Re: And the panic continues.

[Burt]

We are in a curious position of having a good-ish manager, a good-ish team, but poor current form.

This is compounded by being a few points away from both the top half of the table, and the relegation zone. We are hovering between the two and have yet to move decisively one way or the other.

Add to that the heady mix of people with different opinions on what has gone wrong, and what the potential solutions are, and are bound to see a cross-section of views and reactions.

It all makes for an interesting life.

[Lighthouse]

Interesting read and needless to say I take everthing you say but come up with the opposite opinion. Why did we build a side around Dembele when he was always one of the players that could go? We knew it, the press knew it.

The Sunderland game was the turning point. Pure bad luck with the sending off and injury problems. But the team never recovered from that. I still read people talking about injury problems. We haven't many now. Then they say but Diarra is so important to us. Is he? Will his return change anything? Then we hear that Ruiz playing behind Berbatov is the answer. But we have only won once when both have started the game. Yes they don't always play in those positions.

So lack of form yes. The same mistakes being made on the field yes. But we play the same old way week in, week out. Jol, bless him has no idea how to change the tactics so we play to draw and not attack every game, home or away. At least that's the way it looks. No shots, no players in the area etc etc. That is why we don't deserve any better.

So promise we will not be relegated and I will hope you are right. But it is the club and the manager who have put us in this stupid position. What the hell are we doing playing like this? Time for a change. Less hope, more action needed.

[Andy S]

That was well reasoned and well written. The fact that we had no option but to sell the two D's is also a fact. I may make such a judgement when the Window closes on the 31st on the other hand I would like to think that Martin Joel is also aware of the problem and knows of a solution

[nose]

Very nicely put, but it pointless dwelling on the players that left, we can only choose from those we have. I miss the moose as much as any (he was my favourite player and the best I have seen in years) but he has gone.
I believe the current negatives far outweigh the positives, and most experienced people can see that.
The team is apparently structured to suit one player, he may be gifted but it isn't working, in fact it is having the opposite effect the rest of the team, we have become slightly shambolic just in an attempt to accomodate the bulgarian.

Football being a team game requires the well being of the whole team and should that never be sacrificed to accomodate one man, especially if that player doesbn't really play as a team player himself.

Jol praises Berba and ruiz endlessly in public, no matter how poor they are but is prepared to have a go at others, just listen to his last press conference re JAR. This has a massive negative effect on the team. It is well reported how Jol has fallen out with players,I think I recall  Defoe who wrote in a newspaper article what he was like at spurs and nothing much seems to have changed.

I suspect Jol has to deal with berba soon and try and rebuild team spirit which is so obviously lacking or we will go down, or at least get taken to the so called wire.

All is not klost, we do have good players and they are just underperforming.

Here is my team to beat Man utd

MS
Sasha brede aaron JAR
                Baird
Duff  sidwell Ruiz  Kaka
             Petric

I would play a little narrower across midfield like Roy, let ruiz float and make baird sit just in front of the back 4.

Ruiz to take all corners. Free kicks to go forward rather than the mania for quick sideways balls playing players into trouble so we inevitably go backwards.  Most goals, are scored from inside the penalty area and so I would attempt to get the ball in there more often. How often did we get in good positions against man city in the second half and then decide not to chance a cross or play an early ball to a runner, instead we turned round and went backwards. I would encourage the midfield to get forward quickly and support petric and get the ball in the box early.

At corners I want duff or A.N.Other to come in late at the far post in case the corner is over hit, we seem tio have an entire team near post.

I also want to play quick first time passing, playing the ball the way you are facing MacDonald style and then attack open spaces quickly if and when they appear. It is all really simple stuff that all the best teams do, but we don't. I think Berba is a wonderful talent but needs to be brought back down to planet earth. A little rest will sharpen him up and make him more of a team man, I would re-introduce him sparingly.

Frei is another I would like to see being given a better chance, I am not a great fan of dejagah because he is fasr too keen on doing flashy stuff, amad back heel that went wrong  V man city when we had a good position, eneded up with their man and they hit us on the break. He is also talented but does not use the grey matter so re-introduce slowly and offer some personal coaching.

I suspect jol will not pick my team for utd, berba will kill himself trying to do it all and we will fail miserably. My team would give them a game and I think could actually win because it is properly balanced and I think would have the right work ethic!

[FulhamMic]

We are in a curious position of having a good-ish manager, a good-ish team, but poor current form.

