10 games in.... 21:59 - Oct 4 with 5315 views | GVJack | Thoughts? | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 22:08 - Oct 4 with 4342 views | max936 | Starting to show some decent progress, onwards and upwards for me at least, long may it continue! | ![](/images/avatars/9760.gif) |
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10 games in.... on 22:08 - Oct 4 with 4342 views | Dr_Winston | Still a work in progress, and Duff would probably tell you the same. You can see a definite style of play forming but it's a bit inconsistent, like we're still learning parts of it. I think the plan is to be competitive until Jan then add again in the places that we're missing. | ![](/images/avatars/8802.gif) |
| Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or f*cking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back. |
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10 games in.... on 22:15 - Oct 4 with 4304 views | cadleigh | I am starting to realise that Duff has been setting up a chessboard all this time. Respect. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
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10 games in.... on 22:23 - Oct 4 with 4264 views | sP7qupUf | Long way to go yet but it is nice to see 22 goal attempts from 55% possession. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 22:31 - Oct 4 with 4235 views | Whiterockin | Improving every game, worrying thing for me is we seem to be picking up a lot of injuries. | ![](/images/avatars/9155.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 23:03 - Oct 4 with 4138 views | jack247 | A lot more positive than I was after six or seven. Much like his predecessor, when Duff abandoned the tactics that clearly didn’t work, we improved dramatically. Great performance at Milwall, backed up with a competitive win against one of the better teams we’ve played this season. We’re winning, the football is better to watch, have to give him massive credit for turning it around. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 23:20 - Oct 4 with 4096 views | GeoffThom | Well the first 6/7 games awful hoofball sheff Wed hard to judge as they really are bad,but Millwall for me was the right way ,we kept possession first half like before but went forward quicker and with a purpose far far better shape also, tonight I really believe could have gone either way ,good first half but crying out for a winger or flair player key in the first half could have bombed on like their fullback but was reluctant to do it ,patino is a lazy player had a great opportunity to score but lazily jogged onto it ,Cullen did nowt but moan at Yates and key ,and when we were looking under the cosh then subs by duff helped no end but I would have loved to see it earlier as it could have gone so wrong. End of the day he's deffo here until Xmas let's see how we are by then and if OK we need wingers and or a flair player | ![](/images/avatars/10999.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 23:57 - Oct 4 with 4028 views | Treforys_Jack | Ditched tactics that clearly weren't working far quicker than his predecessor, which is a big plus in my book. Russ took stubbornness and pig headedness to a whole different level. | ![](/images/avatars/8863.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) | Login to get fewer ads
10 games in.... on 00:09 - Oct 5 with 4002 views | KeithHaynes |
10 games in.... on 23:57 - Oct 4 by Treforys_Jack | Ditched tactics that clearly weren't working far quicker than his predecessor, which is a big plus in my book. Russ took stubbornness and pig headedness to a whole different level. |
Leave Russ alone, he reads this forum religiously 😂
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10 games in.... on 06:24 - Oct 5 with 3896 views | Whiterockin |
10 games in.... on 23:57 - Oct 4 by Treforys_Jack | Ditched tactics that clearly weren't working far quicker than his predecessor, which is a big plus in my book. Russ took stubbornness and pig headedness to a whole different level. |
In fairness possibly he did not have the players to play this way early in the season. Certainly bringing in the left sided players has allowed him to go 4 at the back and allowing Key to go to his natural position. Getting Lowe has been a bonus, as he has been immense, allowing us to play with 2 wideish players. | ![](/images/avatars/9155.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 06:27 - Oct 5 with 3893 views | ItchySphincter | Its not rocket science or hard to see what Duff is doing.... He wants the game played in the opposition half, high press with lots of energy. Create chances and force mistakes. It's technically demanding and physical, but in theory it's a relatively simple way of playing. Players will have to be both decent footballers and dogs, and we're going to pick up a lot of injuries, but if he can keep them fit and it all comes together it could be an entertaining season. | ![](/images/avatars/9328.gif) |
