Well, I thought there was a meeja ban, but there now quite clearly isn’t – Euell and Kimble have been credited with articles in various newspapers. Wonder if the meeja ban only applies to REMBE?
Good news for tomorrow – both Kimble and Gayle are doubtful. Wonderful. Mind you, it’s been hinted that HH will return to the fold tomorrow, although given his long layoff it may be wise to make him a bench warmer. This is where the inadequacies of our squad REALLY hit home : if AK and Maggie aren’t available, we don’t have a left-back available. And that worries me. I think everyone is half-expecting a wake tomorrow, let’s hope that certain attitudes are put to one side and we really go for it. I don’t really think I could cope with yet another capitulation.
I think that the much vaunted clearout in the summer is looking more and more likely, if Drillo’s comments today are any guide. Witness “I’ve learned a lot about what it is to coach foreign players and it’s easier for me now to see the team I want to have”. One of his main complaints this year has been the fact that the midfield just doesn’t help the defence out, which is why we’re permanently getting stretched. Couple that with the Turncoat Euell’s comments and it’s looking quite obvious who is going at the end of the season.
One player may be Michael Hughes, because “The problem with Michael is that he’s very good in parts of the game but he makes big mistakes. He gave the ball away for the first goal on Sunday and that’s typical Michael”, but Drillo then offers an olive branch of sorts, by saying “We need what he can give us at his best. We probably have to use him in a position where he doesn’t do too much damage in defence”. Like up front? Well, when he played against West Ham, he was up front whenever West Ham had a corner, he was doing similar under JK, so what’s really changed?
Interestingly, Drillo blames himself for the current problems, saying “I haven’t made my influences big enough. I thought it would be easier to implement my ideas but it’s been very difficult.” , although thankfully he says he won’t quit over the current problems. One of the major problems this season is that due to mostly political reasons, Drillo hasn’t really gone in full blooded with his reforms. Now, I would imagine that he had to keep the current crop to stop people getting on his back quite so readily, and now it’s been proven that the current crop in general simply don’t cut it.
And it really IS an attitude problem, despite all the old guard apologists trying to convince you otherwise – “I’ve seen other teams playing against us who are more penetrative than us”. If we’re trying to become more “penetrative” and we aren’t, is that necessarily the manager’s fault? I know some people are really pissed off with my almost seemingly unyielding pro-Drillo stance, but he is NOT the cause of our shiteness. Time will prove I’m right…..