Make or break run

As the title to this post says IMO the run of games coming up will make or break the season, under Bruce ( who I really thought would do it for us) earlier in the season I was dreading this run, but now with Deanno's breath of new life I think we can look forward to them, we're not the finished article yet but we are showing signs of the team that we all knew were there and for once I'm optimistic, I can't wait to see if I have gotten excited too soon. UTV

I keep seeing people comparing our situation now, with Fulham's last season, with the implication being that we need to go on a similar run to which they did, if we're to challenge for top two... But we're nowhere near as far adrift as they were, after eighteen games last season they were fourteen points from the top two, whereas we are only seven points away... Also they didn't begin their good run until late December, on January 1st they were still eleven points from top two, so we've got more time than they did as well, as long as we can continue this good form, it doesn't have to quite match the run that they went on, we just need to make sure we bounce back from defeats, and avoid going on the kind of winless runs that we went on whilst Bruce was in charge.

As stated above, we are not too far away & I think us playing the “better” teams may suit us as they won’t “sit in”
The Derby result really surprised me, based on our improvements, we should fear no one UTV

Fulham and Cardiff not so smug now are they?

WendyOz wrote:Fulham and Cardiff not so smug now are they?

Interesting that Wolves have the joint worst points haul over the last five matches (one) along with Burnley.

We've made a good start to the run lets keep it going tonight UTV

I've just looked at our fixtures for December... If we go into January having maintained our current position relative to the teams above us then we will have done very well...

I'd rip you're arm off for 6th place now.

Defence looks a shambles - even though we have got away with it at times. Looks really disorganised - not sure that all down to the calibre of the players (most of them have international experience)

The full backs push so far up the pitch - that the only pass that is "on" is a pass in straight line forward - the opposition find it easy to pick these passes off - was happening v the noses and again last night.

smetro wrote:I'd rip you're arm off for 6th place now.

Defence looks a shambles - even though we have got away with it at times. Looks really disorganised - not sure that all down to the calibre of the players (most of them have international experience)

The full backs push so far up the pitch - that the only pass that is "on" is a pass in straight line forward - the opposition find it easy to pick these passes off - was happening v the noses and again last night.

 

While Taylor has a go at getting forward that's not what he was apparently good for at Swansea and I wonder if we'd be better off sorting the left wing and starting two proper wingers in Bolasie and El Ghazi/Adomah rather than one winger and two strikers. It's great the Hutton and Taylor get forward but we have such good attacking players is it strictly necessary? Sometimes it feels like Kodjia is getting in the way of Abraham and we'd do better to play someone with pace rather than a striker who a) doesn't get back to defend and b) seems to rely more on Taylor and Grealish to pop in crosses for our very tall, strong and talented striker. I am a big fan of Kodjia but thought we'd moved on from playing players out of position. Sure, he might prefer it on the left but Bolasie working the wing or Kodjia playing as an off-centre striker and no winger?

It might be that we're also trying to run before we walk with our defence, which is still a mess and one CB injury away from a crisis. A decent attacking line like Forrest's showed how easy it was to tear apart our back line especially with players committed forward. We still have one CB playing out of position (possibly with an injury) and one still a bit green behind the ears. A little more support wouldn't go amiss.

Since Smith came in, before the birmingham game only Forest and Middlesbrough had conceded fewer goals than us, and we actually managed three clean sheets, in his first five games... if we take the view that last night was just one of those freak results, then maybe our defence whilst pretty bad, isn't quite as bad as we might feel.

I'm starting to lose my hope for top two slightly, having looked at December's fixtures, we blew it with our bad start to the season, when we had a relatively easy run of fixtures, but then again if Bruce had have done well then, then he'd still be in charge now; really we needed Smith at the start of the season, but I can see why Eden and Sawiris didn't rush into a decision.

deadbuzzardalive wrote:Since Smith came in, before the birmingham game only Forest and Middlesbrough had conceded fewer goals than us, and we actually managed three clean sheets, in his first five games... if we take the view that last night was just one of those freak results, then maybe our defence whilst pretty bad, isn't quite as bad as we might feel after last night.

I'm starting to lose my hope for top two slightly, having looked at December's fixtures, we blew it with our bad start to the season, when we had a relatively easy run of fixtures, but then again if Bruce had have done well then, then he'd still be in charge now; really we needed Smith at the start of the season, but I can see why Eden and Sawiris didn't rush into a decision.

Problem is with these freak results is that word gets out we are shite at the back - so even if we got 2-0 up in a game the opposition would still fancy there chances. I can't really see what we are trying to do a back - it seems to just invite the opposition to slice straight through us. If as I fear this is the game plan then it needs a bit of tweaking.

Some guys on twitter suggesting that Terry's role with us is only 2 days per week + matches ........@Narla any thoughts.

There is little that Deano can do with regard to the defence until January, it’s a problem he’s been left with. Taylor is not A1 going either forward or backward, and we have only 2 CBs. I expect Elmo to fill in at RB against Boro, we have no option at LB. We have little option at GK, where he seems responsible for a goal a game. I think we witnessed a little over confidence last night, and I’m absolutely sure you’ll not see the same against a Boro side who are not like Forest in style at all. Pulis will not be expansive looking to create, he’ll be all about not conceding and nicking a goal.

Dazzle wrote:There is little that Deano can do with regard to the defence until January, it’s a problem he’s been left with. Taylor is not A1 going either forward or backward, and we have only 2 CBs. I expect Elmo to fill in at RB against Boro, we have no option at LB. We have little option at GK, where he seems responsible for a goal a game. I think we witnessed a little over confidence last night, and I’m absolutely sure you’ll not see the same against a Boro side who are not like Forest in style at all. Pulis will not be expansive looking to create, he’ll be all about not conceding and nicking a goal.

Beddau ? -

It's worth remembering that despite last night, we still have ten points from the last available twelve, only Norwich can match that, so as an whole we aren't doing too bad. This, is the form guide since Smith came in, we're in third place.

It has to be said Forrest had some very good attacking players on the pitch last night. Their first goal came from a collision taking out two of our players, the strike from well outside the box was a cracker and we saw last season how good Grabban is. Sure, Nyland conceded five but so did Pantilimon.

I think we'll be ok. We have a much better team spirit and are playing with confidence. Sure some mistakes still, and the defence is a mess, but we're still mostly scoring more than we concede!

The game last night showed us how much we have improved, the moral and team spirit is great to see, DS comments after each game is very encouraging, cannot wait for the next game, UTV.