After watching last night, I think my overriding feeling was one of disappointment - for me, it is clear that something isnt quite right at the club currently. Whether that is a confidence issue or something else, performances have been average at best for a while (with the odd exception).
I saw a lot on socials about how we have to remember where we have come from, and whilst that is true, for me, it doesnt mean that as a fanbase we should be accepting of recent performances....or even RdZ. Just because I was disappointed that we were so feeble against Wolves in the cup and at Fulham last weekend in particular, doesnt mean that I have forgotten that we were 1 game from going out of business or the fight to get our own ground back again - I can hold the opinion of being proud of some great performances in Europe this season but being immensely frustrated at shooting ourselves in both feet last night and in recent weeks.
Yes we are 3 points off 7th and still well in the mix, but something needs to change quick if this isnt going to slip away as well. I think that this is the 1st time some of us are questioning RdZ's approach to games - sure, with a fully fit squad, his high intensity gameplan works a treat as we are able to overwhelm teams; however, we can all see that teams have "worked us out" and know exactly what our weaknesses are - yet he persists with personnel that cant cope with this. Surely you adapt the system to the personnel you have available. Take Ferguson as an example - his confidence is clearly shot to pieces, but how many games has he played where the system clearly doesnt suit him (granted there have also been games where he has looked unfit and lethargic too). Welbeck is for me our best striker, but him and Fergie are not a good partnership at all. Adingra is going the same way as Mitoma was by being run into the ground because without him, we have no pace or width. Estupinan looks a shadow of the player he was last season, and as for the goalkeeper rotation - well, everyone has an opinion of that, but RdZ clearly sees them both in training and knows more than we do.
and as for the comments about not buying in January - my question to those is who was available at a reasonable price? Easy to say we should have spent...harder to pinpoint who was available at a non-inflated price. Look at teams like Leicester, Leeds etc who had previously spent big in January but still went down. We dont have a bottomless pit of money to throw around, nor can we offer the wages of a lot of teams, so for me, January is a bit of a red herring. It irks me how RdZ continues to mention this in interviews - he would have known the situation and our budgets etc. I trust in the club to strengthen in the summer and invest wisely - if that means being midtable and moving forward, then Im Ok with that.
As for RdZ, I am beginning to think that some of his comments lately strike me as those of someone that maybe sees his reputation diminishing somewhat - given the limitations in our squad with injuries, some pragmatism may have been in order during games, especially at 2 mil down. Ma
I saw a lot on socials about how we have to remember where we have come from, and whilst that is true, for me, it doesnt mean that as a fanbase we should be accepting of recent performances....or even RdZ. Just because I was disappointed that we were so feeble against Wolves in the cup and at Fulham last weekend in particular, doesnt mean that I have forgotten that we were 1 game from going out of business or the fight to get our own ground back again - I can hold the opinion of being proud of some great performances in Europe this season but being immensely frustrated at shooting ourselves in both feet last night and in recent weeks.
Yes we are 3 points off 7th and still well in the mix, but something needs to change quick if this isnt going to slip away as well. I think that this is the 1st time some of us are questioning RdZ's approach to games - sure, with a fully fit squad, his high intensity gameplan works a treat as we are able to overwhelm teams; however, we can all see that teams have "worked us out" and know exactly what our weaknesses are - yet he persists with personnel that cant cope with this. Surely you adapt the system to the personnel you have available. Take Ferguson as an example - his confidence is clearly shot to pieces, but how many games has he played where the system clearly doesnt suit him (granted there have also been games where he has looked unfit and lethargic too). Welbeck is for me our best striker, but him and Fergie are not a good partnership at all. Adingra is going the same way as Mitoma was by being run into the ground because without him, we have no pace or width. Estupinan looks a shadow of the player he was last season, and as for the goalkeeper rotation - well, everyone has an opinion of that, but RdZ clearly sees them both in training and knows more than we do.
and as for the comments about not buying in January - my question to those is who was available at a reasonable price? Easy to say we should have spent...harder to pinpoint who was available at a non-inflated price. Look at teams like Leicester, Leeds etc who had previously spent big in January but still went down. We dont have a bottomless pit of money to throw around, nor can we offer the wages of a lot of teams, so for me, January is a bit of a red herring. It irks me how RdZ continues to mention this in interviews - he would have known the situation and our budgets etc. I trust in the club to strengthen in the summer and invest wisely - if that means being midtable and moving forward, then Im Ok with that.
As for RdZ, I am beginning to think that some of his comments lately strike me as those of someone that maybe sees his reputation diminishing somewhat - given the limitations in our squad with injuries, some pragmatism may have been in order during games, especially at 2 mil down. Ma