Is keeping our good qualities possible without chucking everything to start again?

Seems to be a desire on here to go in a completely different direction now and become a passing side.

Understandable and difficult to argue against but is there a way of keeping what we already have and improving? Our record against the bottom half this season makes me think we will be right up there again next season. That’s a very different feeling to last time we got relegated when I thought we would really struggle again under ole.

The championship is tough but it’s not particularly good. Burnley got relegated in their first season under dyche and I wonder where they would be now had they sacked dyche and tried to completely change their style? Doubt they would have been in Europe this season.

I think we should just stick to the same at least for 1 more season.
Our promotion was built on not conceding many goals and we have the same defence as last time.

Midfield is going to be a lot different but don't think it's a bad thing necessarily.

In comparison to the season we got promoted I would expect much better from zohore and madine and we now have Reid who scored a decent amount for a poor team

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mazadona10

I think we should just stick to the same at least for 1 more season.
Our promotion was built on not conceding many goals and we have the same defence as last time.

Midfield is going to be a lot different but don't think it's a bad thing necessarily.

In comparison to the season we got promoted I would expect much better from zohore and madine and we now have Reid who scored a decent amount for a poor team

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While Morrison was out we fielded a back three consisting of Manga (30), Peltier (32) and Bamba (34) in some games. The defence that was our strongest suit in our promotion season will be two years older in a division which it seems to me has become pacier while we've been away - while I don't think there is a need for mass changes to our defence, it could do with one or two new faces in it to get the average age down a bit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mazadona10

I think we should just stick to the same at least for 1 more season.
Our promotion was built on not conceding many goals and we have the same defence as last time.

Midfield is going to be a lot different but don't think it's a bad thing necessarily.

In comparison to the season we got promoted I would expect much better from zohore and madine and we now have Reid who scored a decent amount for a poor team

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Are you advocating we go with these pair again?

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Originally Posted by Rock_Flock_of_Five

Are you advocating we go with these pair again?

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I certainly see them capable of doing a job in the championship. Zohore looked unplayable for 18 months in there and whilst Madine also looked unplayable for different reasons I just think he can't be that bad.

Next season has to be a season of transition and building on and off the pitch.

That is difficult.

I want to see Warnock stay for his last contract year - but I also want to see evolution in the club, not just more of the same. I think some of Neil Warnock's recent comments about succession and improving the club are absolutely right. I hope he is flexible and self-aware enough to help that process, not hinder it.

The Academy, scouting/recruitment, training ground and other issues around the capacity and strength of the club need to be dealt with, including the lack of football knowledge on the Board.

It would help a lot if Tan/Dalman were to spell out their vision for the future. They almost did that with the disastrous Trollope appointment (borrowing part of the Wales template) but that never felt thought through - and failed.

Any business plan for the club has to cover those points, as well as engaging the fans, supporting the community and working back to the riches of the Premier League with a strategy for on-field success.

Difficult to do some or all of that whilst still trying to compete for promotion - but it can be done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mazadona10

I certainly see them capable of doing a job in the championship. Zohore looked unplayable for 18 months in there and whilst Madine also looked unplayable for different reasons I just think he can't be that bad.

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18 months of Zohore being unplayable?

I must have missed that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Father Dougal

Seems to be a desire on here to go in a completely different direction now and become a passing side.

Understandable and difficult to argue against but is there a way of keeping what we already have and improving? Our record against the bottom half this season makes me think we will be right up there again next season. That’s a very different feeling to last time we got relegated when I thought we would really struggle again under ole.

The championship is tough but it’s not particularly good. Burnley got relegated in their first season under dyche and I wonder where they would be now had they sacked dyche and tried to completely change their style? Doubt they would have been in Europe this season.

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I couldn't particularly care less if we get promotion again next season. Been there twice, in no hurry to go back in our current form.

I dread to think how our season would have gone had we not shown grit, guts, heart and desire. The late winners and brilliant goals masked over a general ineptitude to our play in the top flight. It's true to say you can only play with who you have on the field, yet our game ultimately showed that we weren't good enough and neither were our tactics.

Dyche has much more quality in his squad than we do. They play a game of fine margins, but defensively they are much stronger and far better organised than we are. If your post is suggesting we could get into Europe with Warnock then bemusement will develop into laughter.

I just want us to become more of a footballing side. I'd like close to 50/50 possession. I'd prefer not to see long throws up the touchline from our own half. I'd like to see the keeper throw the ball to a defender occassionally. I'd like to see less of us getting to almost to the final third, only for the ball to end up back with our keeper and being booted upfield in what amounts to a 50/50 ball.

I don't think anyone is calling for a slow, tika taka style of play. But if you look at the teams that have gone up and stayed up for a few years (besides Stoke) they've mostly been good footballing sides.

