Should we consider an open letter to the players?

[Guest Mcguigan]

Gunna send Harris a french letter, see if can shoot into that.

[A47Owl]

With an attitude towards the players shown above they are not likely to perform. 

Non of the posters would get a job as a "Life Coach". 

I know it must be difficult to motivate a team that has gone through this season. 

Hopefully Darren Moore will give them the right team talk to get them in the "Cardiff" mode. 

All we want is a win and Rovrum to get a point or less. 

When / if the team keep us in the Championship then you can all vent your anger. 

Until then we need to do anything to get the players up for the game and get a win. 

 

 

[ChapSmurf]

An open letter? With one match to go?

 

Erm.............

[mcmigo]

In all seriousness.

 

staying up this season , with a points deduction , 6 different managers, no crowds, wages not paid , January buys of ‘ hutch ‘ and green, our best defender Iorfa out for season, arguably our best attacking midfielder Luongo out for season , tony Pulis etc etc

 

would be a very good achievement by the players.  They won’t have tougher circumstances than this one to stay up 

 

 

[Pablo Bonvin]

22 minutes ago, ChapSmurf said:

An open letter? With one match to go?

 

Erm.............

Knowing our luck it would get lost in the post and not turn up till September.

[ChapSmurf]

2 minutes ago, Pablo Bonvin said:

Knowing our luck it would get lost in the post and not turn up till September.

 

With a postmark from 2019

[Lawrie’s Left Peg]

31 minutes ago, mcmigo said:

In all seriousness.

 

staying up this season , with a points deduction , 6 different managers, no crowds, wages not paid , January buys of ‘ hutch ‘ and green, our best defender Iorfa out for season, arguably our best attacking midfielder Luongo out for season , tony Pulis etc etc

 

would be a very good achievement by the players.  They won’t have tougher circumstances than this one to stay up 

 

 

Although I totally understand your sentiment and see the logic I can’t buy into this. Most of us will have played football at some level. When there is a 50/50 tackle, or you have to track your runner, or you have the choice to show for the ball or hide, I don’t accept that in those moments your thinking about the manager or the owner or your wages. 
The players have been guilty of a lack of mental and physical application all season. If they are honest enough to take a good luck in the mirror, each one of them will know they could have done much, much better. 

[Guest Andy W]

10 hours ago, WestMidlandsOwl said:

Given the magnitude of the game on Saturday I am wondering if we should consider an open letter to the players from the fans.

 

Back in the middle of Feb right before our match against Birmingham blues fans spotting the impending doom put together an open letter to the players it read:

 

 

This banner was placed outside of the training ground and was widely acknowledged within the team and certain players addressing it on social media etc.

 

 

Unfortunately (for us) they went on to win that game and have since secured their safety.

 

Now admittedly at the time I thought it was a bit tinpot and was laughing at it, but with the grim reality of relegation looming large on Saturday is it time we considered doing something similar.

 

A cynic might well say that the message had zero impact on the following results for blues or that their new manager is responsible for the turn around in form, who knows perhaps the players really don't care but at this point are there any options we shouldn't be considering?

 

We need nothing less than 100% on Saturday from each player, if even then we don't win the game or results don't go our way elsewhere then fine but at least we can go doing knowing we gave it 100% on the final day. I don't want to see another drab, limp, and lifeless display from the players.

 

So what do you think?

 

Either way - 

COME ON WEDNESDAY!!!!!

 

 

Since we haven't had 100% from them since September, best of luck with that.

We won't beat Derby, of course. Rotherham won't beat Cardiff which will mean that winning at Derby would (would) have meant survival.

IMHO

[mcmigo]

2 minutes ago, Lawrie’s Left Peg said:

Although I totally understand your sentiment and see the logic I can’t buy into this. Most of us will have played football at some level. When there is a 50/50 tackle, or you have to track your runner, or you have the choice to show for the ball or hide, I don’t accept that in those moments your thinking about the manager or the owner or your wages. 
The players have been guilty of a lack of mental and physical application all season. If they are honest enough to take a good luck in the mirror, each one of them will know they could have done much, much better. 

We have a terrible record for discipline this season .  Booting people around hasn’t been an issue this season.

 

my own view .

