The relegation siren continues to wail in SE7 after we lost this 'must-win' match against relegation rivals Middlesbrough. Three defeats in eight days against three sides short on confidence and we have failed to score a single goal.
Boro rolled into SE7 with six draws and six defeats in their last dozen games and didn't even need to call on Brit Assombalonga from the bench. They scored after 17 minutes having taken the game to us and they never really looked in any trouble after that. They moved better than us, supported the man on the ball better than us and avoiding any unnecessary gamesmanship which could not be said for us.
We missed Tom Lockyer again and whilst Oshilaja battled manfully, he and Pearce were wobbling throughout. Purrington and Matthews battled to keep us in it. The real trouble was that our midfield was all over the shop. Cullen didn't see enough of the ball and Pratley did plenty of scrapping but was second-best too often. Lapslie struggling to get a touch and Williams was isolated behind the front two for too long.
Taylor was guilty today of spending too much effort trying to win free-kicks rather than beating his man. It earned him a booking for simulation. It's hugely frustrating watching a player of his ability reduced to trying to win free-kicks because he doesn't have the support or quality around him to be focusing all his efforts on creating and scoring. In saying this, he had little to feed on, so perhaps it was the best way he could try to get us level?
Andre Green had a better game than most but again he was isolated too often when he received the ball. If he wasn't on his own when he picked the ball up, he was by the time he had run 15 yards into the opposition.
Bonne, Doughty and Hemed (again) came on for Lapslie, Purrington and Williams but with little effect. I really can't see why Bowyer perseveres with Hemed. He has played a dozen games or so and he hasn't even come close to scoring and I can't remember him doing anything of note or even creating a goal. If McGeady doesn't deserve another chance, I can't see why we keep calling on Hemed.
There are some absolutely embarrassing comments and statements on social media once again tonight about how we are now relegated and how hopeless Bowyer is. It really is cringeworthy and reflects very badly on all those who were crowing earlier in the season when we were riding high. The simple truth is that this division is about money. Even clueless Roland Duchatelet knew that and the facts are that the clubs with the smallest budgets invariably finish in the bottom six. No surprise then this evening that it's Barnsley, Luton and us occupying the drop zone. The three relative paupers who came up last season.
We have a right to be asking questions this evening but most of them need directing at East Street Investments and the Chairman, Matt Southall. So far we have been conned. The grand acquisition was soon revealed to be the football club only, which Duchatelet was willing to sell for £1. We were told that ESI have an option and an obligation to buy the Valley and Sparrows Lane within six months because we couldn't await Due Diligence because they wanted to maximise the January transfer window. We then flattered to deceive in the window with a farcical interest in signing Maddison and Toney before completing three loan signings on the last day. Of those, one is clearly not ready, one is a journeyman and the other a faded flash-in-the-pan who hasn't even been bothered to really try since he was signed. Zero news on Due Diligence and I will wager that there won't be any for months and then there will be an excuse not to commit.
In summary then, we are in trouble on the field and maybe a larger problem off it. If ESI have not invested anything significant so far in acquiring the club (happy to be proven wrong), there has to be a real risk that they are winging it and hoping to bring in investment to carry on. You have to wonder who would invest significantly in just the football club (no assets beyond the squad) which could quickly be losing millions a season in League One? You also have to question Matt Southall's credibility here too. His CV doesn't shriek 'raging success' to would-be investors and who are these shadowy Arab owners who need third party investment in a club they don't appear to have made any big commitment in themselves?
If we go down without investment, there has to be a real risk ESI will look to get out and we really are in hot water at that point. Duchatelet's assets are largely worthless all the time the football club exists but they would appreciate in value rapidly if we went out-of-business or were materially downgraded, relegated or relocated. Hard to imagine things could get worse from Duchatelet but it looks entirely possible. ESI really need to stand up and show some commitment now before things get away from them.
Boro rolled into SE7 with six draws and six defeats in their last dozen games and didn't even need to call on Brit Assombalonga from the bench. They scored after 17 minutes having taken the game to us and they never really looked in any trouble after that. They moved better than us, supported the man on the ball better than us and avoiding any unnecessary gamesmanship which could not be said for us.
