BackRoomRummermill
Well-Known Member
I am not surprised , would be good for a show of support all things considered
Match Thread Middlesbrough (14 Viewers)
- Thread starter cc84cov
- Start date
I am not surprised , would be good for a show of support all things considered
PUSB-We_are_going_up
Well-Known Member
After derby we have a slightly easier dare I say run of fixtures
Hobo
Well-Known Member
The last couple of seasons we had a side that could go one nil down and still had the belief they could win and played until the final whistle with great resilience.
This year it seems one goal and the game is over. They are beaten mentally. That is a confidence thing.
The step up from League 2 to League 1 is marginal. But the step up to the Championship is huge due to years of tv revenue. It is a better league than when we were last in it.
We have recruited well and improved the squad on last year. But spending 2 or 3 million isn't enough to bridge the gap. Also we 2 or 3 who aren't good enough and have little development prospects. We almost managed to shift 2 of them out: which may have allowed one more in?
Fixtures haven't been kind to us early on and neither has injuries. Also silly red cards have hampered us further.
But there are still signs we can play football and compete at this level. At least enough to survive.
I have lost count how many times I have watched City sides and you couldn't see where the next result was coming from? But it does!
I am not giving up on this group of players just yet. But it is going to be a long tough season (as I expected).
This year it seems one goal and the game is over. They are beaten mentally. That is a confidence thing.
The step up from League 2 to League 1 is marginal. But the step up to the Championship is huge due to years of tv revenue. It is a better league than when we were last in it.
We have recruited well and improved the squad on last year. But spending 2 or 3 million isn't enough to bridge the gap. Also we 2 or 3 who aren't good enough and have little development prospects. We almost managed to shift 2 of them out: which may have allowed one more in?
Fixtures haven't been kind to us early on and neither has injuries. Also silly red cards have hampered us further.
But there are still signs we can play football and compete at this level. At least enough to survive.
I have lost count how many times I have watched City sides and you couldn't see where the next result was coming from? But it does!
I am not giving up on this group of players just yet. But it is going to be a long tough season (as I expected).
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
It doesn't matter apparently. We should be able to pass far better more experienced teams off the park because we did it last season against Rochdale and spent 2 million in the summer
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
Do you think we’re better than we’ve shown so far?
Brighton Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
Nobody has said that dude.
Brighton Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
My concern is some of them have started to give up on themselves through some learned helplessness.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
In so many words they have.
The quality of the players we're up against is no excuse apparently. Fuck me.
Liquid Gold
Well-Known Member
The quality is obviously a lot better and will continue to be all season.
What do you suggest we do about it?
Skyblue_CP
Well-Known Member
Nobody has said this, but you atleast expect abit of fight, its hard to see where the next goal is going to come from, let alone result.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
I think we came into this league with the intention to play a certain way and it's clear Its not going to work.
The gulf in class is huge with a lot of the teams we've played.
We need to find another way. If we go 2 up top do we get over ran (Even more) in midfield?
If we persevere with 1 it can't be Godden.
As bad as the defence has been I think sorting our attack out is key.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
You don't think there was fight there last night? I thought there was. We had our best spell just before they scored and then the heads dropped.
Brighton Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
The quality of opposition would explain having less possession, generally fewer chances and being punished more often for errors. It wouldn’t explain them struggling to do even the basics-that seems to be more psychological in origin
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
As I keep saying, from 15th down are pretty average, we have to beat those teams - we've played 2 against them got 4 points.
As stated in another post we need to sort the attack out. But given.our pool if attacking players it's an uphill task.
BackRoomRummermill
Well-Known Member
this league now I am taking interest in it appears to be 2 leagues in 1 , the rich and poor and the table will reflect it , I reckon we sit half way on the poor club table , we have only played 8 games , repeat 8 games , we need to change but we should not write ourselves off just yet
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
It would explain basic errors. The man on the ball has less options. The players they can potentially pass to have faster, more athletic players marking them.
