Even with taking into account that this was a rebuilt squad before the start of the season, it was really hard not to think it was atrociously managed. There didn't seem to be any kind of a game plan, any real shape to the side and any idea from where the goals could come from than a false hope for strength and the mysterious football luck. When you don't even have that, you could at least think that when you shut the shop, the opponent will try so hard that a chance for you could eventually come up and you could take it. However, there was no belief in that either. When you watched Žižkov in autumn, the gaps in their defence were so big that the players themselves were just waiting for the goal to be either somehow saved by Vaclík or simply conceded. Repetitive 0-1 losses were infuriatingly brought down by players and the staff to the simple "lack of luck". Scoreline may suggest that but everyone knew that most of the times Žižkov were lucky to be only a goal down at the end of the games. Nothing was good enough.
Martin Pulpit probably should have gone much earlier than in the winter break. With 14 games to go and a big gap between the 14th and the 16th place where we lied, it seemed to be too late for any kind of a revival. Even more so when the talisman of the team, Tomáš Vaclík, left for Sparta for a fee from which only a mere £140 000 came for Žižkov, and Roman Nádvorník was appointed as the new man at the helm. To be honest, I didn't know a single thing about him than that he seemed to be an unconvincing coach who had two spells at Vlašim, which he got to two successive 7th places (which could be counted as a success), and an underwhelming one at Příbram, from where he was sacked in the mid-season after a spell of five consecutive defeats. Sixteen players left in the winter, fourteen came in and it all looked pretty much done and dusted in February. Whether all of this was down to poor management of the club as a whole, I'm nowhere near entitled to say. Most of the transfers though do seem to be last-gasp wheeler-dealer deals that could and could not work out, than a result of a thorough scouting and meticulous thinking. However, all of this seems to work now somehow. So, what exactly has been the key for a revelation in the Žižkov side?
It would be too easy to put it down to a rediscovery of belief after the 0-0 draw at Teplice, which now seems to be a turning point of the season, as well as a good amount of luck, especially in the 4-2 win over Jablonec, a seemingly crazy game which could have really gone either way. These are certainly relevant features, but it's almost impossible to overlook how much better the side has functioned in the recent weeks. The 4-1-4-1 formation has been there from the start of the season, but just now the players seem to be comfortable with it, and not only that - the most important thing is that they look as if they knew what they're about to do on the pitch. They can pull out successive passes, they are dangerous upfront even against sides like Plzeň and their defence is much sounder and tighter, even though it's still susceptible as you would expect from a side that's battling relegation. But most importantly, Žižkov now don't look lost in midfield. Pressing is key, and the distance between the lines, good physical preparation and a lack of lapses in concentration contributes to good results. They're certainly not flawless but if similar performances continue, there's no reason why Nádvorník, who really has to be given credit for the team's revival, shouldn't be the manager even if Žižkov are relegated.
But are they really going to be? Since the 0-0 draw at Teplice, Žižkov really kicked on and battled out more points in their last 5 games than in the previous 20. Eight out of five may not seem a staggering number but in the relegation battle it's gold. With this kind of form and a hopeful run-in in which Žižkov face a Liberec side against which they have nothing to lose, a very-much struggling Slovácko and a decider with Baník at Bazaly away from home; and home ties against České Budějovice and Hradec Králové, who both have now nothing to play for, Žižkov have a very good platform to save their season.
