A step towards recovery but doubts remain

Football has a funny way of making you feel foolish. The season start, my pre season optimism, my excitement over the new signings.

It hasn’t exactly been exemplified so far, it hasn’t exactly lived up to my positivity.

Two defeats in the league which was unthinkable really at this stage and once again chasing, it’s getting tiresome not only as a supporter but as a blogger having to write that.

The whole set up has been missing something. It’s been slow, passive, and at times extremely difficult to watch with results and performances reflecting that. In fact the pre season warnings, first half in Hoffenheim and Olympiacos defeat are hard to shake, have simply carried into the competitive form.

The manner of defeat to Celtic, already well covered on previous 4lads blogs, was simply diabolical with defensive long ball football replacing the much promised ‘handbrake off’ style.

Individuals have struggled with only really Jack Butland consistently performing. The rest of the new signings, or the money buys, either inconsistent or lacking any type of encouragement when it really matters.

The most worrying thing? The fanbase is almost completely lost on the management and direction of this squad. There is almost an undeniable theory or feeling amongst the support that the failure of this squad and management is inevitable.

For that feeling of inevitability the blame is almost certainly all at the door of the manager. I struggle to remember a more toxic feeling, indeed the Paul Le Guen or Caixinha endings are only relatively comparable but this somehow feels more aggressive. From comments on press conferences, or whenever the club speak, the negativity is undeniable.

People have simply given up or that’s how that feels?

But is this all to be expected with a team undergoing such big changes and are we not showing enough tolerance?

The international break was filled with frustration and aggression by a support tired of failure.

So as St Johnstone came around three points were an absolute must whilst a performance was craved also. We simply had to start seeing something.

The question is did we or did it simply gloss over that aforementioned inevitability?

Well, we scored two very good goals, registered another clean sheet, ninety minutes for Tom Lawrence and Kemar Roofe, created a number of decent chances and most importantly won at an away ground which has been troublesome previously. Defensively aside of one late header, we were fairly untroubled also.

So for the sake of balance, it definitely has positives and whilst everything is ‘negative’ it would be easy to ignore that, let’s not, the victory and three points is massively important. Winning away from home is very welcome indeed.

So here’s the big question and open to interpretation, was it really that much better performance wise?

We started quickly, score a very good goal then proceeded to get bogged down in passive possession that threatened very little. People often say ‘I don’t see our style’, well to me it’s very clear, we are a possession based team but all too often it’s possession for the sake of it and not going anywhere.

Defender to defender, to a deep midfielder back along the defence, rinse and repeat. We seem to get stuck in that passive cycle.

When we do move it quickly, when we do press as a group we look decent, as the goals and quality show. Then big chances for Sima, a disallowed goal, then more chances after the second went in.

But in truth, it’s at best patchy. It’s not quite clicking and at times it looks disjointed.

I want more tempo, I’d like more aggressive possession where we try to move between the lines more and be more sustained throughout, put more pressure on the opposition.

Individually I’m not sure Lammers has settled, I’m not sure we are using him properly, more concerning I’m not sure even if we did he offers more than Tom Lawrence or Todd Cantwell in that position anyway?

Then there is Cyriel Dessers who in all honesty has struggled. Despite a moment or two of quality, he hasn’t overly impressed and he hasn’t lead the frontline as the price tag would have expected.

The problem is they are two of our biggest financial outlays.

For me, my truth is Dowell, Sterling, Balogun will all be fine squad players, low level signings who will contribute at a decent level, Jack Butland will continue to shine.

But the money that has been spent on Sima’s loan, Lammers, Dessers, Danilo, Cifuentes, is always where Beale was going to be judged.

Danilo has looked decent when around the box but why he has been used so sparingly remains a question. Then the worst luck as he powered in that header to receive a nasty fracture to his cheek. I think he will go on to be a player for us, but he has to play and we have to create chances for him that suit his game.

Those money signings had to yield almost instant results and yes it’s still early but worryingly the majority have a lot to do to convince this support they can be a success here.

But as we have seen with Rabbi Matondo, things can change quickly. No judgement can be made this early. There is also a responsibility on the existing squad to be counted also, despite public defence, they are far away from acceptable form also.

Real Betis are next and a middle game 30-60 minute performance, a trend of the season so far, will see us in trouble. I can’t shake the Olympiacos comparison but this is a big game for everyone at the club and a result may just help raise some positivity. Not only for the team but for the management also.

At some point for this to click it has to come together, maybe it’s as simple as a change of shape or personnel? Is it the much wished for change to width, is it as simple as something like Tom Lawrence centrally bringing it all together?

That is the conundrum the manager must solve. But the players must stand tall and perform also.

So in answer to my question, is it really a step in the right direction or papering over the cracks?

Only a continuation of results and performance will answer that. Are we fragile with the results and unable to be balanced or is that apparent inevitability correct?

It also brings more questions, with the summer job so big are we too negative because of our start and not really giving enough credit? Was it always going to take this length of time for it all to come together?

The only answer to this is to win games of football and continue to get more convincing in that manner.

Perhaps St Johnstone was a very good win, perhaps we simply aren’t giving it enough credit, perhaps it was the type of win to harness confidence and build a bridge to the next game?

Are we simply too critical because of general feeling? If we had a better start would we be praising the victory and being more accepting?

We’ll find out the answers to all this very soon. Thursday is such a big game on many levels.

Finally, the reaction to fan media in recent weeks. I understand it comes with the territory but with that and the personal criticism that has come my way, I will say this –

4lads has always been positive and negative, reflecting what has been happening at the club. I am not guided by club instruction nor do I fear my ‘fan media’ position being challenged or taken away if I criticise, this has never happened and never been threatened.

At press conferences we will continue to ask questions we feel relevant and use that access as wisely as possible, you get one maybe two questions to try and ask what you can. With having an actual job I can’t always attend these every time. It’s also worth remembering we must be professional and unfortunately can’t shout and ball when things go wrong. So that needs a little bit of understanding.

Over recent weeks various contributors have posted and blogged unedited opinion of this club, strong opinions and strong criticism at that.

This blog has always held the club to account and will continue to do so if and when necessary. I think it’s vitally important to do that.

I don’t offer a subscription or charge for this platform, it doesn’t pay me a wage and I’m not egotistical to believe I speak for anyone. I do try to recognise supporter feeling if I correspond with the club.

As for questions surrounding the new fan representative board, I wish everyone who applies the best luck and hope we get the right applicants. I will not be applying nor do I have any desire to be that close to the club. I think it could be conflicting and aside of that, it just doesn’t interest me.

My relationship with the club is on good terms and I’ll continue to use that access to bring interviews, answers where necessary and to hold them to account best I can, if I can.

Worth remembering that I am a supporter first and foremost, if I’m positive or excited about Rangers that’s probably the reason. I’m still an old romantic that way. I actually believe in this squad and management, I believe we can be successful this season, otherwise what’s the point in supporting?

I simply want 4lads platform to be somewhere supporters can read and listen to a constructive and balanced view on the team we all support with a variety of opinion. I also don’t want to get bogged down online with people having a go at fan media and telling me what to do, what to ask, what we must do. So hopefully this brings answers and closure to some of it and we can continue on.

The plan for 4lads is only to bring more free access, more content and fully launch our podcast service across several platforms.

You can sign up to our youtube here and subscribe which would really help https://youtube.com/@fourladshadadream4239?si=LY-wRm6_HuX6ZJ1y. All press conferences, interviews and podcasts will be here. Clicking, reading and sharing our content is much appreciated and again really helps.

Good luck to the players and management against Real Betis, let’s kick on.