Dudline day as Di Canio fails to secure loan signing (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Oh well, just need to get the best out of the team we have.
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We know we can play like well - Stoke, Villa, Stevenage, Brighton, Yeovil. Just need to find the consistency...
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I still think PDCs achillies heel is the parking of the bus. Need to find the key to unlock it...

This will now be a trying time for pdc and the players he has his team albeit not the one he wants with a lot of weak links the next few weeks will be make or break for pdc and hopefully he can get his team to be consistent without loosing his head as he has done in the past.good luck on sat aginst the magpies they are gonna need it.

Cest la vie

OK Pdc missed out on targets will not be first time.
With the squad he has he will sort it out there his team he signed them now he has to instal belief and encourage them to perform.
Will be hard for him and I feel in jan a few will depart.
makes you wonder how can Pompey go out week in week out and find players be it temp ones and they aint doing so well.Just maybe the type pdc wants does not fancy a temp move?????
Anyways do wish him well and he will be OK especially when they win On Saturday Good luck Pdc and the Town

mallorca wrote:
OK Pdc missed out on targets will not be first time. With the squad he has he will sort it out there his team he signed them now he has to instal belief and encourage them to perform. Will be hard for him and I feel in jan a few will depart. makes you wonder how can Pompey go out week in week out and find players be it temp ones and they aint doing so well.Just maybe the type pdc wants does not fancy a temp move????? Anyways do wish him well and he will be OK especially when they win On Saturday Good luck Pdc and the Town

Gone from one of PDC's critics to one of his biggest supporters over the past couple of weeks! Fair play, I think the manager needs a bit of slack once in a while. Seems as if there are some who never say a good or bad word about him when the team plays well, but relish in slagging the man off when we're losing. Just think a bit of fairness is called for. We're all in it together after all. Will be a struggle this season (it's a marathon not a race after all) and we will stumble along the way (a la Colchester, Orient, Brentford etc) but if we can keep picking ourselves back up we'll be there or thereabouts come May.

Can't take another trip to Wembley though, absolutely heartbreaking :-(

If the team selection, tactics and substitutions are sensible and players are positively motivated, then we certainly already have sufficient quality to mount a decent challenge from the current squad. We do have a few below par players, some of whom seem to get their chance more often than they should, but there are also some real quality players like Bostock and Ferry.

As someone said yesterday, it's not necessarily bad news that we didn't sign anyone before the deadline. We have a good sized squad of decent players, yet PDC doesn't seem to have confidence in them. They often look as if they are not enjoying their football. When we beat Milton Keynes - probably one of the most streetwise teams in the division - earlier in the season, we looked a solid confident outfit, we weren't afraid of the opposition and we weren't afraid to pass the ball. For me, that was the benchmark performance of the season so far. I know we've had wins since then and we are still in a good position but we have lost that belief and we are now very flaky. You never know what you are going to get - except that at home you know we will get a diet of the long aerial stuff most of the time.
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If PDC's acquisitions have not come up to expectations, well maybe we all just have to live with that. I don't think we should be going through a season signing and discarding players on a whim, hoping the mix will suddenly come right.

I'm still cutting the players slack because I think they need it. We all know they can perform and have performed this season at times. As long as we employ the right tactic of playing the ball on the ground tomorrow I'm confident we will come away with something, one point is better than no points at all. Clean sheet is always a bonus.

