THE STATE OF THE ARSE

...at least until the end of the season

I have avoided a hysterical response to recent events and in particular yesterday’s result at the Reebok Stadium, and have sat and reflected. On this basis my view on the state of the Arse is as follows. 

When the unexpected becomes the inevitable, one has to look for solutions. The continued failure of a football team to achieve success based on conceding 54% of goals from set pieces has to be addressed. The capitulation in giving up points from winning positions has to be analysed. The Failure of a team to respond to adversity must be investigated. The lack of a tactical response that involves a change in structure or formation must be questioned. The lack of personnel that have a) experience of domestic success and b) are, on average, physically smaller and more injury prone, than the other teams in the division would suggest that there may be a correlation between the facts and the statistics.

These are merely questions that I am asking myself about my team, questions that are not based on any emotional analysis but based on some hard facts. Such basic issues need to be addressed at the end of the season. The manager, ultimately, is the one to do this, the playing staff need also to look at their own performances over the season; a good number of them, if they are honest, will have to admit that they fell short of the expected standard, some have let the fans and, to be fair, the manager down by basic unprofessionalism and lack of desire.

This set of players and this manager have to finish the rest of the season and we have to deal with that, they need to show some form of response or risk having to go through the banana skin of a pre qualification round in the Champions League. Failure to qualify will have an adverse effect on recruiting players, and let's face it who wants to watch the Europa League. The supporters lot is never easy but we still need to show that support until the end of the season.

When the events and performances of the 2010/2011 season are reflected upon, measures need to be put in place to ensure the shortcomings do not remain next season. This needs to be done in the transfer market (both out and in), on the training ground and most importantly in the manager’s head. Boardroom intervention seems unlikely therefore the immediate future of our club seemingly rests with one man. But that man needs to seek assistance; defensively, in the shape of someone who can pass on knowledge about this important part of the game, assistance in the shape of some experienced players with a winning mentality. He needs to make some bold choices and show some ruthlessness with regard to the current squad. Failure to learn from this season will prove catastrophic. The ability to take on board the harsh lessons of a season of implosion and make some changes is absolutely required. I hope our manager has that ability. If not, his tenure may end in disgrace, not triumph, and I don’t think anyone wants that to happen.

COMMENT FROM JOHN T:

I think that sums it up pretty well.Unfortunately, I doubt if AW will do the honourable then, or even the less honourable thing and go out and buy the players that will make the difference.  Unfortunately the requirement at Christmas was Hagalaand and traditional CF, and DMF, and we would have won at least one of the trophies and taken 8 -10 more points.

Now AW has a GK returning (before his injury his No 1 GK) so no big investment there.   A very good CB returning from Injury, with another CB returning from Rangers, one improver, and one spanish ready to step up.     A 19 year old DMF returning from Injury and another 19 rear old  one returning from France.   One ball playing CMF returning from injury,   One CF returning from loan, one left wing cum CF returning from Cardiff, one winger finishing loan spell in Holland.

I wrongly assumed that there would be a clear out last June, when some players were rated rather highly.   Eg Bendtner, Deneilson, Eboue, Cliche, Vela, All Moonya, Diaby, Ro Sickly, Song, for up to  £60M  at that time.   But we have paid these guys and lost value on them over the 12 months,  as other clubs too have seen that they were not EPL top 4 class.


The new money master american will applaud AWs prudent ways too, and will not want to lay our the dosh if AW says he has gor a few more kittens in the bag.

I was kinda hoping that someone / or group might try to organise a kind of demo of some sort,  before the deadline for renewal of season tickets.  

Pensioners like me will have to give a bit more thought to the value of a season ticket, at a time when billionaires are getting richer and pensioners geting poorer, soon too poor to maintain millionaires players and billionaire directors in the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed, without as much as a care for the people who pay dearly for a two hour bout of boiling blood pressure and bitter disappointment.

Its better to consider such a bitter pill in solitude over the next few weeks if one can get that venger out of ones arse.

As Goonerish as ever

John