Why all the negativity guys? Has TB become a BDSM club?
Makes no sense to sack Pearson at this point. Almost certainly it would have a bad effect on the players. I say this on the basis that I have heard nothing from any player to suggest Pearson is not loved, respected or doubted in terms of strategy, tactics or team selection by anyone working for the club or the team. He does not appear to have 'lost' the dressing room.
Whether he keeps his job will judged by Top and his dad. They have shown tremendous patience with Pearson, when most teams around us are sacking managers as soon as they lose 3 games in a row.
The 'small margins' excuse works for a while, but then you have to ask yourself, 'If it is a small margin, why hasn't it been fixed after 20 odd poor results?' There has been a lot of bad luck and poor decisions against us, which do not yet appear to have evened themselves out.
To keep his job, respect from the players, and what respect is left from many fans, I do not think he can continue with 'park a small bus (5 at the back) and hope for a counter attack' strategy.
He knows he probably has to win at least 5 or 6 of the 11 games remaining. The expectation is that we are going to keep losing most of them 'by small margins'.
So my recommendation is that Pearson adopts the Keegan strategy - 'Simple game, just score more goals than they do'. Accept our defence will make one or two serious mistakes each game which in this league get punished.
Forget about all the crap of 'We performed well, Chelsea only beat us by one goal'.
If we are going down, let us do it in a blaze of glory. Instead of 5-4-1, let us play 1-4-5!
Tell the midfield and forwards they might only be on for 60 minutes before being substituted. Pack the bench with just our fastest and fittest.
If Chelsea stuff us 7-3, I do not care, but if it means the new strategy lets us beat Sunderland 3-1, I am all for it. I am even happy for 6' 4" Hamer to come on as a forward for the last 10 minutes and just lump balls into the penalty box at him!
