Michael Duff after the 3-0 defeat at MK Dons

Talk about anything to do with Cheltenham Town, CTFC 500 Club, League 1, ex players & Managers

Moderators: Admin, Ralph, asl, Robin

Jon Palmer
Posts: 5045
Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 20:19
Full interview can be read/watched here: http://bit.ly/DuffAfterMK" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
everyman
Posts: 2034
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 09:11
Jon Palmer wrote:Full interview can be read/watched here: http://bit.ly/DuffAfterMK" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
He should have just said we were not good enough instead of trying to justify the performance.Time for hm to be brave and demand more from everyone before the crowd turn nasty.
Scarface
Posts: 103
Joined: 30 Sep 2012, 13:53
Were you there everyman? What was the performance like from your POV?
cheltsaxon
Posts: 573
Joined: 10 Nov 2010, 21:51
Location: Cheltenhamshire
He's got to careful what he says he doesn't want the players morale to be even lower than it already is.
User avatar
Malabus
Posts: 13336
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 12:26
Location: The Death Star.
Same s#!t week in and out, never seems to be remedy to aid Cheltenham, such a frustrating club.
vickeryc
Posts: 1198
Joined: 30 May 2012, 07:18
Location: Cirencester
The club is in a classic no-win situation. Some of those that wanted Johnson out are still blaming poor results on 'his' players. Most of the players are fine - they are simply low on confidence. I feel for Duff. Football fans expect instant success and, if it isn't forthcoming, the knives come out. It's already starting to happen (shock!)
Robin
Posts: 15948
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 11:19
The players are definitely low on confidence and I would hope nobody is seriously turning on Duff but there has been a noticeable level of increased frustration over the last three very poor games. Lincoln I thought we did ok but others didn't, the last two performances though have been the worst so far I've seen. I thought Duff came in wanting to play a 4-4-2 pressing game and the players responded then we just chucked that out the window and the team has since lacked cohesion (failure to adapt perhaps).

If we fear we could be in a relegation battle then we need to be hard to beat and set the team up to graft first and foremost. Yesterday we sat off, didn't close down well, got caught on the ball and made unforced errors (Field, Clements and to a lesser extent Tozer/Nige). That is not acceptable and GJ cannot be the scapegoat there.

Come January I would fire out Field, Jones, Clements, Baldwin as a start then bring in power, pace and some dogs of war type players unless we are safely in mid-table.
PhilFox
Posts: 1
Joined: 01 Sep 2018, 15:32
My first post on this forum, but I feel that nearly everybody is looking at what's in front of them, and then coming to completely the wrong conclusions. Taking the facts from yesterday's game, we actually had most of the possession, according to the BBC's stats. So, we can keep the ball longer than the opposition, but we still lose 3 - 0. So, for anyone who has actually played the game, this means mostly that there is a major problem converting possession to goals. Doing this requires two things: 1 - the midfield to create chances for the forwards to take, and, 2 - the forwards to make the runs that enable midfield to deliver the ball to where it can be converted to a goal.

So far this season most games have been played against teams in the top third, so having done badly against them is not a disaster. With the season having a long way to go, there is still ample time to achieve the points necessary to finish out of the relegation zone. So, why do we keep losing?

From what I've seen so far, the midfield keeps suddenly parting like the Red Sea and leaving the back line facing several players decending on them. With gaps appearing in the midfield the opposition can spring counter attacks with numbers, and with this it often results in a goal.

To start collecting points, you don't need to start winning, you must first stop losing, and that requires tightening up the midfield, getting discipline in the players positional play so they don't push on without ensuring they aren't leaving the team exposed as soon as possession is lost. When you've stopped leaking goals you then work on creating chances and converting them. Varney for me is not a target man, but he can pick off knock downs in the box and score, so he needs physical support. I think Tyrone Barnett has not achieved match fitness, so work needed there, but once achieved that should bring with it the sharpness needed.

At the moment the manager is trying to work out the best way of achieving the results needed, but there will be no magic switch, it will take quite a few more weeks of probable frustration before things turn around.

There, said my piece, now for a cup of tea.
User avatar
Horteng
Posts: 3147
Joined: 25 Nov 2009, 22:57
Location: Heart of the Forest, Glos
Did I hear it right in the first half commentary that MK haven’t won at home this season u til yesterday?
leohoenig
Posts: 2157
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 10:50
Contact:
Horteng wrote:Did I hear it right in the first half commentary that MK haven’t won at home this season u til yesterday?
No :!:
User avatar
Ihearye
Posts: 3428
Joined: 05 Jan 2018, 08:08
PhilFox wrote:My first post on this forum, but I feel that nearly everybody is looking at what's in front of them, and then coming to completely the wrong conclusions. Taking the facts from yesterday's game, we actually had most of the possession, according to the BBC's stats. So, we can keep the ball longer than the opposition, but we still lose 3 - 0. So, for anyone who has actually played the game, this means mostly that there is a major problem converting possession to goals. Doing this requires two things: 1 - the midfield to create chances for the forwards to take, and, 2 - the forwards to make the runs that enable midfield to deliver the ball to where it can be converted to a goal.

So far this season most games have been played against teams in the top third, so having done badly against them is not a disaster. With the season having a long way to go, there is still ample time to achieve the points necessary to finish out of the relegation zone. So, why do we keep losing?

From what I've seen so far, the midfield keeps suddenly parting like the Red Sea and leaving the back line facing several players decending on them. With gaps appearing in the midfield the opposition can spring counter attacks with numbers, and with this it often results in a goal.


