Agree on Hughes - he's not perfect and probably not good enough against better sides, but he was very impactful yesterday I thought.

Absolutely Eze/Olise's understanding is a massive factor in it, and to be clear, allowing your most creative winger space to deliver crosses and ensuring there are bodies in the box when he does, is a really low bar in terms of crediting a manager, but I thought I'd try and offer some balance!

Read your comments with interest - think we can see and deduce why you’ve aptly named yourself “the big toe punt”..!!

This probably also explains why - you seem such an avid supporter of Roy, his negative tactics and blatant disregard of potential in favour of proven mediocrity.

You mention taking off Eze and Olise - so Roy has a choice he has Ahamada and Franca sitting on the bench - in my view the natural replacements/does he do that no he brings on Schlupp and Ozoh - no problem with Ozoh, in fact did/always does well.

But Schlupp - he looks a stone overweight and gave us absolutely nothing.

So in those terms Roy has just destroyed our attacking capabilities - and just gone for defending the lead and inviting the bottom team in the league to attack us - on the basis that we can hold out for the win…!!

OK last night it worked out but Roy has done this on so many occasions and it hasn’t worked..!!

So my issue is - we have all this talent but Roy is stubbornly ignoring them - if he did give them more opportunities - I’m sure we and otters wouldn’t just be talking about Olise and Eze - they’d also be talking about Franca, Ahamada and Ozoh..!!

Looks like we now have another bright young talent coming in, in Wharton - be interesting to see if Roy plays him or he gets the same treatment - ignored in favour of a very average, mediocre and simply poor Hughes..!!

That’s my issue with Roy - in that a better Manager would be getting far more out of this squad than Roy is currently achieving.

That’s why I’m personally blaming Roy for us underachieving his season on the basis of the potential he has at hand..!!

COYP

You've become a complete mirror of what you were rallying against on this thread - desperate to credit the manager for everything and anything that happens.

It doesn't make any more sense your way round.

You've made this point before, that Roy holds back players with potential. He's given game time to Ozoh at 18 years of age, to Franca at 19, and Ahamada didn't manage to convince Vieira any more than he's convinced Hodgson.

We are not sitting on some goldmine of top class talent.

Now who's being silly? For one thing you are mistaking a player failing in the attempt with him having the confidence to try it, but that's not really the point.

The development of Eze and Olise over time under Hodgsons management is plain to see. To suggest the manager has no part to play in that is ridiculous.

This thread has developed into a wider discussion around Roy, as opposed to the match v Sheffield United.
Nonetheless, I have found the posts this afternoon to be balanced, interesting and respectful.

Trying to be objective, I was happy that Roy returned this season.
I was persuaded by the argument that the reason his last spell had ended so miserably was because he didn’t have the resources.
‘Give him the players and see what he can do’ ran the argument and this seemed to have merit through the form at the end of last season and I anticipated this continuing this season.
If it ain’t broke why fix it?

There are mitigating factors this season with injuries to key players and lack of depth in the squad.
It would seem unreasonable to expect us to replicate the form from the end of last season given these factors.

However, even with lesser resources it’s difficult to justify and accept the lack of basics in terms of organisation , structure, set piece preparation, alternative tactical approach and some bizarre player selections.
This is in contrast to Roy’s last couple of seasons of his previous tenure where at least we looked organised, even if the football wasn’t great.
I can’t think of one player who’s enhanced their reputation or improved under Roy this season.
Normally at this stage you would have 2 or 3 players as potential candidates for player of the season.
I can’t think of one other than possibly Olise and he’s hardly played so it’s hardly an accurate reflection of this season to include him.

I think the decision to bring back Roy has not really worked and I was incorrect in wanting him to manage us this season.