Could/should we really be expecting more?

[Sheff de party]

We have a team that, at least results-wise, was pretty rubbish after Christmas and we have almost the same team now. I can only assume CW thought Coutts would be fit and that’s set his plans back.

We started as a surprise package last year, but teams figured out how we play and put a stop to it. If you don’t add quality or vary the way you play, teams will be ready for us. They literally sit and watch tapes of you and plan for it. It’s the same explanation for ‘second season syndrome’ in the Premier League.

We needed to change how we play or get players in who are too good to stop, but we haven’t done either. It’s always ‘ball out wide, attempt low cross’ and it’s the same players doing the crossing.

We’ll comfortably stay up, but surely this was always going to be mid-table at best given the lack of quality added to a team that still contains League One players.

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got...

 

[Whiston Blade]

I can only assume CW thought Coutts would be fit and that’s set his plans back.

Pinning all hope on one player who's coming back from a broken leg isn't a great idea.

We’ll comfortably stay up, but surely this was always going to be mid-table at best given the lack of quality added to a team that still contains League One players.

Let's wait and see.

 

[BladeInIreland]

I think we will comfortably stay up. This job will take years without significant investment. I didn't set anything other than survival last year and I won't this year. If in a couple of years we own more than two top 6 standard players then I might shift my position.

 

[pommpey]

Pinning all hope on one player who's coming back from a broken leg isn't a great idea.

Exactamundo. Now we've had a less-than-satisfactory start to the campaign, the pressure and expectation on Coutts from both fans and rest of team is way above what it should be. He isn't Lionel Messi, and was once shitola until Wilder suddenly had him playing in a midfield which produced the components for Billy and Leon. That form aint gonna return overnight if at all this season, so let's not get deluded that his return will fix our shit.

pommpey

 

[Ricky]

We should certainly have expected proper reinvestment of the Brooks money.

 

[Smirth]

We should certainly have expected proper reinvestment of the Brooks money.

And having not done so is just further proof that despite what some may say, nothing has changed.

People pinning their hopes on Coutts would do well to remember how he was when we first signed him, when he was coming back from a bad injury. I’d be amazed if he gets close to the player he was at the start of last season at all this season.

Mid table at best this season is what I expected. After this dire start we could well be looking further down, but it’s still early days yet.

 

[pommpey]

We should certainly have expected proper reinvestment of the Brooks money.

It is. The four million downpayment has paid for a central defender of (so-far) dubious quality and the mythical balance is paying for wages, because the cash allocated for wages is paying off ex-manager, standing debt and other sundry costings. It's how shit flips in football, apparently. Ask Wolves, Cardiff and Fulham

pommpey

 

[Sheff de party]

Pinning all hope on one player who's coming back from a broken leg isn't a great idea.



Let's wait and see.

Completely agree re pinning hopes. I meant it as a serious criticism but reading back it probably reads like I’m defending it. Pinning all your hopes on one player is a terrible idea whether he’s injured or not.

We had no plan B for Coutts being injured and we tried to buy one last January. This has failed and has not been rectified after another transfer window with supposedly more money available.

 

[Gimli]

Some of our best players are getting old - Duffy, Billy, Leon and we haven’t been able to replace them with similar quality - the loss of our best player to injury (arguably best player) has compounded this.

Our most exciting player being sold has not helped.

 

[Bladesman]

Always expect more.