Scouting report: Alex Neil

(not from me, but from someone about 3 rows from the dugout yesterday)

Two interesting points

1- from first minute to last, AN was on his feet, shouting instructions to players, or if they were too far away, to Russell Martin to pass on. Micro-managing literally every kick.
By contrast, McLaren was in the stand first half, probably only came to shout at his players twice whole game.
Quite whether this means AN's approach is working or not, I don't know, but, surely being on a professional footballers case for 90 mins isn't healthy.

2- AN cannot make a decision on his own. He constantly called Irvine and Frankie over for huddles where they discussed stuff, so it seems he wants to kick every ball for the players, but doesn't trust his own mind to do a sub or undertake a tactical tweak.

This tallies with the post match interview broadcast on Canary Call, I think Goreham said "Wes and Oliveira played well together, you'd not paired them up before" and AN went off about Wes and Oliveria both coming to the ball and Naismith running beyond into space. He mused on Jerome running wide when he plays. He said this Wes and Oliveira playing trait as though this was a dirty word, both Wes AND Oliveira wanting to get on the ball.

I'll shut up now as I have no real point to make (no change there then pipes up some snide - to you snide, I say Halfords rbt @ 5pm)

Posted By: MIKEWALKER, Jan 3, 10:19:17