The idea that playing Royball will not get goals. In the last season of Roy we scored 50 goals with 46 against. We have at present 21. The lack of goals is not entirely down to missed chances. We haven't, for some time managed to create chances from open play and this has been down, to a large part, of not having a midfield which can function. Can rarely put more than 3 passes together, don't seem to break their neck to get up the field in support of the front players. I have watched games where there is 30 yards between the defence and midfield a and similar distance to the forwards. There is no compactness in our build up, so if we only get TWO chances in a game it was vital we score both. This is down to coaching. we have been a shambles for some time and the answer seemed to be just to the same with different formations till it works. Well it didn't.

The idea that playing Royball will not get goals. In the last season of Roy we scored 50 goals with 46 against. We have at present 21. The lack of goals is not entirely down to missed chances. We haven't, for some time managed to create chances from open play and this has been down, to a large part, of not having a midfield which can function. Can rarely put more than 3 passes together, don't seem to break their neck to get up the field in support of the front players. I have watched games where there is 30 yards between the defence and midfield a and similar distance to the forwards. There is no compactness in our build up, so if we only get TWO chances in a game it was vital we score both. This is down to coaching. we have been a shambles for some time and the answer seemed to be just to the same with different formations till it works. Well it didn't.

I may be alone, but I'm actually looking forward to football under Roy. Three reasons:

1. He has many more creative, skillful players at his disposal than he did two years ago. A more developed Eze, Olise, two centre backs who can play a pass, Lokonga, Doucoure, Ahamada, Hughes, etc. Roy has always been a coach who's been able to tailor the suit to fit the cloth; he got Fulham to a European final. With the comparative riches talent-wise at his disposal this time around, I don't expect he'll give us a rinse, repeat of 2021.

2. The football under PV this year was absolutely turgid. Performances can't possibly get any less enjoyable. We've learned in recent months only that retaining possession does NOT equal entertainment. In fact, having the ball and doing nothing with it may be less entertaining than not having the ball but harassing the opposition without it.

3. If we get nothing else over the remaining eleven games, the minimum Roy's team will give us is commitment, honesty, effort, and a willingness to play for the shirt (simply because anyone who doesn't exhibit those values won't be selected.) That's not my idea of perfection but after the dross I've seen recently, it's enough to be going on with.

I actually think the marriage of a set of players not short on ability with an experienced, demanding manager may just be a recipe for turning things around. Time will tell, but in my view we were sinking without trace under PV and a so-called "easy run of games" wasn't going to change that. It wasn't the results that doomed Patrick so much as the manner they were arrived at. I feel considerably better about our chances now, with Roy in the dugout, than I did two weeks ago.

I may be alone, but I'm actually looking forward to football under Roy. Three reasons:

1. He has many more creative, skillful players at his disposal than he did two years ago. A more developed Eze, Olise, two centre backs who can play a pass, Lokonga, Doucoure, Ahamada, Hughes, etc. Roy has always been a coach who's been able to tailor the suit to fit the cloth; he got Fulham to a European final. With the comparative riches talent-wise at his disposal this time around, I don't expect he'll give us a rinse, repeat of 2021.

2. The football under PV this year was absolutely turgid. Performances can't possibly get any less enjoyable. We've learned in recent months only that retaining possession does NOT equal entertainment. In fact, having the ball and doing nothing with it may be less entertaining than not having the ball but harassing the opposition without it.

3. If we get nothing else over the remaining eleven games, the minimum Roy's team will give us is commitment, honesty, effort, and a willingness to play for the shirt (simply because anyone who doesn't exhibit those values won't be selected.) That's not my idea of perfection but after the dross I've seen recently, it's enough to be going on with.

I actually think the marriage of a set of players not short on ability with an experienced, demanding manager may just be a recipe for turning things around. Time will tell, but in my view we were sinking without trace under PV and a so-called "easy run of games" wasn't going to change that. It wasn't the results that doomed Patrick so much as the manner they were arrived at. I feel considerably better about our chances now, with Roy in the dugout, than I did two weeks ago.

Roy Hodgson, six wins two draws and two defeats,the job is his.