Looking at this logically after some sleep (13 Viewers)

PVA

Well-Known Member
Said this last night nicking 1-0’s at this level Isn’t gonna do it we just carry zero attacking threat

But if we carry no attacking threat surely nicking 1-0 wins is what we have to aim for…
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
I thought the tactics were ok to stay in the game and we certainly found our feet in the middle of the second half. Shipley should have scored and we had two breaks where we outnumbered them and didn’t take advantage. Walker should have passed but was fouled. Then we were really deflated.

On to the next game. Robins seemingly has little answer without getting players up to fitness. I wonder if a change of formation or style is possible to help us compete. I can’t see it if I’m honest.

Anyone got any thoughts?

As expressed on the Reading thread, keep the defence the same, they weren’t the main problem last night and for the most part kept it tight. I’d change the box to a 5-3-2 and take Shipley who struggled last night out for Kelly then stick Walker up with Godden to benefit them both. A minor change so not a radical departure from what we’re used to
 
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Skyblueweeman

Well-Known Member
I'd feel more down if I felt that we'd played to our best so far this season. I don't think we have.
We've also chopped and changed through injury / suspension. It's been similar to the start all of Robins' seasons in charge, including last season to a certain extent. It's taken a while to get to a way of playing, given the improvement in opposition we're just not getting away with it like we may have done previously.
Despite the histrionics on here, last night was broadly how we need to play when going away from home. People sight 18 shots to 3 but the vast majority were frustrated pot shots. We restricted Middlesbrough to very little otherwise and got into some good positions ourselves.
There is a long way to go and no need to panic at the minute.

Yeah this.

I think our long Covid break has affected the way we can compete in this league.

Everyone (pretty much) was raving about how well we did in L1 - we had great players, a great manager and great tactics. That doesn't change in the space of few months. Yes we don't have Walsh but we've largely got the same squad of players everyone thought was great and we've brought in Hamer, Walker and Hillsner. We've only seen a bit of what one of those can do due to injuries/covid. Robins hasn't become a bad manager in a few months.

The Championship is the most competitive league in the world. We have the smallest budget and had an enforced break whilst 21 other clubs were still playing.

Our start has been tough but even the games people are picking out as 'easier' will still be tough. We need to not shit our pants at every defeat. I was hoping for top 6 (the eternal optimist) but appreciate that's highly unlikely and a relegation battle is more likely.

I still trust MR and this squad who have brought some much positivity to the club over the last 3-4 years. It also baffles me when people talk about our issues on here as if MR and his team aren't aware of them. Do those think that MR, AV etc don't see what we all see? Of course they do...and I'm sure they know all to well what our weaknesses are and will be working on them.
 

cc84cov

Well-Known Member
As expressed on the Reading thread, keep the defence the same, they weren’t the main problem last night and for the most part kept it tight. I’d change the box to a 5-3-2 and take Shipley who struggled last night out for Kelly then stick Walker up with Godden to benefit them both. A minor change so not a radical departure from what we’re used to
Just Can’t see us going 2 up front
 

stupot07

Well-Known Member
Agree, but much like years ago, we are in a position where certain fixtures are where we believe the points lie and others are just let's hope... Liverpool don't worry about many fixtures, but Burnley will look at where they pick the points up for survival... They don't expect points at Liverpool or City do they
Which fixtures do you believe points lie?


Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
 

superskyblue

Well-Known Member
As expressed on the Reading thread, keep the defence the same, they weren’t the main problem last night and for the most part kept it tight. I’d change the box to a 5-3-2 and take Shipley who struggled last night out for Kelly then stick Walker up with Godden to benefit them both. A minor change so not a radical departure from what we’re used to
No room for O'Hare?
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Yes I said this in another thread. 6 of our 8 games have been against current top half sides. The two bottom half teams we've played we've taken 4 points from. I'm definitely not panicking yet.

We have gone alarmingly backwards since QPR. Barnsley have picked up 6 points from 15 since we played them (4 of the 5 in the top half)
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
We have gone alarmingly backwards since QPR. Barnsley have picked up 6 points from 15 since we played them (4 of the 5 in the top half)

I don't think we've gone backwards since QPR at all, we've just played some very, very good teams with huge budgets.

If we'd played Rotherham, Wycombe, Wednesday, Birmingham since QPR and got the same points return then fair enough you'd have a point.

But we've played Bournemouth, Brentford, Swansea and Blackburn, all expected to be up there come the end of the season.

We haven't gone backwards IMO, we've just had a really tough run of games.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
I don't think we've gone backwards since QPR at all, we've just played some very, very good teams with huge budgets.

