Mate, if we lose today we will finish bottom. The fans are already disgruntled about Bielsa leaving. They've started blaming the board. The players already look shell shocked at the situation they are in. It's only going one way if we lose today. Let's be clear, I'm not saying it will be Marsch fault but if the fans and players don't take to him then it becomes impossible for him to stay.
I personally believe he did turn players down but I’m happy to stick with facts… Bielsa did spend £28m on Rodrigo when he could have used it on a midfielder. He did sign both Koch and Llorente when he could have signed one and a midfielder. Bielsa did okay the Harrison activation, having done that he sanctioned £28m on someone who plays in the same position, a total on the two of around £43m. Bielsa didn’t tell the board we must keep Alioski as you’ve not found me a better LB instead he sanctioned Firpo and £12m wasted. Promotion season he sanctions the signing of Augustin for £18m to be paid if promoted. You’ve got to give Radz some credit, if my employees lost me £18m on a player who we don’t even own I’d be spitting nails. Honestly I don’t think our transfer activity under Orta/Bielsa could have been much more diabolical
This is also a great point. Our luck has been horrific all season. Some of the refereeing decisions we've suffered have been disgraceful. Even the penalty shout on Rodrigo (was it at Leicester?) was exactly the same as Rudiger at Chelsea when they were gifted a last minute win. We hit the woodwork 4 times in the last 4 games, Dallas missed an open goal, Schmeichel with point blank saves. That's just in the last handful of matches.
Totally agree and what an unbalanced squad we have because of those signings. Nothing makes sense does it?. Why sign rodrigo as the guy is a wide player. We have 5 wingers in the squad but no mids or a decent fullback.
Nobody would take Firpo and if they did it would be a huge favour. I’m not convinced Bamford and Koch would leave, would we need to sell them with the fees for the others? Bamfords had a long injury spell, if we go down it means he isn’t scoring goals in the last 10 games so who would take a gamble on him? He is good under Bielsa and his system, the day we got promoted my first thought was we need someone with a better conversion rate. Look at Fulham, when they went down and each time Norwich have gone down they don’t lose half a squad, I think 3-4 maximum
Lack of quality signings and players to fit in their proper positions. How hard can it be to recruit. Dallas is reserve fullback and it's pitiful. Look how many centre backs we have it's 5.
It's world Cup year. As daft as it sounds Bamford will think he is in with a shout if he starts next season on fire. Calvert Lewin and Watkins were the two fighting for that spot. Bamford will think he could make the plane. He won't if he is in the Championship. Koch was a German international until his injury. He will think going home will get him back in the picture.
I was happy, that almost instantly turned to a bit of regret, now two games in listening to what JM says and the players body language I’m thinking oh **** what have we done. I just don’t believe for a second JM is the right guy for the job. It’s okay everyone saying give him a chance, if we’d appointed Big Sam, Bruce, or Fat Frank how many games would you be willing to give them? None you’d know straight away it was a bad choice. Bielsa put his own position under threat, self inflicted, I’d have understood keeping him, I’d have understood sacking him but only if we had a decent replacement.
The new manager bounce doesn't seem a thing so often now, Newcastle took time to get going under Howe, Norwich under Smith, which was short lived anyway and West Brom under Bruce, off the top of my head.
Who would you have wanted? You were the most vocal on sacking Bielsa. I’m presuming like me you knew nothing about Jesse Marsch before we appointed him?
I actually thought bielsa would not leave till the season end. So had no one in mind but i would have taken eddie howe in a heartbeat.