 

our established , longer term players - Bannan, Lees, Westwood, Hutchinson - time has caught up with them this season.  Bannan has played a huge amount of football in the last 3 seasons for someone in his 30’s. The latter three have bodies no longer able to play at 100 percent intensity.  All have played ok this season but they aren’t the players they used to be . That’s just age and games that do that to you .

 

The better ones from the rest of the squad  - Iorfa, Luongo have been huge misses.

 

Two players have lost all confidence despite having some ability - reach and borner  . Both are enigmas , I believe there is something that has caused them both to decline but we will never know.

 

the older longer term  players with less ability - Palmer, wildsmith,  Rhodes, Joey p , Harris, Moses have all worked hard and given their all but their lack of ability has been more exposed this season as the better players have been impacted as above. Their hard work has not disguised their lack of talent as it maybe has in better teams. Defending next to loovens, a rolls Royce who has defended against Messi and Ronaldo , is a very different prospect for Palmer than lining up alongside osaze who for all his potential is a kid released by afc Wimbledon.

 

The new players were cheap, and the points deduction meant the pressure was on right from the start. The dismisssal of the manager who was in charge when they signed was also not helpful.  None aside from Windass have adapted and coped with it.  Good players like Brown , Paterson have been well under par , I genuinely don’t think some have the mental strength for what has been a season in the drop zone. Probably why they were cheap.

 

I am sure some will look at some parts of the season with regret . But the squad strength , the different impact on each group has led us here.  And I am sorry to say at the heart of that is a chaotic transfer strategy, an even more chaotic manager strategy and a broken financial strategy that has compounded things.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bannofan]

I'm absolutely no fan or supporter at all at the moment ..every thread or post supporting the players or showing any positivity makes me cringe.

 

I simply don't think we deserve to stay up,  if we go down then it's more likely Chansiri will consider his position, I firmly believe we will only be scrapping about like this again next season if we stay up, whereas in league 1 I can't see us finishing any less than 10th . 

 

It's probably because I've seen us in league one / the third division loads of times since 1977/78 when i first started watching as a young un, so it doesn't really phase me as much as it probably should.

 

 

 

[mcmigo]

2 minutes ago, Bannofan said:

I'm absolutely no fan or supporter at all at the moment ..every thread or post supporting the players or showing any positivity makes me cringe.

 

I simply don't think we deserve to stay up,  if we go down then it's more likely Chansiri will consider his position, I firmly believe we will only be scrapping about like this again next season if we stay up, whereas in league 1 I can't see us finishing any less than 10th . 

 

It's probably because I've seen us in league one / the third division loads of times since 1977/78 when i first started watching as a young un, so it doesn't really phase me as much as it probably should.

 

 

 

If we do stay up, and that is a massive if, next season we will be stone cold favourites to do down.

 

Our form now over 17 months has been truly terrible. 
 

If we survive on Saturday, in my view it will delay relegation by a year only as things stand. Hull and Peterborough are good teams coming up with decent budgets to spend.  
 

 

[sheffield_dave]

I think you make a fair case mcmigo.

 

But..

 

"Only team in the top 5 divisions to not win a single point from behind"

 

I don't think you could present a more damning stat of a football team. Everybody has know we've lacked quality, confidence and that injuries, a manager merry-go-round and points deduction haven't been helpful. I think all that anyone has asked of this team from day 1 is just to give what they can and fight every step to overcome each of those adversities. Fans just want to see some battle, something to rally behind, something to show them that we might well go down, but we'll do so scrapping with signs that they'll go again to fight back out of League One. 

 

What we have is "1-0 down, game over". We have that Forest pre-season friendly last week, the Luton capitulation, our record against Rotherham, Wycombe, Luton, Coventry..

 

Perhaps don't put that in the open letter, though.

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

Well let me tell you this you bunch of T ossers...

[mcmigo]

4 minutes ago, sheffield_dave said:

I think you make a fair case mcmigo.

 

But..

 

"Only team in the top 5 divisions to not win a single point from behind"

 

I don't think you could present a more damning stat of a football team. Everybody has know we've lacked quality, confidence and that injuries, a manager merry-go-round and points deduction haven't been helpful. I think all that anyone has asked of this team from day 1 is just to give what they can and fight every step to overcome each of those adversities. Fans just want to see some battle, something to rally behind, something to show them that we might well go down, but we'll do so scrapping with signs that they'll go again to fight back out of League One. 

