We are such a better team

[Will M]

First up, I never compared Colin to Hughes, so any mention of him is irrelevant to what I actually wrote. I didn't even mention him.
Secondly, re Zamora. I think he's totally inconsistent and puts in a shift if its going day. Why don't we monitor his progress and see how things work out? One swallow does not make a summer.

Re Hughes. So when you say give him a season, a literal interpretation of that is that if things go wrong you'd see us go down with him. Fair enough but I happen to differ. As it happens I suspect that at some point we'll struggle up a few places playing the mediocre football that has characterised his career - excepting when he up front himself, a much better player than manager imo.

Even if we make it to mid table safety, it'll be utilitarian safety. Mind you that would be a massive improvement on chaos. Oh, Q block and re the 0-5 - I think he did say something last season about making sure such a humuliation would never happen again under his leadership at our club. But I might be wrong about the exact circumstances of the humiliation which caused him to make that statement.

Mate, you haven't in this post but since this isn't your only time bashing Hughes you have said on several occasions why should we give Hughes longer than Warnock got. Do you deny this? It was kind of a pre-emptive play on my part.

Yes, let's indeed monitor Zamora. It seems you are willing to give him a chance, but not Hughes. Why is that?

This will be his first full season in charge, so yes only fair to judge him at the end of it wouldn't you say? I'm not sure what your stance is, it seems to have wavered a little. We are going to finish safe, but because it's going to be boring football.. what exactly? He should be sacked for being an average manager? Don't think he has the potential to learn and grow as? Seems he is experimenting with his style, and you are knocking him for it to be perfectly honest.

[hal9thou]

Yes, let's indeed monitor Zamora. It seems you are willing to give him a chance, but not Hughes. Why is that?

Because Hughes has the greater degree of responsibility for the club.

I never once said that relegation under Hughes was a certainty. I have repeatedly said that I'm not convinced by him as a manager and have given examples as to why that might be. I actually don't think he's experimenting with his style enough, its always going to be one or the other with him and that makes us predictable. As to the football played, well he has form. We can all see how Hughes has set up his sides over the years. This guy has been around, therefore growth potential may be limited.....

I'd love to think he is about to blossom into a tactical genius, with a happy and committed squad of players who will produce imaginative, attacking football. Try as I might, I just can't see that happening. What worries me is that we may well fall such a long way short of that ideal that we'll be back in the scrap all over again, despite money spent. If I'm wrong, I will happily buy beers for all who disagreed with me.

[CheshireHoopJunior]

I thought Granero played brilliantly despite only joining two days before the City game, I think he'll be even better once he trains properly with the side and they all know each other more.

[sirduncs]

still too early to be calling for hughes' scalp and we have a team that will need some weeks to gel yet. that's why an encouraging performance overall by our boys at city was great to see, despite the fact that we lost (as predicted) against the champions.

i like what is being built at our club, we have new people in the backroom staff, the scouting setup, the management of the club...and a sackful of exciting and quality new players. things will take time. i don't know why people are so impatient right now...we are premier league for another season after what was it 16 years out of the PL, why are some people expecting us to be hitting silverware and top 10 finishes after our track record over the past 16 or so years?

i can live with getting tonked every now and then 5-0 if that is part of the growing pains. onwards and upwards...

[coneysboots]

still too early to be calling for hughes' scalp and we have a team that will need some weeks to gel yet. that's why an encouraging performance overall by our boys at city was great to see, despite the fact that we lost (as predicted) against the champions.

i like what is being built at our club, we have new people in the backroom staff, the scouting setup, the management of the club...and a sackful of exciting and quality new players. things will take time. i don't know why people are so impatient right now...we are premier league for another season after what was it 16 years out of the PL, why are some people expecting us to be hitting silverware and top 10 finishes after our track record over the past 16 or so years?

i can live with getting tonked every now and then 5-0 if that is part of the growing pains. onwards and upwards...

This. Spot on.

[Will M]

Because Hughes has the greater degree of responsibility for the club.

I never once said that relegation under Hughes was a certainty. I have repeatedly said that I'm not convinced by him as a manager and have given examples as to why that might be. I actually don't think he's experimenting with his style enough, its always going to be one or the other with him and that makes us predictable. As to the football played, well he has form. We can all see how Hughes has set up his sides over the years. This guy has been around, therefore growth potential may be limited.....

I'd love to think he is about to blossom into a tactical genius, with a happy and committed squad of players who will produce imaginative, attacking football. Try as I might, I just can't see that happening. What worries me is that we may well fall such a long way short of that ideal that we'll be back in the scrap all over again, despite money spent. If I'm wrong, I will happily buy beers for all who disagreed with me.

