by RedRedWine » Fri Dec 31, 2021 12:33 pm
I have calmed down since Crewe..... there is no way we are getting anywhere near 50 points with the current squad - we just lost to bottom of the league, and barely laid a glove on Fleetwood in the game prior to that through fear of losing. Every area of the team needs improving. If you can't see this, then I am sorry but you are in compete denial - the manager pretty much acknowledges this himself. I don't care if we were 2 points above the drop or even if we somehow beat Doncaster - this team is going one way atm, and has been for the last 2 months. I hope I am wrong, and will continue my support of the lads - but I'm not going to sit here like a fool and say things like 'we are not far away', 'keep the (blind) faith', or 'fine dividing lines' when it is far from true.
Recruitment has been an absolute shambles - and I don't have much confidence based on the signings to date that it will improve, but I think the manager at least deserves the opportunity to fix this and should be backed with funds to buy players in this window to at least give us a chance. I do have massive sympathy with Stephen Robinson given the time he had available to put a team together, but he was aware of the situation before he accepted the position and has to own the decisions he made over signings.
I look at somebody like Wes McDonald (2 year deal) and shake my head in utter disbelief - and our squad is full of jokers like that who urgently need to stand up and be counted for the sake of their own football career. There are not many stops in professional football after Morecambe FC. We represent a fantastic opportunity to learn, develop and progress - and from the outside the work ethic shown by too many indicates a lack of effort in addition to limited ability in some cases. Contrast that to last seasons squad - a team full of winners. Mensah FFS - what is the actual point of his signing?!? We have 2 fit CB, want to play a shape that requires 3 of them, so shift our best player to RB (he can do a job here, but it negates his effectiveness) so that we can fit two other full-backs into the middle of the defence and still leave Mensah on the bench. When is he ever going to play if he does feature in the current circumstances? How will he ever improve if he never plays? I don't have the answers - but somebody needs to start making sense of the questions! If you don't have 3 fit CB, don't play a back 5 against the worst team in the league at home and let them come on to you. Square pegs in round holes, papering over the cracks, etc. etc.
We are largely dependant on young unproven loanees - we need to send some back before we can have anymore, hence why McPake (never given a go, again a waste of time signing) will soon depart. We need to spend some money on experienced pros IMO, preferably with leadership qualities. This won't be cheap - but we need to have an eye on next season anyway. Robbo notes these missing qualities himself interview after interview, yet leaves our most experienced player on the bench - baffling! Our heads drop too easily, and we lack personality on the ball.
Show us something lads - give us something to cheer. UTFS
Happy New Year btw!
Hello! Hello! We are the Morecambe boys!