The importance of 1 result - being fickle is justified

[rhroyal]

Just saying, after 3 bad performances against Ipswich, Cardiff and Stevenage, we still have excellent recent league form. Today's result does make a big difference; 5th instead of 8th had we lost. Suddenly still in excellent league form, instead of having 3 straight losses in all competitions. Still in the mix, not so much mid-table pretenders for now.

Win against Hull, it gets even better. Lose against Hull, today's performance wasn't exceptional and it's 3 losses out of 4 and some poor performance over a month or so period.

It could go on like this all season. It's looking like an exciting season around the edge of the play-offs, and we will all be fickle between now and the end of the season. Rightfully so; every result makes a massive difference. And that line between mid-table pretenders and genunine play-off candidates is fine as can be. Bigger step up for auto candidates and I don't reckon we'll make, but it appears this league is very close in terms of ability outside the top 4. And who's to say the teams snatching 5th and 6th won't pull off an upset in the play-offs?

[Snowball]

Birmingham and Burnley are growing dangers

[URZZZZZZZZ]

By the same token, Middlesbrough are beginning to look frail.

Great time to have two home games on the bounce (and 4 of the next 6 at home also).

[robbieroyal]

Yeah, exciting times.
Hull game next week is a biggie!!

[Cripple Creek]

Derby are doing very, very well at the moment. Have creeped up quietly and without too much attention being paid to them, well that's the picture I get in Australia anyway.

[rfc2001]

I think we have strength and depth after today's performance by winning with two of best players out. Might be light in CM though. If we lose two central mid's; who can then come in. Bryn is not good enough!!

[Ian Royal]

I think we have strength and depth after today's performance by winning with two of best players out. Might be light in CM though. If we lose two central mid's; who can then come in. Bryn is not good enough!!

Has Howard gone yet?

I agree with the OP. This was a big come back game in a fixture we haven't won for 8 years, which is what? 7 attempts? Things would be looking like a slide out of contention had we lost after several poor performances.

TBH we still weren't particularly good, and we really need to find a workable partnership upfront and stick with it. Even if someone does a couple of super sub appearances. The chopping and changing isn't helping.

[leicsRoyal]

I think we have strength and depth after today's performance by winning with two of best players out. Might be light in CM though. If we lose two central mid's; who can then come in. Bryn is not good enough!!

Has Howard gone yet?

I agree with the OP. This was a big come back game in a fixture we haven't won for 8 years, which is what? 7 attempts? Things would be looking like a slide out of contention had we lost after several poor performances.

TBH we still weren't particularly good, and we really need to find a workable partnership upfront and stick with it. Even if someone does a couple of super sub appearances. The chopping and changing isn't helping.

I think BMc got it spot on yesterday, we never really looked like losing the game and he must have turned around to Church and said 'give me ten more big minutes' Church was tearing at defenders and the keeper closing them down as if it were the first minute of the match?
And as all us that have played/managed football, throwing the striker on up front for the last 10 minutes isn't a policy for them to have any real settling time or other impact on a game other than that word in the ear of 'go and nick me a goal'
I'm sure we had a very satisfied and quite rightly smug manager last night!

[Ian Royal]

No problem with the tactics in the game or bringing on Le Fondre - I'd have probably done it a bit earlier.

But look at our recent starting strikers:
Church / ALF
Manset / ALF
Church / ALF
Hunt / ALF
Hunt / Church
Hunt / Church
ALF / Church
ALF / Hunt
ALF / Church
ALF / Church
ALF / Church
Hunt / Church
Hunt / Church

In the last 13 games no partnership has had more than 3 games in a row. Yes the sub has caused that a lot by coming on and scoring, but it isn't helpful in building a quality partnership. Earlier in the season Church and ALF got 7 games in a row to try it out. McDermott needs to pick a pair and stick with it for at the very least 5 games to give it a proper chance IMO.

[rhroyal]

I'd like to see a return to Alf/Church. There was some decent interplay between them earlier in the season, and they're our 2 top scorers. Give them 5 or so games together.

The lack of partnership is also a reflection on those being left out. They keep coming off the bench to score, which makes it hard to leave them out next time if the starters aren't scoring. Everybody seems to be scoring more off the bench than from the starting line up. (Another one for stattos?)

