I suppose Mr Hodgson cannot legislate for his experienced central defender making a complete mess of a routine clearance and then not having the desire or mobility to close down the player who scored the goal.

Or indeed his goalkeeper who stood routed to his line as the ball was headed in from about 4 yards.

The performances in the last 2 games are the worst I have witnessed by any team in the PL this season and I have watched a great deal of matches.

Edited by Willo (14 Feb 2021 10.19pm)

how is he still here after the Burnley game? Should have gone, straight after the game

We weren't on our knees. We'd lost 4 games, you'd have expected us to get points vs Huddersfield and Swansea at home and maybe a point away to Burnley, but basically he had a 7 point deficit and a team that just has £80m spent on it plus RLC and TFM brought in on load plus AWB break through. The credit he gets is a huge overstatement.

One can play 4-4-2 using a 'Diamond' in midfield but with the width provided by attacking fullbacks.
One can play a more traditional 4-4-2 with once again the full-backs raiding the flanks so one has a more compact '4' in the midfield 'Engine room'.

It is the manager's fault that we have done so little to reduce the average age of the squad.

We have survived since promotion generally on tight margins. Losing more than we win, but when we win they tend to be 1 goal victories with solid defending and a high work rate.

If a single player loses 5% of their energy levels, then these tight margins will erode. When there are multiple players over 30, we are on borrowed time and 1:0 wins will be replaced with 2:0 defeats.

Swansea and Stoke were comfortably established in the league yet fell out of it very suddenly. A team can capitulate in the space of 12 months if one of their pillars of strength is undermined. Mid table one season can become 19th place the next.

We are struggling - i think Roy sent an attacking team to score against Burnley but as soon as we look to be positive the defense has no cover and we look exposed. How many times were Burnley able to hit the ball where PVA had left to go forward and no one was able to cover his position. If we need to stay up just defend and play one up. We will be better when Zaha, Schlupp, Tomkins and McCarthur are back. Ferguson if ever get's fit will also help.

I will throw another name in the hat of possible replacements, Roger Schmidt of PSV. A manager in the mould of Hussenhuttl. High pressing, fast attacking. Job at PSV may be in doubt. This is the sort of person we should be looking at but, of course, he needs the right type of players. Gallagher anyone?

Edited by Spiderman (15 Feb 2021 10.32am)

Yes, but as I’ve said all along Roy has been here 4 years with the scouting team around him and had they replaced just 2 players per window where they saw weaknesses we would not be in this mess. Is it arrogance on Roy’s behalf and he keeps telling the management, “yes I can keep this team up with these players” or has he shown genuine concern and banged on the door every window and said, “we need to change x or y because his legs are going”.

I am of the opinion it is the former. 2 players per window, perhaps one old hand to fit Roy’s plan and 1 youngster would have made such a difference but all we have done is add age to age and then bought 1 youngster who may never play football again and Eze who can’t do it on his own. The verdict is out on Mateta who may have come too late anyway.

There seems to be very little forward planning at our club. They have been allowed to grow old together and now, without significant investment we are in real trouble. It would have been so different if they had drip fed some youngsters into the side.

The problem is an outcome of our management teams own making.

We all know about players in their twilight years as you like to call it, but they are the ones who chose to employ them approaching that age, so they in turn need to explain what their plan was when the inevitable happened, which is now and very real.

These players were employed when they were not in the 'Twilight' of their careers.
I cannot comment on why all the players are still at the club and makeup the backbone of the squad.