Midfield_General

We have some decent individuals but too often we don't resemble a team, in terms of the personnel we've recruited, the roles they play, how they complement each other to make a whole, and how and where they are utilised by the manager. We're lopsided, dysfunctional and missing too many key components of a successful team - a reliable goalkeeper, an organising defender and a strong physical presence up front, to name but three.

And in the meantime, let's take a look at how he's utilised one of the few players we have who actually does have standout creative quality and can unlock defences, Leo Scienza, over the important Christmas period: - vs. Oxford: Subbed him off on 55 minutes, with the game in the balance at 1-1 and us needing a goal, presumably to 'keep him fresh for the next match'. We went on not to score any more goals and to lose the actual game we were playing in at the time against Oxford 2-1. - vs. Birmingham: The game he was presumably 'keeping him fresh' for. He dropped him to the bench, so he didn't get on the pitch at all until the 58th minute. So we kept him fresh in order to play him for just over half an hour, by which time we were a goal down and chasing the game. Final score, 1-1. - vs. Millwall: Subbed him off at half-time, with the score at 0-0 and with us needing to find a way to break them down. Presumably to 'keep him fresh' for the Boro game? Final score, 1-1. So this genius's management of our star player, and probably the best player in the division, has seen him only have him on the pitch for just over half the available time he could have been trying to win matches for us, and this visionary 'managing of minutes', against two teams below us in the league and one not in the play-off places, has delivered a whopping 2 points from 9. And meanwhile our only other real standout creative attacking talent, Fellows, is being instructed to spend half his time defending. What a manager.

"Squad planning is an art that only becomes clear at the end" ~ Johannes Spors, August 2025. Well I hope the end comes soon then, because from where I'm sat we're more than half way through and you appear to have built a shower of dogshit managed by a one-trick yes-man with no idea how to change a game.

He hasn't. It's just not working anymore because he literally only has one idea of how to play, never changes it, and opposition managers have access to videos of our games. They've immediately worked out how to nullify it and now he has absolutely no idea what to do.

I don't think Bazunu, Manning, Stephens, Wood or Archer would. Which is why I said it.

A lot of them who started today wouldn't even get into most of the Championship teams above us. If we put Bazunu, Manning, Stephens, Wood or Archer up for sale tomorrow, do you think teams like Coventry, Ipswich, Boro, Millwall would be scrambling to buy them? Because I don't. And that's half today's starting XI. Add in a manager out of his depth and that's why we are where we are, and it's why we're going to stay there.

A mid-table Championship performance from a mid-table Championship team. Boring as fuck and another opportunity for points drifts away. Miles off being promotion contenders.

Can’t be arsed to read the whole thread so sorry if it’s already been said, but one of our main issues at the back is the total lack of anyone who can organise it. Fonte was brilliant at it and instantly made all the players around him better because he continually instructed them and made them work as a cohesive unit. None of our defenders or keepers have that sort of football brain and without at least one player doing that effectively, you’ll struggle regardless of who’s playing and what formation they’re in. Stephens and THB think leadership is shouting and waving their arms. It isn’t. It’s nous and the ability to read the game and organise.

Go back and finish him off* with the jack** (* Not like that) (** Not Stephens, though it's a haunting image)

£50m spent to be bottom half of the Championship more than halfway through the season. Nowhere near good enough, but we are where we deserve to be and there’s no way we’re getting out of this division this season. It’s a horrible, lopsided, dysfunctional team and squad being managed by a novice who’s out of his depth and getting no support. From ownership to manager to coaching staff to players, we are aggressively bang average from top to bottom and there’s no hiding from it anymore. We had a chance to properly reset in the summer, and another one when we sacked Still, and we fucked both opportunities. Now we’re settling in as mid table championship dross, where we’re going to stay for some time, and SR has no one to blame but themselves.

Livingstone vs Celtic: 2-2 after 9 minutes

Zut alors, mais non

Nice thought but unless we sort out our non-league goalkeeper and comedy defence in Jan, Scienza will 100% be gone in the summer after we stay in this division. He’s way too good for this league, will absolutely get better offers and will know it’s his last chance to get a top flight move with top flight money. The club will need the transfer fee too, with the end of the parachute money in sight. So enjoy him while you can. Merry Christmas!

Two weeks 👍