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10 games in.... on 06:46 - Oct 5 with 3880 views | jackal | He said to give him ten games and he was right. Just moving the ball more quickly has helped tremendously. The injuries are a concern, but you have to admire the improvement. I am looking forward to games again. Plymouth will be tough, but I'm quietly confident. A draw would be ok. [Post edited 5 Oct 2023 6:49]
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10 games in.... on 07:30 - Oct 5 with 3823 views | jack247 |
10 games in.... on 06:46 - Oct 5 by jackal | He said to give him ten games and he was right. Just moving the ball more quickly has helped tremendously. The injuries are a concern, but you have to admire the improvement. I am looking forward to games again. Plymouth will be tough, but I'm quietly confident. A draw would be ok. [Post edited 5 Oct 2023 6:49]
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I’d agree with that. I was really losing patience around the Bristol City and Cardiff games. I thought Wednesday was a one off because they were so bad, but the way we’ve been playing the last few games bears absolutely no resemblance to the tripe we served up for the first six or seven. He’s done what most of us wanted him to do. Take the best bits from the Martin style, abandon the slow, lateral passing, give defenders the licence to clear when it’s the best option and mix a few, focused direct balls in with the passing football. Great to see far less long balls to Yates and Cullen in channels with defenders breathing down their necks last night. Also noticeable that our passing is more effective in the final third than it was before. Norwich attacked in numbers but got everyone behind the ball quickly, we still managed to play through them without an Ntcham type player. I said I’d judge him on the Milwall and Norwich games. He’s really surprised me, given what we saw up to Sheffield Wednesday. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 08:00 - Oct 5 with 3775 views | Dr_Winston | The quick interchange passing in the final third is very much a feature of Duff's style. You can go back and watch the Barnsley highlights from last season (as I did) and see that. I would wager money on that being one of the key drivers behind our recruitment of forward players in the summer. Lowe looks very happy in it. Ginelly was starting to show signs of the same. You can probably pin the resurgence of Paterson to it as well. | ![](/images/avatars/8802.gif) |
| Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or f*cking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back. |
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10 games in.... on 09:04 - Oct 5 with 3682 views | RichardO | Balance between keeping the defence strong while having viable options up front with the right links in the middle. Still early, shown improvement still got to be careful about over committing player but having said tha,t we did get 3 players back to try and block the incoming ball for their goal from our right side. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 09:08 - Oct 5 with 3679 views | Whiterockin |
10 games in.... on 09:04 - Oct 5 by RichardO | Balance between keeping the defence strong while having viable options up front with the right links in the middle. Still early, shown improvement still got to be careful about over committing player but having said tha,t we did get 3 players back to try and block the incoming ball for their goal from our right side. |
I think not playing Fulton with Grimes has been a great benefit. Nothing against Fulton because he can do a decent job but playing the two together slows us down too much. | ![](/images/avatars/9155.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 09:08 - Oct 5 with 3679 views | heatwave | Since Cardiff 10 pts from 4 games. When I looked at those fixtures after Cardiff. I was expecting no more than 4 pts. Long may it continue. | ![](/images/avatars/8959.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 10:19 - Oct 5 with 3596 views | onehunglow |
10 games in.... on 08:00 - Oct 5 by Dr_Winston | The quick interchange passing in the final third is very much a feature of Duff's style. You can go back and watch the Barnsley highlights from last season (as I did) and see that. I would wager money on that being one of the key drivers behind our recruitment of forward players in the summer. Lowe looks very happy in it. Ginelly was starting to show signs of the same. You can probably pin the resurgence of Paterson to it as well. |
Yep,couldn’t agree more | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
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10 games in.... on 10:30 - Oct 5 with 3581 views | jack247 |
10 games in.... on 08:00 - Oct 5 by Dr_Winston | The quick interchange passing in the final third is very much a feature of Duff's style. You can go back and watch the Barnsley highlights from last season (as I did) and see that. I would wager money on that being one of the key drivers behind our recruitment of forward players in the summer. Lowe looks very happy in it. Ginelly was starting to show signs of the same. You can probably pin the resurgence of Paterson to it as well. |
