Ollie did well today

[Tarbie]

In hindsight yeah it's paid off. Every single one of us want Ollie to do well, if you don't then you ain't no fan of the club.

But, yesterday before the match was when i switched from pragmatic moderate to i think it's time to go mate, selecting Smyth was a gamble, which paid off and i'm 100% willing to say i was wrong. After the match, i'm happy to return to moderate. However, if this little fella is so good, where has he been? why hasn't he been on the bench? Unfortunately it's either he threw the dice and got lucky, or was being pig headed and didn't see what was right before his eyes? Has he been injured? Don't know.

I like that Ollie plays youth, but he will kill the career of players going forward if he plays them randomly and without a plan, in a flailing team. So, line drawn, win under the belt. Our striker problems are not solved by a 20 year old having a good game and getting a deflected shot in. Proving how fragile that hope is the lad went off injured. Take us through Jan with a couple of signings and a couple gone, make sure we keep our golden players (ie Smithies), and get this young lads a plan to filter into the first team.

Lets not have another Manning where he's all of a sudden the next Beckham and now can't get off the bench. We know we aren't getting promoted, all we want is some form of a plan, some good football and afew wins. Push onto next year.

I for one would be delighted to support Ollie for the next decade if he provides the club and fans what he and the squad is capable of.

You know I'm with you on this mate. Said the same thing to Pinkie on the match thread.

Andy Sinton mentioned on the commentary that Smyth had been in the managers ear for weeks asking for a game. Ollie also talked in the post match interview about fans criticising his selection of certain players on social media. Putting 2 and 2 together, I'm guessing he decided to take a roll of the dice, and I'm guessing he did that cos he knows he's only another bad result or 2 away from being binned.

I will add that I can understand why he might have thought Smyth wasn't ready. The lad has just turned 20, but he has the physique of a teenager. Lots of physicality in this league, I was concerned he was gonna get bullied when I saw him walk out. But he handled himself very well.

Point taken on Manning. But central midfield is a very different position. The role that Smyth or Osayi-Samuel play is on the wing or off a central striker. In that position having pace and a willingness to run at defenders takes you a very long way. Central midfield is a much more difficult position. I think we were all guilty of thinking we'd found a star in Manning, when actually all we had was a young lad who was playing out of his skin having been giving a chance. He might still make a good player but I suspect he needs a season on loan in League 1 first.

Like you, I'd really like to see young players slowly integrated into the first team, with sub appearances and perhaps starts in the cup. I don't like seeing them just thrust in out if nowhere. I'd also question why it's taken til December for us to see any one of Smyth, Oteh and BOS as all 3 look very promising. Made even worse by the fact we've had to watch Washington and Mackie run around like headless chickens all season.

Let's hope the penny has dropped this weekend. Either way I really hope Ollie isn't here at the start of next season. I'm even more certain after this weekend that we are in a false league position. These players should be much, much higher up the division.

[topperharley]

Yeah look i can see what you mean about not getting picked due to physicality, just makes it even more of a gamble. young fellas career innit.

Agree on Manning i think our midfield has been good, but not excellent, they guy should be on the pitch more or it's going to wither his confidence if it hasn't already.

But Ollie fessed up to it and i think we're all in agreement it was a gamble that's worked. Hopefully we can move forward with a bit more positivity. I'm convinced the midfield will improve when the front 1 or two does, have a zippy young chap up there and a lump to work off gives Freemans and Luongos and Scowens options.

[Stanley]

Tarbs you took words out my mouth. I watched interview and thought that’s spot on, spoke calmly, honestly and actually made sense. Why can’t he be like that all the time as if he was I would get off his back and cut him some slack

Another slapped wrist possibly, following the latest social media furore...

[shaggy24]

Im talking about his behaviour pinks as manager. How he portrayed himself yesterday is how he should be all the time

This will sound harsh but dont have an awful lot of sympathy if players are letting him down as he’s the one who continually picked them. If you want pick Mackie week in week out when you know what outcome/performance will be then expect pelters and criticism

Give me what he did yesterday and I would defend him

took the words out my mouth, behave like a knobhead you should expect the same back and that applies to anybody imo, yep he but his balls on the line re smyth and for that i applaud him.

[Tarbie]

Yeah look i can see what you mean about not getting picked due to physicality, just makes it even more of a gamble. young fellas career innit.

Agree on Manning i think our midfield has been good, but not excellent, they guy should be on the pitch more or it's going to wither his confidence if it hasn't already.

