Hunt in

[SouthDownsRoyal]

I was quite underwhelmed by that performance today. But the win has bought him a few extra games, hopefully Noel has learnt that Ritchie needs to play a bit more!

Rather have Lionel

[Orion1871]

I was quite underwhelmed by that performance today. But the win has bought him a few extra games, hopefully Noel has learnt that Ritchie needs to play a bit more!

Rather have Lionel

Prefer Peaches and Herb, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Ike and Tina.

[windermereROYAL]

Maybe it should be noted that after next Saturday we would have played 6 of the current top 10 in just 9 games, maybe we should judge him when we start playing teams regularly that are around us.

[traff]

Maybe it should be noted that after next Saturday we would have played 6 of the current top 10 in just 9 games, maybe we should judge him when we start playing teams regularly that are around us.

Seems like all the teams we have played are around us. Over us, through us, behind and in front of us.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Are we improving?

Results: LLLDDWLW
Goals: 0,0,1,1,2,1,2,2

Pretty clearly yes.

Results wise yes, performance wise no

Somewhat counterintuitively, improving teams often start by getting better results, which in turn lift performances. “Ugly” wins, converting more chances, conceding less etc. don’t always look like the flowing football people recognise as good performances (the team is kinda just doing what is expected), but from that the pressure reduces, confidence goes up, and both manager and players can start to develop their game.

I’m not saying this always happens, but good performances can grow from good results, just as good results can grow from good performances. It’s worth persevering with Hunt to find out, imo.

Is there a chance Hunt’s tactics seem a bit basic/one dimensional because he’s giving the players time to grow into the season? Possibly.

[MR. CYNICAL]

Think yesterday's result just papered over the cracks, has everyone forgot last week's performance as Barnsley?
We seem to set up like the away side even at home, yesterday's possession stats showed that and the negative decision to not include Elliott or start with Doyle.
Sensed the crowd were getting a bit restless after they equalised and think it could of turned a bit toxic if the game went the other way, fine margins.

[Royal_jimmy]

What concerns me is Hunt is not acknowledging that performances have been poor generally.

Let's see how the next few weeks go as long as we don't get tonked at Stockport.

[Snowflake Royal]

When you're under pressure, just do what you need to do to get the win. Last week it was a results business, this week we get the result and its about performance.

In retrospect I think Hunt got it right, it certainly worked afterall. Elliott hasn't been good enough the last couple of games and would likely have been a passenger in that.

We're a bit too kick and rush right now, but take the pressure off and they'll find their grove.

Who scored the winner and nearly put us 2-0 up? Liam Fraser, in over Elliott.

[Snowflake Royal]

Only two teams below 10th have better form than us over the last 6 games. Plymouth and Northampton, and they've both lost more of those 6 games than we did.

Stockport have won one of their last four, and Mansfield none. Neither of them have better form than us over the last 6 games.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Only two teams below 10th have better form than us over the last 6 games. Plymouth and Northampton, and they've both lost more of those 6 games than we did.

Stockport have won one of their last four, and Mansfield none. Neither of them have better form than us over the last 6 games.

Didn't realise Stockport were out of form. If we can get a point next week and back it up by beating Mansfield then we're doing more than okay.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Maybe it should be noted that after next Saturday we would have played 6 of the current top 10 in just 9 games, maybe we should judge him when we start playing teams regularly that are around us.

Seems like all the teams we have played are around us. Over us, through us, behind and in front of us.

[Hound]

Think yesterday's result just papered over the cracks, has everyone forgot last week's performance as Barnsley?
We seem to set up like the away side even at home, yesterday's possession stats showed that and the negative decision to not include Elliott or start with Doyle.
Sensed the crowd were getting a bit restless after they equalised and think it could of turned a bit toxic if the game went the other way, fine margins.

Sport can be a bit weird like that - if Burns and co hadn’t put in some heroic tackles at the end to stop good chances, or Orient had taken a couple of the absolute sitters they had (esp the 1 on 1 and free header), we’d have been booed off etc. Fine margins as was mentioned, and not even nec in our players control

We would have been panned if they had ended 2-2

….but it didn’t. And as also mentioned get a couple more wins and confidence can suddenly fly. We definitely look more likely to score than we did 4-5 games ago and that is a huge thing.

