Disappointing, but still in our hands (2 Viewers)

[rupert_bear]

As disappointing the last two games have been I think our promotion ambitions are still in our hands, there are 19 matches to go no such thing as easy games but there are easier games in a season neither Walsall and especially Burton outplayed us and I see none of these 19 teams to come outplaying us. I believe the ball is now in TMs court team wise though despite loads of possession nice inter play we have developed no cutting edge, nowhere enough goals or goal attempts from the midfield five, we can't rely on one man, well kid really to get the goals
. Starting at Southend Saturday we must develop a ruthless streak from the off and get games put to bed when we are dominant, start playing a bit uglier. As said there are 19 games left we should aim at winning atleast 12 of them.

 

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[westofrayne]

Agreed not over until we can't get enough points, but the form over the last month and a half is worrying, yes possession has been good but no cutting edge, AA will/has gone off the boil and we need other people to step up and share the load, not seeing this at the moment.

One of my worries is that we seem to struggle against teams in the lower half of the table, hopefully this won't happen in the coming months, but we will need a minimum of 10-13 wins to be in with a shout IMO.

 

[Otis]

As disappointing the last two games have been I think our promotion ambitions are still in our hands, there are 19 matches to go no such thing as easy games but there are easier games in a season neither Walsall and especially Burton outplayed us and I see none of these 19 teams to come outplaying us. I believe the ball is now in TMs court team wise though despite loads of possession nice inter play we have developed no cutting edge, nowhere enough goals or goal attempts from the midfield five, we can't rely on one man, well kid really to get the goals
. Starting at Southend Saturday we must develop a ruthless streak from the off and get games put to bed when we are dominant, start playing a bit uglier. As said there are 19 games left we should aim at winning atleast 12 of them.

We need to start winning matches, pure and simple. I was happy with the draws, but they are no good if you at drawing and then losing. We are not winning with enough regularity.

Think Southend is going to be another tough game. On the whole they are another solid, physical team who can be hard to break down. I would take a draw from that game, but then we need to start picking up more victories.

Is winter a factor at all for us would anyone say? I know TM says things could change in the winter on deteriorating pitches.

Lameiras to me seems like he isn't the player for these types of games and pitches and maybe the same for Murphy in some games too. We can't play the football the way we were earlier in the season and we have to adapt our game somewhat.

It's now not in our own hands though unfortunately and we do need other teams to fail to achieve an automatic promotion place. If Burton and Walsall keep on winning then there's nothing at all we can do.

What we need right now is:

Lorentzson fit (again, as I keep saying, IF he is all we think he will be)

Phillips and Haynes not selected on the first 11 team sheet

Martin back fit.

Willis back fit.

A big, no nonsense centre back (yes, despite having Ramage, who is very slow). Still think we need one and still think TM is looking.

Another striker.

Hunt fit.

Would also like to see what Rose offers. If he is a box to box midfielder, then that is just what we need right now, cos JOB can never last a full game.

Would say that next week we should drop both Lameiras and Murphy and their places should be taken up by Cole and JOB, or a combination that includes Hunt (if fit).

If Fleck's suspension kicks in right away I think it will have to be Bigi I suppose, but I would like to see what Rose can do and look at that dynamic. Think it would obviously change the way we play, because on paper, Fleck and Rose are completely different type of players. Thing is though, Bigi also just isn't a play-maker in the Fleck mode at all either.

 

[rupert_bear]

Reference Ramage I thought he was okay I'll give it he's no sprinter but he held his ground and was more no nonsense than others. At this level most defended are a bit slower than the forwards but overall he was okay imo.

 

[Otis]

Reference Ramage I thought he was okay I'll give it he's no sprinter but he held his ground and was more no nonsense than others. At this level most defended are a bit slower than the forwards but overall he was okay imo.

He was culpable in that second goal though.

 

[skybluetony176]

We're far from dead and buried. All this doom and gloom mongering is premature. Let's see where we are at the end of the transfer window and even then you can give it until the end of February to see how the new editions have settled.

Aside from this people should stop and think where we were this time last season. We've moved so far forward it's astonishing yet some fans seem disappointed with what's been achieved.

Me, I'm still where I was at the beginning of the season. Hopeful for a playoff place. Seems to me that those who are disappointed have gotten ahead of themselves and only have themselves to blame for the doom and gloom that they've surrounded themselves with.

Mowbray out.

PS just kidding.

