Another False Dawn

18 Jan 2023 | 10 comments

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Four league defeats in a row have certainly deflated all Blues followers. That’s putting it mildly. Apart from being annoyed and frustrated with the team’s overall performances, and against very mediocre opposition in most cases, my own disappointment is with myself for believing that times were changing. Like one of the Eurythmics song lyrics ‘I should have known better’. Another false dawn has now cruelly emerged and with a vengeance.

Players that I thought would change our fortunes have nosedived in form and, quite apparently, in confidence. John Eustace, like those before him, now appears to cut the familiar figure of someone not understanding why the crash landing has happened. Injuries cannot always be the excuse, and the very weak notion that those stepping in have the opportunity to show their talents is not working.

Papering over the cracks is continually being worked on by means of numerous loan players. They change in huge dollops season on season, giving us supporters little time to warm to them and not allowing for any proper building of the team. Before Christmas we had reason for believing change was happening this time around. But these last four defeats really have bitten hard, with reality now centred on another season firmly based on survival.

Pointless aiming anger at the Manager, even if our current eighteenth slot in the table drops further, as my feeling is that under him we have got as good as it gets. At this stage of the season my only suggestion to him would be to drop this fragile notion that we use wingbacks. We clearly haven’t got any. Any opposition now seizes on our weakness here and we can see their rewards. Back four would be my choice from now on.

Preston North End next up in the league and, hopefully, a win which will lighten the gloom for everyone around the club. Failing that, then the key to the cupboard drawer housing the prayer mats will have to be used yet again.

Mitchell Bray

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10 Comments

  1. Tracey Tyler

    Yes agree,the win last night was much needed but the real test will be against a Preston side that are very good away from home.In regards to loan players there are a couple of scenarios which we need to understand,one is the current plight of the Club,Forest got promoted last season with 5 loan players but they were not in Debt so the money they got from being promoted they could spend on players,if we got promoted the money we got from the Premier League would just pay off our debts with no money for players,that’s the reality of the situation.Loan players are great if they get you to your goal but we are the situation of we are having them to survive in the Championship.We can never build a team around Loan players.Thats where we are unfortunately and you cannot see much changing while the present owners are here and the Debt keeps mounting day by day.

    • Robert Wiley

      Agree 100% but we are totally trapped with these owners and until they are gone and we have genuine owners who want to invest then we will have this continuous vicious cycle of deterioration and who will pay £100 m for a championship club with a stadium falling down.I for one can’t fathom how we’ve amassed this massive debt and always end up with half the squad being loan players.

  2. Smithy

    January never a good month for Blues. Preston now really important as at least 46 points needed this championship season. Cannot go on with this losing run.Back four and stay solid.

  3. Bill

    The last few games have demonstrated as in previous seasons that the squad is very thin. With injuries in defence and the lack of a couple of effective strikers it has underlined the need for a stronger squad. Unfortunately the lack of finance makes it difficult for any manager to overcome this. Sound finance is what is needed. Until then KRO !

  4. Peter Bates

    Troy deeney was right when he said the players let themselves down and the manager ,but against Burnley who are a very good side and bristol city we were exposed in not having players who know the defensive side of wingbacks .we looked very vulnerable and sometimes it is no shame in saying I was wrong blues fans are always willing to forgive so the manager would be forgiven it’s not wrong to say it hasn’t worked ,get back to hard work and play to our strengths we will be ok kro

  5. Mark R

    As alluded to in previous comments, I think it’s been more a case of the players letting the manager down than any tactical shortcomings on the part of our manager or his staff.
    For example he made key tactical and personnel changes at half time last night that turned the game round.
    I believe other than Bacuna, the players he has put in as wing backs know how to play the position, they’ve just switched off at times and occasionally find themselves too far up the field when the oppositions defenders have the ball-then we get done by a diagonal ball inside the wing back, for example.
    Anyway, Preston will indeed pose a much sterner test than FGR last night, but if the lads turn up and concentrate, I think we’ll get a decent result.
    Be interesting to see who he picks though, as the likes of Alfie Chang and Jukey will have given him food for thought with their performances last night!
    KRO

  6. david

    We need Dean and Gardner back the spine of the team has been disrupted.

    • Mark R

      Agree with you regarding Harley Dean, I’d love to see him back in the middle of our defence asap.
      When he’s on his game he’s as good as any centre half in the Championship-and better than most!

  7. Ed Truman

    The performances since Christmas have been dreadful for sure. But I don’t think we should panic too much just yet. It’s only a few weeks since Sheffield United lost 3 out of 4, and the other match they drew with Blackpool. So all is not yet lost.

    But this slavish devotion to playing three at the back with wing backs is baffling. Teams are wise to us now and they are picking us off. The next few weeks will be a test, and not least for John Eustace. How he responds to the current malaise will be revealing.

  8. Tracey Tyler

    If you play with Wing Backs you need high quality ones which we do not have and if you do not have that quality you can get over run in midfield.As a previous poster said opposition teams have worked us out and are playing behind our wing backs as well and basically filling their boots.A back 4 is a must for us to move on.

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