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Against Derby, Andy Hessenthaler proved to every one of the 8,000-odd fans there that he simply doesn’t grasp the reality of our situation. His return to the touchline seems to coincide with a return to the bad symptoms of our failure over tha last 12 months. Poor team selection, poor treatment of the young players, mind-boggling substitution decisions, predictable long-ball tactics and lame excuses.
Paul Smith’s inclusion, replacing Hess, wasn’t a surprise. After all, Smith always gets picked, doesn’t he? The problem is – the skipper was a non-entity from start to finish – and you can’t carry passengers in a relegation battle, especially when they’re supposed to be playing centre midfield. He tries his best, but isn’t good enough for this level any more, yet the management blindly select him.
The management had three opportunities to improve matters with their substitutions. The decision to replace Crofts and Jarvis, while leaving the hopelessly ineffective Smith on the pitch, despite carrying a first-half knock, showed why we will get relegated. The manager has lost the plot. His post-match tirade against the fans demonstrates just how far out of touch the gaffer now is. I’m sorry, but it’s time for Hess to go.
As for the game itself, we were predictable, boring and played long-ball ‘football’ from start to finish. We conceded two sloppy goals (again) and Lee Camp barely had a save to make throughout the entire 90 minutes. Derby weren’t great, but then they didn’t have to be.
I asked a friend of mine if he wanted to come to this match and sit with me and the lads, but he said that he wouldn’t pay £20+ to watch the sort of football we’re playing right now. The product doesn’t justify the outlay. The longer this sort of product is served up, the more people will share that view. The sooner Paul Scally realises he needs to address football matters, rather than slag off the fans for not supporting a Glenn Miller night, the sooner this club will show signs of recovery. Right now we’re going only one way. Down.