Cox’s Post Match Comments

[WonderGoals]

Where do I start ?. Deary, deary me.

According to Cox he initially came to play attacking football but now there’s better players at the club, he’s going to concentrate on keeping hold of the ball more.

Hippolyte is playing instead of Eisa simply because he prefers him over Eisa. Eisa is learning how to play the role Cox want’s him to play but will get his chance in the coming weeks.

Cox also said instead of wanting to play 2 out and out wingers, he want’s them to play more centrally “tucked in” as playing with a front 4 will over stretch the central midfielders.

The biggest load of absolute hogwash was about McAtee. Cox said he wasn’t fit enough, yet he played 90 mins v’s Man City u23’s, 3 more days of training and he’s not only not fit enough to start, he’s also suffering with a lack of match fitness to such an extent that he fails to even make the subs bench.

I think it’s fair to say that he’s teaching McAtee and Eisa a lesson but he seriously needs to get them involved. Let’s be honest, we’re shit going forward…if those two are fit, they should be starting.

Not looking good at all. Cox has descended into madness even at this early stage….he appears to be one of most safety first, conservative managers we’ve had.

I was genuinely excited with what he was saying when he signed as manager attack this, attack that…bring excitement back to the town.

Basically a complete load of shite.

[WonderGoals]

Cox reminds me of Wilcox.

Taylor who’s prolific from midfield, scored a hat trick the week before for forest u23’s..plays really well first half in that very same role and then he moved him right the way back because Cox wanted him to get on the ball more.

Seriously, what world in this bloke living in. Gillead at RB ?

This is the most shambolic start to a managerial career at United in recent times…it’s so wrong, it’s unbelieveable.

You have to ask yourself what role Lillis is having as well.

Utter tripe.

[vader]

Exactly, what input is Lillis having ?
Is Cox so sure of himself he isn’t involving others in the strategy, or is he just implementing Ernies instructions, you have to wonder.

[WonderGoals]

You have to wonder whether outside influences are having a hand in this.

How can you go from a manager who promises exciting, attacking football to a manager who won’t play with out and out wingers and for the most part plays with one up top with ultra conservative tactics ?

It’s almost as if we were promised Dr Jekyl but have ended with Mr hyde.

This is all very bizarre.

Eisa not getting a look in. McAtee can’t seemingly make the squad….very, very strange what’s going on at the minute.

[mistertonmick]

Different manager, different players but Russ’s style of football.

[Gurnelista]

WonderGoals wrote:

Not looking good at all. Cox has descended into madness even at this early stage….he appears to be one of most safety first, conservative managers we’ve had.

Agreed.
In the past this would have led to speculation about Swann’s role. Cox said in the Humberside interview today ‘this is how the chairman wants the team to play’ or something very close to it, but in these cash-strapped times, who dares bite the hand that feeds?

[WonderGoals]

mistertonmick wrote:

Different manager, different players but Russ’s style of football.

Agree…carbon copy of Russ. The playing style is anyway.

Paying £10 to watch that is dreadful.

[Northumbiron]

WonderGoals wrote:

he appears to be one of most safety first, conservative managers we’ve had.

One win in four doesn’t look too “safe” to me!

[bartonscorpion]

Wondergoals is 100% correct is what he is saying, Cox is happy with the way we played today, yes we passed the ball well, but showed no intent of attacking or attempting to win the game, ONE SHOT on target once again, and we are heading for another one of those seasons where interest of fans is again being drained from us game by game, I have fully supported Mr Swann through out, but surely he can see what rubbish Cox is trying to sell us!!!

The only plus point for us , is that we are not sitting in the Cluggy stand watching it live, Surely what is being presented to us is going to eventually going to kill the club, because not many hardened fans are going to pay their money to watch it.

SORT IT OUT MR SWANN, QUICKLY.

[Northumbiron]

One could argue that Mr Swann is not the right man to “sort it out!”

[WonderGoals]

I find it rather odd that he’s gone from Mr Positive “We’ll attack, get excitement back in the club/town…we’re going to give the fans something to shout about ” to, I don’t want to play with out and out wingers, it leaves us too open and decides to play 1 upfront.

No attacking impetus whatsoever.

I do seriously wonder at times whether somebody at the club is having more of an input tactic wise than Cox and Lillis.

This is an almighty u-turn performed by Cox if not…to such an extent I’m having problems believing it.

There’s drastic and then there’s this what we’re witnessing.

Lillis is the one with experience and the know how…what’s his role in all this ?.

Is he here to be chief nodding dog ?

I never knew this bullshit would have flew with Lillis as back up but here we are.

[Ironawe]

Day 1: I’m going to play crisp passing attacking 4-4-2 football and put the pride and passion back into the club

Day 2: Ernest: Can you come into my office Neil

Day3: We’re going to play (checks instructions) 3-5-2 with players playing in the wrong positions and then we’re going to rest/fall out with the talent and play attacking players in defence so they can use the ball more because we don’t like it in the opposition box.

