Game 10 - Norwich (h) Lost 3-1

So the wait for a win goes on, but against a good Norwich team, with the defence decimated by illness and injury, I thought we deserved more than yet another defeat.  For an hour or so, we more than matched them, got the goal and looked fairly comfortable with Cubero making his debut in midfield looking a neat player who doesn’t concede possession.  However, we started to play deeper and deeper, allowing them to start to operate in the gaps between defence and midfield, and eventually the pressure told.  

When you’re at the bottom, the breaks are always bad ones, so to concede from an own goal then a horribly deflected shot that the keeper had covered, it just summed up our current predicament.  The third goal was well taken but even then, we gifted possession far too easily in the build up.

Despite it all, the spirit is still there in the team, with no-one doubting the effort.  What we do lack is bodies to cover for any injury.  It’s criminal to take to the field with only one recognised centre half despite the claim last week that Oyston is now backing Riga.  Surely we can exploit the loan market to fill these gaps?

While we continue to make it difficult for ourselves, we’ll always be struggling.  The sooner the squad settles down with the reinforcements we are crying out for, the sooner we’ll start to pick up the points we deserve.  Two more tough games this week, but I still think we can turn it round.

STAR MAN: Jose Cubero

Middlesborough away

Just to confirm that we have booked a minibus to Boro leaving from the Scarborough Taps at 5.00 pm on Tuesday 30th September.

Cost currently £10 but may reduce if more come on the trip. Still places available.

Please contact Charlie or Phil if you are interested.

Pool Panel - Games 8 & 9 - Watford (h) Lost 1-0 & Brighton (a) Draw 0-0

Two really tough games on paper, and so it proved, with Watford especially looking a good side.  Despite that, I thought that after a few early scares, it was us who made the running and were desperately unlucky not to get something from the game, creating a number of chances over and above the missed penalty.  A fine margin between success and failure, with Ranger’s shot coming back off the inside of the post.

At Brighton, it was more of a case of a solid defensive display being the positive from the game, with Brighton having much of the possession but without particularly looking like scoring.  On the downside, we created very little ourselves, with Miller going closest after running on on goal from wide.  In both games, Joe Lewis showed what a fine keeper he is, with some excellent saves against Watford.  

What we lack at present is some real quality in midfield.  Karl has said he now backs Riga.  The proof of the pudding will be in allowing him to get some real quality in on loan.  Failure to do that will see us cut adrift if we carry on as we are.

Finally, it was very disappointing for Mr Oyston to fail to attend the BSA forum on Thursday, something that has been in the diary for a couple of weeks.  It shows a lack of respect for the fans, the lifeblood of the club.  The sooner the meeting is rearranged the better, so the fans get to have their say on the running of the club.

STARMAN: Joe Lewis

Pool Panel - Game 7 - Wolves (h) - Draw 1-1 A POINT FINALLY!

A distinct turning point was reached on Saturday.  On the pitch we got our first point, and that against a good Wolves side who would have gone two points clear with a victory.  We matched them all the way, and in the second half could easily have won the game.  Defensively we coped with everything they threw at us, while going forward, Ranger allowed us to build through some good hold up play, bringing midfield into the game.

Off the field, the crowd made it clear that Jose Riga is the right man for the job and any move to replace him would simply be catastrophic for the club.  It would be good for the Chairman to come out and give his support for the manager, who was only appointed three months ago, although that would be a massive turnaround after last week’s Gazette piece.  After a disastrous start, we are still only a win away from coming out of the bottom three.  It would be madness to throw away the work that has clearly been done in developing the team shape and style and trying to start again.

This team are starting to gel, playing some decent football and are playing to a cohesive strategy that accentuates their individual strengths.  After two years of watching turgid losing football, it’s refreshing to go along knowing that the team will be giving of their best and providing entertainment.

I’d urge Karl to come to a rapprochement with Riga and go forward as a club.

STARMAN: Peter Clarke

Pool Panel - International Break

And so the season lurches into further crisis.  As I write, the strong rumour persists that Riga has left and Owen Coyle appointed as his replacement.  On Saturday, Football Focus carried the story of Riga’s departure, but the waters were later clouded by the man himself being seen at Bloomfield Rd.

It’s symbolic of how shambolic the club has become in recent times, with the impasse between Chairman and manager seemingly irreparable.  For me, Riga represented a change to the previous two seasons of football played purely to grind out results and a return to a more entertaining style.  His failure to get in the players to meet that objective would seem to have been the final straw with no movement at all on transfer deadline day.  Whether he resigns or is sacked is irrelevant.  At least his public spat with the Chairman has highlighted to a wider audience just what a basket case the club has become while the next man in to take the challenge is faced with a fragile squad and seemingly no investment to strengthen that.

It would appear that the man for that challenge is Owen Coyle.  His time at Burnley saw his star rise but since then failures at Bolton and Wigan have weakened his bargaining position, something that will play into the Chairman’s hands as he negotiates the terms of the appointment.

It’s the nature of football that managers and players come and go, while the fans suffer the consequences.  That’s certainly the case at the moment.

Pool Panel - International Break

And so the season lurches into further crisis.  As I write, the strong rumour persists that Riga has left and Owen Coyle appointed as his replacement.  On Saturday, Football Focus carried the story of Riga’s departure, but the waters were later clouded by the man himself being seen at Bloomfield Rd.

It’s symbolic of how shambolic the club has become in recent times, with the impasse between Chairman and manager seemingly irreparable.  For me, Riga represented a change to the previous two seasons of football played purely to grind out results and a return to a more entertaining style.  His failure to get in the players to meet that objective would seem to have been the final straw with no movement at all on transfer deadline day.  Whether he resigns or is sacked is irrelevant.  At least his public spat with the Chairman has highlighted to a wider audience just what a basket case the club has become while the next man in to take the challenge is faced with a fragile squad and seemingly no investment to strengthen that.

It would appear that the man for that challenge is Owen Coyle.  His time at Burnley saw his star rise but since then failures at Bolton and Wigan have weakened his bargaining position, something that will play into the Chairman’s hands as he negotiates the terms of the appointment.

It’s the nature of football that managers and players come and go, while the fans suffer the consequences.  That’s certainly the case at the moment.

Pool Panel - Game 6 - Millwall (a) Lost 2-1

Another fruitless trip to the capital where, despite us having the benefit of a full week’s training we once again dropped to the bottom of the table going into the international break, as the only Championship team to be pointless at this stage.  Once again, we switched off at crucial stages, allowing players to run unchallenged into the box to score.  As I’ve said on more than once occasion, the next fortnight is crucial in both finalising the recruitment and also developing a team shape and structure. 

For me, the most crucial ingredient is to keep Jose Riga at the club.  He’s clearly a frustrated figure after the ridiculous summer we’ve had.  It’s the last chance saloon for Karl Oyston to actually back his manager with the four or so players he says he needs.  I believe that if he gets those, then we can extract ourselves from the current predicament.  Lose Riga and it’s hard to see how we can recover from the self-inflicted handicap of starting the season in September.

Saturday showed that we can create and score chances.  We possibly had the better of the play but succumbed to needless goals conceded that stemmed from a lack of someone who can really dominate in midfield.  The right player would be protecting the defence by winning the ball, allowing the more creative players we already have to supply the forwards we already have.

Speculate to accumulate; something that is apparently anathema to Oyston, but really now is the time.

STARMAN:  Peter Clarke