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Another reason why Stuart Gray has done a phenomenal job..........his first choice 11


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Since Stuart has taken over at Wednesday he has turned a team that were on their way into League One to a team that is in the championship play offs (yes I know it's early days but still), he has turned a team that couldn't give a monkeys about playing for themselves and playing for each other to a team that runs their socks off every game and he has never been able to choose his first choice 11 once since he took over as Wednesday manager.

Think about it, since his first game against Leicester last season he has had to deal with injury after injury, not saying that other managers don't have this problem but as said before not once has Gray not been able to pick his first choice 11.

Here are some examples:

When he first took over in the beginning of December:

Antonio was out for another 2 months at that point

Buxton was out for another 3

And Gardener and Zayatte was out for the rest of the season.

As the season went on:

We lost Reda from mid January till the end of the season

We lost Semedo from mid February till the end of season

For a month from February to March we lost Kirkland and Lee

We lost Magoma from the first week in March till the last game of the season

And this season so far we have lost Lavery and Buxton since the start of the season

And since the Millwall game we have lost Lee and Hutchinson

There are probably more examples and Like I say not saying that other managers haven't got the same problem but just highlighting what a brilliant job Stuart Gray has done and imagine what kind of job he could do with a fully fit squad.

UTO!!!

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Doing a tremendous job. But it won't last. We are a top ten team that's picking up points without blowing teams away, Nothing else. IF we were to suddenly start winning more convincingly then my view will change.

I agree. Our home games are very tight and the last one was a deflection away from being another frustrating draw or narrow defeat.

Nonetheless gray is doing very well with the players he has available

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I think his biggest success is doing well with a very similar team to the one DJ did so bad with in the championship. If you look at the starting 11 that played Reading only Westwood, Lees and May are new additions to the side that did so poor previously. Coke and Maguire were both sent out on loan and deemed not good enough for this league whilst Mattock didn't get a look in. He really has worked wonders so far. I fully expect our form to dip soon but i still think as long as we aren't in a relegation fight at the end of the season then Gray has done well

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Doing a tremendous job. But it won't last. We are a top ten team that's picking up points without blowing teams away, Nothing else. IF we were to suddenly start winning more convincingly then my view will change.

you don't need to blow teams away.

1-0 will do for me every match

we're solid defensively, which is a great starting point.

My major concern is the size of our squad which limits SG's option when a player isn't performing.

We're also likely to struggle if we pick up more injuries.

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you don't need to blow teams away.

1-0 will do for me every match

we're solid defensively, which is a great starting point.

My major concern is the size of our squad which limits SG's option when a player isn't performing.

We're also likely to struggle if we pick up more injuries.

 

To counter that we've been missing two of our most influential players in Lee and Hutchinson for the past 6/7 games and still done OK. They're now apparently closing in on fitness and Buxton is now ready to return. We also have Drenthe and Dielna getting up to speed. I expect us to sign at least one (maybe two) 93 day loanee at the end of this month; timed to allow him/them to be available over the Christmas/New year period. Then we have Lavery to come back in the medium/longer term.

 

Things are looking pretty good.

Edited by Dagmeister
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Dave Kitson said on the FLS that he and many others think Gray is the best coach they've played under and it really does show. The lacklustre performances under Jones were a reflection of a lacklustre manager. Gray has done a tremendous job to lift team spirit and get everyone playing for the shirt, and playing as a solid unit. 

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you don't need to blow teams away.

1-0 will do for me every match

we're solid defensively, which is a great starting point.

My major concern is the size of our squad which limits SG's option when a player isn't performing.

We're also likely to struggle if we pick up more injuries.

Your major concerns are part of the reason for my thoughts. And I agree you don't need to blow teams away. But you can't keep scraping 1 nil wins or 0-0 draws and relying on a bit of luck either. Especially when we have a depleted squad.
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