Form 23/24 vs this season

[WestcountryRanger]

I've just done a quick analysis of our form from matchday 30 to 46 from last season - the last 16 games. It's madness, if you see the screenshot we were 4th in the table on form.
What a way to finish a tough season.
How, based on that, have we gone from playoff form to the worst Rangers performances I can remember in the last + 25 years?
It has to be the recruitment we've made and obviously the losses of Willock & Hayden. But the contrast, given that it is still Marti in charge, is madness.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/championship/formtabelle/wettbewerb/GB2?saison_id=2023&min=30&max=46

[SheepRanger]

Current squad injuries shouldn't be ignored

[FurtiveFox]

Injuries shouldn't be ignored but it does not excuse the poor way we are set up to play and one win in 14 games.

What worked last season was some very good recruitment in January coupled with making us solid and difficult to beat. We were still quite poor going forwards but a goal would quite often nick a point or win. It was a very impressive turnaround to say the least.

This season the summer recruitment on the evidence so far looks really poor with exceptions. Whilst in the two games up to Boro we looked more solid overall we have looked leaky in defense, midfield poor and carry no threat. It is startling bad considering how well we played last season after our dire start.

We did not deal with full backs in summer so still have Dunne as makeshift RB and Paal on left. Having JCS injured for part of season hasn't helped. In central midfield no like for like replacement for Hayden although Varane starting to settle. Further up the pitch Dembele has looked promising but not convinced we are using him as best we can. Saito has some promise. Biggest thing for me is how poor Anderson has looked after, for me anyway, he was overall pretty good last season and a factor in our staying up. Madsen looks lost. Chair has been out. We lost Willock who is now relaxing on Cardiff's bench. We have missed him but I don't think he is a big reason for our slump, was always up and down. Losing Dykes for next to nothing and leaving us with two strikers with minimal experience at this level was criminal incompetence. We have lost that solidity and painfully easy to play against.

Over and above recruitment, injuries and losing players it is how we are set up. I know the club want to have the same style of play at all levels but we need points on the board. Play to the players you have, not the ones you would like to have. It is not only Madsen who looks lost but a lot of the team at times. Marti has to take lion's share of blame on this aspect although I do wonder if he is being told what style of play to go with.

A news story did come up on my feed speculating on some things Marti had said being subtle digs at the recruitment and suggesting he was unhappy with it. Could well be nothing but makes you wonder. From the signings made in January he very obviously had some input into some of them. Can't say that for summer signings, we just don't know.

Have a feeling we will either completely unravel in next couple of months or any misguided plans on styles of play etc will be abandoned and we will see some improvement.

[Abseits]

A single EFL season is an eternity. There are at least four distinct phases to navigate for ALL teams. You have to evolve through these phases, you cannot stand still.

Phase 1: Season starts. Transfer window open. Incomings/outgoings happening between fixtures. Squad not settled/finalised.
Phase 2: Window closes. 10 games to November international break - a natural point to take stock and reflect.
Phase 3: Remorseless winter programme starts. Injuries/suspensions start biting. Gaps in squads become obvious. Pressure build.
Phase 4: Christmas programme and winter window. Players coming and going whilst games still getting played.
Phase 5: Winter window shuts - the squad is fixed. Grind out results until Easter.
Phase 6: The run-in. Massive pressure and many players know they are moving on in Summer.

The club done okay in phases 5 & 6 last season but has spectacularly mucked up phases 1 & 2 this season.

Weirdly, we've been VERY erratic across these phases for at least 4 or 5 seasons, it's not actually anything new. It points to us having a set-up that just doesnt get the EFL. That's not a sly dig at Marti (though he has to be accountable) it is literally our whole footballing set-up that needs to get a grip.

I worked in operational management for years. Our side hated the bean counters and suits and their dumb interventions. Our favourite analogy was describing them as knowing the Kama Sutra inside out but they'd never been with a woman. Yeah, that's an old chestnut but I kinda feel we have a lot of folks at our club who've read a LOT of books and football theory but know sweet FA about what 90 mins of Championship football requires. I guess I'm saying we need a sea-change of approach and quickly too.