It's crunch time for Fergie

Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson was bullish during the media round after Saturday’s loss to Huddersfield.

Photo Credit : Joe Dent / Peterborough United

Despite presiding over a winless league run stretching back an unprecedented 15 games, the manager’s assessment was, 

"I feel absolutely fine. I have been in this game long enough to know you have good moments and bad ones. We are going through a bad time right now."

Ferguson has every reason to feel bullish. Darragh has clearly pushed all his chips onto Team Fergie. 

Despite telling fans that "we can't just keep getting players in", he backed his manager with a formation change and new signings on deadline day to make it happen, obliterating the wage cap on the way.

He splashed out a cool £1m on a striker to be paired with a highly-rated Chelsea starlet on loan, as well as borrowing half of Wrexham's promotion-winning defence.

Over to you, Fergie

I understand why he has been backed. 

Ferguson is an experienced manager. He said himself in a post-match interview that he has nothing to prove at this level.

He's right. 

His record speaks for itself. 

Four promotions and three EFL trophies make him the most successful manager Peterborough United has ever had.

But all that counts for nothing today…

.. as the only currency in football is points. 

We can take some heart from improvements against high-flying Huddersfield, but we need to convert those improvements into cold, hard points on the board.

I don't blame those who have found some joy after the Huddersfield loss. 

We have been subjected to such awful, turgid football for so long that any player showing any competence on the pitch is lofted upon our shoulders in celebration, even when we play without any cutting edge in the final third, and ultimately get outplayed and outscored.

I have moments where I feel like I'm losing my mind and have fallen into an alternate reality where Peterborough United isn't a stalwart League One team known for exciting football and regularly challenging for promotion.

Instead, they have stumbled into League One via a lucky play-off game and are now struggling to find the pace in this new, higher division, with fans somehow being satisfied with basic, uncreative competence.

It's crunch time for Fergie

Wycombe on Saturday feels like a massive game with insanely high stakes. 

There's no doubt that it's been a tough start to the season.

Playing recently relegated Championship clubs and teams that'll be in and around the top six at the end of the season, with a squad of woeful players destined for the transfer list and non-league, has been pretty miserable for everyone.

But the excuses must end now

Darragh spoke on the latest edition of his podcast of his frustration with the manager over not developing players and forcing more signings after Brad was pushed out of the club.

Ferguson has been given strength, talent and experience along with two highly rated young strikers to kick-start the season. 

It’s on him to dig deep and get this team up and running in double quick time as his chairman is running out of patience.

Wycombe at home, followed by Plymouth away, are our best chances to pick up some much-needed points, and build momentum. 

Both teams have had a poor start, with Wycombe picking up just one win in seven games, and Plymouth two.

Wycombe might be a far cry from the well-drilled brutality of a Gareth Ainsworth team, or the high-flying club they were last season, but they are no walkover. 

They are also hungry for points to settle a restless fanbase and must consider us a good team to get a result from.

Simply put, we MUST win on Saturday

A single win can transform the outlook for a club. 

Look at what Bradley Ihionvien has done for struggling Shrewsbury to turn the tide on fan opinion and belief.

Darragh may still back his manager, but fans' faith has been shaken.

Even though a loss to Wycombe would not guarantee relegation, it would ensure an incredibly toxic response from even the most level-headed fans, and there are few of those left in these most desperate times.

Shouts of "Fergie out" will be prolific on social media while emotions run high, and it would be very hard not to let one's head orbit Mars as we fall further behind everyone else in the league.

No season is defined after a month, but a loss, or even a lucky draw, would put Ferguson under immense pressure and collapse what little hope remains of a rapid turnaround to drag us out of our rut.

If we lose, should Ferguson walk?

Dmac and Fergie have been a very successful double act, and no doubt the length of time they've worked together has formed a shorthand between them.

It makes sense for Darragh to stick with Ferguson, because who else is there?

When asked this question, fans have suggestions, but few are available. 

Those willing to accept what we can pay, work under Darragh's “el Presidente of Football” model, and turn the season around, are even fewer.

There is a strong argument for sticking with Ferguson all the way to League Two if need be, because there is no better manager to get us back to League One.

Your opinion on that will be directly tied to who you think is at fault for the poor recruitment.

It's worth noting that Ferguson is in his final year of contract.

I'm not sure about allowing the problem to be the solution, but neither am I calling for him to be sacked, yet.

I have no desire to spin the roulette wheel while we're in such a vulnerable position.

Darragh certainly won’t tolerate much more.

Onto Saturday

As I take my seat at kickoff, I will be expecting a win and a comfortable, assured team performance.

A loss will not relegate us, and with 38 games to go, it may hardly be remembered come May next year, but it will be harrowing for both sides of the dressing room door.