I was rather alarmed to hear Harry refer to Ramos's tenure from the start of the season as an indication of how good the players are, and why we're in yet another slump. If that start hadn't been so disastrous, presumably Harry wouldn't have been brought in such a dramatic change. I'd like to think it's yet another veiled indication to Levy that substantial funds have to be spent to bring in more players that will get us out of the bottom 3 permanently.
1 goal in the last 5 is also eerily reminiscent of the first 8, losing games by the odd goal but never getting hammered. With the next 3 games we have - Pompey, Stoke(both home), Bolton - the opportunities to pick up points and break the poor run look to be there. However, we've been stunned to get only 1 point from the teams we played in the last 4, when the expectation would have been nearer 5 or 6. Those last 6 games of the season, that include United, Everton and Liverpool away, are looking more and more ominous. I don't think our encouraging results against the top 4 are going to help us there.
The fact that we've been winning cup games, and scoring heavily, even back to games against Liverpool and Zagreb, speaks volumes. All those sides have been championship level or second string teams. In both games this season against a first choice Wigan team, we've failed to score, as we have in half of our home league games. If we can create chances for Defoe - and he can create his own openings - then goals will come. Unfortunately, creating chances has been a major problem all season.
1 goal in the last 5 is also eerily reminiscent of the first 8, losing games by the odd goal but never getting hammered. With the next 3 games we have - Pompey, Stoke(both home), Bolton - the opportunities to pick up points and break the poor run look to be there. However, we've been stunned to get only 1 point from the teams we played in the last 4, when the expectation would have been nearer 5 or 6. Those last 6 games of the season, that include United, Everton and Liverpool away, are looking more and more ominous. I don't think our encouraging results against the top 4 are going to help us there.
The fact that we've been winning cup games, and scoring heavily, even back to games against Liverpool and Zagreb, speaks volumes. All those sides have been championship level or second string teams. In both games this season against a first choice Wigan team, we've failed to score, as we have in half of our home league games. If we can create chances for Defoe - and he can create his own openings - then goals will come. Unfortunately, creating chances has been a major problem all season.