To start collecting points, you don't need to start winning, you must first stop losing, and that requires tightening up the midfield, getting discipline in the players positional play so they don't push on without ensuring they aren't leaving the team exposed as soon as possession is lost. When you've stopped leaking goals you then work on creating chances and converting them. Varney for me is not a target man, but he can pick off knock downs in the box and score, so he needs physical support. I think Tyrone Barnett has not achieved match fitness, so work needed there, but once achieved that should bring with it the sharpness needed.

At the moment the manager is trying to work out the best way of achieving the results needed, but there will be no magic switch, it will take quite a few more weeks of probable frustration before things turn around.

There, said my piece, now for a cup of tea.
Narrower pitch = less gaps = less room for the opposition to pour through
bigdavejambo
Posts: 918
Joined: 27 Nov 2009, 22:46
anybody starting to think the MD appointment is going to be a costly gamble?
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29756
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
bigdavejambo wrote:anybody starting to think the MD appointment is going to be a costly gamble?
Far too early to tell, but any of the options were going to be a gamble.
Robin
Posts: 15948
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 11:19
PhilFox wrote:My first post on this forum, but I feel that nearly everybody is looking at what's in front of them, and then coming to completely the wrong conclusions. Taking the facts from yesterday's game, we actually had most of the possession, according to the BBC's stats. So, we can keep the ball longer than the opposition, but we still lose 3 - 0. So, for anyone who has actually played the game, this means mostly that there is a major problem converting possession to goals. Doing this requires two things: 1 - the midfield to create chances for the forwards to take, and, 2 - the forwards to make the runs that enable midfield to deliver the ball to where it can be converted to a goal.

So far this season most games have been played against teams in the top third, so having done badly against them is not a disaster. With the season having a long way to go, there is still ample time to achieve the points necessary to finish out of the relegation zone. So, why do we keep losing?

From what I've seen so far, the midfield keeps suddenly parting like the Red Sea and leaving the back line facing several players decending on them. With gaps appearing in the midfield the opposition can spring counter attacks with numbers, and with this it often results in a goal.

To start collecting points, you don't need to start winning, you must first stop losing, and that requires tightening up the midfield, getting discipline in the players positional play so they don't push on without ensuring they aren't leaving the team exposed as soon as possession is lost. When you've stopped leaking goals you then work on creating chances and converting them. Varney for me is not a target man, but he can pick off knock downs in the box and score, so he needs physical support. I think Tyrone Barnett has not achieved match fitness, so work needed there, but once achieved that should bring with it the sharpness needed.

At the moment the manager is trying to work out the best way of achieving the results needed, but there will be no magic switch, it will take quite a few more weeks of probable frustration before things turn around.

There, said my piece, now for a cup of tea.

Good post however in terms of posession most of our was going side to side and backwards, whilst the Franchise went direct. Too many of our players look for the same ball (Clements inparticular) and none of the midfield went forward in search of a one/two apart from Maddox. We are desperately missing someone like Morrell or Winchester in there.
Robin
Posts: 15948
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 11:19
bigdavejambo wrote:anybody starting to think the MD appointment is going to be a costly gamble?

Still too early but I am concerned by the last two performances under Mickey.
User avatar
Horteng
Posts: 3147
Joined: 25 Nov 2009, 22:57
Location: Heart of the Forest, Glos
I think Michael will come good but I think it will take a long time which could be damaging to the club and supporters

On that note I do find him quote confrontational in his interviews (arms always folded and dismisses most things put to him) but I guess he’s on the defensive before he starts to protect his players and probably rightly so
ctfc-fan
Posts: 1881
Joined: 06 Jan 2010, 12:00
bigdavejambo wrote:anybody starting to think the MD appointment is going to be a costly gamble?
My thoughts exactly before he was announced officially but kept my mouth shut. Of course I want him to succeed but as with those calling for McCann previously, just because they’re an ex-player doesn’t automatically make them a good choice of manager.
Benctfc
Posts: 1353
Joined: 29 Dec 2011, 16:54
Location: Whaddon road
Mc Cann is doing ok at Donacaster! Just won manager of the month just shows if you inherit a decent squad like he has it is a lot easier to get results straight away.

I think a lot of the frustration isn't necessarily aimed at Duff but more at the club as a whole and how 5 out of the last 6 seasons if you include the start of this has been frankly s#!t. The results have been awful and no entertainment at all. Eventually that will get even the most die hard fans angry and frustrated. As someone else said it is similar to when Yates took over from Allen we need to hope to stay up this year and then give Duff the time to build his own squad and mentality around the club this could take a couple of years there was never going to be a quick fix. It's vital the fans back him and the players we might know their not good enough but getting on their backs will help no one we need to ride it out at the moment.
MittonRobin
Posts: 71
Joined: 14 Feb 2017, 21:01
We will be playing National League football next season, that I have no doubt. Players are not good enough and January will be too late.

All this is the clubs fault for not dealing with things in the summer !

Onwards and upwards
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29756
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
MittonRobin wrote:We will be playing National League football next season, that I have no doubt. Players are not good enough and January will be too late.

All this is the clubs fault for not dealing with things in the summer !

Onwards and upwards
If that happens we aren’t coming back.
Robin
Posts: 15948
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 11:19
I don't buy this players are not good enough, it's deeper than that and we actually have some pretty good players for this level (Mullins, Hussey, Flinders, Varney, Atangana, Alcock, Maddox are all good league two level players) you could potentially add Dawson, Boyle, Tozer Long and Barnett to that list although they've been a bit hit or miss whilst at CTFC. Compare our team to the likes of Morecambe and a few others and you cannot simply say the players are not good enough.

I would say our squad is over sized and unbalanced, also the last two games we don't look organised whilst lacking in confidence, part of this blame goes to GJ but last two games down to MD I'm afraid. I hope come January we are not looking to add more than 3-4 players to this squad, one central midfielder, a striker and a winger.
Post Reply