Thomas Frank - Former Head Coach

[thfcsteff]

I said at the time that Munn was a patsy. Basically somebody who was prepared to come in and put his signature to Paratici’s decisions while Paratici was serving his ban

I think we both know that even patsys can stink a place out...

 

[Bullet]

I think we both know that even patsys can stink a place out...

 

[Lilbaz]

That's bianca mate.

 

[Mikey10]

That's bianca mate.

Played by Patsy Palmer.

 

[Ace Face]

Great article on the Beeb today about how Giardiola has altered his tactics to suit the players he currently has available, rather than trying to squeeze round blocks into square holes.

Pep Guardiola: Manchester City's new tactics analysed

Pep Guardiola is using new tactics this season by making Emirates Marketing Project's attack more narrow, but did he hint at the idea 20 years ago?

www.bbc.com

Our players under TF were so rigid the opposition knew what we were going to do before we did. But in Xavi, Solanke, Richie, RKM, Kudus, Odobert, Johnson and Tel, with the likes of Bergvall and Sarr behind them, we could easily have done something similar. Not saying they are as good as City’s players but stylistically they can play similar roles.

I just don’t understand these coaches who are so adamantly stuck on one system (Amorim etc.). Any competent manager, in any industry, knows to put people in the position where they have the best chance of success, and then mold the collective around that.

Play your best XI players in a style suited to their talents, not just the way YOU want it done. Take YOUR ego out of it and the optimal solution is usually blindingly obvious.

Rant over. And thank f*** that idiot is out of our club.

 

[tommysvr]

Great article on the Beeb today about how Giardiola has altered his tactics to suit the players he currently has available, rather than trying to squeeze round blocks into square holes.

Pep Guardiola: Manchester City's new tactics analysed

Pep Guardiola is using new tactics this season by making Emirates Marketing Project's attack more narrow, but did he hint at the idea 20 years ago?

www.bbc.com

Our players under TF were so rigid the opposition knew what we were going to do before we did. But in Xavi, Solanke, Richie, RKM, Kudus, Odobert, Johnson and Tel, with the likes of Bergvall and Sarr behind them, we could easily have done something similar. Not saying they are as good as City’s players but stylistically they can play similar roles.

I just don’t understand these coaches who are so adamantly stuck on one system (Amorim etc.). Any competent manager, in any industry, knows to put people in the position where they have the best chance of success, and then mold the collective around that.

Play your best XI players in a style suited to their talents, not just the way YOU want it done. Take YOUR ego out of it and the optimal solution is usually blindingly obvious.

Rant over. And thank f*** that idiot is out of our club.

I couldn't think of a worse leader than one that changes every week. Stick to your principles, create a vision and then adapt as you need.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

Corr blimey..... please dont..she's ringing in my ears now!

 

[P.D.]

I couldn't think of a worse leader than one that changes every week. Stick to your principles, create a vision and then adapt as you need.

He's shown he can do both, in his 1st season he was really rigid trying to play like Barca then they get better players in and it clicked and now he's evolved it. He does tinker a fair bit especially in the CL but I think his players generally understand what he's aiming for.

 

[tommysvr]

He's shown he can do both, in his 1st season he was really rigid trying to play like Barca then they get better players in and it clicked and now he's evolved it. He does tinker a fair bit especially in the CL but I think his players generally understand what he's aiming for.

If you mean Pep, I agree. But I think the original poster was referring to Ange with his last line. Pep’s a great example of a leader with a vision, albeit one with unlimited resources. The actual positions and instructions might differ, but the philosophy is the same. Dominate the ball, overload teams, create lots of chances. He’s not playing Real Madrid and suddenly changing the entire setup. He’s not going to Barcelona and suddenly looking to set pieces and long throws.

 

[Ace Face]

I couldn't think of a worse leader than one that changes every week. Stick to your principles, create a vision and then adapt as you need.

Every leader should have principles, but can still be tactically flexible in the way they use their resources to best achieve the collective goals.

The game is constantly changing, faster now than it ever has, and stubbornly sticking to one plan which used to work but maybe isn’t as effective anymore, is lunacy.

