We will stay up, but next season will be interesting.

Because it is "the beautiful game" the aesthetics sometimes outweigh the data - which I find comforting, however, the facts and the data for our team cannot be denied and eventually the on field performance will be defined by those stats and unless something changes, we are not going to like the results!

As we get closer to the weekend, my optimism meter goes up, but it is beginning to get cranky and by the time April comes around, unless we get more shots on goal, we will not compete in those games with teams around us that will define our season.

Now I am depressed ....

Edited by radicalsteve (09 Mar 2023 12.15am)

Derry was not the option for that, decent for the academy, 1st team coach/manager is not his role.

How the 'Mood music' has changed.Following the departure of Mr Hodgson the narrative was about a reset and re-build, moving away from the negative football with players in the twilight of their careers and moving to the next level under a high-profile manager in Vieira with a style of football much easier on the eye.

Now the narrative is about "Survival" following no victory in 2023, only 1 win in 12 PL games and a team that barely creates a chance.
Negativity amongst supporters prevails with the manager facing shot and shell and speculation as to his position.

I think it is similar to when Duncan Ferguson took over Everton after Marco Silva, a little bit of fire and thunder. not for full time but to sail the ship to clear waters.

“That’s a joke son, I say, that’s a joke.” “Nice boy, but he’s sharp as a throw pillow.” “He’s so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent” “ “Son… I say, son, some people are so narrow minded they can look through a keyhole with both eyes.”__ Forhorn Leghorn

Agree.

I think it fair to say we are not the only club in the world let alone Prem where the fans' expectations are not met by the board.

We can all philosophise as to what the best moves on the board are each time however beyond staying in the Prem I have not really ever felt as though the ambition had been raised.

With Hodgson it was somewhat 'this can be done on a lower budget and will suffice for a time' and that paved the way for slight experimentation with PV which started fantastically however the owners evidently decided the status quo was enough and would sit on it until such time it needs changing.

The hope is they'd say 'well lets push up the table and see where we get to' however I think that was more their hope without spending much if any money. When that doesn't work or heaven forbid we fall into the serious trouble we do not look too far from now, then they'll reach in their pockets and take action... hopefully.

Until such time somebody, somewhere, with some real moolah comes in and says 'let's go for it' we can expect a rinse and repeat.

Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!