[Albion] Fab out?

[The Fits]

See how we do at St Mary's ?

Agreed. All we are asking for is some kind of performance against Chelsea, the results are pretty irrelevant. Southampton is the test, especially after the shambles of the first game.
What has Fab learnt since then because that should be a relative stroll.

 

[Bry Nylon]

If we beat Chelsea (at least once) and Soton, get a draw against B'muff this month I'm willing to say I was overreacting and all is well.

I don’t see us winning any of these fixtures tbh

 

[A1X]

Well I for one am stunned, stunned that Tony Bloom didn’t suddenly knee-jerk and sack the manager off the back of Saturday.

 

[jackalbion]

See how we do at St Mary's ?

If we can’t get a victory there, then I’m not seeing keeping him until the end of the season as having any benefit.

 

[Doug-ees-evil]

I know many roll their eyes at Xg, but I looked because my impression is that we don't have the control of games that we've become used to over the last few seasons. Teams seem happy to let us have possession in areas that are not threatening, assured that they can get into shape and defend against our slow build up.

Across the season so far, our Xg measured against our Xga is now in the minus column. Totalled from games up until the end of November it was +1.18, but since then -3.95. Totalling -2.77 across the season so far. We haven't had a negative in this column over a season since 2019/20.

Now Saturday's disaster is a major factor in this calculation. We were still just in the positive until that disgraceful collapse, but we are making less chances and conceding more chances. The drop off at the end of last season left us +0.97 for the term, after RDZ's previous +27.57 and Potter's +2.36 and +13.91. The chances created has been up and down over that period, but the chances given to the opposition has been steadily on the rise from 39.91 to 47.21 to 50.15 to 60.94. If you extrapolate our current position across 38 games it would be 61.39 for this year.

Actual goals conceded has also been on a season to season rise, from the mid 40s under Potter to the 50s and then 60s under RDZ. We're on target for the 60s again this season. We have become much easier to score against. Something that seemed a pay off of risk and reward when RDZ's bait and switch was scoring us loads too, but we've now hit the point where, as Saturday underlined, the attack is slow and laboured and the defence is committed too high as a result of this.

We seem very seldom to be playing in space in the opposition's half and our opponents always seem to have acres of it in ours. We've invested in loads of quick wingers presumably to run into space, but our wingers seemingly always have a defensive barrier to run through. We seem to have bought the players to play more Klopp, less Pep, but we haven't made the tactical change to exploit these talents. Nobody falls for the counter press lure any more and our response seems to be to try to get the overloads by committing more and more players forward. This doesn't work often because however may of us there are up there, playing in crowded spaces is very difficult.

I can't offer any easy solution to this quandary, but it's notable that, when Hurzeler arrived, it was with the knowledge from his time at St Pauli that defensively he liked a high press, that would quickly drop into a low block if possession was not won back straight away. We don't seem to have seen very much of the latter part of this approach and it could very well be that it's more difficult to do against EPL teams that have the midfielders who can find the small spaces to move the ball quicker in transition. However, it could also be that our players are simply not getting back quickly enough.

There was a point on Saturday where Welbeck had the chance of a quick break, but it quickly fizzled out and it was notable how many of Forest's players made the effort to get back and defend. We don't seem to be doing the same. We've lost players like Burn, Lallana, Mac Allister who set examples and insisted on standards from their colleagues. Milner is a similar sort of character, but hasn't been on the pitch to do it. It seems that we are a bit like Chelsea of the last couple of years, too many young stars and not enough leaders and grafters. I don't know if Hurzeler is the problem, or whether he will resolve it given time. I just know that we've been spoiled being extrordinary for a few seasons and it's very frustrating watching us look ordinary.

Excuse the rambling. Saturday hurt us all and, though reactionary decisions are likely to be wrong ones, it's obvious that something neeeds to change, but not at all obvious what.

Superb post. Absolutely true – we do not seem to have the same level of control of games we've been used to (or spoilt with). It's quite easy to imagine an opposition manager's teamtalk before KO, reiterating .."it doesn't matter if they have/or you allow them possession here and here.. they will not hurt you from these areas."

The possession stats are the most mis-leading of all stats. And ironically enough, I think this season, more than any other in the last 3-4 seasons, we've been more careless with that possession than we've ever been (esp. in final third). There have been great moments.. but not many.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I don’t see us winning any of these fixtures tbh

 

[MikeHimself]

Agreed. All we are asking for is some kind of performance against Chelsea, the results are pretty irrelevant. Southampton is the test, especially after the shambles of the first game.
What has Fab learnt since then because that should be a relative stroll.