 

[rupert_bear]

He was culpable in that second goal though.

He was yelling at RCC to welly the ball away before it was fucked up can't say how involved he was in the end though looked like Fleck cocked up to me but not sure to be honest

 

[Otis]

I'm far from doom and gloom Tony. I still definitely think we will make the play-offs and what a wonderful season that will have then been.

Just feel we aren't winning enough games now. As I said before, draws are fine, but you can't then be following them with defeats.

I can take the odd defeat here and there, but we have to be winning more games too.

 

[skybluetony176]

I'm far from doom and gloom Tony. I still definitely think we will make the play-offs and what a wonderful season that will have then been.

Just feel we aren't winning enough games now. As I said before, draws are fine, but you can't then be following them with defeats.

I can take the odd defeat here and there, but we have to be winning more games too.

I wasn't thinking of you particularly Otis. If we're going to go up automatically yes we're going to have some more wins, we've drawn far too many games to be truly challenging for a top two place but we're still way ahead of anywhere that I think most people would have predicted we would be at the end of last season and even at the end of pre season. Some have clearly very prematurely raised their expectations and are now full of doom and gloom. We've just played two very accomplished well bedded teams who have to be favorites for automatic places and neither looked that far ahead of us. It's a long season and as I said people should be looking to the end of February at least before writing us of for an automatic place and even then shouldn't be too disheartened as long as we're in contention for a playoff.

 

[Grendel]

He was culpable in that second goal though.

To be fair it was a bit odd to expect him to play in a back 3 - It invited the attacks.

 

[Otis]

To be fair it was a bit odd to expect him to play in a back 3 - It invited the attacks.

Yes, true. Accept that. Think Ricketts wouldn't have allowed that to happen, but then again, Ramage has only been with us 5 mins and he did come from the Indian leagues, so accept it will take him time to adjust.

It was Phillips' one that was the one true shocker!

Just how many times have we mentioned the words 'Phillips' and 'schoolboy defending' in the same sentence?

 

[Senior Vick from Alicante]

Lots of water to flow under the bridge yet, people need to assess it all at the end of January. The remainder of the season will be down to squad depth and size, those around us will drop points as well as players to suspension and transfers. It will be down to our capacity to take advantage of that that will decide automatic promotion or play offs. Yes we've had a dip in form but theirs no reason to abandon ship, I still believe TM will have us their or their abouts come crunch time. My only worry is Wigan and Sheffield buying Walsall and Button players. PUSB

 

[Hobo]

Best part of half a season left. We need to keep playing one match at a time and not get too hung up on the last two difficult games.

City fans do tend to under estimate teams which they seemed to do with Burton yesterday morning predicting g a comfortable victory. I remember some moaning when Swansea and Blackpool beat us in the Championship, yet both were promoted at the end of the season.

I appreciate the need for some squad rotation and we have had our fair share of injuries. But we still don't seem to know what our best line up is? Hopefully a couple of the new January signings will kick us on a bit and give us some fresh impetus.

 

[Otis]

Best part of half a season left. We need to keep playing one match at a time and not get too hung up on the last two difficult games.

City fans do tend to under estimate teams which they seemed to do with Burton yesterday morning predicting g a comfortable victory. I remember some moaning when Swansea and Blackpool beat us in the Championship, yet both were promoted at the end of the season.

I appreciate the need for some squad rotation and we have had our fair share of injuries. But we still don't seem to know what our best line up is? Hopefully a couple of the new January signings will kick us on a bit and give us some fresh impetus.

We definitely still need strengthening.

 

[mechaishida]

Best part of half a season left. We need to keep playing one match at a time and not get too hung up on the last two difficult games.

City fans do tend to under estimate teams which they seemed to do with Burton yesterday morning predicting g a comfortable victory. I remember some moaning when Swansea and Blackpool beat us in the Championship, yet both were promoted at the end of the season.

I appreciate the need for some squad rotation and we have had our fair share of injuries. But we still don't seem to know what our best line up is? Hopefully a couple of the new January signings will kick us on a bit and give us some fresh impetus.

This is all pretty much spot on, mate, however a lot hinges on the signings making an impact; if they offer little, we may struggle to secure a play-off place.

All we can do is wait and see. But all of this scapegoating on here I.E. blaming every player for this and that, is terribly unproductive.

