So some supporters have been calling for Houston to get the boot. I want to state that I think he deserves more time. I am not a fan of his one up front tactics but feel a change of manager is not best for United at the moment.
Anyway, I see that the Belfast Telegraph is reporting today that United are ready to make a move for ex United player Michael O'Neil. He is currently in charge of Shamrock Rovers who look set to win the Irish league for the second season in a row. It reports that PH must beat Aberdeen today if he is to remain in a job.
I can't see this as being the case purely because United don't have the cash to sack PH. I hope that United get the win today and that Houston remains in charge. Hopefully he plays 4-4-2 and ditches the negative 4-5-1 formation.
What are fellow Arabs thoughts?
Houston to be replaced!
posted on 17/10/11
I am beginning to lose patience with him also. I couldn't understand why Flood played at right back. When played in centre midfield Flood will press the opposition and try force them into an error. He has not been great since coming back but he will graft for the team unlike Scott Robertson. In my opinion there is a decent starting 11 staring him in the face if all players are available.
I would play 4-4-2.
Pernis
Watson RB
Dixon LB
Gunning CB
Dillon CB
Swanson RM
Flood CM
Rankin CM
GMS LM
Daly CF
Russell/Dalla Valle CF
Now this is just my opinion but I would rather see the team play two up top with some natural width and lose than watch the rubbish served up on Saturday. I felt sorry for John Daly playing up top by himself because he was so iscolated the he stood no chance. JD with a strike partner close to him and wide players crossing the ball can do some damage in the SPL.
Arabest.
posted on 17/10/11
That's the thing, the formation he's setting the team up in is not helping the players as it's not giving the players the opportunity to play to their strengths. Jon Daly is a prime example. I think everyone was in agreement last season (and before) that JD was at his best when we had Conway, a natural winger who can cross, in the team. However the manager now sees fit to play the big man up front on his own (which is not suited to his game as he doesn't have the mobility for it) with no natural wide players in the team to at least throw in the odd ball for him to attack.
I know there are people out there who still don't rate Daly, but the manager is now not even giving him a chance to win these fans over.
What I also want to know is why sign GMS if he's not going to play him? He keeps banging on about not having a big enough pool of players but this is one of his signings and he should have faith in him to actually play him. He's said on a few occasions that he's got a good delivery so give him a bloody chance to show what he's got ffs.
posted on 17/10/11
I have never been in the camp to sack Houston but a time come where the club are now being dragged into the relegation mire and it is looking rather bleak.
As i have stated before my concern is, if he is sacked, who do we bring in and at what cost to the club? we will have to compensate Houston and possibly compensate another club for a new manager. We are as skint as most clubs and more debt is never good. Weighing things up though, our attendances are falling each week and if we dont start picking up points we will probably lose more by not replacing him in the hope that a new manager(whoever he may be) can turn things around!
posted on 17/10/11
I realise this is a rather simplistic view, but what baffles me is that everyone seems to accept we're not that good defensively, including the manager. So what is his plan to remedy this? Make sure we play defensive, so that we have to defend more often, and thus expose our weak defence to more attacks than if we played attacking football! It boggles the mind.
posted on 17/10/11
Almost bored of making the same points now. Just get the man out and bring in someone who knows what they are doing. This means, plays a balanced team, sets out to win games and will accept responsibility for the decisions that they make.
We have to attract back the fans which Houston has driven away, the only way to do this is to remove him from his job.
posted on 17/10/11
Hobo - Good point.
Arabest - I do like the look of that as a starting 11. Definitely worth a shot IMO
A couple of years ago we had a great team spirit and a never-say-die attitude that saw us turn defeats into draws and draws into wins.
Thesedays we are the easy meat in the SPL and something somewhere has gone badly wrong.
If we are to be stuck with Houstie for the rest of the season then we should put him on gardening leave - give him the opportunity to refocus and come back with an attack-minded philosophy.
At the moment Houstie appears to have no confidence in his players to win a game and this is reflected in the tactics he chooses to play and the individual performances on the park.
His bizarre team tactics are just one thing - his bleating about bad luck and excuses for poor performances do not stand any scrutiny whatsoever. Who does he think he is kidding?
Gettin rid of Houstie may not cost a penny. He could do the decent thing and resign - foregoing any compensation.
He did say recently that he 'couldn't understand people that were only motivated by money'. Well, here's an ideal chance for him to practice what he was preaching to Scotty Allan.
posted on 17/10/11
I've heard the same about Scott Robertson. Apparently him and Houston don't get on and he's looking to leave when his contract expires. Makes the decision to play him week in week out even more ridiculous!
posted on 17/10/11
Perhaps Robertson got fed up of being told he's playing as the most defensive midfield player, when he has no attributes for being a defensive midfield player.
posted on 17/10/11
Apparently him and Houston don't get on
__________________________________
Me and Houston aren't getting on at the minute either with these bloody tactics he's playing!
posted on 17/10/11
Lets be brutally honest here the man is under pressure to get points on the board and as such is resulting to these negative tactics in an effort to grind out a few wins.....
trouble is its not happening because we lack real leadership on the park and have next to no organisation at the back.
Kenneth is a donkey whose attributes are winning headers (sometimes!!) and either hoofing it 70yards up the park or trying some other fancy pass which is well above his pay grade.
At the moment Gunning is struggling to impress where defending is concerned but that may be down to new surroundings (hopefully NOT wishful thinking).
Personally I would like to see Dillo back in at CH with Dixon at LB. Not sure who I would play at RB as Watson still looks very raw and when he's not on his game he is like a fish out of water.
Until we get over this little bad patch we should set up 4-1-3-2 and have the holding midfielder sitting in front of the defence (and stay there) to allow Dixon to go on his overlaps as he has a tremendous delivery. I would then say to the front 5 to go out and have a real go with the knowledge that should it break down the bank of 5 at the back could cope.
i fear if we dont get over this spell we are two games away from bottom and in one hell of a mess.
Despite what PH may require financially as a pay off it may well be cheaper than the first division quandry thats looming.