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Louis Shackshaft on Carlos Carvalhal: It’s just my opinion

17/10/2017

5 Comments

 
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Carlos Carvalhal is a man I respect, admire and appreciate, his efforts in the last 27-months in charge at S6 have certainly not gone unnoticed. I strongly believe that Carlos Carvalhal has Sheffield Wednesday’s best interest at heart and he will continue to be 100% dedicated as the season progresses. The big question is, of course, will he remain in the hot-seat?

Whether Carvalhal remains in charge of the Owl’s or otherwise, I will always remember and take away the positives from his management reign. Obviously, the highlight being the play-off final at Wembley in 2016, a perfect day only marred by the result.

The loss was such a crying shame for everyone involved and even more so for Carvalhal who is now under overwhelming pressure. A victory that day would have made Carlos a modern day legend at the club.

The flourishing, free-flowing and eye-catching football that got us to Wembley was a joy to watch throughout the 2015/16 campaign. However, if I’m brutally honest, the pedigree of football has slowly reverted back to a ‘let’s not lose’ rather than ‘let’s go for the win’ mentality. Or so it seems, maybe I’m being harsh.

In addition to this, I understand the opposition have a huge influence as tactics and game-plans play a massive part in modern day football, ultimately restricting our efforts on the field. Yet, time after time we seem to only go up a gear after the the half-time break or when we fall behind. I think this is a fair statement, especially away from home.

With this in mind, my first apprehensive feelings towards Carlos was the 2-0 defeat at home to Reading last term, a game in which Wednesday were bullied in midfield and ultimately out-played, untill at least the last ten minutes of the ninety. On another day we may have come away with a point, but that is all in hindsight. Subsequently Reading overachieved and went on to reach the play-off final. I couldn’t help but feel Wednesday had taken a step backwards that day. Was that the beginning of the end? Maybe, I don’t know.

I am, as well as many other Wednesdayites a firm believer in stability and momentum, hence my admiration of Chairman Dejphon Chansiri after showing continuity and sticking with Carvalhal after the play-off semi-final defeat to Huddersfield Town. The question still remains, can Carvalhal guide Sheffield Wednesday to the Premier League? Baring in mind he has fallen at the final hurdles twice two-years running, the light at the end of the tunnel is slowly disappearing of late.

Personally, I really wish and hope that Carvalhal is the man to take the Sheffield Wednesday to the promised land, I think everyone associated with the club shares that dream. However, recent form, results and performances have fixture by fixture made me lose faith and that feeling kills me inside. I, aswell as any other fan, share a passion for the club and I don’t want this once in a lifetime opportunity given to us by Dejphon Chansiri to go a miss. Top flight football currently seems so near, but yet so far.

As the saying goes, ‘you win some, you lose some’, this is fair point and sometimes an element of luck is involved when you do walk away with 3 points on a Saturday at 5pm. But, luck seems to be wearing thin of late and recent defeats to Sheffield United and Bolton Wanderers have left me embarrassed as a fan. I wasn’t embarrassed about picking up no points or even losing to our steel city rivals, it was the manner of the performances that cannot be excused. Sheffield Wednesday were tipped as one of the promotion favourites this season, they have spent a vast amount of money and we all know deep down that the current squad has the capability of beating anybody in this league. It is that what hurts.

The simple conclusion to this all boils down to Mr Chansiri and the action he does or doesn’t take. It would not surprise me if Carvalhal is given until Christmas to try and overturn a very bang average start to the season.

Meanwhile, keeping Carlos in charge until at least December may just find Sheffield Wednesday falling short once again this term as a huge influx of firepower on and off the field is needed to kick start the season. I’m sure you will agree, this needs to happen sooner rather than later.

Whichever path Chansiri decides to take, I will accept it gracefully and in good faith. I just hope his head doesn’t rule his heart when making this decision.

Win, lose or draw I will always support Sheffield Wednesday, promotion contenders or not, they are in my blood. All I ask is for Chansiri to put his beloved club first and foremost. In the meantime, I’m intrigued to see what decision he will make.

I would love to hear your thoughts?
5 Comments
Martyn Davis
17/10/2017 05:39:18 pm

I think all Wednesdayites would agree with most of your piece. For me I think that part of our success in the 2015/16 season was down to being unknown. We were more of a surprise package. Now teams know how to play us. They do their homework and stand a good chance of coming away with the points. Force us to play sideways and backwards. Ultimately laying the ball off for the keeper to punt the ball up to halfway. Leaving our midfield to scrap for second balls. Something we are poor at. Jones usually giving away a free-kick, if he manages to get close enough to the opposition. Hutchinson clattering someone and going off injuring himself. Bannan who has a magic left foot, but force him onto his right and send him back to his own goal. Wallace only has a left, so same for him, keep him on his right. Thank God Lee is back from injury. A midfielder who attacks. On top of this we have the talented, but troubled and injured Forestieri!
There is quality. It just needs sorting.

Reply
Phil dimelow
17/10/2017 07:49:23 pm

I think you've got it spot on, me personally, I
Wanted a change after the Huddersfield defeat,
I think I started to doubt Carlos after the home
Defeat to Ipswich last season. I totally agree Xmas
Will be season over

Reply
Rob k
17/10/2017 08:01:46 pm

I think the real issue is pace. I can't think of a single other club in the league that have zero pace. Like not even one fast player. These players can in an instant turn attack into defence. We sit deep alot and try to counter with players thatlook like they are running through treacle.

We've also wasted millions
Jones - bang average
Abdi - awful
Mattias - ghost
Joao - hasn't developed.
Reach - really...... he's so bad it makes me want to cry.

Best part of 15 million there and they all a waste of time

Reply
Jake A link
17/10/2017 10:30:14 pm

I agree when carlos had a attacking mentality we could trouble most teams but his new approach tip tapping it back and sideways seems to achieve nothing except annoy us fans who want to see creation in midfield and that probing forward defence splitting pass that never comes.Surely someone in our midfield is capable of doing this? or are they? When it becomes obvious that this isn't working, usually after the first 10 minutes lol, there should be a plan B, but unfortunately there is no plan B so we are subjected to the same old same old and the opposition quickly realise this and this gives them confidence hence they up their game and start to force us further and further back till we start shipping goals and quite frankly it is becoming embarrassing. Carlos is so tactically naive for a man of his experience today. What is the thing with new signings we scour the globe for defenders cos we know our defence is poor he eventually gets fernancio from portugal and we have yet to see him grace the hallowed turf, WHY he can't use the excuse he needs time to bed in when we haven't tried him in the first team to find out if he fits in or not! Same problem with George Hirst WHY is he being treated so badly by the club, one of the best young talents we have ever had, what his dad {one of the best crowd pleasers ever to grace the hallowed turf and an absolute stalwart of the cub} thinks must be unprintable. He is the first name on the ENGLAND team sheet and will undoubtably be a 75 million pound player in 2 years if treated and coached properly and should be being integrated into our first team, if your good enough then you are old enough IMO.Look at Rashford integrated into Man U team at 17 years of age why can't we do it? OK rant over lets hope for an upturn in fortune we sure need it.

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Dana Blankenhorn link
18/10/2017 05:48:03 pm

A manager's job involves recruiting as well as coaching. I learned this when my home town of Atlanta got a club and hired Tata Martino, who recruited some great, great talent for us.

Carvalhal promised a fast, Portugeese-style team and his first signings were in that direction. For over a year, however, he's been signing more and more slow Englishmen.

I doubt any coach could have gotten much more out of the players you have than he has. The problem is, he brought in the wrong kinds of players for his style of play. And for that he has to go.

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