One thing Fab will have learnt from the first game against Southampton is that weak and biased refereeing can always affect a result. Downes got away with just a yellow for the dangerous hack at Welbeck’s achilles to prevent a breakaway and then proceeded to commit a succession of fouls some of which should have been deemed worthy of a second yellow and hence a red. Downes stayed on the pitch to score the equaliser. Walker-Peters spent the entire match wrestling and fouling Georginio and received just a belated yellow. If you expect our players to receive the same level of protection as some other teams you’ll be disappointed for the return game

 

[Hiheidi]

Superb post. Absolutely true – we do not seem to have the same level of control of games we've been used to (or spoilt with). It's quite easy to imagine an opposition manager's teamtalk before KO, reiterating .."it doesn't matter if they have/or you allow them possession here and here.. they will not hurt you from these areas."

The possession stats are the most mis-leading of all stats. And ironically enough, I think this season, more than any other in the last 3-4 seasons, we've been more careless with that possession than we've ever been (esp. in final third). There have been great moments.. but not many.

Yup, interesting to see some stats about performances. Wasn't it claimed that Melissa Phillips was sacked because of poor underlying stats, even though some people thought the team weren't doing too badly?

 

[The Fits]

Yup, interesting to see some stats about performances. Wasn't it claimed that Melissa Phillips was sacked because of poor underlying stats, even though some people thought the team weren't doing too badly?

They will be looking at this and they will be concerned. Just like they were looking at GPs stats and giving him time- they could see tangible potential there.

 

[jackalbion]

I know many roll their eyes at Xg, but I looked because my impression is that we don't have the control of games that we've become used to over the last few seasons. Teams seem happy to let us have possession in areas that are not threatening, assured that they can get into shape and defend against our slow build up.

Across the season so far, our Xg measured against our Xga is now in the minus column. Totalled from games up until the end of November it was +1.18, but since then -3.95. Totalling -2.77 across the season so far. We haven't had a negative in this column over a season since 2019/20.

Now Saturday's disaster is a major factor in this calculation. We were still just in the positive until that disgraceful collapse, but we are making less chances and conceding more chances. The drop off at the end of last season left us +0.97 for the term, after RDZ's previous +27.57 and Potter's +2.36 and +13.91. The chances created has been up and down over that period, but the chances given to the opposition has been steadily on the rise from 39.91 to 47.21 to 50.15 to 60.94. If you extrapolate our current position across 38 games it would be 61.39 for this year.

Actual goals conceded has also been on a season to season rise, from the mid 40s under Potter to the 50s and then 60s under RDZ. We're on target for the 60s again this season. We have become much easier to score against. Something that seemed a pay off of risk and reward when RDZ's bait and switch was scoring us loads too, but we've now hit the point where, as Saturday underlined, the attack is slow and laboured and the defence is committed too high as a result of this.

We seem very seldom to be playing in space in the opposition's half and our opponents always seem to have acres of it in ours. We've invested in loads of quick wingers presumably to run into space, but our wingers seemingly always have a defensive barrier to run through. We seem to have bought the players to play more Klopp, less Pep, but we haven't made the tactical change to exploit these talents. Nobody falls for the counter press lure any more and our response seems to be to try to get the overloads by committing more and more players forward. This doesn't work often because however may of us there are up there, playing in crowded spaces is very difficult.

I can't offer any easy solution to this quandary, but it's notable that, when Hurzeler arrived, it was with the knowledge from his time at St Pauli that defensively he liked a high press, that would quickly drop into a low block if possession was not won back straight away. We don't seem to have seen very much of the latter part of this approach and it could very well be that it's more difficult to do against EPL teams that have the midfielders who can find the small spaces to move the ball quicker in transition. However, it could also be that our players are simply not getting back quickly enough.

There was a point on Saturday where Welbeck had the chance of a quick break, but it quickly fizzled out and it was notable how many of Forest's players made the effort to get back and defend. We don't seem to be doing the same. We've lost players like Burn, Lallana, Mac Allister who set examples and insisted on standards from their colleagues. Milner is a similar sort of character, but hasn't been on the pitch to do it. It seems that we are a bit like Chelsea of the last couple of years, too many young stars and not enough leaders and grafters. I don't know if Hurzeler is the problem, or whether he will resolve it given time. I just know that we've been spoiled being extrordinary for a few seasons and it's very frustrating watching us look ordinary.

