1.) 22 Sep 2018
22 Sep 2018 16:38:16
Didn’t think we would get anything from today was hoping for maybe a draw but no shots on target
At half way through the second half isn’t a place I wanted to be at
I feel sorry for the fans who’ve made the journey
It just shows how significant the Brighton collapse was.


2.) 22 Sep 2018
22 Sep 2018 17:53:46
Agree. I didn’t expect much from the game but hoped for a determined performance. I end up questioning if we have progressed since last season’s 3-0 loss to Liverpool. Possession stats are the same, although they had fewer attempts on goal today. It wasn’t the calamity of last term but we still conceded three goals and on another day could’ve shipped 5 or 6.

We were playing a 4-5-1 shape, so it was incredible how easily the Liverpool midfield coped and how little we were able to use the width of the pitch to our advantage. Surely the aim when you go to somewhere like Liverpool without your leading goalscorer is to shut up shop. I presume that was the aim given Shane Long was our lone striker as he isn’t a goal threat, so how and why were we 3-0 down at half time?

Our next game is against Wolves. When Stoke got to 7 games last season (their 2-1 win against us) they had 8 points with a goal difference of -4. This season we have so far played 6, have 5 points with a good of -3. If we beat Wolves, we’ll be level with last season’s Stoke on points, but will have an improved GD. Given that’s a big ‘IF’, I would argue its more likely we’ll find ourselves behind Stoke’s curve from last season. If you’re wondering, we had 8 points after 6 games last season with a good of -1.

So what are the views of any MH supporters at this stage? Do you still feel he is the right man for the job? It seems a fair time to ask the question as this time last year, there were already people calling for MP2’s head. Interesting to see if the sentiment remains the same or, if not, perhaps we should discuss why not?


3.) 23 Sep 2018
23 Sep 2018 10:45:35
Great conversations again in here from everyone, with plenty of diversity of opinions. I’ll reply to Figo’s questin above:

I’m a Hughes fan (as previously stated many times) I was very delighted when he was appointed (we were going nowhere fast under the guy who I can only assume the board thought was the former Manchester City Manager. ) and relegation was a serious threat. To be frank, we would have got relegated had we not brought in a new manager. Mark Hughes was the right choice. A strong candidate and one of a handful of options I’d have felt confident in and been enthusiastic to have representing the club I support.

I’m still backing him. All the way. There are other managers who are better, far better than him. Better attach minded managers, better defensive managers. Better organisers of a defensive unit. Managers will more charisma and love-in with the fans and media alike. Many of them. But, some of these are not available and a lot would possibly be out of our price range or slightly higher ambitions than what we’re currently punching at. We were lucky to have an amazing hat-trick run of three amazing managers in Adkins, Pochettino and Koeman. Mark Hughes is good enough.

If he did leave (which I currently definitely don’t want to happen) I’d try and bring in someone like: Allardyce, Moyes, Strachan, Klinsmann, when he’s had enough to Mike Ashley -Rafa Benitez, Wenger! Eddie Howe would make sense. Absolutely Eddie.

I know that list will take one hell of a battering from opposing opinions. Which leads to the conclusion, stick with Sparky

As for the Liverpool game. 3-0 ain’t too bad. I did worry we’d get a heavy thrashing. Liverpool will win the Premier League this season. (Quote me on that! )

Saint Etienne.


4.) 23 Sep 2018
23 Sep 2018 10:52:00
Also, we have too many midfielders to pick from. I’m struggling to decide which combination is best and how to fit Davis and JWP intonthe line up

Don’t suppose the rules of football will change and will allow maybe 13-a-side eh?!

Actually, 15 a-side and my dilemma is solved.

I really should step out of my FIFA/ FootballManager computer game and into the real world 😁

Have a great rest of your weekend everyone
Saint Etienne.


5.) 23 Sep 2018
23 Sep 2018 12:46:18
Rafa aside, that's a pretty terrible list of managers. Maybe Eddie Howe as he's young but he needs time to build a squad of his own and get his ideas across. He tried and failed at Burnley in a brief spell away from Bournemouth so it would be a gamble but perhaps one worth taking if the club are electing a long-term strategy. It may be that we have to risk initial regression or even relegation if it means getting the right man at the helm and giving him and the coaching staff under him the time they need to influence all of the playing staff from youth to senior squad.

That's what we need. We don't want an old boy ex-prem manager who the game has bypassed. We want to play exciting attacking football without being too open at the back. We want to be aggressive and take the odd scalp each season. We don't want to change our style of play to what it would be under Moyes, Allardyce or dare I say it, Mark Hughes.

If there are so many better managers out there, why not try and lure them with the promise of backing, time and a project.? No, if you've been with a champions league team, you may not be interested but if you find a young, enthusiastic and talented manager like Pochettino, there's a chance of success by growing together like Howe has at Bournemouth and Dyche at Burnley. In an ideal world, we'd find someone like Poch who could come in at this level and hit the ground running. There must be managers out there of that ilk.


6.) 23 Sep 2018
23 Sep 2018 21:50:01
I think the fact that MH has not won two PL games in a row for over a year tells me he does not not how to win games! or hold on to a lead.
To bring in JWP and MG when we were winning against Brighton typifies this.


7.) 25 Sep 2018
25 Sep 2018 11:56:53
Regarding Hughes - with what was available, it was a sensible choice to the end of the season. Although we stayed up, I didn't think he had done enough or we had seen enough to warrant a 3yr contract. I perceive his longer term appointment as lacking ambition and being happy with simply staying up. From the list above - Moyes and big Sam? NO THANKS.

What concerns me is that if we consider the comparison to last season report on BBC, our results versus same sides last season are similar and we actually have 3 points fewer. In addition we only seem slightly better attack wise but worse defensively.

my view of hughes so far and overall is underwhelmed.