Overall we have to be pleased with 8 games to go we still have a real chance of staying up, yes it will be hard but this season was about surviving and then building from there.
We will all have certain areas that concern us for me the following need to be addressed:-
1.The poor squad management – We have taken on a lot of players that weren’t up to this level of football, the team now consists of a large proportion of loan players to fill gaps because our acquisitions in the summer have been poor. We moan about the squad size yet this is of our managers making.
2.Fitness levels – we are seeing now that our team look tired, Raynor has indicated that the team are struggling with two games a week and being up to the task of a high tempo game. So we either have to increase our fitness or change our game.
3.Lack of quality – We do miss quality in key positions, goalie, centre back and striker. I know we have to work within our budget but if we addressed point 1 we may have been able to address this point as well.
4.Tactics within games – I think we start a game with a plan, if the plan works we win, if things don’t go well we struggle to change tactics within a game.
5.Constant moaning at officials – It doesn’t help us and I am sure makes things worse over time.
6.No young players coming up through the system, this hasn’t happened in any of Evans seasons, he is not a manager to develop the club in this area. In year 4 of his reign (next year) we should be seeing at least 2 players in the first team squad pushing for places.
So how will it end?
Well the good news it is down to us, if we are taking the worst case scenario if we beat Wednesday, Brighton and reading and scrounge a goal in one other game, we will be safe as Wigan will struggle to get 16 points in 8 games. We may get away with fewer points but we should aim for that and see what happens.
If we go down it will be down to the last two home games for me. We were poor in both of them and two draws would have the rest of the season looking so much different than now. I am worried that we have played very poorly at home in 3 45 minute periods out of the 6 and we really do have to turn up for the next 3 home games and give everything for 90+ minutes.
So we sweat it out for the next 8 games, we pray and hope we just have enough to stay up, if we go down I don’t think we will do well next year as I think we will be mentally hit hard.
I agree with absolutely everything you've said. The main problem we've had since Evans took the helm, even in the Promotion seasons has been his revolving door transfer policy AND poor recruitment, especially last summer.
Championship or League 1 next season, we need a MASS clearout of the utter tosh that is pinching a wage & move to have a SETTLED squad of around 20 to 24 without going mental in the loan market.
Being a tad unfair i'd say about SE's transfer policies, loanees and the like.
Look at where we've come from, in such a short space of time, and we're still playing players who played for us in league two (i'm not saying we shouldn't, they're plainly good enough) It was obvious we needed to change and adapt quickly after our Wembley win, and let's face it we've done well to not be in the bottom three, let's leave the criticism until the end of season, if it's needed then , i think we'll all agree that 4th bottom is a great result for us?
Based on what has been achieved it has to be disagree. Based on the lack of quality I'd agree, but the loan market is a legitimate part of the game and so I'd disagree again.
There is no doubt TS must be surprised by what's needed to compete. Is Evo surprised? Maybe but he learns fast.
Then we have what we have achieved and thus far it's good enough. If we go down I'd say he has failed this season because we have had more than enough chances to stay up.
If we stay up or go down I'd stick with evans as he deserves another chance.
All in all he has done us proud but I'm as frustrated as the next fan that our displays dint seem to have given us the several points more that the season seemed to deserve up to this month.
From here on in its a straight fight.
-- Edited by ian on Thursday 19th of March 2015 12:28:30 PM
Confusing. The number of players brought in during close season created a situation where no one knew what our team was going to be. As well as that it turned out that nearly all of them were not good enough anyway.
Once we settled we started to look like a team that could hold its own and finish lower mid table. Then came the Birmingham defeat and the craziness that followed. I admit the Birmingham game was a poor performance but the reaction afterwards was totally over the top. Poor management which old eventually lead to our relegation.
Bringing in a raft of new players to play a new style was never going to work. The players we signed were not good enough to out football the the better teams and as it proved it was not good enough to beat the likes of Blackpool.
Against Bolton we selected a team which was more like the team and a style of play which brought success the the previous two seasons. We have changed that again for another experimental system for which we are not equipt.
Player recruitment has been pathetic we have brought in 3 left backs non of whom are better than Joe Skarz.We have brought in young lads who are learning their trade into a confusing situation and ask them to get us out of the mire. Not a recipe for success.
If we survive there needs to be a rethink on recruitment policy. do we need to overall the scouting system because it certainly is not working at the moment. A method of which suits the players we have is essential and not changing because of one poos result.
Its a very good point re the reaction v Brum and Blackpool etc. Both games could easily have ended up as wins and I wonder what would have happend then?
mainly agree with what has been said but forgetting the transfer policy for now what does concern me is the tiredness that young players are showing(the paper today said Messi has played 45 games and we know he is better but why should he be fitter?)
, i think we'll all agree that 4th bottom is a great result for us?
