With the balance being cautiously optomistic or at least patiient for the time being but as it has been suggested waiting until January may be too late What is concerning is Waddo's observation about the silence last Saturday If it be apathy because of disenchantment with our lack of penetration despite being able to pass now and it filters to the lads then we could struggle at home if not away SiS
SiS It`s probably a lack of confidence by the crowd that we will score. This is not helping the players who must ,by now,be doubting their ability to score!!It`s a bit like the chicken and egg situation. We need some goals to get the crowd excited , but the players need the crowd to build up the momentum to score ,it`s ok passing the ball better but there still has to be an end result,and we`re not seeing it. I`m not for one minute advocating going back to the Pulis way of `hoofin `it upfield as soon as we`ve got the ball.
I think its worth noteing that season ticket holders were down by the best part of 20% and there is nothing to suggest that there wouldnt have been the standard 35% churn of season ticket holders. This has to affect the atmosphere when you not always sitting next to the same group of fans.
If we can get a couple of goals in a couple of games I think it will all turn around, I agree that some more noise may inspire some confidence in the players.
Stoke City have survived in the prem for the past few seasons on their home form full stop. The reason why the home form was so good was that the crowd were fantastci and raised the players. I have witnessed on more than one occasion the Stoke City crowd change a game. The fans are fed up of being mugged off now and all the hype of a new manager with new ideas and new players is starting to wear off for most. I'm noticing the Oatcake becoming divided again like it started off with TP. Some guy next home game is even planning a red card protest with the handing out of 3,000 red cards outside the club shop. Be interesting to see the outcome of that one for sure. I never wanted Hughes as a manger but gave him the benefit of the doubt. So far I'm not over impressed!
I understand their frustration (red card man) but we put up with that tripe from Pulis for 6 years yet Hughes has had barely 6 games? Nobody has to defend our performances, (even though we have been pretty good at times) but at least acknowledge that Hughes can't work miracles with the set of cards he was dealt by the departed. We took 8 points from our last 8 games under TP only 9 points from our last 12 games! Give Hughes a break!
