We need a revolution, not evolution

AFTER the euphoria of four successive home wins lifted us away from the drop zone, picking up only one point from games against Derby, Portsmouth and Everton in recent weeks has dragged us right back down.

It’s squeaky bum time once more as we look over our shoulders and, more worryingly, peak at other people’s run-ins.

Of the top four, we’ve only got Chelsea and Arsenal left to play, with what could be termed ‘easy fixtures’ against relegation rivals. Games against fellow contenders for the drop Newcastle, Bolton and Fulham suggest that survival could be in our own hands, but we must improve our dismal away form to stand a chance.

Fulham need some title-wining form to catch up, but with only Liverpool and Everton left of the top five to play, and fixtures against Newcastle, Derby, ourselves, Reading and Birmingham, it’s far from impossible.

A point at Blackburn wasn’t a bad result for them, but it is wins, not draws, that they need now.

Bolton have a game in hand over Sunderland, although a tricky fixture list that will see them play Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea suggests they’ll continue to struggle.

Birmingham also have a one-match advantage over us, and a relatively easy run-in that leaves them with only Liverpool to play from the top four.

Realistically it leaves us swimming against the relegation tide, praying that someone can press the self destruct button.

Enter Newcastle, who appear to be edging ever-closer to the trapdoor each week, much to Wearside’s pleasure.

It turns out that Keegan isn’t the Messiah; he’s just a very naughty boy, and fixtures away to Tottenham, Portsmouth and Everton, as well as Chelsea visiting St James’ Park means the Mags are far from safe.

Unfortunately, unless Roy Keane takes a drastic look at his use of the 4-5-1 formation, it could be a long hard slog to the end of the season for us, regardless of who we play.

Kenwyne Jones has been our best player by a country mile, but looks lost, isolated and ineffective when he’s played up front on his own.

We aren’t good enough or experienced enough to be able to defend well for 90 minutes, so we might as well attack sides and have a go with two men up front.

It took until the 76th minute for Keane to introduce a second striker on Sunday.

That’s 15 minutes playing 4-4-2 trying to have a go. It’s not good enough. Whilst the Premiership might be a learning curve for everyone at the club, surely if 42,000 fans can tell that the formation isn’t working, the gaffer must have an inkling.

We’re also bereft of midfielders. Dean Whitehead was cautioned on 36 minutes, meaning that for almost an hour of the game, our main holding middle man was unable to get stuck in for fear of being sent off. Normally we’d be able to simply replace him, but Keane made the baffling decision not to have any central midfielders on the bench.

Dwight Yorke, Liam Miller and Dickson Etuhu were all absent, despite having played the majority of games in central midfield this season.

As much as I’ve criticised Etuhu this season, he has looked a better player since returning from the African Cup of Nations and if we’re going to play a combative five-man midfield, we need someone with a bit of physical presence.

Keane has spoken this week of our other strikers needing to hit the goal trail if we are to survive, adding that: “Our attacking play has let us down in a couple of games recently.”

I’ve not got my coaching badges, but I’d suggest not playing strikers like Chopra and Stokes on the wing would go a long way to solving this problem, as well as boosting both players’ confidence levels considerably.

Had we beaten Everton we would have moved up to 12th place, above Newcastle and five points clear of the relegation zone.

As it stands, we’re still stuck in the mire and we now need a revolution, not evolution, to escape.

* Martyn McFadden, www.a-love-supreme.com