I am reminded of those words of Private Fraser (the scots one, and undertaker by day) in Dad's Army, whose response to anything going wrong was "we're all doomed" A rather negative approach , I'm sure you'd agree. If more people had felt like that we'd have lost the war, we'd all be called Hans or Ludwig, and Burton would be in the lowest division of the Bundesliga.
I joke,my friends, but I feel the debate is getting very negative, very depressing.
I say my friends, cos although I know none of you personally, we share one unique bond, and that is a passion for our team, the Brewers.
Our problem is a 7 match winless run. Its easy to blame Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson, but there's noone better to take over.
- We've played better football this season, and there have been some cracking home matches this season.
- We have a better squad than last season.
- When our passing game works, and our talented strikers find their "shooting boots", then we are going to hammer someone soon, hopefully Rotherham on Saturday.
- Good to see Jack Dyer get a chance. If we don't make the play-offs, almost certain, we must get the best squad to mount a challenge next season, with the emphasis more on youth, and respectfully dismantling the "Dads Army" of the BSP.
- There are a lot of good teams above us. There a lot of good teams, and good managers, below us eg Northampton & Ady Boothroyd, Bradford & Phil Parkinson, and we could finish above 3 of the teams relegated last season. its a tough league, and many clubs have had a more dissapointing season than us!
So lets all get behind the team on Saturday, and shout and cheer them on to victory against Rotherham!
Let's be more like Corporal Jones than Private Fraser!
" they don't like it upem" meaning lets hope, our passing game, combined with in your face agression, and clinical finishing gives us a memorable victory over Rotherham.
Even if we lose, I refuse to lose my "Corporal Jones's optimism!"
C'mon you Brewers!
Brewer Dave
"we're all doomed !!! "
posted on 17/2/12
Thats a great article brewerdave ! Certainly get your drift.
To be honest with you i don't mind losing if we put the effort in with a bit of know how but to me it is the manner of the defeats which are tactically naive and lacking in fight and the bravery of having a go.
To be fair i've lost my appetite for the game not just with Albion but with the Premier league,the national team and the money that has ruined our national game. Plus the attitude of the players throughout the professional game,its just not something i want to be associated with any more.
Having had cancer and a transplant i look at things differently now and football just isn't that important to me these days.
posted on 17/2/12
Agree, if we showed a ounce of actually knowing what we are doing and turned a half descent performance in each week losing now and again isn't a problem.
What the problem is, is us turning in lacklustre performances with formations that don't work week week out.
Then the manager coming out and saying we played well when we all can see we haven't.
posted on 17/2/12
It's funny that you (Terraceman and Pez) have said exactly what I thought when I was at work today. What gets my goat is losing when the football being played is so obviously wrong and could so easily be rectified.
Take the last game - Crewe away. 0 minutes and I looked at the line up and thought it wouldn't work as we had no threat. 15 minutes in and I thought the midfield multi-passing was getting us nowhere and that Gurrieri was out of his depth. 4-4-2 needed. Richards for Gurrieri on 52 minutes.
Last season, December to May with that silly formation.
This season, Macca and Bolder playing together all season.
Not signing Tom Parkes.
Phillips and Taylor - wingers played that can't cross.
Not giving Chris Palmer more time on the pitch.
I could go on.
posted on 17/2/12
Spot on brewer dave nice article and a pleasure to read .I went on a tour round the ground on Wednesday was ok the kids enjoyed it met Aaron ,groundsman ,physio was a eye opener .But the physio did say billy kee will be playing and is fit !!
posted on 18/2/12
Yeh, well said Brewer Dave. Had a busy week so only caught up with some of the 'sackcloth and ashes' posts last night.
Always believed in the right to express an opinion and it would be a boring site of we all thought the same.
But I'm really struggling to see what some of the guys really want.
Football League not doing it ? Why put up with ex premier teams (Swindon & Bradford) and sides that were recently in the championship (Plymouth, Southend and today's opponents Rotherham) when we could be playing Droylesden, Vauxhall Motors and Tamworth. Heaven forbid that we put a late run together and end up having to watch Nottingham Forest and Coventry next year!
And of course Ben should be held to account for forcing us to sit and stand under the roof of a stadium soon to be used for England junior games as part of the deal that let's us train at St George's when we all pine for those wet Saturday afternoon's sliding about on mud banks with a stream running over our feet.
And why wouldn't he immediately sack the manager who is building a team that is undoubtedly stronger year on year, just like he should have sacked Nigel Clough when he took three years to get into the Conference and seven to get out. What an example that bloke at Huddersfield has set, getting rid of the incompetant who lost 3 out of his last 19 after going unbeaten for a year..
Let's get Roy McFarland back instead. Maybe he could bring Martin Butler with him?. Must be better than Kee, Richards and Zola. Him and Jake Edwards, that would shake things up a bit.
And throw out McGrath and Bolder, they're past it. But you win nothing with kids so Dyer and Guerreri will have to go as well. What we need is a blend of youth and experience so let's go out and get some untried and untested youngsters and some 'experienced' midfield generals who know nothing of League Two or what it means to wear the black and yellow.
And as for the defence? Well ok, you got me there!
My point?
Cheer up, guys. We've never had it so good (and I can go back to 1971, albeit off and on)
We're on a bad run but we'll get over it. You can see there's a pattern. Look at the goals going in. Nearly all from the edge or outside of the box. The next key signing should be a central defender with height, but with the ability to marshall those around him to cut out the runs and get in the blocks. A fit Chris Riggott?
Maybe it's time to reconsider the keeper. He's made some great reflex saves from short range but he can't be absolved form all responsibility when the GA column is going up in 2's and 3's - all from distance.
Come on guys. Couple of months still to go. My day at Wembley looks pretty unlikley but a top half finish for first time in history is well within reach.
Most of the squad are young enough and good enough in my view to push on again next year and as long as the summer budget goes on the back line there is no reason why we should not continue to grow.
Top chairman. Incredible progress over the last 15 years with the promise of more to come. Finances that most of the other 91 would kill for. Keep it going. Don't rush it. Don't confuse 'ambition' with 'buying success' For every one of today's Crawley's or Fleetwood's there's a Rushden & Diamonds and a Boston United. There's even a Glasgow Rangers.
And if it's Pesch & Gaz's 4th, 5th or 6th season when we get the chance to move up to League One, I for one won't mind at all.