What I find most extraordinary about Hughton lately...

...Is his utterly bizarre stubbornness that is the very embodiment of cutting of your nose to spite your face.

There's no denying that during that 10game unbeaten run, we stumbled across an XI and system that was working. Yet Hughton, despite 2 narrow wins in 19 matches, has spurned several chances to return to that team. Incredibly baffling.

That our strikers situation is shambolic is clear. But I really feel possibly our major problem this year has been midfield. The act we have failed to dominate games is down to the fact we cannot keep the ball. If you can't keep the ball, then you won't gradually push the opposition back and generate spells of pressure that lead to goals in open play.

Consequently, you rely on picking up the bits and pieces, sporadic for arts forward, and relying on set pieces.

Without improving the passing and playing Fox, the way to counter that was to have the greater speed and energy of Tettey in midfield, and the better forward running of Whittaker at right back to make us more dynamic. It worked.

Yet after both picked up injuries, CH has loyally favoured Howson and Martin in these positions on every occasion with no reward. I love Russell Martin and he remains an important squad player, but whilst he hasn't been bad, Whittaker had been better for that period.

Howson is neither as mobile as Tettey, or as good a passer as Fox. The results bear it out.

The bizarre reticence to bring back Ruddy has been raked over to death. Admirable faith in Bunn, but you always play the better player. Ruddy should have been back vs Reading, and fully match fit NOW for the run in.

They say never to die wondering, but if we go down then we certainly can't claim that.

So frustrating, and so confusing.

Posted By: canary_don, May 6, 13:27:46