Caldwell out?

[STURTZ]

Indeed, give me more than 6 wins from 21 league home matches any day of the week.

In the passage of time only the final league position will count. In 40 years time young City fans will pore over league records and say, "Ooh that must have been a good season, mid table league 1, would have liked to have seen that". Just in earshot Max will look up from his bath chair and croak " No, no it was sh1t! We were terrible, Caldwell Out! He got a speeding ticket you know? Everybody thought we were crap, boos rang around the ground, Diabate played up front and Perkins was on the bench!"
"There there dear" his carer advised gently, "Calm down and take your medication."

 

[Grecian Max]

In the passage of time only the final league position will count. In 40 years time young City fans will pore over league records and say, "Ooh that must have been a good season, mid table league 1, would have liked to have seen that". Just in earshot Max will look up from his bath chair and croak " No, no it was sh1t! We were terrible, Caldwell Out! He got a speeding ticket you know? Everybody thought we were crap, boos rang around the ground, Diabate played up front and Perkins was on the bench!"
"There there dear" his carer advised gently, "Calm down and take your medication."

I'm Caldwell in mate, one of yours

You'd have thought the oldies would be good at reading!

For your reference in between naps:

• #8,500
• #8,461
• #8,454

 

[Mid Devon Grecian]

As a club we must sign a Nombe Esc striker, young hungry and with potential (Fully accept these are hard to come by) to support Cox and the probable other two strikers we will need to bring in, but if we are to be effective, this is a must and is the most important part of our summer. I personally wouldn't mind Eisa as Third choice with Cox and a new first choice striker, alongside a young, raw 4th choice.

Has Alli been signed to develop into that Nombe role?

Him, Cox and an experienced striker should do us given Caldwell only plays one up top.

Would like to see Harris back for another season as I think he’s started to really find his feet. Would be a shame to potentially see one of our rivals benefit from that next year. He’ll pitch in with a few goals as will Cole and Aitchison.

Re-signing Demi would also add goals.

if my wish list were fulfilled I think we’d have a decent season.

Don’t agree on Eisa, seems disinterested to me.

 

[suffolklad]

You gotta hand it to you. If you're gonna miss the point then do it as spectaculary as you have. Good work!
[/QUOTE
The original argument for OUT was he's useless see poor records at previous clubs, no tactics he'll send us down, etc etc.
My point is and i didn't miss it was that the out brigade have changed the argument to attractive and entertaining which is subjective. They are not prepared to accept that he has been a success and and will use any argument to show they were right all along. Which of course they simply were not

 

[Antony Moxey]

The Caldwell out group seem to now base their argument on playing what they describe as attractive / entertaining football. Whatever that is? simply because when you describe football in those terms its entirely a subjective argument. For me that's what we are now playing possession based football, Agreed we do need someone who knows where the onion bag is, However results are what brings in crowds not one person who scores 20 a season but we end up being relegated..
Seems to me if your in the out brigade that's where you will always be simply because you tied the flag to the mast and nowt will change your mind.
As Pete Martin points out above crowd numbers speak for themselves.

Seriously, why do you bother posting? All it does is confirm even more just how thick you are and how little you understand now and understood previously what the arguments were for wanting Caldwell gone. But that was then, this is now, it seems the only ones now who can’t let it go are the clappers and free hitters. Most have moved on, perhaps you and your brigade ought to to try to as well.

 

[Grecian Max]

Suffolklad still not reading posts

 

[Boyo]

I think it is a really difficult one, I think unfortunately from a personal viewpoint that the bland, boring way England play has been ingrained into our coaches and we are seeing it trickle down the leagues. It is not a style I Like, especially trying to watch League one sides play it, i genuinely hate watching Southgate's England side and only really Liverpool are enjoyable to watch in the Prem. Man City are just the best at what they do and the style, but it isn't for me.