We missed Tom Lockyer again and whilst Oshilaja battled manfully, he and Pearce were wobbling throughout. Purrington and Matthews battled to keep us in it. The real trouble was that our midfield was all over the shop. Cullen didn't see enough of the ball and Pratley did plenty of scrapping but was second-best too often. Lapslie struggling to get a touch and Williams was isolated behind the front two for too long.
Taylor was guilty today of spending too much effort trying to win free-kicks rather than beating his man. It earned him a booking for simulation. It's hugely frustrating watching a player of his ability reduced to trying to win free-kicks because he doesn't have the support or quality around him to be focusing all his efforts on creating and scoring. In saying this, he had little to feed on, so perhaps it was the best way he could try to get us level?
Andre Green had a better game than most but again he was isolated too often when he received the ball. If he wasn't on his own when he picked the ball up, he was by the time he had run 15 yards into the opposition.
Bonne, Doughty and Hemed (again) came on for Lapslie, Purrington and Williams but with little effect. I really can't see why Bowyer perseveres with Hemed. He has played a dozen games or so and he hasn't even come close to scoring and I can't remember him doing anything of note or even creating a goal. If McGeady doesn't deserve another chance, I can't see why we keep calling on Hemed.
There are some absolutely embarrassing comments and statements on social media once again tonight about how we are now relegated and how hopeless Bowyer is. It really is cringeworthy and reflects very badly on all those who were crowing earlier in the season when we were riding high. The simple truth is that this division is about money. Even clueless Roland Duchatelet knew that and the facts are that the clubs with the smallest budgets invariably finish in the bottom six. No surprise then this evening that it's Barnsley, Luton and us occupying the drop zone. The three relative paupers who came up last season.
We have a right to be asking questions this evening but most of them need directing at East Street Investments and the Chairman, Matt Southall. So far we have been conned. The grand acquisition was soon revealed to be the football club only, which Duchatelet was willing to sell for £1. We were told that ESI have an option and an obligation to buy the Valley and Sparrows Lane within six months because we couldn't await Due Diligence because they wanted to maximise the January transfer window. We then flattered to deceive in the window with a farcical interest in signing Maddison and Toney before completing three loan signings on the last day. Of those, one is clearly not ready, one is a journeyman and the other a faded flash-in-the-pan who hasn't even been bothered to really try since he was signed. Zero news on Due Diligence and I will wager that there won't be any for months and then there will be an excuse not to commit.
In summary then, we are in trouble on the field and maybe a larger problem off it. If ESI have not invested anything significant so far in acquiring the club (happy to be proven wrong), there has to be a real risk that they are winging it and hoping to bring in investment to carry on. You have to wonder who would invest significantly in just the football club (no assets beyond the squad) which could quickly be losing millions a season in League One? You also have to question Matt Southall's credibility here too. His CV doesn't shriek 'raging success' to would-be investors and who are these shadowy Arab owners who need third party investment in a club they don't appear to have made any big commitment in themselves?
If we go down without investment, there has to be a real risk ESI will look to get out and we really are in hot water at that point. Duchatelet's assets are largely worthless all the time the football club exists but they would appreciate in value rapidly if we went out-of-business or were materially downgraded, relegated or relocated. Hard to imagine things could get worse from Duchatelet but it looks entirely possible. ESI really need to stand up and show some commitment now before things get away from them.
Gallagher was a massive kick in the gonads but ESI had a chance of showing their metal by acquiring an adequate replacement.
ReplyDeleteThe reliance on returning injured players to steer us clear of relegation was pure folly, to hit the ground running after long term injury ???? come on ffs.
We always had fight but it has deserted us, its palpably not a happy camp, my guess is, is that Bowyer, Gallen and Jackson have sussed that ESI are full of shit and they're extremely unhappy with the situation, in turn this is having an affect on the players.
I said at the start of the season, that if Bowyer keeps us up on goal difference only, then he should be manager of the year.
My heart says Bowyer can pull thos out the bag.....my head however.
PH
I don't want to believe you, Dave, I really don't but there are some very worrying signs coming from ESI... Please prove me wrong Messrs Southall & Co
ReplyDeleteIt's a big ask with very few championship quality players in our squad, we had to strengthen in January but missed the boat.
ReplyDelete