Darren Moore - Credit

[KrolMong]

I’m going to give the gaffer credit and this is regardless of promotion or not and inspite of his tinkering with defensive personnel.

There is a clear style being built, we are a front foot football side, he wants his back three and keeper to play, he pushes the wing backs up the pitch, he has the midfield three interchanging with each of them getting involved behind the front two.

He’s built a style that would translate in the Championship with a better standard of player, although we have some players who can step up easily.

What he has to work out, is his defensive set up. I do think the injuries have blocked this, look at what has been missing? Dunkley, Gibson, Dean, Iorfa - all very strong in the air. Hutch and Palmer have been excellent this season, as has Storey, but they need a unit to clear out and we haven’t had that for large parts of the season.

That said, I do enjoy watching us. 

[mkowlthesexynewversion]

Fair points and whilst there are some disappointing aspects to this season I think there has to be a reality check of how it compares to 12 months ago.

The fear was that the club felt in such a mess it could tumble lower. 

So we have certainly over achieved compared to my initial thoughts, which I think was 10th to 12th. The frustration perhaps is if we had ironed out a few issues sooner rather than later, then automatic promotion was achievable.

Tbf 85 points might have got that in the past.

But the intensity in the first half yesterday was great, as much the early setback galvanised us rather than stop us, itself a huge difference.

I have enjoyed watching us play, which isn't something I can honestly say about the previous 4 seasons where games were insipid 

[Chelters]

I think regardless of what happens in the play-offs he deserves another shot next season. The second half of the season has been excellent apart from a couple of blips.

What will be interesting is how many of the current squad are still here next season. I don’t think we want wholesale changes this time, just an improvement here and there. 

[mkowlthesexynewversion]

A few reaching the end of their contracts, as well as the completed loans so whilst I don't think we need huge changes a few might happen anyway.

I guess it depends if we get promoted as we will have a different budget - however my only hope is we don't fall into past traps of expensive past it players utilising most of it 

[Wawaw]

What I will give Moore credit for is i didn’t realise we were under ( albeit a ‘soft’ transfer embargo) until about 3/4 months ago I just thought we were proper skint/ cost cutting from the champ so fair play for that but ( being brutally harsh ) he’s on par at the minute IMO 

Edited May 1, 2022 by Wawaw

[Canterburyowl]

3 hours ago, KrolMong said:

I’m going to give the gaffer credit and this is regardless of promotion or not and inspite of his tinkering with defensive personnel.

There is a clear style being built, we are a front foot football side, he wants his back three and keeper to play, he pushes the wing backs up the pitch, he has the midfield three interchanging with each of them getting involved behind the front two.

He’s built a style that would translate in the Championship with a better standard of player, although we have some players who can step up easily.

What he has to work out, is his defensive set up. I do think the injuries have blocked this, look at what has been missing? Dunkley, Gibson, Dean, Iorfa - all very strong in the air. Hutch and Palmer have been excellent this season, as has Storey, but they need a unit to clear out and we haven’t had that for large parts of the season.

That said, I do enjoy watching us. 

Was thinking very similar thoughts last night, still have some reservations but comparing to 12 months ago overall its been a successful period. I know he had many chances to keep us up last season but I guess you have to look at the amount of spineless players we had at the time.

[Bellsview]

The thing what sticks in my throat with Moore, which is a criticism of him, is that his messing about with team changes and tactics has cost us points this season, and given we were just 6 points from automatic portion, he has to take some responsibility for that.

But I do agree with the consensus that he does deserve praise as well - some of the stuff we’ve played this season has been sublime - and we’ve also learned to get back up off the canvas and fight for a win after going behind, a quality which had been missing for far too long from Wednesday sides of the past.

I think overall I’d give him a 7.5/10 this season.

But if we go up I’ll up that to 8.5/10. 😊

[Kingys Ginger Mullet]

It's injuries to key players in key positions that have cost us automatic promotion, not DM's selections/tactics. Imagine if Gregory/Windass had a settled partnership and the CBs had been fit, we'd have won the league!

We should absolutely be keeping the gaffer irrespective of what happens in the playoffs. I'd wager he'll eventually sort out the academy production line given time also.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Kingys Ginger Mullet

[mkowlthesexynewversion]

1 hour ago, Kingys Ginger Mullet said:

It's injuries to key players in key positions that have cost us automatic promotion, not DM's selections/tactics. Imagine if Gregory/Windass had a settled partnership and the CBs had been fit, we'd have won the league!

We should absolutely be keeping the gaffer irrespective of what happens in the playoffs. I'd wager he'll eventually sort out the academy production line given time also.

I agree to a fashion but there were also some team selections that didn't help. We also need to work out - certainly if we end up still in League 1 - how to combat certain styles of play or change ours when Plan A isn't working. 

I will give him credit for actually playing decent football to watch. Fair enough that has to be winning football as well, but how refreshing to see proper football not dull as fuck pragmatic shit we had for 4 years previous.

[Supercockle]

Overall I’d say he’s doing a great job. 
 

He’s put together a strong squad, given limitations placed upon us. Dean, Storey, Gregory, Johnson, Byers and other have proven to be great signings.  He’s changed the mentality of the place, from top to bottom. We’ve shaken off the weak willed, roll over and die illness that set in whenever we went behind. We’re now going on to be stronger in games where we concede early. The players appear to care. We have a style to our play and we are pleasing to watch. We’re in the playoffs. 
 

