Assessment of RLs season

[Paranoid Android]

I guess it’s all about perception.

What l mean by this is l thought Ennis was the only guy holding the ball up in the first place. I remember him a few times with his back to the defender and turning him. When l remember us playing badly before our Bristol Rovers and Wimbledon results l thought he was the guy running the channels. In fact l remember the game at M K Dons where (I think it was Martin Gritton saying) he was stand out player on the pitch in terms of his hold up play.

I remember the game against Portsmouth where it was Ennis run down the channel that presented Jephcott with the tap in for one of his goals.

Personally l don’t think Ennis has been doing anything different than when he first came here. Instead l look at the service given to our forwards. It’s been diabolical. Punts down the channel they don’t have a cat in hells chance of getting. That’s the problem as to why we aren’t scoring. Our build up play is rubbish.

Point taken, it's definitely lack of service that's a factor. Goals have dried up and I analysed Jephers goals on another thread. We stopped putting early crosses into the box, which is where the majority of his goals came from. Thinking back to last year too, that was Coopers trademark, early crosses in catching them out of shape, for Jephs and Hardie to get in front of defenders. Why we stopped doing that second half of the season is a mystery. It had to be a tactical change.

 

[saxman]

I guess it’s all about perception.

What l mean by this is l thought Ennis was the only guy holding the ball up in the first place. I remember him a few times with his back to the defender and turning him. When l remember us playing badly before our Bristol Rovers and Wimbledon results l thought he was the guy running the channels. In fact l remember the game at M K Dons where (I think it was Martin Gritton saying) he was stand out player on the pitch in terms of his hold up play.

I remember the game against Portsmouth where it was Ennis run down the channel that presented Jephcott with the tap in for one of his goals.

Personally l don’t think Ennis has been doing anything different than when he first came here. Instead l look at the service given to our forwards. It’s been diabolical. Punts down the channel they don’t have a cat in hells chance of getting. That’s the problem as to why we aren’t scoring. Our build up play is rubbish.

Point taken, it's definitely lack of service that's a factor. Goals have dried up and I analysed Jephers goals on another thread. We stopped putting early crosses into the box, which is where the majority of his goals came from. Thinking back to last year too, that was Coopers trademark, early crosses in catching them out of shape, for Jephs and Hardie to get in front of defenders. Why we stopped doing that second half of the season is a mystery. It had to be a tactical change.

That's a good observation about G Cooper's early deliveries, he always looks to do that rather than faff about playing it sideways and backwards. When we were winning games earlier in the season it wasn't so obvious but now there is such poor service to the strikers. I'm not sure it's tactical but rather the playing styles of GC's replacements.

 

[Mark Smith]

I am coming to this thread late, but my first reaction to the OP question remains the same as my gut reaction, having read all posts.

I will judge this season a) when we get the point we need to stay up, as that was my only hope and expectation in September, and b) by around October/November when we will see if Lowe has been able to kick on and make the changes we need to be a stronger outfit in this league. That will determine for me whether the current season has been one of successful consolidation or simply a blind adherence to a formula that “simply” gets teams out of League Two.

With regard to Peter’s comparison with the Sturrock years, I can see many similarities but ultimately Sturrock built from the back. My jury is still out on Lowe’s ability to shore things up defensively. I really hope he can find the magic formula/players who can play his style AND be solid at the back. I don’t think he will be able to rein in his attacking instincts and adopt different tactics, so it will come down to personnel changes in the close season.

Fingers crossed we make my a)...

 

[xmastree]

For what it's worth, I think it's a bit early to try and make a definitive assessment. I don't think we'll really know until a good way into next year.

That's because I believe that the first season back in League One was always going to be, first and foremost, about staying up.

And then getting into good shape for next year.

On the first task, 10 out of 10. No argument.

On the second - well I believe that we have to wait before making a definitive judgement.

For context, take a look at 2002-3. (The following season, we went up as champions. Deservedly).

At the time of the last few games of 02-03, both goalies (Romain and Luke) were at the club.

Midfielders Norris, Friio, Hodges, Bent and Capaldi were there. Steve Adams too.

Front men Evans, Stonebridge, Keith and Lowndes. were all available.

As were defenders Connolly, Coughlan, Wotton and Aljofree.

The personnel had been recruited, and the systems were in place too. Everyone know their jobs.

Indeed, just 1 player made his first team debut in the 03-04 season - Peter Gilbert. (Thanks GreensonScreen for that info!).