[Anonymous]

If Swann has always been in ultimate control he would have seen Eisa and Gillead play much better under a different system last season and cause a threat, which is what we’re lacking now. Why would he be forcing Cox and Lillis to not play to their strengths?

Swann is vocal about the team, yes, and is involved in the transfer policy. These are all points worthy of debate, but I don’t see any indication here that he is the one in control of Cox’s strategies and player selection.

There are similarities between Cox’s formation and what came before, but as we see with Eisa and Gillead, there are distinct differences. I don’t see why Swann would do this if he was the real boss, given how they played so much better last season in their more natural positions. There are many managers, across clubs in the lower leagues, who adopt this ‘safety first’ strategy. I’d say that the playing style and player selection is more down to Cox’s preferences than some Swann conspiracy.

Cox was assistant to Ardley at Notts County, who plays a similar style based on workmanship and being hard to beat. Is it not conceivable that Cox brought ideas from there? Or was Swann controlling Notts County from behind the scenes?

[mistertonmick]

we have had negative style football since 2 months before Alexander left, and playing that way with young inexperienced players is a possible disaster.

we were promised 4 4 2 exciting attacking football which is better for young players to adapt to, so if Russ couldn’t make it work with experienced players what is this achieving, we are averaging 2 shots on target a game yesterday it was one, yet though we are not conceding many Tranmere only needed 2 shots and you can’t expect Rory playing a blinder every week seeing his previous 50 odd games didn’t produce any.

can’t understand the having your best players being on the bench or sat in the stand and when you play a lone striker why we are not playing 2 wingers, and no point saying the full backs are wing backs well they hardly get out of their own half and the right back is neither a full back or winger, from what I have seen in football wingers make better wing backs than full backs do.

I am afraid bottom 4 is looking possible because I can’t see us winning many games because we are relying on every shot going in the opposing net and it’s not thrilling to watch, when we get a corner we are now taking short ones and the ball doesn’t get into the area and also I know Neil is new to management but has been a number 2 for a few years what about a Plan b in formation if we go behind because when we are 0-0 we play brightly even if we put little pressure on the keeper but when we go behind you never imagine we will get a equaliser because we till look like we are playing for a 0-0 draw, no urgency, and the swapping of Vincent and Taylor in the second half was ridiculous.

and regarding Peter Swann being involved with formations and team selection I would doubt it, regarding transfers he has to approve them but would doubt if he has seen many of them play before unless he went to watch them last season with Lee Turnbull or the Manager, but wouldn’t be surprised if Russ has influence.

[cassidystash]

Deluded!!
“I’m disappointed with the result but the performance was a good one”
“We settled in and passed the ball well” and then ” We kept giving it away.”
Also:-
” We must have had ten or eleven shots – but not many were on target, or six-yard entries which disappointed me.”
” The way we keep the ball is what we’re working on”
I’m not a manager Neil but I know which of the above I’d be working on. No good keeping the ball if you’re not using it to score.

[Northumbiron]

If you’re playing with wingers “tucked in” then you need good full backs/wing backs.

We have no good full backs (apart from the one with a sick note) and Swann has neatly avoided bringing any in in the transfer window.

We’ve brought in another midfielder to add the the ones we not only have, but have forgotten about. We’ve also gone from having two strikers to having seven on the books.

Well done to finding two decent centre backs, but not so well done for going into a new season with no experienced full backs and a goalie who has one good game in five.

So we once again have an unbalanced squad. Colclough looking like the new Adam Hamill. Eisa benched in favour of Hippolyte. A full treatment room. These are not new scenarios. They seem to be all too familiar to us long suffering fans.

Summat’s wrong somewhere.

[mistertonmick]

“Well done to finding two decent centre backs, but not so well done for going into a new season with no experienced full backs and a goalie who has one good game in five.”

one in twenty would be closer NI, central defence and midfield are OK, full back is a massive problem, also with one inexperienced and one not a full back or winger we are not getting the crosses in yet we have other forwards or wingers available and with our present set up we play pretty football and have no goal threat.

[waltersleftfoot]

FFS go get junior brown,still hasn t a club as far as I know,+ he would bring a little bit of experience,just a thought,agree with NI full backs these days not only need to defend need to be able to get forward and get crosses in,was prepared to give Cox a chance but things are wearing very thin,he needs to pick his BEST team,but as he spoke yesterday,he doesn’t know what that is,honeymoon period over????

[cokeovenkid]

Wasn’t the writing on the wall when captain Clarke was resigned ?

[WonderGoals]

One thing I don’t get is, is that Cox is choosing to play with tucked in wingers because he doesn’t want to leave the full backs and midfield exposed.