 

What we have is "1-0 down, game over". We have that Forest pre-season friendly last week, the Luton capitulation, our record against Rotherham, Wycombe, Luton, Coventry..

 

Perhaps don't put that in the open letter, though.

Well that stat more than anything is an easy one to work out.

 

for the last 8 years we have always had a plan B- basically send Nuhiu on and let him cause havoc. Remember all of Nuhius goals last season were scored late on. We simply did not replace Nuhiu and therefore removed our plan B. Our attacking subs now are just like for like - Kachunga for Rhodes etc.  
 Our plan a is very easy to defend against remember.

 

1.  Push Bannan deep ( he needs no encouragement ) and don’t worry about the other CM as they don’t attack. 

2.  Show Harris inside 

3.  Kick reach so he disengages from the match

4.  Push up the pitch as Rhodes doesn’t have pace to drop in behind 

5.  Mark Windass closely as only dangerous player 

6.  Don’t worry about full backs attacking, they aren’t good attackers.

 

So once teams lead - revert as above.

 

derby only need to draw so will play this exact way from the start on Saturday 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lawrie’s Left Peg]

16 minutes ago, mcmigo said:

We have a terrible record for discipline this season .  Booting people around hasn’t been an issue this season.

 

my own view .

 

our established , longer term players - Bannan, Lees, Westwood, Hutchinson - time has caught up with them this season.  Bannan has played a huge amount of football in the last 3 seasons for someone in his 30’s. The latter three have bodies no longer able to play at 100 percent intensity.  All have played ok this season but they aren’t the players they used to be . That’s just age and games that do that to you .

 

The better ones from the rest of the squad  - Iorfa, Luongo have been huge misses.

 

Two players have lost all confidence despite having some ability - reach and borner  . Both are enigmas , I believe there is something that has caused them both to decline but we will never know.

 

the older longer term  players with less ability - Palmer, wildsmith,  Rhodes, Joey p , Harris, Moses have all worked hard and given their all but their lack of ability has been more exposed this season as the better players have been impacted as above. Their hard work has not disguised their lack of talent as it maybe has in better teams. Defending next to loovens, a rolls Royce who has defended against Messi and Ronaldo , is a very different prospect for Palmer than lining up alongside osaze who for all his potential is a kid released by afc Wimbledon.

 

The new players were cheap, and the points deduction meant the pressure was on right from the start. The dismisssal of the manager who was in charge when they signed was also not helpful.  None aside from Windass have adapted and coped with it.  Good players like Brown , Paterson have been well under par , I genuinely don’t think some have the mental strength for what has been a season in the drop zone. Probably why they were cheap.

 

I am sure some will look at some parts of the season with regret . But the squad strength , the different impact on each group has led us here.  And I am sorry to say at the heart of that is a chaotic transfer strategy, an even more chaotic manager strategy and a broken financial strategy that has compounded things.

 

 

 

 

 

Again. Really good points and well reasoned. To be fair I never suggested booting anyone. That’s not my definition of application.

If you contrast the best of Wednesday this season Cardiff and the worst (QPR, Bristol, Forest) These are essentially the same players at the same club with the same manager. The difference in levels is down to application.

Bannan and Reach, rightly earned plaudits for their performances against Cardiff yet both literally stood and allowed the cross for the goal against Bristol. Either or both could’ve chosen to close down and block the cross. I don’t believe the decision not to was influenced by wages, Pulis, or January’s inactivity in the transfer market. I don’t believe it was a lack of ability to defend the cross, rather a lack of application. 

The individual chooses how hard they work, how far they run, are they prepared to chase an opponent, do they demand the ball from a teammate or turn their back.
The difference in levels proves we could’ve done much, much better despite the appalling mismanagement of the club which you correctly highlight. 
Had we played to our potential, I agree that we’re still not very good for all the reasons you highlight, lower mid-table at best. But the difference between relegation on Saturday, which will happen, and safety for this season lies in the hearts and minds of the players. 
I am fully with you that the recent decline and,  I fear, the long term demise of our club is solely the responsibility of the owner 

[mcmigo]

5 minutes ago, Lawrie’s Left Peg said:

Again. Really good points and well reasoned. To be fair I never suggested booting anyone. That’s not my definition of application.

