warmleyseagull
Well-known member
Up to game 30 of last season, we were on 34 points. Out of GP's 106 games in charge up to and including Norwich (H) we had taken 116 points, an average of 1.09 PPG. Under CH, we averaged 1.00 PPG. Has everyone forgotten a record 11 games without a win in Autumn, or a record 6 defeats (and one goal scored in by a defender) on the spin before the alchemy changed? Think if the 6 defeats had been at start of season; knives would really have been out.
The change that has had the world admiring and flattering the Head Coach has not been GP per se but playing Moises Caicedo. He has been the gear change. His inclusion and Mwepu returning from injury (and, I have to add, the exclusion of Maupay) galvanized Gross and Trossard in particular. New player = new formation = nirvana. Before that, we were the pretty team that couldn't score and would float around bottom 6.
OK, so GP takes credit for seeing this and playing MC, you might say. Yes, but GP admitted near end of last season that he made a mistake not playing MC earlier, so he knew that he had a gem but played cautious. Had he not done so, I think we probably would have qualified for Europe and perhaps we would have a different script now. Remember 0-0 v Norwich, anyone?