Think we need to change the coaching set up. I dont think we can change our style dramatically but we need to work on ball retention.

We look so uncomfortable on the ball and i just cant believe we work enough on the training ground on posession of the ball.

If we are going to play direct to a front man then a striker who can hold the ball up should be brought in.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Father Dougal

Seems to be a desire on here to go in a completely different direction now and become a passing side.

Understandable and difficult to argue against but is there a way of keeping what we already have and improving? Our record against the bottom half this season makes me think we will be right up there again next season. That’s a very different feeling to last time we got relegated when I thought we would really struggle again under ole.

The championship is tough but it’s not particularly good. Burnley got relegated in their first season under dyche and I wonder where they would be now had they sacked dyche and tried to completely change their style? Doubt they would have been in Europe this season.

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A key difference being that Sean Dyche is now 47 and was just 43 when Burnley went down, Neil on the other hand is 70 and will retire soon

Quote:

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

While Morrison was out we fielded a back three consisting of Manga (30), Peltier (32) and Bamba (34) in some games. The defence that was our strongest suit in our promotion season will be two years older in a division which it seems to me has become pacier while we've been away - while I don't think there is a need for mass changes to our defence, it could do with one or two new faces in it to get the average age down a bit.

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Add to that the fact that they've all probably peaked and they've got to the premier league and found out that they can't really cope at that level. I'm not sure that Peltier would be to bothered by that realisation as he seems to be our only defender who completely knows his strengths or more importantly, his weaknesses. Manga, Bamba and Morrison have had the truth served, not entirely their fault, although there confidence may have taken a knock or two. The three of them all have a tendency to do things that they struggle with, this season would have probably compounded the fact that none of them are good enough at this level, that can affect a players outlook and aspirations.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rock_Flock_of_Five

18 months of Zohore being unplayable?

I must have missed that.

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Me too. Was he ever?

Perhaps now is a good time for evolution rather than revolution because we need to rebuild central midfield.

We look strong all over the remainder of the pitch for the championship but I would like a prolific front man.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by City123

A key difference being that Sean Dyche is now 47 and was just 43 when Burnley went down, Neil on the other hand is 70 and will retire soon

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Yes. Warnock isnt the only person who could do this. Was just wondering if someone younger could take it forward and evolve it.

Im just wary of the approach we took with trollope. Fans were loving what he was saying in pre season about youngsters, new playing style based on possession and pace etc.....

All sounds so easy.

Personally i still think we have to go with bellamy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jon1959

Next season has to be a season of transition and building on and off the pitch.

That is difficult.

I want to see Warnock stay for his last contract year - but I also want to see evolution in the club, not just more of the same. I think some of Neil Warnock's recent comments about succession and improving the club are absolutely right. I hope he is flexible and self-aware enough to help that process, not hinder it.

The Academy, scouting/recruitment, training ground and other issues around the capacity and strength of the club need to be dealt with, including the lack of football knowledge on the Board.

It would help a lot if Tan/Dalman were to spell out their vision for the future. They almost did that with the disastrous Trollope appointment (borrowing part of the Wales template) but that never felt thought through - and failed.

Any business plan for the club has to cover those points, as well as engaging the fans, supporting the community and working back to the riches of the Premier League with a strategy for on-field success.

Difficult to do some or all of that whilst still trying to compete for promotion - but it can be done.

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Can this be done best with the stability Warnock brings or would it be better to risk our league place with a manager more likely to embrace these ideas? That's the only question I want answered, going on about playing style or player's limitations - especially when they gave us so much these past two years - seems to be returning to the short-term thinking that left us near relegation when Warnock first arrived.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NYCBlue

I just want us to become more of a footballing side. I'd like close to 50/50 possession. I'd prefer not to see long throws up the touchline from our own half. I'd like to see the keeper throw the ball to a defender occassionally. I'd like to see less of us getting to almost to the final third, only for the ball to end up back with our keeper and being booted upfield in what amounts to a 50/50 ball.

I don't think anyone is calling for a slow, tika taka style of play. But if you look at the teams that have gone up and stayed up for a few years (besides Stoke) they've mostly been good footballing sides.

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Although I don't like "Warnockball", I try to reconcile my thoughts by telling myself that it is the most effective way to get the best out of our current group of players, but , I'm sorry, I just can't see any logic whatsoever in this part of our game - especially as our keeper is far from the best around with his distribution.

Signing 2 central midfielders who are comfortable on the ball will help. Definitely need to work on possession. I cant believe they work enough on the training ground at it.

A striker who can hold the ball up as well.

Otherwise we will have Patterson as the no.10 just because hes the beast header of the ball. We need Reed in the 10 role behind a striker. Or alternatively we dont just lump it at Ken.