Not everything has gone according to plan. It took a long time for the system to work but I think a lot of that was due to the amount of injuries. We’ve signed some bang-average players in Sow, Kamberi, Brown but I think they were a cheap gamble and largely squad fillers and it’s shown we’ve needed a big squad with injuries. His interviews are shit. We’ve failed to get to grips with shit-housing sides and we can’t defend set pieces to save our lives but on the whole, I’d say we’ve taken great strides in the right direction, which we’re seeing the results of, since the turn of the year. 

[Kiwi Owl]

He's proved me wrong. 

I was getting fed up of watching us earlier in the season. September, October and early November, the games were unbelievably dreadful to watch. 

Then we went to Accrington and completely dominated them for 30 minutes. It seemed things started to go in the right direction

The big one was after Hartlepool United at home. Since that defeat, the football has been pleasing to watch most of the times. I've enjoyed getting up to watch us between 2 and 4am on Sundays. The games are worth it and can get a few hours extra kip with a smile. 

For next season, I do think a change in style is required against sides that put 10 men behind the ball and get us to break them down. I don't think for those games, we need to go 3-5-2. We also need to get 2 early goals against these sort of teams otherwise at 1-0, there's always a chance they can get a break away or score from a set piece. Morecambe and Wimbledon I remember had a sitter each they missed before we scored late on. We need to be in a position where that cannot happen as sides in the championship will punish us for those mistakes.

Also, I would love to get rid of the tippy tappy messing around with the ball at the back. Too many games we've played ourselves into trouble and have either conceded or we've had a let off (Lincoln, Bolton etc). Just boot it forward or boot it to row Z. In the event we get Peacock-Farrell back, get it into his game that its better to smack it upfield, rather than play to Hutchinson or Palmer etc. 

The football has been like Carlos' first season at times, a real joy to watch. I look forward to seeing what happens irrespective of what division we're in. Also, I don't think we need too many signings like last season.

[Tank_Owl2,0]

On balance I think hes done a decent job. Last season was always mission impossible with the squad he inherited and the culture Monk had developed,

As many on here have said I think the tinkering with the first 11 at times has been frustrating, particularly in the last third of the season when we/ he should know his best 11. Although, without knowing the ins and outs of player fitness given the injuries weve had it maybe hes been trying to balance things out. 

As others have said the injuries have been unreal, weve had some really bad patches when hes had to put square pegs in round holes and Johnson in particular has been an example of that. I still think some people havent appreciated what a challenge it has been for the club and DM to get a decent squad together for this season given the restrictions and probably the uncertainty some may have seen from the outside, ie how keen would you be to sign for a club that hasnt paid players wages on time, even if it is a club of our stature.

So Id certainly let him try again next season if we fail to get promoted, but Id expect us to be at or near the top from 10 games in. If the performances arent right Id be thinking about a change at Christmas to give someone else a go. However, lets hope we dont need that to happen.

The slightly worrying thing whether we are in L1 or not is the amount of change that could happen this summer with loanees and players out of contract. If we are in the Championship it might be an opportunity to step things up, if we are in L1 it might be the same, ie to strengthen where we we struggled to 12months prior. An intriguing summer ahead either way,

[Andyben]

Two or three games too early, this thread IMHO.

[Tylluan]

As many others have said he's had an ability to sell the club to Peacock-Farrell, Byers, Dean, Gibson, Storey, Gregory, Mendez-Laing, Johnson, when we were in League 1. He was probably a big part of Bannan signing back on as well. Him being at the club has also played a part in how the 18s and 23s have restructured. He's created a vision that's been bought into by the fans. 

I think he needs a more tactically minded/pragmatic number 2 rather than the 'committee' he has around him at the moment. 

I also think he'd make a decent DOF. If it looks like it's going tits up and we might need to make a change then I'd offer him an upstairs role rather than just get rid.

[Mark]

6 hours ago, Neville Facking Bartos said:

I think he’s doing really well, things frustrate me at times but getting rid of we fail would be madness.

The thing I’m most impressed with is the culture change and the connection he’s installed between all the cogs at the clubs,; fans, players, coaching staff and other staff at Hillsborough. Not an easy task and evidently it’s still work in progress by the fact some are questioning his future.

I agree we have a bit of an identity to our plat? 352 suits us, we do look really open at the back with it at times so we’ll have to do more work here, especially if we’re playing Championship football next season.  A  settled 3 would help massively on that front 

On the whole though I agree that Moore deserves lots of credit for his work so far 

I think that's a fair assessment. I'm not his biggest fan as a manager, but he's doing ok. The 3 at back will potentially cost us, as when we have ball those 3 are spread a long way apart, and with the lack of pace with any combination, (except Iorfa) it's an accident waiting to happen 

[HoylandOwl]

Decent job yes, good job? Not yet. 

[LiamOwl]

Got to disagree mate. End of last season I fancied us for going straight through to League 2, there was simply too big a job to do I thought. 
 

However, not only has he built a very good squad at this level, he’s managed to get results when at times that squad has been on its knees. 
 

The mentality of the squad, the performances and the results have got better and better as the season has gone on. Even if we don’t go up this year, we’ve got solid foundations to go on and win the league next year. 

[HoylandOwl]

Things have undoubtedly got better. I just worry about the tinker man tendencies he has. 

[owl71]

Moore’s willingness to use all of his squad, keep fringe players interested, and not rush first choice players back from injury too quickly, or overplay them, has been justified by results in the second half of the season i.m.o.  Since the additions he made to the squad in the January transfer window we’ve averaged over two points a game.  The damage, as far as automatic was concerned, was done by the number of silly draws we had in winnable fixture before Christmas.

I’m happy for him to stay, regardless of how the play offs go.  There is an identity to us as a side that is becoming clearer.  Our dealings in the January window did what was needed.  If we go up, there are some solid building blocks there for the Championship.  

Edited May 2, 2022 by owl71