Sorry Ryan, your as much to blame

Metal Green Mickey · Apr 21, 2021

It’s all well and good Lowe saying tonight his group of players were soft but the players can’t be held responsible for his tactics and game management.

I look back in January at comments l made about the soft underbelly of this team. And yet now our manager is coming out with this when we are in April. It just sounds like an excuse for covering up his own mistakes.

This isn’t a Ryan Lowe out thread. I’m clinging onto hope with my fingernails that he can turn this around. This season is gone. He has chucked the players tonight under a bus. I can’t see this team playing for him and getting another win this season. We now are going to have to hope Rochdale falters once in their remaining four games. I hate the idea of this but this unfortunately is where we are at.

If Rochdale were to win 7 in a row and survive at our expense then Lowe needs to go. Unfortunately, being back under him in league two would feel stale.

If we survive, then we have to wipe the slate clean and hope this season he did learn a lot from it.

My issue currently is he picks the team. He sends the same players who keep making mistakes out onto that pitch. It’s his system / formation that unfortunately that makes us underperform at both ends of the pitch. It’s his in game management that doesn’t effect the course of a game. These are his mistakes.

The players lack the fight. They lack the application. However, Lowe and his coaching team are in place to improve these players and get performances from them. Players like Camara are unfortunately getting worse.

It’s time to take responsibility Ryan. This is YOUR team.

memory man · Apr 21, 2021

When Aimson went off tonight - at 0-1 - the manager went away from his favoured 352 to 4ATB. I thought of you immediately as I know you believed this to better for the players we have. At least now that theory is blown. It clearly is either the players or the staff. I never know why the manager gets all of the blame - the staff have a part to play. There is a common denominator on Lowe's staff and the group Adams employed. And clearly we seem to have arrived at the same place again. A rudderless listless group, unable to turn the tide when it flows against them. Personally, I think high levels of physical fitness go some way to overcoming some ability flaws. This team doesn't seem to have 11 very fit players.
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Metal Green Mickey · Apr 21, 2021

The players aren’t good enough. That’s a given.

However, there are plenty of teams in this league who are making a better fist of it on a similar budget.

We don’t have a playing style. We aren’t great at either ends of the pitch. The same issues occurring every game. I mean how many goals now how we conceded 5 mins into the restart of the second half?

At some point we have to ask as fans why the same tactical flaws keep resurfacing. It seems when the chips are down and the team is struggling he just doesn’t know how to change the tide. 2 wins from twelve games.

The only time we won two games recently is by playing a 4ATB system. Most people have commented how much better Aimson looked in that formation than a 3ATB. And yet here we are still ploughing on with a 3ATB system (we started again with it last night) with these group of players who have struggled with it all season. At least the 4ATB he tried something different. Yes it didn’t work tonight but we would of not played any better if we continued with 3ATB because of players like Watts who he continues to play but isn’t good enough. The 3ATB also just makes us lop sided, flavouring attacking down the left.

Tbh, We are defensively woeful whatever system we play. It’s doesn’t blow anything out of the water as if we carried on with 3ATB the likelihood is we wouldn’t have got any wins. At least in those games where we did play 4ATB we played slightly better and more competitive when Aimson and Woods were are two CB’s. I include Blackpool first half in this too.

A 6-0 home thumping. At what point dare we actually criticise our manager for a lack of tactical nous?

Rush Goalie · Apr 21, 2021

As mentioned above, along with everything else killing us, the amount of goals given away straight after half time is phenomenal. I’ve never known anything like it.

That comes down to tactics and mentality - which begin and end with the manager.

Have been in the ‘learning curve’ camp on Lowe. Starting to think he just isn’t up to it.

EyeOpener · Apr 21, 2021

Rush Goalie":1n1rz5bo said:
As mentioned above, along with everything else killing us, the amount of goals given away straight after half time is phenomenal. I’ve never known anything like it.

That comes down to tactics and mentality - which begin and end with the manager.

Have been in the ‘learning curve’ camp on Lowe. Starting to think he just isn’t up to it.

It also comes down to recruitment. Shame data analytics don't give you figures on determination, drive, belief, pride, hurt and all the other HUMAN qualities needed to win football games. When will the chairman see that its humans that play football and not robots.

Sometimes change isn't always a good thing and I suggest basing our recruitment on data/stats is a change that isn't good. Bin it and use the undoubted shed load of money it costs to run it on expanding the HUMAN scout network. Get them out to non-league games and overseas etc. Stop limiting ourselves to whichever players have their data analysed.

AlanMS · Apr 21, 2021

Many people on this site have been slating Lowe for not trying out some of the academy players and those who consistently warm the bench. Tonight he did so and a very painful lesson was learned. Last nights match was men against boys - young Law showed a lot of potential going forward but was left for dead in a defensive role. Many people on this site slate Aimson, but look how much we missed once he got injured. Many people on this site slate Danny Major - last night I feel that he was one player who emerged with credit as he did try and take the game to Charlton who were in fact a very good team and look like they will be in the playoffs - what an away record they have!!

