The Uwe Rösler Thread

[shouldbee]

Would someone mind telling me why UR persists in playing Craig at CB. We have probably the strongest pairing in the league with Leon and Harlee yet we continue to ship goals like a leaky barge because we are playing a left back at CB. He doesn't look like a CB or play like one. OK if he plays at LB then presumably Bidwell would have to go, but having wasted god knows how much getting Craig and Barron who are not as good as the players they have replaced ( Karleigh and Woodman ) why compound the error by continuing with Craig in the middle. It looks a bit like Uwe is covering his arse rather than admitting to MB he got it wrong.

Just your opinion, IMO Craig is a much better footballer than Legge. He has played at Championship level unlike Legge who again IMO is League 2 at best.
Why can't people just let the Manager, manage ?..........he knows the players and IMO is picking the right ones......

[jlove]

Would someone mind telling me why UR persists in playing Craig at CB...

He was signed as a CB, he played 26 games for Millwall last season, at CB for the later part of the season. He's not set the world on fire but the pairing of Leon and Harlee would be an accident waiting to happen; they're both right-sided and, although Dean played on the left mainly last season, he's much more comfortable on the right and he's been outstanding there this season. Legge can only play on the right and it would be a mistake to move Harlee to accomdate Leon. He's the best defensive headerer we have but he's not quick and needs a big turning circle; there'll be games that are just right for him but not that often. He could move Bidwell to CB and play Barron at LB, of course...

[North London Bee]

Well I thought he got the team and tactics completly wrong last night - result the worst half of football we've seen this season. We were very lucky to only be 1 down at H.T. But give him his due he changed the tactics and personnel early in the second half and we looked great until Farid was replaced by Hayes. Is it just me or is anyone else really worried about the standard of our recent signings? Hayes looks like he needs to go off to a bootcamp or health farm to get fit, Barron - well enough said, and Craig has now had 8 games and has failed to impress. I'm sure Leon would not have let Tubbs beat him so easily in the air as Craig was for their equaliser.

It was Dean who was beaten in the air for the Tubbs goal.

[sonofabee]

I think it's more a case now of needing to focus on concentration among the players. Those things can be sorted quickly. I'm very optimistic.

You and me both, early days far from perfect but think it's not going to take a lot to improve, plenty to be optimistic about

[RodBee]

I can't see a puzzle.... I'd agree free kicks and corners have been poor but Forshaw must have been practicing as thery're improving... the OG last night was a free kick and Dean looks the target most times.

If it is not a puzzle then please explain why Hayes was on the Orient pitch for 80 minutes before being subbed? Why was Douglas kept on the pitch at Walsall and last night when he contributed nothing in our play and needed a free 3 yards to control the ball? Why do you think Clayton decides whether to take throw ins - that sort of decision is dictated by the manager! Why do so many corners fail to beat the first man?

Puzzles!!!!!

[The Pipe]

Despite popular belief I am not of the opinion that everything the manager does is correct and equally I struggle to understand some of the criticism he seems to attract.

On the plus side we probably have some of the best footballers we have had for some while, we play attractive football, create a significant number of opportunities and have got youngsters contracted to the club that have possible significant transfer value. On top of that we have a manager who refuses to publicly criticise his players and is ready to accept the blame when things go wrong

On the negative front he seems to struggle to work out a system that suits the players we have, we are still short of a clinical goal scorer (accept budget constraints may have some impact here) seems to be stubborn regarding team selection in some regards then tinkers too much on other occasions, and in my opinion seemingly fails to appreciate what Kevin can offer the side.

Overall there are more positives than negatives and whilst we have not set the league on fire we are not alone of the “fancied” clubs in finding the seasons start to be difficult

I would expect the team to gradually settle itself and improve as the players become more comfortable with his requirements, we certainly have a team that is capable of achieving the play offs the question is whether the component parts can be sorted into a cohesive unit.

