Looking just above us in the league

[Hampshire Red]

We won easily AT QPR in a canter. 

We smashed BRFC at BS3

We played very well for 45 v Stoke

We won AT Birmingham

We won AT  Swansea

We drew with Villa at the Gate

We looked comfortable v Forest

We beat Sheff Utd with great tactics

We played well scored 2 away at WBA

We played great stuff v Norwich

We were most likely to score at Leeds when Josh got a red 

Derby should be a cracker, let's hope City fans don't use shopping as an excuse not to make the easy journey. 

COYRs

 

[cidered abroad]

I appreciate your comments so playing devil's advocate.

Why are we so abysmal against teams in the bottom eight of the league?

Why have we not won at home since the first week of September? That is three months ago!

I understand that you and plenty of other's want to be optimistic. I am, however, perhaps a lot more realistic.

Unable to score at home against sides like Preston.

Unable to hold a lead in the last two home games.

The inconsistency is still a large problem.

[Wanderingred]

1 hour ago, Hampshire Red said:

We won easily AT QPR in a canter. 

We smashed BRFC at BS3

We played very well for 45 v Stoke

We won AT Birmingham

We won AT  Swansea

We drew with Villa at the Gate

We looked comfortable v Forest

We beat Sheff Utd with great tactics

We played well scored 2 away at WBA

We played great stuff v Norwich

We were most likely to score at Leeds when Josh got a red 

Derby should be a cracker, let's hope City fans don't use shopping as an excuse not to make the easy journey. 

COYRs

 

The only one of those I disagree with is Forest. I thought they outplayed us second half and we were fortunate to get away with a draw in the end. Otherwise yes. We usually give it a good go against the top teams but against the Millwalls, Preston's and Wigans of this world, we lack desire and urgency.

[Bar BS3]

19 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

I appreciate your comments so playing devil's advocate.

Why are we so abysmal against teams in the bottom eight of the league?

Why have we not won at home since the first week of September? That is three months ago!

I understand that you and plenty of other's want to be optimistic. I am, however, perhaps a lot more realistic.

Unable to score at home against sides like Preston.

Unable to hold a lead in the last two home games.

The inconsistency is still a large problem.

Isn’t it quite clear that we struggle against teams that come and set up shop, but are generally better against teams that come and have a go..? 

Inconsistency is the problem that most teams outside the top 6 struggle with. It’s not a unique thing to us. 

[Hampshire Red]

Cidered, i really dont know all the answers, in fact i know very few! Not so much devils advocate but i'm really puzzled. As a balanced fan of Lj since he joined us (highs and lows) i struggle with two things and rejoice in many others.

For me, the struggles are your question, 1) why do we struggle against poorer teams that sit back and 2) why dont we appear to have a 'Plan B' for when we take the lead against the better teams. What i mean by Plan B is that Plan A is to sit deeper and deeper which can of course, sometimes work, eg Sheff Utd, Bham but other than at QPR we havent pushed on looking for a two goal lead.

I always accept the professional, well-recognised coaching staff know a lot, more than all fans but part of this forum is to suggest positive alternatives which are also REALISTIC. 

Reading your points again, you may like to reconsider if your Q's are 'realistic' or looking through a half empty glass;

V Bottom 8 teams we have played 7, lost 2 and won 3 so please, this isnt  abysmal is it? Really?

I dont see our performances as a large problem. Far from it. We have not replaced our 20 goal hero (yet) and are mid table and doing fine against the best

[spudski]

We've played 22 games...the difference between us sitting in the play offs and where we presently are is just two wins. That's the difference. Fine margins.

You look at the league and the results that come in every weekend, and you realise pretty much anyone can beat anyone.

We as fans can pick it apart...how many times have we hit the woodwork this season? How do you turn that margin of error? Such fine margins.

Apart from the top 2...we are competing pretty much the same as the rest of the league. Just a few wins difference.

When you look at it like that, you realise we aren't far off.

You look at WBA, Derby, Boro, Villa, Swansea etc and realise we are doing ok considering.

 

[Robbored]

12 minutes ago, Bar BS3 said:

Isn’t it quite clear that we struggle against teams that come and set up shop, but are generally better against teams that come and have a go..? 

Inconsistency is the problem that most teams outside the top 6 struggle with. It’s not a unique thing to us. 

Teams that go away and ‘park the bus’  are frequently difficult to beat which it’s exactly why they set up in that fashion. It happens in the PL and across the entire EFL - that’s why is important to score as early as possible to force them out.

It can be frustrating to watch with a chance that they might nick a goal from a set piece or on the break.

Even more reason for a creative midfielder imv.

[spudski]

To make it even more black and white...fans say we are missing massively up front. Which to the eye...I agree.

However...when you look at the stats...the facts...it's interesting.

Our total shots on target is 104...exactly the same as Leeds. Only Norwich, Villa and Brentford have more. So we are 4th best in the league.

Our total shots against us is 247. Only two teams have faced less...Leeds and Birmingham. So 3rd best in the league for that.