Excuse the rambling. Saturday hurt us all and, though reactionary decisions are likely to be wrong ones, it's obvious that something neeeds to change, but not at all obvious what.

Superb post, very rational, interesting that the stats back up what I can see with my own eyes, and solidifies my opinion.

 

[Home and Away]

I know many roll their eyes at Xg, but I looked because my impression is that we don't have the control of games that we've become used to over the last few seasons. Teams seem happy to let us have possession in areas that are not threatening, assured that they can get into shape and defend against our slow build up.

Across the season so far, our Xg measured against our Xga is now in the minus column. Totalled from games up until the end of November it was +1.18, but since then -3.95. Totalling -2.77 across the season so far. We haven't had a negative in this column over a season since 2019/20.

Now Saturday's disaster is a major factor in this calculation. We were still just in the positive until that disgraceful collapse, but we are making less chances and conceding more chances. The drop off at the end of last season left us +0.97 for the term, after RDZ's previous +27.57 and Potter's +2.36 and +13.91. The chances created has been up and down over that period, but the chances given to the opposition has been steadily on the rise from 39.91 to 47.21 to 50.15 to 60.94. If you extrapolate our current position across 38 games it would be 61.39 for this year.

Actual goals conceded has also been on a season to season rise, from the mid 40s under Potter to the 50s and then 60s under RDZ. We're on target for the 60s again this season. We have become much easier to score against. Something that seemed a pay off of risk and reward when RDZ's bait and switch was scoring us loads too, but we've now hit the point where, as Saturday underlined, the attack is slow and laboured and the defence is committed too high as a result of this.

We seem very seldom to be playing in space in the opposition's half and our opponents always seem to have acres of it in ours. We've invested in loads of quick wingers presumably to run into space, but our wingers seemingly always have a defensive barrier to run through. We seem to have bought the players to play more Klopp, less Pep, but we haven't made the tactical change to exploit these talents. Nobody falls for the counter press lure any more and our response seems to be to try to get the overloads by committing more and more players forward. This doesn't work often because however may of us there are up there, playing in crowded spaces is very difficult.

I can't offer any easy solution to this quandary, but it's notable that, when Hurzeler arrived, it was with the knowledge from his time at St Pauli that defensively he liked a high press, that would quickly drop into a low block if possession was not won back straight away. We don't seem to have seen very much of the latter part of this approach and it could very well be that it's more difficult to do against EPL teams that have the midfielders who can find the small spaces to move the ball quicker in transition. However, it could also be that our players are simply not getting back quickly enough.

There was a point on Saturday where Welbeck had the chance of a quick break, but it quickly fizzled out and it was notable how many of Forest's players made the effort to get back and defend. We don't seem to be doing the same. We've lost players like Burn, Lallana, Mac Allister who set examples and insisted on standards from their colleagues. Milner is a similar sort of character, but hasn't been on the pitch to do it. It seems that we are a bit like Chelsea of the last couple of years, too many young stars and not enough leaders and grafters. I don't know if Hurzeler is the problem, or whether he will resolve it given time. I just know that we've been spoiled being extrordinary for a few seasons and it's very frustrating watching us look ordinary.

Excuse the rambling. Saturday hurt us all and, though reactionary decisions are likely to be wrong ones, it's obvious that something neeeds to change, but not at all obvious what.

Fantastic post! Thank you for the statistics. Very interesting indeed and confirms what many of us are saying.

 

[Weststander]

I know many roll their eyes at Xg, but I looked because my impression is that we don't have the control of games that we've become used to over the last few seasons. Teams seem happy to let us have possession in areas that are not threatening, assured that they can get into shape and defend against our slow build up.

Across the season so far, our Xg measured against our Xga is now in the minus column. Totalled from games up until the end of November it was +1.18, but since then -3.95. Totalling -2.77 across the season so far. We haven't had a negative in this column over a season since 2019/20.

Now Saturday's disaster is a major factor in this calculation. We were still just in the positive until that disgraceful collapse, but we are making less chances and conceding more chances. The drop off at the end of last season left us +0.97 for the term, after RDZ's previous +27.57 and Potter's +2.36 and +13.91. The chances created has been up and down over that period, but the chances given to the opposition has been steadily on the rise from 39.91 to 47.21 to 50.15 to 60.94. If you extrapolate our current position across 38 games it would be 61.39 for this year.