This is compounded by being a few points away from both the top half of the table, and the relegation zone. We are hovering between the two and have yet to move decisively one way or the other.

Add to that the heady mix of people with different opinions on what has gone wrong, and what the potential solutions are, and are bound to see a cross-section of views and reactions.

It all makes for an interesting life.

Best post I've read on here in a while, by a country mile  :Haynes The Maestro:

[FulhamMic]

but is prepared to have a go at others, just listen to his last press conference re JAR. This has a massive negative effect on the team. It is well reported how Jol has fallen out with players ,I think I recall Defoe who wrote in a newspaper article what he was like at Spurs and nothing much seems to have changed.

And you know this how? (referring to the part I've bolded)

JAR was dropped because his form had dipped. Jol has tried to counter this first with Briggs and then Richardson, and why not. From what I've read and seen, Jol hasn't attacked nor spoke derogatively of JAR but simply stated facts. As for falling out with players and it affecting form, I seem to remember that Spurs finished 5th in both his two full seasons there!

No manager gets on with all his players: Sanchez - the entire team, Hodgson - Bullard, Hughes - Pantsil & Gera, Jol - it remains to be seen.

My team would give them a game and I think could actually win because it is properly balanced and I think would have the right work ethic!

Curious as to when you did your badges? I'm assuming you have all the required qualifications of a Premier League manager to make such an statement. Perhaps Jol should hire you as an adviser, or perhaps you should simply get back to playing Football Manager.

[JBH]

That was well reasoned and well written. The fact that we had no option but to sell the two D's is also a fact. I may make such a judgement when the Window closes on the 31st on the other hand I would like to think that Martin Joel is also aware of the problem and knows of a solution

:plus one: I will also wait until the 31st as if Jol hasn't brought in any quality players by then I think it is going to be a real struggle COYW

[EJL]

I promise you, Fulham will not be relegated. There is the positives out of the way, but here's my attempt at understanding the negatives.

To start off with, Mousa Dembele. Possibly the best footballer I've ever seen in a Fulham shirt. Martin Jol spent his and the teams whole pre-season building a side on the basis of Dembele but only for Tottenham to suck out the heartbeat of the team. The two competitive games we played with Dembele this season was the demolition of Norwich City and a hardthought, brave, but unsuccessful loss against Manchester United. We were playing Sheffield Wednesday, and Dembele wasn't in the squad, that was when alarm bells about his exit had started. We were awful in the Capital One Cup game, and it does make me wonder now, in hindsight, whether that performance was a preview of what was to come. Following that poor performance was another one, away to West Ham. The signing of Andy Carroll appeared to excite everyone, the atmosphere was difficult and the West Ham players stepped up a gear and we simply weren't ready for that.

A Fulham side, perhaps buzzing on the home debut of Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov used that buzz to beat a very good West Brom side, in fact, Fulham made it look easy. Perhaps it was made easier with Odemwingie foolishly getting a red card. 2-0 up at half time we could enjoy possession of the ball and perhaps cruise to a victory. Along came our first away win of the season at Wigan. Arguably, they at least deserved a point but there's the key point, we scraped three points when perhaps we didn't deserve to. By no means was it a performance of Sheffield Wednesday standards but it was even and we just took our chances. Champions Manchester City visited Craven Cottage and we quite frankly got destroyed so I'll leave that as that.

The performances drop and things become inconsitent from here as we visited Southampton and it was only a Jose Fonte last gasp winner from a free kick that Kieran Richardson should never have conceded that stole the win away from us, at 2-1, we all believed that it was probably the winning goal, 88th minute goals that put you ahead are rarely equalised against. This was an even game that we had stolen but cruelly for us, Southampton got the point they deserved. Aston Villa came next and Bairdinho returned as we robbed three points from another relatively even game. The heart attack of the season, Reading away, was another we seemed to have stolen despite us dominating the game for the majority. We should have walked away with three points, rather Hal Robson Kanu nabbed a point for his side at the death and we dropped two points.

Everton at home, we could/should have lost 4/5-0 but instead drew 2-2 and stole a point from David Moyes' impressive Everton side lead by the aggresive Maroaune Fellaini. Then there was a hard fought point in a exciting game for the neutral as we drew 3-3 at Arsenal.