 

[stupot07]

I don't think we'll fall out of the play offs but we have never had a better chance of autos than this season. It ain't over until the fat lady sings but I'm not sure we have enough about us. Looking at walsalls current points total and last season's table, it suggests we will need to win 13 (c70%) of our remaining 19 fixtures and maintain around 2.3 points per game here on in (1.4 over last 10 games).

Yes I am happy with the season we have had and where we are, it is beyond my wildest expectations before the season kicked off. But given we've been in the top 2-3 the most of the season you have to shift your goals and ours should be auto's and if we miss out then I will be disappointed. Just don't think we have enough about us to do it.

These are tough games coming up, many will be now scrapping for survival, not as tough as the last 2 but we have to earn the right to win them.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors

 

[stevefloyd]

I think the disappointment from fans is coming with the prospect of playing in playoffs which at best is a bit of a lottery ...so near yet so far and another season of doom and gloom in the 3rd tier...
Armstrong has needed help all season if we had another 'top' striker scoring goals for fun with him I think we would be looking back on the rest of the pack now and sitting pretty at the summit, its obviously goals that win games and when the likes of Army and Murphy score we usually win, Tudgay and Fortune are not working so let them go sod keeping any of them as a back up...lets strengthen the bench even more and when we are on top lets muller the opposition.. Its ok blaming the likes of Murphy Lameiras etc but christ these are inexperienced kids to be fair from what I have seen Murphy half the time looks disinterested but then he will go on a mazy run and it makes you wonder why he is not more consistent...confidence? who knows whereas Lameiras has been rated on here as MOTM on a couple of occasions and now he is most peoples basting boy..FFS.. I still think there is a good player in him he has hardly played many games and is still learning his trade.. Phillips atm certainly isn't good enough to be in the squad BUT what else is there for TM to play...its like it or lump it and sometimes I wish he would fucking lump it...PUSB

 

[oscillatewildly]

For me, Y'days result confirmed we won't be challenging again for an auto promotion spot. So many city fans predicted the current top two, Burton mostly, wouldn't last the pace and would wobble and fade. I doubted that a few weeks back and the last two home games haven't changed my mind in the slightest.
I don't 'do' optimism/pessimism, as a thought process that's just rhetorical mumbo jumbo. A heady dose of realism is always good for clarity - And the reality is we were all seduced by the fickle mistress of a brief top 2 league table placing. I'm gonna stick my neck out here and predict we'll be safe this season. Nah, I'm gonna run the risk of ricking my neck and confidently predict we'll make the play offs. Of course, that doesn't come with the rewards of finishing in the top two. So what, just acknowledge we weren't (aren't) quite good enough.
This season (so far) I have been amazed, exhilarated, certainly entertained and yep, even occasionally disappointed. But if anybody had suggested at the start of this season we would be for almost the entirety of it COMFORTABLY in a play off position then I would have been provoked to suggest they were being, er, well a little overly optimistic.

 

[RegTheDonk]

Best part of half a season left. We need to keep playing one match at a time and not get too hung up on the last two difficult games.

City fans do tend to under estimate teams which they seemed to do with Burton yesterday morning predicting g a comfortable victory. I remember some moaning when Swansea and Blackpool beat us in the Championship, yet both were promoted at the end of the season.

I appreciate the need for some squad rotation and we have had our fair share of injuries. But we still don't seem to know what our best line up is? Hopefully a couple of the new January signings will kick us on a bit and give us some fresh impetus.

Agree with under estimating others. We are in a great position that we have some players who are more than capable of taking any team apart in this division. We fail to appreciate the reverse sometimes - other fans will also believe they have players who, on their day, can be frightening - and lets be realistic, it wouldn't need Brazil to scare our defence sometimes.

If SISU indeed find a few extra bob, because the crowds are above expectations, lets hope TM will sort out the back 4. There is plenty of games to go and we have to play "easier" teams...my worry would be: if we don't make the top two, will be be paying two the better teams in the play offs and will struggle to not concede goals.

 

[letsallsingtogether]

Thing is nether Burton or Walsall look like losing and if they win their games in hand they will be 12 and 9 points clear of us so Draws for us are now looking more like losses.
We really needed to win both of those games to give them a knock and us a boost.

 

[Ian1779]

Was hoping to go to the game yesterday, but a family bereavement meant I couldn't make it.

One thing we could take from yesterday is that we weren't outclassed. They only scored from our mistakes, and really we should have got on the scoresheet from listening to the commentary.