Actual goals conceded has also been on a season to season rise, from the mid 40s under Potter to the 50s and then 60s under RDZ. We're on target for the 60s again this season. We have become much easier to score against. Something that seemed a pay off of risk and reward when RDZ's bait and switch was scoring us loads too, but we've now hit the point where, as Saturday underlined, the attack is slow and laboured and the defence is committed too high as a result of this.

We seem very seldom to be playing in space in the opposition's half and our opponents always seem to have acres of it in ours. We've invested in loads of quick wingers presumably to run into space, but our wingers seemingly always have a defensive barrier to run through. We seem to have bought the players to play more Klopp, less Pep, but we haven't made the tactical change to exploit these talents. Nobody falls for the counter press lure any more and our response seems to be to try to get the overloads by committing more and more players forward. This doesn't work often because however may of us there are up there, playing in crowded spaces is very difficult.

I can't offer any easy solution to this quandary, but it's notable that, when Hurzeler arrived, it was with the knowledge from his time at St Pauli that defensively he liked a high press, that would quickly drop into a low block if possession was not won back straight away. We don't seem to have seen very much of the latter part of this approach and it could very well be that it's more difficult to do against EPL teams that have the midfielders who can find the small spaces to move the ball quicker in transition. However, it could also be that our players are simply not getting back quickly enough.

There was a point on Saturday where Welbeck had the chance of a quick break, but it quickly fizzled out and it was notable how many of Forest's players made the effort to get back and defend. We don't seem to be doing the same. We've lost players like Burn, Lallana, Mac Allister who set examples and insisted on standards from their colleagues. Milner is a similar sort of character, but hasn't been on the pitch to do it. It seems that we are a bit like Chelsea of the last couple of years, too many young stars and not enough leaders and grafters. I don't know if Hurzeler is the problem, or whether he will resolve it given time. I just know that we've been spoiled being extrordinary for a few seasons and it's very frustrating watching us look ordinary.

Excuse the rambling. Saturday hurt us all and, though reactionary decisions are likely to be wrong ones, it's obvious that something neeeds to change, but not at all obvious what.

Excellent post.

Many here said after the Stamford Bridge debacle (and we could’ve conceded more) that our defenders lacked the pace to get back and in a coordinated manner to cut out the chances. After referencing St Pauli’s work, when they lost the ball and were counter attacked. Stains second half at the Amex another glaring example, we made the PL punchbags look like an incredible counter attacking team. CP first half too, bloody awful.

Perhaps the most in our 8 PL seasons, we are the perfect team to counter attack. A load of PL teams thrive on that.

To maintain control deep in the opposition half for 90+ minutes is a tall order, especially with a mid-table budget.

Will FH over time have alternative, more shrewd defensively, plans at 0-0?

 

[zefarelly]

What we (as mere customers) have learnt in the Premiershyte years is, not losing is the first step (CH) . . . .then jazz it up . . .with a dozen 1-1's (GP) then when it all clicks you can win games ( GP last 10 and RDZ for a year)

when things unravel . . . . For whatever reason . . . You need to reign it in and revert to plan A or B

RDZ failed ( or gave up) toward the end. and FH appears to have just ignored it all . . . . . Whats odd is he doesn't seem to have any clear idea or consistency . . . How can you expect a load of footballers to keep up with that racoon on crystal meth approach . . . . . its hard enough to get them to be reliable in the simplest of scenarios.

 

[Mancgull]

What we (as mere customers) have learnt in the Premiershyte years is, not losing is the first step (CH) . . . .then jazz it up . . .with a dozen 1-1's (GP) then when it all clicks you can win games ( GP last 10 and RDZ for a year)

when things unravel . . . . For whatever reason . . . You need to reign it in and revert to plan A or B

RDZ failed ( or gave up) toward the end. and FH appears to have just ignored it all . . . . . Whats odd is he doesn't seem to have any clear idea or consistency . . . How can you expect a load of footballers to keep up with that racoon on crystal meth approach . . . . . its hard enough to get them to be reliable in the simplest of scenarios.

Helter Skelter football. Needs to stop as you say. Look what Potter has done at West Ham. Cautious approach, build confidence, make progress.