After this Arsenal result, our results were:

Sunderland (H) 1-3
Stoke City (A) 0-1
Chelsea (A) 0-0
Tottenham (H) 0-3
Newcastle (H) 2-1
QPR (A) 1-2
Liverpool (A) 0-4
Southampton (H) - 1-1
Swansea (H) 1-2
WBA (A) 2-1
Blackpool (H) 0-0
Wigan (H) 1-1
Blackpool (A) 2-1
Man City (A) 0-2

My point really, is that have we really dropped in form, or have we just somehow lost the ability to nab a game that we should get something from (performance wise)? For example, Sunderland home, performance wise we should have won but lost 3-1, the same goes for the home game against Swansea, we dominated but couldn't seem to put the ball in the goal.

I agree that the side is lacking a spark that is once had, but this post was basically asking the question that are we actually doing any worse than our performances say we should, i.e. are we playing well in games but not getting the results we 'deserve.' I think it's been a consistent inconsistent season and judging by how tight the table is and how depleted our squad has been over the season, we haven't done that bad at all.

Yes - even if we have lost 'the ability to nab a game' it's still poor form if you're not winning games
No- at the moment, we're not playing well and we're not getting the results.
Always appreciate your long posts – not many people put so much effort in – but, in my opinion, you're a bit off with your main point(s).

[nose]

but is prepared to have a go at others, just listen to his last press conference re JAR. This has a massive negative effect on the team. It is well reported how Jol has fallen out with players ,I think I recall Defoe who wrote in a newspaper article what he was like at Spurs and nothing much seems to have changed.

And you know this how? (referring to the part I've bolded)

JAR was dropped because his form had dipped. Jol has tried to counter this first with Briggs and then Richardson, and why not. From what I've read and seen, Jol hasn't attacked nor spoke derogatively of JAR but simply stated facts. As for falling out with players and it affecting form, I seem to remember that Spurs finished 5th in both his two full seasons there!

No manager gets on with all his players: Sanchez - the entire team, Hodgson - Bullard, Hughes - Pantsil & Gera, Jol - it remains to be seen.

My team would give them a game and I think could actually win because it is properly balanced and I think would have the right work ethic!

Curious as to when you did your badges? I'm assuming you have all the required qualifications of a Premier League manager to make such an statement. Perhaps Jol should hire you as an adviser, or perhaps you should simply get back to playing Football Manager.

I don't need to go to the sun to know its hot.
The negative effect is cause by having a go at a top proffesional in public, and that is what he did, but continuing to big up berba and ruiz no matter how poor they are and in the last few games their combined contribution has been awful. One of the first rules of any management is not to critises your players in public in the way he did. Did i say JAR wasn't a bit out of form.

Like so many of us after watching and playing for a life time, I am very well qualified to talk about team selection and tactics. I have offered the team I would play and a very cut down version of my approach, starngely most people would love to see our best dead ball kicker taking the all free kicks and corners, I am siure most people would love to see us have a at least one player at the back of the box at corners and I am sure most people would prefer to see us go forward at free kicks rather than sideways and back to the goalkeeper. What badges do you need to for any of that, I grant you my first touch of a moving football was never all that, but tactics and team selection is about getting the balance of the team on the field correct and the chemistry between the players.

By the way how do you know about hodgson and sanchez? Im not sure the whole team hated sanchez, I thinklmany were grateful to him for giving them their chances.

And just for your information, even though you  didn't really address the key issues of my post, I have never played a computer football game of that type and never would I. After all these years I still play and prefer the real thing.

[FulhamMic]

I don't need to go to the sun to know its hot.
The negative effect is cause by having a go at a top proffesional in public, and that is what he did, but continuing to big up berba and ruiz no matter how poor they are and in the last few games their combined contribution has been awful. One of the first rules of any management is not to critises your players in public in the way he did. Did i say JAR wasn't a bit out of form.

Like so many of us after watching and playing for a life time, I am very well qualified to talk about team selection and tactics. I have offered the team I would play and a very cut down version of my approach, starngely most people would love to see our best dead ball kicker taking the all free kicks and corners, I am siure most people would love to see us have a at least one player at the back of the box at corners and I am sure most people would prefer to see us go forward at free kicks rather than sideways and back to the goalkeeper. What badges do you need to for any of that, I grant you my first touch of a moving football was never all that, but tactics and team selection is about getting the balance of the team on the field correct and the chemistry between the players.

By the way how do you know about hodgson and sanchez? Im not sure the whole team hated sanchez, I thinklmany were grateful to him for giving them their chances.

