I think it's fair to write that yesterday was poor and with the League Cup final next weekend, we're probably not going into the match with confidence. I'm struggling to see how we can win, but I also accept that finals are different.
But I look at the Manchester City side and how they play and I struggle to see us getting anything. I don't think it helps when the manager makes certain comments after the match yesterday.
"My feelings are embarrassment with the performance," said Smith. "The thing that hurts me the most is a lack of fight. They've let themselves down with their own personal performances. We got beaten and deservedly so. Our quality just wasn't there. Some of them have played their way out of a cup final."
I don't know who he is talking about. I can take guesses, but how does it help and aren't certain things meant to be said behind closed doors?
What I guess I really mean is, isn't it his job to get them playing that way? It was at Brentford. The players were picked for him as was the formation. His role at Brentford, as it is with every manager, is to get the players to give everything for 90 minutes. Look at where they are now.
I know this isn't going to go down well, but Brentford are demonstrating to the world how to put a team together in this day and age. There is another way and that is when the manager controls everything at the Club, but I fear those days are long gone. I'd be very surprised if we ever see another Sir Alex Ferguson.
I don't think I could blame individuals in my team when my primary role is to manage those individuals.
We're in a tough place at the moment and later this afternoon, we could find ourselves in the bottom three. If we don't, it could still happen tomorrow. I'm not so sure we will, but that it's possible match to match, it's scary.
And even though I don't think we need 16 points to stay up this season, I did write in the previous post that we needed to win four and draw four to stay up. What that essentially means is we can only afford to lose three more this season, if I stick with those numbers. Our next three League matches are Leicester, Chelsea and Newcastle.
Yesterday is something best forgotten and it feels like I've written that a few times this season. I don't think I've written this next part before, but it's going to be interesting to see who Dean Smith drops for next Sunday.