I suppose I've given myself ten games, so my analysis is as follows.
At the current trajectory, we're looking mid-table. That's not a criticism of what we look like in a footballing sense, merely statistical. At present we’re averaging 1.375 points per game. If we continue in that vein, we’re seeing us finish 11th at best (this is based on the last 4/5 seasons.
Let’s look at the scores:
1-1 draw against Newport (who are now 22nd)
2-1 loss against Salford (who are 3rd)
1-0 loss against Wigan - played a strong squad and garnered 65% possession
2-1 loss against Barrow (who are 21st)
4-1 win against Shrewsbury (who are 23rd)
2-2 draw against Bromley (who are 7th)
2-1 win against Tranmere (who are 16th)
3-0 loss against Lincoln (second squad put out)
1-0 win against Fleetwood (who are 11th)
1-0 loss against Gillingham (who sit in 2nd)
MP sits on a 30% win rate - we also have scored 8 goals excluding the 4 we scored at Shrewsbury which feels like a bit of an outlier in scores.
Now that’s the data side done, what have we been told about what’s expected.
First and foremost, he’s been told by the club that they want promotion, “as simple as that” - 1st August, Martin Paterson (bbc).
We’ve also been told that this is one of the highest budgets that we’ve had to date with the Reedz brothers, one which MP, up until recently deemed unsatisfactory as he wanted a new GK and a new striker.
Lastly, we’ve been told physical elements and directives on changing the club to be more involved in the “dark arts”.
1 - We will not achieve that on the current trajectory.
2 - Whether or not we ever were able to compete or make inroads about getting in more players, it’s not his job, publicly, to say that.
3 - Although more physical players in terms of size have come in, we’re much more susceptible to crosses and set pieces than we ever were under Williams and Maynard.
Onto MP himself.
Forever the socialist, “it is not I, only we!” MP is driving the “we, the team” in terms of narrative. Whether that’s a collective call for unity or that of concealment of his real thoughts which come out in training or the dressing room, we’ll never know.
We get versions of himself via interviews, which haven’t won me over. I think personally, that his career is something he links to hard graft and perseverance, and that he’s trying to change the club’s playing philosophy, not adapting or moulding it.
There are occasions whereby I’ve enjoyed bits, because I’ve seen technical flair and exciting play happen, but then I question myself, is that because of him or in spite of him?
There are players we’ve seen that have improved/deteriorated from his managerial/coaching style with Matt Palmer being the standout. If MP were to go, I’d worry about how it might affect his game for the remainder of the season. Bedeau and Jones have dropped in terms of a really high bar we’ve had here for a while, so suggests his methods are much more jarring than what we’ve seen before.
I think MP is on a short contract here, given that it wasn’t mentioned in the press when he was appointed, so suggests he wasn’t highly regarded or was a backup to a backup - if this is indeed the case. If the owners have the foresight that it only takes one bad transfer window to throw out a DOF, then time is ticking very quickly for Martin. Lastly, Martin had 20 games at Burton before he was sacked, which I can see become a real big possibility if we don’t see improvements all over.
(I think I deserve praise for not mentioning Roos or Grant once!) - also I have posted this on Footymad also, but thought it's an engaging conversation peice at least!
Cut his hair and shave his face, he would be getting ID for buying a pint. Let alone looking the legal age of driving.
I wish him well with his endeavours.
good to see hes working in football, i hope he can see the difference that he make s and i wish him all the best with his future. it seems a bright one, he may end up in management one day.
Think I might try to find this on Youtube
From BBC report Scunthorpe v Morecambe - 'Six minutes before the interval Callum Roberts cut in from the wing to score with a finish across Archie Mair and inside the far post.'
Scunthorpe up to 4th, 1pt behind Keiro's FGR and 2pts behind TAR's Rochdale