And just for your information, even though you  didn't really address the key issues of my post, I have never played a computer football game of that type and never would I. After all these years I still play and prefer the real thing.

You may choose to quote a nice little metaphor, but it certainly doesn't prove your point. When it comes to the PL and especially the English press, most players ignore it; in fact most celebrities of all mediums do as it's the only way to stay sane. Therefore, how will they know what Jol may or may not have said. But on that note, I've watched his interviews and in no way has he criticised JAR, he simply stated a fact; that he was having a run of bad form. If that's all it takes to upset a squad of 25 grown men then we should all pack up now and forget about football! Managers make comments about players all the time, probably to spur a reaction or to stamp their authority and that's not necessarily a bad thing. The manager is in charge and his squad need to remember that. There's no hard and fast man-management rules because every player is an individual and they will respond in different ways. And to that end, I'll bet Jol knows anyone in his squad far better than any of us willing to speculate here on FoF.

Watching and playing football does not a manager make! When people suggest who should be doing this, or who should be doing that, they often don't take into account what else that player could or should be doing. For instance our best dead ball kicker may also be our best header, and therefore can't be taking the kick and be in the box at the same time. Or, they may always deliver the same ball, which after one or two free kicks becomes predictable and easy to defend for the opposition.

I'm not sure about your comment regarding players on the far post as we always seem to have at least one!?

You're right, it is about balance, but at the moment our team unbalanced. Jol is being forced to play players out of position and is asking them to cover areas they've no or little experience in. The result being our sideways and backwards play. This will only be resolved if he's backed in the transfer window and we ride our luck with injuries. Chemistry isn't something that happens over night, it's built up over time by players playing with the same players, in the same positions. Again, through the loss of key players, through injuries and through suspensions our squad haven't had this luxury which is why at times we can look so disjointed.

Hodgson and Bullard was widely reported and ended with his move to Hull. Sanchez publicly blamed the entire squad for trying to get him sacked; need I say more.

The fact is it's all very easy for us armchair managers to offer the perfect solution to what's happening, but none of us really know how to manager a PL football team; how to man manage 25 players who all want to play; how to deal with public personalities when their form dips; how a transfer actually works; how to persuade a chairman to back you; how to convince a target that your club is the right one for him; how to actually transfer what you see and train on the training pitch to the football pitch; ... the list goes on and on. 

[nose]

I don't need to go to the sun to know its hot.
The negative effect is cause by having a go at a top proffesional in public, and that is what he did, but continuing to big up berba and ruiz no matter how poor they are and in the last few games their combined contribution has been awful. One of the first rules of any management is not to critises your players in public in the way he did. Did i say JAR wasn't a bit out of form.

Like so many of us after watching and playing for a life time, I am very well qualified to talk about team selection and tactics. I have offered the team I would play and a very cut down version of my approach, starngely most people would love to see our best dead ball kicker taking the all free kicks and corners, I am siure most people would love to see us have a at least one player at the back of the box at corners and I am sure most people would prefer to see us go forward at free kicks rather than sideways and back to the goalkeeper. What badges do you need to for any of that, I grant you my first touch of a moving football was never all that, but tactics and team selection is about getting the balance of the team on the field correct and the chemistry between the players.

By the way how do you know about hodgson and sanchez? Im not sure the whole team hated sanchez, I thinklmany were grateful to him for giving them their chances.

And just for your information, even though you  didn't really address the key issues of my post, I have never played a computer football game of that type and never would I. After all these years I still play and prefer the real thing.

You may choose to quote a nice little metaphor, but it certainly doesn't prove your point. When it comes to the PL and especially the English press, most players ignore it; in fact most celebrities of all mediums do as it's the only way to stay sane. Therefore, how will they know what Jol may or may not have said. But on that note, I've watched his interviews and in no way has he criticised JAR, he simply stated a fact; that he was having a run of bad form. If that's all it takes to upset a squad of 25 grown men then we should all pack up now and forget about football! Managers make comments about players all the time, probably to spur a reaction or to stamp their authority and that's not necessarily a bad thing. The manager is in charge and his squad need to remember that. There's no hard and fast man-management rules because every player is an individual and they will respond in different ways. And to that end, I'll bet Jol knows anyone in his squad far better than any of us willing to speculate here on FoF.

