When we played Fulham those few weeks ago it was our biggest game of the season. Since then, Sunderland, Crystal Palace and WBA have all been the same. So many six pointers, you just know you are in trouble!
And so we are; the euphoria of three goals in a game last weekend against West Brom has to be taken against the reality of only one point to show for it and a relegation place as a result. We are right back where we started - or are we? There are so many variables, it's mindblowing.Next we face Fulham (again), our biggest game of the season (again) but now it's serious. We are bare-boning it and so the team will pretty much pick itself, although with Sam picking it I doubt it. I have stated before I don't understand his approach and quite frankly, I still don't.
Over the last few games he hasn't learnt a thing to help a beleaguered squad. I say 'squad', when what I mean is Kevin Nolan, Carlton Cole and nine others! I accept we can't drop half the team like the top sides, who frankly are not our concern, but against the bottom teams we could change one or two.
I heard that Sam's rationale for picking the reserves at Spurs was to save the legs for Old Trafford. Instead, the second string gave him a wake up call and made it quite clear "we are here too". So Adrian gets the nod at Man Utd; brave - or stupid? I think he was at fault for two of the goals; harsh maybe, but he was.
Modibo Maiga plays a blinder at Spurs and gets the goal to take us through to the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup. His reward? Dropped for Carlton Cole! A kick in the teeth, or what. Matt Taylor was also added back to the squad, but not so Alou Diarra.
To Arsenal, with tired legs. Luckily for Sam, Ravel Morrison gets 'hurt' and Nolan comes backs in and does pretty much zip. Carlton still got picked even though his powder-puff approach to being up top would be better at a panto. All is ignored as he gets a goal (which he nearly missed).
How did Sam justify picking Cole over Maiga in this game knowing that one stands up front ... and that's about it, whilst the other wins headers, tackles (badly!), runs, presses and worries the opposition? And if Allardyce was playing Nolan to feed off Cole, then how come Mo Diame took this role and left Nolan floundering against the Arsenal midfield where he was a yard behind all the time? Not that Diame was much better.
Keeping faith with Adrian may have cost us the game but the simple management truth here is to go with experience. Adrian can play at Forest. If Jussi did get hurt or sent off , the four full backs would have a dodgy keeper behind them until his confidence is back up.
I'm starting to depress myself now, so back to West Brom and then Fulham. Our last outing was a typical Jekyll and Hyde performance by West Ham United.
Dropping Cole at half time changed the game (which for me clearly was no suprise) and Maiga showed his stuff. Perhaps more importantly, so did Nolan. This was his best game by far in some time. You needed two hands to count how many times he got involved - and he scored a good goal too.
These two changes seem to have brought the fight out in the team. If Nolan can get an extra 10 per cent out of everyone just by leading by example, then pick him. Pick Maiga so the Fulham back line get the run around. It can't have escaped notice that when Matt Jarvis gets the ball he can still destroy full backs, so give him the ball!
My team for Fulham would be Jussi Jaaskelainen (for his experience), Guy Demel and Razvan Rat as full backs and George McCartney with Joey O'Brien in the middle . Mark Noble picks himself and I would go with Diame (also central) with Jarvis and Joe Cole wide.
I'd go with Maiga up top and play Nolan off him, with Adrian, Danny Potts, Alou Diarra, Pelly Ruddock, Matt Taylor and Elliot Lee + one other on the bench (but absolutely no C Cole). If we are losing, Maiga and young Lee might shock more than a few; both have a point to prove.
But most important of all is that we go for it. Let's take the game to Fulham and see what happens. After their six-nil tonking ay Hull, the home fans will soon get rattled if we score early doors and take the game to them.
Sam, it's time to stand up and make a stand. Go for it, we will at least thank you for it (and the three likely points) and it WILL pave the way for 2014.
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