They just have a miles better squad than us. Thats it me move on to the next one. Lets get to 50 points and see where we go from there. Anything near halfway and not drawn into a relegation scrap will be a huge achievement.
The best thing about last night is we haven't got to play them again this season. A very, very good side at this level. They ambled through the game in second gear whilst we stood off and watched - was that the master plan? In front of our back 5 who are far better than average for this division, we've nothing to offer going forward. When Ralls has a bad game the team has a bad game - and he was poor but not alone. I'm not going to go on about individuals, but there were some seriously substandard performances out there. Squad quality in general is poor - decision making during the game is poor, and in all honesty, Bulut's tactical nous before the game as well as during it is coming under severe scrutiny. It's easy to knock management decisions after the event and you can't blame them for individual player errors, but "You can only work with the tools you've got" is starting to become a boring trait and before long could become Bulut's epitaph - he needs to up his game as well.
I think he made a difference when he arrived. He's not built on it though. A one trick pony? As for whats at his disposal, it's the managers job to get the best out of what we've got. DJ and Colin had teams playing above expectation, pretty or not. It's up to Bulut to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Work to the strengths of what you've got, not make them do what they can't. If he's waiting until he's got all the players he wants, he might be gone before then. He might have a long term vision, but he needs a plan to get him there, else he definitely is a one trick pony.
I think a lot of the opposition were beaten in the tunnel against Warnocks side. Jones underachieved for me and couldnt get the best of what he had. Bringing on Etehu instead of McCormack was the worst example of his tactical inability. He did get the very best out of Jay Bothroyd though.
When you think of the journey men DJ fetched in and turned into a team, he got off to a very good start. He got the best not just out of Bothroyd, but Chopra as well. Some of his changes were trying to fit square pegs into round holes which was a failing. You're right about Colin though, he always won the mind games.
In the first 5 games we matched Leicester, Leeds and Ipswich so we have that quality, leave good players on the bench and set up to defend outside your penalty area, no team will win playing like that. You did name a player, Ralls..so we cannot depend on Wintle and Siopsis and the Meitie who did nothing apart from kicking a ball past a played then pushing him over. In the box he had a chance but he is flat footed where Ettete or Ugbo are alert, so he shot goes yards past the goal. I think that is 3 wins in 11.
I knew after 5 games what this manager is like, twice we let a 2-0 half time lead slip by his changes.Only know does anyone question him.
