Where are all those people who said we're a top 8/10 side? Shouldn't they be here reassuring us?
It was obvious we were going to be in trouble as soon as the transfer window was closed because Hughes failed to address the issues in defence, and this will ultimately cost him his job.
He gets a right-footed player in on loan to play LB. He goes into the season with just three recognised full backs. He reckons Clint Hill can play LB. He believes Onouha can play RB. He thinks it's a good idea to surrender a defensive squad place to give to a midfielder. He has now moved his marquee defensive signing to midfield (yes, I think M'bia can play there but it'll leave us short in defence).
This is just the defence, never mind about our overloaded midfield, his bizarre choice for captain, our underpowered forward line, his thinking behind dropping Hoilett (how SWP and Mackie get on before he does is beyond me), why Taraabt has been dropped etc. etc.
Yesterday he should have gone with Cesar, Bosingwa, Nelsen, Hill, Traore, Faurlin, M'bia, Granero, Taraabt, Hoilett, Zamora, in a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 system, and thrown the captain's armband to Hill or Nelsen. I'd have then had Hoilett and Taraabt switching flanks every now and then to give their defence different threats during the game. Unfortunately, our manager has a strange obsession with Park, SWP and Mackie.
Am I worried? Damn right I am. I don't think Hughes really knows what he's doing.
It was obvious we were going to be in trouble as soon as the transfer window was closed because Hughes failed to address the issues in defence, and this will ultimately cost him his job.
He gets a right-footed player in on loan to play LB. He goes into the season with just three recognised full backs. He reckons Clint Hill can play LB. He believes Onouha can play RB. He thinks it's a good idea to surrender a defensive squad place to give to a midfielder. He has now moved his marquee defensive signing to midfield (yes, I think M'bia can play there but it'll leave us short in defence).
This is just the defence, never mind about our overloaded midfield, his bizarre choice for captain, our underpowered forward line, his thinking behind dropping Hoilett (how SWP and Mackie get on before he does is beyond me), why Taraabt has been dropped etc. etc.
Yesterday he should have gone with Cesar, Bosingwa, Nelsen, Hill, Traore, Faurlin, M'bia, Granero, Taraabt, Hoilett, Zamora, in a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 system, and thrown the captain's armband to Hill or Nelsen. I'd have then had Hoilett and Taraabt switching flanks every now and then to give their defence different threats during the game. Unfortunately, our manager has a strange obsession with Park, SWP and Mackie.
Am I worried? Damn right I am. I don't think Hughes really knows what he's doing.
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