Reading the odd soundbite in The Times match report, its disturbing the way Koeman is now distancing himself from any critique of the situation..."I can make it clear to them...but when the whistle blows, I don't pass the ball backwards". Its crazy that he's almost saying I don't know whats wrong with them...yet without referral to any responsibility on his part to suggest how it can be addressed and eradicated. What the hell do they do at Finch Farm all week...surely he can structure a plan and team strategy for the next match and have those players play together beforehand and complement each others style. This shouldn't even be suggested as lacking...but it clearly is. Or is he suggesting the players are defying his instruction...equally problematical. Similarly, whats the point in Koeman entering embarrassingly long protracted transfer sagas for players then when they're in situ, not playing them to their strengths he clearly admired enough to pursue them at length. Ramirez looked as though he was in the middle of a nightmare before the match had even kicked off last night....head in hands, as though he was saying a Novena prayer for someone ill....couldnt believe it. Sigurdsson is now letting his inner nark take over and lashing out fouls-wise which doesn't bode well. I don't think the pragmatic Dutchman will go down the road of "Its not you, its me" to his players. But I can easily see "Its either you or me" to them before the next months out....and unless they ALL get their act together, he'll be on his way.