 

[Hiheidi]

Helter Skelter football. Needs to stop as you say. Look what Potter has done at West Ham. Cautious approach, build confidence, make progress.

There going to finish above us aren't they

 

[Guinness Boy]

I know many roll their eyes at Xg, but I looked because my impression is that we don't have the control of games that we've become used to over the last few seasons. Teams seem happy to let us have possession in areas that are not threatening, assured that they can get into shape and defend against our slow build up.

Across the season so far, our Xg measured against our Xga is now in the minus column. Totalled from games up until the end of November it was +1.18, but since then -3.95. Totalling -2.77 across the season so far. We haven't had a negative in this column over a season since 2019/20.

Now Saturday's disaster is a major factor in this calculation. We were still just in the positive until that disgraceful collapse, but we are making less chances and conceding more chances. The drop off at the end of last season left us +0.97 for the term, after RDZ's previous +27.57 and Potter's +2.36 and +13.91. The chances created has been up and down over that period, but the chances given to the opposition has been steadily on the rise from 39.91 to 47.21 to 50.15 to 60.94. If you extrapolate our current position across 38 games it would be 61.39 for this year.

Actual goals conceded has also been on a season to season rise, from the mid 40s under Potter to the 50s and then 60s under RDZ. We're on target for the 60s again this season. We have become much easier to score against. Something that seemed a pay off of risk and reward when RDZ's bait and switch was scoring us loads too, but we've now hit the point where, as Saturday underlined, the attack is slow and laboured and the defence is committed too high as a result of this.

We seem very seldom to be playing in space in the opposition's half and our opponents always seem to have acres of it in ours. We've invested in loads of quick wingers presumably to run into space, but our wingers seemingly always have a defensive barrier to run through. We seem to have bought the players to play more Klopp, less Pep, but we haven't made the tactical change to exploit these talents. Nobody falls for the counter press lure any more and our response seems to be to try to get the overloads by committing more and more players forward. This doesn't work often because however may of us there are up there, playing in crowded spaces is very difficult.

I can't offer any easy solution to this quandary, but it's notable that, when Hurzeler arrived, it was with the knowledge from his time at St Pauli that defensively he liked a high press, that would quickly drop into a low block if possession was not won back straight away. We don't seem to have seen very much of the latter part of this approach and it could very well be that it's more difficult to do against EPL teams that have the midfielders who can find the small spaces to move the ball quicker in transition. However, it could also be that our players are simply not getting back quickly enough.

There was a point on Saturday where Welbeck had the chance of a quick break, but it quickly fizzled out and it was notable how many of Forest's players made the effort to get back and defend. We don't seem to be doing the same. We've lost players like Burn, Lallana, Mac Allister who set examples and insisted on standards from their colleagues. Milner is a similar sort of character, but hasn't been on the pitch to do it. It seems that we are a bit like Chelsea of the last couple of years, too many young stars and not enough leaders and grafters. I don't know if Hurzeler is the problem, or whether he will resolve it given time. I just know that we've been spoiled being extrordinary for a few seasons and it's very frustrating watching us look ordinary.

Excuse the rambling. Saturday hurt us all and, though reactionary decisions are likely to be wrong ones, it's obvious that something neeeds to change, but not at all obvious what.

Good post and very much at odds with reports that club must be happy with Hurzeler based on data.

I’m a well known xG sceptic. On Saturday the xG “score” was 3-1. And it’s completely nuts. Forest had a penalty, a tap in, a gift from our keeper and a free header at the back post from an open play cross as well as missing two really good first half chances, to even out the own goal and corner being low value.

Nevertheless it proves trends we can see with our own eyes. Potter teams screwing up good chance after great chance. RDZ teams being both more lethal and more leaky. And Fabian’s suicide ball likely to take the club on a massive downward spiral.

 

[zefarelly]

Helter Skelter football. Needs to stop as you say. Look what Potter has done at West Ham. Cautious approach, build confidence, make progress.

Early doors . . . . Will WH fans still be happy after 11 draws on the trot?

He does appear to have hit the ground running though!

 

[Doug-ees-evil]

Good post and very much at odds with reports that club must be happy with Hurzeler based on data.

I’m a well known xG sceptic. On Saturday the xG “score” was 3-1. And it’s completely nuts. Forest had a penalty, a tap in, a gift from our keeper and a free header at the back post from an open play cross as well as missing two really good first half chances, to even out the own goal and corner being low value.