[Ian Royal]

I'd like to see a return to Alf/Church. There was some decent interplay between them earlier in the season, and they're our 2 top scorers. Give them 5 or so games together.

The lack of partnership is also a reflection on those being left out. They keep coming off the bench to score, which makes it hard to leave them out next time if the starters aren't scoring. Everybody seems to be scoring more off the bench than from the starting line up. (Another one for stattos?)

Our strikers have scored 9 out of their 18 goals off the bench - if you discount the goals HRK scored whilst playing upfront. Because I'll then have to work out which ones they are and whether he started or not in them.

I'd be inclined to go with Hunt & ALF because ALF has already had a fair crack of the whip with Church which hasn't gone too well. Problem is it's a total toss up.

[melonhead]

I think we have strength and depth after today's performance by winning with two of best players out. Might be light in CM though. If we lose two central mid's; who can then come in. Bryn is not good enough!!

based on what?!

hes never let us down before- just cos hes not played this year, doesnt mean he cant just step in

the man is alegend

[Ian Royal]

I think we have strength and depth after today's performance by winning with two of best players out. Might be light in CM though. If we lose two central mid's; who can then come in. Bryn is not good enough!!

based on what?!

hes never let us down before- just cos hes not played this year, doesnt mean he cant just step in

the man is alegend

Hasn't played that well or that much in midfield for quite a while. His heroics have typically been at full back or centreback. I 'spect he could maybe still do a job for the odd game, but he's not really a great option for a run of 5 games or more.

But then it shouldn't be an issue.

[rfc2001]

I think we have strength and depth after today's performance by winning with two of best players out. Might be light in CM though. If we lose two central mid's; who can then come in. Bryn is not good enough!!

based on what?!

hes never let us down before- just cos hes not played this year, doesnt mean he cant just step in

the man is alegend

Hasn't played that well or that much in midfield for quite a while. His heroics have typically been at full back or centreback. I 'spect he could maybe still do a job for the odd game, but he's not really a great option for a run of 5 games or more.

But then it shouldn't be an issue.

Bryan is undoubtedly a legend! But he is too slow and injury prone to fill in the boots for any length of time. I doubt he can last the full 90! L,wood, Jem and Tabb is just not enough if we are serious about promotion or play off's. We need another CM (Either one that can retain possession and do the simple things. James Harper type player or someone with a creative spark, not another ball winner)

[melonhead]

think the club will think more of a loan if we have a serious injury there

[Kitson12]

I think we have strength and depth after today's performance by winning with two of best players out. Might be light in CM though. If we lose two central mid's; who can then come in. Bryn is not good enough!!

Two? Ledge and who else...?

[Ian Royal]

I think we have strength and depth after today's performance by winning with two of best players out. Might be light in CM though. If we lose two central mid's; who can then come in. Bryn is not good enough!!

Two? Ledge and who else...?

Presumably Captain McAnuff. Quite easy to work out when you try and think who plays regularly and didn't get on the pitch.

[Snowball]

I think judgments of our starting strikers versus strikers coming on a subs is pointless this season


I say this because that incredibly long run without scoring first half
must surely have been tactical? I believe the game pattern was to
keep it tight, in particular Elwood and Karacan not venturing forward

I really don't think we tried much to score in the first half of the first 20 games

Sure we might have a go, but the important thing was keeping the back door closed.

I don't have stats for chances, shots, shot on/off target for the first half
but my guess is we have averaged at least twice as many second half.

Would also be nice to see how many of our goals by the front four have been scored by subs

[Snowball]

12 from subs 9 from strikers

Manset
Manset
Manset
Le Fondre (41)
Le Fondre
Le Fondre
Church
Church
Hunt (within a minute of coming on!)

plus

Karacan
HRK
HRK

13 from Starters 9 from striker

Hunt
Hunt
Le Fondre
Le Fondre
Le Fondre
Church
Church
Church

and

HRK
McAnuff
McAnuff
Kebe
Kebe

[Ian Royal]

Yeah, tactical to not score first half...

It's not really a change in the way we play. We played very similar in McDermott's first season (4-5-1 switching to 4-4-2 later on) and not that different last season. We were just far more inept at attacking for the first half of this season.