Post Tranmere, Pre Posh Thoughts

The current situation at the club:

A few week ago the questioning of Steve Holland`s position was a debate, now it`s no longer a question of whether he should stay or go but when will he leave, and will he jump before he is pushed. The ‘Holland Out` bandwagon is gaining more momentum by the day and back on home soil on Tuesday night after two truly inept performances away at Yeovil and Tranmere, Holland, and for that matter Baker, Gradi and Bowler, may all need more than thick skin to shrug off the onslaught the Alex faithful have in store for them tomorrow night. It may have taken a few angry teenagers to set the ball rolling but now the majority of Crewe fans are starting to take a stance against the management and board set up, with Holland baring the brunt of most Crewe fans frustration.

Two wins in thirteen league games is shocking by any teams standards and although Holland has shown inexperience and complete tactical ineptness throughout the season, I must say I do feel sorry for the bloke at the same time. He has been completely hung out to dry by the Crewe board and by the ‘technical director`, his chief mentor, Dario. The team are bottom of League One and Holland is getting verbally abused week after week yet where is his support and backing? If he isn`t going to be sacked now then how long does he have to save his job and the club, a game, a month, until Christmas, until the end of the season? Crewe fans are more frustrated than they have been in probably the last 25 years if not more and a fan revolt is quickly brewing, but there is no word from the board, or Gradi or chairman John Bowler. Either come out and back Holland or get rid of him, the silence is deafening and only goes to show how spineless some of the people who run our football club really must be.

The team:

The may sound like a stupid statement as we are bottom of the league, but ignoring the recent hysteria surrounding Holland and matters off the pitch, I don`t think the team are a million miles off becoming a half decent side. Admittedly we have been beaten easily by poor sides recently and we have made mistakes Sunday league players would be embarrassed of, but I think with a bit of luck and a severe kick up the backside the players could come through this. I still can`t get my head round Holland`s tactics at Tranmere with Elding playing up front virtually on his own, but if Lawrence stuck his neck out a couple of inches more to meet O`Connor`s free kick after half time, were 1-0 up and leading in a game which we haven`t done since the 13th of last month. I`m not suggesting we would have won the game but it would a been a start in a game which personally I didn`t think Tranmere were much better than us in and the same i think can be said from recent visitors to Gresty Road, Southend, Northampton and MK Dons. We are bottom of the league though and that can`t be ignored, and Holland is of course very culpable, he`s spent £700k + in the summer, of which half a million pounds worth of players were sat on the bench at Tranmere, that tells its own story about how our season is going and about Holland`s time in full charge so far.

Next Up, Peterborough:

The signs aren`t good for us, The Posh are unbeaten in their last four games, with two draws and two wins, scoring nine goals, including four against Huddersfield on Saturday. To make things worse three of the back four that started for Crewe at Tranmere look likely to miss out. Danny Woodards and Dennis Lawrence are both doubtful and Billy Jones must wait until Tuesday afternoon to find out whether the appeal of his red card at Tranmere has been successfully overturned or not, hardly great preparation. With Baudet and McCready still out only George Abbey, who has only a substitute appearance to his name this season, and rookie John Brayford are the only fit senior defenders, adding to Steve Holland`s mounting woes.

I could speculate all night about what the Crewe team to start against Peterborough will be but on recent tact by Holland, the team will probably have a complete overhaul from the Tranmere game, a different formation, different players, but no doubt the same old confusion and lack of motivation will be highly evident.

Crewe and Holland need to turn their season round as soon as possible, a result tomorrow night will not be enough for Holland in the eyes of Crewe fans baying for his blood but it needs to be a start for him if he has any aspirations of salvaging his career at Crewe. Holland could now not ask for a better run of games, with Peterborough at home, struggling Huddersfield away, Ebbsfleet or Woking in the FA cup then two successive home league games against Leyton Orient then Stockport.

It`s time for Steve, his management team and the players to pull their fingers out and roll their sleeves up, if not to save their own embarrassment then that of the supporters, we deserve something at least. Here`s hoping we see some commitment and effort to try and turn this so far disastrous campaign around with a view to a much needed three points. Otherwise the protests, banners and chants will become a lot fiercer, the club will sink deeper towards League Two oblivion and Holland`s position will become untenable, if it isn`t already.