| My hacked-off take 23:33 - Nov 23 with 1628 views | stainrods_elbow |
To start with today's 'must-win' game (and, if there is such a thing, I think it may have been - for team spirit, if nothing else), and while its true we kept going after a fashion, created one or two chances and weren't far away on a few occasions, Stoke still had more possession, scored two goals (one fortuitously disallowed by our supposed baby-faced nemesis Mr Ward, who actually performed like a converted homer - perhaps he reads LfW too) and hit the post. Limited and fairly unambitious as they were, for me 1-1 didn't particularly flatter them, and in Cannon (15 champ goals in 32 apps, for the record) they have a striker (whom we should have been into Leicester for like a shot, rather than poring over the Scandi data analytics on a shiny laptop) who can float like a butterfly for 85 minutes before stinging like a bee and who, unlike anyone in the vicinity of our building, looks the part, takes up threatening positions and can do old-fashioned things like shoot on target. If you could say that another day we might have squeezed out a win like a over-wrought w*nk, on another again we could easily have lost. As Cardiff and Preston both picked up a point, and Portsmouth now have a game in hand, we've trodden water at best in our current murk.
I was comparing the line-up today with our glorious demolition of Leeds, which feels like a parallel universe apart. As against that XI, the side out there today was missing JCS, Chair and Colback, which I think most of us would agree is our best spine, one which gives us a competitive measure of composure, creativity and calm. Both on paper and on the pitch, however, that's a big minus factor for sure. On top of that, Willock and Dykes are both gone, which I don't think too many of us had too much argument with, as has Begovic, who we've clearly upgraded on in the excellent Nardi. Sadly, Saito apart, the world and Jude the Cat can see the new recruits aren't cutting it (one of whom is out till February with his calf strain-cum-surgery). At the same time, it's hardly a brand-new team or squad, so what else has gone wrong?
Of the above trio, according to the club's unexpected bulletin, Colback is back for either Cardiff or Watford next Saturday, Frey the following week, and JCS and Chair available a week or two after that. It's not exactly a world-class assemblage, but it is a Championship-class one, but my concern is what shape they'll be in and how long it might be before any or all of the break down yet again. Our stats with Jack in the team, even if he'd difficult to love or even warm to, are pretty unarguable, but how committed he is, let alone fit, in the current context I feel is open to question. Even assuming he plays a decent number of games between now and May, he'll also be the best of a year older going into them than he was against Leeds. As to Chair, as we're all painfully aware, he's has had no pre-season and now he'll have been off the grass again for a number of weeks. I think it's more and more dubious with every passing week whether he'll really get himself, or us, going his season. We know what a whole-hearted guy he is, but his very preparedness to go the extra mile for the team is, what, ironically may pull him up short again. One more overstretch, one or two weeks too soon, and he could easily be crocked for another month or worse.
At the same time, it is increasingly untenable and irritating to keep giving Marti and Calm free passes for 'credit in the bank' indefinitely. He agreed his extended contract knowing the set-up and his role (or lack of it) in the recruitment. It's his team he prepares and puts out. If Marti is telling us he's working 12 hour days at the training ground, it's not unreasonable to wonder if his assistants and the players don't need to work cleverer rather than harder. How much of those long days are with the team, and what he's actually doing ? His coaching seems to be doing nothing whatever for Celar or Smyth, to pick two, though the latter seems to be uncoachable when it comes to occasionally hitting the target or crossing to a member of his own team (who also needs players to take up positions for him - I'm talking to you, Jan, but not only to you).
MC's performance tonight at the WLS debrief concerns me a lot. A number of elements - defending his past performance yet again as a coach (irrelevant), referencing the injuries (we know, we know), talking in the future perfect tense about looking back on the support he received from the fans today (saddening), and again dropping heavy hints by alluding to the 'improvements' he has recommended to the club, but by implication not seen (worrying) - suggest to me a coach who is prickly, anxious, emotional, minimising his own shortcomings, and potentially scaffolding his departure (if it happens, which - at least for now - I hope it doesn't and he gets to turn it round with a less injury-blighted team). That might be harsh; it might be an over-pressed over-reading. However, if he can't improve the team in any discernible departments, whatever the variables and mitigation, the rumbling counter-argument for his termination realistically sprouts legs.
What's blindingly obvious and widely rehearsed is that the club is not being steered competently from the top -or what passes for it. The very fact that we retained a clearly bummed-out and burnt-out Hoos for as long as we did is itself indicative of owners who are incompetent, inert or both, but, if people want to roll their eyes at that self-evident exhibit, there's plenty else I and we can point to, as we know. (Even though Hoos is still some kind of sinecure Club Chairman, not a peep of objection has been raised, as it's Nourry who's been getting it in the neck.) They're all responsible in whatever camouflaged proportions: the owners/Board, the CEO, the Chairman, the Coach, and the players.
