Ange is pretty close to being a dead man walking as our form over the last 30 games has been way below expectations. I'm all for backing the manager, but when he has no plan b (and Plan A got found out in November last year), and also apparently refuses to coach set-pieces, how long do you think it'll be before Tuchel gets the call?
This is a test of us, as a fan base and as a club. Do we have the resilience to go through a period of poor form, or do we dump the coach at the first opportunity? How has that worked out for us in the past? I would like him to have the whole season at least. Ideally, he should stay longer until the young players like Gray, Bergvall, Moore and Vuskovic have developed into first teamers. I get how difficult it is to watch right now but I have to believe Ange has some strategies to fix our problems. At Celtic, and apparently other clubs, he had a team that was dominant in their league. He must have faced teams that set up in a low block. He had success in those leagues. The players he had there could not have been of the caliber of ours. I'm saying I still have faith, I guess, but I don't know what the answers are.
The SPL and the other rubbish leagues he coached in do not have the level of competition we see in Europe and the PL. In his 2 years at Celtic, he was shredded in European competion, just 3 wins in 16 and 38 goals conceded. He doesn't adapt. Everyone, including Coventry, has figured out how to play us.
These would be the candidates for me (and whoever comes in, please rubbish Ryan Mason): Eddie Howe is not happy with the Newcastle hierarchy, he is adaptable and could set us up properly. However, if he isn't happy with their hierarchy, how will he get on with Levy? Thomas Frank is another who knows how to set up a team and does a great job of adapting to the opposition. Thomas Tuchel knows what he's doing, but I can't see him working well with Levy and our board. Ruben Anorim was linked to the Liverpool job, but I believe he has a hefty release clause that would be a non-starter with Levy. Graham Potter has been tarnished by his Chelsea debacle and my concern with him is his football is too similar to Ange-ball.
I know there are fans saying 'Give him time', but we've gone backwards. He's super stubborn (insisting on playing the same tactics despite personnel, which means we end up seeing Ben Davies in a high-line defence), refuses to coach set-pieces, meanwhile we regularly get bummed at set-pieces. We may as well accept that Ange isn't going to suddenly change. It's Ossie Ardiles '0-0-10' formation tactics. We won't go anywhere with this bs.
My prediction for this season was an inverse of last season. A poor first half with calls for Ange’s dismissal followed by a strong run, but still finishing 5th. I’d rather stick with Ange at least until the end of the season. Title is out of grasp. Wasn’t expecting Champions’ League. Maybe he can get us a cup final. Goodness knows Spurs and crap performances against lower divisions are duo that goes well beyond Big Ange. Conte, Mourinho, Pochettino, Kane, Eriksen, Toby, Jan, Moussa, the list of players and managers who underperformed in this Cup is long and storied.
The regime doesn't value the domestic cups because they don't bring in the money of Europe and the PL.
Ange 'I just want to win mate.' Also Ange *plays suicidal tactics with the reserve team in a first team game*
Thing is about the last paragraph, the players in those leagues from the smaller teams that would set-up in a low block wouldn't even get in Championship teams over here. Even Rangers and Celtic can't afford EPL player wages. You can bully teams in other leagues if you're the bigger team with better players, but I don't think Ange has too much experience of setting up against teams with players of the calibre that are in the EPL.
If you are going on about 'winning things', you don't put out the sides he did against Fulham and Coventry.
One day we'll all look back at this thread and laugh, just like the bemused chuckling of Man U fans about Alex Ferguson being one loss away from the sack back in 1990. Glory lies just beyond the horizon. Trust me. Have I ever been wrong before?* *don't answer that.