End of an era

[Coast94]

Today felt like a watershed moment. It was dire and, let's face it, has been for some time.

The goodwill Silva's built up over recent years has eroded week by week, due to his refusal to commit. Now it's getting toxic. Our football's become stodgy, one-dimensional and predictable. We rarely look like creating anything, never mind scoring. Anytime we look like achieving anything, this team s*** the bed. Without fail. Ultimately, the manager sets the tone and we've once again failed to push on. The mentality appears to be poor.

Time for Marco to go. And a number of players should follow him out of the door:

Leno, Andersen, Robinson, Muniz, Reed, ESR...

It feels very stale - the end of an era - and in desperate need of a refresh. Do I trust the club to be proactive and get the rebuild right? Not so sure. They've let Silva's contract situation drift and often leave recruitment late. Given the potential squad turnover, this surely can't be allowed to happen again.

Anyway, I guess time will tell but a change is most certainly needed.

[bill taylors apprentice]

Agree!

A relegation battle looms if things don't improve next season!

[KentFulham]

I do tend to agree, there needs to be a big clear out as this walking football is just not good enough.

[Herbie]

It's been definitely been tame since the international break.  I wonder whether the players are sleep walking towards the end of the season in the knowledge  that Marco is not going to be here next season?

[MickTheBeard]

I think after that result we honestly must except that europe is flown away which should now the club and coach won't call him manager mainly because of transfers and tactics ran short of game plan should come clean to what is happening at the end of season puts the club in the shop window the players must know and I doubt we will win at wolves and possibly at our last home game to sell players will be hard for what we paid for I can see us going back to hogsons days of buying castoffs. Older players and unknowns the kitty is bare we have not got value for money and any good coaches won't put up with part time Dof.It is a worry from academy to 1st team we full short of prospects.

[ffcthereligion]

I tend to agree. Looking at forest and palace down in 15th and 16th but being just 5 and 6 points behind us respectively, I almost wonder if it would be better for the club long term if we lost the next two and finished much lower in the table so that the owners can be shocked out of their inertia

We are crying out for change. I love Marco and dont want him gone but we need new energy in the boardroom, management and among the players. I would welcome seeing all of the players mentioned being moved on. None are good enough to push us on. Massive summer upcoming to avoid sleepwalking into disaster

[Lordedmundo]

Personally I would keep Leno and Robinson. I think they are both good pros and I think the latter will come good again after playing in the World Cup.

Getting rid of players who are on a big salary and long contact is not to easy. So, I don't think it is realistic that we can move on Anderson, Muniz and Smith Rowe in one window. Certainly if we receive half decent offers for any - we should take. I would rather we got Pepi signed up before we sell Muniz, unless we get Raul to sign up for one more year.

The problem is - until a new manager comes in (assuming Marco leaves) nothing will happen on the transfer front. As we know - the club is notoriously slow at bringing in players.

But, I do agree that we need a fairly major squad overhaul this summer - particularly in midfield and attack. Ideally a goalscoring box to box midfielder (won't be cheap) and defensive midfielder - in one or both cases someone with experience and leadership.

[SP]

I can't agree that ESR falls into the players to move on category, he looks decent to me for 70 minutes.

[WindyCity]

I think too much is made of the MS situation.  It really should have no impact whatsoever on how well  the lads play.  (Excepting whatever 'system' they are asked to play.)  MS has done well with what he has to work with, putting together a capable mid table club, and a team that can, on its' day, compete with almost any other team in this league.

Is it time for a change, and maybe letting some players and MS leave?  Sure.  I would be open for a fresh look.  And, I am concerned about how FFC will do next season, and I don't think it's a stretch to suggest survival in this League will be a concern and challenge.  A lot depends on acquisitions made this summer.  Let's hope recruitment team gets it right.  And if a new coach is in the plan, hoping a coach that is open to more forward/aggressive play is chosen, more offensively minded than what we've seen this season.  This season if FFC scores one goal in a game, that's a lot.  Need to do much better.

[Shredhead]

Out of those, I would keep Leno, ESR and Robinson. They are all good quality EPL players.

[KJS]

Definitely end of an era and also my own personal relinquishment of my season ticket held for well over 25 years, the club has been sleep walking into trouble by allowing Marco to run his contract down which has quite clearly effected the who teams morale😌
I'm going down the membership route and will attend games if they kick off on a Saturday at 3pm (so not that many) apart from that I will be going to watch Worthing in the National league instead.

