Conspiracy Theory

[Yousef]

Did our defence not put 100% in on Saturday because they knew they were about to be replaced

I feel part of our poor defending is our Asia tour. Would rather friendlies with Championship clubs.

[TBLOCKRANGER]

I think alot of trouble ahead for us. MH should have been sorting the defence out months ago, not just the back four but also getting in midfield players capable of protecting the back four. Very difficult to almost get a whole new defence in "off the shelf" and expect it to gel within a couple of weeks let alone half a season at this level. Last season we were only saved by other teams poor finishing rather than good defending, I still blame the geezer on the grassy knoll.

[qprjim]

Cause of the defeat was Adels free role...team had no shape and the back four weren't protected

Derry would have been better in the middle on Sat than Diakate

I'm emotionally scarred after watching that

Fully agree with that. Adel's free role left us completely exposed, offering the back 4 no protection. I'm not sure diakite has the discipline and nouse to play the holding midfield role. Unless this mbia lad arrives I'd have Derry screening the defence at Norwich, no matter what the back four is.

[EYR]

Ferdinand has never been a competent defender, he always loses his man, switches off and has the positional nouse of a dead fish yet for most he was deemed good enough for us and also being touted as a potential captain. Oh no arrgh is / was highly rated but i just can't see it myself, and at Rb he looks woeful.
Massive balls drop by Hughes imho not having sorting the defence at the earliest opportunity, but it looks as if with Dawson/Mbia/Carvalho this wil get fixed.

In a way getting dicked 5 zip on satd has done us a favour, otherwise we would of just papered over the cracks for another week.

[Stanley]

It does make you question why it took last Saturday's clusterphuck to finally make Hughes realise the problem that the vast majority of fans have been glaringly aware of all summer. It now looks like he's last minute panic buying which is never ideal, and doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

[ollyhoops]

No is the answer to your question, they are professionals and always have to play to their best standard.

Regarding Saturday, it was a bad day at the office and a one off. Its only 3 pts and 1 lose so I wouldn't worry too much, our season starts at Norwich - I promise.

[Bluehoop]

Players don't always become "available" when you want them. Take Dawson as the prime example, last week AVB named him as Spuds captain. WTF happened there?

[stanistheman]

Maybe they did it to dishonour the memory of macca?

Or maybe they thought that as Macca wore the number 5 they should concede that number to show that the defence is missing a centre half of his calibre!

[acricketer]

I think we threw the game because we are the puppets of a Far East gambling cadre who are using us to profit.

[QPRDave]

I think we threw the game because we are the puppets of a Far East gambling cadre who are using us to profit.

Now that is a conspiracy theory.....don't give the FA ideas please!