While
Bowyer and his people scratch their heads over what formation and combinations might
deliver us the win we need on Wednesday, I think it’s worth reiterating now
what an outstanding job he’s done this season, whatever the outcome. Just do a
recap on the circumstances and what he's had to contend with.
Arguably
we began this season weaker than we ended the previous one at Wembley, losing
Bauer, Bielik and Aribo, followed by Dijksteel. Sure, Gallagher turned out to
be a real find (for six months), Lockyer has been excellent, but in terms of preparing
for a tougher challenge in a higher league it wasn’t exactly promising (and for
a variety of reasons others who came in early on – Hemed, Field, Leko, Oztumer,
Kayal – were to play only bit parts). Nevertheless, Bowyer had us hit the
ground running and the first few months of the season were a success. In August
we registered four wins and two draws; even at the end of October we’d won 6,
drawn 4, lost 4.
In
November and December the injuries took their toll on a small squad, but we
went into the January transfer window with hopes raised by the takeover and the
comments made by the new owners. In reality, we emerged from it weaker still, losing
Gallagher. Although Green came in, he’s been unable to nail down a starting place,
while McGeady, Smith and Davis on deadline day looked like desperation. Little
did we know at the time that we were actually under a transfer embargo and all
the promises made to Bowyer were so much hot air from a couple of chancers.
No
matter, we struggled on. Into early March and after the Middlesbrough defeat the
season is suspended. When we resume, perhaps not surprisingly given what has
gone before ... we are materially weaker yet again, given Taylor’s decision (and to
a much lesser extent those of Davis – who surely takes a place in history for
declining to move back from Birmingham to London on the grounds it was too
dangerous – and Solly). That we came out of the traps as at the start of the
season seemingly better prepared than others (and won two and drew the other of
the first three games after the restart) was again a testimony to the work done
by Bowyer and his staff.
Add
in the off-field farce, which is continuing, and uncertainty over EFL investigations
and/or possible going into administration and the focus, restraint and
commitment displayed by Bowyer and his team have been admirable. It deserves to
be rewarded.
All
this does, however, raise the issue if we do avoid relegation how on earth are
we going to put together a squad to compete in this division next season? It’s
going to be early August before the play-offs are done and dusted but the
2020/21 season could it is said begin before the end of August. That would be a
challenge even if we knew what ownership structure would be in place and what
resources made available.
That
of course is an issue for another day. Unusually this time around we are
playing our next game the day after most of the rest. Desired outcomes from
Reading v Middlesbrough, Luton v QPR, and Sheff Wed v Huddersfield are pretty
obvious, which leaves Wigan v Hull. That looks like one of those where all
outcomes have positives and negatives for us, although if I had to choose I
think I’d go with Wigan thumping Hull. That would leave Hull with only Luton at
home and Cardiff away. The other games through the week fall into the obvious
category: Bristol City v Stoke, us at Birmingham, Leeds v Barnsley, then
Huddersfield v WBA.
There’s
only just over a week left of the season for us, still so much to be crammed in
and nothing yet decided. We stay up and I hope Lee packs up his fishing rods
and takes a well-earned break back at Etang des Bows: https://carptalk.uk/interviews/lee-bowyer-interview/
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