Andy Lose Leeses It Again.....

If anyone can recall less impressive first 45 minutes from a Poppies team in living memory than the opening half today at St Ives, I'd like to see it.  Well, obviously I wouldn't like to see it.  As it would be unremittingly awful, but you know what I mean.  In 45 dismal minutes my team contributed NOTHING to a game of football against a team so poor that they are below even us in the league standings.  Not that you would have guessed it.  You'd have been more inclined to believe they were a Football League team the way they picked us apart time and time again so easily.  

Barely 90 minutes since the humbling at home by Hitchin after which Leese promised we would never again be so abject, we were far worse over the opening period at St Ives in our meek FA Trophy surrender.

When the players slunk off at halftime to what, by rights, should have been a full-Fergie hairdryer, every Poppies fan at the ground had the same worrying thought -

How many goals will Chesterfield stick past us next week?  My guess, if we played anything like this, was about 30.

This doesn't bode well for the gaffer.  Let's be honest, the FA Cup run must be the only thing keeping him in a job.  Our League performances certainly aren't.

But let's be even more honest.  We have hardly been worth any of the FA Cup wins either.  If any of the opponents we've overcome had beaten us we would have had no cause for complaint.  Starting at Hullbridge where a missed penalty and numerous missed opportunities scuppered our lowly host's chances.  Sporting Khalsa's wastefulness in front of goal in a second half where the game was 90% played in our penalty area.  Hitchin missing chance after chance last week.  I can't recall us having more than 3 attempts on goal over all three matches.  Luckily for us, they all went in.

This time next week our luck will have more than likely have run out.  We will have the League to concentrate on (staying in).  Leese has managed 10 games where we have won only 1.  And our next game is up against Mickleover who have won 10 out of 10 and are, no doubt, salivating at the prospect of taking to the pitch against us.  

In the final analysis, regardless of Andy's relevant success in the past, his Poppies teams have been thoroughly underwhelming this season.  What's worse is that there are literally no signs of an improvement happening.  It is utterly tragic at a time when so many people are doing so much behind the scenes at the club and so many events, activities and other off-field works are going on, the on-field element is such utter garbage.  

It's nothing short of a miracle our gates have held up as well as they have.  It won't last if decided action isn't taken soon.  What if Andy's given another 10 games to magically get the players to want to play for him, or to develop a smidgen of tactical nous?  Suddenly we would be looking ahead to half a season having slipped away before we accept what everyone can see right now.  Leese isn't up to the job and we have only half a season to save ourselves from a second successive relegation.