Have the players resigned?

[toonviking]

Resigned from this club. They all know their not good enough for the richest club in the world, so maybe they just resigned?

I'm thinking at least use it as a shipping window, to prove yourself to other clubs.

Or try to become among the 3 or 4 players that could stay a few years as squad players.

They seem very little interested or motivated. Skill is one thing, but they seem like they couldnt care. And they probably dont.

[Zippity]

It's actually an interesting point-some of them may be aware that they're on borrowed time and, subconsciously at least, maybe they've dropped their levels a few percent...and in this league that's all you need to play badly.

I wouldn't suggest they've downed tools, necessarily, but in the same way a group of players can be more than the sum of their parts, the reverse can also be true because we're definitely capable of playing a lot better than we did in that second half.

[ex_pat_magpie]

It's actually an interesting point-some of them may be aware that they're on borrowed time and, subconsciously at least, maybe they've dropped their levels a few percent...and in this league that's all you need to play badly.

I wouldn't suggest they've downed tools, necessarily, but in the same way a group of players can be more than the sum of their parts, the reverse can also be true because we're definitely capable of playing a lot better than we did in that second half.

You only have to look at how most of them played under Rafa in the second half of his last season.

[toonviking]

If only Rafa had taken a few more years, with pissing against the wind, this club would be in a much better state.

[TANYA_]

If only Rafa had taken a few more years, with pissing against the wind, this club would be in a much better state.

completely agree mate.

Rafa was loved here, he stood up to Ashley, the football in the beginning wasn't great but it grinded points.

In his last season, we had a solid defence, conceding very few goals and we were one of the leagues top scoring teams.

He is having a hard time at Everton, but you have to put a lot of that down to their fans, they are always on his case, he wasnt wanted and its showing.

Our fans chanted his praise every game and it yielded results. I know that ship has sailed for us and Howe gets my full support but if ridiculous decisions keep being made, like Lascelles instead of Fede, then the fans will turn.

We were pathetic in defence yesterday and we are impotent attacking.

[Geordie_Jacko]

My old man keeps going on at me about this sort of thing and it is pretty believable really. He thinks that a lot of the players will know they will keep there place in the squad if we get relegated and let's face it they probably would. This team could quite easily p1ss the championship imo so the majority of them would stay. The same payers with that possible mindset will also be fully aware that if they do keep us up they will not be at the club next season or at the very least not starting Premier League games. I really hope this isn't the case though or we've really got not hope apart from a full new squad in January 😂

[Jammy89]

That is actually a fantastic point Viking.

If we go down they probably do stay and do we even know if they have drop down clauses, can well imagine Mike Ashley not including them to shaft the new owners when he gave all those contracts out - he thought he was selling quickly.

It actually wouldn't surprise me if they have dropped off as they know if we stay up they are gone, the vast majority.

[tinostongue]

That is actually a fantastic point Viking.

If we go down they probably do stay and do we even know if they have drop down clauses, can well imagine Mike Ashley not including them to shaft the new owners when he gave all those contracts out - he thought he was selling quickly.

It actually wouldn't surprise me if they have dropped off as they know if we stay up they are gone, the vast majority.

Didn’t see any “ Dropping off” against Burnley? I saw a gritty determined professional performance and so did 95 % of our fans at the game who stayed behind to show how THEY felt about the performance. Never ceases to amaze me the negativity of some of our fans on here.

[Jammy89]

Didn’t see any “ Dropping off” against Burnley? I saw a gritty determined professional performance and so did 95 % of our fans at the game who stayed behind to show how THEY felt about the performance. Never ceases to amaze me the negativity of some of our fans on here.

No I agreed, there was no dropping off against Burnely - I praised the players there, but against Leicester. . . certainly not our best. So we had dropped off performance wise there.

I'm also one of the more positive usually so feel I can have a bit of negativity every so often