Watch how many times opposition players get in front of our men to rob the ball. We were too good in comparison to the opposition to let that happen last year.
Liquid Gold
Well-Known Member
Ok, this is the list of teams we should do well against in your opinion.
3 of our next 5 are against these teams. What is a decent points return from those games?
cc84cov
Well-Known Member
I think the issue for people is we do not carry any attacking threat and have no plan B were facing a high press weekly now
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
I'm not saying we will do well but we need to be getting a return from these games if we want to survive.
I think we've got to be looking at 5 points
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
I agree. Godden up top on his own is not working.
Liquid Gold
Well-Known Member
Yeah I edited from will to should as you replied.
If we only pick up 5 points from those games then we'll be on 10 points from 13 games and will have played more than half of the indicated bad teams. That's relegation form all over.
cc84cov
Well-Known Member
Have management under estimated this league ? Is it a case if we are not at the level yet or do we not have the players at the level
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
It is. But I'll bet they'll be other teams performing as badly or only slightly better.
Luton and Barnsley didn't get out of trouble until towards the end of the season. Hopefully we can stay in touch and hit a similar vein of form at some point.
However I'm a realist, it's going to be tough.
Esoterica
Well-Known Member
The worry with that is Walker looks so far off match fitness I don't think we'll see the best of him until Christmas. I know I'm sounding like a broken record but we have to get a formation that brings out the best in the quality we have. And that's Sheaf-Kelly-Hamer in midfield, Godden's finishing in the box and our wingbacks getting forward. I think we have to try the 4-3-3 to do that.
Liquid Gold
Well-Known Member
I do think we'll improve around Christmas onwards when some of our players adapt and other teams tire from playing so much football. The key is not being adrift by that point, I thought it was possible but I'm getting increasingly concerned that we'll have messed it up already by then.
chiefdave
Well-Known Member
Agreed, ridiculous to think players don't see what is being said about them here and on social media. Sure they're told not to look but it will be happening. Is it a reason for a poor performance? Of course not but if they're struggling to adapt to a new division and keep their confidence up seeing the team slated everywhere they turn isn't going to help.
Quite relieved theirs not fans in the ground at the moment as I wouldn't be surprised if they were being booed off the pitch by our own fans.
Liquid Gold
Well-Known Member
If the wingbacks are getting forward in a 4-3-3 though isn't that leaving us incredibly open to the counter. I'm assuming in the system Kelly would drop back to seep in front of the two defenders or even as a makeshift third when we're going forward but I'd worry about the lack of pace there.
Grendel
Well-Known Member
The break seemed to help them and also in the case of Luton a manager change
cc84cov
Well-Known Member
Sure Luton signed a lad from spurs which played a massive part a defender I believe it was
SeaSeeEffCee
Well-Known Member
The thing that concerns me the most is that after every game Robins comes out and talks about how tough every game is going to be and how we don’t have the resources to compete etc.
We play like a side that doesn’t feel like they belong at this level, there is no belief in the play and we look terrified of the opposition. I can’t really understand why, publicly at least, Robins is feeding into this narrative. If it’s to great a backs against the wall, underdog spirit then it’s not working.
We play like a side that doesn’t feel like they belong at this level, there is no belief in the play and we look terrified of the opposition. I can’t really understand why, publicly at least, Robins is feeding into this narrative. If it’s to great a backs against the wall, underdog spirit then it’s not working.
Grendel
Well-Known Member
They did but they suddenly started winning games - the manager change worked perfectly for them
Brighton Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
To stay up we need 6 points from every 5 games. As we are already behind on that it probably needs to be 7 or 8 from the next block
Brighton Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
Watch how many times we misplace passes under little or no pressure, because we think we’re being pressed all the time. It’s becoming psychological, not tactical or technical
fernandopartridge
Well-Known Member
The 3 midfielders cover the gaps left, we're no more open to counter than under the existing system
