We all remember the heavy lifting between 2012 and 2020. That era set the foundations, then we had a European run and lifted the Scottish Cup. Trouble is, what felt like momentum has become a worrying cycle of talent not quite matching the plan. To be fair, there have been bright moments, but the picture now is one of worrying gaps and recurring problems.
Squad shape and the 4-4-2 question
People throw around the 4-4-2 as if slots on a sheet will solve everything. In reality it's about balance. If you select three goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders including wingers and four forwards you can reach twenty-three players on paper, but depth and quality matter more than raw numbers. The old problem keeps popping up: too many players who are comfortable in possession when space is available, but when teams sit low and compact we don't have enough players who can unlock a block quickly.
Where's the creativity and guile?
Last season same complaint. The season before, same again. You notice it in the staccato attacks, the sideways passing and the inability to turn a defence inside out. Guile isn't glamorous on a spreadsheet but it's vital on a pitch. Creativity can come from a number ten, an inventive winger or a full back who carries and plays with vision. At the moment the creative player situation reads as messy. The right back situation and the captaincy debate only add noise, and noise rarely helps on the training ground.
Business decisions and the fallout
I get why clubs buy for potential. It makes sense financially and sometimes it pays off. The risk is a bloated squad full of 'maybes' who clog progression. If a few lads want away moves but can't get them because the club plays hardball, then that strategy is backfiring. Bad fits sit on the bench and opportunities to trim the squad disappear. Two things keep niggling at me: past mistakes will peak at the worst possible time and we could face a long season, and prolonged failure has consequences off the pitch too. Owners and boards have patience, but it isn't endless.
Look, I hope I'm dead wrong. I want to be proven wrong every week. But the structural issues are obvious to any fan who watches regularly: tempo, creativity and clarity over who belongs in this squad. Fix those and the rest becomes easier. Ignore them and the rebuild that took years could unravel quicker than we like.
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