McInnes' anniversary celebration falls flat

After another reasonably-sized absence, The Exiled Robin returns with a vengeance this weekend with two posts in as many days.

First up is guest writer Stu Radnedge, who mulls over City's poor run of form on the anniversary of the appointment of Derek McInnes, and debates what's next for the Robins:

"It’s time to stand up and be counted…already.

It’s been just over a year since City fans rejoiced in the arrival of Del with many, if not all, dreaming of a new beginning for our club and wondering if he really could be the one to take us to the promised land.

Yet again however, we find ourselves asking that time old question of “Where did it all go wrong?” Just one point off the bottom, Del sees the club in pretty much the same position as we were in when he took over in 2011.

The boo-boys, the self-proclaimed realists - whatever you want to label them as - are calling for heads to roll. The eternal optimists are at the polar opposite saying a new man in charge would have the same issues. Then there are those fans in-between both those opinions, praying or pleading for our luck to change. And this is the camp I find myself sitting with.

Luck is a lady worth being on the right side of as, when she’s not on your side, life is not worth living. The start of this campaign was good, if not excellent. Beating Palace and Cardiff, Wooly finding form, the team playing as a unit – life was good. Then Cunningham suffered an 8-week lay off due to injury and it seemed like everything went down hill from there. Results in particular but also injuries, some horrific, to our emergency loan signing Big George, this week to McManus and knocks to Fonts, Skuse, Carey, Marv, etc…

The injuries to defenders has exemplified our frailties in defence and shown a lack of depth of quality.

But it is by no means the end. While it is truly disheartening to see our team on a run like this, it must only get better. We just have to ride out the storm. Changing manager will not achieve anything except winning a disruptive round of the blame game.

My fear is that recently we have been saved from the drop by teams losing points by entering administration. Is that what we will need to rely on again this year? I hope not. But results will not change and the lovely lady called luck will not return to help us if we are not unified.

Sunday is a very important game. I’m making the journey up from Cornwall to watch the game and I would like to take this opportunity to say I’m behind the gaffer, behind the team and will be forever more. I’m not so blinkered to not see when things are going wrong, but to me all that has been against us is disruptive injuries and luck being against us.

But now it’s time to stand up and be counted."

Thanks very much to Stu for his latest view and he's right in saying Sunday is a critical game. Something must be gained out of this, the first of two winnable home games, if we aren't to be cut adrfit at the bottom.

Injuries are taking their toll and it will be interesting to see if the initial interest in former Middlesboro defender Matthew Bates develops. Reinforcements are certainly required - more so with every passing week.

One thing is for sure, we all need to get behind the team on Sunday and help them towards three points. The spirit showed in the run to survial at the end of last season must be reignited and we can all help.

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http://exiledrobin.blogspot.com

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