Nevertheless it proves trends we can see with our own eyes. Potter teams screwing up good chance after great chance. RDZ teams being both more lethal and more leaky. And Fabian’s suicide ball likely to take the club on a massive downward spiral.

PotterBall,
to DeZerbiBall,
to SuicideBall.

Triffic!
(made me laugh. Thanks).

 

[Hiheidi]

I worry that the club bringing in Daniel Niedzkowski has made them more reluctant to pull the trigger. If the reports of disharmony in the dressing room are correct and the stats aren't showing a positive upturn, then the writing's on the wall - we're just delaying the inevitable, whilst possibly stunting the development of players.

 

[Jim in the West]

I know many roll their eyes at Xg, but I looked because my impression is that we don't have the control of games that we've become used to over the last few seasons. Teams seem happy to let us have possession in areas that are not threatening, assured that they can get into shape and defend against our slow build up.

Across the season so far, our Xg measured against our Xga is now in the minus column. Totalled from games up until the end of November it was +1.18, but since then -3.95. Totalling -2.77 across the season so far. We haven't had a negative in this column over a season since 2019/20.

Now Saturday's disaster is a major factor in this calculation. We were still just in the positive until that disgraceful collapse, but we are making less chances and conceding more chances. The drop off at the end of last season left us +0.97 for the term, after RDZ's previous +27.57 and Potter's +2.36 and +13.91. The chances created has been up and down over that period, but the chances given to the opposition has been steadily on the rise from 39.91 to 47.21 to 50.15 to 60.94. If you extrapolate our current position across 38 games it would be 61.39 for this year.

Actual goals conceded has also been on a season to season rise, from the mid 40s under Potter to the 50s and then 60s under RDZ. We're on target for the 60s again this season. We have become much easier to score against. Something that seemed a pay off of risk and reward when RDZ's bait and switch was scoring us loads too, but we've now hit the point where, as Saturday underlined, the attack is slow and laboured and the defence is committed too high as a result of this.

We seem very seldom to be playing in space in the opposition's half and our opponents always seem to have acres of it in ours. We've invested in loads of quick wingers presumably to run into space, but our wingers seemingly always have a defensive barrier to run through. We seem to have bought the players to play more Klopp, less Pep, but we haven't made the tactical change to exploit these talents. Nobody falls for the counter press lure any more and our response seems to be to try to get the overloads by committing more and more players forward. This doesn't work often because however may of us there are up there, playing in crowded spaces is very difficult.

I can't offer any easy solution to this quandary, but it's notable that, when Hurzeler arrived, it was with the knowledge from his time at St Pauli that defensively he liked a high press, that would quickly drop into a low block if possession was not won back straight away. We don't seem to have seen very much of the latter part of this approach and it could very well be that it's more difficult to do against EPL teams that have the midfielders who can find the small spaces to move the ball quicker in transition. However, it could also be that our players are simply not getting back quickly enough.

There was a point on Saturday where Welbeck had the chance of a quick break, but it quickly fizzled out and it was notable how many of Forest's players made the effort to get back and defend. We don't seem to be doing the same. We've lost players like Burn, Lallana, Mac Allister who set examples and insisted on standards from their colleagues. Milner is a similar sort of character, but hasn't been on the pitch to do it. It seems that we are a bit like Chelsea of the last couple of years, too many young stars and not enough leaders and grafters. I don't know if Hurzeler is the problem, or whether he will resolve it given time. I just know that we've been spoiled being extrordinary for a few seasons and it's very frustrating watching us look ordinary.

Excuse the rambling. Saturday hurt us all and, though reactionary decisions are likely to be wrong ones, it's obvious that something neeeds to change, but not at all obvious what.

Very possibly one of the best posts I've seen on NSC - and I go back a long way

I don't envy anybody trying to sort this out - especially as our on-the-pitch leader seems to be rapidly slowing down and himself becoming a bit of a liability. But I would say that our best chance of sorting things for the rest of the season is for Dunky (and possibly Welbz) to sit down with Fab and thrash out a way to play which makes sense. I'm sure there's an awful lot of angst behind the scenes - but I'm also sure that TB and PB are all over it. It's in absolutely no-one's interests for the players to effectively "down tools" - hopefully some cool heads (Milner, Steele....) will be talking sense.