaise. 

Sad to say the last 3 games was simply a resumption of "normal service".

[JurgenVandeurzen]

How many of the results on the "unbeaten run" felt like losses though?

We should have won at least a handful of those games, but we didn't.

The aim isn't to not lose, it's to win - surely?

[estrangedsonoffaye]

Jan 8, 2019 14:16:19 GMT JurgenVandeurzen said:

How many of the results on the "unbeaten run" felt like losses though?

We should have won at least a handful of those games, but we didn't.

The aim isn't to not lose, it's to win - surely?

The bigger problem for me was, they didn't feel like anything at all. When we lose I genuinely think it's "better" or at least easier to critique because it gives you the excuse to say "let's work on XYZ."

What we had was this weird period where were absolute shite but you couldn't really go in on it too much because we were picking up points and gradually clawing our way towards the playoffs in spite of the anonymous, turgid and crap product on offer.

[Alvechurch Assassin]

The club statement used the bare minimum of words to cover the sacking, suggesting that relations had completely broken down and we were just happy that the whole saga had come to an end. Never to be mentioned again.

[redwhite]

Not too sure how that 10 match unbeaten run got people excited. Derby was a good show of fight from our players in difficult circumstances, Villa away we were better than normal, but for the most part we were awful to watch, playing like underdogs, scraping draws against some of the worst teams I've seen.

Bolton home is the only match I can think of this season where we actually looked like we could take the piss of the opposition.

[Absolution]

I honestly thought he was starting to get somewhere. There were too many draws overall in the unbeaten run, but we were actually starting to win a few more.

The Derby win and a decent performance against a Villa team who some were predicting we'd get thrashed by, left me convinced that we were slowly getting into gear.

Then we seemed to go backwards badly from a not particulary strong position anyway. Add that to his disrespectful comments about a current player and general bating of the supporters, and I don't think he left the board with much option but to get rid.

I still think that unless the new manager sorts the defence, by which I mean we need a solid pacey centre back as a bare minimum, then there'll be no great turnaround in our fortunes.

[scfc75]

Had we won all 3, he’d obviously still be here. But it wasn’t those 3 results that got him the boot in isolation.

8 wins, a negative gd and 14th place in Jan, coupled with snidey digs at disgruntled fans got him the boot.

[metalhead]

I was happy with the unbeaten run generally but that Millwall game concerned me a little. However, most let it go, because 3 points is 3 points right? I did feel overall we were moving in the right direction. We're not a perfect team, so it's not unreasonable to drop a few points, even from winning positions.... that didn't concern me. Millwall, however, I felt we were really poor. They were awful and we didn't really finish that game off, did we? If Millwall weren't absolute shit, we'd have lost that game. So we kind of scraped a 1-0 but the performance didn't justify the win.

Anyway, after Millwall, I was optimistic but slightly unsure, it did sort of leave a weird feeling.... I travelled on Boxing Day and found the performance against Birmingham unacceptable. It was just like Millwall, except Birmingham were going for it and actually wanted it. His management that day really worried me and it's then been a hell of a downward spiral since. In just three games Rowett has publicly said things he shouldn't, acted arrogantly both on and off the pitch, pissed off the fans, pissed off the players...... and finally pissed off the board.

We should have lost to Bolton. We deservedly lost to an absolutely dreadful Bristol City...... and we probably should have lost on Saturday.

Bye Gary. Your time with our club won't be fondly remembered....

[philb]

Jan 8, 2019 14:24:14 GMT Alvechurch Assassin said:

The club statement used the bare minimum of words to cover the sacking, suggesting that relations had completely broken down and we were just happy that the whole saga had come to an end. Never to be mentioned again.

Does that mean we can forget that he ever managed our club? 🙏

[fca47]

I think it was pretty obvious after about 4 games he wasn't going to make it. There were a number of false dawns where people, who wanted to believe it, fooled themselves into thinking things were improving at last and he would turn it round.

[benjaminbiscuit]

September was the time it was obvious to anyone watching them closely Wigan was a complete disaster for me hughes losing 2-0 lead to 10 man Leicester was the signal and that Wigan game was the same he clearly didn’t have plan A or B and none of the games before hand suggested anything other wise we’ve just wasted three months bickering in the background

[thanksjon]

I left Villa Park thinking we could go on a nice run now and sneak into the top six.Mystic Meg has no worries here.

[metalhead]

Jan 8, 2019 15:40:02 GMT benjaminbiscuit said:

September was the time it was obvious to anyone watching them closely Wigan was a complete disaster for me hughes losing 2-0 lead to 10 man Leicester was the signal and that Wigan game was the same he clearly didn’t have plan A or B and none of the games before hand suggested anything other wise we’ve just wasted three months bickering in the background

You can't sack a manager after 4 games.... not really.

[Gary Hackett]

I actually thought he may have been slowly getting there a few weeks ago. If he'd have let the shackles off at that point I think we may have been in a totally different situation now. But I suppose that's what you get with a safety first manager who's too frightened to lose a game of football.

[roylandstoke]

He may have survived if he had not made unprofessional and needlessly controversial statements about his players and the club's supporters.

If you told me he was deliberately engineering an untenable position at the club I would not be surprised.

