The Ray Wilkins effect

Thought I'd start this thread as there have been some noticeable changes in the way we play since last season (yeah, I know...not hard to improve on Lambert).

AVFCJay made the point on another thread that we seem to be far more effective on throw-ins. True that; I can't count the number of years it's been since we've simply handed over possession regularly from throw ins.

Also, we've started to do what most other teams have been doing for years and that's ping the ball around in a W pattern from defence to midfield and back again in order to try and pull the opposition out of shape.

Our close-quarters skill has also stepped up a gear and we seem to be able to play our way out of trouble more regularly.

So how much of this is down to Wilkins (as opposed to Sherwood)? You'd have to assume at least equal plaudits going to Wilkins thus far, right?  And, although we've not really seen a lot of what this side can do, we're only going to get better. A LOT better.

I've also been impressed by the couple of interviews I've seen of Wilkins. Let's hope we can keep him around for a while, eh?

I believe the fact we have had a good pre-season with decent coaching staff has benefited extremely and obviously its a long way from Lambert and the useless staff he brought. I should of listened to others Keane appointment was dreadful and turned out to be. Sherwood and Fox were extremely clever to get Wilkins on board its always important to have experience and as Wilkins has put it a very good balance, I hope this will work out and we have period of stability going in the right direction.

Wilkins clearly has had a great effect on the coaching of the team but I also think it has helped that we've shifted out lots of the deadwood or the players with that "losing mentality" that Sherwood alluded to at the end of the FA cup final.

It's good to see and long may it continue and hopefully this is just the beginning of things to come. I don't EXPECT a top half finish but I expect that we will have more things to shout about this year than the shitty records we kept breaking last season...

The only possible downside about Wilkins refers way back to when he was playing for Chelsea and England.

He picked up the nickname of "The Crab" because whenever he had possession in midfield, the ball always went sideways! Of course, it could have been due to the tactics of his Manager at the time but he got quite a lot of stick whilst wearing the England shirt, I seem to remember!

Good points these...all of them in my opinion. I was very much in the "I love Wilkins" club, and was totally delighted with his appointment.
I would suggest he has made some impact yes for sure, but the major difference for me is that he is working with players now that actually have ability. He can coach this 'W' pattern of play because the players we have can take it on board. He can work on throw-in routines, attacking/defending patterns of play etc because for the most part now our players are actually premier league quality players.

I don't think we will really get going till after xmas. I think it will take 3 months for the side to settle down and find their rhythm.
The fact we have showed some encouraging signs already bodes very well indeed.

big ming wrote:The only possible downside about Wilkins refers way back to when he was playing for Chelsea and England.

He picked up the nickname of "The Crab" because whenever he had possession in midfield, the ball always went sideways! Of course, it could have been due to the tactics of his Manager at the time but he got quite a lot of stick whilst wearing the England shirt, I seem to remember!

Petrov did a lot of that and he's now generally considered to be one of our most highly-rated midfielders of the last decade! He got some stick at the time from many but he left a big hole when he couldn't play any longer.

Wilkins was a great player and is a very smart, knowledgeable and articulate man who will improve the team through his decades worth of nous and experience. How much effect he's had thus far, I'd say probably not much and neither has Sherwood. With this current group. They are still in the forming stages and most have yet to show what they can do individually, let alone as a unit. Going forward, he will help help Sherwood mould and shape the team and will have a massive influence on the players - unless they are total twats who think they know better than an ex-Chelsea, Man U, Milan and England international.

Yeah when Petrov first played everyone slated him, then he got injured for a few months and we realised just how much he did!

Got to be honest, I thought snake was sometimes guilty of the sideways pass at Villa for show rather than for any good reason - yeah I know shifting the other team around is an effective ploy at times, but I think he did too much of it and for England I think dreadfully guilty often of this - adding nothing to the attack other than a pass completion rate and (meaningless) possession time.
I'm glad he's gone for this reason alone (let alone the main reason that he's a sugarbag) and at least no-one could accuse Wilkins of instilling a sideways passing strategy (not that I think he would, but you get my point).

De Kuip wrote:Got to be honest, I thought snake was sometimes guilty of the sideways pass at Villa for show rather than for any good reason - yeah I know shifting the other team around is an effective ploy at times, but I think he did too much of it and for England I think dreadfully guilty often of this - adding nothing to the attack other than a pass completion rate and (meaningless) possession time.
I'm glad he's gone for this reason alone (let alone the main reason that he's a sugarbag) and at least no-one could accuse Wilkins of instilling a sideways passing strategy (not that I think he would, but you get my point).

That's why people shouldn't have been surprised snake did a 360 re: the move. He spent hours doing the same thing on the pitch with a ball at his feet. He didn't so much have heat maps as Venn diagrams.

Mmmkay. So this Wilkins character then. Anyone see him doing anything? Anyone hear of him doing anything? One thing is for sure, he is either more tactically clueless than Sherwood, who is listening to him, or Sherwood doesn't take any tactical advice from someone who seems to be pretty clued up when it comes to footy.

If it's the latter, will Wilkins hang around long to have whatever good reputation he may have sullied by being involved in our demise?

ember wrote:Mmmkay. So this Wilkins character then. Anyone see him doing anything? Anyone hear of him doing anything? One thing is for sure, he is either more tactically clueless than Sherwood, who is listening to him, or Sherwood doesn't take any tactical advice from someone who seems to be pretty clued up when it comes to footy.

If it's the latter, will Wilkins hang around long to have whatever good reputation he may have sullied by being involved in our demise?

I was wondering this - a lot of criticism being laid at Tim's feet but if you look who he's got around him they're either fucking useless (exaggeration, maybe) or he's too arrogant or stupid to listen to them. Perhaps I'm naive, but I doubt it's as simplistic as the latter.

Well he doesnt listen to him during matches because he's only ever seen talking with Parkes or Robson. A look at their track records might give a clue as to why our changes are inneffective.