nearly all the games you mention there...

were not lost because of tactics but because players missed chances they should have scored or made individual defensive howlers. As Neil discovered at the weekend it doesn't matter what tactics you use if players don't do things they should be able to do right - managers can't actually kick the ball for the players.

It wasn't "f***ing obvious" it was going to happen. it was obvious there was a chance of it happening but for a club with our budget at this level there will ALWAYS be a chance of it happening if players perform a bit below their level (or a few opposition keepers have blinders) or you suffer key injuries.

The difference between teams that come 11th or 12th in this league (like us last year) and teams that come 18th/19th (like us probably thsi year) is honestly often just a few bad breaks or bits of bad play here and there over he course of a season. Every year you play there is a chance the br4eaks will eventually go agaoinst you (as for instance Bolton, Blackburn, Wigan, Wolves and one of Fulham/Sunderland have discovered - all of whom were 'established' in the Prem at least as long, often considerably longer, than us). Keep spinning the wheel and eventually your number comes up...

If we had beaten Cardiff (twice), West ham and Fulham on Saturday - as on balance of play we deserved to do in all cases - we would be comfortably safe. For a variety of reasons we didn't and here we are...

Posted By: mr carra, Apr 14, 08:29:51