Polls and players ratings are usually contentious and prove the old adage about opinions being like a part of our anatomy – everybody has one!
But the recent CandH poll on how fans had received Manuel Pellegrini’s first season at the club was surely a surprise with those saying he had met their expectations only just winning the day over the less well impressed.
I have no wish to fall out with any who have been disappointed but a nine per cent gap between those who were happy and the rest seems too narrow.
There have been follow up comments on the forum about him not being what he is cracked up to be, that he needs to shape up and in one or two odd cases even sacked.
Of course people can only answer a single poll question but after our regular flirtations with relegation, to take us to safety with a couple of months left seems a pretty notable achievement.
And he has done it without two summer signings who were key to his plans: Jack Wilshere and Andriy Yarmolenko which has seen him regularly using around eight or nine of a squad that suffered so badly last term – Zaba, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Masuaku, Noble, Rice, Chicharito, Antonio, Arnautovic and Masuaku.
It’s also been done with a certain Robert Snodgrass playing all season after being thrown into outer darkness at Aston Villa!
There have again been more injuries than enough, particularly poor decisions from officials over the last few weeks in particular, and the awful Arnautovic saga.
Despite all of that, few would disagree there has been a much better brand of football being played with that awful direct game part of history.
At our best we have been outstanding at times and it’s easy to see how we will be progressing over the next couple of years if he and Mario Husillos find the right players at the right price.
He has said himself that it’s impossible for clubs of our size to splash on the very best and that it’s up to the director of football to get to grips with unearthing decent talent at a sensible price.
That’s realistic and I’m sure he was aware of all the circumstances financially – short and long term – when he took over.
Given his first season achievement, I really do expect him to find the players he needs – if he hasn’t already done so – and that we will move on again next season.
In the meantime, and under present circumstances, a first season of stability will certainly do for me.
You asked if Pellegrini & the team’s performance had met my expectations. It is true to say that my expectations have not been met. A big name manager & a spend of near £100m suggested to me that we could expect considerably more than last season. In the main, this has not happened. It is true that Pellegrini has delivered a modicum of improvement, but we will not finish anywhere near the hoped for 7th place, & may not even be in the top 10. there have been some exceptional performances – but not enough against the teams comparable to us; &, there have also been some abysmal performances (usually against teams that we could have thought that we would beat).
So overall, a general improvement – but not a lot. Generally, a little disappointing. Next season will give the definitive answer to your question.
Only complete fools would say our season isn’t an true improvement. His vast football knowledge and contacts will benefit hammers long term. He laid down a marker in the way he handled ARNI. The club remained in charge of the situation then and now.
I voted for “disappointed”, but that was not allowing for the effect of injuries and Arniegate. Taking everything into account I have found the season encouraging.
I’m astonished at the negative responses; for the first time in probably 20 seasons we have a team that looks able to recover from early goals against in any match. The last time I was confident of that was round about 1986! Yes there have been some poor performances but the standard of football has been outstanding at times; this has been a vast improvement even if the league position doesn’t reflect that. Anyone who can’t see this must have been at Boris’s baking powder 🙂
Points per game under Moyes-1.22. Under Pellegrini 1.23. Yes an improvement! Goals conceded worse than all bar 5. Yes we fight back, but we have to because we usually concede early. One of the worst records for clean sheets. Is this a good return for £100m on players & 10m on manager’s salary?
On the positive side we have more possession. Yes we achieved safety earlier, although mathematically not until last Sunday. We have ended up in much the same position, although we got our good results in early rather than in the last month or so. We have played some nice stuff at times.
I said on here a few months back that anything less than 50 points would surely be disappointing. We could still get to that but only if Spurs are suffering from fixture overload & Watford have their eyes on Wembley.
So, weighing up the facts rather than impressions I see it as disappointing but not a disaster. The acid test will be next season, when the players will have had time to adapt the Pellegrini’s apparently very complicated system. And when the owners will have – we hope-plugged the gaps in the squad.
I tend to agree with Hammer64 rather than the more favourable responses. While we have played some nice stuff at times we have also been horrible at times – Cardiff away , Wimbledon and Everton at home are but three examples.
I still worry that in 2019 we only have three wins and I think only a solitary point (v Crystal Palace) away from home – definitely that is relegation form. As for being safe from relegation early on – we managed that in similar fashion in BFS last season. Definitely Pelle’s first season will not be as good as Slav’s first season – so the acid test will be how we do next season. In the current market 30 million is quite small – and I am not sure what we will bring in from sales – I see that Hugill currently cant even get into the Middlesborough starting line up etc
Yeah I am not saying all is doom & gloom or that I want him sacked & the club sold. Just that the facts lead me to say I am disappointed-given the fanfare when we signed up Pellegrini & the amount he gets paid. Having said that, this season would be soon forgotten if he builds on it to show progress next season. I am concerned that the owners will say oh the fans are reasonably happy we don’t need to change much. The hints coming out are that not much is going to be spent. Whatever you think about Pellegrini, he is not a miracle worker & if the weaknesses are not put right (which will cost big money & excellent recruitment ) we will struggle next season.
The style of football has been good to watch, too many mistakes in defence from Noble, Ogbonna. Cresswell, Masuaku, Fredericks, overall Diop and Balbuena have been good additions but even they have made a few mistakes, our midfield other than Rice don’t sense danger, we have to sort that out, Anderson is imho good defensively even if others disagree his stats speak for themselves so we need to invest again, get defenders that are proper defenders first and wingers second and get a midfielder like Andre Gomes currently at Everton who can win posession but also boss the game from central midfield, andstrikers who defend from the front. MP has like previous incumbants been robbed by dodgy officiating, if we get those points we are in 7th by a handful. It is not as good as I hoped for but on the plus side, Arsenal, Chelski and Man U are in decline so there is an opening which VAR should help widen next season for all those chasing and its up to the chairmen to back the manager to keep pace, with Wolves, Everton, Watford and Leicester.