I feel like I’m talking to a brick wall here so I’m going to repeat my criticism of Austin for the eleventy billionth time and then trust you guys are capable of reading and comprehending which I get is a huge gamble but honestly I’m so tired boss.
We have spent a lot of money on players. More than pretty much the entire league. I would expect us to get promoted. The reason we are at the top this season has more to do with historic underperformance of the parachute clubs (clubs receiving parachute payments can afford larger wage bills so often finish in most of the top three positions leaving fourth and below as the target for most non parachute clubs) than it does to do with an amazing transfer strategy or a genius manager. This also applies to Middlesbrough who has spent a bit less per player but still more than everyone else.
In a normal season we’d be 3rd or 4th behind a couple of parachute clubs which is pretty much exactly where we are in the spending charts.
Like a striker who scores at or below his xG I don’t see this as evidence of adding value beyond what you’d expect. When we get promoted we will be at a financial disadvantage and as such will need to get more than our moneys worth. I do not think Austin is capable of this. His signings have generally been just OK and have cost an awful lot of money. We have consistently failed to attract the kinds of bids we expect for example for van Ewijk and we have spent a lot of money on players who have failed to hold down a place.
I would prefer it if our head of recruitment showed some aptitude in finding players valued below their ability as Badlan consistently did because I feel that would both increase our chances of staying up next season without significant investment and of recouping our outlay on players if we don’t.
The scout is being criticised by you for getting the team to where in your view it should be expected to be? Even allowing for your nonsense about the underperformance of the parachute clubs (see below) being the reason.
This is the historic points achieved after 31 games for the team sat in second place when most teams have played 31. Where the second placed team has a game in hand I've provided the points tally for the team sat in third having played 31.
Coventry have 59 from 31 games played this season.
2024/25: 61 from 31 Burnley P
2023/24: 64 from 30, and 63 from 31 Leeds P and Southampton P
2022/23: 61 from 31 Sheff Utd P
2021/22: 58 from 30, and 54 from 32 Bournemouth P and Blackburn
2020/21: 57 from 31 Brentford
2019/20: 55 from 31 Leeds
2018/19: 58 from 31 Leeds
Aside from a couple of recent seasons heavily distorted by parachute payments, the points total achieved is well in line with the expected total of a team sat in second place at this point. You are, as usual, talking shite.
