David Wagner, the manager of the team, is shouldering some of the blame for the team’s poor performance, but the players also need to take responsibility. The team is not only struggling on the field, but also facing off-field issues with the departure of Stuart Webber and the delayed arrival of his replacement. This leaves the club in a state of limbo, and fans are beginning to feel that the club has been stumbling from crisis to crisis for some time. The prospect of promotion is becoming increasingly distant, with the end of parachute payments, increasing debt, and a squad of aging players with little resale value.
There are four key areas of concern that are contributing to the team’s decline. Firstly, the team’s press has deteriorated, resulting in less pressure on opponents. Secondly, the lack of a defensive midfielder means that there is limited protection for the central defenders, who are susceptible to being run at. The all too frequent surrender of possession under no pressure is another issue, with opponents generating chances from poor control or misplaced passes in midfield. This is exacerbated by poor decision making, leading to moves breaking down or unnecessary pressure being invited.
In addition to these concerns, there have been questionable selection and substitution decisions by Wagner, such as the disappearance of Jaden Warner after a strong debut and the reluctance to use Borja Sainz. There are also questions surrounding Wagner’s ability to adapt his approach, as the current one is clearly not working. The players have also struggled to maintain a consistent performance level for a full 90 minutes throughout the season.
Overall, the team’s poor performance can be attributed to a combination of tactical issues, individual mistakes, off-field uncertainties, and questionable decision making. To improve their fortunes, the team needs to address these concerns and find a way to turn their season around.