As goes no players incoming I did have a tongue in cheek chuckle as our infamous agent "fill my bank Phil" will suffer withdrawal symptoms, just before Christmas, what a shame !! On a positive note it leaves money in the kitty for the New year and that is not a bad thing, I see it as a bonus. We navigated the embargo so this should be no problem.
We now enter into a mini pre season according to a report a while back so after this coming game it will be a good chance to get this team right, for the fight for promotion, maybe. I hope it has a positive outcome.

the wizard wrote:
I'm still cutting the players slack because I think they need it. We all know they can perform and have performed this season at times. As long as we employ the right tactic of playing the ball on the ground tomorrow I'm confident we will come away with something, one point is better than no points at all. Clean sheet is always a bonus. As goes no players incoming I did have a tongue in cheek chuckle as our infamous agent "fill my bank Phil" will suffer withdrawal symptoms, just before Christmas, what a shame !! On a positive note it leaves money in the kitty for the New year and that is not a bad thing, I see it as a bonus. We navigated the embargo so this should be no problem. We now enter into a mini pre season according to a report a while back so after this coming game it will be a good chance to get this team right, for the fight for promotion, maybe. I hope it has a positive outcome.

I'm still not sure what the situation is in terms of DiCanio's agent earning big from our signings - I would have thought it was the player's agents that would be costing the club this money. Any explanation on this front? Or is the above just a theory?

Stratton Red wrote:
Oh well, just need to get the best out of the team we have.
*
We know we can play like well - Stoke, Villa, Stevenage, Brighton, Yeovil. Just need to find the consistency...
*
I still think PDCs achillies heel is the parking of the bus. Need to find the key to unlock it...

Everyones achillies heel is parking the bus!!

We saw Chelsea win the league doing it, Celtic and Inter Milan have beaten Barcelona doing it and a number of teams have come to the County Ground this season and gone away with 1 or 3 pots by doing it.

Teams with no ambition for 3 points, and no hunger to entertain the fans play this way and unfortunately there is very little you can do against a team with 10 or 11 players behind the ball. Even if 1 or 2 of there players make a mistake, there are 8 or 9 others there to cover for it.

Its anti football, its horrible to watch and unfortunately its becoming one of the most used tactics in football.

I would rather see swindon go to say, Old Trafford and have a go, attempting to attack and get beat 5-0 than go there sit back in our box for the whole game and nick a draw.

Swindon1984 wrote:

the wizard wrote:
I'm still cutting the players slack because I think they need it. We all know they can perform and have performed this season at times. As long as we employ the right tactic of playing the ball on the ground tomorrow I'm confident we will come away with something, one point is better than no points at all. Clean sheet is always a bonus. As goes no players incoming I did have a tongue in cheek chuckle as our infamous agent "fill my bank Phil" will suffer withdrawal symptoms, just before Christmas, what a shame !! On a positive note it leaves money in the kitty for the New year and that is not a bad thing, I see it as a bonus. We navigated the embargo so this should be no problem. We now enter into a mini pre season according to a report a while back so after this coming game it will be a good chance to get this team right, for the fight for promotion, maybe. I hope it has a positive outcome.

I'm still not sure what the situation is in terms of DiCanio's agent earning big from our signings - I would have thought it was the player's agents that would be costing the club this money. Any explanation on this front? Or is the above just a theory?

On Phils commission I've read loads here so as I wrote, "tongue-in-cheek", and that is all its was, pure banter, nowt else. It just seems strange to me that it seemingly all has to go through one agent who is also the managers agent.

the wizard wrote:

Swindon1984 wrote:

the wizard wrote: I'm still cutting the players slack because I think they need it. We all know they can perform and have performed this season at times. As long as we employ the right tactic of playing the ball on the ground tomorrow I'm confident we will come away with something, one point is better than no points at all. Clean sheet is always a bonus. As goes no players incoming I did have a tongue in cheek chuckle as our infamous agent "fill my bank Phil" will suffer withdrawal symptoms, just before Christmas, what a shame !! On a positive note it leaves money in the kitty for the New year and that is not a bad thing, I see it as a bonus. We navigated the embargo so this should be no problem. We now enter into a mini pre season according to a report a while back so after this coming game it will be a good chance to get this team right, for the fight for promotion, maybe. I hope it has a positive outcome.

I'm still not sure what the situation is in terms of DiCanio's agent earning big from our signings - I would have thought it was the player's agents that would be costing the club this money. Any explanation on this front? Or is the above just a theory?

