With an average of 20 games now played, the Champ table is taking shape with 3 glaringly obvious quality sections - this is nothing to do with luck. A top 8 "contenders" section, a middle 8 of safety zone candidates albeit still with aspirations, and a bottom 8 of struggling clubs looking for salvation. Being firmly stuck in the "salvation" zone with safety as the prime target is not a nice place to be. We're currently stepping on and off the trap door looking for fellow strugglers to fail rather than getting our own house in order. From where I'm standing, the differential in quality in the Championship this year is as wide as I can ever remember. We all tend to say in this division that "anybody can beat anybody" and that makes it exciting. That's probably true to an extent, but over this first 20 games that top 8 look a world away from us, and the odd upset along the way for them isn't going to change it. We'll do well to reach that "middle 8" but just staying off that trap door will do for now - such a low ambition for the club. Decisions (and money) in January is going to be the key. Anybody still have the confidence in a rookie manager and a flawed hierarchy to get this one right?
Nope. But to be honest I haven’t a clue where we are going to end up this season. Let’s face it, we’re in a bad place and I for one would settle for 21st place now. As you say Sparks, the January window could be interesting, but I’m not expecting much. A couple of desperate last minute signings at the end of the window probably. Who knows what’s going on behind the scenes. Will Tan sell up? Will Dalman and Choo do one? One can only hope because my glass has never been this half empty.
Our home performances are all too predictable; concede the first goal, huff and puff for a while trying to equalise but in vain and end up losing. Our away performances are better but unlike recent seasons we just can’t quite get over the line. They somehow need to break that pattern and to do that they need a really good window to land better players similar to the likes of Kaba, Doyle, Hughill and Dramah. A saving grace is we’re only 2-3 wins away from mid table but a host of other clubs could say the same. If though we can’t go on a run (and Saturdays fixture has the air of going into the game knowing they’ll lose) then we’ll have to hope the clubs below and just above us also not improve their form. But these said clubs will be playing each other with the result of those games being vital eg away to Oxford. And even if they do survive there’s got to be some drastic changes in the club with some knowledge of Tans intent.
It is starting to look slightly worse than that. There's a slight gap opening up between the bottom 5 (us) and what is above.
The thing is with that middle group they've done enough to give themselves a platform to challenge - and that includes the Jacks and the Wurzels. Both are playing better football and have collected 9 points more than us. That's not a lot I know (especially with our game in hand ), but it's points in the bag that matters rather than points thrown away. Not saying they'll get into that coveted top 6, but right now they're looking up and chasing something, not down in hope of avoiding something.
I was going to write something similar on the "What's Next" thread but you've saved me the bother. Not saying anything new but nothing will change until there are changes either of attitudes or personnel in the boardroom. Until then and it could be a long wait, we'll do what we've always done with our dysfunctional club and support the boys kicking the ball. Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds.
OK - just to keep a footballing thread going............... Stating the bleedin obvious, but we don't score enough goals and let in too many. Nobody in this division has scored less than us - considering the poor quality generally in the bottom half, that's frightening. That's compounded by conceding so many at the other end. It's OK if you can compensate one for the other like Norwich who've let in just as many as us, but have scored almost twice as many to keep them in the top half. They ain't going to get a shot at the Prem playing like that but they're sure as hell not going down either. The project for January has to be a re-balance of both our current and prospective assets. As far as the existing squad is concerned I don't want to see O'Dowda playing so deep - he's not a defender and is covering for the lack of confidence in Bagan and Collins. He's far better employed as left sided midfield/winger role because he can provide far better than defend. To me, whilst a multi-goal striker (buy or loan) has to be an obvious target, it's still the midfield that's the "footballing" problem. Transition from sideways passing defenders is so slow it's painful to watch. Ramsey is an obvious loss in this department, but I look at Colwill, Roberston, Siopis, Ralls and Turnbull and wonder how the hell can we get quality ball through to a "multi - million" striker even if we got one? To be truthful, the much derided Rinomohta has looked the pick of the bunch these past couple of games. It needs a total reset, but it also needs imagination to do it. I've a hunch that as deep as his pockets are, history tells us that any money Tan provides will be poorly spent.
Sorry to say it, but it keeps coming back to the same old problem. No strategy, no vision, no footballing experience at board level. Players seem to be signed 'in isolation', with no consideration as to how we're going to play and how they fit that style, how signings compliment what we have or what else we need to sign to complete the picture. A new manager with a vision they could articulate would take several windows to assemble a squad. We haven't had a manager for some time with the vision or the time. If we had a footballing strategy and style, a change in manager wouldn't require a major squad overhaul. Sometimes a club wanders off track and needs a revolution (Manure). Those with longer term success usually sign managers with a similar philosophy and evolve (Liverpool). No evolution for us, just revolution, revolution, revolution. I know its all been said before. It's just frustrating those in charge don't see it.
For me the problem is lack of ability to score. Look at our last 2 games. Had we scored once we would have been level at least and not desperately chasing the game. And not gone gung ho resulting in us losing a second goal in each. Also look at what I said before the Stoke game. Starting 11 - 4 goals Subs - 9 goals Hardly likely to strike terror in opposing defences. I accept we have conceded a lot but had we been able to achieve more success up front I don't think we would place so much emphasis defensively. Not wanting to reinvent the wheel but we signed some absolute sh1t bags who have contravened the Trades Descriptions Act by calling themselves strikers. That gives me little confidence in whoever is responsible for researching and recommending prospective goal scorers.
That can be avoided, but it'll take a massive shift in decision making on and off the pitch. We have players who are man for man individually better than at least 3 clubs around us .Riza has to find a way for them to function as a team. January additions will be of no use if those charged with running the club use a scatter gun approach.
Of course of course yes but and I hope I’m wrong but I just can’t help feeling we’ve been dangling over the trap door too often in recent seasons that this may be the season we drop. It’s got that feeling of those seasons after the 1971 season where after a series of close shaves we couldn’t hold on in 1974-75.
My first experience of relegation. Sad time. I've become hardened to it over the years, or perhaps I just don't care anymore?
Hardened to it yes [today was soooooo predictable] but don’t care anymore? Naaaah it’s in the blood; we’ll continue to care whatever league City are in.