[alfie]

Definitely end of an era and also my own personal relinquishment of my season ticket held for well over 25 years, the club has been sleep walking into trouble by allowing Marco to run his contract down which has quite clearly effected the who teams morale😌
I'm going down the membership route and will attend games if they kick off on a Saturday at 3pm (so not that many) apart from that I will be going to watch Worthing in the National league instead.

Not a question of letting him run down his contract, the only option was to sack him, but why would  they do that when they have said on several occasions that they wanted to keep him.

[General]

Crazy how short minded people are..

The gap between us and 6th is still minimal and we've had clear shortcomings in squad size (which we all said in the summer), and all knew we needed strengthening in midfield and up front in Jan, which we didn't do apart from with Bobb.

In November through December we had one of the best runs and teams in the league with the same players and manager..

It slightly beggars belief that people think our current run isn't anything mkee than circumstantial and can be changed with more reinforcements, yes clarity on contracts, and what that means to a season..

Pepi for instance has been on a goalscoring streak since he got back from nursing his arm injury.. if we'd scored even three more goals more over the season since Jan we could've been in a completely different position.

Focus and double down and give Marco (or any manager for that instance) a full squad and the tools to do the job properly.

We've proven we're more than capable

[South Coast White]

Definitely end of an era and also my own personal relinquishment of my season ticket held for well over 25 years, the club has been sleep walking into trouble by allowing Marco to run his contract down which has quite clearly effected the who teams morale😌
I'm going down the membership route and will attend games if they kick off on a Saturday at 3pm (so not that many) apart from that I will be going to watch Worthing in the National league instead.

Not a question of letting him run down his contract, the only option was to sack him, but why would  they do that when they have said on several occasions that they wanted to keep him.

no need to sack him at all.
Just tell him the final offer is no longer on the table. Make you minded up.

[perry geyton]

I thought we played well yesterday against a very good unbeaten in 15 games Bournemouth team and really should of won

Personally I think people are overreacting and please inform me on why Leno should go ?

Regarding Marco maybe his time is up but if he were to resign I think it would freshen things up but I do agree that the uncertainty is unsettling

[KJS]

Definitely end of an era and also my own personal relinquishment of my season ticket held for well over 25 years, the club has been sleep walking into trouble by allowing Marco to run his contract down which has quite clearly effected the who teams morale😌
I'm going down the membership route and will attend games if they kick off on a Saturday at 3pm (so not that many) apart from that I will be going to watch Worthing in the National league instead.

Not a question of letting him run down his contract, the only option was to sack him, but why would  they do that when they have said on several occasions that they wanted to keep him.

It's been pretty obvious that he has no intention of an extension so like the Bournemouth manager Marco should have been honest and told everyone associated with the club his intentions, it hasn't harmed Bournemouth in any way has it??

[Southcoastffc]

The very probable reality is noone on this board knows what is going on within the club.  For example,  perhaps Marco has been told that his contract won't be renewed/extended.  Perhaps he's been invited to enter into a new contract but that funding for next season is going to be severely restricted. Maybe his personal circumstances are difficult and paramount.  Who knows?  Que sera sera.

[Alec of good Stock]

Today felt like a watershed moment. It was dire and, let's face it, has been for some time.

The goodwill Silva's built up over recent years has eroded week by week, due to his refusal to commit. Now it's getting toxic. Our football's become stodgy, one-dimensional and predictable. We rarely look like creating anything, never mind scoring. Anytime we look like achieving anything, this team s*** the bed. Without fail. Ultimately, the manager sets the tone and we've once again failed to push on. The mentality appears to be poor.

Time for Marco to go. And a number of players should follow him out of the door:

Leno, Andersen, Robinson, Muniz, Reed, ESR...

It feels very stale - the end of an era - and in desperate need of a refresh. Do I trust the club to be proactive and get the rebuild right? Not so sure. They've let Silva's contract situation drift and often leave recruitment late. Given the potential squad turnover, this surely can't be allowed to happen again.

Anyway, I guess time will tell but a change is most certainly needed.

For players to leave, unless they're at the end of their contract, another club has got to want them at an acceptable price, and there's the problem

[Milo]

Although I don't disagree with some of those names.. others eg Leno and Robinson still have a lot to offer for the £8m/£2.5m we respectively paid.

I think we need a new goalscoring striker, a new tricky right winger, and a new creative CM.
Sadly those happen to be some of the hardest positions to fill at this level.

I suspect a few more years of mid table looms. Or worse..

[gang]

One thing that shows up every game is how slow and predictable we are.