This is all very dispiriting. At the start of the season I thought that we might make the playoffs and I suppose that is still a possibility. But things need to change on (and probably off) the pitch pretty soon if we are still to get that extra game at the end of the normal season.
I was happy that Doidge and Rees started up front together and I though that, despite the shouted criticism from RS from the sidelines, Doidge put in a decent shift and might well have scored if not for the fine margins of football. Rees on the other hand, looked bereft of confidence like many of the team. Buyabu did ok early on but his full back opponent worked him out 20 minutes in and his crosses are always wayward anyway; second half, he was rather anonymous and looked disheartened.
McAllister and, when they came on Clarke, Knowles and Bunker, all provided energy and forward thinking and neither Nwoko or Campbell (apart from the third goal) were awful. But all over the pitch we were second best in tackles and seemed to have to work out our patterns from first principles each time we got the ball and then weren't accurate enough in execution. Mendy is not good enough to play and sulk. Kanu was Kanu and Ahmed looks good going forward but can't defend.
Where are Pemberton and Kengni? They are not wonderful but they need to learn so they can be part of the 'journey' next season and they are probably better than Ahmed and definitely better than Morrison. And why not try Babalola alongside Rees when Doidge tires?
I've not understood the apparent contradictions between having so many loanees and building for next season, or between having so many young players who RS says will make mistakes and then, in interviews, bemoaning the mistakes. And now we are losing game after game, we don't have enough experience or permanent players who really care to be able to shake off the loss in confidence.
As has been said, under the experience of SC we had a decent season and were close to Wembley. It was dull football by the end but he could argue that he was on 'a journey' too. I think he lost some of the dressing room (was it the McCann fall out?) and he was an abrasive character but 3rd in this league looks a long way off from here.
Now RS with all his gloss and excitement - which I have to say I have enjoyed overall - may have lost the dressing room too (was it the Inniss incident or just the refusal to let Mendy go and presumably add multiples to his salary). RS probably has as much to learn as most of our youngest players. Will he manage it or will he slack it off and return to the peace and quiet of his family?
