Mid-table mediocrity in the Premier League seemed a million miles away three or four years ago. A Pipe dream. I distinctly remember us getting hammered 4-1 by Sheff Utd in one of Bruce's last games as manager, and thinking, "This is it. This is our level now. Jesus Christ." If you'd told me then that we'd be ending our third consecutive season in the premier league in mid-table mediocrity less than four years later, I would have laughed.But the reality is, that's where we are now. We ARE a mid-table premier league side, a bit too good to be seriously troubled by relegation, not quite good enough to challenge for Europe. I think the players we have should be capable of a little better, but there are obvious glaring gaps in our squad of the quality needed to sustain a top 6/7 challenge.For me, I came into this season with the expectation that staying still (i.e. 11th) would be a good result given we were losing our best and most influential player and captain. That we will finish lower than that is dissappointing, but given how things have turned out during the season, I'm not pointing any fingers or calling for anyone to be fired. No one is "happy" with this season, but it's undeniable the results have been better, points-wise since Gerrard took over. Not by much, but still better.But the excuses have to stop at the end of the season. Gerrard has been backed well so far, and his signings HAVE improved the strength of our squad and first 11. I expect the same will happen this summer. Three new signings down the middle of the team who are 100% ready and willing to play the Gerrard way could do wonders for us.Three seasons of mid-table mediocrity is probably just about the limit for the owners, so I do think Gerrard might find himself under pressure if we reach the January transfer window and we are still in the 12th-14th positions. A full year and two transfer windows should be enough to demonstrate clearly noticeable improvement. I do think we'll all be a little happier when January comes around... well, some of us.
For me, we lack the ambition to be anything other than mediocre right now.
In four home games against Spurs, Liverpool, Palace and Burnley, we've had 63 shots, and scored 3 goals. It's pretty obvious therefore, where the main problem lies if we want to break the cycle of mediocrity.
Quote from: Risso on May 20, 2022, 10:04:36 AMIn four home games against Spurs, Liverpool, Palace and Burnley, we've had 63 shots, and scored 3 goals. It's pretty obvious therefore, where the main problem lies if we want to break the cycle of mediocrity.Wow is that right? To be fair, Pope played out of his skin last night, we could have won that 5-1 easily.
Quote from: curiousorange on May 20, 2022, 10:17:36 AMFor me, we lack the ambition to be anything other than mediocre right now.Quite the opposite for me, it's the first time in my lifetime that I've felt we've had first rate, ambitious owners.