Watching and playing football does not a manager make! When people suggest who should be doing this, or who should be doing that, they often don't take into account what else that player could or should be doing. For instance our best dead ball kicker may also be our best header, and therefore can't be taking the kick and be in the box at the same time. Or, they may always deliver the same ball, which after one or two free kicks becomes predictable and easy to defend for the opposition.

I'm not sure about your comment regarding players on the far post as we always seem to have at least one!?

You're right, it is about balance, but at the moment our team unbalanced. Jol is being forced to play players out of position and is asking them to cover areas they've no or little experience in. The result being our sideways and backwards play. This will only be resolved if he's backed in the transfer window and we ride our luck with injuries. Chemistry isn't something that happens over night, it's built up over time by players playing with the same players, in the same positions. Again, through the loss of key players, through injuries and through suspensions our squad haven't had this luxury which is why at times we can look so disjointed.

Hodgson and Bullard was widely reported and ended with his move to Hull. Sanchez publicly blamed the entire squad for trying to get him sacked; need I say more.

The fact is it's all very easy for us armchair managers to offer the perfect solution to what's happening, but none of us really know how to manager a PL football team; how to man manage 25 players who all want to play; how to deal with public personalities when their form dips; how a transfer actually works; how to persuade a chairman to back you; how to convince a target that your club is the right one for him; how to actually transfer what you see and train on the training pitch to the football pitch; ... the list goes on and on. 

so we should ignore the media ..... except when you choose not to ignore it re hodgson and even sanchez didn't quite put it like that if memory serves.
Managing isn't so hard, don't be fooled by the hype, which is all most of it is. The badges are relatively meaningless but the do make for a qualification which enables a closed shop to remain even more closed.

In just management terms, and I run my own business, the way he praises just two players endlessly,no matter how poor they are and they have been,  but is content to comment negatively on others is a disaster, it's something you learn when buiolding a team (any team of people not just football).

When I say far opost i really mean back of the penalty area I thought that was obvious, and clearly we often overhit the ball and have nobody coming in late or already there.

We are only playing players out of position to accomodate berbatov and that is petric and rodders when they are given an opportunity.

And even if you don't agree with my analysis, you haven't commented on my selection which is clearly a properly balanced team, not like the side we put out on Saturday. The issue is berba and ruiz do not make for a proper strike parnership, we end up without any forwards. You cannot win without a forward line unless you are barca and they have exceptional talent that they can interleve.

I wonder do you have a go at anyone that suggests an alternative 11 to Jol's choice?

Your loyalty to the manager is admirable but i support the club not the manager and have to speak up when things are very wrong.

[FulhamMic]

We are only playing players out of position to accomodate berbatov and that is petric and rodders when they are given an opportunity.

Nope. Karagounis has always played an advanced roll, yet we're asking him to play much deeper and protect the back four. Ruiz is not a central midfielder and yet has been played there on numerous occasions, and Baird has spent most of his career as a centre-back or right-back; again he's not a central midfielder, but was used as cover under Hodgson and Hughes. None of this has anything to do with Berbatov, but instead to do with Diarra's injuries and Sidwell's injuries and suspensions.

And even if you don't agree with my analysis, you haven't commented on my selection which is clearly a properly balanced team, not like the side we put out on Saturday.

Playing Baird and Ruiz in midfield is not a balanced team.

I wonder do you have a go at anyone that suggests an alternative 11 to Jol's choice?

Not having a go, but just because you offer an alternative doesn't mean I have to agree with it.

Your loyalty to the manager is admirable but i support the club not the manager and have to speak up when things are very wrong.

I support the club, and at this point Jol is a very big and integral part of that club. I also trust in the MD and the owner to do what's best for the club, as they have done many times over the years.

[Arthur]

Jol praises Berba and ruiz endlessly in public, no matter how poor they are but is prepared to have a go at others, just listen to his last press conference re JAR.

I haven't heard the interview. What did Jol say?

[FulhamMic]

I haven't heard the interview. What did Jol say?

Nothing other than he was simply having a bad run of form. It's on the official site, and on the BBC match report so it's there for all to see.

[timmyg]

Good stuff Frankie.

Problem with this season is that it feels we're constantly waiting. The mood has been a restless projection.

