We were shocking yesterday - and (Bellusci's 2nd half performance aside) I can't even blame the players.
To play good football, a team need to either play to their physical strengths or have intelligent footballers.
Absolutely no strategy to our transfer policy & multiple managers has left us with a one dimensional team, too many players of a similar style and and no identity or tactical plan to our play.
Evans had a nightmare yesterday. What were the reasons for changing the winning side? When he saw we couldn't get the ball out of our own box in the 2nd half, why'd it take so long to bring on Wood so we could make something stick? Why was our on form striker playing on the wing? I don't mind him dropping back to number 10, but he's on a streak - just get the ball in the box to him!
But this all basically moot. We all know why we have so much to gripe about.
Cellino has given us a bang average squad, a terrible manager, and now, a livid fanbase.
Two tough games ahead - it's going to be a long run in.
Ratings, for what they're worth.
Silvestri - 5
Good safe against an average penalty. The minute they started getting balls in the box he looked unsteady.
Berardi - 5
Quiet but efficient first half but was one of many at fault for not being able to read Hudders' play.
Bamba - 5
Yes he's great in the air but his lack of pace and any vision in the pass hamper him. Got dealt with in the 2nd half by their striker.
Bellusci - 4
Composed & looked to offer spark from the back in the first half and we were all talking like we may now have a player on our hands, but completely lost his head in the 2nd and looked like the frustrating player of old with his emotions dictating his game.
Taylor - 6
The one defender that impressed. But, one burst into the box aside, very toothless on the attack.
Dalls - 6
Some final balls were questionable, but when there's no striker in the box and Murphy trudging from 25 yards out, what can he do?
Murphy - 5
Anonymous & toothless - get rid.
Bridcutt - 7
The only player on the pitch who could actually play a crucial role in getting a championship team promoted. Fantastic at reading the play, combative for his size and lovely passing. The only brightside yesterday - no way he's sticking about this summer
Mowatt - 5
Out of position and out of ideas. I like him as a number 10 as his lack of pace hampers him elsewhere, but that would mean shifting from the 442 Evans has married us to.
Doukara - 5
Let's be honest, he's not that good is he. But, at this level, his running and strength do cause a problem. He can't pass, doesn't look up and has the touch of a you know what. Not a first teamer for me. He ran & ran yesterday but the lack of any game plan made him ineffective.
Ant - 5
First half he caused a lot of problems dropping back and linking up with Dallas, Bridcutt and the full backs. But as soon as we were under the cosh, he served as no outlet for us - spent more time in our own half (wasn't it him that gave away the corner for their 2nd?).
Shambles
posted on 20/3/16
Maybe after the 3 wins Evans tried to get clever and make tactical and personnel changes. However he is no Guardiola and we're not good enough to do that. You find a winning formulae and you stick with it. You certainly don't play your in form goal scorer out wide.was prepared to see Brighton game as a one off disaster but another one so soon is unforgivable.
posted on 20/3/16
I reckon Evans has that mad scientist side to him.
Bywater are you thinking that MC is pulling a similar trick to last season when he forced Ant out over goals clause in his contract? It's possible. But for me this screams of a coach out thinking himself. Again.
posted on 20/3/16
We saw it at Brighton when he brought Wooton back in at right back and played Coyle in right midfield. When he stops and thinks he is dangerous. It's a simple game but we just don't have the quality to mess around with our side like this. If Cellino did have a hand in this he knows even less about football than I previously thought.
posted on 20/3/16
The manager changed the team for each of the last three wins also.
posted on 20/3/16
it wouldn't surpise me if mr cellino is up to his usual tricks. Antenucci's contract situation last season springs to mind. That it was going to trigger a clause if he scored too many goals. Are we looking at a similar situation again this season? I reckon cellino doesn't want promotion at all because he will be penalised & scrutinised more by the FL. The FL will probably be in a stronger position ( more powers ) to get rid of him if we were in the prem. There is also the small matter of money owed to various organisations upon promotion. You can bet your life on it he is pulling the strings & evans is his puppet. Cellino the 'Puppet Master'. I could be barking up the wrong tree but nothing surprises me anymore. It makes me shudder to think what is really going on & has gone on behind the scenes. The sooner a change in ownership the better & it may even be happening as we speak. I dont claim to know these things. Its not my area, it is sheer conjecture, speculation, whatever you want to call it.
posted on 20/3/16
Of course he wants promotion, it's worth 100m a year. If he's prepared to spend more money trying to achieve it is another matter entirely. As for Antennuci, I think his contract runs out this summer no matter how many goals? Don't know for sure on that though.
posted on 20/3/16
yes he wants promotion but he has a funny way of showing it. 'I will buy elland rd stadium' comes to mind, never came to fruition. The rent costs are astronomical each month. A million pound something a month i read on here. The 30 odd million or so by eleonora sports is respectable but has it been siphoned/pumped in the right areas where its needed most. I also think cellino took on alot more than he bargained for. The fans deserve so much more. This has gone on long enough. I give a damn about this club, does cellino? that remains to be seen. We have been a rudderless ship for far too long. Maybe pearson could steer us in the right direction.
posted on 20/3/16
The rent for our stadium was around £1.4 million per YEAR in 2014. It has some kind of inflationary rise each year, so will be marginally higher now.
The buy-back was around £16 million I believe. It's pretty much a no-brainer to buy it back as it will pretty much have paid for itself in a decade provided it's bought with cash or at low interest.
posted on 20/3/16
I thought we'd bought the ground back ???
Cellino told us on five different occasions he was buying it back
posted on 21/3/16
Yeah - think he did buy it back, but sold it again when he realised he couldn't sail it to Italy to avoid VAT.