Mowbray's inability to manage the 2nd half of the season (1 Viewer)

[ms639]

Was chatting to a friend of a friend recently who's a boro fan and was explaining our 2nd half of the season demise and he mentioned that it was a recurring theme of Mowbray's time in charge at the riverside. So I thought I would do a quick bit of research.

In the 2011-2012 season Mowbray's boro won just 2 out of the last 13 games of the season
In the 2012-2013 season Mowbray's boro won just 3 out of the last 21 games of the season

This has really had me thinking, I was very keen previously to shut down the Mowbray boo boys as realistically we started the season with very low expectations, however to me it really does highlight a fundamental problem that there is no plan B from Mowbray which seems to be consistent. We were the surprise package at the start of the season nobody expected us to be where we were and i noticed other forums claiming that we were going to win the league with ease. Unfortunately teams have wised up to our playing style and we have been drastically ineffective. It's at times like that when you need your manager to offer something different and it's been clear Mowbray doesn't have that in his locker. Our plan B was to sign a few over the hill players (Darius Henderson personifying this) and hope for the best. This really isn't good enough.

What we have lacked over the last few years is the manager who is willing to dig in and try something different when things start to crumble around him, as an outsider it seemed fairly obvious that players like Murphy and Armstrong were not going to maintain their early performances all season and Mowbray got it drastically wrong with who he brought in as an alternative.

 

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[skybluesam66]

sounds like next season - we should sack him at christmas, when we are top of the league

 

[skybluegod]

Difference is that, at Boro, he had the resources to bring in players in January for the second half of the season, he didn't have that here? So to that extent you can't compare them. I remember in 2012 was it? That he brought Jutkiewicz from us, for around 1.5 million? So then he had the opportunity to bring in players to help. With us, he was limited to out of contract players and loans, which means he couldn't cover Armstrong and Murphy for the second half?
However people have said before that his record in the second half of the season has been poor. But it is still my belief that he should be given next season to see if he can finally learn.

 

[Nick]

Difference is that, at Boro, he had the resources to bring in players in January for the second half of the season, he didn't have that here? So to that extent you can't compare them. I remember in 2012 was it? That he brought Jutkiewicz from us, for around 1.5 million? So then he had the opportunity to bring in players to help. With us, he was limited to out of contract players and loans, which means he couldn't cover Armstrong and Murphy for the second half?
However people have said before that his record in the second half of the season has been poor. But it is till my belief that he should be given next season to see if he can finally learn.

So even with bringing in with millions it didn't make a difference?

 

[skybluegod]

So even with bringing in with millions it didn't make a difference?

No exactly, so he doesn't have an excuse for not have a plan B at Boro, what I mean is did he have the capability/backing to sign players for a plan B in January?

 

[ms639]

Difference is that, at Boro, he had the resources to bring in players in January for the second half of the season, he didn't have that here? So to that extent you can't compare them. I remember in 2012 was it? That he brought Jutkiewicz from us, for around 1.5 million? So then he had the opportunity to bring in players to help. With us, he was limited to out of contract players and loans, which means he couldn't cover Armstrong and Murphy for the second half?
However people have said before that his record in the second half of the season has been poor. But it is till my belief that he should be given next season to see if he can finally learn.

If anything your post makes it worse even if they are incomparable, even when he has money he struggles to turn things around when a bad run begins?

 

[ms639]

No exactly, so he doesn't have an excuse for not have a plan B at Boro, what I mean is did he have the capability/backing to sign players for a plan B in January?

I don't think it's necessarily about signing players, I know i'm speaking out of hindsight but the system he plays was not going be effective when the younger players ran out of steam, surely a manager of his experience should have seen that form not lasting a long old league 1 season? The system could have been changed without the need for signings?

 

[skybluegod]

I don't think it's necessarily about signing players, I know i'm speaking out of hindsight but the system he plays was not going be effective when the younger players ran out of steam, surely a manager of his experience should have seen that form not lasting a long old league 1 season? The system could have been changed without the need for signings?

However only limited amount of systems you can change to with players available? I would argue having to splash the money he saved for January on replacing injuries in defence could have had an effect on his plans for January?
Not disagreeing but just presenting the argument

 

[ms639]

However only limited amount of systems you can change to with players available? I would argue having to splash the money he saved for January on replacing injuries in defence could have had an effect on his plans for January?
Not disagreeing but just presenting the argument

Yeah valid point and I guess we won't really know what his plans for Jan would have been otherwise, all I'm saying is that the data suggests that Mowbray is not good at getting out of holes when things begin to turn sour. This has been proven when he has money and when he doesn't

 

[Nick]

However only limited amount of systems you can change to with players available? I would argue having to splash the money he saved for January on replacing injuries in defence could have had an effect on his plans for January?
Not disagreeing but just presenting the argument

But then when signing players like Johnson it should be planned for before the season starts.

Yes we had a couple of defensive injuries, that still doesn't excuse teams over 20 points behind us now being 10 points in front of us. Other teams who have also had injuries and no investment.

 

[Nick]

However only limited amount of systems you can change to with players available?

Isn't that what good managers do though?

 

[LB87ccfc]

I must say the only negative I had about Mowbray when we appointed him was his inability to see out a season, however, casting back to Jan window, we missed out on several potential targets as the budget was not stretching enough, whatever happened to the additional funds if we wanted that special player? , I think the transfer window went tits up when Anderson got his mits involved, and we ended up with 4th 5th choice players to fill gaps and add experience, something which backfired massively.

 

[MusicDating]

Think Juke was the only player he signed for money at Boro, his overriding remit was to trim the wages.

The comments on Boro in article are an interesting read. I'm not sure our team will be afforded a standing ovation at the end of the season...

http://www.theguardian.com/football...ampionship-2011-12-bloggers-end-season-report

 

[skybluegod]

Isn't that what good managers do though?

I meant more due to injuries and lack of options from signings nick. I think TM has used the best system for our players tbf to him

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[skyblueelephant]

Mowbray has had some 2nd half of the season issues at other clubs but he has also finished in the top four three times as well so it's not like he can't maintain a good season.

 

[Gazolba]

<snip>

What we have lacked over the last few years is the manager who is willing to dig in and try something different when things start to crumble around him,<snip>

That's funny. Half of the people on here want him to try something different and the other half are complaining we need to stop tinkering and play the same team every week.

 

[Nick]

That's funny. Half of the people on here want him to try something different and the other half are complaining we need to stop tinkering and play the same team every week.

A different team is different to a different system. Pointless putting Henderson in a system where he's on his own

 

[Nick]

I meant more due to injuries and lack of options from signings nick. I think TM has used the best system for our players tbf to him

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I don't think he has, other teams with much worse squads have managed to neutralise the system and exploit it. Mainly with strength and passion.

 

[no_loyalty]

Mowbray has had some 2nd half of the season issues at other clubs but he has also finished in the top four three times as well so it's not like he can't maintain a good season.

He did alright at Albion, however he was out foxed by a certain Mr Dowie when we went to the Hawthorns and won 4-2

 

[sw88]

We need the Tony Mowbray who was took West Brom up and finished top goal scorers next season. Failing that, gave him for half the season and call Uwe Rosler up for the second half

 

[oucho]

We know that Mowbray has struggled elsewhere (last Celtic manager not to win the SPL, relegation with WBA, missing promotion with Boro, squandering automatic promotion here) but also has had good spells.

Question is, do we lose anything by giving him another season? As far as I can see, it can only be as bad as this season or last, so what's to lose?