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

Great article on the Beeb today about how Giardiola has altered his tactics to suit the players he currently has available, rather than trying to squeeze round blocks into square holes.

Pep Guardiola: Manchester City's new tactics analysed

Pep Guardiola is using new tactics this season by making Emirates Marketing Project's attack more narrow, but did he hint at the idea 20 years ago?

www.bbc.com

Our players under TF were so rigid the opposition knew what we were going to do before we did. But in Xavi, Solanke, Richie, RKM, Kudus, Odobert, Johnson and Tel, with the likes of Bergvall and Sarr behind them, we could easily have done something similar. Not saying they are as good as City’s players but stylistically they can play similar roles.

I just don’t understand these coaches who are so adamantly stuck on one system (Amorim etc.). Any competent manager, in any industry, knows to put people in the position where they have the best chance of success, and then mold the collective around that.

Play your best XI players in a style suited to their talents, not just the way YOU want it done. Take YOUR ego out of it and the optimal solution is usually blindingly obvious.

Rant over. And thank f*** that idiot is out of our club.

It's a simple game made difficult by "clever" managers

 

[tommysvr]

Every leader should have principles, but can still be tactically flexible in the way they use their resources to best achieve the collective goals.

The game is constantly changing, faster now than it ever has, and stubbornly sticking to one plan which used to work but maybe isn’t as effective anymore, is lunacy.

If you’re saying Ange only had one plan then I’d say you weren’t watching and just listening to the narrative.

 

[Ace Face]

If you’re saying Ange only had one plan then I’d say you weren’t watching and just listening to the narrative.

Not really. My comment was about TF, and his refusal to alter the tactics when it was blindingly obvious it wasn’t working. I was really frustrated with us constantly playing 4-2-3-1 when we didn’t have a quality LW, a ball-playing DM or a CF who could hold the ball up under pressure.

In comparison, Pep adapted by pushing his wide attackers inside to counter the tactics opposing teams were using against him, while still keeping to his attacking principles, as this played to their individual and collective skills better.

I find it hard to see how many top-level managers refuse to adapt and stick with the tactics which got them to the top, ultimately failing.

Congrats on the kiddo btw.

 

[demotw]

What I never understood is why we persisted with Spence at LB when we had Danso fit as VDV is a very good LB, natural left footer with pace to burn. Just a few odd decisions when the injuries hit that seemed to hurt us

 

[tommysvr]

Not really. My comment was about TF, and his refusal to alter the tactics when it was blindingly obvious it wasn’t working. I was really frustrated with us constantly playing 4-2-3-1 when we didn’t have a quality LW, a ball-playing DM or a CF who could hold the ball up under pressure.

In comparison, Pep adapted by pushing his wide attackers inside to counter the tactics opposing teams were using against him, while still keeping to his attacking principles, as this played to their individual and collective skills better.

I find it hard to see how many top-level managers refuse to adapt and stick with the tactics which got them to the top, ultimately failing.

Congrats on the kiddo btw.

Right, ok — I assumed you meant Ange, apologies for that.

I still don’t agree that Frank had only one plan, and my read is that he was never committed enough to one thing for us. I think mainly tried to be the ultimate anti-Ange (pragmatic, flexible, set pieces first) because that’s what many wanted.

And thank you!

 

[P.D.]

If you mean Pep, I agree. But I think the original poster was referring to Ange with his last line. Pep’s a great example of a leader with a vision, albeit one with unlimited resources. The actual positions and instructions might differ, but the philosophy is the same. Dominate the ball, overload teams, create lots of chances. He’s not playing Real Madrid and suddenly changing the entire setup. He’s not going to Barcelona and suddenly looking to set pieces and long throws.

I meant Pep but Ange always talked about how he only had one approach as well. I think you want to have base template which is say 70% of your approach each game and that then leaves you a little bit of variation to play with depending on your opponents - it doesn't need to be massive, could be something as simple as realising they're weak on a particular side and adding more pace or overlaps there to make the most of it.

Ironically Frank did that initially, against PSG he varied things a little and it worked for most of the game but then he struggled to explain what he was looking to do after that.

