Have you noticed though

That worthington has always struggled motivating a side thats low on morale team spirit and confidence?

Yes 2001-02 was refreshing. Then again Worthington by this point had spent ?2million, the kind of funds his predecessors had screamed out for

02-03 Was disappointing to say the least. It started okay, but by the end we were like we are this season. Not as bad because we were picking up results and did look a run away from the play offs, but it never materialised.

03-04 Started in exactly the same way. 2-0 up at Bradford and we had them buried, yet with 5 mins to go we allowed them a point. Right up to the forest game we were pretty awful. The brilliant/fortunate signings of Huckerby/Crouch and Harper saved our season from being very similar and probably a lot worse than 02/03

Those signings stopped the side on low morale and worthington could manage a team then on a high, which is all he is good at

We turned up to the prem and didn't give our best shot, not in any format. The only times we did was Bolton home and the man utd game. That man utd game lifted Worthingtons managerial strengths to put us on a run. Though it was a run that became almost arrogant by the last game, and an organised fulham didn't just beat us, they murdered us

Worthington started this season with 3 home draws and they weren't good enough. His fatal flaw of not being able to lift the players when they are down, has haunted him all season. Not even the loan frenzies can lift them, not even the best striker in the championship can get the team with to get the majority of the possession and win games

Like many say, a ten man Brighton 1-0 down last night dominated a game and tried to fight back. Yes we won 3-0, but two goals from the 87th minute suggests that we just countered their attacks

We aren't going to play dire teams like that for the last 12 games. We have to play a lot lot better than last night to even top a whopping 60 points, nevermind the playoffs

Yet when you look through our team, you don't see a 9th place championship team. That is because worthington can't get the best out of them

Posted By: pants, Feb 15, 10:21:47