Have we been in denial?

[Mister E]

** post removed ** far too corny and not very funny

[Mister E]

He's been dealt a bun hand in many ways, which is why I was prepared to give him a chance. But our squad is still so much better than all of the other sides in and around us that we still shouldn't have been in this mess.

I don't see Wigan with a £24m centre forward, or Bolton with 3 central midfielders who cost £22m even after selling so many other midfielders.

It's obvious that the creativity has been sucked out of the side. And we've placed too much confidence in the likes of albrighton and bannan I replace that, whilst CNZ is more of a selfish player than a provider of numerous chances.

My concern is that even I we do seek to strengthen in those positions - and we definitely need to - mcleish's record is pretty suspect. He tried to make blues more creative with the likes of hleb, Benitez, etc. it just didn't work.

McL gambled that bringing in Given, Jenas, Hutton and CNZ would give him the experience through the side - along with Petrov, Dunne, Warnock and Collins.
The reality is that poor fortune (with injuries) and poor form from key players has lead to the position we now find ourselves in.
However, he has  not done enough to get the best out the materials at his disposal and I point particularly to playing players out of position and not dealing with our appalling set-piece defending. These are things he could and should have corrected.

[Eigentor]

Before the first match of the season, I predicted that we would finish 14th. I assumed that there would be a bottom six (including Norwich and Swansea, but without us and Bolton) that would fight against relegation, and that we would be just good enough to avoid that. I thought we had a lower mid-table manager working with a lower mid-table squad.

In attack, McLeish has delievered about as expected. But I thought he would improve our defence, but it has been just about as leaky as last season. I think there lies the main reason for the difference between where we'll end up and what I predicted.

If we keep McLeish and give him a dominant midfielder and a couple of competent defenders to work with, I think he will produce more 1-0 wins and could bring us to a mid-table finish. But the football will be similar to this season; we'll just be less of a push-over and produce fewer blunders in defence.

[Fergal]

I think many fans are still in denial. They think we are going to stay up - given that we cannot win matches we have little chance. We need to brace ourselves, we're heading for the Championship where we belong.

What a load of bollox. Us a Championship team? fuck right off.  That is one of the most ridiculous posts I have ever seen on here, and I have posted some shit myself.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I think many fans are still in denial. They think we are going to stay up - given that we cannot win matches we have little chance. We need to brace ourselves, we're heading for the Championship where we belong.

What a load of bollox. Us a Championship team? fuck right off.  That is one of the most ridiculous posts I have ever seen on here, and I have posted some shit myself.

I agree. I have also posted shit on here but that is an absolutely disgraceful statement ! If we go down then I will be the first to say we are heading for the Championship where we deserve to be. But where we belong ? NEVER !

[damon loves JT]

I, too, have posted shit. Sealing the envelope was a nightmare

[Fergal]

I, too, have posted shit. Sealing the envelope was a nightmare

Use a plastic one and vacuum seal it, that's what I do

[Fergal]

He's been dealt a bun hand in many ways

He has had plenty of dough to play with.

He's certainly the sort of manager who gives fans a cob on.

We're on a roll now.

He's taken a lot of (French) stick though...

It's time to hand over the Baton...

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I, too, have posted shit. Sealing the envelope was a nightmare

You have to mark the envelope `Private and Confidential - For the personal attention of The Prime Minister`, otherwise it just finishes up with some poorly paid lowly civil servant. Anyway, thats what I used to do in the 1980's.

[Chipsticks]

we're heading for the Championship where we belong.

I'm sorry but that statement is like having sex with a fat girl in an elevator.

Wrong on so many levels.

[Chipsticks]

He's been dealt a bun hand in many ways

He has had plenty of dough to play with.

He's certainly the sort of manager who gives fans a cob on.

We're on a roll now.

He's taken a lot of (French) stick though...

It's time to hand over the Baton...

I'll toast that.

this bread isn't funny anymore.

[Dave Clark Five]

He's been dealt a bun hand in many ways

He has had plenty of dough to play with.

He's certainly the sort of manager who gives fans a cob on.

We're on a roll now.

He's taken a lot of (French) stick though...

It's time to hand over the Baton...

I'll toast that.

this bread isn't funny anymore.

We've just had a bad batch.

[Louzie0]

Thought they played better than usual, yeasterday.

[VillaAlways]

I think we might go on a roll

Just checked back Doh !

[Louzie0]

We knead the points so no loafin around on tuesday!

And, go Zoggy....