2020-2021 post mortem

I suppose it was fate that reinforced our yoyotude relegation, but there were mitigating circumstances -- and I believe it was these circumstances that doomed us from the beginning. Here's some highlights ... lowlights that contributed to our demise.

1. Not finishing second ... Because of the reduced off-season [thanks to operation re-start] we missed several weeks of scouting/signing. By the time we actually won promotion, I'd say about 75% of the players who could have helped us were off the market. Had we not required the playoffs, those two-three weeks of active recruitment could have gleaned us the 2-3 midfielders/strikers we needed. Remember, this was a once in a lifetime weirdness that only really damaged Fulham. Finishing second and avoiding the playoff cone of uncertainty and we're competitive in the market. No COVID and the resulting short off-season, and we're competitive in the market.
2. Olivier Giroud ... Lampard didn't know what to do with him. He wanted to use his kids and Giroud was getting a match or two. The January activity was approaching. The Scum didn't want him. We NEEDED him, he wanted to stay in London and get a chance to play ... and then Frank started him in a "who gives a shit" cup tie to rest his strikers, and the Frenchman scored 3 or 4 goals and played himself right into Chelsea's plans. I didn't see any rumors linking us to Giroud, but ... . The Big Frog would have fit right in, caused our opponents to change their strategy against us, and could have turned our midseason ghost revival into a real one.
3. Two players we could have used every match during the season weren't available. Tom Cairney isn't a Premier League midfielder, but he's solid and he's a leader. Having him during the second half of the season could have made the difference there. Who's the other player? Mitro. Yes, he wasn't productive when he was in there, but he was always a threat to our opponents. With Mitro up front along with Lookman, and the midfield being bossed by Harrison Reed, Anguissa, and Cairney from match to match ... I think we pick up at least 10 more points, and I also think that Mitro finishes in double figures.
4. Scott Parker!!! What the Fuck!!!!!! I don't understand why our gaffer's preferred starting lineup consisted of three wingers and zero strikers. Our slow playing from the back combined with no discernable scoring threat up front to trouble opposing central defenders made us easy to defend. And here's the irony, Scott's style allowed us to take points off of most of the big clubs, while our toothless attack made it easier for our relegation rivals to take points off us. I remember tuning into a match in the second half and remarking to HatterMom that we were playing like we were two goals up, rather than chasing a two-goal deficit.

I don't know what all this means for next season. I think we're a threat for promotion given a decent transfer period, but if we're losing Anguissa and Andersen, we'd better get moving.