Still lots to sort out and improve - and again I’m not sure Hunt is capable - but he’s certainly got a bit of time now to try to make it work

[Armadillo Roadkill]

On Saturday, it wasn't going well, Hunt made changes, and it completely changed things.

Changing a game through substitutions is perhaps the biggest match-day impact a manager can have, and Hunt got his 100% right against Orient.

The commitment of the whole team was absolutely undeniable.

Two good things in Hunt's favour.

[Snowflake Royal]

Think yesterday's result just papered over the cracks, has everyone forgot last week's performance as Barnsley?
We seem to set up like the away side even at home, yesterday's possession stats showed that and the negative decision to not include Elliott or start with Doyle.
Sensed the crowd were getting a bit restless after they equalised and think it could of turned a bit toxic if the game went the other way, fine margins.

Sport can be a bit weird like that - if Burns and co hadn’t put in some heroic tackles at the end to stop good chances, or Orient had taken a couple of the absolute sitters they had (esp the 1 on 1 and free header), we’d have been booed off etc. Fine margins as was mentioned, and not even nec in our players control

We would have been panned if they had ended 2-2

….but it didn’t. And as also mentioned get a couple more wins and confidence can suddenly fly. We definitely look more likely to score than we did 4-5 games ago and that is a huge thing.

Still lots to sort out and improve - and again I’m not sure Hunt is capable - but he’s certainly got a bit of time now to try to make it work

A few bad individual mistakes really had an impact v Barnsley.... Ahmed doesn’t lunge through a player in the penalty area and we walk away with an excellent draw.

Ahmed's in a slightly better position on goal 2 or Burns sticks with his man and we potentially even walk away with an excellent win.

Just like at the weekend, as you say they take one of their chances and it's boo city. Fraser's first header goes in, or the resutling corner scramble, and we maybe win comfortably.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Think yesterday's result just papered over the cracks, has everyone forgot last week's performance as Barnsley?
We seem to set up like the away side even at home, yesterday's possession stats showed that and the negative decision to not include Elliott or start with Doyle.
Sensed the crowd were getting a bit restless after they equalised and think it could of turned a bit toxic if the game went the other way, fine margins.

Sport can be a bit weird like that - if Burns and co hadn’t put in some heroic tackles at the end to stop good chances, or Orient had taken a couple of the absolute sitters they had (esp the 1 on 1 and free header), we’d have been booed off etc. Fine margins as was mentioned, and not even nec in our players control

We would have been panned if they had ended 2-2

….but it didn’t. And as also mentioned get a couple more wins and confidence can suddenly fly. We definitely look more likely to score than we did 4-5 games ago and that is a huge thing.

Still lots to sort out and improve - and again I’m not sure Hunt is capable - but he’s certainly got a bit of time now to try to make it work

A few bad individual mistakes really had an impact v Barnsley.... Ahmed doesn’t lunge through a player in the penalty area and we walk away with an excellent draw.

Ahmed's in a slightly better position on goal 2 or Burns sticks with his man and we potentially even walk away with an excellent win.

Just like at the weekend, as you say they take one of their chances and it's boo city. Fraser's first header goes in, or the resutling corner scramble, and we maybe win comfortably.

I guess the ambition is to be good enough that you're not relying on key moments going in your favour. If teams got lucky against our 05/06 team, it scarcely mattered; we won anyway.

Away at Barnsley is hard and you need the decisive moments going your way. Similar next week at Stockport. But it would be good to beat Mansfield comfortably and not just win the key moments.

[Snowflake Royal]

Sport can be a bit weird like that - if Burns and co hadn’t put in some heroic tackles at the end to stop good chances, or Orient had taken a couple of the absolute sitters they had (esp the 1 on 1 and free header), we’d have been booed off etc. Fine margins as was mentioned, and not even nec in our players control

We would have been panned if they had ended 2-2

….but it didn’t. And as also mentioned get a couple more wins and confidence can suddenly fly. We definitely look more likely to score than we did 4-5 games ago and that is a huge thing.