Why doesn’t he just tell Vincent and Spence to sit in midfield and the full backs to feed the ball to either Eisa and Gillead and get straight back and let Eisa and Gillead do their thing and cause mischief ?

If he’s hell bent on playing with no width, he may as well switch back to that crap 5/2/1/2 formation. Stick Onaraise in alongside the slack Bedeau and green Cordner. Stick Rowe RWB, O’Malley LWB…Spence and Vincent in the middle with Gillead in behind Loft and McAtee.

Only problem with that is, Taylor is better in that position than Gillead but Gillead has to play because he’s makeshift captain, who’s deemed the leader of that team.

Means though we’re carrying arguably going by what we saw our best midfielder and won’t even end up seeing him play. I suppose you could stick him in CM instead of Vincent but he’s better further forward which means to accommodate Taylor, we’re going to end up with Gillead and Taylor out of position.

Taylor is a very good player but did we really need him ?. McAtee can play there, Hallam also can along with Gillead. Cox won’t play with out and out wingers because of the full backs that are currently playing, as stated above…why didn’t we sign an experienced LB ?

An experienced LB, Clarke in at RB, Onariase and McGahey when back fit, we suddenly have a much more experienced back line.

If anything signing Taylor has muddied the waters…signing him has just further complicated things. I greeted the signing because I thought he could play in CM and be just as effective but going by what I’ve read he’s an attacking midfielder who really plays in the no 10 role.

We already have options there.

[WonderGoals]

waltersleftfoot wrote:

FFS go get junior brown,still hasn t a club as far as I know,+ he would bring a little bit of experience,just a thought,agree with NI full backs these days not only need to defend need to be able to get forward and get crosses in,was prepared to give Cox a chance but things are wearing very thin,he needs to pick his BEST team,but as he spoke yesterday,he doesn’t know what that is,honeymoon period over????

I don’t think there has been a honeymoon period in all fairness, this is the most shambolic start I’ve seen from a United manager since I’ve supported us.

Everything he seems to turn his hand to has turned to shite. Alterations he makes during games for no apparent reason in a bid to make us better takes away all the good we did have and in turn makes us worse.

I’m not sure he’s done 1 thing right yet…he’s awful.

[Anonymous]

waltersleftfoot wrote:

FFS go get junior brown,still hasn t a club as far as I know,+ he would bring a little bit of experience,just a thought,agree with NI full backs these days not only need to defend need to be able to get forward and get crosses in,was prepared to give Cox a chance but things are wearing very thin,he needs to pick his BEST team,but as he spoke yesterday,he doesn’t know what that is,honeymoon period over????

He did fire us up for the second half in the Newport game. Maybe that was it?

[waltersleftfoot]

Don t think Dickie Rooks and Ron Bradley were as bad as this were they,agree with WG when he makes changes in a game they seem baffling

[cassidystash]

It would appear that Cox can only find room for 1 out and out forward and 2 vaguely attack minded players in his outfield 10. 7 permanently defending with the other 2 helping when we don’t have the ball. Virtually all our shots yesterday were from distance, the only option when all the other players are behind the man with the ball. Unauthorised attacking is punished by being played deeper or not played at all. We have players here capable of terrorising most L2 defences if they’re allowed to, set out to score goals and let the opposition do the worrying.

[WonderGoals]

One’s been completely cast out, the other has been frozen out for a much crapper version and the other can’t even make the squad.

If I knew what I knew now regarding Cox, I would have at least been pre prepared for the shite we’re having to now endure.

How can Swann keep getting it so, so wrong ?

[vader]

If it wasn’t for the pandemic and cash shortage I would expect that in normal circumstances Cox would be history by Christmas if this performance continues, however hes probably as safe as houses mainly due to the precarious cash situation.

[Northumbiron]

WonderGoals wrote:

If anything signing Taylor has muddied the waters…signing him has just further complicated things.

Definitely!

Loan in Taylor OR Vincent. To bring in both seems crazy given our paucity in the FB position. Junior Brown would have been a decent addition. Dunno why we haven’t gone for him.

A squad of 25 with two players for each position plus a couple of utility types and an experienced leader on the pitch.

Or are we hoarding players away for the winter months?

[Charlies Wet Sponge]

Mr Cox better beware, it sounds like the knifes are been sharpened.

[j charles]

After sixty years a supporter I’m finding it very difficult to find the energy to support such rubbish that we are being served up. In my veiw Cox talks complete and utter shite, giving the ball away, not getting tackles in and one poor attempt on goal is by no means a good performance. How can one chairman get it so wrong time and time again? Nothing has changed for three years. I have tried to support the iron recently through iplayer but will decide at the last minute next weekend if I can put up with any more the dross being served up by Mr Cox.I keep saying it but it is the same old rubbish served up by a different manager.

[mistertonmick]

I only decided to watch it at 7 minutes to 3 and that will be the last away game, I will watch the home games because I have got a season ticket.

[Author]

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