After 29 games last year!

Icy Gull said:

Injuries, Poyet fall out and Oscar being new to England aside what I think we need to take into account is the way Oscar is bring through the development squad players. They need game time to adjust to the step up in class and they cannot be expected to be as solid as the very experienced players Gus brought in. OK the defence is ageing and occasionally creaks but has been pretty good overall, where we have to be patient is with Ince, March, JFC, Chicksen all of whom look good enough but lack experience of high pressure games in the Championship, they are the future of the club although they may not yet be top end players. If we do maintain a play off push I think it will be an incredible achievement rather than something we should be expecting.

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Walt Jabsco said:

I am not knocking Oscar. I imagine he is over-achieving on our budget in comparison to other teams at this level, if not quite as dramatically as Poyet.

Just don't think there is much mileage in comparing this season with last until it is all done and dusted. Oscar's budget increased this summer - that is a fact - but yes, we had injuries and the team is still there or thereabouts, which he deserves credit for.

But then again, we didn't have either Upson or Ulloa until January last year and the second half of last season will be very difficult to match this time round.

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Seagull by the Sea said:

Surely the point being made by the OP is about the here and now? Not what happened by the end of the season.

After 29 games last year, Poyet's team that he had worked with for years, had no major injury concerns and were well used to playing his system, achieved less than Oscar's current team.

Oscar, who did not have a full pre-season, has had no shortage of injuries, has had the previous double winning player of the year down tools (and been injured anyway), has given licence for players like Ince, JFC and March more playing time, who has never played or managed in England, whose ideas and style of play will not have been fully implemented because of the constant chopping and changing of personnel due to injuries!

It's not about whether he gets the same points as last year is it? I believe he will prove to be a better manager than Poyet given time but he has only been here 6.5 months!

Taking all the off field issues into account as well, anyone who honestly believes Oscar is not doing a good job really is not being realistic at all IMHO.

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Thunder Bolt said:

Poyet had League 1 players who got an automatic extension to their contracts, so he had to use them in Championship matches. He also had his fair share of injury problems last season.
Oscar is doing a good job and we are still in contention, but please don't write off the previous two years as an easy ride.

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Walt Jabsco said:

I don't quite subscribe to the Oscar bringing through young talent argument.

Ince's inclusion was pretty much forced by the absence of Bridcutt - although kudos to Oscar for identifying him as a midfield player, looks an inspired spot. Certainly deserves massive credit for that. Had Bridcutt been fit all season, not sure we would have seen quite so much of Ince.

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Luke93 said:

This thread needs to be a sticky! Too many moaners on here who are expecting too much! We're still on target to achieve our aim for this season, which is remarkable given the circumstances (Poyet, injuries, finances and new manager). There's still FIFTY ONE points to play for, we only need 70% of those points to reach the playoffs (75 points is usually enough, though this year it may be more to finish sixth). If we win 10 out of 17 games left, and draw another two, we'll reach the 75 point mark. We still have Ipswich at home, Reasing at home, and Forest away. Those are the games which will define our season IMO

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Icy Gull said:

We'll never know if Gus would have gambled on Ince this season or whether he would have brought in experienced loan players. We don't know if Oscar had that option and decided against it. I guess my point is that Poyet did great things on the field for us and I believe Oscar will do the same. It's not a case of comparing managers just accepting that Oscar has, so far, done a good job in difficult circumstances and we shouldn't really be comparing last season with this as there are so many things that have happened this season, it's not a given that we would have improved on last season even if Gus was still here imo.

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Thunder Bolt said:

Poyet had League 1 players who got an automatic extension to their contracts, so he had to use them in Championship matches. He also had his fair share of injury problems last season.
Oscar is doing a good job and we are still in contention, but please don't write off the previous two years as an easy ride.

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Seagull by the Sea said:

Huh? When did I mention the previous 2 years?

Last season he had bought Bruno, Orlandi, PIG, David, Crofts, CMS, Buckley since promotion from League 1.

I can't see the point you're making? Besides, my point was about Oscar's team this season compared to Poyet's team last season up to this point. (Which is exactly what this thread is about)

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Thunder Bolt said:

I quoted you & put in bold - Poyet's team that he had worked with for years. Then you want to include 6 new players that he brought in.

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LamieRobertson said:

And yet it still included naff matches as the home draw against Charlton....away draw against Bristol City (lucky to get points in both)...and defeat at Barnsley...the poor form of others helped if i recall correctly

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Seagull by the Sea said:

But you didn't quote me accurately did you?

The sentence finished with....and were used to his way of playing... So the point being that Oscar has not had been able to implement his style fully yet.

Players come and go, my point never said that he worked with the same players for years did it?

Besides, the fact that he bought players in that he wanted to fit into his style merely strengthens the argument that Oscar is doing a good job as he has not had the time yet to bring in 'his' players to suit his style.

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Mustafa said:

He's done a fantastic job considering how much weaker our squad is and the injuries we've been plagued with all season.

However our form in the final third of last season was extraordinary, there is no way we will be able to match it or even come close.

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trueblue said:

Oscar's done a fine job I think. It's a shame some people equate being quiet publicly with being clueless. The points tally has already proved that wrong. Poyet would've been unbearable given this season's injury list and the financial restrictions during the transfer window.

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Walt Jabsco said:

We should be doing better, our budget increased this season after all...

Lets see where we finish before getting too excited. We did go on a pretty amazing run at the end of last season.

At the beginning of the season I thought a top ten position would be decent enough. Not changed my mind on that.

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Seagull by the Sea said:

Surely the point being made by the OP is about the here and now? Not what happened by the end of the season.

After 29 games last year, Poyet's team that he had worked with for years, had no major injury concerns and were well used to playing his system, achieved less than Oscar's current team.

Oscar, who did not have a full pre-season, has had no shortage of injuries, has had the previous double winning player of the year down tools (and been injured anyway), has given licence for players like Ince, JFC and March more playing time, who has never played or managed in England, whose ideas and style of play will not have been fully implemented because of the constant chopping and changing of personnel due to injuries!

It's not about whether he gets the same points as last year is it? I believe he will prove to be a better manager than Poyet given time but he has only been here 6.5 months!

Taking all the off field issues into account as well, anyone who honestly believes Oscar is not doing a good job really is not being realistic at all IMHO.

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