So we sit precariously just above the relegation zone with three games to go to get the elusive point or two to secure Premier League status for another season.
David Moyes resisted my advice to have a go, instead opting to try to get 11 men behind the ball, the result was a masterclass in passing by The Champions. If we do stay up then Moyes would of fulfilled his brief saving us from relegation and earning a nice little bonus too. So what now? Stick or twist. If the last few matches have been the final stages of The X Factor I’m afraid Moyes won’t be making it to judges houses. Lacklustre performances and wrong team selection makes me question if Moyes is the right man for the job. The obvious question is then who’ll replace him? The next question is who’d want to come and manage us?
I’ve always wondered could Wenger or Mourinho come in and transform our team. Can Guardiola only work with thoroughbreds and what would Klopp do with our squad? What is it that makes them and their teams a cut above the rest? Rafa Benitez has been superb this season with a team of players that are hardly household names. I’m sure we’d be in a better position now if we’d gone all out for him last summer.
David Wagner got Huddersfield promoted and Nuno Espírito Santo has just guided Wolves to Championship Winners in his first season in charge. Fulham’s manager Slavisa Jokanovic has impressed leading The Cottagers the playoffs and potentially The Premier League.
So who for the hot seat. Should the board look for an experienced manager or risk it like Wolves and Huddersfield. Would Pep jump at the chance of creating something special in The Eastend, of course he wouldn’t. So what next, Moyes or a gamble. You’d like to think Moyes would have a bit more clout next season and be able to stamp his authority and footprint on the squad. If rumour and gossip columns are to be believed the Hernandez Adrian and Carroll and Hart will be looking for new clubs. Arnautovic and Lanzini will be prey to bigger clubs whilst Rice will have many suitors vying for his signature.
Chris Coleman, Alan Pardew and Mick McCarthy are all available (this is my idea of a joke) but I’d love the club to go all out for either Marco Silva or departing PSG Manager Unai Emery. The latter two bringing attacking football. If Moyes fails to win a single point from the remaining games then it’s a goodbye from me. I was hoping for the Everton Moyes who always gave us a game when we came up against the blues, the Moyes who always turned up with a solid well drilled team who were tactically equipped to change systems and patterns before and during a game. Unfortunately we’ve had the Sunderland Moyes. Talking of Sunderland they like us flitted with relegation year after year and through mismanagement on and off the pitch find themselves plying their trade in League One next season. At least they’ve an away day at Blackpool so every cloud and all that.
There’s been so many lows to a desperately disappointing season that I can’t wait for it to end.
I believe we’re halfway towards the owners plan of Champions League football so next season should be more promising the following even better (another joke).
Whatever happens on the managerial front we’re lacking an identity as a club. The Boleyn Ground was what we were all about. Teams would buckle in the atmosphere, ex players and opponents still talk of that special place. We don’t have an identity and need owners and a manager to create one. My advice put your hands in your pockets and go all guns for an attack minded coach. If we’re gonna go down let’s go down fighting!!