These last few games of 02-03 were spent experimenting with shape and personnel. (Who remembers Kieran MacAnespie?!)
But everything that year was about planning for the next one. And what a year it turned out to be. Despite Paul Sturrock leaving for Southampton at a critical time, the machine rolled on. The consistency remained.

Now, I have absolutely no idea how many of the existing squad are earmarked for a central role next year. And I'm sure that there will be comprehensive plans in place when it comes to recruitment.

We'll find out over the coming months.

In terms of my response to the "exam question" - now is not the time. We'll only be able to give a better answer 20 or so games into next season.

Peter Jones's comparison with 2002/3 are certainly interesting. "Everything that year was about planning for the next one", he recalls, and the fact that only one player needed to be added in 03/04 to produce a League winning team, certainly bears this out. It was truly a season of consolidation, a season where the 01/02 promotion team was added to and solidified in preparation for the next campaign.

Peter lists all the main players in what was a small, but very effective, squad. Amongst those in place were "defenders Connolly, Coughlan, Wotton and Aljofree" - Sturrock like most managers had built from the back. The 2002/3 defence conceded 52 goals, whilst the same personnel, plus Gilbert, shipped only 41 the following season.

In 2020/21, Argyle have conceded 73 goals in 43 games. In contrast to Sturrock's defenders being in place for the following year, Lowe doesn't have a single defender signed for next season (as far as we are aware) - indeed he has only made one permanent defensive signing in almost 2 years at HP. I do get some of the reasons, particularly those related to the pandemic, but I struggle significantly with those who talk of Argyle being ready to challenge next year, or even that there has been consolidation within the team this year.

I can see the argument that Lowe needs to be given time before being judged, but am concerned about the amount he needs to achieve in order to produce significant improvement in the first half of next season, let alone come close to replicating Sturrock's achievements 2 decades ago.

 

[Keith Whitfield]

Yes, the beatings our team have taken recently have hurt us all like crazy. They reflect things that have gone wrong and need correcting. Ryan Lowe and Steve Schumacher need to share part of the blame. In my very humble opinion, they have not put in place a sufficiently solid defensive set-up to allow the more attacking players the platform to do their stuff. The loanees brought in are decent footballers but prone to error. From what I've heard, the penny has dropped with the managers and they will adjust their strategy accordingly. On Tuesday, they experimented in the defensive area. That backfired on them big time.

But let's not forget that at times this season our team has played some beautiful football, and has beaten a number of the teams in contention for promotion, including Charlton at their place. We have a crop of young players coming through who look to have what it takes. A number of the more established players are beginning to show some form (Grant, Edwards, Aimson). Despite what some say, Danny Mayor has a great ability to turn defence into attack. The club is stable financially and in a position to recruit players to complement those already on the books. In short, there's loads of positives.

Anyway, the chairman has nailed his colours to the mast and has made it clear that the Lowe/Schumacher team are here for the long haul. He believes in their ability to deliver. He also believes that good managers learn from their mistakes - and he has made it abundantly clear that Lowe and Schumacher are, in his opinion, good managers. For what it's worth (nothing in practical terms), I agree with that viewpoint. But whether I do or not, it's pretty clear that the current management team are going to be given the chance to show that they have got what it takes to lead Argyle up the league table.

 

[Greenbean]

Well said, Peter Jones. Taking the long view, there are lots of positives to take from the current situation, not least the emergence of a group of home-grown players who look like good prospects for the future. Agree that the current regime is almost certainly behind where the first Sturrock regime was after their first season in this league, but Luggy had a bit longer in the bottom rung to put his team in place. It is also my feeling that Luggy was more developed as a manager when he came to HP than Ryan Lowe was.

Think this is a time for quiet reflection rather than kneejerk reactions to what admittedly was a pretty awful 90-odd minutes. Let's see how the management team and the players react to this big jolt. This is not a time to "get rid" but one for those at the sharp end to "think big".

Knee jerk! We have had a lot of awful performances.
How much more of this mediocrity are we meant to accept?
The only positive is we will almost certainly be in league 1 next season.

Mediocrity is an Argyle thing....we have the patent on it.

But only over the last few decades... :crazy:

 

[oldage]

Yes, the beatings our team have taken recently have hurt us all like crazy. They reflect things that have gone wrong and need correcting. Ryan Lowe and Steve Schumacher need to share part of the blame. In my very humble opinion, they have not put in place a sufficiently solid defensive set-up to allow the more attacking players the platform to do their stuff. The loanees brought in are decent footballers but prone to error. From what I've heard, the penny has dropped with the managers and they will adjust their strategy accordingly. On Tuesday, they experimented in the defensive area. That backfired on them big time.

