Hollow Parkinson

Another very predictable Thursday press conference with Phil Parkinson. "We need a positive reaction" was the first familiar understatement. "So far this week, training had indicated we'll get that" was the second. We don't have a record of reacting particularly well to any poor display under Phil Parkinson or any of his immediate predecessors for that matter. If we are honest, our side is short of characters and players willing to shoulder the burden of responsibility. I don't understand how training tells us we will get a reaction to a bad performance and humiliating defeat. Perhaps the players are all laughing and joking and getting on with it? Maybe they are all stern faced and crunching into tackles with gritted teeth? Whatever it is, it's a big leap to claiming we are going to bounce back, especially when it's plainly not happened in the past.


Phil then went on to try to show us that he is not taking last weeks trouncing lightly. No Sirree! "Some people won't be playing on Saturday who played against Millwall because I feel there has to be some changes." Yes Phil, there has to be some changes although the wording you use makes it sound like they will be made to appease the fans or the Board rather than your personal view that they are needed. He goes on to say that "there are people out of the team who deserve to play." No Phil, there people in the team last week who don't deserve to play. We have had more than enough changes in recent weeks, all largely to no avail, so I am not convinced there are too many who deserve to play but plenty who don't. The trouble with our current squad is that there doesn't appear to be the hunger to be in the first eleven that many inferior playing squads have. Substitutions have rarely worked for us.


One player who will go straight in is Gary Borrowdale, the 24 year-old former Palace left back who is surplus to requirements at QPR. This comes as no surprise bearing in mind our current shortages and the Board must be credited for putting their hands in their pockets again for the next six games as we try to get the results needed to take the season into extra-time. 


On the basis that Elliot has to play and Richardson holds the right back spot, the options for changes in defence look limited to Llera and Dailly. Neither had good matches at Millwall but we can only afford to drop one and I suspect it will be Llera. In midfield, Reid has hamstring trouble, so Parky will probably rest him anyway as one of the easy options for showing his ruthlessness. Expect Lloyd Sam to return and probably Waggy or Jonjo. The folly of playing Bailey out of position has to have sunk in by now and I expect him to be back in the middle with Semedo. Racon deserves to be dropped and the only question-mark for me is whether we play 4-5-1 or 4-4-2. 


Up front, David Mooney has come in for universal criticism although Akpo did little more against the Lions. I expect Deon Burton to return if fit and Leon MacKenzie might get another chance alongside him with Akpo held in reserve for a substitutes appearance. I am left wondering what Parky will tell us next week.