I do agree that Lowe at times has been found wanting, but I do hope that he has learned from this season and that he can build a team next season that is a mixture of up and coming talent like Ennis and Camara and seasoned Pro's that form the backbone of any team. An Inspiring captain on the pitch is a must.

i love this club and have supported them since 1972, and have been through several bad times. Let's forget last night as a bad day at the office and move forward to the vision of our excellent Chairman.

ealinggreen · Apr 21, 2021

AlanMS":2y1wekpq said:
Many people on this site have been slating Lowe for not trying out some of the academy players and those who consistently warm the bench. Tonight he did so and a very painful lesson was learned. Last nights match was men against boys - young Law showed a lot of potential going forward but was left for dead in a defensive role. Many people on this site slate Aimson, but look how much we missed once he got injured. Many people on this site slate Danny Major - last night I feel that he was one player who emerged with credit as he did try and take the game to Charlton who were in fact a very good team and look like they will be in the playoffs - what an away record they have!!

I do agree that Lowe at times has been found wanting, but I do hope that he has learned from this season and that he can build a team next season that is a mixture of up and coming talent like Ennis and Camara and seasoned Pro's that form the backbone of any team. An Inspiring captain on the pitch is a must.

i love this club and have supported them since 1972, and have been through several bad times. Let's forget last night as a bad day at the office and move forward to the vision of our excellent Chairman.

Good post which sums up my feelings.

green pants · Apr 21, 2021

I think Ryan and his staff need severe criticism as we have all been able to see our weaknesses since last year! However there is a huge difference between criticizing someone and sacking them. We play the best football we have seen at our club since the shilton days and I believe that we should be supporting Ryan's development as a manager - that includes praise when warranted and criticism when necessary too... And never shy from the home truths... He has messed up this season, but we are all but safe and in that respect it's job done. Next year MUST Be an improvement but it should still be with Ryan at the helm. :scarf:

Rush Goalie · Apr 21, 2021

green_pants":djz8qywy said:
I think Ryan and his staff need severe criticism as we have all been able to see our weaknesses since last year! However there is a huge difference between criticizing someone and sacking them. We play the best football we have seen at our club since the shilton days and I believe that we should be supporting Ryan's development as a manager - that includes praise when warranted and criticism when necessary too... And never shy from the home truths... He has messed up this season, but we are all but safe and in that respect it's job done. Next year MUST Be an improvement but it should still be with Ryan at the helm. :scarf:

That's fine, GP - and I agree. However, that does involve a degree of Mea Culpa too from Lowe. Too often, he simply slates the players after the game. Last night, he said he takes responsibility but then immediately shifted the blame to the players.

He said that too many of them don't want it, don't have the pride and passion. Which ones do we think it is then? Can't be Cooper, Aimson, Watts, Opoku, Edwards, Mayor, Camara - they are consistently picked, week in, week it. Is it Macleod who he keeps bringing back in and keeps taking part in dreadful performances. What about Law, who is a kid chucked in at the deep end? Hardie and Jephcott? Criticise their ability if you like but all I ever see from them is running the hard yards. Ditto Ennis.

My point is it doesn't seem to be application - it's something else at work. A manager worth his salt will self-reflect and adapt. Is Lowe capable of doing that? The signs so far are limited that he can, or will. I hope he does. Broadly, I think he's been positive for the club but much more of this and it will become harder to take. I'm sure I'm like other weather-beaten Argyle fans of 40 years plus, who will not find it easy to stomach another return to the basement.

briangreen · Apr 21, 2021

AlanMS":25ahlv42 said:
Many people on this site have been slating Lowe for not trying out some of the academy players and those who consistently warm the bench. Tonight he did so and a very painful lesson was learned. Last nights match was men against boys - young Law showed a lot of potential going forward but was left for dead in a defensive role. Many people on this site slate Aimson, but look how much we missed once he got injured. Many people on this site slate Danny Major - last night I feel that he was one player who emerged with credit as he did try and take the game to Charlton who were in fact a very good team and look like they will be in the playoffs - what an away record they have!!

I do agree that Lowe at times has been found wanting, but I do hope that he has learned from this season and that he can build a team next season that is a mixture of up and coming talent like Ennis and Camara and seasoned Pro's that form the backbone of any team. An Inspiring captain on the pitch is a must.

i love this club and have supported them since 1972, and have been through several bad times. Let's forget last night as a bad day at the office and move forward to the vision of our excellent Chairman.

Thought Law played well, but the rest of the defence were powder puff. I've never seen argyle players stand back like some last night and its right to say that once Aimson went off we collapsed like a deck of cards. I've been following argyle since the 70s and believe me I've seen some bad play, but last night.....
These players have ability, but there was very little evidence of desire apart from about the 1st fifteen, just not good enough. I would be surprised if many of those loan players make it as professionals going by last nights effort and other inconsistent performances.