After reflecting on last night and reading down the board

I must admit to being pretty conflicted about JHT and his style of play.

He came in with the reputation of a rising managerial star in Europe, playing possession based, build-from-the-back, dynamic football.

This has actually manifested itself a handful of times this season, naturally eliciting hope from the fans that we have found an effectively and sustainable style of play for the first time since Farkeball.

The challenge is that we have not kicked on from these good performances. At all. Last night was bad as Oxford away in my mind - players looked lost, lethargic and out-muscled across the pitch.

The comments pointing out that JHT has not had the luxury of a settled team, for the entirety of the season, is fair. Barring the occasional injury, Frake's team picked itself in his 2nd season.

So, is there something building here, that has been derailed by an appalling run of injuries, or have the last two games exposed that the 'emperor has no clothes' and that Hoffball is not suited the Champs, let alone the Prem (if we ever get there)?

The ownership has backed him to this point with, relatively, big-money signings in each window.

All things considered, I want to give JHT the summer to really build a squad in his image and then until Christmas to see if that works. If we are still delivering performances like the last two games, when he has a fit squad and his won players, then my patience with this 'project' will dissipate very quickly.

Posted By: Kev on February 12th 2025 at 07:01:53

Message Thread

After reflecting on last night and reading down the board (NCFC) - Kev, Feb 12, 07:01:53
- Problem with the transition theory is that we have some persistent problems (NCFC) - Under soil heating, Feb 12, 08:28:46
  - It’s the centre midfield (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Feb 12, 08:54:20
- My patience is starting to wear thin, I'm behind him but when you have a striker (NCFC) - Whyohwhy, Feb 12, 08:04:31
- I don't understand why so many seem to think JHT's piss smells of Acqua di Gio (NCFC) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Feb 12, 07:56:11
  - You're one of a handful of posters keen on the same old straw man. (NCFC) - norwaay, Feb 12, 08:01:47
    - I'm not claiming to be wiser than the pack at all. (NCFC) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Feb 12, 08:11:57
      - My view... (NCFC) - mr carra, Feb 12, 08:28:18
        
        Can we please just use this post as a boilerplate response to the same awful posts on the (NCFC) - norwaay, Feb 12, 09:04:56
        
        That seems fair enough (n/m) (NCFC) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Feb 12, 08:33:48
      - You said yesterday Hoff throws his players … (NCFC) - loz, Feb 12, 08:21:32
  - There is a limit to what a manager can do (NCFC) - mr carra, Feb 12, 08:00:24
    - The strange thing was, other than some poor passes, very poor, I think the players (NCFC) - Augustus Pablo, Feb 12, 08:22:42
      - Minus Kenny and emi not very streetwise though … (NCFC) - loz, Feb 12, 08:24:03
    - The manager's job is to get the best out of the players and play to their strengths (n/m) (NCFC) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Feb 12, 08:01:15
- It’s a transition season (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Feb 12, 07:17:36
  - Transition season? What does that really mean if you don’t end up somewhere else? (NCFC) - Augustus Pablo, Feb 12, 07:43:16
    - Massive personnel changes and a new manager (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Feb 12, 08:24:01
    - Transitioning from play-off contenders to mid-table bang averageness (n/m) (NCFC) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Feb 12, 07:57:38
      - Funny (n/m) (NCFC) - Augustus Pablo, Feb 12, 07:59:14
    - I think it's basically because we've shipped out quite a lot of experience (NCFC) - norwaay, Feb 12, 07:49:08
      - I agree but we owe it to ourselves to remember what we’re told during these periods (NCFC) - Augustus Pablo, Feb 12, 07:57:35
        
        That has to be one of the youngest teams we’ve fielded in a long time (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Feb 12, 08:15:29
        
        Entirely fair (NCFC) - norwaay, Feb 12, 08:04:11
        
        I have never successfully performed a cartwheel, although in my retirement I could learn (n/m) (NCFC) - Augustus Pablo, Feb 12, 08:25:38
        
        I think my cartwheeling window may have passed. (n/m) (NCFC) - norwaay, Feb 12, 09:05:48
        
        It's slammed shut (n/m) (NCFC) - Augustus Pablo, Feb 12, 10:45:32
    - Transition in the sense … (NCFC) - loz, Feb 12, 07:46:55
      - I know but a (n/m) (NCFC) - Augustus Pablo, Feb 12, 07:49:53
  - Yes, this - all day long (n/m) (NCFC) - norwaay, Feb 12, 07:38:00
  - Yea this I’m not bothered about play offs I would like to see… (NCFC) - loz, Feb 12, 07:21:31
    - The key, I think, is a settled midfield three (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Feb 12, 07:30:05
      - Seems pretty clear than Nunez departs in summer though ?… (NCFC) - loz, Feb 12, 07:38:13
    - Yeah, the constant enforced changes... (NCFC) - mr carra, Feb 12, 07:25:30
- Fair. I'm still well behind him but last night was utter shite! (NCFC) - JD3, Feb 12, 07:13:24
  - We still lack someone in the middle to link the defenders to the attackers (NCFC) - mr carra, Feb 12, 07:22:46
    - I would say it was the role leitner / Vrancic / skipp played (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Feb 12, 09:35:36
  - 🍆 (NCFC) - Lentil Weaver, Feb 12, 07:16:39

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