Zola Is A Big Part Of The Problem

If we lose tomorrow night, we will have one less point after 6 games than we had at the equivalent stage in the Great Escape season. We lost the last of those 6 games to Man City away, the score 3-0.

It was not too many months later that Pardew lost his job. He was roundly blamed for the run of results that saw us in the bottom three, just one point off safety, when he was sacked, even though his plans had been shattered by the injury to Ashton and the failure of the Board to invest sufficiently in the development of the squad.

However, Zola seems to have the full backing of the fans but, apart from the fact that he replaced Turds and anybody was going to be an improvement on that, I can't understand why. When you look at the facts, Zola is a large part of the problem!

Yes he is a lovely guy and yes he wants to play football on the ground but, beyond that, what is there to say positively about his performance as a manager? To begin, he is a push over for the Board, backing Duxbury, the owners, anybody and everybody, when he should be standing up to them and demanding their backing instead of vice versa. Why did he just accept the sale of Collins when we were all given assurances that no first team players would be allowed to leave? Why does he keep reiterating the nonsense that the financial situation is not as bad as people are claiming when that patently is not true? Why did he back the signing of Savio when we obviously needed an experienced striker when Bellamy was sold? Why did he dilly and dally waiting for Neill instead of telling Lucash to take a running jump or sign? Why did he give Faubert the impression he wasn't wanted, then leave himself with Faubert as his only option at right back? Why wasn't he jumping up and down about the lack of cover for left back and the absence of a goal scorer in his squad? Imagine for a moment 'Ary's reaction in this situation! He would be using the papers to embarrass the Board and force their hand one way or another. Is Zola just looking after number one, playing the game and singing from the Board's hymn sheet to stay on their good side, so avoiding the tin tack? Look at his best pal act with Duxbury! Could anybody climb further up the arse of their CEO?

Then there are the tacics! Remember what happened last season when Zola tried to play 4-3-3? We struggled, so badly that we found ourselves in the bottom 4 facing a relegation struggle. Then Zola changed tactics, reverted to 4-4-2 and suddenly we started winning. So, what does he do this season? Reverts to 4-3-3 and what is happening? We are losing again and find ourselves in the bottom three! And what is worse, we are now signing players to fit the formation which means we may not be able to revert back to 4-4-2 to retrieve the situation.

Then there is this perverse business of playing his wide midfield players on the wrong flanks. Last season, it was Boa Morte on the right and Stanislas on the left, now it is Diamanti on the right and Hines on the left. I don't know what his thinking is because it defies all logic. If defending, the out of position player has to use the wrong foot to takle with, and when attacking, the defender finds it easy to show inside, into the scrum in the centre on the edge of the box. Crazy, bloody crazy.

And finally, there is the lack of communication with Ashton. Zola admits he has barely spoken to the guy and isn't sure what the position is because Ashton has only shown up at the ground once. What the hell is going on? Hasn't Zola heard of mobile phones? What about making Ashton feel part of the group if he is ever going to return?

We average one goal a game for every game played in the Prem since Zola has been in charge; that is pathetic. His record of wins and draws to games played is no better than Curbishley's and no better than Pardew's either. In fact, it is no better than Roeder's!

In Zola we trust? In Zola we should have some doubts based on the evidence so far!