I’d better start with an explanation of where I find myself this week. I’m on a work course and, ‘so they can utilise the training facilities’ more effectively, it started on a Wednesday and ran all weekend.
Accordingly, when 3pm Saturday came round, I was sat in a classroom being taught a subject that I was already familiar with. Fortunately, the powers that be had put me in the back row of the classroom and as my desk had a large computer monitor on it, I was able to prop my iPad up and surreptitiously keep one eye on the game, whilst keeping another eye chameleon-style on the PowerPoint screen.
This actually gave me a rather interesting take on the game. Instead of absorbing every detail and being influenced by the commentary, I was able to take more of an overview of what was going on.
The course wasn’t so intense that I missed the Southampton game in midweek, though. Lucky me.
So what did I see on Saturday?
It was like going back in time. No, not to some dreadful Hughton-esque City era, although that would be pretty grim, but in fact to when my son took his first forays into the 11-a-side game.
The first thing I could hear in my head was my son’s exasperated coach shouting ‘No, don’t dive in. Jockey him!’ as an over-enthusiastic pre-teen tore in and committed to a full-blooded challenge… only to miss.
It also reminded me of ‘Sensible Soccer’ on my trusty Amiga, where I had players sliding in from all angles. And not winning the ball.
From where I was sitting at the back of the room, it looked pretty awful and amateurish.
Now, I do understand that there is a footballing school of thought that says you must win the ball back within five seconds of losing possession in order to maximise the disruption amongst the opposition. And it would appear that Philippe Clement has drummed this into his players, but the trouble is that all too often we aren’t winning the ball, and it is us that are disrupted, and left wide open to attack.
There is also the central concept of the high-pressing theory that insists on you moving the ball quickly forward to capitalise on the confusion.
I know that the stands on Saturday were filled with former players and managers alike, all paying their tribute to Michael Wynne-Jones. I don’t know whether the likes of Ken Brown, Dave Stringer or Mike Walker were among them, but this football is an anathema to the brand that they pursued to such good effect in the 80s and 90s.
I can hear my son’s coach again: ‘Just put your bloody foot on the ball!’
Whenever we got the ball, we were in such a desperate hurry to progress up the pitch. All too often passes were overambitious, intercepted or just ineffective. Possession surrendered. Back to square one.
In the end we were resorting to lumping the ball long in the hope of picking up scraps.
There were none.
The modern way is to look for someone to blame. I do think that the poster online who was blaming Kenny McLean for our poor midfield was stretching it a bit far though – influential as he is, to blame Kenny when he wasn’t even playing was a bit rich!
Attention has focussed on Ben Knapper, and yes, he must hold some culpability as it is his strategy that has seen us laden with this group of players, who look about as much promotion material as they did 12 months ago. OK, maybe not quite as much of a lost cause, but a long way off play-off material.
But here is the crux. We were writing this group off a year ago, when along came Clement and transformed them. He took things back to basics, gave the players a plan and a job and transformed us into a decent side. Most agreed that if we continued in that vein, with a couple of additions, we would be a decent side.
Last season we used 18 players in the wide right role. We spent decent money on a very highly rated right winger.
We had an issue at left back. We bought in a very decent left back.
We were optimistic.
What we didn’t expect was a total transformation in playing style. And seemingly not for the better. Whatever it is that Clement is trying to achieve with this group simply isn’t working. Players are regressing. Confidence is draining.
If you are looking for ‘blame’, then all fingers point one way, I’m afraid. I’m not advocating that we sack Clement in any way. What is needed, though, is a pretty pithy conversation between our Sporting Director and the coaching staff, whereby Clement is invited to have a little rethink of his strategy and once again steady the ship.
Will that happen? Who knows. But it needs to, and fast!
When I went to write this piece, I suddenly realised that I had used my planned opening ‘hook’ almost exactly 12 months ago. With that in mind, this week we can all listen to Olivier Rodrigo and ‘Déjà vu’!
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