flashingqwerty

I've been thinking that since xmas. Dead man walking

I've seen a few say these players aren't good enough, but i guarantee you, anyone that leave at the end of this season will look a miles better player. The squad we have is easily, and I stress easily, good enough for a lower mid-table finish. There has to be a reason for us looking more like a bunch of strangers now than we did 9n match day 1. There has to be a reason why the players look so far behind in terms of fitness than literally every other team 8n the league. There mas to be a reason why we are in a relegation fight and yet the players are still playing like this is a preseason friendly. The only commonality behind all these issues is the manager and coaching staff. Its abundantly clear that the management team lack the skill and experience to compete at the top level. Its been clear since before Smith got his new contract. The owners have to take a massive portion of the responsibility for our free-fall for giving DS a new contract when he hadn't proven he could compete at this level - amateur hour. Successful businessmen they may be, experienced at running sports teams in the US, OK, but theyv'e made very amateur errors with this club, and need to act to put it right. As we speak, i have zero faith that anyone at the club has any idea what to do to even start putting this right. There is just a sinking feeling for me that we are going to be the next Leeds or Pompey and end up 8n League one, that's how clueless and directionless the club looks to me right now. Worst of all, i'm not convinced any of them care.

When did we have 2 up top?

Maybe try playing a more proactive approach? Maybe drop the guys that play poorly every week? Mybe coach them so they dont look like 11 strangers every game? Motivate them enough so they play like they actually give a damn? Its a massive indightment that a whole group of new player looked more cohesive on match day 1 than they look now. They do not know what position or role they are supposed to be playing - that down to DS and his coaching team. Complete bunch of bottlers, from manager to players, the whole lot.

Its all just so predictable. DS clearly has no idea what to do to turn this around

Villa in missing chances and losing without effort shocker. See you in the championship lads

Grealish, Mings and McGinn will go. We might be able to keep the rest.

This. The man that sent out a team against Chelsea this week is not the same man that sent a gutsy team out to compete against Spurs first game. He is a broken man who doesn't have the talent, experience or self belief to make the necessary changes and put it right. His journey with us this season has highlighted what i thought of him when he was appointed: a limited manager, whose level was mid table in the championship. Nice bloke, one of our own, etc. But just not good enough and 18 managers in this league have him sussed. I said it to my dad just before Chelseas equaliser, when plan a fails, lets keep going with plan a. He is either to proud/stubborn to change, or simply too inept. In either case, done and should be removed as a matter of urgency. However, despite their sporting and business pedigree, i doubt the owners have the balls or the stomach to do whats needed. I look forward to another few years back in the championship, as its clear we dont deserve to be in this division.

Teams have been saved by managerial changes at this stage before. I really think Poch or Benitez could have a huge impact. Enough? Who knows!

I've been saying this for a while now. He also jumped out his seat for chelseas 2nd with a big grin on his face. Reckon he will be Lampards no 2 next season

I disagree. I'd call your attention to the Spurs, Liverpool and Man Utd games where we more than held our own. The players are capable if they apply themselves. For me the failure is on the manager. He has consistently failed to get the most out of this group of players, and seems to have no motivational ability at all. I do also question our coaching staff. Our players have never been as fit as the opposition all through the season. What are we doing 8n training?

Normal service resumed

Where did that come from? Daylight robbery this!!

Agree. All those months 'working on our faults' and literally nothing has changed. Same shape, same tactics, same poor performance. Time to move on. Accept relegation and start building for the future.

We should just give the opposition all our throws as we lose possession on them every time anyway. Dire

I'm a little torn over the game. Sheff Utd are 6th in the league and we are 19th. We had 7 shots on target they had none. Davis might have done better with the headed chance. Mcginn might have done better with his headed chance. Hourihane ought to have done better with his close range chance. Mcginn might have done better with his shot from distance. Davis ought to have done better with his close range chance. El Ghazi should have had a penalty. On another day, thats 7 goals. Sheff Utd should have had a Nyland o.g. And... Er... I don't recall another chance where i felt they would score. But there were still so many individial errors: Nyland, Hause, Mings, Konsa, Nakamba, AEG, all had brain farts in dangerous areas, and all unforced. I'd have taken a point beforehand, so, i am happy, but on balance i think we dropped 2 pts there

Def on Nyland that. Should have caught it cleanly. If he does, theres no contact with Davis. Shocking keeping. Davis possibly could do better at the other end, bit so could mcginn with his header. El Ghazi should have had a pen, and hourihane could have done better with his chance. Can't recall a chance for SU, and we've had 3. Not saying we've been any good, but we've been better than them.

What would be his motivation? Swap a champ team on the rise for a pl team in decline? I'd also wager, if we got a bid accepted there would be 5 or 6 pl teams in for him too, so why would he choose a sideways step to us over a move to the pl? The only way he comes here is if we stay up, and even then, at what hed costs, theres better value to be found.

Not a hope in hell of getting benrahma if we are relegated, especially given brentford are in the playoffs and might be taking our place.

Yeah bringing in 6/7 youngsters that have played together for 5 or 6 years is totally the same as signing 12 strangers from different leagues and who speak different languages...

I understand your reservation, but i have seen enough in his 128 mins the the prem to convince me that he has better footballing attributes than Wesley, bar finishing, such is the stark contrast between the relative positivity of Davis' plan, and the relative poorness of Wesleys. I am not saying either are pl quality, just that on evidence, Davis is the more complete player.

Based on performances this season, I'd say Davis is better than Wesley right now overall. Wesley is the better finisher, but in terms of aerial ability, hold up play, pace, skill, passing, I think Davis is better. Its an unkind comparison, but I see Davis as an Emile Heskey type. Never scoring goals but a real nuisance.

Or Watford get relegated for refusing to play, with all their results given as a 3 - 0 defeat, and the rest of the clubs play out the season. I am not saying this is likely or feasible, but its possible. I'd be against the league returning at all until the infections and deaths reach a much lower level, but that could takes months.

Just to be 100% honest and clear, i dont believe for a second that we will get rid of Smith regardless. If we get relegated, i fully expect DS to be given the chance to bring us back. However, if i were the one calling the shots, I'd have brought Poch in to replace DS as soon as possible after he left Spurs. I think Poch and DS are quite similar coaches, so would be a relatively smooth transition. I just think Poch is far better. Immaterial though as I dont think we want him or that he would join us given our relegation likelihood.