Of all Managers in this division I would suggest his position is the most secure, MB chose him and is on record as being impressed with what is on offer, it would take a calamitous set of events I believe for MB to sack him and suggestions he will be gone by Christmas are, in my opinion, laughable.

Overall I am enjoying what is on offer, share the frustration that we are not more clinical but believe that we have the basis for a decent season.

[Brentford St George]

Just your opinion, IMO Craig is a much better footballer than Legge. He has played at Championship level unlike Legge who again IMO is League 2 at best.
Why can't people just let the Manager, manage ?..........he knows the players and IMO is picking the right ones......

Clearly he does not know judging by the performance at Orient after dropping the match winner vs Colchester and the first half showing last night.

We all know your personal dislike for Legge a bit like Alexander who is thriving at Crawley Town but let's be honest if Craig was that good why would Millwall have released him ?

I want Uwe to succeed but don't think he is the man to get us out of this division.We struggle for consistency,the team is tinkered around with too much and we are not clinical in front of goal.We have a midfield also where Dave,Douglas and Saunders have had too many off days.I hope i am proved wrong come May.

[Voice from the Braemar]

Well said Les. Perhaps one or two on here would rather go back to the Andy Scott era. I've said it before and at the risk of repeating myself, if Uwe is good enough for Mr Benham, then he is good enough for me.

im sorry but i just dont get this if its good enough for mb stuff.....on what footballing credentials are you baseing this nonsense on ????? obviously mb is very good at making money but im not sure what thats got to do with managing a professional league side....please do explain ??

for the record, and knowing plenty about football over the last 40 or so years im more inclined to say that rosler isnt exactly setting the world alight with his non stop tinkering, choice of subs, lack of knowing our best starting 11, formation problems, never leaving anyone up for opposition corners etc etc etc bleedin etc.....last night taking farid off and putting that useless hayes on showed he really doesnt know his onions when that game was there for winning....almost settled for a draw once we equalised....which just aint right

[Kettering Bee]

It was Dean who was beaten in the air for the Tubbs goal.

Are you sure? Who told you that?

[Keighley Bee]

I understand some concerns about the indecision re best formation and players but no doubt that this team is an improvement on last year already IMHO.

What I don't get is how when a handful of points separate top from bottom and l with 1/8 of the season gone we've already blown promotion!

Yes, foolish to suggest we have 'blown' promotion, but we don't enhance our chances by dropping too many points early on. In the final tally, three points now are no less valuable than three points in the last game of the season.

[fencer/bee]

It was Dean who was beaten in the air for the Tubbs goal.

I also thought it was Dean, it looked like Tubbs got the run on him ?

[sonofabee]

Yes, foolish to suggest we have 'blown' promotion, but we don't enhance our chances by dropping too many points early on. In the final tally, three points now are no less valuable than three points in the last game of the season.

Agree, the only saving grace is that no one seems to be in the groove yet, we're still very much in touch and we know we will/can get better so optimistic.

[Kettering Bee]

Are you sure? Who told you that?

Oops you're right. I just watched the video and it is Dean that jumps with Tubbs. Craig was around, but didn't jump at all. In the aftermath (of the goal), Craig's presence led my eyes to send the wrong signals to my brain.

Apologies to Tony. He still had a poor game (as he consistently does), but can't be blamed for that.

[BURFORD BEE]

He was signed as a CB, he played 26 games for Millwall last season, at CB for the later part of the season. He's not set the world on fire but the pairing of Leon and Harlee would be an accident waiting to happen; they're both right-sided and, although Dean played on the left mainly last season, he's much more comfortable on the right and he's been outstanding there this season. Legge can only play on the right and it would be a mistake to move Harlee to accomdate Leon. He's the best defensive headerer we have but he's not quick and needs a big turning circle; there'll be games that are just right for him but not that often. He could move Bidwell to CB and play Barron at LB, of course...

Accident waiting to happen? Its happened a few times already with the current pairing, plus it seemed to work pretty well last season as I remember. I take it that your last sentence was meant to be funny?

