In answer to the OP's question, if we're to give him more than six inches, I'm afraid I may struggle! Nothing grows in the dark!
I'm not sure that is the problem, FML. We had plenty of fight against Newcastle and in the good run before that and we dominated the game against Burton until Klose's mistake. That allowed Burton to defend in depth and keep us out until the equaliser found an unlikely way through. It was then that the game was lost as 4 minutes after we scored we conceded the winner on a breakaway. Perhaps arrogance set in, but we didn't defend with discipline as we should have done, especially away from home. For me, the fault lies more with the players than with AN. The game plan, line-up and substitutions were good (though it's a pity Naismith wasn't available as it was his type of game). It allowed us to dominate up until the mistake, then fight back to equalise, but then it went wrong after their second goal.
We have only won 4 in 17 away and Wes gets dropped away from home , when he came on we played much better. We are saving him for home games ? Having only 2 strikers that Neil considers adequate and not strengthening in January was quite risky as Jerome is going to get burnt out , Lafferty has no confidence after being left out for so long and has yet to score in his little 10 minute run outs. Martin doesn't play right back so we have Pinto and Whittaker, we sold arguably the 2 best left backs in the division full Internationals and brought in a loanee with Whittaker as cover. We gambled on Pinto Dijks Jerome and Oliveira staying fit and unsurprisingly that too backfired. If we lose Dijks or Jerome to injury or suspension we are even more screwed. Rick and Dave can blame Klose for a cock up or Oliveira for "that red card" but when you fail to win 13 games out of 17 in this division the manager must be held accountable.
Some really good points in your post Rick and I'm beginning to think that the fault is as much with the players as it is with AN. Yes, the initial mistake was down to Klose, but I felt Ruddy could have cut out the cross and their winner was the result of a breakaway and Martin being Martin!!! I have to agree that his team selection earlier in the season was suspect a lot of the time and I'd love to see him have the ability to change formation as PL used to do (NO, I don't want him back!!!), but I suspect we're stuck with AN for some time to come I feel.
Ruddy has been poor for the last 3 seasons I've given up criticising him as it's a given he will **** up almost every game sadly McGovern after a bright start went to **** too , a new keeper on loan in January may have helped.
We have been saying that we need to sort our defense out for years..... since Lambert! It's a bit of a joke
I'm sorry but until we have 2 proper centre backs we are always going to ship goals. It's been proven season on season.
We have another 8 and a half seasons of Neil so get used to it . Turner and Whittaker will no doubt get another year .
You left out Bassong and Martin!! PLEASE NO!!!!!! I'm planning on getting 'Priority Membership' so that I can get a ticket occasionally, but I'm not sure I'd bother if Whittaker is still here. IMO, we'd stand a far better chance by promoting some of our youff (myself and RER have commented on who we think could step up) and even if they do make mistakes, could they be any more disastrous than the those made by Klose, Marin and Whittaker????
I'm planning the same JMF - I'm downgrading for various reasons - cost, work commitments, other interests (going to gigs primarily) and the somewhat downward arc we have been upon this season. We need to remove a lot of the deadwood in the summer and be bloody ruthless about it - sod the sentiment, think of the club. I'd like to see some of the young uns promoted - Ramsay, Efete, Godfrey, Maddison, the Murphys, Grant, Toffolo - we should underpin the team with a number of these guys (bet we don't though) and it might mean we fail promotion next year but we've failed this year (I know we haven't technically but it feels like it now) but gives us a longer term future that is bright and promising as long as we replace the deadwood with decent quality players who have the desire and passion to play their ass off for NCFC.
I thought the same thing. It looked like Ruddy was indecisive. He could have gathered it in if he'd gone for it. Two mistakes in a row led to their first goal.
It would certainly give us something to look forward to, seeing some 'home grown talent emerge and of course we have Thompson to return after his injury and hopefully Pinto and Basil might stay to partner Morris. All we need then is a decent keeper and we have the nucleus of a team!!! And he cost us both Wigan goals - yet he was MotM against Newcastle - WHY can he go from hero to villain so easily??? PS - I forgot about McGrandles who is just returning from injury!!!
Because he's a goalkeeper and a goalkeeper's mistake inevitably leads to a goal conceded unlike any other position on the park
Alex Neil to Rangers - We live in hope. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-manager-hunt-takes-new-9935125