Thoughts on Ian Foster

[Argy1e]

Have you seen us play away under Foster? You do realise that Home matches only account for half our games ?

It's a myth that we're playing good football away under Foster. 45 minutes away at Middlesbrough and a game against Blackburn - one of the most out of form sides in the league, who'd scored an early goal, and had 10 men for half of the match doesn't make us a side who play good football away.

 

[Balham Green]

It's a myth that we're playing good football away under Foster. 45 minutes away at Middlesbrough and a game against Blackburn - one of the most out of form sides in the league, who'd scored an early goal, and had 10 men for half of the match doesn't make us a side who play good football away.

And what was the reason they had 10 men? Luck?

 

[oldage]

Well they look over the moon on the pitch dont they🤦. Unless you think that's happiness I suppose😁

I really don’t know what you are seeing. Last Saturday I saw players doing their best and visibly disappointed with losing.

 

[Steve Evans]

https://x.com/ArgyleMemes/status/1770895540357620015?s=20

 

[Deacster]

The debate rumbles on and we still have no word from the club, which would help at least confirm the way forwards.
This must fall under one of the below:-
* The club don't feel it's necessary to make any comment, which is a surprise given the reaction to Saturday which surely calls for strident leadership.
* There are plans for comment but the timing is being held back, perhaps the wrong time for a rallying call when our next game is too far away? Better to do so and call for unity on the eve of the Norwich game?
* There is potentially some discussion and debate on what to actually do. Not beyond the realms of possibility that the board, much like the fans are torn.

It will be interesting to see how things play out and which of the above is true.

 

[greenking]

I think we all need to see a sloshed Simon Hallett on the pitch at Carrow Road screaming at the Argyle away fans "C'mmon... lets be havin' you!!"

 

[jimsing]

The scenario could be that Foster keeps us up (hopefully) and the club move him on in the summer, not a sacking more a mutual agreement and we have a reset with a new manager and we go again in the Championship.
Foster's reputation will still be ok after keeping us up and he'll pick up a L2 or even a L1 club at some point.

Hallett is not short term.

Foster will be our head coach next season, regardless of which division we're in.

 

[Mister Green]

'The evidence is staring at you that we're in sharp decline since the unproven Mr Foster took charge..'

Well lets analyse that shall we...

Fosters record in the championship - Played 12 and has 12 pts from those (effectively 1 point per game). Importantly it should be noted that this points per game was against a majority of matches against sides in top half of the table (7 from 12) with 3 of Fosters losses coming against top 5 sides (Leeds, Ipswich and West Brom).

Looking at our remaining fixtures and keeping to Fosters current pts per game for the remaining 8 matches it would be fair to suggest we would probably end up on 49 points and I'm pretty sure in my mind that we be safe without it going to GD..

There are also a number of factors at play here, as it's not straightforward...

1. Our main forward players not being clinical recently
2. Bad sequence of fixtures (which will get easier)
3. An apparent poor club atmosphere which I'm convinced certain senior pros have added to by getting in a huff about getting dropped by a manager who's brought in players he's worked with (every new manager does that btw!!) and importantly achieved trophies with before.

To me this is lot of knee jerking here imo. and certainly no evidence of a 'sharp' decline as Mister Green has mentioned.

Ah yes, the old statistics.

The one I go for is barely a shot in any home game of the last five.

I'm not really one for statistics. They'll say what you want. Foster isn't for me based on what I see and hear

 

[Railway sleeper]

The debate rumbles on and we still have no word from the club, which would help at least confirm the way forwards.
This must fall under one of the below:-
* The club don't feel it's necessary to make any comment, which is a surprise given the reaction to Saturday which surely calls for strident leadership.
* There are plans for comment but the timing is being held back, perhaps the wrong time for a rallying call when our next game is too far away? Better to do so and call for unity on the eve of the Norwich game?
* There is potentially some discussion and debate on what to actually do. Not beyond the realms of possibility that the board, much like the fans are torn.

