Double post
I’m conflicted. The Chief era so far has been an amazing rollercoaster. Coming from nowhere with the kids. Number 1 for so long. Watching the CCM game on the a long train trip and just as we got off, Doka. Oof.
But this season has had some appalling football. So negative and pointless. And the odd stuff with players wanting out and being frozen out.
Chief’s only chance to my mind is to say this year was a lot of mistakes by him and it can be binned off, and point to what he and Griff did the year before. As well as the few bright spots of inspired play by his senior players this season who are all retained, apart from Marco.
The injury situation shows a bit of bad luck, also how poor some signings were. We’re lucky Payne, Wootton, Ishige, Nagasawa and Kosta were as fit as they were.
But this season has had some appalling football. So negative and pointless. And the odd stuff with players wanting out and being frozen out.
Chief’s only chance to my mind is to say this year was a lot of mistakes by him and it can be binned off, and point to what he and Griff did the year before. As well as the few bright spots of inspired play by his senior players this season who are all retained, apart from Marco.
The injury situation shows a bit of bad luck, also how poor some signings were. We’re lucky Payne, Wootton, Ishige, Nagasawa and Kosta were as fit as they were.
Only 5! If he missed as many as Rufer …
Does that count Marco? And Cola? That’s 35 games right there if it does!
I don’t know how to use or interpret that games missed statistic. However, we are significantly lacking in players 21-29 with a bit of experience, good fitness and recovery times.
With the amount of sprinting Payne does and his history of hammies, I’d take only 5 games out each and every time!
Retre has been a failed signing. Nagasawa doesn’t have a settled position and hasn’t convinced the fans, though he has looked better further forward. Ishige isn’t a big personality and drifts in and out of games. It’s been too easy to shut him down, without that freeing up space elsewhere.
I did really like Ishige playing deeper and moving the ball like Singh used to. But it’s not clear if that’s sustainable against bigger teams than the Jets.
We were slow or didn’t bring in any injury cover players at all. Maybe a journeyman might have been Manny or at least someone who had a bit of experience at a lower level and could hold down the fort. Say prevent opposition running straight through the midfield…