Backing, blame and where responsibility lies

We’ve spent big, but are we getting what the club paid for? If roughly £38m has gone out, someone has to be accountable for the lack of consistent performances.

We can all agree the club has put serious cash into the squad this season — the numbers being mentioned, around £38m, aren’t trivial. The question that keeps coming back is simple: where does responsibility sit when the players don’t look consistently up to it? Is it the manager, the recruitment team, or a bit of both?

Spending money doesn't automatically buy harmony or a game plan that sticks. To be fair, signings take time to bed in. But when a sizeable outlay has been made, supporters are right to expect clearer progress on the pitch — more consistent performances, better results, and a style that looks like it's going somewhere.

So who's accountable? If the mantra is "players not good enough, not the manager's fault", then you have to ask about recruitment. Were players signed who fit the shape, press and tempo the manager wanted? Or were they brought in because they were available or expensive? Equally, if Röhl has had input on transfers, that changes the picture — responsibility becomes shared. Either way, the end result is the same: people expected to perform aren't doing it, and someone has to answer for why.

There are two obvious possibilities. One: the manager is giving instructions the squad can't carry out — a mismatch between coaching demands and player profile. Two: the instructions themselves aren't clear or effective, and players look unsure. Both are uncomfortable, and both need addressing. You can see why fans get frustrated — especially when comparisons to past success are waved around. Bringing up Steven Gerrard isn't helpful here; he delivered 55, and the job now is for the current manager to move us on.

Truth is, something has to change. It might be tweaks in recruitment to get players who fit the system, a clearer tactical identity from the coaching staff, or a tougher hand in training to lift standards. And let’s be honest — spending north of £40m every season isn't something the club can treat as a long-term cure-all. We need smarter investment, not just bigger cheques.

Fans want success in the league, cups and Europe. If the backing is there, then accountability and clarity have to follow. No more shrugging and hoping it all clicks. Make the signings fit the manager, or make the manager's plan fit the signings — but get it right.

Written by Thestigno1: 30 June 2026