But let's not forget that at times this season our team has played some beautiful football, and has beaten a number of the teams in contention for promotion, including Charlton at their place. We have a crop of young players coming through who look to have what it takes. A number of the more established players are beginning to show some form (Grant, Edwards, Aimson). Despite what some say, Danny Mayor has a great ability to turn defence into attack. The club is stable financially and in a position to recruit players to complement those already on the books. In short, there's loads of positives.

Anyway, the chairman has nailed his colours to the mast and has made it clear that the Lowe/Schumacher team are here for the long haul. He believes in their ability to deliver. He also believes that good managers learn from their mistakes - and he has made it abundantly clear that Lowe and Schumacher are, in his opinion, good managers. For what it's worth (nothing in practical terms), I agree with that viewpoint. But whether I do or not, it's pretty clear that the current management team are going to be given the chance to show that they have got what it takes to lead Argyle up the league table.

What makes you think Lowe/Schumacher are good managers?

 

[StevePAFC]

Yes, the beatings our team have taken recently have hurt us all like crazy. They reflect things that have gone wrong and need correcting. Ryan Lowe and Steve Schumacher need to share part of the blame. In my very humble opinion, they have not put in place a sufficiently solid defensive set-up to allow the more attacking players the platform to do their stuff. The loanees brought in are decent footballers but prone to error. From what I've heard, the penny has dropped with the managers and they will adjust their strategy accordingly. On Tuesday, they experimented in the defensive area. That backfired on them big time.

But let's not forget that at times this season our team has played some beautiful football, and has beaten a number of the teams in contention for promotion, including Charlton at their place. We have a crop of young players coming through who look to have what it takes. A number of the more established players are beginning to show some form (Grant, Edwards, Aimson). Despite what some say, Danny Mayor has a great ability to turn defence into attack. The club is stable financially and in a position to recruit players to complement those already on the books. In short, there's loads of positives.

Anyway, the chairman has nailed his colours to the mast and has made it clear that the Lowe/Schumacher team are here for the long haul. He believes in their ability to deliver. He also believes that good managers learn from their mistakes - and he has made it abundantly clear that Lowe and Schumacher are, in his opinion, good managers. For what it's worth (nothing in practical terms), I agree with that viewpoint. But whether I do or not, it's pretty clear that the current management team are going to be given the chance to show that they have got what it takes to lead Argyle up the league table.

What makes you think Lowe/Schumacher are good managers?

Remains to be seen how their careers will unfold in the future but 2 promotions in 3 seasons is hard to make a case against.

 

[lyndhurst]

There are lots of attributes a good leader/manager needs whether in sport, business, politics whatever.

Above all else he/she must be able to instill a level of commitment in their "troops" to give absolutely everything (100% plus if you like).

Can anyone here (Keith Whitfield?) actually say that they have ever seen that from our team this season. I certainly haven't.

Lowe/Schumacher got a Bury team, that were by far the most expensive team in League 2, promoted (and subsequently the club went bust due to overspending). We got promoted, not least, because the season ended at a very opportune time for us.

I have worked all over the world for some managers who could not get the extra percent out of me and also some managers who would get me out of the trenches for them. I see Lowe as a soft (everybody like me) sort of leader. As they say if he were chocolate he would eat himself.

I believe under Lowe, Camara has gone backwards, Opoka is lazy, Watts, Fornah and Lewis are error prone (no improvement), Jephcott hasn't progressed, Hardie is inconsistent, Macloed is rubbish (yet still playes), even Ennis (in the short time he has been here) seems to have slipped back and Danny Mayor is like a chef who cooks a brilliant meal and then ruins it by rubbish gravy/jus/sauce. Mayor has been like it all season and Lowe doesn't seem to know how to manage him to change (it's not Mayor's ability that's at fault it's how he's managed FFS).

Please tell me that, apart from his media presence, what attributes our manager has actually demonstrated.

I will say it again : "Emperor's new clothes"

 

[rsp4]

There are lots of attributes a good leader/manager needs whether in sport, business, politics whatever.

Above all else he/she must be able to instill a level of commitment in their "troops" to give absolutely everything (100% plus if you like).

Can anyone here (Keith Whitfield?) actually say that they have ever seen that from our team this season. I certainly haven't.

Lowe/Schumacher got a Bury team, that were by far the most expensive team in League 2, promoted (and subsequently the club went bust due to overspending). We got promoted, not least, because the season ended at a very opportune time for us.