I've said on here before that modern football is "stats led, possession based". Most teams now employ this style because the statistics provide evidence that a possession based approach is most likely to produce wins. Even Liverpool play this way, they are just much better than most at being able to play forward balls in the final third, and also regain possession very quickly. This approach is the England DNA. It's not a trickle down the leagues, rather, all grassroots coaches are taught to coach these attributes. When the style of play is executed well its a joy to watch.

IN terms of the style of play, tactical approach and entertainment, it has been very poor and ineffective for the most part, but it has achieved the aim of staying up. I don't particularly enjoy watching us even when we win, it is not a great watch, but obviously, I am always happy when we win and full accept that not every game is going to be a full blown entertainment fest, but this season I cannot remember many games when I came out and really felt pumped about this style of play, but again that could in part a personal opinion / watching us no do it effectively very often.

Surely if we have achieved the aim of staying up, then the approach has proved to be effective?

I think everyone will agree that its been hard to watch at times this year. Caldwell has said in interviews, the plan isn't to pass the ball around in our own half, and that he wants us to play forward more and quicker. When it does click however we look really good (the goal against Burton was excellent IMO), but clearly we need to work to produce more moments of quality to increase the chances of scoring. I'm glad Caldwell stuck with the principles during the tough spell and didn't seek short term fixes. If we want to have a genuine sniff of sneaking into the play-offs in the coming years then I think that possession based football is the only way to go.

 

[MJP_Exeter]

Has Alli been signed to develop into that Nombe role?

Him, Cox and an experienced striker should do us given Caldwell only plays one up top.

Would like to see Harris back for another season as I think he’s started to really find his feet. Would be a shame to potentially see one of our rivals benefit from that next year. He’ll pitch in with a few goals as will Cole and Aitchison.

Re-signing Demi would also add goals.

if my wish list were fulfilled I think we’d have a decent season.

Don’t agree on Eisa, seems disinterested to me.

I had forgotten about Alli (Memory). So yes, Just the Nombe esq first choice to fulfil. Eisa can leave.

 

[Grecian Max]

I've said on here before that modern football is "stats led, possession based"

It's common mainstream knowledge post tiki-taka, this - however there are varying forms of the "modern game" (anyone else sick of this phrase?). My main issue has been there was and is no plan b for when Caldwell doesn't have access to the right players. The winter form brutally highlighted this shortcoming.

HOWEVER...

I'm glad Caldwell stuck with the principles during the tough spell and didn't seek short term fixes.

I am inclined to agree with this now. Obviously much easier after what I would class as a successful 2024, but hard to see during such a poor run. My hope is the learnings from that will benefit us going into next season.

Caldwell himself has been pretty vocal about making mistakes at previous jobs - he's probably much more critical of himself than a lot of people on here would allow themselves to be. Learning from mistakes makes you stronger and more resilient; and there's signs that this has happened.

If we want to have a genuine sniff of sneaking into the play-offs in the coming years then I think that possession based football is the only way to go.

When GC came in I was impressed at how quickly we started to look like a more technical team. This football can look good and work but requires players of a certain quality to pull it off and I'm yet to be convinced we have enough in the bank to make it happen.

He's managing Exeter City in League One so there needs to be a level of pragmatism - which is why I think we're in for another patchy season next year, rather than an ascent to a playoff fight which IMO is some way off.

As long as he keeps us up comfortably next year I would be happy to retain his services; that doesn't mean he should be immune from critique when we are a low scoring, low points total team in our "fortress".

The home form needs to be addressed as we are very much reliant on good gates.

And just to confirm, again for the likes of @STURTZ - Caldwell in, I called it wrong at Xmas

Always keep it balanced

 

[Super Ronnie Jepson]

I think the main issue is that we play lots of nicey nicey, get into good positions, then take an extra touch (or eight) and the chance is gone. Last season we had a plethora of players confident enough to have a pop (Sam, Jev, Jay, Archie, Jack, even Demetri), whereas this season, only Reece seems to have the balls (since Demetri’s injury)

It’s so frustrating to watch, and predictable.

Exactly this.