[elystokie]

Jan 8, 2019 14:59:34 GMT metalhead said:

I was happy with the unbeaten run generally but that Millwall game concerned me a little. However, most let it go, because 3 points is 3 points right? I did feel overall we were moving in the right direction. We're not a perfect team, so it's not unreasonable to drop a few points, even from winning positions.... that didn't concern me. Millwall, however, I felt we were really poor. They were awful and we didn't really finish that game off, did we? If Millwall weren't absolute shit, we'd have lost that game. So we kind of scraped a 1-0 but the performance didn't justify the win.

Anyway, after Millwall, I was optimistic but slightly unsure, it did sort of leave a weird feeling.... I travelled on Boxing Day and found the performance against Birmingham unacceptable. It was just like Millwall, except Birmingham were going for it and actually wanted it. His management that day really worried me and it's then been a hell of a downward spiral since. In just three games Rowett has publicly said things he shouldn't, acted arrogantly both on and off the pitch, pissed off the fans, pissed off the players...... and finally pissed off the board.

We should have lost to Bolton. We deservedly lost to an absolutely dreadful Bristol City...... and we probably should have lost on Saturday.

Bye Gary. Your time with our club won't be fondly remembered....

He's referred to the Millwall game more than once, or more accurately the booing that followed, and how it surprised him seeing as we won.

I was working and missed the game so I've no idea whether the booing was justified or not.

It's possible that he lost heart after that? Seems it was since then he threw his toys out of the pram big time.

[Deleted]

Jan 8, 2019 15:31:24 GMT fca47 said:

I think it was pretty obvious after about 4 games he wasn't going to make it. There were a number of false dawns where people, who wanted to believe it, fooled themselves into thinking things were improving at last and he would turn it round.

Yeah imagine wanting to believe a manager had turned it round after good results or performances.

It wasn't obvious after 4 games at all, in that unbeaten run we genuinely had improved, despite still having issues. If you didn't believe we'd improved after the Derby/Villa games especially, then it sounds more like you were the one who was a bit daft in their thinking really.

[Deleted]

The last few interviews has been clear that he does not give a shit. He’s on a good contract, so sacking him will see him financially secure and he was obviously aware. His comments stunk of a bloke who was basically saying I don’t care, boo me if you want. If they sack me they’ve got pay me. Classless rowett will be stored under the same rock as quitrell for me

[metalhead]

Jan 8, 2019 16:13:54 GMT elystokie said:

Jan 8, 2019 14:59:34 GMT metalhead said:

I was happy with the unbeaten run generally but that Millwall game concerned me a little. However, most let it go, because 3 points is 3 points right? I did feel overall we were moving in the right direction. We're not a perfect team, so it's not unreasonable to drop a few points, even from winning positions.... that didn't concern me. Millwall, however, I felt we were really poor. They were awful and we didn't really finish that game off, did we? If Millwall weren't absolute shit, we'd have lost that game. So we kind of scraped a 1-0 but the performance didn't justify the win.

Anyway, after Millwall, I was optimistic but slightly unsure, it did sort of leave a weird feeling.... I travelled on Boxing Day and found the performance against Birmingham unacceptable. It was just like Millwall, except Birmingham were going for it and actually wanted it. His management that day really worried me and it's then been a hell of a downward spiral since. In just three games Rowett has publicly said things he shouldn't, acted arrogantly both on and off the pitch, pissed off the fans, pissed off the players...... and finally pissed off the board.

We should have lost to Bolton. We deservedly lost to an absolutely dreadful Bristol City...... and we probably should have lost on Saturday.

Bye Gary. Your time with our club won't be fondly remembered....

He's referred to the Millwall game more than once, or more accurately the booing that followed, and how it surprised him seeing as we won.

I was working and missed the game so I've no idea whether the booing was justified or not.

It's possible that he lost heart after that? Seems it was since then he threw his toys out of the pram big time.

I don't boo. I never have and I never will. It's just not what I do.... so I don't know if booing is ever justified. What I will say is, it was as 'bad' a victory as you'll witness.... if that makes sense?

Millwall were so so bad. For me, they are probably one of worst teams to play us in a league match since back in the real dark days. It was like a pub team playing against a completely disinterested league one team. Our first half performance was garbage, while they had zero ambition to score ..... or even get forward. Almost nothing happened for 45 minutes, other than a few shots from outside the box. Boos at half time.

Second half, we played ever so slightly better, while they continued to sit back and eventually Bera took his header really well. At that point, we should have torn them apart, as Millwall had to do something. They couldn't sit back now. All the pressure was on them to come at us and that is when a proper cut-throat team will put 4 past them. Instead, we offered nothing for the rest of the game and in the last 10 minutes, they threw the kitchen sink at it and very nearly scored a couple of times. We ended the game hanging on for grim life and the boos rung out, despite the victory.

[benjaminbiscuit]

Jan 8, 2019 15:58:59 GMT metalhead said:

Jan 8, 2019 15:40:02 GMT benjaminbiscuit said:

September was the time it was obvious to anyone watching them closely Wigan was a complete disaster for me hughes losing 2-0 lead to 10 man Leicester was the signal and that Wigan game was the same he clearly didn’t have plan A or B and none of the games before hand suggested anything other wise we’ve just wasted three months bickering in the background

You can't sack a manager after 4 games.... not really.

Palace did an£ it saved them said at the times he’s our De Boer appointment despite good intent a catastrophic error and the sooner you recognise it , as Nixon or Percy said job was too big for him from day 1