Poch has a pass as far as I am concerned. He's earned enough credit to forgive the Liverpool disaster. I'd be gutted to see him leave anytime soon. And by no means am I am fan boy, I was highly skeptical after his first season, but I'd rather him there than not these days.
I think what has happened this year to cause a little fristration and performances like Saturday is to do with him and the coaches trying, rightly, to evolve our playing style so that we have more options. However, I think due to lack of personnel, because of injuries, we are struggling to play more than that one effective style, and especially away from home we look out of shape at time.
Last year we could attack both deep and wide, this year it's mainly been wide. Poch probably, with everyone healthy and on form, needs Dier back in midfield as a priority. The way he dove tails with Jan and Toby is vital to get the ball out effectively and through the middle, this is especially the case away from home. Dier and Toby eare highly effective with the long passes to get us up the field quickly and that is not happening at the moment, especially away from home. Wamyama does brilliant in breaking up play, but he is not as effective Dier in building the attacks. That's a problem that needs solving.
Additionally this year again it's been obvious that that black box of Mitchell's is clearly limited when it comes to success rate. it's hurt us badly this season. overall the club needs to sharpen up its scouting, which hopefully they will be doing soon. The poor recruitment Is not exclusively Poch's fault. From what the club tell us a committee decides who is signed. That seems wrong as the buck should stop with Poch, but clearly it does not and he does not appear to make much secret of whom he approves of and whom he does not.
Overall some of the recruitment, over the past three years has been abysmal. Some excellent buys have been dragged down by the lkes of Stambouli, Shitsoko, GKN, Jansen, n'jie, yedlin & Fazio, those being primary examples of pros who have contributed very little against the investment made.
And to focus just on the past summer Sissoko, GNK and Jansen have been absolutely pathetic so far. Jansen I get why they would do that deal and Poch picks him so must like him. But fucking hell them other two were expected to contribute something, not fuck all. It has hurt us with the squad options and a little criticism to Poch in being unable to get a tune out of them two broken pianos. But to just stand still you need all 3 of them players contributing. They have not done so, yet we are still on 50 points after 25 games. That is excellent all things considered.
One last thing. Lamela. Such an important part of how we play has been missing for getting on 4 months, for what on the face of it looks like a nothing injury. His absence hurts. Again especially in those games when you need to be a bit prickly, naughty and aggressive away. There is not enough there for the opposition to worry about at the moment. The sooner he is back the better.
Anyway, main point nothing is too bad at all overall, it just could be a bit better than Saturday !