No doubt in my mind the England vacancy has pretty much distracted them. Won their match on the weekend he resigned-then bang, started a downward slide.
Maybe, more likely as a result of Redknapp not doing his job.
Since the Newcastle game:
Stevenage - A -> 0-0.
Redknapp picked an awful 3-5-2 formation with Bale playing free role in the centre doing f all, and Defoe and Saha up front together, the most useless strike force in recent memory.
Arsenal - A - 5-2.
Redknapp reverts back to the 4-4-2 used against Newcastle. Somewhat understandable. What however was not understandable is Playing Bale right wing and bringing in Kranjcar LM. We were not set up right, and quite rightly nearly every fan i spoke to before the game wanted the 4-5-1 (Sandro Parker Modric CM) for stability in the core. We score two relatively lucky goals then get torn apart.
Man United - H - 1-3
Again, Redknapp doesn't learn his lesson. Set up 4-4-2, but to be fair, played relatively well. Had a goal harshly chalked off, go on to lose the game due to poor defensive errors. Modric played out of position on the left again, however.
Everton - A - 1-0.
**** me. 4-4-2 again. Modric played out wide again. Ineffectual again. Defoe starts, does nothing. Again. Lose the game, although a spirited second half, with poor finishing and no end product. Should have gone with the 3 in midfield again, yet sticks to his 4-4-2.
Stoke - H - 1-1.
Finally plays the 4-5-1. However, instead of playing your best players in their best positions, he plays Bale on the right again, drifting around doing nothing. A poor performance, but after about 80 minutes of the fans chanting for it, Bale goes left wing and assists the Van der Vaart goal. A great cross. From the left. Shock.
Chelsea - A - 0-0
Finally, after weeks of ****. Redknapp plays the 4-5-1, we were set up brilliantly, Sandro Parker Modric centre mid with Bale left and VDV coming in off the right. We put in a great performance and were unlucky not to win. Redknapp learning his lesson? Looks like it.
Note that Redknapp said after the game how he felt 4-5-1 suited us and that its 'Difficult to play 4-4-2 these days".
Swansea - H - 3-1
Again, set up very well. Pressed Swansea high up the pitch and a good performance. Redknapp looking like he's learnt his lesson.
Sunderland - A - 0-0
Set up okay, 4-5-1 again a good sign. However a pretty poor performance, no imagination or craft. Lack of urgency and a few wasted chances. A decent point.
Norwich - H - 1-2
Ah. Where to start... The 4-4-2 was brought back, Livermore was left to do all the work in midfield, didn't work. Modric was lazy, poor, ineffective. Again. The Defoe-Saha partnership was brought back, and was abysmal. Although Defoe did score a lovely goal from Livermore's pass. Bale played where he wanted again, and was poor. A flat performance, out battled and out fought.
Redknapp after the game:
“it's
hard to play
4-4-2 these days"
"I thought we were too open".
Not sure what to say to that. Incredible.