From the very start of Mark Hughes' reign I have always felt that we will 'turn the corner soon'. I dont think you can argue that he done a fantastic job last season in keeping us up but I am starting to wonder if the very thing that kept us up last season is now what is keeping Mark Hughes in a job. We have some fantasticly talented individuals who, on paper, (as we have heard a thousand times before) should be performing to a higher level. The amount of players from top clubs around the globe, players who have champions league winning medals and those that have played in this league for many years should not be in a team that is proping up the premiership. So where and why is it going wrong? Recently and even before the match (by Grenero) the players and Mark Hughes have talked the talk but to date have been unable to back this up with results, performances maybe, but not results. Granted we have taken points off Chelsea and earned a fine draw at home to a very good Everton side but why cant we get that illusive first 3 points? And are we really playing that well? If you remember back to the final 10 games or so last season when we got some fantastic results, but most were down to individual brilliance and just shear determination by certain individuals. I am starting to think that this is what is giving Tony Fernandes false hope and optimism. The fact that Taraabt can come off the bench and almpst pull the team to a draw against West Ham (a game where we deserved nothing) or again at West Brom or Jamie Mackie chasing down everything, as he does, to nearly get us a draw at Arsenal. These are all down to the quality we have on the pitch and not the man leading them. Today our shape was poor. We have a very tight pitch and our game plan was to play a lone striker and attack on the break against a team that has leaked 10 goals in two games. Thats just not positive. We did defend better I thought, but again, why it has taken ten games to sort our defence out is beyond me. We dont look like a team yet, still, and we dont seem to be balanced. I dont recall once in the second half where we done the basics and got the ball out wide and crossed it in. When we did that in the second half, Cisse was on his own against a back line that was winning headers all day. The amount of shots from Taraabt, Cisse and Hoillet from outside the box shows just the type of football were playing at the minute, 'Hit and Hope'. Taraabt could of had two today, Cisse could of scored that screamer at the end, but if they had we would all be thinking that things are going to start to change and that we are on the up. We are not, we are in a relegation battle, we are in trouble. I cant see us getting anything ftom Stoke away, a draw at best, at best! We could be ten points adrift by xmas and should Tony decide to axe Mark Hughes then, who would take the job? We need a man to come in, liven the team up, get some unity, strategy, formation and a settled team, then we will climb out the league, because we have the players. But I honestly do not think that will happen till then. I just hope Tony Fernandes has not put too many eggs in one basket to only realise its empty. He has backed Mark Hughes so much that he may feel a bit of a fool if he was to turn around now and sack him. But we live in a results business, everyone does, if we dont perform in our daily jobs we would be fired. While Harry Redknapp is still available I hope Tony and the board put pride to one side and realise it just isnt working with Mark at the helm.