I have worked all over the world for some managers who could not get the extra percent out of me and also some managers who would get me out of the trenches for them. I see Lowe as a soft (everybody like me) sort of leader. As they say if he were chocolate he would eat himself.

I believe under Lowe, Camara has gone backwards, Opoka is lazy, Watts, Fornah and Lewis are error prone (no improvement), Jephcott hasn't progressed, Hardie is inconsistent, Macloed is rubbish (yet still playes), even Ennis (in the short time he has been here) seems to have slipped back and Danny Mayor is like a chef who cooks a brilliant meal and then ruins it by rubbish gravy/jus/sauce. Mayor has been like it all season and Lowe doesn't seem to know how to manage him to change (it's not Mayor's ability that's at fault it's how he's managed FFS).

Please tell me that, apart from his media presence, what attributes our manager has actually demonstrated.

I will say it again : "Emperor's new clothes"

Not a fan of RL then :funny:

Mind you you make SOME good points

 

[Nobby]

There are lots of attributes a good leader/manager needs whether in sport, business, politics whatever.

Above all else he/she must be able to instill a level of commitment in their "troops" to give absolutely everything (100% plus if you like).

Can anyone here (Keith Whitfield?) actually say that they have ever seen that from our team this season. I certainly haven't.

Lowe/Schumacher got a Bury team, that were by far the most expensive team in League 2, promoted (and subsequently the club went bust due to overspending). We got promoted, not least, because the season ended at a very opportune time for us.

I have worked all over the world for some managers who could not get the extra percent out of me and also some managers who would get me out of the trenches for them. I see Lowe as a soft (everybody like me) sort of leader. As they say if he were chocolate he would eat himself.

I believe under Lowe, Camara has gone backwards, Opoka is lazy, Watts, Fornah and Lewis are error prone (no improvement), Jephcott hasn't progressed, Hardie is inconsistent, Macloed is rubbish (yet still playes), even Ennis (in the short time he has been here) seems to have slipped back and Danny Mayor is like a chef who cooks a brilliant meal and then ruins it by rubbish gravy/jus/sauce. Mayor has been like it all season and Lowe doesn't seem to know how to manage him to change (it's not Mayor's ability that's at fault it's how he's managed FFS).

Please tell me that, apart from his media presence, what attributes our manager has actually demonstrated.

I will say it again : "Emperor's new clothes"

Jephcott’s not improved under Lowe??? :crazy: He wasn’t even playing league football when Lowe got here and now he’s one of the top scorers in League One you monumental prick.

Camara, Fornah, Lewis, Opoku allegedly haven’t progressed. So you watched them all last season to make that judgment did you? Did you fudge.

Ennis has gone backwards? He scored 0 goals for Burton in 9 league games before Christmas and has scored 5 for us, so that’s obviously bollocks.

I wish posters like yourself and a number of others would just bugger off and go support someone else. Your toxic attitudes are a plague to this football club and frankly I am sick of it.

 

[djg145]

All bluster and no action

 

[Swaz]

Best game watched (so far) this season for me was the home win 4 v 3 against Lincoln. Entertaining, attacking, edge of the seat stuff. Thus we can play this way. Just need to be a bit more consistent and play like this every week :thumbup:

 

[djg145]

There are lots of attributes a good leader/manager needs whether in sport, business, politics whatever.

Above all else he/she must be able to instill a level of commitment in their "troops" to give absolutely everything (100% plus if you like).

Can anyone here (Keith Whitfield?) actually say that they have ever seen that from our team this season. I certainly haven't.

Lowe/Schumacher got a Bury team, that were by far the most expensive team in League 2, promoted (and subsequently the club went bust due to overspending). We got promoted, not least, because the season ended at a very opportune time for us.

I have worked all over the world for some managers who could not get the extra percent out of me and also some managers who would get me out of the trenches for them. I see Lowe as a soft (everybody like me) sort of leader. As they say if he were chocolate he would eat himself.

I believe under Lowe, Camara has gone backwards, Opoka is lazy, Watts, Fornah and Lewis are error prone (no improvement), Jephcott hasn't progressed, Hardie is inconsistent, Macloed is rubbish (yet still playes), even Ennis (in the short time he has been here) seems to have slipped back and Danny Mayor is like a chef who cooks a brilliant meal and then ruins it by rubbish gravy/jus/sauce. Mayor has been like it all season and Lowe doesn't seem to know how to manage him to change (it's not Mayor's ability that's at fault it's how he's managed FFS).

Please tell me that, apart from his media presence, what attributes our manager has actually demonstrated.