 

[Raziel]

I meant Pep but Ange always talked about how he only had one approach as well. I think you want to have base template which is say 70% of your approach each game and that then leaves you a little bit of variation to play with depending on your opponents - it doesn't need to be massive, could be something as simple as realising they're weak on a particular side and adding more pace or overlaps there to make the most of it.

Ironically Frank did that initially, against PSG he varied things a little and it worked for most of the game but then he struggled to explain what he was looking to do after that.

On the verge of sounding ridiculous I don't think he knows. His philosophy seems to be around adapting to the opponent and playing percentages (set pieces, type of block, chances from zones, etc.)

I think in lower level teams that is sufficient, and patterns come by repetition vs. plan, i.e. you are the underdog in so many games, that your players get accustomed to the smash to Toney/Mbeumo tactic, at Spurs where you have the full mix, games we expect to dominate, games where we have to fight for the right and a few games where we expect to be under the kosh his lack of an overall system got shown up.

I think with a fully fit squad, his tactic of smash the ball to Kudus, let him not lose ball, if he can't beat his man, pass back to Porro and boom cross in, supplement with set pieces, that was it .. there was nothing more, no levels to add, complexity or patterns .. just fudging hoof to wide player, spam crosses in.

Note/edit, and his real value is working that in a club system, where other take roles, he is a party man (no complaints) and is expected to make do with what he gets (some clubs see value in that)

 

[P.D.]

On the verge of sounding ridiculous I don't think he knows. His philosophy seems to be around adapting to the opponent and playing percentages (set pieces, type of block, chances from zones, etc.)

I think in lower level teams that is sufficient, and patterns come by repetition vs. plan, i.e. you are the underdog in so many games, that your players get accustomed to the smash to Toney/Mbeumo tactic, at Spurs where you have the full mix, games we expect to dominate, games where we have to fight for the right and a few games where we expect to be under the kosh his lack of an overall system got shown up.

I think with a fully fit squad, his tactic of smash the ball to Kudus, let him not lose ball, if he can't beat his man, pass back to Porro and boom cross in, supplement with set pieces, that was it .. there was nothing more, no levels to add, complexity or patterns .. just fudging hoof to wide player, spam crosses in.

Note/edit, and his real value is working that in a club system, where other take roles, he is a party man (no complaints) and is expected to make do with what he gets (some clubs see value in that)

It felt like that but at Brentford he definitely improved some players like Mbuembo so I thought he'd help us on that side of things where under Ange individual players didn't look coached to me but we didn't see any of that.

I think Frank is probably quite relieved it's over as well, if he takes over at Palace I'll be intrigued to see how he plays.

 

[Ace Face]

On the verge of sounding ridiculous I don't think he knows. His philosophy seems to be around adapting to the opponent and playing percentages (set pieces, type of block, chances from zones, etc.)

I think in lower level teams that is sufficient, and patterns come by repetition vs. plan, i.e. you are the underdog in so many games, that your players get accustomed to the smash to Toney/Mbeumo tactic, at Spurs where you have the full mix, games we expect to dominate, games where we have to fight for the right and a few games where we expect to be under the kosh his lack of an overall system got shown up.

I think with a fully fit squad, his tactic of smash the ball to Kudus, let him not lose ball, if he can't beat his man, pass back to Porro and boom cross in, supplement with set pieces, that was it .. there was nothing more, no levels to add, complexity or patterns .. just fudging hoof to wide player, spam crosses in.

Agree.

In reality TF’s philosophy was 100% lacking in any ambition to play the attractive football he promised us in his pre-season press conferences, and his tactics, while he did change formation and move players around, never really altered until Kudus got injured. In over twenty games, he never put out an attacking intent which looked cohesive and anything less than timid. How many times this season have we seen runners from deep? Almost none as the underlying concept/tactic was always defense-first.

 

[Pandy]

Just want to put on record that this guy my least favourite spurs manager by a very long way. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Let's go out and give those clams a game tomorrow instead of rolling over and getting our bellies tickled like last time. COYS.