Still lots to sort out and improve - and again I’m not sure Hunt is capable - but he’s certainly got a bit of time now to try to make it work

A few bad individual mistakes really had an impact v Barnsley.... Ahmed doesn’t lunge through a player in the penalty area and we walk away with an excellent draw.

Ahmed's in a slightly better position on goal 2 or Burns sticks with his man and we potentially even walk away with an excellent win.

Just like at the weekend, as you say they take one of their chances and it's boo city. Fraser's first header goes in, or the resutling corner scramble, and we maybe win comfortably.

I guess the ambition is to be good enough that you're not relying on key moments going in your favour. If teams got lucky against our 05/06 team, it scarcely mattered; we won anyway.

Away at Barnsley is hard and you need the decisive moments going your way. Similar next week at Stockport. But it would be good to beat Mansfield comfortably and not just win the key moments.

Yep, absolutely. Just trying to highlight that the difference between 5 wins and 5 losses often isn't actually that big in terms of what happens on the pitch. So it isn't necessarily a good indication of how the next 5 games will go.

It's why there's not much point worrying about how you're doing or where you'll end up until you've played at least 10 games, because the sample size is just too small.

[tidus_mi2]

It feels kinda crazy that in our first 9 games including the upcoming Stockport game, we have played 6 of the current top 10. In those games we have come away with 1pt while the other 3 have returned our other 7.

Wonder if that's a sign we might be firmly midtable this season, lose to the teams at the top, beat the teams at the bottom.

[Snowflake Royal]

It feels kinda crazy that in our first 9 games including the upcoming Stockport game, we have played 6 of the current top 10. In those games we have come away with 1pt while the other 3 have returned our other 7.

Wonder if that's a sign we might be firmly midtable this season, lose to the teams at the top, beat the teams at the bottom.

This early there's always the slight potential that they're in the top 10 because they've played us, though I don't think it's that likely.

[morganb]

From last night's Q & A:

Why is Noel Hunt in charge?

Rob inherited Noel and looked at what he had done prior to arrival- 'an exemplary job.' He Met criteria upon arrival.

He knew bulk of the squad needed replacing. Have refused compensation for Amadou Mbengue for lack of appropriate pay and it will be going to tribunal. Priority was Lewis Wing and Joel Pereira contracts. Third person was Paudie- signature signing. Now have a ‘great’ combination of youth and experience.

Impressed with Noel’s judgement on people. Judges talent but also character of people. Liked what Noel did every day, and even more so today. As philosophy beds in, performances have improved. Dug a hole with slow start.

Never considered firing Noel- doesn’t believe a sacking improves players or changes anything.

As long as players support him, and they absolutely do, it does nothing but take pressure of an owner. Ultimately, he’s responsible so blame him. Noel will get better as he’s still learning- only been in the role less than a year. Is he capable of learning? Capable and proven in doing so.

[Hound]

From last night's Q & A:

Why is Noel Hunt in charge?

Rob inherited Noel and looked at what he had done prior to arrival- 'an exemplary job.' He Met criteria upon arrival.

He knew bulk of the squad needed replacing. Have refused compensation for Amadou Mbengue for lack of appropriate pay and it will be going to tribunal. Priority was Lewis Wing and Joel Pereira contracts. Third person was Paudie- signature signing. Now have a ‘great’ combination of youth and experience.

Impressed with Noel’s judgement on people. Judges talent but also character of people. Liked what Noel did every day, and even more so today. As philosophy beds in, performances have improved. Dug a hole with slow start.

Never considered firing Noel- doesn’t believe a sacking improves players or changes anything.

As long as players support him, and they absolutely do, it does nothing but take pressure of an owner. Ultimately, he’s responsible so blame him. Noel will get better as he’s still learning- only been in the role less than a year. Is he capable of learning? Capable and proven in doing so.

Fair enough and good to hear a solid backing

Everyone is rooting for Hunt to do well, we’ve got a little bit of momentum now and a good squad in place. Up to him now to make the right decisions with who we have and try to get some proper progress this season

I’d love to see us play properly well tomorrow, not just bits and pieces of games and at least get some enjoyable games in til the inevitable player turnover again at the end of the year