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Where did I say I blame them for everything? A few times now I’ve said the blame should be shared. The longer it goes on however, the more that rests on the manager. If you genuinely think that 2 goals in 4 and a half months is anything other than shocking, then there’s probably no point in us...

You’re right. 2 goals at home in 4 and a half months is a superb return. He’s an excellent attacking coach.

Absolutely this. I’m completely baffled that Hughton and his team can’t see this.

Whatever it is he’s exactly saying, now is DEFINITELY not the time to be playing down your players qualities in public. Not exactly you want to hear from your Captain when you’re in the trenches about to go for The Big Push.

Nope. My rationale is simply that Hughton hasn't gotten the best out of the £50-70m+ he has spent on attacking players. Partly the players' fault, but certainly partly his for misusing them. Very good defensive coach, but I'm not convinced of his skills as an attacking one. Eerily similar to...

What would your rationale therefore be, if when he leaves us he reverts back to being the effective attacking player he was before he joined us?

From the highlight reels of his goals he appeared to be playing overwhelmingly as a 10, behind the striker. Much like Propper has done to good effect for Holland.

He played Ali in his correct position ONCE (West Brom FA Cup replay). He played well there.

Imagine playing Frank Lampard as a defensive winger on his wrong foot and wondering why a clearly gifted footballer looks shit.

It's a really bizarre one. Ali isn't even a winger.

Absolutely. I'd rather go down swinging than go down with a whimper.

They couldn't believe their luck on Tuesday, you could see their glee. An opposition that offered absolutely nothing. Devoid of any idea how to get the ball in behind a shit Cardiff team. Not even fight, not even anger. Just nothing. Totally gone mentally. DEFINITELY 100% nothing to do with...

Yeah. That comment completely shocked me. The upper management won't be happy about that at all. That could end up being Chris's far more diplomatic version of Gus's infamous "ceiling" comment.

Yes but that's definitely the player being bad and nothing to do with man management. In all seriousness - watch Ali and Locadia magically transform back into the effective attacking players they used to be, the moment they leave our club.

I almost feel more confident about the games against City, Arsenal and Spurs - at least there Hughton is in comfortable territory, knows how to set up a team in those sorts of games and you never know, we might nick an unexpected, battling point. Where I feel he has "lost it" is against sides...

Agreed. It doesn't tell us anything. "We need to be more defensively solid". The thing we have based our entire game around for 2 seasons now. He's telling our final 5 opponents exactly how we are going to play.

Absolutely. Imagine being Andone reading that. Piss poor.

We spent about £50m on attacking players with pedigree in the summer. We've barely used one and played two woefully out of position. That's on Hughton, not the players. You really think psychologically right now the thing to do is basically say "we're gonna sit in and hope for 0-0s because the...

Flip it round. Imagine he said “we’re not gonna become defensively solid anytime soon”. **** me. Being really really cautious and playing 1 up front at home against shit teams not working? Go MORE cautious and HOPE they don’t score. His heads gone. No wonder the players aren’t playing for him.

Psychologically though, I’m really not sure it sends out the right message. He’s basically saying he has no faith in us scoring any more goals this season. You can’t defend for 90 minutes and HOPE the ball doesn’t go in your net. That’s not how you fight to stay up, surely?