On target for 81 points and promotion ?

[BigAl&Toby]

1 hour ago, JollyestOli said:

The bar is so incredibly low, jesus.

 

Christ alive. Another ******* analyst....

Stats and analysis might well play a part. Big or small. Who knows.....

I’m simply interested in results. As in the final score. And points on the board don’t lie. Stats can often tell you whatever picture you want to paint.

Get back on your Surface Pro and “crunch the numbers”. Me? I’m enjoying the ride and 3rd in the league.

[Baba Yaga]

Lots of winnable games in December but they're very hard to call with this being the Championship and the emphasis on squad rotation this season with the tight schedule.

If we can continue to pick up narrow wins for the rest of the season (and avoid the usual slump) then we are going to be there or thereabouts.

Do we have enough quality to get automatic or win against good sides in the play offs? Maybe not but it would be nice for the players to get in that position and test themselves.

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, 1960maaan said:

Considering injuries, COVID lockdowns and everything, we are doing bloody well. The football lately has been practical and pragmatic, Holden has obviously decided that after the Kalas injury we needed to make sure we stay in games. The last few games have seen us not be too expansive first half, and it's pretty much worked, though not a pretty watch. Last night the return of Kalas and Bakinson was important, give us a few more options , Mariappa having a steady game too. If we ever see Williams and Walsh, Mawson and Baker that would give us a massive boost, but until then we need to stay in touch and then see where we can go.

It’s amazing how Kalas starting and Bakinson on the bench made us look so much stronger (on paper).  Hopefully Pato bring “rested with a knock / tiredness” than resting with an injury.  If he’s back in the 20 on Saturday we have another “first-teamer” available.

1 hour ago, And Its Smith said:

Just look at stats if you want but I watch the match.  Were Spurs horrendous when they beat Man City as their stats were even ‘worse’ than us against Cardiff.

More than one way to win a football match, Oli. 

Yep, There is nothing wrong with winning playing defensively.  That still ranks high for me than only saying it’s good if it fast-flowing.

To come out of the last 4 games (post-break) where we had 10 players with Covid, little / no training, etc with 7 points is great.  It’s not been pretty in the main, but it’s a long season, and if you can get through periods like this in credit it bodes well.

[mozo]

9 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

It’s amazing how Kalas starting and Bakinson on the bench made us look so much stronger (on paper).  Hopefully Pato bring “rested with a knock / tiredness” than resting with an injury.  If he’s back in the 20 on Saturday we have another “first-teamer” available.

Yep, There is nothing wrong with winning playing defensively.  That still ranks high for me than only saying it’s good if it fast-flowing.

To come out of the last 4 games (post-break) where we had 10 players with Covid, little / no training, etc with 7 points is great.  It’s not been pretty in the main, but it’s a long season, and if you can get through periods like this in credit it bodes well.

I think Gilmarten was saying yesterday evening that it's important if you're soaking up pressure that you still carry a threat going forward. That's the difference between being dominated and playing counter attack football. 

Edit: another thought...defensive football can be either resilient and organised, or overrun and haphazard. When we talk about a good or bad performance after a defensive display you have to judge it accordingly. 

We do ride our luck too much to be considered an excellent defensive unit and we do rely on excellent goalkeeping too often, so there is room for improvement.

Equally, we're not a shambles and at times look well drilled. Certainly the effort and attitude from the defenders is top class.

[Davefevs]

18 minutes ago, mozo said:

I think Gilmarten was saying yesterday evening that it's important if you're soaking up pressure that you still carry a threat going forward. That's the difference between being dominated and playing counter attack football. 

Edit: another thought...defensive football can be either resilient and organised, or overrun and haphazard. When we talk about a good or bad performance after a defensive display you have to judge it accordingly. 

We do ride our luck too much to be considered an excellent defensive unit and we do rely on excellent goalkeeping too often, so there is room for improvement.

Equally, we're not a shambles and at times look well drilled. Certainly the effort and attitude from the defenders is top class.