If you contrast the best of Wednesday this season Cardiff and the worst (QPR, Bristol, Forest) These are essentially the same players at the same club with the same manager. The difference in levels is down to application.

Bannan and Reach, rightly earned plaudits for their performances against Cardiff yet both literally stood and allowed the cross for the goal against Bristol. Either or both could’ve chosen to close down and block the cross. I don’t believe the decision not to was influenced by wages, Pulis, or January’s inactivity in the transfer market. I don’t believe it was a lack of ability to defend the cross, rather a lack of application. 

The individual chooses how hard they work, how far they run, are they prepared to chase an opponent, do they demand the ball from a teammate or turn their back.
The difference in levels proves we could’ve done much, much better despite the appalling mismanagement of the club which you correctly highlight. 
Had we played to our potential, I agree that we’re still not very good for all the reasons you highlight, lower mid-table at best. But the difference between relegation on Saturday, which will happen, and safety for this season lies in the hearts and minds of the players. 
I am fully with you that the recent decline and,  I fear, the long term demise of our club is solely the responsibility of the owner 

Bannan is burnt out.  He has played so much football , and remember not really a break between the last two seasons.  

 

reach has had a catastrophic loss of confidence in open play, same as borner.

both in reality are not performing as they can do, but for different reasons.

 

 

[unkastav]

We know you’ve been crap and not been paid on time for alot of the season....  but can you please put in a shift on saturday... its the least we deserve

 

cheers, the massive

[Devonstrix]

10 minutes ago, mcmigo said:

Bannan is burnt out.  He has played so much football , and remember not really a break between the last two seasons.  

 

reach has had a catastrophic loss of confidence in open play, same as borner.

both in reality are not performing as they can do, but for different reasons.

 

 

Surely though, some of these players who have supposedly lost confidence have had it easier this season. There’s been no crowds for over a year now and whilst that might have its own detrimental effect on motivation, there’s no doubt that the likes of Reach and a few others would have been given absolutely unlimited pelters for the standards they’ve met. 

[sheffield_dave]

35 minutes ago, mcmigo said:

Well that stat more than anything is an easy one to work out.

 

for the last 8 years we have always had a plan B- basically send Nuhiu on and let him cause havoc. Remember all of Nuhius goals last season were scored late on. We simply did not replace Nuhiu and therefore removed our plan B. Our attacking subs now are just like for like - Kachunga for Rhodes etc.  
 Our plan a is very easy to defend against remember.

 

1.  Push Bannan deep ( he needs no encouragement ) and don’t worry about the other CM as they don’t attack. 

2.  Show Harris inside 

3.  Kick reach so he disengages from the match

4.  Push up the pitch as Rhodes doesn’t have pace to drop in behind 

5.  Mark Windass closely as only dangerous player 

6.  Don’t worry about full backs attacking, they aren’t good attackers.

 

So once teams lead - revert as above.

 

derby only need to draw so will play this exact way from the start on Saturday 

 

I mean you can break this down as far as you like in terms of tactical analysis..

 

This is a squad of (allegedly) professional footballers, and the only real ask is that they put a visible shift in to keep people going and show some battle.

 

We didn't trot out that feeble rubbish on Saturday because Nuhui isn't here or Windass is being marked. 

[mcmigo]

1 minute ago, sheffield_dave said:

 

I mean you can break this down as far as you like in terms of tactical analysis..

 

This is a squad of (allegedly) professional footballers, and the only real ask is that they put a visible shift in to keep people going and show some battle.

 

We didn't trot out that feeble rubbish on Saturday because Nuhui isn't here or Windass is being marked. 

There was nothing wrong with the defending bar the mistake that led to the penalty.

 

The issue was scoring, as it has been all season . Forest just did to us what most teams have done to us all season when they have taken the lead. You can charge around all you want , but we don’t have a player up front to play off to get up the pitch, nor an attacking plan B . Therefore we are very easy to defend against and keep away from the goal . 
 

the biggest mistake in this car crash of a season was not replacing the lead striker ( fletcher / Nuhiu ). As I said last summer; the perfect player was available for us for 700k - Clarke-Harris from Bristol who is a tough lad who has been through a lot and is incredibly determined as a character, you can play off him and he can finish. We would have finished mid table had we done that deal , instead he went to Posh and has scored 30 odd goals.