Total shots on target against us is 80. Only 3 other teams have faced fewer. Leeds, Derby and Boro. So 4th best in the league for that.

Goals scored per game...1.23. Thirteen teams have scored more per game.

Goals conceded per game....1.18. Fifteen other teams have conceded more per game.

So we are very good at creating chances and getting them on target.

We are also very good at stopping chances on target.

The difference....Being clinical in front of goal both ends. A bit of class, composure, skill, luck...all of the above.

We aren't far off tbh.

 

[Major Isewater]

2 hours ago, Hampshire Red said:

We won easily AT QPR in a canter. 

They were going through an awful patch and McClaren's job was hanging by a thread.

We smashed BRFC at BS3

They were having a terrible start to the season.

We played very well for 45 v Stoke

They had not adjusted to life in this division.

We won AT Birmingham

Ave it. Good win ground out.

We won AT  Swansea

If I recall correctly they were also struggling to find their feet in this division.

We drew with Villa at the Gate

They were in turmoil .

We looked comfortable v Forest

Two new sides .

We beat Sheff Utd with great tactics

Ecky , thumped 

We played well scored 2 away at WBA

Could have won with more belief.

We played great stuff v Norwich

Yes we did but did not take advantage of their reshuffled defence .

We were most likely to score at Leeds when Josh got a red 

True but I use the word " belief " again , it evaporated with JB's dismissal.

Derby should be a cracker, let's hope City fans don't use shopping as an excuse not to make the easy journey. 

Agreed .

 

So in summary;

There  are fine margins in this division, get it right behind the scenes and you give yourself a good chance. 

We had  slipped back whilst others have found their form . We seem to be on the right track again.

This is a fantastic division and we could , whisper it , put together a run and find ourselves in with a shout of a play off place but equally so could all but three or four other clubs .

Can't see us having any relegation worries .

Got to love the Championship.

 

[ScottishRed]

1 hour ago, spudski said:

We've played 22 games...the difference between us sitting in the play offs and where we presently are is just two wins. That's the difference. Fine margins.

You look at the league and the results that come in every weekend, and you realise pretty much anyone can beat anyone.

We as fans can pick it apart...how many times have we hit the woodwork this season? How do you turn that margin of error? Such fine margins.

Apart from the top 2...we are competing pretty much the same as the rest of the league. Just a few wins difference.

When you look at it like that, you realise we aren't far off.

You look at WBA, Derby, Boro, Villa, Swansea etc and realise we are doing ok considering.

 

I don't disagree with any of that.

My concerns - which are linked - are that we do have the capability of turning in some truly dire performances, witness Preston, and a few of those together might get us back on one of LJ's infamous runs of defeats.

It is about fine margins and really any unexpected result in this league can happen, I think if we get through to May without any horrendous spells of poor results and performances  a corner may have been turned.

 

[spudski]

32 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

I don't disagree with any of that.

My concerns - which are linked - are that we do have the capability of turning in some truly dire performances, witness Preston, and a few of those together might get us back on one of LJ's infamous runs of defeats.

It is about fine margins and really any unexpected result in this league can happen, I think if we get through to May without any horrendous spells of poor results and performances  a corner may have been turned.

 

I think pretty much all the teams in the division have had some dire performances at one time or another.

We are also capable of putting in some fantastic performances.

Like you...i'm hoping we kick on and hopefully turn our chances into more goals and wins.

Sometimes I think we just try to play too cute...and need to simplify things a little, get the basics right and gain confidence.

It happens to the best...I looked at the first goal conceded by Everton against Man City on the weekend. Similar set up at a goal kick to us...the type of mistake we'd make. Individual errors and wrong decision making costs.

[wendyredredrobin]

The other thing is that this division is very tight, with only 6 points between 6th and 14th place. A couple of wins could see us up there challenging.  

Maybe a striker who knows where the goal is in January might be enough. Cue Jermain Defoe?

[Mr Popodopolous]

In general terms, looking at the season it does seem we have problems with sides in the bottom 3rd (I'll accept a point at Rotherham on a Wednesday night as they've proved a tough away game for pretty much everyone).

Wigan away? I don't think either side merited a win that night so while it was a big dropoff from the prior few games, both sides were average so should have dug out a point there tbh. Then again did we deserve a point at Rotherham? Perhaps not.

Millwall at home? This will go against the grain but looking back I did see some signs. We hit the side netting twice, bar once- another flashed over. 3 if not all 4 in the first half- that's a fair few decent chances to miss- they weren't on target but they weren't far off either.

Plus, the amount of possession we had (I accept partly down to Millwall's tactics) encouraging in some ways.

@wendyredredrobin I reckon a goal scoring midfielder who can also play '10'- can either play in a midfield 3 or behind the striker (at this time, Diedhiou) may suit us better tactically. If we got Defoe, who drops out the team now it's suddenly relatively settled.

@Major Isewater Pretty sure Blackburn were unbeaten when we played them (9 pts, 5 games table says) although they were missing Bradley Dack. A very decent win though.