I think Mark Hughes must have been happier than anyone to have a couple of weeks off after our shabby start to the season. We failed to capitalise on a decent performance against Chelskum, lost out to a Spuds side who we looked comfortable against but as much as we may have impressed against these two it has to be compared to being humped by Swansea and made to look second rate by West Ham and WBA. The chairman has backed Hughes, the players are at pains to say he is the man for the job and that it is the team that needs to change, not the manager. The international break gives Hughes a chance to get players back from injury and it can be considered a second start to the season, a clean slate if you will. Even though TF is giving Hughes his public backing it can't be too much of an imagination stretch to think that he's taken Sparky off to one side and said that things need to improve once we re-boot after the break. Another three games lost on the spin and I can see a change being made. If we end November without a decent run of results (as opposed to just decent performances) it has to be goodbye to Hughes and hello to someone else, Harry or whoever. We can't go into Christmas as bottom club, it is too much of a hill to climb and surely we can't rely on there being three teams worse than us like last season. No such thing as too good to go down as we may find to our cost. And to all that have said it is too early to panic I would remind them that we only have 2 points on the board and have already been knocked out of one cup competition. If now is too early then when are we meant to start worrying?
Everyone keeps stating players to come back from injury - pray who? Johnson's out for the season, Dyer at some point will be out for the season, so we're left with Fabio. Is he the saviour all of a sudden? I trust that those behind the scenes are working their proverbials off for a plan B and C.
I think it's the opposite. We need a run of games without the interference of an international break to get the consistency we need. I, for one, am looking forward to us playing week in week out from 21st October until Christmas and beyond.
Problem is we have had a run of games and only got 2 points from it. It's clear something isn't right as players are all coming out saying nothing Sparky is doing is at fault and they all need to up their games. I'd hoped that Fabio's injury wasn't going end up with a long recovery time but he will be out for a while and AJ looks to be out of contention for the rest of the season. I don't know if there are divisions within the team or problems in the dressing room but watching them against West Ham it certainly looked like there was a problem with communication and effort. It wasn't until Adel and Diakite came on that the team looked like getting down to the nitty gritty. At least with the break there is chance to either get things out in the open, go away and chill out somewhere sunny and team build or put in two weeks of hard graft on the training pitch to work out what is going wrong. I'm hoping there is a positive change and we can pull ourselves off the bottom of the table. I don't want another last day of the season like the last one.
Yea it seems like a good thing, the international break, but I remember before the last one it was cited as a ''time to get the team 'gelling' etc'', to no avail. With Everton and Arsenal to come afterwards it's going to be tricky whatever players we have available, even if we're full strength. Which players have we got on International duty? As it'd be just our luck for a few more to get crocked playing for their countries.
I think this is a balanced viewpoint Grove although its worth pointing out that this is the 2nd international break of course and the first one didn't seem to do us much good. For sure significant improvement is needed ASAP after the resumption otherwise its hard to see how MH can survive. I for one am becoming more pessimistic with every game that passes as its hard to see how we overcome our defensive frailties or lack of firepower without dipping back into the transfer market. Frustrating as hell to see HH playing so well at Cardiff.
Have to agree with everything Danish is saying at the moment. All teams suffer injuries/suspensions at some point in the season and that is the reason you have a squad. It was a poor decision not to include Young in the 25 instead of Ephraim who won't get a sniff of action!!
Just don't HH was in MH's game ... we have no target man i agree no plan b and i agree Young must have been worth keeping but something has happened. Anyway Young was crocked long term and will be now. We have to draw a line these players are gone and maybe if we had kept bothroyd he would have got us points ... it's gone and we think different now as we now have Granero we no longer look at Derry ... its called progress ... maybe not on the table yet but the idea is better players now .. and even better next year and the next ... we have to become used to that i think imo
I think the break is a good thing basically to let players get over the various knocks they are carrying . Hopefully they will get some good training session in as well and should be prepared to meet what is a good Everton team.
Mate, you know I agree mostly. Last season TF said they had contemplated relegation and it would only be a blip in the progression of the project. I would like to know what his opinion about that is now. Heard Paddy Power on radio who had us in 17th again though did say we might well improve too. With Granero v Derry, you make the progression point well despite lack of points on the board.