Genuine question. Any idea why we didn’t start like this? The football we’ve played the last couple of games bares no real resemblance to the Steve Cooper without the results stuff we served up for the first six or seven. It would have been easier to transition from Martins style to this, than Martins style to what we were playing, then to this surely? Especially if this is how Duff played at Barnsley. Either way, kudos to him for realising what he was doing wasn’t working and changing it a hell of a lot quicker than Martin did. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 10:34 - Oct 5 with 3579 views | Whiterockin |
10 games in.... on 10:30 - Oct 5 by jack247 | Genuine question. Any idea why we didn’t start like this? The football we’ve played the last couple of games bares no real resemblance to the Steve Cooper without the results stuff we served up for the first six or seven. It would have been easier to transition from Martins style to this, than Martins style to what we were playing, then to this surely? Especially if this is how Duff played at Barnsley. Either way, kudos to him for realising what he was doing wasn’t working and changing it a hell of a lot quicker than Martin did. |
I would say, we didn't have the players in key positions. Since the signings at the end of the window we have made steady progress. | ![](/images/avatars/9155.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 10:45 - Oct 5 with 3561 views | jack247 |
10 games in.... on 10:34 - Oct 5 by Whiterockin | I would say, we didn't have the players in key positions. Since the signings at the end of the window we have made steady progress. |
I’d say that would be a reasonable explanation for playing that style and not being so successful. I’m not sure it justifies a completely different way of playing that didn’t work Eight of last nights starting line up have been here all season and we had players who could have filled the Humphreys, Patino and Lowe roles, albeit not as well. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 10:47 - Oct 5 with 3560 views | Dr_Winston |
10 games in.... on 10:34 - Oct 5 by Whiterockin | I would say, we didn't have the players in key positions. Since the signings at the end of the window we have made steady progress. |
Yep. It takes time for any players to adjust. Part of the problem early doors IMO was trying to kick Grimes out of the habit of tedious possession recycling. If your midfield isn't supporting the forward line then huge gaps will appear and often the longer ball remains your only option to relieve the pressure. You can't just flip a switch and players will magically stop doing what they've spent four years doing. It does take a few games. Usually about 8-10 looking at Duff's track record. | ![](/images/avatars/8802.gif) |
| Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or f*cking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back. |
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10 games in.... on 10:47 - Oct 5 with 3552 views | Whiterockin |
10 games in.... on 10:45 - Oct 5 by jack247 | I’d say that would be a reasonable explanation for playing that style and not being so successful. I’m not sure it justifies a completely different way of playing that didn’t work Eight of last nights starting line up have been here all season and we had players who could have filled the Humphreys, Patino and Lowe roles, albeit not as well. |
Things have changed since we went four at the back, we didn't have a left back before, Key filled in but not as good as what we have now. | ![](/images/avatars/9155.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
10 games in.... on 10:47 - Oct 5 with 3552 views | KeithHaynes |
10 games in.... on 10:34 - Oct 5 by Whiterockin | I would say, we didn't have the players in key positions. Since the signings at the end of the window we have made steady progress. |
No stand outs, but grafters who are seeing the Duff system very clearly ATM. | ![](/images/avatars/27565.gif) |
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10 games in.... on 10:50 - Oct 5 with 3540 views | EagleEye | Worse possible start against some pretty poor to mediocre Championship sides. All the pre-season hype of new signings quickly dipped when we saw some of them played out of position. No shape, no spirit, no shape, no real teamwork or confidence shown by players in the manager or his methods. A formation being used that didn’t suit the players initially. A few lucky breaks getting soft penalties & scoring first in the last 4, forced formation change & suddenly we look a different outfit. New signings & established squad members starting to gel & believe. Green shoots of a decent squad/ team in there somewhere. Hopefully Duff will play to our strengths & not take as long as Martin to see them. We haven’t really played any of the better sides in the division (except Norwich) yet but hey ho onwards & upwards we go. I never really bought in to Duff’s slow start at every club he has been at syndrome, certainly hope he carries on to prove me wrong about that | ![](/images/avatars/20217.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
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