But Ollie fessed up to it and i think we're all in agreement it was a gamble that's worked. Hopefully we can move forward with a bit more positivity. I'm convinced the midfield will improve when the front 1 or two does, have a zippy young chap up there and a lump to work off gives Freemans and Luongos and Scowens options.

I genuinely don't think Manning is good enough mate. Aside from his first 3 or 4 games where he was playing out of his socks, he's never looked good enough. And all that paper talk of Bournemouth and other Premiership sides sniffing around, I'm sure that was his agent leaking nonsense to the press to improve his bargaining position with a new deal.

Ship the lad out on loan as far I'm concerned. We'll see if he's any good if he can't make an impression at a club like Swindon or Barnsley.

[FurtiveFox]

Difficult one really. Ollie should have been sacked before now and his comments made it pretty clear yesterday was likely last chance saloon. His side was dictated by social media criticism of his selections and by frankly having run out of ideas. That said it worked which to me means he now has an opportunity to show us that whatever the reasons behind it all he has learned from it and can give us some consistency. Personally would see what he can do over next couple of games to follow up on Cardiff.

Agree with those questioning where Smyth has been up to now. Particularly as he has been pushing for a game. Is daft has not even been on bench given form of Gump twins etc. All in past now. Hopefully Smyth and others can be eased in.

Good performance and result. Makes a nice change.

[West Acton]

I genuinely don't think Manning is good enough mate. Aside from his first 3 or 4 games where he was playing out of his socks, he's never looked good enough. And all that paper talk of Bournemouth and other Premiership sides sniffing around, I'm sure that was his agent leaking nonsense to the press to improve his bargaining position with a new deal.

Ship the lad out on loan as far I'm concerned. We'll see if he's any good if he can't make an impression at a club like Swindon or Barnsley.

Me and you got stop agreeing. I’ve not been impressed at all. Other then engine don’t think he adds anything not already in squad

[Tarbie]

Me and you got stop agreeing. I’ve not been impressed at all. Other then engine don’t think he adds anything not already in squad

I think we both called it at the time as well mate. Let's hope this current crop of youngsters coming through don't go the same way.

I will add that I'm not digging Manning out, he's tried his hardest. Tough job as well being right in the middle of things as a kid in a physical league like the Championship. As I say, I'd send him out somewhere where the standard is a little lower and let him find his feet for a year. He'll come back a better player I'm sure.

[topperharley]

Hmmm, interesting one. I quite liked him. Not a worldie but certainly ok enough to warrant some game time. Though i agree he's down the pecking order to the current lads. Seemed to go off the boil as we did. Not they type of player to bring something special to a struggling team but equally good squad player. Just think he's been shifted off the pitch never to return.

He's certainly not a sack of shite like some of the players we've had through recently.

[Tarbie]

Hmmm, interesting one. I quite liked him. Not a worldie but certainly ok enough to warrant some game time. Though i agree he's down the pecking order to the current lads. Seemed to go off the boil as we did. Not they type of player to bring something special to a struggling team but equally good squad player. Just think he's been shifted off the pitch never to return.

He's certainly not a sack of shite like some of the players we've had through recently.

He works hard mate, but I feel lacks that bit of quality required for centre mid at this level, and also really didn't work that well with Luongo as a pairing in the middle. I'd have Mas, Scowen, Cousins and Freeman all above him for the central midfield berths. I suspect Ollie will look to give Chair some game time in there too, and he seems to offer a lot more offensively than Manning. Then we have fringe players like Borysiuk (is he still here?) and Goss (who also probably needs a loan).

All things considered, especially given that we gave Manning a new contract last year, I'd say we really do need to send him out on loan to add his development a bit. He ain't learning much warming the bench every weekend.

[Kevin Mcleod]

When we play and win like that, is the main reason i and some others on here think this squad is much better than its position in the table and the reason we are were we are is cos of ollies mad decisions/formatiins/teams at times.

[Hitman34]

When we play and win like that, is the main reason i and some others on here think this squad is much better than its position in the table and the reason we are were we are is cos of ollies mad decisions/formatiins/teams at times.

this.

[brightonr]

I suspect it's pretty evident that I've not been a fan of Holloway since his return. For me, yesterday highlighted exactly why.