We were waiting for Dempsey and Dembele to stay or go
We were waiting for Berba to acclimate to the squad
We were waiting for Ruiz to recover from injury
We were waiting for for the January transfer window to start
We are waiting for Fulham to sign someone
We will be waiting whoever we sign to acclimate to the squad
We will be waiting for this season to finally end

Granted, it's partially warranted, but I just wish we could enjoy the present. Feels like politics where we keep discussing the next election instead of focusing on the current congress/parliament

[TonyGilroy]

Recorded by Hank Williams, Sr.
Words and music by Hank Williams, Sr. and Bob Gazzaway

The [G] old maid's waitin' for leap year to come
The crooner's Just Waitin' to [C] sing
The [D7] old cow's standin' by the Bull Durham sign
Just a-Waitin' for the grass to turn [G] green.

The [G] bar-fly's waitin' for an easy mark
'N' the hitch-hiker's waitin' for a [C] ride
The [D7] life-termer's waitin' for a prison break
The beachcomber's waitin' for the [G] ride. (tide)

Farmer's daughter's waitin' for the salesman
To take her into town
The city slicker's waitin' for the country boy
To lay all his money down.

You know ev'rything comes to a standstill
Nothin' seems to make a turn
Worm must be waitin' for the early bird
I guess the early bird's waitin' for the worm.

Nobody wants to do nothin'
Just Waitin' to get a finger in the pie
Waitin' for a call from a big quiz show
Or hopin' and a-waitin'for some rich uncle to die. (deleted 'and')

Katy, she's waitin' at the garden gate
The moonshiner's waitin' at the still
'N' the gambler's still waitin' for that Ace in the hole
I guess Jack's still waitin' for Jill.

Ev'rybody's waitin' for som'thin'
Nothing seems to turn out right
'Cause the night shift's waitin' for mornin'
And the burglar Just Waitin' for night.

The congregation's waitin' for the preacher
Preacher Just Waitin' for the groom
The groom's Just Waitin' for the June bride
And the bride's Just Waitin' for June.

Sunflow'rs waitin' for the sunshine
Violets Just Waitin' for dew
Bees Just Waitin' for honey
And, honey, -- I'm -- Just -- Waitin' -- for -- you.

[ToodlesMcToot]

I thought that this season was Dembélé's last under his Fulham contract. Was I wrong?

[Bassey the warrior]

I think the blame ought to be shared more evenly, Jol seems to be bearing the brunt of it. The main problem is lack of players. We've needed to strengthen our centre back position for a number of years now, we badly lack pace and it's particularly evident under Jol's more open system.
We're still suffering from losing Dembele, we lack any real creativity in midfield which means that Berbatov and Ruiz have to drop deep thus stunting our attacking potential.
We also lack a holding midfielder to protect the slow centre backs. Sidwell seems uncomfortable playing that role as he has the urge to drive forward. Diarra would've been a good choice.
A top class goalkeeper wouldn't go amiss either.

Secondly the stubborness of Jol. He refuses to adapt the system to the players we have. I like what he's trying to do but sometimes you need to be pragmatic. Also his substitutions have been rather bewildering in recent times. Furthermore an unwillingness to take off Ruiz and Berbatov can lead to complacency, although over the course of the season they've been two of our best players.

Finally the players themselves and in particular Hangeland. They lack the fight that we'd expect of a Premier League team. I would put a lot of this down to not having a leader in the team, much like with Arsenal in recent seasons. Karagounis and Diarra are the only natural leaders I've seen in our squad.

[Bassey the warrior]

I thought that this season was Dembélé's last under his Fulham contract. Was I wrong?

You were right. There did seem to be a belief by Jol that he would sign a new contract though.

[OdecaMynoT]

What us,the supporters see is the end product on the pitch. Yes we're all armchair managers and deem to be able the rights and wrongs of our team,but clearly 'the wrongs' seem to far outweigh 'the rights'

by a considerable amount at the moment.

We've been seeing that for several weeks.The loss against Sunderland kicked it off for me.

A squad/team full of ageing players,(albeit experienced) lacking in pace and passion,(George K excepted) are being outmanoeuvred wholesale.

We hear all the bs 'spin' from the club website but a gut instinct says that there is a deeper malaise that is affecting performances. Hangeland,who I think is like the 'barometer' of camaraderie and

dressing room bonhomie, is heading out the door imo. That scenario seems unthinkable considering what a genuine bloke he appears to be.



Ok we may avoid relegation,but I think it will only be because other teams,like Newcastle,Norwich,Villa are going down the toilet too.At least they manage a few shots on goal just to prove they're having a

go.