Isn’t Olise with the French U21’s?

For a bit of balance compared to some of the recent cheery posts let’s look at the last time Roy arrived and our first 11 games which is what we now have left to play.

Hodgson lost 6 out of the first 11 matches in that 17/18 season, total return was

Played 11, won 1, drew 4, lost 6, total points 7

If you look at the team he had at his disposal then the midfield choices were Puncheon, McArthur, Cabaye, Milivojevic, Loftus-Cheek, Schlupp, Townsend.

His teams also had Zaha, Speroni, PVA, Ward, Sako, Dann, Tomkins, Fosu-Mensah

Everyone saying he had no players to work with but I look at that squad and the current one and there is not much difference.

Admittedly, that year we went on to play well and his teams looked in control a lot of the time. At the end of the 19/20 season however he lost 7 out of the last 11 matches, total return was

Played 11, won 3, drew 1, lost 7, total points 10

Then if we look at his last season with us in 20/21 total return was

Played 11, won 3, drew 1, lost 7, total points 10

My point in all this is that during Hodgson’s last appointment with us, we started badly (not a good omen) and twice finished a season with just 10 points. Will 7-10 points keep us up? I’m not so sure.

Some will bang on that we have an easier run in than the seasons referred to above but the facts are the facts and it shows we don’t end seasons well under Hodgson and he didn’t start well with us either as the team struggled to get used to his tactics.

I’m not saying he won’t do it and he might be able to turn us around but I’m not positive at all about it as I don’t see the character in the team compared to previous years.

Interesting and worrying but also some hope as his career stats say we may win 3 and draw 2 of our remaining games and lose 4 with one game that could go either way but on balance a win or draw is more likely, than a loss, so our final points total may end up around 27 + 11-14 which may give a final total 38-41 which might save us, however depends on the team and how they play. Hopefully, they will hit the ground running as they will need to because any opponent below us will be fighting for their lives just like us hopefully!

Football is such a strange game.
The two players supposedly not unhappy with the Vieira departure were Edouard and Eze, presumably because they didn't get the minutes they felt were warranted.
Now Roy with his reputed distrust of flair players and somewhat perceived negative approach has been tasked with undoing the harmful effect on these players of one our supposedly more positive managers in Vieira so that they can flourish again.
My head hurts in this topsy turvy world.

His stats were won 2 (Chelsea and Stoke), drew 4 and lost 5 giving 10 points for his first season. The next 4 games we won 2 and drew 2.

“ [T]here are known knowns; there are things we know that we know.There are known unknowns; that is to say there are things that, we now know we don't know.But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know. ”
—United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld

I was anti this but now I’ve thought about it I think Roy might keep us up. I think PV would have taken us down. Most players know him and I’m sure respect him. 50 years in the game must count for something tactically and the fear factor could be taken from the players now, knowing that it’s his head on the block.