To sum up in reverse order, if my eyes don't lie to me, too many of the players are probably not good enough, the coaching team is hardly covering itself in glory, and the management team/ownership don't appear fit for purpose. Add all that together, and, barring a remarkable NY reboot, it's hard to see beyond the ship sinking right now.
Now tell me why I'm wrong!
[Post edited 23 Nov 23:49]
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| My hacked-off take on 23:56 - Nov 23 with 1479 views | JamesB1979 |
I thought we were much the better side and should have won. Our biggest issues are clearly the lack of a striker and our lack of confidence. What we were doing with that penalty, god only knows. But there are positives to take from that game. Most of the new guys looked ok to decent….except of course Celar. We hit woodwork, 3 times I think? Morrison looked good at centre back, Ashby massively improved on anything I’ve seen from him before, Saito was good. I think Field and Varane was solid. |  | | |
| My hacked-off take on 00:55 - Nov 24 with 1345 views | cuppahoop |
Goal’s win football matches is a given fact & our lack of a potent attacking threat has been an issue for as long as I can remember. Eze wasn’t prolific but he brought the best out of what we had and is probably our best hope come January if someone takes a punt (Man city?) and gives us the funds to bring a proper Striker in who can hit a barn door with a bango and hopefully an out of contract Haydon who wanted to come back until someone in the hierarchy decided we needed another right back..plenty of points to play for and we’ve done it before with a successful Jan window when the Board smell the coffee what’s needed,just hope Marti’s still in place to lead the resurrection coz the last thing the club need is another change of manager. | | | |
| My hacked-off take on 00:55 - Nov 24 with 1343 views | Wegerles_Stairs |
| My hacked-off take on 23:56 - Nov 23 by JamesB1979 |
I thought we were much the better side and should have won. Our biggest issues are clearly the lack of a striker and our lack of confidence. What we were doing with that penalty, god only knows. But there are positives to take from that game. Most of the new guys looked ok to decent….except of course Celar. We hit woodwork, 3 times I think? Morrison looked good at centre back, Ashby massively improved on anything I’ve seen from him before, Saito was good. I think Field and Varane was solid. |
Yes, I really enjoyed today. Great atmosphere in the second half and rather moving to hear the support for Marti from the crowd. Of course we now have two tricky away games and it could conceivably be one point from nine, but I'm confident we can stay up even if that happens. Get some of the injured players back and find a striker by January. | | | |
| My hacked-off take on 01:14 - Nov 24 with 1286 views | charmr |
Some are always hacked off, that’s my take. [Post edited 24 Nov 1:15]
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| My hacked-off take on 01:21 - Nov 24 with 1266 views | stainrods_elbow |
| My hacked-off take on 01:14 - Nov 24 by charmr |
Some are always hacked off, that’s my take. [Post edited 24 Nov 1:15]
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And some deal in reductive caricatures and are shallow and mean-spirited - that'd be mine!
I was there in '82 at Wembley with tears of joy pouring down my face as I embraced a classmate and tears of relief after our promotion at Hillsborough 20 odd years later. I've followed this club through thick and thin for half a century through on a proverbial emotional rollercoaster, and my opinion is as worthwhile as anyone's. In fact, my levels of vitriol here are actually not notably higher than a number of people here, and in fact sometimes I go the other way and argue for a happier view of our situation.
If you were a genuine fan, you'd begin by engaging with the wide range of points and observations I make here rather than indulging in snarky/ad hominem speculations about my character. You know f*ck all about me, so have a word with yourself and try to restrain your need to deal in ignorant prejudice and tedious reduction. You might even find some fringe benefits in making your brain work a little harder. [Post edited 24 Nov 2:22]
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| My hacked-off take on 09:54 - Nov 24 with 859 views | T_Block |
Ok keeping to one simple point.Shots on goal ,stats wise are upper mid-table.What The team needs is simply to convert them .Hayden point you make is good.
And
and this is basically in defence of Cifuentes and his team please do not throw the baby out with the bath water.Still think he is the best manager we have had in a long while.It’s the team not the manager.
The best thing about yesterday ? Fans still behind him. The boos were frustration aimed at front line.Even better was the spirit shown by the team.
I think we will be ok. | | | |
| My hacked-off take on 11:29 - Nov 24 with 674 views | Rangersw12 |
As per usual it's the people who haven't been to a game for years who are the most hacked off .
Thought we played well and created enough chances to win two games . Problem is as it will be until at least January we just can't score more than one a game .
The parallels with 00/01 are quite scary ( injuries , draws and no goals ) and just looked up that we drew 19 games that season and only scored 47 goals !
Going forward we need to start Smyth and Saito on the wings every game as they at least give us a bit of energy and tenaciousness which is seriously lacking from certain players .
Maybe time to start Lloyd as the striker aswell and get Celar out of the firing line
Highlight of the day for me was the support from the fans who are clearly right behind Marti . His words after the game shows that it means a lot to him so long maybe that continue regardless of the results
Up the Rangers | | | |
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