I'd have to agree here - I think the outlook is incredibly bleak, and I see no other alternative than us dropping in to the Conference at the end of the season...... Oh, hang on, I've made a mistake here, we're not in the bottom 2, but we're 5th inthe table and bang in the middle of a promotion race... Not that you would ever think that from this thread!!
There is a constant backdrop of criticism on this board relating to Brown, especially when results do not go our way, and last night is again a case in point. Is it not about time that the players took some of the responsibility here? The ONLY place to put the blame for last night is squarely at their door - Their attitude, in my opinion, was totally wrong after half time and they thought they had done enough to win the game, given our numeric and score line advantage. It was abundantly clear from his post match interview that he had told them not to drop off, not to lower their intensity and to continue doing all the things that had got us in front in the first place, and yet they did none of that.
The subsitutions can be questioned as they didn't change the game as we would have wanted them to - But I do not have any issue with Brown going 3 at the back trying to get the victory - as someone has already pointed out, he gets crucified when he is too defensive and yet he is now coming under fire for being adventurous - He's damned either way.
I'm certainly not Brown's biggest fan, and in my eyes, he certainly has his flaws, but seriously, this level of animosity being directed at him when we're still in with a shout of promotion, at the very least the play offs, is just not warranted. We do not have a devine right to get promoted - just look at Portsmouth - and perhaps our squad isn't quite as good as some of us believe it is. That said, the level of performance against Wycombe. Dagenham and the first half last night would suggest that the manager is not completely devoid of ideas and knowledge!
Personally, I think the players need a bit of a kick up the backside - I respect Brown for what he did last night in so far as taking full responsibility, but maybe he would have been better for not doing that and making the players look at themselves.
I really believe that his constant gnawing away at Brown and his managerial ability is counter productive, and arguably, inaccurate. Playoffs last season and still in the race fo automatic this season, albeit it is now less likely, is hardly the stuff that nightmares are made of, and he's done no worse that Mr Sturrock who was revered at this club.
