 |
| Davies - Coming Under Pressure |
Exactly a
month ago today Forest beat Huddersfield away 3-0. We had just qualified for
the FA cup Fifth round with an away tie against Sheffield United in the offing,
which was completely winnable. Yes we had a couple of injuries but we were
coping.
Fast forward
1 month and the picture is completely different. 3 defeats on the bounce, a
tricky away game (which we also saw Huddersfield as) could see that stretch to
4. Fans are angry and disgruntled. The manager is openly being called into
question, even more so as he serves a 5 match touchline ban for how he
approached the ref at Leicester for not sending off Wes Morgan.
We exited the
FA Cup after leading against lower league opposition, and now have even more injuries.
Some sites have questioned f Davies training techniques, so lauded before in
the Natalie Jackson feature last year by many fans, as perhaps being to rigorous,
that the various injuries come from wear and tear that we are now experiencing.
28 days. That’s
all it's been.
The various
media that have been shut out are of course having a field day, and yes things
have gone wrong. But to simply suggest it's all Billy is slightly blinkered, as
is the opposing view of just pointing to a big red medical cross and going on
about injuries.
The problem
is the injuries have caused us to try and find a solution and this has exposed
serious short comings in the clubs emergency planning. Now most managers I
would hazard would see a tail off in results with such injuries, but the
problem also stems from performances, and an essence of Billy trying to tinker
to get the best out of his stretched resources and getting it wrong.
We have gone
from chasing automatic and I stress chasing, as we were always behind in that
race, to now looking like making the playoffs is going to be tough. All the
while we have sat in that same fifth spot. All that’s happened is our cushion
has eroded, and now clubs have games in hand on us to take our spot, but it
relies on victories for them.
The whole
media thing is what doesn't help. And a lot of people pointed us that something
like this could happen. That a lot of borrowed good faith when the club does
well could be used when the club does badly. Do you really expect the Post and
radio Nottingham to come leaping to Davies defence? Or all the other media
outlets. There are people suggesting that too many people are now revelling in
the bad run and using it as a stick to beat Billy with, but when you've pretty
much ostracized swathes of fans and media that will happen.
A lot of fans
could be easily appeased, but instead we get this aloof I'm not talking to
press approach. It doesn't sit well.
Especially
when a lot of what Billy used as excuses before, the lack of investment namely,
that still the same end results are happening. A stuttering end and a lack of convincing
performances when it really really matters.
But then
sacking Davies would be ridiculous. I've seen too many calling for this, and it’s
the stock knee jerk reaction these days when things don’t go your way for a short
while. Stability breeds success. Yes there are examples where it doesn't, but
we as a club have chopped and changed for a while and got nowhere. Stability is
absolutely key, even when that stability comes from a slightly unstable source.
What I just
wish is instead of sniping, or revelling in failure, fans actually united and
got behind the team. Instead of complaining "I knew it'd go wrong" actually
realise that right now that team need your support more than before.
One month ago
we were on the crest of the wave. A team and manager don't completely lose the
plot in a month. We are still in 5th. Players will be returning from
injury. The days are getting longer. The season is not over.
Comments
Post a Comment