In August, I was happy to take 4th from bottom come the end of the season. I believe our ‘plan’ needs consolidation at Champ level to work fully and allow year on year additions, sourced from around Europe. The club themselves admit that getting foreign targets in when in ‘L3’ is almost impossible - they just don’t realise how strong a League it is and that the grounds and facilities are anything but amateur. Anyway, we are where we are. We all know why, and we all knew this position was likely. I’d suggest all the coaches know this too - they signed up to it. So, are there 3 worse teams than us? I think Hudds will struggle - they don’t have quality and the players don’t want to be there. Stoke are struggling - but have the quality to turn it around. But maybe it’s too ingrained like Sunderland to stop it? That leaves one more. Luton and Charlton are doing ok. Wigan & Reading from what I’ve seen are not in a false position. I hope for better times this season, but for now, I’ll take 21st in the belief that the long term plan will work.
If Stendel persists with the pressing style come what may, against teams that are technically more gifted than us, then 24th is nailed on...
The problem we have is that hudds will spend in january. Stoke could potentially sell Butland for 30 million which is a thick packet of dosh to splash. I think were already down, some.players today looked beaten already. The owners, CEO and co need to come out and explain to the fans what went so badly wrong in the summer and how they plan on making it right. No buzz word ********, just a plan. Preferably one that doesnt involve signing a 17 year old Kosovo international who's scored 3 goals in 70 apps for a Iraq 4th division team.
Or get a siege mentality and commit to a more practical system. Get men behind the ball and look to hit on the break. We don’t have height, but do have some pace. The high press isn’t working against superior opposition. Stick Woodrow or Wilks up front on his own and sit a bit deeper, looking to break at pace. Not pretty, but needs must. We also must improve from set pieces.
We didn't play well today, not after the first half an hour or so, and we lost but we've also played very well in games this season and still lost. When you play well and still lose you know you're in for a difficult season which is likely to finish with relegation. I'm getting less and less confident that we will survive every week.
After they went 2-1 up the result was never in doubt, players looked lost - Williams was struggling- in a good side someone would have doubled up with him and helped him- looked to me like he was left out to dry. I’ve played full back with no one in front of you to help - it’s ****. We need to play some positional football with some shape.
Butland wont go for anywhere near that amount. And I dont think our players look beaten already, there is plenty of enthusiasm and desire, that's the benefit of having a young team.
Sky Sports Football showed 10 minutes of highlights and it was worse than it looked at the game. What was Collins doing? When they hit the post he didn't stretch in the hope of making a save and when they put the third attempt wide he was motionless stuck to his spot. He let in two goals in his own six yard box that he didn't command at all. Chaplin thought the Brentford lad was a ghost by trying to kick the ball through him instead of taking one step to the right to tap in the empty net. No idea why Pinnock got applauded. I wouldn't have booed him but he was with us two minutes and wanted to desert us to move south, like London is the other side of the world to get to in his spare time. Our club captain can't make a bench, a left back who's right footed and Thiam as a impact sub.
Explain why? 25 million was the fee accepted for him in the summer. Hes key to stokes survival and the fee always goes up maybe 10 to 20% in january. Enthusiasm and desire can only take you so far, the first 20 minutes if today is anything to go by. Something that isn't a benefit of a young team is that after a run like what we are on at the moment comes up, their confidence is shot. Experienced players have that know how, these dont. Pros and cons.
Yes, offered by Bournemouth who pulled out and are playing a 21 year old straight from the U23s instead...
As a huge Reds supporter I hope things turn around. We've seen that happen plenty of times, very recently in fact. That is what I'm clinging to anyway. And then threads such as the 50 on here today such as this one will make interesting referral points in the rosier future.
The problem with Butland, isn’t his fee, it’s his wages on top. He won’t drop from his Stoke wages. I’m not so sure that it would all be reinvested anyway. And if it was, there’s enough ‘rot’ in the squad to still not make a difference. Don’t get me wrong, they’ve a good squad without doubt - but they seem to be similar to how Sunderland started their demise, with some players disinterested and on too much money to be able to be sold easily.
We do have height at the back. And Dougall and Woodrow aren’t short either. Whilst I agree this might work, can we really sit back and allow us to be attacked considering our frail defensive unit?
