Notice you’re a Rhinos fan….so am I …

What a weekend beaten by two women saints…
Mary and Helen!!

I may well attempt to answer your 4 questions after lunch…need a good meal to tackle your questions!

1. We were never going to maintain that tempo all game. Had we been in front or level, we would have possibly done it for longer, especially if in front with something to lose. The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of them. They beat us three times so clearly knew what they were doing and how to play us. We're very predictable imo, we all knew who was playing and that we'd be playing slow sideways football and refusing to cross or shoot.

2. Norwich are a different level to Southampton. They're poor and didn't turn up in either game, especially not at ER. Beating Norwich was one of our only wins all month, was always going to be tough given our form.

3. Very unlucky Ipswich had a freak season. We're the first team in history to score 90 pts and not get promoted. Next season we'll probably get promoted with 82. The squad imo isn't as good as some think it is in specific areas. Yes we have brilliant depth in wide attack with James and Anthony as cover for Cry and Willy. But no CM's were on the bench yesterday, the most important position on the pitch and all of what we had were out playing and we couldn't freshen things up or look to change it. We're short at centre half hence why we had Ampadu play half a season there, why didn't we sign a replacement knowing Struijk was out long term and Coops/Cresswell not thought highly enough of. Another CB allows Amps to have played in midfield. Centre forward depth, non existent and we only have 1 out and out number 10, whose was signed as a striker.

4. Pretty confident with a clear run and no super teams like Leicester, we'll get promoted comfortably next season with Farke. Not expecting anything like Ipswich and Leicester from the teams coming down or coming up. Not a Farke fan myself but also not a fan of unsetting the applecart and risking change. Need to get our business done early and properly and if we need the Jan window, bloody use it for once.

1. What was the reason the intensity stopped yesterday?

For me, the team look knackered. Lack of rotation
over the season caught up to us. Saints weathered the
first 10-15 minutes. Then their experience took over.
Downes & Smallbone bossed the midfield which meant
they could dictate the game.

2. Where’s the confidence gone?

I'm going to point to my first answer. Knackered players
can't do what their football brains ask. If you can't play
at the top of your game, you're confidence will go. They
looked so short of ideas yesterday. Another possibility
is the players lost faith in Farke's tactics and leadership.

3. Is it the squad or is it Farke?

It's both. Squad is full of square pegs. And not enough
depth where it matters. Stellar wingers aside (we've
been stocked with them since Orta), I think most fans
can see the holes. They're glaring. Sadly, club either
didn't see them. Or gambled that individual brilliance
could paper over the cracks. Finally, Farke doesn't seem
to be very good tactically. In game adjustments and his
use of subs is poor.

4. Where from here?

Let the dust settle. Then, hopefully, the club backs DF
100%. Or gets in a better manager. Someone who can
excite the players and fans like Bielsa did. Big ask.

Bigger than that, sort out the colossal mess that is this
squad. Sell/get rid of the want out loanees from last
season. I'd make that the priority. Whatever it takes.
Do it. Then figure out quickly what we're going to do
with Summerville, Willy G, Archie. Sell more than likely.

On top of that, I'd look to sell Meslier. He's not
progressed. We need a more experienced, solid keeper
who can do everything well. Figure out if we can sign Rodon.

Have a ruthless approach to reshaping the squad. Get
rid of square pegs. Cover all areas with true depth that
the manager (whoever it is) will rotate to keep the team
fresh. Biggest of all, sign a LB, LCB, RB, Box-to-box Mid,
#10, and a goal scoring striker/#9. It's a lot, yes. Do we want to go up or not?

comment by Shaun M - supercalifragilisticOrtaisatrocious (U9955)
posted 3 hours, 19 minutes ago
1. We were never going to maintain that tempo all game. Had we been in front or level, we would have possibly done it for longer, especially if in front with something to lose. The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of them. They beat us three times so clearly knew what they were doing and how to play us. We're very predictable imo, we all knew who was playing and that we'd be playing slow sideways football and refusing to cross or shoot.

2. Norwich are a different level to Southampton. They're poor and didn't turn up in either game, especially not at ER. Beating Norwich was one of our only wins all month, was always going to be tough given our form.

