Last night really shone a light on how much work needs to be done this summer, likely without a massive change in playing staff either, unfortunately.
I find this season such a strange one to reflect on. So many things don't quite add up or make for a nice straightforward explanation. Actually, even my own summary there? Perhaps it is as simple as 'manager gets on a hot run, finds a functioning formula with limited but talented resources that ultimately don't have the vital energy to keep going once the stated objective of safety has been reached. Hot run starts with an unexpected win that puts wind in the sails and ends with an unexpected loss that does the reverse'.
With the well-earned cynicism that the owners enjoy, and no track record of building anything sustainable for the incumbent manager (not his fault, just how it is), I'm still left way down on my mood this time last year. While Lopetegui chucked out some dire performances at the end he was operating under the assumption he'd be overhauling the players he rightly or wrongly didn't rate and had aready done a great job. He also went at over a point a game in the last 6 someone has just shown too... I never get the hate for him TBH. We're getting some poor performances now, but the manager must know he's going to be working with most of this lot again come August. He continues to make odd decisions (in my opinion), mainly playing Doc when we know what he is when he could be playing Bueno who's ceiling is, relatively, completely unknown. Doc was far from the worst last night, but only as everyone bar Sa was bad - he definitely did not have a 'good' game. That said, I do sometimes admire his formula of pass back then make a briskish jog in a straight diagonal towards the box. Balancing that out, to some degree (what though?), is the doubtless bad luck GON has had on injuries and a ludicrous lack of support from the owners.
I remain worried that the next answer will be bulking out a squad with some average filler, worried that the coaches will actually favour this approach, and that our Neves and Raul era will be our version of the Juninho and Rav era at Boro. Someone cheer me up, frickin misery I am!!
(I think it was a very harsh red tbf)
