Callum Brittan

You're overthinking it, he's probably one of the lowest paid wingbacks in the championship and was a vital part of a playoff team last season when I'm sure there'd have been plenty of takers for him, he's still young enough to improve his crossing and finishing we just need a coach that can develop our players rather than dismantle them with crap tactics.

 

I've just listened to the interview with Brittain (thank you the person who posted it on here). I'm also unburdened by having seen the game (confined to barracks due to knee replacement op 11 days ago). I (obviously) carry huge baggage after 60+ years of following The Reds, but also I'm not seething from watching yesterday's game. My views:-
1. I didn't read any particular digs at Marcus Schopp in what Callum Brittain said: however it's pretty unusual for players to say they need more specific training - comments are usually overwhelmingly about bad luck, refereeing, not carrying out the plan, missing chances, lapse of concentration etc. This feeds to the prejudice I formed after the Luton and Coventry games that there is no clear vision of how we should play, in the coach's mind and, consequently, the players' minds.
2. It was crystal clear that VI had a very strong vision of how he expected the team to play to get results. He also communicated it to the players clearly. Hence the situations where Alex Mowatt, a very skilful passer of the ball, would blindly hoof it upfield. I can't believe this was AM's instinct, so it showed that VI had the players carrying out the roles he'd mapped for them. A simplified task helps players enormously to deliver.
3. From the beginning of the season it has been nigh on impossible to detect any clear pattern of play (or even most players' roles). It seems MS hasn't made his mind up about individual player's roles or, more worryingly, hasn't worked out precisely how he expects us to win games. If he has worked out a pattern then, even more disturbingly it would appear, even after allowing for injuries/unavailability, he doesn't think he has the players to deliver to his pattern.
4. We're not dead yet (105 points to play for and all that) but, as others have remarked, there were signs under Murray and Struber that things could get better. I haven't seen any aspect of play, in the 5 or 6 matches I have seen live all the way through, which give me any hope that there are "green shoots" which we can expect to grow into a team that holds its own in this division.
5. MS has picked up a pretty poor hand. Loss of captain (AM), assistant coach (AM), experienced defender (MS), strong forward (CM), strong defender (MA). However, I don't see any plan to adapt to these straightening circumstances. Maybe some pattern will emerge once CM, MA are back and (maybe) OO is available. However we are already in a relegation fight. Extrapolating from what I've seen so far, I expect Derby to finish above us. I sincerely hope I am wrong but, with current patterns of play, it is already seeping into my consciousness that next season we could be looking up at Rotherham and Wednesday once again.

What a sad bugger I am !