Matt

Small side note - At half time why did we turn the sprinklers on and drench an already soaking wet pitch the end we were shooting? I mean it's been a pet hate of mine for some time that some of our players can't stay on their feet on pitch that's suffering drought - the opposition rarely seem to slip or fall over but our lot do. It was a wet day anyway and then we go and drench it even more, perhaps it was in hope QPR players slipped, made a mistake and let us in but it was the same for both teams yet they weren't slipping and we were.

Thing is this club went through a change 7 years ago (I appreciate the cup win came within those 7 years), it's clear to me input from someone high up within the club wanted us to become this 'pretty', total football, possession based side, it's probably purely coincidence but taking us in isolation I personally see a direct correlation with lack of doing the basics right and being the masters of our own downfalls, lack of doing the dirty work and digging in, showing very little grit, steel and determination when the going gets tough, I can't remember the last time I saw players fired up, showing abit of desire and fight - In the last few year we've snatched defeat from the jaws of victory numerous times. That's not to say 'pretty', total football or being a possession based side is wrong, clearly this season it's worked more than it's not (FWIW i''ve generally enjoyed it, that's not just because we've been winning, i've genuinely enjoyed it, I get it and can see why we're doing it, in this league), but that alone isn't enough, just like 'pashun' isn't enough on it's own. And this is what annoyed me the other day when people on here and when it was discussed on the BSLB pod, "Oh i'm sure people want us to lose so they can say told you so". No, it's about discussing an elephant in the room what's the alternative bury your heads in the sand? I take no pleasure in discussing it but if I see red flags they need to be discussed.

Does anyone know where we stand with a psychologist? Clearly we had a top one as was the whole backroom staff under Nigel Pearson. I'm not sure if Ranieri got rid the season after we won the league or Rodgers got rid of them? I want to say Ranieri got rid of them but we got another one under Rodgers who was got rid of/left? We must have one, surely?!

I was thinking earlier in the season, we don't have a named club captain and I was going to compare it to last season, expect last season I used it as a reason for our failures and this season quite clearly we've been a success, up until now. Rodgers spoke to 'Leadership groups' but it was very much a case of the blind leading the blind, I was hoping all that nonsense would be stopped by Maresca but i'm not sure it has - infact, again it was something I was going to point out that I thought had stopped then I think Maresca spoke about it which disappointed me. Time for certain experienced pros to stand up and be counted, lead and drag others through the trenches, unfortunately I fear the likes of Coady have had their noses pushed out of joint by how they've been treated by management.

Aside from 'gerrit forward', 'lump it forward', 'pashun', it's all well and good nice 'pretty' football but I just don't see this style of play conducive to seeing performances where you have to do the dirty work, dig it, show abit of grit, steel and determination - that's half the reason around our failures in the last few years, it's all too nice. Time to stand up and be counted, show abit of fire in the belly and fight. Whilst the results were coming people were saying you couldn't criticise it, there's an element of truth, but results (Not so much performances up until yesterday, because Boro and Leeds were two of the best performances of the season despite the losses) are becoming stagnant, somethings gotta give.

Therapy pod incoming.

We've won things so we're not bottlers as such, but I don't believe there are many clubs out there that constantly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as consistently - or make it so hard for their selves in such winning or commanding situations or positions as us. The bottlejob tag that gets put on Tottenham or other clubs, I think it's quite remarkable outside of our fanbase how it's not been picked up on for us. Fuck this up and we will not get away with it, biggest embarrassment of all time, we will be ridiculed.

Try it though. If it doesn't work and looks terrible atleast we'd know, yes in that case there would be outcry, people moaning but equally what we keep doing isn't working of late either, so we need to do something. Atleast mixing things up would give the opposition something to think about and it wouldn't be as bleeding predictable or as easy to set up against because they wouldn't be what they were expecting. When Plan A isn't working do Plan A better simply doesn't cut it.

Shocked he didn't start today. Thought it'd be Coady or Doyle. Hadn't even considered Nelson starting. Nelson didn't do alot wrong, thought he was decent, but ultimately we were largely in agreement when Coady signed that he was exactly the type of player we needed along with his leadership and personality, everything you need when you're in the trenches. There were comments made he's unhappy, he played really well on Tuesday and then gets dropped again. Poor management.

Joy Division: Love Will Tear Us Apart; "Leicester! Leicester are falling apart, again!" Leeds fans were signing that (But singing Leeds, obviously) before they got the equaliser against us weren't they? Perhaps we need to put abit of pressure on ourselves/them, demand more, or even singing it in jest and having a laugh. All I know is there is an harsh truth in it, every single year, but if we do it this year, this'll be the biggest bottle job and flop ever, the embarrassment will be unbearable.

Fair enough, Enzo isn't exempt from criticism, far from it, but i've been trying to rip my eye balls out for much of the last 7 years previous. What I will say is "playing garbage sides" isn't on Maresca and "crap atmospheres" is on us, the fans.

Where have you been for the last 7 years?! Seriously.

It's not just Old Trafford with a leaky roof (in several places)

3 losses in a row, the 2 previous to today didn't really concern but today does. Are we predictable, have we been found out, are we easy to play against. Learn and adapt, that's all I ask.

I thought Demarai Gray did it alot but not as much as Fatawu does.

Appreciate we need to be aware of the teams around us results but as always I think our fans are more concerned about other teams results than our own. Focus on us, we do our bit it doesn’t matter what the others do. We do it every year whatever we’re fighting for/against then act “woe is us” when they overcome us.

People with little to no spatial awareness. Fuck off out my way.

As good as that goal on Tuesday was, he’s gotta stop trying it. How many times had he tried before Tuesday, How many times is he gonna continue trying it. It’s predictable and he’s not that good at it.

May aswell be playing with 10 men with him in the team atm. Looked lazy and stroppy for whatever reason.

Yeah, not having that. I let Middlesbrough slide, I let Leeds slide (Fwiw I enjoyed those games) but nah, not having that. Despite the possession, the shots, that was poor. Clueless. No grit, no fire, no determination. Mentality is shot. Not once did I feel we had QPR under pressure or their back were up against the wall. We’re bottling this or atleast doing our best to try.

Glorious interview last night, had a hybrid mix of Rodgers and ‘Madderz’ about it. “I’ll take that performance, if we ever lose, we lose our way” and “If we play like that we’ll be more than fine”. Superb.

"Play out" by all means but that is precisely why "playing out" in such a way is a load of nonsense and bollocks. Hilarious nonetheless, but no sympathy whatsoever when that happens.

Can’t help but feel when the Government said they would step in or appoint an independent regulator and do a review the Premier League had to act fairly rapid and were forced to do something to make it look like they were getting their house in order. Can’t damage the Premier League “brand” now can they!

Got the first who are you straight away! Get in!

Just had a look who was refereeing the League Cup final today. Chris Kavanagh. I assumed he'd been "demoted" refereeing a Championship match last week (How that's a punishment for poor officiating or why clubs of a lower level should suffer has always been beyond me), he was one of the worst we've had all season and now he's been "promoted", "honored" refereeing a final!