I can understand how those like Pinkie defend him on the basis that some of the players have been letting him down and to a certain extent, they have. However, the manager's job is to make the big decisions and hopefully the right ones. To persist with picking players who aren't doing the business was madness. Yesterday proved it. He himself admitted that picking Smyth was a big gamble. But why was it? The lad is clearly more than capable and just because some of the so called senior pros can't peform when it matters, it doesn't mean others can't.

Saw a stat earlier that showed Matt Smith has scored more goals with his head in 2017 than any other Championship player. Just imagine what he could achieve given proper service from the wings. This wing back nonsense is simply too negative an approach. It restricts our attacking options way too much and needs to be ditched immediately imo.

When Smyth had to come off yesterday, I was fully expecting to see either Washington or Sylla appear for yet another lacklustre performance. Was astonished he put young Oteh on and my goodness, how he was rewarded. That sort of intelligent movement, both on and off the ball, coupled with pace and proper desire was a joy to watch.

I know this approach won't please everybody, but for me personally, I'd far prefer to see us properly take games to other teams like we did yesterday from the off. Sure, there will be times when it might not work out too well if we catch the opposition on a good day. But I'd rather get beaten trying to entertain than lose anyway with the embarrassingly inept performances we have come to expect.

I think yesterday proved beyond any doubt that those saying we haven't the players, or they are not up to this level were wrong. From what I've seen of this division, the players we have, particularly if utilised correctly are easily good enough for a top half finish. Easily. Too late now for a realistic push for a play off spot, but nobody will be able to convince me that it wasn't a possibility if the manager had been willing to have a proper go this season as opposed to going into games simply hoping not to lose.

So, here's hoping that FINALLY, Holloway has realised that positive, attacking football with young pacy players is not only far more likely to produce better results, but also offers better entertainment for those that pay their hard earned money to watch us. If he has, by which I mean continuing for the rest of the season, not just a game or two, then he may well just win back some of the fans. Just ditch the boring stuff Ian, leave that for the rest of the division to suffer.

[FurtiveFox]

I suspect it's pretty evident that I've not been a fan of Holloway since his return. For me, yesterday highlighted exactly why.

I can understand how those like Pinkie defend him on the basis that some of the players have been letting him down and to a certain extent, they have. However, the manager's job is to make the big decisions and hopefully the right ones. To persist with picking players who aren't doing the business was madness. Yesterday proved it. He himself admitted that picking Smyth was a big gamble. But why was it? The lad is clearly more than capable and just because some of the so called senior pros can't peform when it matters, it doesn't mean others can't.

Saw a stat earlier that showed Matt Smith has scored more goals with his head in 2017 than any other Championship player. Just imagine what he could achieve given proper service from the wings. This wing back nonsense is simply too negative an approach. It restricts our attacking options way too much and needs to be ditched immediately imo.

When Smyth had to come off yesterday, I was fully expecting to see either Washington or Sylla appear for yet another lacklustre performance. Was astonished he put young Oteh on and my goodness, how he was rewarded. That sort of intelligent movement, both on and off the ball, coupled with pace and proper desire was a joy to watch.

I know this approach won't please everybody, but for me personally, I'd far prefer to see us properly take games to other teams like we did yesterday from the off. Sure, there will be times when it might not work out too well if we catch the opposition on a good day. But I'd rather get beaten trying to entertain than lose anyway with the embarrassingly inept performances we have come to expect.

I think yesterday proved beyond any doubt that those saying we haven't the players, or they are not up to this level were wrong. From what I've seen of this division, the players we have, particularly if utilised correctly are easily good enough for a top half finish. Easily. Too late now for a realistic push for a play off spot, but nobody will be able to convince me that it wasn't a possibility if the manager had been willing to have a proper go this season as opposed to going into games simply hoping not to lose.

So, here's hoping that FINALLY, Holloway has realised that positive, attacking football with young pacy players is not only far more likely to produce better results, but also offers better entertainment for those that pay their hard earned money to watch us. If he has, by which I mean continuing for the rest of the season, not just a game or two, then he may well just win back some of the fans. Just ditch the boring stuff Ian, leave that for the rest of the division to suffer.

Agree with most of that but prior to yesterday Ollie had us heading into a relegation scrap. Giving him rest of season is high risk based on one performance. For me personally he has to show very quickly it was no fluke.

[Tarbie]

Agree with most of that but prior to yesterday Ollie had us heading into a relegation scrap. Giving him rest of season is high risk based on one performance. For me personally he has to show very quickly it was no fluke.

Needs to get something away at Burton for me, otherwise yesterday means next to nothing!