Fonte and Norwood weak links - part 2 ...

[howitis]

Anyone left who disagrees with this. We are a shadow of the team last year.
We have lost so much penetration down both wings and instead are having to suffer these 2 jokers.
Can't help but last season was a massively missed opportunity. Many teams who did well last year are struggling this year. None of these teams were good enough to rest on their laurels, least of all us. We needed to add real quality and we have added nothing.
This season is far from over but the writing is on the wall.
Can we hang on in there until the next transfer window and act quickly ? Both parts of that jigsaw seem unlikely based on past form.
There needs to be some strong conversations behind the scenes on transfer activity.
Fonte and Norwood need to be benched and we need to look at a different formation and personnel.

[fcfulham55]

100% agree

[Milo]

Norwood is clearly the Cairney sub so that we can keep the same tactics and formation. He is on loan and was never going to be a team changing playmaker... was he? What did you expect? He's plugging a hole on a budget. He's Wilko's gaffa tape.

I actually think he's had some good games for us - you cannot expect the same high standards from him as Cairney. It's unrealistic.

However as not seen the game as was getting hammered 9-3 in this storm myself... I will of course break down my own defence of him if his performance was that of someone who wasn't trying etc etc.

[Darkside]

Last season was our best chance to get back to the PL.

Other teams have invested and also realised that our game plan is unchanged - expect a lot of teams to play the same as Sheff W. and Preston at the Cottage.

Last season we were scoring for fun, this season the goals have dried up - Cairney cannot be the sole reason, but signing an out and out forward (Fonte) was supposed to increase the goal tally. 1 from him so far.

Top 6 ?  At this rate we will do well to avoid bottom 6.
And I know we've only lost 3 games, all by the odd goal ( can somebody explain the Burton penalty ?) but home draws do not make a base for a promotion challenge.

[Fernhurst]

So peed off ........instead of a lofty 5th sunk to dissapointingly flat 11th but worst still my expectations really tailed off today with the black cloud of a mid table finish much more of a possibility now.
That scenario also brings to the boil what goes with it......

Depressed and weather is too bad to make it to the pub.

[hovewhite]

If i wasnt working today i would have went,thankfully i worked!

[MikeW]

Fernhurst - George Throughgood & the Destroyers have a great song for a night like tonight - "I drink alone".  Cheers

[FFC1987]

So peed off ........instead of a lofty 5th sunk to dissapointingly flat 11th but worst still my expectations really tailed off today with the black cloud of a mid table finish much more of a possibility now.
That scenario also brings to the boil what goes with it......

Depressed and weather is too bad to make it to the pub.

100% agree with this first bit.....

[Milo]

Fernhurst - George Throughgood & the Destroyers have a great song for a night like tonight - "I drink alone".  Cheers

Not as good as their "if you don't start drinking, I'm gonna leave!" that comes to mind on plenty of my dates...

[Keynsham]

*sigh*

[gang]

Fonte seems to me to be another Ruis, weak.

[One Martin Thomas]

Fonte seems to me to be another Ruis, weak.

10000000000000% !  Seems to be totally unsuitable to English game.

[Jims Dentist]

Glad to hear more people coming round to see the reality of things.

Pity he no longer posts but NOSE had been saying these things for months.

[Chutney]

One big factor that no one else seems to have mentioned is IMO we over achieved last year.

We were outside the top 6 for almost the entire season, and even that was with a lot of lucky late goals, no injuries, and playing out of our skins for the last few months.

I don't think our best XI is any weaker this year (as commented above, Norwood is only standing in for Cairney, and Fonte is no worse than a half-arsed Martin) and squad wise I maintain the view we've actually improved, but offset against more injuries, less luck and less desire, we're now being showing up as the bang average team we are.

This, we largely over performed last season, in no small part to Jokanovic getting the players performing above their level.

[Chutney]

So peed off ........instead of a lofty 5th sunk to dissapointingly flat 11th but worst still my expectations really tailed off today with the black cloud of a mid table finish much more of a possibility now.
That scenario also brings to the boil what goes with it......

Depressed and weather is too bad to make it to the pub.

We have a mid-table squad, did very well to finish in the play offs last season but its unfair to expect the same again this.

[@jolslover]

So peed off ........instead of a lofty 5th sunk to dissapointingly flat 11th but worst still my expectations really tailed off today with the black cloud of a mid table finish much more of a possibility now.
That scenario also brings to the boil what goes with it......

Depressed and weather is too bad to make it to the pub.

We have a mid-table squad, did very well to finish in the play offs last season but its unfair to expect the same again this.

Our squad is in the 6 best in the league. Dont even try and tell me it is not. However I agree we over-achieved from January onwards last year.

[Mince n Tatties]

Our squad is in the 6 best in the league. Dont even try and tell me it is not.

Is this based on any empirical evidence, objective reasoning... or just a feeling in your water?

lol.

[@jolslover]

Our squad is in the 6 best in the league. Dont even try and tell me it is not.

Is this based on any empirical evidence, objective reasoning... or just a feeling in your water?

Name 6 squads that are better ... I've got Wolves and Boro as definites. Villa as a probably. Who else?

Wednesday? Leeds? I don't think so.

[@jolslover]

Our squad is in the 6 best in the league. Dont even try and tell me it is not.

Is this based on any empirical evidence, objective reasoning... or just a feeling in your water?

Name 6 squads that are better ... I've got Wolves and Boro as definites. Villa as a probably. Who else?

Wednesday? Leeds? I don't think so.

You don't think so, fair enough, that's your opinion, but go on their forums and see how many Wednesday fans would swap any one of Forestieri, Rhodes, Winnal, Fletcher, Hooper and Joao for Fonte

I will see at the end of the season. He has played about 4 games out of position in a foreign league.

[davew]

One big factor that no one else seems to have mentioned is IMO we over achieved last year.

We were outside the top 6 for almost the entire season, and even that was with a lot of lucky late goals, no injuries, and playing out of our skins for the last few months.

I don't think our best XI is any weaker this year (as commented above, Norwood is only standing in for Cairney, and Fonte is no worse than a half-arsed Martin) and squad wise I maintain the view we've actually improved, but offset against more injuries, less luck and less desire, we're now being showing up as the bang average team we are.

Well said Statto, spot on!!