On Phils commission I've read loads here so as I wrote, "tongue-in-cheek", and that is all its was, pure banter, nowt else. It just seems strange to me that it seemingly all has to go through one agent who is also the managers agent.

Granted it was tongue in cheek but doesn't really explain anything - if talk of it on here is all it's based on then it tells you nothing. And nothing is all I know about Phil Spencer if that is his real name.

The Gary Madine situation sounds a bit like the Benson on last season, would not be surprised to see him as the first aquistion in January.

old town robin wrote:
The Gary Madine situation sounds a bit like the Benson on last season, would not be surprised to see him as the first aquistion in January.

Maybe they chucked out the old fax machine and didn't get a new one ??? LOL

Pompey game on New Year's Day is now a 2pm kick off.
Where's sue
Onwards and upwardsp

Oi Den! wrote:
As someone said yesterday, it's not necessarily bad news that we didn't sign anyone before the deadline. We have a good sized squad of decent players, yet PDC doesn't seem to have confidence in them. They often look as if they are not enjoying their football. When we beat Milton Keynes - probably one of the most streetwise teams in the division - earlier in the season, we looked a solid confident outfit, we weren't afraid of the opposition and we weren't afraid to pass the ball. For me, that was the benchmark performance of the season so far. I know we've had wins since then and we are still in a good position but we have lost that belief and we are now very flaky. You never know what you are going to get - except that at home you know we will get a diet of the long aerial stuff most of the time.
.
If PDC's acquisitions have not come up to expectations, well maybe we all just have to live with that. I don't think we should be going through a season signing and discarding players on a whim, hoping the mix will suddenly come right.

Same against Yeovil, the lads oozed confidence. It's just the inconsistency that is a worry. I'm sure we will get there 'ere long! Hope PdC stays the course and doesn't get head hunted with big offers from the Prem.

Oi Den! wrote:
As someone said yesterday, it's not necessarily bad news that we didn't sign anyone before the deadline. We have a good sized squad of decent players, yet PDC doesn't seem to have confidence in them. They often look as if they are not enjoying their football. When we beat Milton Keynes - probably one of the most streetwise teams in the division - earlier in the season, we looked a solid confident outfit, we weren't afraid of the opposition and we weren't afraid to pass the ball. For me, that was the benchmark performance of the season so far. I know we've had wins since then and we are still in a good position but we have lost that belief and we are now very flaky. You never know what you are going to get - except that at home you know we will get a diet of the long aerial stuff most of the time.
.
If PDC's acquisitions have not come up to expectations, well maybe we all just have to live with that. I don't think we should be going through a season signing and discarding players on a whim, hoping the mix will suddenly come right.

Same against Yeovil, the lads oozed confidence. It's just the inconsistency that is a worry. I'm sure we will get there 'ere long! Hope PdC stays the course and doesn't get head hunted with big offers from the Prem.

Swindon1984 wrote:

the wizard wrote: I'm still cutting the players slack because I think they need it. We all know they can perform and have performed this season at times. As long as we employ the right tactic of playing the ball on the ground tomorrow I'm confident we will come away with something, one point is better than no points at all. Clean sheet is always a bonus. As goes no players incoming I did have a tongue in cheek chuckle as our infamous agent "fill my bank Phil" will suffer withdrawal symptoms, just before Christmas, what a shame !! On a positive note it leaves money in the kitty for the New year and that is not a bad thing, I see it as a bonus. We navigated the embargo so this should be no problem. We now enter into a mini pre season according to a report a while back so after this coming game it will be a good chance to get this team right, for the fight for promotion, maybe. I hope it has a positive outcome.

I'm still not sure what the situation is in terms of DiCanio's agent earning big from our signings - I would have thought it was the player's agents that would be costing the club this money. Any explanation on this front? Or is the above just a theory?

It might be something do do with Mr Spencer PDC agent billing STFC 500k for last season...