3. Very unlucky Ipswich had a freak season. We're the first team in history to score 90 pts and not get promoted. Next season we'll probably get promoted with 82. The squad imo isn't as good as some think it is in specific areas. Yes we have brilliant depth in wide attack with James and Anthony as cover for Cry and Willy. But no CM's were on the bench yesterday, the most important position on the pitch and all of what we had were out playing and we couldn't freshen things up or look to change it. We're short at centre half hence why we had Ampadu play half a season there, why didn't we sign a replacement knowing Struijk was out long term and Coops/Cresswell not thought highly enough of. Another CB allows Amps to have played in midfield. Centre forward depth, non existent and we only have 1 out and out number 10, whose was signed as a striker.

4. Pretty confident with a clear run and no super teams like Leicester, we'll get promoted comfortably next season with Farke. Not expecting anything like Ipswich and Leicester from the teams coming down or coming up. Not a Farke fan myself but also not a fan of unsetting the applecart and risking change. Need to get our business done early and properly and if we need the Jan window, bloody use it for once.
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Sunderland got 90 points and didn’t get promoted but I agree it was a weird season points wise. I think we are the first team in 26 year not to go up with 90 points.

It’s just so bloody annoying that we didn’t get 6 points from Sunderland and Blackburn at home.

We would be up now.

Think pressing is one of these things where people throw around the word without really getting it. We did press Southampton. They're just a good team who know how to move the ball out from the back. Saying "press with intensity" doesn't mean you will instantly win possession. Good teams know how to bypass it.

Also don't think the players lacked confidence yesterday. Reality is that Southampton are much better than Norwich, and playing at Wembley is hugely different to a home game in front of a buzzing crowd. Felt the occassion was always likely to be managed by whichever side scored first, and unfortunately that was them.

There wasn't any rot in the team. Think you could see how much it meant to most of them after the final whistle. Rutter was in tears. This is the same as the narrative that Piroe and Summerville had fallen out, but guess who was the first to celebrate with the former after his goal against Norwich. Sometimes managers do lose the dressing room, but not in this case. Questions about Farke are fame game though, I think. Not necessarily for his man-management.

I don't think we have seen what I expected from Farke when he came in. Whether he was told to be overly-reliant on certain players shining instead of a pre-disposed style of play running through the team, I certainly don't think it has worked out. My gut says to stick with him, as I don't see us appointing much better at this level.

comment by Lubo - Gyabi, you're gonna be the one that saves me. (U14008)
posted 6 hours, 56 minutes ago
Think pressing is one of these things where people throw around the word without really getting it. We did press Southampton. They're just a good team who know how to move the ball out from the back. Saying "press with intensity" doesn't mean you will instantly win possession. Good teams know how to bypass it.

Also don't think the players lacked confidence yesterday. Reality is that Southampton are much better than Norwich, and playing at Wembley is hugely different to a home game in front of a buzzing crowd. Felt the occassion was always likely to be managed by whichever side scored first, and unfortunately that was them.

There wasn't any rot in the team. Think you could see how much it meant to most of them after the final whistle. Rutter was in tears. This is the same as the narrative that Piroe and Summerville had fallen out, but guess who was the first to celebrate with the former after his goal against Norwich. Sometimes managers do lose the dressing room, but not in this case. Questions about Farke are fame game though, I think. Not necessarily for his man-management.

I don't think we have seen what I expected from Farke when he came in. Whether he was told to be overly-reliant on certain players shining instead of a pre-disposed style of play running through the team, I certainly don't think it has worked out. My gut says to stick with him, as I don't see us appointing much better at this level.
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This post is,in my opinion, the best one I’ve read post match and addresses the original article by Shadowcrimes, it doesn’t answer all the questions he poses but Lubo answers some important questions in original article.

I think it would the height of foolishness to sack Farke, a coach who took over at the start of the season in a state of uncertainty and chaos, yet he pulled the club and team out of this bad chaos and uncertainty, to 90 pts in the Championship. Sack him and the club will quite possibly be on the roundabout of hiring and sacking coaches, something we all have endured in the past.

After the Wembley final we are all wise after the event, well I will qualify that, some are wise after the event.
We are all good at second guessing the coach, his tactics, his substitutions…but usually from the perspective of the team we support, forgetting objectivity there is another team playing.

Too much opinion, too much logic written…football, in my opinion is an illogical game, not enough consideration is given to this…just blame the coach.

Great post Lubo. Sums it up well. Some strong over reactions to losing one game as you might expect for such an important game.