Andy_W
Well-known member
I love Leo's attitude and passion, it's rare to see and he is good for motivation clearly, but that's his job and he's been here the entire time.
I don't think he will get the job full-time, but this interim is probably not about that, it's just a "change" as a method of changing the mentality of the players, before the next guy comes in. I'm not sure if Leo's going to be good enough tactically, as we don't know anything about him in that respect. But I suppose if he is adaptable, then it's possible, and he's worked with a few different managers now.
Some managers put their arm around players and support them, which can work, and others distance themselves, which can also work, I suppose that depends on what players react to, and what sort of players you recruit. All managers need a nasty or aggressive streak though, and can't be too friendly when you have lots of tough decisions to make.
Wilder didn't send Chuba out on loan 4 months before he even arrived, and he would have been relying on the rest of the staffs opinion on whether to keep him in the summer. He probably didn't even realise we had him, or were getting him back, so paid no attention. Then obviously he had to come back anyway, Wilder must have seen him in training and then Wilder brought him back into the fold slowly, which is the right thing to do. He's played practically every minute he could have this season under Wilder, and played his best football for us under Wilder. It's the club you want to be looking at about that, and maybe Warnock too. He's clearly got more to offer than who the club or Warnock brought in last year.
None of the Jan players can be blamed on Wilder, we know the club bring in players who managers don't want, and they were just clutching at straws grabbing anything they could get (which always happens in Jan). Wilder had only been here 6 weeks, which isn't enough time to assess the squad and then go hunting for his own players, he will have maybe had a look at a list of pre-picked targets, but even then I doubt this happened. Same thing with Balogun, he had potential though, and could have been good for us this year, but I doubt he would have come as he probably got offered much better deals elsewhere (his track record at the U23/ U21 levels is exceptional).
Wilder wanted what the fans did, win games/ get points, do it with an attractive style (not lump ball or super defensive), not sell our best players, get two top strikers in, strengthen other areas.
I don't rate Fry for the football I want us to play, not as centre of a back 3 anyway.
Fry has strong points, but also weaknesses, I think most "rate" Fry as he's home grown, similar to how they rated Gibson.
He's exceptional at: tackling, heading, man marking (these attributes suit defensive/ lump ball systems)
What he's not so good at is: zonal marking, awareness, concentration, overall leadership, organising the back line (these attributes suit attacking/ possession based systems)
He's also not great on the ball under pressure, and playing out from the back, but he has got better at that under Wilder.
I think Fry would suit playing in a 4 better, but not the one who is holding the line/ leading, in a 3 he would more suit RCB, but I don't think I'd put him in there as we need Dijksteele's pace (he didn't have a great game as wing back mind).