And the simple reason why are team do not play the same week in week out is
!!!! working 7 days a week...
Paolo tinkering with the team most weeks PLAYERS LOOKING TO SCARED TO MAKE A MISTAKE.So that meens there not fully focused

Oi Den! wrote:
As someone said yesterday, it's not necessarily bad news that we didn't sign anyone before the deadline. We have a good sized squad of decent players, yet PDC doesn't seem to have confidence in them. They often look as if they are not enjoying their football. When we beat Milton Keynes - probably one of the most streetwise teams in the division - earlier in the season, we looked a solid confident outfit, we weren't afraid of the opposition and we weren't afraid to pass the ball. For me, that was the benchmark performance of the season so far. I know we've had wins since then and we are still in a good position but we have lost that belief and we are now very flaky. You never know what you are going to get - except that at home you know we will get a diet of the long aerial stuff most of the time.
.
If PDC's acquisitions have not come up to expectations, well maybe we all just have to live with that. I don't think we should be going through a season signing and discarding players on a whim, hoping the mix will suddenly come right.

Excellent post Den.

Funny how Paolo wants players in and out all the time. I've always felt we perform better with a settled side. I'm also of the belief we have agood enough and big enough squad to do the job.

The tools are in the box. Come on (you birth of a managerial legend) workman, do your job please.

mancrobin wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:
As someone said yesterday, it's not necessarily bad news that we didn't sign anyone before the deadline. We have a good sized squad of decent players, yet PDC doesn't seem to have confidence in them. They often look as if they are not enjoying their football. When we beat Milton Keynes - probably one of the most streetwise teams in the division - earlier in the season, we looked a solid confident outfit, we weren't afraid of the opposition and we weren't afraid to pass the ball. For me, that was the benchmark performance of the season so far. I know we've had wins since then and we are still in a good position but we have lost that belief and we are now very flaky. You never know what you are going to get - except that at home you know we will get a diet of the long aerial stuff most of the time.
.
If PDC's acquisitions have not come up to expectations, well maybe we all just have to live with that. I don't think we should be going through a season signing and discarding players on a whim, hoping the mix will suddenly come right.

Excellent post Den.

Funny how Paolo wants players in and out all the time. I've always felt we perform better with a settled side. I'm also of the belief we have agood enough and big enough squad to do the job.

The tools are in the box. Come on (you birth of a managerial legend) workman, do your job please.

Agree with Den and Mancrobin above.

Except that I think we have all partly missed the point, including me.

The big clue is that PDC has constantly signed and rapidly discarded players since becoming our Manager.

He has fantastic history as a player, shows massive commitment and demands only the best, all to his credit.

But he clearly does not have a clue how to turn all his individual players into a Team who can win on a consistent basis, particularly at home this season.

As long as he constantly churns players like they are going out of fashion and keeps changing his team, we are surely not going up and will have to settle for mid-table this season at best.

And the talk of PDC being poached by a Premier Team is just a joke, he even seems to admit that today.

If he was poached, there are plenty of Managers out there who could pick up the pieces and could actually build a consistent team. And plenty who would be glad of the massive support from the Board that PDC has received, yet he is in constant danger of throwing it all back in their faces with his threats!!

Three excellent posts above and Over the last few days most agree we do have some very very good players, its just the tactics that are letting us down.

Hoping for points from the Notts Co. game, one or three points will do before out two week break. Lets hope the training ground gets busy and re discover some decent consistent form.

Our best Christmas present from the club would be the abandonment of the long ball game, aka hoofball.
At the height of his tenure here I'll give Wilson deserved credit as he had us playing some superb foot to foot football often 20 odd passes between Town players and it did get us into the play offs. However the downside was it does allow the other team to get bodies behind the ball, but at least while we had possession they couldn't score, and it did make the other team play football. Some well savoured games that season, shame it all went pear shaped when Greer left.