If we'd played Rotherham, Wycombe, Wednesday, Birmingham since QPR and got the same points return then fair enough you'd have a point.

But we've played Bournemouth, Brentford, Swansea and Blackburn, all expected to be up there come the end of the season.

We haven't gone backwards IMO, we've just had a really tough run of games.

Disagree, we look like we’re regressing on the pitch
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
I don't think we've gone backwards since QPR at all, we've just played some very, very good teams with huge budgets.

If we'd played Rotherham, Wycombe, Wednesday, Birmingham since QPR and got the same points return then fair enough you'd have a point.

But we've played Bournemouth, Brentford, Swansea and Blackburn, all expected to be up there come the end of the season.

We haven't gone backwards IMO, we've just had a really tough run of games.

Barnsley have played 4 top half teams in their last 5.

They’ve held Bristol City, Millwall and Stoke to draws
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
Barnsley have played 4 top half teams in their last 5.

They’ve held Bristol City, Millwall and Stoke to draws

Yes, but none of those three teams are as good as Brentford, Bournemouth and Swansea (in my opinion).

The only team they have beaten is QPR, same as us.
 

Sky Blue Pete

Well-Known Member
Losing reduces confidence and winning increases confidence.

The better players still perform after losses, the not so good players struggle to perform and need a spark of some description
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Yes, but none of those three teams are as good as Brentford, Bournemouth and Swansea (in my opinion).

The only team they have beaten is QPR, same as us.

They’re improving though, we’re getting worse with each performance
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Yes, but none of those three teams are as good as Brentford, Bournemouth and Swansea (in my opinion).

The only team they have beaten is QPR, same as us.

The point remains they are capable of getting results against the better teams and don’t view it as a game they can get nothing from.

We certainly could do with an extra 3 points
 

SBAndy

Well-Known Member
Also been missing Dabo from the starting lineup for much of this season. Not trying to claim everything would immediately improve with him back in, but he is crucial to this system working. Playing a left footer at RWB can quite considerably hamper us.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Also been missing Dabo from the starting lineup for much of this season. Not trying to claim everything would immediately improve with him back in, but he is crucial to this system working. Playing a left footer at RWB can quite considerably hamper us.

Quite telling that we’re going with that rather than playing Pask there
 

Earlsdon_Skyblue1

Well-Known Member
We barely won many games last season by more than one goal, but had a solid defence and goalkeeper which meant we got away with it.

This season they are being tested more and our formation is not working. Add in that a lot of our players are underperforming which is actually nothing to do with the standard of the opposition, and we have several problems.
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
The point remains they are capable of getting results against the better teams and don’t view it as a game they can get nothing from.

We certainly could do with an extra 3 points

I don't disagree, I just think we'd get more points from Millwall, Stoke and Bristol City than we would Brentford, Bournemouth and Swansea.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
I don't disagree, I just think we'd get more points from Millwall, Stoke and Bristol City than we would Brentford, Bournemouth and Swansea.

Well we got 0 from Bristol, let’s see how we do against the others.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
I know we did. But you surely can't disagree that Millwall, Stoke and Bristol City is an easier set of games than Bournemouth, Brentford and Swansea.

On paper it is, but we’ll be playing those teams in a demoralised state
 

rob9872

Well-Known Member
We'll be fine. Only need 3 teams worse than us and imo there are.
 

AFCCOVENTRY

Well-Known Member
Fitness and game management only comes from playing more competitive games.

I worry Weds will overtake us in time and then we will be 2nd from bottom. Wycombe were brilliant on the attack against Watford last night.And we can’t bank on points deductions for other teams.
 

rob9872

Well-Known Member
There is only 1 on current form
Over 46 games we'll be better than Rotherham and Wycombe. SW are better but only clawed back 3 points so far abd will be in the mix til the end as will we, Luton, Barnsley, QPR Huddersfield and Birmingham imo. We only need need to better one of those.

Barnsley beat QPR but so did we and Luton are in false position imo in tge same way that Derby or Fore are is will finish well above us. Not time to hit the ball with panic button just yet.
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Over 46 games we'll be better than Rotherham and Wycombe. SW are better but only clawed back 3 points so far abd will be in the mix til the end as will we, Luton, Barnsley, QPR Huddersfield and Birmingham imo. We only need need to better one of those.

Barnsley beat QPR but so did we and Luton are in false position imo in tge same way that Derby or Fore are is will finish well above us. Not time to hit the ball with panic button just yet.

Luton are not in a false position at all their record since Nathan Jones returned puts them right up there
 

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