The owners publically stated near the beginning of the last off-season that the quality of the product (football) needed to be improved and they then stated recruitment objectives to enable that improvement. This resulted in Smith and Sanchez being placed in a holding pattern while we tried to find better players for their spots, as well as a right back.
We either failed or gave up on these recruitments, just maybe on the basis that Herbert said he had the players (mid-fielders and backs) to deliver an improved standard of football. The striker recruitment objective was obviously met by signing Waffles and Brockie.
I think Gareth's directive to play more attacking football was probably a response to losing and falling crowds but was in the context of an already stated objective to improve the quality of football - it didn't just come out of the blue.
I'm obviously not privy to the recruitment conversations that went on last off season and the assurances, if any, Herbert gave about the capabilities of the then current squad to play a better standard of football but I seriously doubt we simply threw in the towel on upgrading the mid-field and signing a RB so early in the off-season with Herbert not having given the owners some assurances that re-signing Sanchez and Smith would not compromise our ability to raise the standard.
My point - Herbert owns the current shambles as much as the owners.