He has form, but remember that form includes top 10 finishes for his clubs. I'm still unclear on your position though, not trying to dig you out but it seems you want him gone? But if you think it likely he'll keep us up then why do you think we need a knee jerk reaction? I'm certainly not blind to Hughes' limitations, but he's a manager who has the potential to take us to the next level. Do I think he will be a long term manager for us? I'm not sure. But I'm willing to give him the chance.

I think in the past, you could say Hughes had a dirty side, at least that's the general impression. But to me, he seems to be wanting to play more football and we have played some nice stuff in patches. So I think that given time, we'll get to see some more expansive play.

You could well be right, but do you really need to post so frequently against him? He is our manager, and whilst constructive criticism is good constant criticism is just negative and not helpful.

[Fraggy]

The fact that we are on level points with Liverpool & Swansea are in a CL posistion would suggest that there is no need for a panic right now. :pleasantsuprise:

[stanistheman]

Good to see such a positive thread.

The 2012-13 squad is so much stronger than 2011-12. In alpha order not importance. young fringe not included.

Cesar,Green/Bosingwa,Fabio,Ferdinand,Mbia,Nelsen,Onuoha,Traore/Derry,Diakite,Faurlin, Granero,Park/Ephraim, Dyer,Hoilett,Mackie,Taarabt,SWP/Campbell,Cisse,Hulse,Johnson, Zamora,

Can't be bothered to look up the squad after last season's August window closed, but this one is better in all areas; GK, FB, CH, CM, WM & F

[loft54]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok0kS_R1wWg&feature=player_detailpage

[RblockTourist]

He has form, but remember that form includes top 10 finishes for his clubs. I'm still unclear on your position though, not trying to dig you out but it seems you want him gone? But if you think it likely he'll keep us up then why do you think we need a knee jerk reaction? I'm certainly not blind to Hughes' limitations, but he's a manager who has the potential to take us to the next level. Do I think he will be a long term manager for us? I'm not sure. But I'm willing to give him the chance.

I think in the past, you could say Hughes had a dirty side, at least that's the general impression. But to me, he seems to be wanting to play more football and we have played some nice stuff in patches. So I think that given time, we'll get to see some more expansive play.

You could well be right, but do you really need to post so frequently against him? He is our manager, and whilst constructive criticism is good constant criticism is just negative and not helpful.

Though we might not achieve Barca/Arsenal style success i think Hughes will try to implement a good attacking style football, look at the players we have signed/ retained at the club- Tarrabt, Hoilett, Ephraim, Faurlin, Granero, Park all good passers who generally want to keep it on the deck and play good poistive football.

And on Hughes, i'm in agreeance with you, we cannot panic, yeh so what if we take the odd drubbing, his record is quality, take Man City aside, with Fulham and Blackburn- i think in all his seasons with both of those clubs he finished once outside the top 10? and that was when he took over a struggling ailing Blackburn side destined for relegation, turned them around kept them up and then pushed on... Exactly what he has done so far with us and hopefully what he will do with us!

[Busheyboy]

when Hughes arrived last season, we were in the middle of a desperate run. The objective was to stay up, we did, albeit by the skin of our teeth.
He said after that game that we would never be in this position whilst he was manager.
Why the panic after 3 games? We ddn't get 1 single point out of 24 against, Norwch, Sunderland, Fulham and Bolton and didn't fare much better aganst Blackburn, Villa, Newcastle, etc. We now have a much stronger squad.
Keep the faith and give our new squad a chance. Rome wasn't built in a day.
We were slumbering in the lower leagues for 16 years, let's be realistic.

[Busheyboy]

we will be ok and if we improve each season our position and squad at the same time, then realistically what more can we expect

[hoops1969]

good point

[Shania]

The OP was a veeerrryyyy long Kneejerk reaction in my book. Give Hughes time.:=):

[Shania]

when Hughes arrived last season, we were in the middle of a desperate run. The objective was to stay up, we did, albeit by the skin of our teeth.
He said after that game that we would never be in this position whilst he was manager.
Why the panic after 3 games? We ddn't get 1 single point out of 24 against, Norwch, Sunderland, Fulham and Bolton and didn't fare much better aganst Blackburn, Villa, Newcastle, etc. We now have a much stronger squad.
Keep the faith and give our new squad a chance. Rome wasn't built in a day.
We were slumbering in the lower leagues for 16 years, let's be realistic.

Could serve as a conclusion,IMO. Well said.