Main problem for Hillcroft out of their control:

Not being able to protect that midfield of O'Brien Perkins Vaz Te Butterfield and Drinkwater. One been out injured longer than expected, one out for season due to Brown, one wanted more money elsewhere and other wanted more security of a full contract.

That midfield was firing us to a top 6-8 place but it all started to go wrong the moment Drinkwater hobbled off v Ipswich with us 7th in live league table.

Comes as a shock when you read we virtually same place as we were last season and season before because it certainly feels like the squad is more cohesive and the football is more exiting, in the main.

 

Agree with much of this. Since Butterfield @ Drinkwater were missing from the line-up it's been very inconsistent.

I didn't go last night, but seeing the midfield of Smith & Tonge at Watford, they're nowhere near as effective as Drinks & Butts.

Just hope that Cotterill and Steve Dawson will prove the answer.

 

Lets give them a chance it is only their third game with us. Perkins has dropped off massively for me. Which is why Dawson has come in IMHO.

 

If Perkins plays badly, the team tends to. With the amount of energy he gives most games it is no surprise that he is dropping off. Moving up a higher level will have taken its toll on him and I suspect it is time for a rest.

The benefit Robins had when we dropped off was that he could bring in expensive loan signings like Harewood. Doesn't look like Keith has this luxury.

 

The transformation in our Midfield is similar to the start of the season, that took a few game s to gel, but once they gelled they played well.

I agree with the Perkins comment that he may need some help in the work rate department.

Stephen Dawson talks like this is what he intends to do.

We need at least two grafters (dawson & perkins).

Jim also falls into this bracket but with attacking qualities.

It may not be instant, but there will be a return to the November form.

 

He almost tries TOO hard. Sometimes I feel he just needs to hold his position with a little bit more discipline.

Keith says he is happy with the "system" we are playing. But, when we don't have the ball the midfield looks disorganised IMHO.

 

Not sure Harewood would have been that expensive coming in from Blackpool, but then Robins was desperate to find a goalscorer for the following season, just like playmakers dont come cheap and I would imagine Tonge aint here for buttons neither.

 

To this day no-one knows how much Harewood or McShane were costing us. But let's not foregt we have signed Tonge, Smith and now Cotterill on loan, plus Dawson and Golbourne.

 

Cotterill is a free agent and has signed/ will be signing for the rest of the season

 

Not sure about this signing TBH. I can't see his fitness being any better than Tonge's, so not sure how it really helps us in the brief time that he will be with us.

 

Hill said that Tony Pullis had done them a "fantastic deal" financially in letting us take Tongue - so they'll be paying the bulk of his wedge.

 

True but I suspect they would be on over £5k a week basic plus bonuses

 

He did say that and well may it be true, but could it also be spin possibly, knowing what has been said about the expense of Prem loanees in the past.

Just a thought like.

 

Need to start scrapping again defence poor for sometime a 0-0 draw has value,

 

So he's lying? With the danger that Pullis could at any time contradict him? Unless they're both in on the conspiracy, of course.

 

I think I covered both bases on that one by saying it may well be true.

He doesn`t need Pulis to contradict him, he is quite capable of doing that himself, like all managers they are put on the spot and say anything to get through interview and then say the complete opposite the next game. He`s no different to any other manager in that respect. They all like the little soundbite that can be taken out of it though.