Out of our hands – yet again

There is a lot in this article, but, I feel, all relevant.

Same old, same old. I have mentioned many times that we generally ‘blow it’ year in, year out, and as usual it’s the same again this year. We had Champions League in our own hands against Fulham, Wigan and Chelsea and as usual blew it again each time. Now we have to hope Chelsea and the Woolwich Wanderers slip up while we must win our last two games.

I said in my last article that I felt we would get something out of the Chelsea game. We got a point, and in my opinion it was a point gained rather than two lost, because for a team that basically ‘had’ to win, it didn’t look to me as though we really wanted it. Apart from the last 15 mins, Chelsea were all over us and were quicker to the ball and just seemed to want it more than us. I thought it was generally a disappointing performance, but then being honest we have been pretty poor for a good few weeks now.

I have to say Ade was outstanding and worked hard and was probably our best player on the night. Saying that, it begs the question why he cant play like that more often. As for Huddlestone, who couldn’t tackle his way out of a paper bag, he was such a weak link. He got caught in possession, seemed lost as to where he should be on occasions, didn’t tackle, in fact, basically his usual. Benny and Kyle have had bad seasons all round, and we certainly missed Dembele last night.

I have to say as the season progressed, that i have very slightly warmed to AVB, but i have to say his handling of things last night left a lot to be desired again. For a match we Had to win and score goals, he leaves our second top scorer and only other striker on the bench. If a game was made for Defoe, it was last night with so much space being available especially in that last 15 mins, yet what does AVB do, he brings on Dempsey instead of Defoe. Like all the rest of us in the ground, we were stunned at that decision. That is possibly just another AVB decision that could cost us a Champions League place.

So as always in the last couple of months of a season, it’s frustration after frustration, and now relying on others to slip up. The next 10 days are also going to be nail-biting, but as happens more often than not, i think we are going to once again just fall short.

However, let’s hope I am wrong.