Come the end of Jan, I don't think the other 4 clubs around us will have the same squad they do now (possibly with exception of Wigan) - players like Dack, Bradshaw, Sawyers could well move to a higher league - the same won't happen to us.

19 games to go - our rivals also have more head to head games than us... a lot can change. We're not out of it at all.

 

[Samo]

I take the point of the OP but it's actually not in our hands at all. We are 4th and relying on the teams above dropping points. It's very firmly in their hands.

 

[st john]

Yes our defence is currently not good enough due to an extraordinary run of injuries, but let's give TM a chance to put that right in the next 2 weeks before throwing the towel in.

We are not going to score in every game, no team does

If TM can get the defence right maybe we can grind out some 1-0's in games when our forwards are not running rampant.

There are 57 points to play for so we can get a maximum of 105 points. We won't I know but it is still very much in our hands.

 

[Samo]

Yes our defence is currently not good enough due to an extraordinary run of injuries, but let's give TM a chance to put that right in the next 2 weeks before throwing the towel in.

We are not going to score in every game, no team does

If TM can get the defence right maybe we can grind out some 1-0's in games when our forwards are not running rampant.

There are 57 points to play for so we can get a maximum of 105 points. We won't I know but it is still very much in our hands.

Except that it's not.

 

[st john]

Except that it's not.

Statistically it is, no team has failed to get promoted with 100+ points as far as I am aware

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

Could realistically be 5th next week if our bad form continues with Wigan away to Crewe which is probably a guaranteed 3 points.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

19 games left so a lot of football to be played, too early to write off automatics. I'm still confident we can do it.

 

[Samo]

Statistically it is, no team has failed to get promoted with 100+ points as far as I am aware

It's feasible, possible, achievable but 'in our hands' implies that it's ours to lose and it clearly is not.

 

[Hobo]

I take the point of the OP but it's actually not in our hands at all. We are 4th and relying on the teams above dropping points. It's very firmly in their hands.

That is like saying you can't win a match because you are two nil down at half time. We have to up our game second half of the season, but with a settled back four I can see more attacking options even with our current players. It involves Vincelot pushing forward and Maddison playing just behind Armstrong. Or Cole playing just behind Armstrong with Murphy and Maddison running past him. Murphy and Maddison swopping which side to play off Cole. Especially at home we have to be more adventurous. Stretch teams and keep them guessing. The first half yesterday we played like an away side.

 

[st john]

It's feasible, possible, achievable but 'in our hands' implies that it's ours to lose and it clearly is not.

Fair point, but still everything to play for.

 

[Sick Boy]

The notion that Walsall fans were mad for thinking they could beat us goes to show that some already considered us Champions elect and after a fee months of good football we had suddenly become the Barcelona of League 1. Some of the comments to both Walsall and Burton were incredibly disrespectful and would have provided their fans with a good laugh.

 

[Samo]

That is like saying you can't win a match because you are two nil down at half time. We have to up our game second half of the season, but with a settled back four I can see more attacking options even with our current players. It involves Vincelot pushing forward and Maddison playing just behind Armstrong. Or Cole playing just behind Armstrong with Murphy and Maddison running past him. Murphy and Maddison swopping which side to play off Cole. Especially at home we have to be more adventurous. Stretch teams and keep them guessing. The first half yesterday we played like an away side.

No it isn't. I'm simply pointing out that the onus is on use to catch the 3 teams above us; it is therefore theirs to lose and in their hands.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

It's feasible, possible, achievable but 'in our hands' implies that it's ours to lose and it clearly is not.

No team is in a good enough position with 19 games left to play to say it is there's to lose. Both automatic places are up for grabs for any of the top 5 still.

 

[Samo]

No team is in a good enough position with 19 games left to play to say it is there's to lose. Both automatic places are up for grabs for any of the top 5 still.

Of course they are up for grabs but the fact is that we are reliant on other teams faltering to achieve promotion. The top 2 are not. It is in their own hands.

 

[Hobo]

No it isn't. I'm simply pointing out that the onus is on use to catch the 3 teams above us; it is therefore theirs to lose and in their hands.

I know, but with half a season left you would beams to think they won't slip up. It is also about staying in touch and keep them looking over their shoulder. Then with two games to go they may feel it is theirs to give away and that is when teams often falter.

We have work to do for sure, but we need to remain positive. Once you accept you are 4th best that is what you will be.