[sonofabee]

Accident waiting to happen? Its happened a few times already with the current pairing, plus it seemed to work pretty well last season as I remember. I take it that your last sentence was meant to be funny?

Legge and Dean on a couple of occasions was a car crash last year

[blunstone]

Blunstone, I'll answer this as best I can. Overall administration costs have obviously risen since the Andy Scott era given the extra staffing costs taken on board in terms of coaches, medical staff and Academy but these have always been separate to the actual budget set aside for 1st team football i.e. the monies for wages, player acquisitions etc which hasn't changed. For the record:

The 1st team playing budget set aside for Uwe is exactly the same that was given to Andy Scott in the season he left. The monies that were used to pay off Balkestein, Woodman etc were offset against last year's budget. The Academy/Development Squad is a separate budget altogether that is run and managed by the youth development officers/director of football. As far as I understand, the 1st team manager cannot use this budget to fund 1st team development but is obviously free to choose/source players from the development squad that he thinks can do a job for the first team. That's no different from what previous managers were able to do, albeit we do now have a much larger budget available/invested in these resources. The Academy is separately funded by Matthew Benham and are almost certain to have different goals/targets versus the 1st team.

I hope this helps.

King Bee.

Thank you King Bee. Good PR and most interesting. I stand corrected on some points I suggested.

[BURFORD BEE]

Legge and Dean on a couple of occasions was a car crash last year

Maybe so but Craig and Dean on more than a couple of occasions already this season have been a write off.

[beebopalula]

I think we have to get used to rotation. It makes sense to do this when you have a strong squad. I also see nothing wrong with changing players for specific games. Why not? It keeps players involved and the only reason it hasn't happened before is that we have never had any strength in depth at this club. Coppell had a great first eleven and then nothing and I think that cost us promotion. As the season grinds on, we will see the clubs with smaller squads in terms of quality falling away as injuries and fatigue take their toll. Tinkering is good.It's change for the better IMO.

[Owlsmoor_Bee]

I think we have to get used to rotation. It makes sense to do this when you have a strong squad. I also see nothing wrong with changing players for specific games. Why not? It keeps players involved and the only reason it hasn't happened before is that we have never had any strength in depth at this club. Coppell had a great first eleven and then nothing and I think that cost us promotion. As the season grinds on, we will see the clubs with smaller squads in terms of quality falling away as injuries and fatigue take their toll. Tinkering is good.It's change for the better IMO.

Nothing wrong with rotating the players or the systems but equally you must pick the right players and the right systems for the right matches. That hasn't happened on occasions this season and it's something which Uwe needs to address quickly IMO.

[ruislip bee]

It was Dean who was beaten in the air for the Tubbs goal.

Are you sure? I was there right in line with it. It was out left of centre (Craigs side) side and I was pretty sure it was Craig not Dean - but my eyes are not what they used to be.

[Kettering Bee]

Are you sure? I was there right in line with it. It was out left of centre (Craigs side) side and I was pretty sure it was Craig not Dean - but my eyes are not what they used to be.

NLB is right. I thought it was Craig, but having watched it again, Dean claims it but doesn't make it. Craig is an innocent bystander on this occasion.

[hanworthbee]

I also thought it was Dean, it looked like Tubbs got the run on him ?

It was also Dean who got brushed off the ball for orients goal

[beebopalula]

Nothing wrong with rotating the players or the systems but equally you must pick the right players and the right systems for the right matches. That hasn't happened on occasions this season and it's something which Uwe needs to address quickly IMO.

Don't disagree with that. My issue is with those who don't accept rotation of the squad at all.

[NorthamptonBee]

Don't disagree with that. My issue is with those who don't accept rotation of the squad at all.

I accept rotation but I would always play the players in form and rotate around them, this hasn't always been teh case so far IMO.

[Kingston Bee]

Don't disagree with that. My issue is with those who don't accept rotation of the squad at all.

At the end of the day its about results, you could argue the rotation adopted this season has not worked. I am not advocating that we should not rotate but it has to work.