Long post. Too long. Ridiculous.
Should he stay or should he go now?
If he goes there will be trouble
And if he stays it will be double.
I feel a bit like this! After Wigan I told my son I thought Appleton would get the games up to new year to see if he could turn it round. And the club would consider alternatives during that period to have somebody in place should the trigger be pulled. That might still be the case but it doesn't feel like it.
It's not all his fault. And to a large extent it's just a case of us competing with bigger clubs with bigger fan bases, and fans expectations need to be realistic. You can't keep boxing a weight higher and expect to keep winning.
Colby Bishop chose Pompey over us partly I think cos he saw a bigger club, more fans and more likelihood of success. And similar wages. I'm not convinced he's better than what we have tbh but his choice sort of made sense from a neutral perspective I think.
Same with managers. Who applied after Critch left? We clearly didn't have a great field to choose from, despite us being solvent, 2 good seasons behind us with a supportive owner. Quite perplexing but maybe people felt Critch hit the glass ceiling. I bet Critch felt that. Appleton at least had the balls to take it on. After recovering from cancer. He's a fighter, albeit a rather dour one.
He didn't attract the calibre of loans we hoped for. For whatever reason. But the best loan player has barely featured. You have to ask why, it's not all down to the player surely.
And MA isnt confident to adapt what we do. He has built a single template it seems and just wants the players to fulfil that. I think that's a major weakness and has cost us. Don't moan about what we haven't got, make the best of what we have. That's your job. You're a leader. Every manager has to work with the available resources. There are deficiencies in the United and Liverpool squads. Klopp and Ten Haag get on with it. Conte is a bit of a moaner, and his days are probably numbered. Moan lose moan lose goodbye!
Midfield is the crux of the issue. Yes, Stewart and Bridcutt would make a big difference and that's not Appletons fault. But don't send out two kids and a maverick, especially against top 6 sides. Dougall isnt Casemiro or Kante but he wins the ball and knows the job. It's insane not to use him in the circumstances. We could maybe even put Connolly in there and play 343. But that's not the template. We are rigid in our thinking.
I like that Appleton stays positive with his tactics. But I don't like how easily we are dominated for long periods. Not attempting to address it demonstrates either stubbornness or inability to think a different way. Or both. He looks frozen in the touchline while our midfield disappears. It's really not good enough.
Stay or go? I'd change the boss if we had a good alternative lined up. But it's not a simple thing to do. Especially mid season. Settling in period plus all the coaching staff changes etc even if we find someone. So I think we will give Appleton better tools and hope that boosts us and gets the fans back onside. Bowler should help with that. Which is vital. We only do well when the fans are fully behind the team.
We need midfield strengthening obviously, but maybe another RB and possibly a CB. Send Williams back. And probably Fiorini given his injury situation . I'm really hoping Patino stays, he just needs to be in a stronger midfield set up. We need more leaders on the pitch. Like a CB and a CM. Two CMs ideally. Bridcutt without crutches, a 32 year old Uncle Richard. If we can find them. Vocal experience.
Under Critch we were really solid and organised but struggled to create. I said when MA arrived that if he could build creativity onto that solid foundation he'd do well but could he keep that solidity? He's completely removed the midfield base and made us far too easy to play against. Warnock was laughing about McAtee's goal against us during last nights QPR v Sheff U commentary. I thought fuck off you wanker - but that goal was diabolical. At the time I just thought Appleton has to go, that's beyond ridiculous. It was just an exaggerated moment that illustrated how soft centred we are. I struggle to understand how, with all his coaching background, he can set a side up so flimsily.
But. He's only had 6 months. We've been short at RB and DM. Madine has had to play far too much. No Josh or Keshi. Filling the weak parts of the team and pulling together is probably the least worst option, in the absence of a clear alternative head coach, I think I think. Arguments both ways, I can see both sides. Appleton really needs to learn to use his squad better though, talk better, adapt better, react better. I'm not sure he can and 4 years always looked incredibly optimistic.
