Recent form a major disappointment

[goldstone]

Given a choice (and I know there wasn't one!) I would have preferred a poor start to the season with a positive finish instead of the other way round. That way you end on a high with optimism for next season ... carry on where we left off kind of thing.

Instead we're wondering why we finished so poorly, correctly questioning the manager's tactics, and figuring out how many players we need to add to the squad to prevent us being in the relegation zone next season.

In addition to the questions about Gus's use of Noone and Lua Lua, I don't believe he has made the best use (or any use) of Vincelot. There was general agreement that he played very well when he came on against Watford ... since then ignored again.

 

[Surf's Up]

Some thoughts:

Taken overall this has been a fantastic first season back in the Chapionship.
The Club, at every level and in every way is "work in progress" (e.g. the team, Gus, the tactics, the stadium, transport, the new academy, new fans etc etc etc) - patience is required, we'll get there but it may take longer than next season.
This season has promised to deceive and our expectations have been, at times, unrealistically high.
The table never lies and we are what we are - currently the 10th best team in the Championship.
This has been achieved with a majority of players with no experience at this level. Some have been found out but Gus has at least given them the chance to prove themselves and by and large they didn't let him down but we are aiming higher and so they will leave with our thanks and best wishes, better players will come in.
We are on the horns of a dilemma with Vicente. If he stays we need to bring in players who are on the same wavelength as him (i.e. probably from the continent schooled in a different type of football). If he goes we need to bring in more physical players with championship/premiership experience.
Next year the nature of our game has to change - we have to up the pace we play at, have more physical presence all over the pitch, close teams down all over the pitch, learn to play tika-tak in the oppositions half not just our own, improve the service to our front players, mix up our play a bit more, sort out an effective way of playing away from home and make much more use of the diagonal ball (i.e. Southampton/Ricky Lambert)
To continue with our upward momentum next year we need to hit the ground running from game 1 - this will be a real challenge because there will be a number of new players in the side + we ended this season badly over the last 13 games + the Championship will, if anything, be even more competitive next year and, as with this year, at least half the teams will have bigger budgets than us.
Gus is absolutely the right manager - ok, so he's learning and he's got to find a way of integrating his playing principles with the reality of the Championship,but he will succeed and so will we.

 

[JetsetJimbo]

We're the 30th best side in the country according to the table, and I can't really complain about that given that my pre-season expectation was "top half finish, anything better is a bonus".

There were points though, I'm thinking about when we led the division after five games and that bit just before the end of the season when we looked good bets for the play-offs, when my hopes were raised. That means I can't help but feel a little bit disappointed, even though I don't think I have any right to be!

 

[Notters]

Thank you Brovian. This.

No, sorry, not this. @Brovian states that disappointment is a fact, whereas in fact it is an opinion. I'm not disappointed.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

No, sorry, not this. @Brovian states that disappointment is a fact, whereas in fact it is an opinion. I'm not disappointed.

I am

 

[Notters]

I am

That's because you went to every sodding game

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Just thought I would highlight some play-off teams there. Oh, wait, they had bad runs too? NO! But they made the play-offs.....

Does that not make a mockery of the "we had a bad run, we are shit" theory? You CAN have a bad run and make the play-offs, your stats prove it.

However one of those 2 teams were top of the division and seeking the title and if not, then automatic promotion, the other already had more points on the board than us and didn't have so many teams within a couple of points of them in the table.

There were plenty of games where we could have moved upto around 4th or dropped down to about 11th depending on our and other results. Could the same be said of West Ham and Birmingham?

 

[pork pie]

Gus has admitted it is a learning curve for him as he's not managed at this level before. He's now seen the standard of player required to succeed at this level and already announced that there are going to be changes this summer and that he wants 5 or 6 new players. Taking into account, players who have been playing with injuries like Greer, Vincelot and Noone, then getting to where we have done, is an achievement in itself.

Exactly where have we got to whilst those players were injured? We have done nothing but go into freefall!

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Given a choice (and I know there wasn't one!) I would have preferred a poor start to the season with a positive finish instead of the other way round. That way you end on a high with optimism for next season ... carry on where we left off kind of thing.

Instead we're wondering why we finished so poorly, correctly questioning the manager's tactics, and figuring out how many players we need to add to the squad to prevent us being in the relegation zone next season.

In addition to the questions about Gus's use of Noone and Lua Lua, I don't believe he has made the best use (or any use) of Vincelot. There was general agreement that he played very well when he came on against Watford ... since then ignored again.

Well put but some still won't get it.

 

[Brovion]

No, sorry, not this. @Brovian states that disappointment is a fact, whereas in fact it is an opinion. I'm not disappointed.

Actually, in some ways I agree with you, 'disappointment' is subjective and perhaps I should have a less emotive word. However a club plays league matches to win, and the fact that we went so long without a win and slipped out of play-off contention is ..... well, you supply your own word.

However whatever word you chose people who ARE disappointed with the way results tailed off (but not, as I stated, with the season as a whole) aren't a load of moaners with unrealistic expectations. There are shades of light and dark.

 

[BensGrandad]

Our form since Good Friday losing to Burnley would leave a cynic to suggest that Gus was under orders not to make the play offs.

 

[Seagull Steve]

Our form since Good Friday losing to Burnley would leave a cynic to suggest that Gus was under orders not to make the play offs.

That is the third time I have heard that today. (you aren't a bus driver are you?) I don't buy it though. TB would want Premier League football ASAP, I would imagine. That is where the money is after all.
I can understand the people on here that feel disappointed, but I don't understand the people who feel let down. Nobody let you down, it is a learning curve for a management team who has never had experience at this level. I seriously think the time to judge Gus is the end of next season. Then he will know whats needed, and the Amex high will have worn off somewhat (not by me) I love it. Lets just get behind the team like we did this season (think Burnley at home) and we can do it, although it really is tough in this brilliant league.

 

[BensGrandad]

I did not say that was my view but could well be the view of a cynic. IF we made the Premier League it would take a huge amount of money to keep us in it, as it does most teams that are promoted, and Gus has said that the Liverpool game showed how far off we were for that level. We are not ready for that division yet and Gus wouldnt be happy for us to be a yo yo club and despite the parachute payments I dont think TB would either. When we do get there, perhaps next year or the year after we must be able to hold our own and stay in the division.

 

[Turkey]

Every game we lost this season was on purpose. We only lost those games because Gus and Tony decided it would be a really bad idea to make millions of pounds by winning promotion.