Birmingham

They were a class above us today. We had one shot on target. Those two misses by Windass were terrible for someone who wants to be a striker. Birmingham although having less possession looked hungry when they did break and looked faster and fitter and some of their passing and moving was great to see. For all our possession we were creating little and had one shot on target. We were sluggish,slow and just unattractive to watch.

We were dreadful.

We’ve become the kind of long-ball cloggers everyone hates to watch. Difference if this team can’t score, can’t defend, and are easily bullied.

A manager who appears clueless as to how to rectify things. Sure, we’ve had some injuries. But that’s no excuse to abandon our attacking, attractive, football. For the past month and a half we’ve been getting progressively worse. Yet the manager continues to pick the same players and employ these awful tactics.

Disheartening today that, we created chances that windlass was guilty of wasting, the one in one in the first half and in the second as well. Ashamed to say I left early today, first time since we were 3 nil down away at Stockport, just couldn’t stay. Tough Christmas ahead of us, luckily the teams below us are also doin terribly. I assume that’s the last we will see if burn at home, him and Kipre were all over the place this afternoon.
The balti pie was the highlight

Players coming back from injury are regularly on the bench. Nothing new.

You spit your dummy when it’s a one off not every fooking week. And, who are these “cracking players” ?. If your tricky, a ball player, pacey you’ve not a cat in hell’s chance of getting in Paul Cooks starting clone 11. All realible hard working best bud players with about as much skill as making a fookin pizza

Powell can’t lace Dack’s boots.

To be considered in such high esteem you need to be playing regularly, and contributing, most games. Powell’s done nothing for us since Bristol City at home. Well before his injuries kicked in. Dack’s been a pivotal figure for Blackburn, week in, week out. He’s also signed a long-term deal ensuring they’ll get a big pay-off if someone does come sniffing. Powell’s sat on his backside and 2 weeks away from being able to walk on a free. If he does sign a new deal, fair enough, we can be patient and wait for him to get back to 100% fitness. If he just doesn’t fancy it and running his deal down, we need to move him on, bring in someone who can stop the slide into the bottom three.

Can we also stop with the BS about injuries costing us. They’ve undoubtedly been a factor. But Cook has done a 180 on our style of play. Earlier in the season we where a joy to watch. Conceded a few but always liable to get a couple ourselves. After some narrow away defeats he switched to this agricultural long-ball crap and watched over the worst run of away form in the country. To make matters worse this style of play’s been adopted at home. We had a nice mix of our passing game and hitting it long when needs be. In the last month it’s been long-ball at all costs and resulted in our home form also taking a dive.

PS, I’m not one who thinks McManaman is a world beater. But with the absence of Massey and Jacobs it’s clear Cook doesn’t rate him. We have Byrne like a fish out of water on the right wing, and on the other side, Roberts doing his best, but he’s not a winger. I’d like to think Cook would have identified James’ attacking qualities and used him further up field. Push him on and slot Byrne into the right-back position. Stick McManaman on the left. In the absence of Powell we need to look at putting Roberts in the middle. Morsy and Evans are playing too deep and creating little.

Powell is injury prone, he needs to be wrapped in cotton wool. If he wasn’t he wouldn’t be at Wigan. Why we never cashed in last summer is beyond me something we’ve never done before.

Birmingham have two forwards on 10+ goals, as long as you have this you’ll always stand half a chance even when you playing bad.

I’m confident you wont be homeless come May, but not so confident you’ll be £20 richer ;)

You’re on a sticky run – sure, but you’re on a sticky run against sides who have played at this level for many years. These sides don’t have a squad of players who are struggling to make the adjustment from 3rd tier football – they are packed full of decent Championship players and/or those who couldn’t quite cut it in the premier league. You saw that in its most brutal form yesterday with the quality of finishing.

It’ll get worse before it gets better, and I cant see you getting many more points until February, but there are definitely three worse sides than Wigan Athletic in the Championship this season, and that is all you need to survive and build on.