WBA thoughts - nobody should be surprised

[Revolution]

The only surprising thing about tonight, and our start generally, is that people didn’t foresee it. I have been saying for some months that people predicting top 6 or higher for these players were deranged. I suspect more people share this view now.

WBA aren’t exactly Man City but they are smart in the sense that they are built for this 46 game slog. Big, strong, pacy players who are playing to their strengths. And they are building all the time: they are constantly evolving and bringing in fresh blood, like Mowatt for example.

in contrast, every single player who started tonight was with us in 2019-20. Many of them have suffered a major decline in form (complete collapse in some cases) or, in the case of the likes of Robinson, were never good enough to begin with. But nothing has been done to improve things. Nothing by Wilder, the board, or Jokanovic. “They’ll come good a level below” seems to be the mantra.

We are left with a bunch of slow, puny, chicken hearted players who couldn’t create or score a goal of their lives depended on it. The midfield is less creative than any we saw under Clough or Adkins. The forwards are all out of form or not good enough. The defence is under far too much pressure to stay clear of errors. The only competent goalkeeper on the books is about to be sold with no competent replacement on the books.

Huddersfield will be a good test because we will see how we compare to a team tipped for relegation.

Some player comments:

Verrips: should never play again (but he will, as we won’t get anyone in). Puny. Presented them with the second goal and never jumped for the fourth.

The back 4: looked like an average Championship defence having an off night. Keep possession aimlessly before playing a hospital ball or hoofing it.

Fleck and Norwood: finished
Berge: can’t believe he’s fooled so many people for so long. Basically just hides.

Sharp: too hard for him against the big lads. Gave us the one quality moment of the evening
McGoldrick: the only one not bringing the form of last season. He’s got his 2019-20 form.

Freeman: may as well play him. No one else in midfield is going to do anything useful.

McBurnie and Burke: rubbish players.

Jokanovic: I’m sure he didn’t think it would be this bad. You can’t do anything with this bunch. We need 5 or 6 new players. He won’t be here next season, you can bet in that.

What a bunch of losers.

 

[Deadbat]

The bunch of losers comment may irk some but is true

These lads were winners and heroes to use for 3-4 years but for nigh on 18 months they have lost. Every bloody week almost. They either dont care or are not good enough to turn it around - maybe a bit of both. I got slammed a lot last year for saying these players were not putting enough effort in and many said it was just the level they were at? Maybe some of them are league one players as Wilder said last year.

Sad to see but like with Wilder it is sad to see players like Norwood, Fleck, Stevens and to a lesser extent Baldock, Egan, Bash, Sharp and McGoldrick struggle to much and to the point where many of them (maybe Egan the only one you could exclude) are probably not going to be part of our future for much longer on current form. It is really sad but we have to be ruthless now. Not sure many would want any of the above but we need to freshen things up and fast. It's more than formations/tactics I am afraid as much as everyone discusses that to death. I am not sure whatever we play will galvanise these lads who seem mentally shot.

 

[Gannon's perm]

I don't think anyone could argue against the bunch of losers comment. All they've done for the best part of a year and half is lose. It's become so ingrained, that I don't know how you shake it off.

We've looked every bit as bad, as we did last year, in a lower division. Every player seems to lack confidence and fight. We don't score and we don't create. We were lucky to only lose by 4. It wouldn't have flattered them to lose by 6 or 7.

 

[Micky Narker]

I agree. This bunch of players has had a losing mentality for ages. If no transfers come in then I fear the worst. Hope this season isnt just a relegation scrap.

 

[Tezza1889]

Think the op is on the money, it's like thier ambitions have vanished when the premiership box got ticked off the bucket list, they'll probably realise they'd be pushing for a promotion so some other player would come into the club and get to play in thier position if we did go back up.. And have sort of said fuck it..

They're not doing a good job of selling themselves to prospective new clubs either, so I believe they have to have a strong look at themselves and decide what they want out of football, do they want to have a go at it, or just tread water and pick a wage up, because we won't stand for the latter..

Despite all the credit some of the players have in the bank, If they think the fans won't turn on them for not trying they can think again, the minimum is to put a fight up, and take clear cut chances if you want to be called a striker....

Were not even doing the basics, and although early, if we get mired in the bottom three because the players are still butt hurt from relegation, then there's a real chance we can drop again, hanging around the bottom 3 at Xmas never ends well..

This is not a knee jerk reaction, I see nothing from the players that I haven't seen in the last season... They look as stale as ever, and definitely not up for a fight to get promoted..
I had high hopes..