In the wake of the cup defeat against Bolton there has been a lot of discussion and disagreement about who is to blame. The very nature of football is that when things are going badly, it’s the manager that gets the blame, and when things are going well, it’s the players that get the adoration and praise, but should that be the case?
In our case, there are some that were only every going to land the blame entirely at McLeish’s door, simply because they don’t like him and don’t want him here, but it surely isn’t as simple as that.
There are obviously issues that are down to McLeish, such as picking the right team and employing the right tactics for a given situation. I for one was quite excited when I first saw the team sheet, and I don’t think it was a bad team selection at all. There were more than a few raised eyebrows, however, after seeing the team sheet, that we weren’t playing 4-4-2 from the off with Gabby and Delfouneso up front together.
With that said, one up top has been the preferred formation so far this perhaps should not have come as much of a surprise. Presumably, this is what they have worked on in training, and McLeish obviously thought he could change the personnel, without changing the system, and even though he did change it later on, it was too little too late.
That been said, the players need to accept some responsibility for their own performances regardless of tactics or formation. They are professionals doing a job for which they get very handsomely rewarded, and cannot be totally let off for turning in below par individual performances.
For example, McLeish didn’t make the mistake that led to the first goal, Albrighton did, and much as I hate to single him out in a team that largely delivered substandard performances, it is just an example of where the players have to take responsibility for their own game, mistakes and failings.
It is wrong to lay the blame entirely at McLeish’s feet, and it is wrong to blame it all on the players. They are all equally responsible for delivering good performances, and results and are dependant on each other. The players need McLeish to make the correct decisions regarding tactics and formation, but equally McLeish needs the players to go out there and actually deliver a performance.
Is that too much to ask?
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