It will be interesting to see how things play out and which of the above is true.

I wanted lowe ( and shuey) gone after the embarrassing 6-0 home defeat to charlton.simon hallett showed patience, and was proven to be decisively right .

Now we find ourselves in a similar, but not identical position some years later. And in.my view are perhaps in a more precarious situation this time.

There is a debate to be had over accountability: players v management, which has been playing out on this forum over recent days.

It was easy to see in the charlton game that there was a lack of capability in the playing staff we had - our error prone defence, but then again it was lowe/ shuey who signed those defenders and coached them.

This time its perhaps more straightforward in as much as the main issue seems to be that ian foster appears to have stymied a free scoring side- with the result of few goals being scored ( in the attempt to tighten the defence).

Is patience the best course of action this time (as it was following the charlton game)? Not in my view- but then again that's only my view, and as I've said I've been wrong before.

On the other hand, could the silence coming out of home park currently, ,actually be the sound of negotiations ? ( which would be your option no 3). If that is the case, then perhaps there will be an announcement, when there is something to announce....

 

[Argy1e]

And what was the reason they had 10 men? Luck?

I'd say it was rather lucky given the distance from the goal, yes. A lot of refs would only have given a yellow card.

 

[cheshiregreen]

When is Simon Hallett next scheduled to be in the UK?

 

[GreenTommy]

Like he did with Aberdeen you mean?

Giver over. He will motivate this team over the line in the short term.

 

[ming the merciless]

I have yet to comment on any of this. I think we have to stick with Foster. He’s got a very hard job. Perhaps he underestimated the impact of loosing three very good players. Or perhaps he just wasn’t able to get deals done for more established players to replace Azaz, KKH and Cundle. But he is now familiar with the squad, whereas a new manager would have to learn who’s who. We have to get off his back and get behind him and the team.

 

[fishypilgrim]

I have yet to comment on any of this. I think we have to stick with Foster. He’s got a very hard job. Perhaps he underestimated the impact of loosing three very good players. Or perhaps he just wasn’t able to get deals done for more established players to replace Azaz, KKH and Cundle. But he is now familiar with the squad, whereas a new manager would have to learn who’s who. We have to get off his back and get behind him and the team.

Absolutely agree. However......
I know i am old and can remember the days when not every tackle was a foul and not every foul is a yellow card but I don't really get the emphasis on statistics ( other than it makes a lot of people a lot of money) . To me the only statistic that matters is scoring more goals that the opposition . This is more likely to happen if you have the ball and numbers of players in the opposition final third. Inverted full backs and transitioning through the thirds mean nothing to me . What I do see is us playing the ball around( uncomfortably) our back 3/4/5 and holding my breath every time. We pass the ball to midfielders who are normally facing our goal and with 1 or 2 opposing players right on their back. What are they supposed to do with the ball.
We might just have to abandon some of our principals for 8 games , play more of a long ball game and get more people higher up the pitch and putting the opposing defence under pressure.

 

[Balham Green]

Absolutely agree. However......
I know i am old and can remember the days when not every tackle was a foul and not every foul is a yellow card but I don't really get the emphasis on statistics ( other than it makes a lot of people a lot of money) . To me the only statistic that matters is scoring more goals that the opposition . This is more likely to happen if you have the ball and numbers of players in the opposition final third. Inverted full backs and transitioning through the thirds mean nothing to me . What I do see is us playing the ball around( uncomfortably) our back 3/4/5 and holding my breath every time. We pass the ball to midfielders who are normally facing our goal and with 1 or 2 opposing players right on their back. What are they supposed to do with the ball.
We might just have to abandon some of our principals for 8 games , play more of a long ball game and get more people higher up the pitch and putting the opposing defence under pressure.

Thats the problem though. Because of the lack of striker options we CANT play the long ball game. We haven't got a target man which you are effectively suggesting and we have nobody who can hold the ball up further up the pitch therefore. Oh for a target man.