I will say it again : "Emperor's new clothes"

Jephcott’s not improved under Lowe??? :crazy: He wasn’t even playing league football when Lowe got here and now he’s one of the top scorers in League One you monumental [Insult Removed by Site Admin].

Camara, Fornah, Lewis, Opoku allegedly haven’t progressed. So you watched them all last season to make that judgment did you? Did you [Bad Language Removed by Site Admin].

Ennis has gone backwards? He scored 0 goals for Burton in 9 league games before Christmas and has scored 5 for us, so that’s obviously bollocks.

I wish posters like yourself and a number of others would just bugger off and go support someone else. Your toxic attitudes are a plague to this football club and frankly I am sick of it.

Oh dear, someone gives THEIR opinion on here and get a response like that. It is an opinion based website is it not? So everyone needs to see everything like you, never to have a different view then you! How sad it would be and very boring, if everyone agreed with your opinion.
Obviously you need to check your blood pressure and then RESPECT other people's opinions.
Right or Wrong in your opinion.

 

[Nobby]

There are lots of attributes a good leader/manager needs whether in sport, business, politics whatever.

Above all else he/she must be able to instill a level of commitment in their "troops" to give absolutely everything (100% plus if you like).

Can anyone here (Keith Whitfield?) actually say that they have ever seen that from our team this season. I certainly haven't.

Lowe/Schumacher got a Bury team, that were by far the most expensive team in League 2, promoted (and subsequently the club went bust due to overspending). We got promoted, not least, because the season ended at a very opportune time for us.

I have worked all over the world for some managers who could not get the extra percent out of me and also some managers who would get me out of the trenches for them. I see Lowe as a soft (everybody like me) sort of leader. As they say if he were chocolate he would eat himself.

I believe under Lowe, Camara has gone backwards, Opoka is lazy, Watts, Fornah and Lewis are error prone (no improvement), Jephcott hasn't progressed, Hardie is inconsistent, Macloed is rubbish (yet still playes), even Ennis (in the short time he has been here) seems to have slipped back and Danny Mayor is like a chef who cooks a brilliant meal and then ruins it by rubbish gravy/jus/sauce. Mayor has been like it all season and Lowe doesn't seem to know how to manage him to change (it's not Mayor's ability that's at fault it's how he's managed FFS).

Please tell me that, apart from his media presence, what attributes our manager has actually demonstrated.

I will say it again : "Emperor's new clothes"

Jephcott’s not improved under Lowe??? :crazy: He wasn’t even playing league football when Lowe got here and now he’s one of the top scorers in League One you monumental [Insult Removed by Site Admin].

Camara, Fornah, Lewis, Opoku allegedly haven’t progressed. So you watched them all last season to make that judgment did you?

Ennis has gone backwards? He scored 0 goals for Burton in 9 league games before Christmas and has scored 5 for us, so that’s obviously bollocks.

I wish posters like yourself and a number of others would just bugger off and go support someone else. Your toxic attitudes are a plague to this football club and frankly I am sick of it.

Oh dear, someone gives THEIR opinion on here and get a response like that. It is an opinion based website is it not? So everyone needs to see everything like you, never to have a different view then you! How sad it would be and very boring, if everyone agreed with your opinion.
Obviously you need to check your blood pressure and then RESPECT other people's opinions.
Right or Wrong in your opinion.

To say Jephcott has not improved under Lowe, Ennis has gone backwards... this is not opinion. It is just objectively wrong. It’s an agenda against the manager, is what it is. Just like quite a lot of posters who have appeared on this website over the past few months and have battered the manager and the players on repeat with no easing up. It is agenda-fuelled trolling, pure and simple. PASOTI has become a toxic cauldron of negativity and misery.

I don’t expect people to all agree with each other but PASOTI has slipped to the point where the actual football match has no relevance on the opinions people hold. I could write a brief synopsis thread before a ball is kicked it has become that predictable. And that post that I’ve called out above, albeit my ire not solely directed at the OP in their defence, is a case in point. It is full toxic nonsense used to beat the manager with a stick. The same goes for other posts about the managers family, his alleged commitment, the clamouring support for our previous manager, the jibes about his relationship with Danny Mayor, comments about his personality. Where does it stop?

We are in a global pandemic, in the most unique football season ever and our manager has not only got us promoted (undeservedly according to some), but then kept us in League One at the first time of asking. Yet he gets next to no credit for that, and just gets bashed week after week. If you need more evidence of that, take a look at the other thread on the main page - 'what is RL's greatest attribute'. It's just been train-wrecked by people bashing him.

What is the point of supporting a football club if you literally do anything but support it?