jiggers58

This is what we all do battle with each year when renewing our season tickets…. if it was down to the ‘product’ I would not have renewed for many out of the 18 years I have had a season ticket (been a fan for much longer than that).

Time after time there were banks of 4, with zero press………

Hearing lots of fans at the past two games mentioning the Southampton game and how can we play so well in that game then lose to QPR, Wednesday and Cardiff. It’s so predictable and the answer is fairly simple. The main difference is that Southampton came to win. They had the majority of possession and we took advantage on the counter. The other teams line up with banks on 5 and 4 behind the ball and let us play across the back four, playing in front of them, team are happy to let us try and break them down. We cannot or do not have the qualify to break sides down. There is a severe lack of creativity when we have possession and slow the game down with the opposition in front of us. Are they told to play like that? We are most effective when we have no time to think and counter at pace. The last three games we could not do that as when we are passing between Vyner and Dickie and back again, allowing teams to set and sit behind the ball - teams know this and don’t even bother pressing us. The problem is we then have no plan B. That is the sign of a decent manger to change things up - 2 up top, playing wide - no chance with Manning by the look of it. Let’s try the same thing over but with varying personnel.

I always wonder whether we would have got more from him (not a negative, he had been great for us) if we played him up front. The season we did this out of necessity he scored over 20. His movement in and around the box was excellent that season. He has also stated his preference is to play as a striker.

Have I missed something in respect of this? Has he said that his deal won’t be extended?

It is totally wrong to get hung up on the simple stats such as assists and goals. There are players that will obviously fulfil that role in a team and become favourites but without the link up play and dogged tenacity of others chances are not created or scored. Teams often miss the players most that don’t sit high on the assist/goals list when they leave. It is so frustrating to see the Ballon D’or award going to the same type of player each year due to the simplistic view of football or bias towards the more exciting stats. More praise needed for the all rounders - Kante, Makélélé and…… Scott ?

You play Foster, I raise you David Clarkson

I thought Williams looked very good when he came on - we need a run of games from him.

If they could finish we would be 2 or 3 down by now