Andy Munro tries to find some hope after Blues go down at Southampton.
If there is a consolation to be had from Blues’ 3-1 defeat at Southampton it’s that Saints manager Russell Martin endured a nightmare start before bringing about an impressive recovery, so let’s hope this is what will happen with the Wayne Rooney regime.
However, it’s worrying that Rooney’s game plan seems to be coming apart so quickly while his selections and tactics also appear to be flawed. As mentioned previously, playing Emmanuel Longelo in a back four is suicidal and yet again he was taken to the cleaners. Playing the Juke up front gives us a pivotal point but this is impotent without a free running central striker in support. So why have the ideal partner in Jay Stansfield start as a sub?
Koji Myoshi, instead of starting, comes on belatedly but again isn’t shoehorned into his favoured and most effective position. It all seems a tactical pig’s ear but in fairness to Rooney, he is only just getting to know his players. That, though, is an alibi which only has credence for a certain period of time. In summary, having parted company with a manager who took us to sixth in the table, the saying, “Only at the Blues” springs to mind.
