The season has been pretty stop start, the pointless international friendlies and then the qualifiers but now the next few games are important for how the season will shape out.
Already out of the Capital One Cup after a terrible performance against Wigan the fringe players are now going to find it harder to force Sam Allardyce’s hand.
QPR away followed by Arsenal at home, 4 points will be a realistic target and that would make a very satisfactory start to the season although zero points will point to a long hard season where finishing out of the relegation zone is a must.
One aspect that needs addressing is the non existent attacking play, admittedly Matt Jarvis picked up a slight knock but Matt Taylor employed in an attacking wide position with just the one up top really limits your attacking options.
Bereft of pace on both flanks poor Carlton Cole has cut a lonely figure, I am sure he would have preferred to have Jarvis supporting him and putting crosses in for him over the last few games. But I suspect Andy Carroll’s return to the side will coincide with Matt Jarvis’s return.
Take the Sunderland game, did we actually set up to win the game? I think not. Did we set up no to concede and then maybe look to nick it 1-0 late on? I think so.
I can understand this away from home and Big Sam has made us harder to break down and the results have improved away from the Boleyn ( but I don’t think they could have got worse ) we do need a little bit more attacking intent at Upton Park.