Last night, first half especially, we looked hap-hazard.  So, yes, you’re exactly right.

[BCFC Grim]

5 hours ago, Fordy62 said:

You see... I can’t help but see the warning signs. 

Results - good

Performances - horrendous 

We’ll be back down to earth with a bump if things don’t pick up. 

Exactly this. The people saying performances don't matter, said the same under LJ. We slowly reached where our performances merited. It will happen again I'm sure.

That said, I look at our team and do think we are punching slightly so credit to DH. This league isn't up to much.

[MarcusX]

3 hours ago, JollyestOli said:

The bar is so incredibly low, jesus.

 

Maybe you didnt, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Cardiff game 

[Major Isewater]

22 minutes ago, BCFC Grim said:

This league isn't up to much.

A strange comment, some would say the division is very competitive. 
 

There isn’t, as yet , one team that has grabbed the bull by the horns and that could equally point to quality of opposition rather than a lack of quality.

 

[Sheltons Army]

3 minutes ago, MarcusX said:

Maybe you didnt, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Cardiff game 

So did I

The shape and work second half with Nagy dropping right in front of the CBs , and NW and AS dropping to form a 4 across midfield , supporting the full backs , absorbing ‘pressure’ in relative comfort , was a joy to watch , and evidence of coaching work and players responding

 

[Clutton Caveman]

I think having no fans in the stadium at the moment is working for DH

He knows that at the moment, if he tries to play open attacking football we will get done, so he is setting up the team in quite a negative way.

Away from home or on TV this is OK but I can imagine 25,000 fans at AG getting quite restless with 30% possession and 2 shots on target

I hope that by the time we are allowed back in Dean has a full squad back fit and is able to be a little more entertaining.

One other point, I have been negative on O'Dowd but Dean seems to have found a way to bring out his best lately

 

 

 

[Malago]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

Last night, first half especially, we looked hap-hazard.  So, yes, you’re exactly right.

So what.  Football isn’t played over 45 mins, it’s played over 90.  The fact is the coaching staff made the necessary corrections and we won 2 -1.  That’s all that matters.  In football if you win, the ends the always justify the means.

[mozo]

Worth mentioning that we played a very high press at times last night which is very aggressive. It wasn't all sitting back and soaking up pressure. 

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, Malago said:

So what.  Football isn’t played over 45 mins, it’s played over 90.  The fact is the coaching staff made the necessary corrections and we won 2 -1.  That’s all that matters.  In football if you win, the ends the always justify the means.

Eh?

I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick that we were debating.  We were both saying generally that good organised defending is absolutely fine as an approach....but that as an example last night we weren’t organised first half.  It’s an observation of what happened.

Did Holden set us up to be haphazard?  Nope, it happened for various reasons.

Are we fine if Holden sets us up to soak up a bit of pressure in the first half and then try to win it second half?  Yep

So I’m not sure what you’re trying to say?

And Dean recognised it wasn’t right, for whatever reason he found and changed it.  He’s good at that.

Nobody is having a go, all we are are doing is reflecting on how some people think a defensive set up is a bad thing....when it’s wider than that....and that we are both fine with a defensive approach.

close the forum down, we won last night.....

[ExiledAjax]

See I'm definitely more in the camp of @Fordy62 and @spudski

We're doing well results-wise but the numbers we're putting down in the stats are not typical of your average top 6 side. That's not being negative, it's not telling people not to enjoy a long stint in the top echelons of the division.

What I'd say is enjoy the ride but don't be surprised or angry when it stops early, because although we're going well right now there are some dodgy sounds coming from the engine.

Hopefully we can keep this going for a while, but to expect this to continue is flawed as it is unlikely (not impossible, just unlikely) that it will. Teams that have our kind of numbers (which includes Bristol City 2019/20 btw) typically do not finish in the top 6.

81 points? I'll be delighted. Realistically I think we'll end on about 70.