BASIC INSTINCT

Basic unprofessionalism has cost us dear. In this most mundane of premiership campaigns the title has never seemed so winnable by a team with a modicum of organisation. A late penalty against Liverpool, and the final minutes seen out without conceding, gives 3 points instead of 1. But no, panic and amateur defending ruin things. A four goal lead held onto gives 3 points instead of 1. But no, petulance leads to a red card and a collapse follows. A two nil half time lead held onto gives 1 or 3 points instead of 0. But no, a lackadaisical second half ends in disaster.  A decent goalkeeper doesn’t concede soft goal at home and 3 points don’t turn into 1. A decent goalkeeper doesn’t come running out of his box and…you get the general idea.

This team are like a butterfingered oaf, dropping the metaphorical ball at the crucial moment time and again.

And that’s the frustration. A little more focus, ability, just plain professional pride and we are leading the table; the cream of the crap. That’s what’s infuriating. Cup competitions have their own quirks of fate but the league is where week in week out you just do your job properly and you get your rewards. This 2010/2011 seasons’ insipidness means that the league could be won with just doing your job as a player and a manager. Ironically we can still win the league. That seems ludicrous, yet we are unbeaten in 15 16 and have had the league’s best away record. These facts mean nothing when time and again we manage to shoot ourselves in the foot.

I think that above all this is what causes such aggravation amongst fans, that yes, we need some major changes at the club, and yes the character of the players and mentality of the manager are up for debate, but, we could have won this league already or at least been in the lead. It’s never been easier than the 2011/2010 season and we cant even stumble our way to a title.