GrahamC

Seeing as we just played the second half with a keeper with no first team experience I'd say a draw away to a Premiership side was none too shoddy.

I doubt the players will be anywhere near as damaged as they would have been by the Charlton score, either.

Let's hope we have one or two new faces by Tuesday and get the win we need.

What a bunch of ******* losers.

21 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

 

My optimism is gone. We are a poor side and will do well to stay up. I want you faithful to say you told me so on game 46 and we are sitting 10th or something but I simply can't expect that from this team now. Before today I thought we could get 7 from our next 9 points. Now I think we'll do well to get 2. 

 

Fair play to you for reasoned debate.

For what it is worth from (as my post history will show) from about two weeks before the season started I've believed we were in a relegation battle and still do.

Talk of a mid table finish (or 10th) is fanciful.

I don't think we'll finish any higher than 18th and it could well be very tight.

However just because (for reasons none of us know) our summer transfer strategy was a shambles that doesn't mean that January's will be, does it?

Last summer went pretty well.

Some of the stuff posted on this thread is ridiculous and to also reply to the thread above I'm actually pleased Cotterill is going ballistic at the players after the game..

2 minutes ago, pongo88 said:

First defeat in 4 games, but only 4 points from 4 games. Four points obtained from matches against Wolves and Hull is good, but zero from Bolton and Rotherham is poor. There has been a lack of consistency all season caused, IMO, by a squad that is too small and lacking in quality in key areas. 

Zero from Bolton? 

1 minute ago, JoeAman08 said:

A freak result? Maybe. At this point the freak results are our positive ones. Boro and Hull results were quite long odds. What is it about us and big score lines though? 15 goals scored against us by 4 teams. Every 4 or so games we have one like this. Why? Progress then a setback. Progress then a setback. Why? It's baffling to me and hard to keep the faith when we get embarrassed every third or fourth game. This talk of unbeaten in 3 when its 3 draws. Or unbeaten in 4 of 6 with 1 win 3 draws and 2 embarrassments just isn't cutting it anymore. They aren't fooling me. We play pretty football at times but never for a full 90 and never in either end third of the pitch. 

But not that long ago you were posting about us having enough quality with last season's players (plus Kodjia) to finish half way..

This league is tough, we are usually competing (though admittedly not today) with teams who have better players on far more money and with much greater budgets.

I also don't believe for a minute Cotterill expected us to make just two permanent signings this summer.

Face the facts we are a small fish and are in a real fight to stay up and that nonsense from Freeman midweek (perhaps he should concentrate on making a greater contribution to games once in a while?) is best ignored.

That having said we aren't rock bottom, either and so need to stay in the game until the window opens and we can evaluate what we can get and afford.

3 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

A heavy deat at somewhere like Rotherham is definitely a potential destabiliser for any manager

Agreed but I also expected a defeat last week.

Two defeats in eight or (nine?) before today suggests to me he isn't in immediate danger but in a league where pretty much everyone can beat everyone, we need to stay in contention until January, which despite the pessimists on here, will be when our fate is decided on the basis on what business we do, I feel.

3 minutes ago, old_eastender said:

Once again Cotts refusal to use his subs is mystifying...

Eh? One made at HT, one after 58 minutes and the last with 22 minutes to go..

12 minutes ago, Jonbristol said:

I don't really want a like for like replacement. I'd have Ayling in there. Better on the ball, quicker off the mark. Looks like he'd make a good midfielder alongside Smith, just maybe not as dominant in the air as pack.

So you'd play one of our first choice defenders out of position?

Interesting.

1 minute ago, Jonbristol said:

I have thought all season that Fielding and pack are our big weak links. I am looking forward to seeing who comes in for pack. 

I have bad news for you, we don't have a like for like replacement on our books so in all probability we'll be weaker next week.

9 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

It's noticeable how JET only gets mentioned when we have a poor result.

Not a peep about him last week.

He couldn't even make QPR's subs bench today, hardly seeing him as essential, are they?

14 minutes ago, ciderup said:

Did they lose then? I was expecting their obligatory penalty to save the day for them, again.

Yep, even though their goal was, according to one of their fans "miles" offside..

Clarke in.

8 minutes ago, Super said:

Not sure Bruce can moan about any of those bookings?!

He played under Alex Ferguson, so he thinks every decision should go for his team..

As tinpot and utterly shit as you'd expect..

Sturrock has Parkinson's disease, not MS.

In truth didn't really see today as a game we'd get anything from.

Next week is when we need to start winning.

I'd guess Little and Williams as wing backs, Ayling back to RCB and Bryan in midfield myself.

Looks like the Phil Mustard rumour was wrong, just been announced that he'll have a benefit at Durham in 2016.

Rumours are Chris Rogers in as the overseas player, Tom Abell to bat at three next year, Phil Mustard of Durham to be the new wicket keeper, Roelof Van Der Merwe already announced as a new signing.

Will we still be saying this when we play Derby, Wolves, the other 2 sides who came down, Reading, etc?

Our defeat there is Sheffield Wed's only win so far by the way, they'll be nearer the bottom than the top in my opinion.

Really? 

In what way? Second smallest ground in the division, a budget that struggles to attract players, look at it realistically, we aren't playing Fleetwood or Crewe any more..

I'm very happy and will be happier still if we score two or three more.

I just wish some would realise:

1) this is a tough league

2) we are a bottom six side.

I see that play off challenge that so many on here were telling me about in July isn't materialising so far..

Big call to bring Frankie back, rest of the team as expected.

ELO were great, completely uncool but made some brilliant music..

Didn't Wilbs produce the assist for Joe's goal?

That old saying "you don't know what you got til it's gone" will apply to Wilbraham.

He has been one of our best value signings of the last ten years, is a fantastic professional and a perfect team man.

I doubt at 36 in Octber he'll manage a full season of starts but whilst we find our feet he is invaluable.