I`m a worried journo this morning!
Two desperate performances, against Chelsea (last weekend) and Aston Villa (yesterday) have left me fearful of our future.
I have this recurring dream that history will repeat itself and that Roy Hodgson is going to suffer a similar fate to when he last took a team into Europe (Blackburn Rovers) namely a fall from grace and an exit.
Yesterday was unacceptable, the team looked lethargic and going forward very sterile! Too many players looked off the pace, disinterested and flat.
Speaking after the match, in his usual post match press conference, Roy bemoaned the early goal we conceded and how needless it all was commenting,
“I don`t think it was a very good performance from our point of view.”
“Particularly the first goal that we conceded so needlessly after three minutes that put up on the back foot and then we were meeting a very strong and determined Aston Villa team.”
In all honesty Roy the defending and the interchange that produced such an awful back-pass so early on wasn`t even good enough to be called schoolboy defending. From the moment the corner was conceded we put ourselves under needless pressure and so early on.
But, the crux of the matter was that our response to the early goal was almost non-existent and matters didn`t improve much in the second half with Roy commenting,
“We were unable to really trouble them enough in the first half. In the second half we kept the ball better and made a slightly better effort at it but then of course we conceded the second goal and when that happened it`s a long climb back.”
A long climb back! A mountain to climb if you looked as lacklustre as we did yesterday afternoon. But, with the added attraction, or should that be distraction, of European football, many are pointing the finger towards that as being a perfect excuse, a point Roy was quick to dismiss commenting,
“We have to come to terms with these things, we`ve got to learn to deal with them, we`ve got to find energy, work harder, get together and play better. We have got to make certain that we find the necessary running power to make certain we at least match our opponents if not better them.”
Well if that`s the case Roy it`s back to the drawing board for you and your team because many more performances like the last two in the Premier League and we`ll be right back in the mire – believe you me!
Share this article
