The team is disjointed for whatever reason. I certainly believe we have the players to do better than we have but it's like they are confused as to how to play to their best ability. I think the confusion comes from the management side started by Morison (and continuing with Hudson) during that Middlesbrough game 2nd half, since then we are a team playing 2 different types of game during one match.
May I beg to differ a little? Perhaps it's just me but I'm not buying into the doom and gloom that appears to be hanging over us all right now. Agree with much of what you say about the goodwill from the early results under Hudson and would agree that QPR looked better than us even when we had 11 men..... But.......... In the Jack game I felt we looked the much sharper and incisive team in our opening exchanges and even after Robbo's red, we still looked comfortable for another 10 - 15 minutes. It took a lucky miss-hit by one of their lot that fell nicely for Cooper to pop it in the top corner and break our spirits just before half time. Up to that point we were doing a decent job of holding out. Rotherham, as poor as they apparently were against us were just minutes away from a draw and possibly even a win away at the best team in the division last night. They didn't get a look in against us yet scored twice last night. Watford definitely looked better than us in terms of skill and flair, but yet we came out having had more of the ball and no-one would have said a point would have been undeserved had we managed to equalise. We finished the game quite strongly but the top end of the pitch was again our weak point. This division is so crazy and so even that if/when we can get Robbo back and the likes of Colwill and Davies back to give us more options, I wouldn't be at all surprised to start seeing an upturn in our results on a more frequent basis. I'm confident we are well off being relegation candidates, although I'll concede that unless we manage to bring in another striker to support/ease our reliance on Robbo then we're not going to trouble the playoffs too much either. I think we were all pretty much unanimous in our early assessments that if we finished mid-table and improved our playing style whilst also making the club more viable (younger squad, better youth, lower wage bill) then it would have been a decent season. Personally I believe we're still on track to achieve that. Glass still half full despite our current run of results.
As I said in my post Brizzo, I'm not all doom and gloom as far as the players are concerned - I quoted about 8 of them who are far from bottom 6 quality. There's no doubt in my mind that there's the ability within this sqaud to finish comfortably in this division this season. It's the complete lack of clarity and direction from those at the club charged with owning and in particular the day to day running of it. I accept we don't see all of it, but there is nothing positive about their approach - it's virtually passive management. Their performance over the past 8 years or so has been so inept to say the least, and in any other industry would have been told to get on their bike and piss off.
Just popping my blue tinted specs back on... I can agree that the management haven't been particularly dynamic, and they sure as hell have made some questionable decisions, but....... We have, throughout VTs time remained a solid championship outfit. We've had 2 sojourns in the Premier League and made a major cup final. We appear to have come through the pandemic in relatively unscathed fashion. Agreed last season ended up being a slightly dicey one until they got rid of McCarthy and brought in Morison. They backed Morison in January and he managed to get players in that lifted us away from danger. Conceivably, it could have even appeared more comfortable in the end had Morison not started experimenting with the team once we were mathematically safe. In the board's defence, McCarthy had done well for us by keeping us up and almost getting us to the playoffs the season before. Personally I still think sacking Morison was a mistake, but if the rumours are true and he told VT to butt out in rather impolite terms then that would make things hard. Either way though, Morison was also backed to a fair degree in rebuilding an ageing squad. You are correct in that we don't see everything that goes on in the background. Every manager has said they have regular communication with VT, so he's clearly not a vacant owner in a real sense. Sure, us Plebs that pay our money and hope for a good time don't get spoken to enough by the hierarchy, but in my book, things could be far far worse than they are currently.
Not questioining your faith Brizzo, but it could just as easily be said things could be a lot better just as much as a lot worse. To say the managerial appointments by this current set of critical decision makers have been questionable is being very kind. From the sacking of Mackay, over the last 10 years we've had an alternate procession of wannabes and dinosaurs lurching from one doctrine to another. OGS, Slade, Trollope, Warnock, Harris, McCarthy, Morison and now his coach Hudson has been installed as the latest "try before you buy". To be fair, the reason we've got this very capable current squad is a testament to Morison, but it also came about as a result of a deliberate policy to cut costs by getting rid of the high earners and starting again with a different doctrine. The major problem we have at the moment is the sum of the parts are not being translated to performances on the pitch. I totally get the very real need for the change which takes time, but I just believe there are capable managers out there who could transform what we do have into positive results not just "OK" attempts. I'd personally would have been prepared to stick with Morison, though I was never a fan of his demeanour nor style. If internal personality clashes got in the way of his continuation in the job, we can do nothing about that, but that's the very time when the owner and the board step up and sort it, not go with the easy option.
I know it is hearsay but I have been told there were other reasons for Morison's hasty retreat prior to the foxtrot oscar conversation with VT. None corroborated but including bad attitude with younger players, rarely seen on the training pitch, approach bordering on bullying of some senior players, dismissive and rude to back office club employees, virtually ignoring Hudson and his ideas, poor pr with the media. All told not a nice guy. I know being nice doesn't win matches but it can help in the running of the club. I understand a group of senior players were asked to discuss some of these issues with him. Whether or not that happened I don't know.
Looking through my rose tinted specs, and reading OS’ roll call of uninspiring managers hand picked by the footballing geniuses Choo & Dalman, it would be a breath of fresh air for a continental manager and his selection of players capable of playing modern day football better than the current squad. No? Oh well, I’ll get my coat
Agreed Nin but as well as paying for the new man would that not also involve another squad restructure? While the 8 we rate were listed earlier there are probably at least 6 we need to get shot of. Will VT stump up again for more new signings, less whatever meagre offering we can get for any outcasts, although a couple of those are loaners?
Unless a prospective new manager is desperate for the job, he'll want an idea of what budget he'll be allowed. Having said that, if the current squad plays to their potential, there'll be no need for extensive player changes in January to assure safety - it's what happens after that that will be crucial. With the seemingly imminent permanent appointment of Hudson, I doubt Tan is looking that far forward. Maybe a sign of his lack of interest in the future?
I have reservations over the potential of the current squad, e.g. lack of a recognised striker, lack of goals from other positions (which have always served us well when we have had a no. 9 who doesn't notch that often), a few bang average or worse players, a dearth of creativity in midfield. The return of Alfa has been a plus but we really need Adams, Colwill and Davies in the squad plus Robo back for Hull. All of those should make a difference until we lose other players to injury or suspension. As we have seen recently the cover is not good enough.
An Asian guy with some sort of minority interest in the club. Been to a couple of games but not for some time. Has his own safe standing area apparently.
