Personally I don't blame the players

[canarybubbles 2,199]

Hear me out, please, before you hit the ha-ha button.

When I watch this team, I see players whose confidence is shot and who are trying too hard rather than not trying. So the passes get overhit, the chances get missed, the stupid mistakes get made at the back, there is an air of desperation. Psychologically, this side is broken.

Allied to this, I see a team of players who don't know what they are supposed to be doing, without clear roles. This started with Smith, who seemed to think that the players should do his job for him, and Wagner hasn't done anything to address it. Defensively, especially, we are all over the place. How many times this season have we been in control of the game and then the opposition has had one chance and scored from it?

For me, the blame for this joke of a season lies above the players, with the coaches and the DoF. I'm still (just about) on the fence regarding Wagner, but Webber definitely should go. If managers and players shouldn't be rewarded for failure, why should he?

 

Edited May 8, 2023 by canarybubbles

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,614]

Confidence is at absolute rock bottom and that has to be taken into account, and I also believe that they're all giving 100%. However, several of them crumble at the first sign of difficulty and it seriously needs to be addressed. 

[Terminally Yellow 2,614]

I absolutely blame the players. 

If they can't get themselves motivated to play in front of one of the largest crowds for one of the best teams in English football, particularly on a day like today when we say goodbye to Teemu Pukki and even more so when we are a stones throw away from the play offs, they absolutely don't deserve absolution.

Don't get me wrong - I blame Dean Smith for his imposition of tactics so clearly wrong for this unit which broke their spirit and David Wagner for his inability to organise and motivate a side whatsoever. At present, Wagner goes down as one of the worst we've ever had managing this football club.

I also blame Stuart Webber for building a side so deficient and obviously unbalanced in areas it's criminal. How dare he take tens of thousands of pounds in wages and use his platform as director of football at one of this countries biggest football teams to further his charitable work (no matter how worthy the cause) and his own profile (see his podcast). 

Finally I blame the board for allowing Webber to become so complacent and secure in his role we almost certainly face another year of this farcical regime at least. 

[ron obvious 1,711]

They're collectively flattering to deceive. It's extremely worrying as it seems to be right through the team. They 'almost' tackle, 'almost' hit a good pass, 'almost' have a decent shot. They're going through the motions of trying without really doing so. Wagner's first 2 games they really went for it, since then it's been downhill. I wonder how much Krul's suicidal pass out against Burnley affected team morale? Destiny can hinge on moments like that. Today I saw Sara with his head in his hands as Idah, having bullied his way through the Blackpool defence, finished with a tame shot. The odd moment like that is OK, but over time it wears a team down ...

Wagner's got to sort it out this summer. I'm beginning to wonder if he can.