Performances Doing us a Favour

[Port Said Red]

I realise that there are still those who will continue to complain until (and perhaps if) we are winning 4-0 every week, but I actually think the way we are playing is doing us a favour. 

Last season, certainly up to Xmas, not only were we in a great position but we were also putting in top performances against teams in this league, and the icing on the cake was the Premiership scalps in the cup. 

Posters on here were getting very excited, "who in this squad would survive in the Premiership", "who should we sign with a view to promotion", it all got a little surreal. People couldn't quite believe the way we were playing.

Now we are on a run of a similar stature, but perhaps better timed in terms of the stage of the season and again people can't quite believe it, but for different reasons. We are just looking hard to beat and somehow that's a trait that is associated with a team surviving rather than progressing. We are definitely struggling to match the intensity that we had last season, but we have replaced it with a calmness particularly at the back.

Because it's less spectacular, our expectations are much lower, people won't be surprised if we end up 10th where as last year that felt like a massive fall from grace. 

That lack of expectation could work in our favour, relieving a lot of pressure on the players.

 

 

[Bar BS3]

2 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

I realise that there are still those who will continue to complain until (and perhaps if) we are winning 4-0 every week, but I actually think the way we are playing is doing us a favour. 

Last season, certainly up to Xmas, not only were we in a great position but we were also putting in top performances against teams in this league, and the icing on the cake was the Premiership scalps in the cup. 

Posters on here were getting very excited, "who in this squad would survive in the Premiership", "who should we sign with a view to promotion", it all got a little surreal. People couldn't quite believe the way we were playing.

Now we are on a run of a similar stature, but perhaps better timed in terms of the stage of the season and again people can't quite believe it, but for different reasons. We are just looking hard to beat and somehow that's a trait that is associated with a team surviving rather than progressing. We are definitely struggling to match the intensity that we had last season, but we have replaced it with a calmness particularly at the back.

Because it's less spectacular, our expectations are much lower, people won't be surprised if we end up 10th where as last year that felt like a massive fall from grace. 

That lack of expectation could work in our favour, relieving a lot of pressure on the players.

 

 

It’s usually “easier” to be in the chasing pack, than it is to be a pace setter. 

We do look calmer. I think Webster & Kalas are generally key to this. 

I don’t think it’s right to compare our style now, to that of 13/14 months ago, when there have been so many changes to the team. 

I think we are 1 or 2 key additions away from being serious play off challengers, but the fact we are even close is very impressive and a credit to everyone involved. 

 

[eardun]

As a result, we are also under the radar a bit which may also help us I feel. Last season our performances were earning rave reviews nationally. Perhaps less chance of our better players being snatched away as well. Johnson has definitely switched to a more possession based approach which he feels is more sustainable over a full season. 

[Port Said Red]

1 minute ago, Bar BS3 said:

It’s usually “easier” to be in the chasing pack, than it is to be a pace setter. 

We do look calmer. I think Webster & Kalas are generally key to this. 

I don’t think it’s right to compare our style now, to that of 13/14 months ago, when there have been so many changes to the team. 

I think we are 1 or 2 key additions away from being serious play off challengers, but the fact we are even close is very impressive and a credit to everyone involved. 

 

And Niki, the 3 of them seem totally on the same wavelength, but the fact that Bakes or Wright have also done a job when called upon suggests that the goalkeeper gives them all great confidence.

[Andy082005]

25 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

I realise that there are still those who will continue to complain until (and perhaps if) we are winning 4-0 every week, but I actually think the way we are playing is doing us a favour. 

Last season, certainly up to Xmas, not only were we in a great position but we were also putting in top performances against teams in this league, and the icing on the cake was the Premiership scalps in the cup. 

Posters on here were getting very excited, "who in this squad would survive in the Premiership", "who should we sign with a view to promotion", it all got a little surreal. People couldn't quite believe the way we were playing.

Now we are on a run of a similar stature, but perhaps better timed in terms of the stage of the season and again people can't quite believe it, but for different reasons. We are just looking hard to beat and somehow that's a trait that is associated with a team surviving rather than progressing. We are definitely struggling to match the intensity that we had last season, but we have replaced it with a calmness particularly at the back.

Because it's less spectacular, our expectations are much lower, people won't be surprised if we end up 10th where as last year that felt like a massive fall from grace. 

That lack of expectation could work in our favour, relieving a lot of pressure on the players.

 

 

Very good post. For me football has always been a results business. I don't care how we win...I just want to see us succeed. If the performances are entertaining ....then great...but I'd sacrifice entertaining football for 1-0 wins every week and promotion to the Prem 

The last 10 games the team and what the Golden Boy have done has been impressive. We look very good at the back and very difficult to beat, and in some ways...more of a unit then last season

I hope we add that striker we so desperately need, and it could make for a very entertaining second half of the season 

[Port Said Red]

9 minutes ago, Andy082005 said:

Very good post. For me football has always been a results business. I don't care how we win...I just want to see us succeed. If the performances are entertaining ....then great...but I'd sacrifice entertaining football for 1-0 wins every week and promotion to the Prem 

The last 10 games the team and what the Golden Boy have done has been impressive. We look very good at the back and very difficult to best, and in some ways...more of a unit then last season

I hope we add that striker we so desperately need, and it could make for a very entertaining second half of the season 

Looking at how things changed for Fulham last season, Palmer could potentially be our Mitrovic signing, I saw a few signs that he and Famara can play together, if they get some minutes together, but it needs to be a  relationship that comes together quickly.

[ScottishRed]

31 minutes ago, Badger08 said:

I sometimes get confused with peoples expectations on how we should play as a team.  It was evident last season, that even though we were playing some excellent flair football, that we simply couldn't keep up that level of play.  We were literally breaking teams through work rate and flair.  But you just can't keep that up over a course of a season, especially with a major cup run.  Fatigue certainly played its part in our demise. 

This season is completely different, in both styles of play and expectation.  We are hard to break down as a squad.  We are being more methodical.  We are a hard team to beat. Not just beat, I mean a hard team to break down and score against.  As the saying goes, good teams are built on defense. 

I see us as being a bit like the Liverpool of the championship (take this with a pinch of salt before you jump all over it). So, last year we were a total flair team, but we were easy to score against.  Like Liverpool last year, who would end up winning games 3-2 a lot. But they bought Van Dyke which shored up their defence, so now Liverpool are hard to break down, but have that element of flair which teams find hard to handle.  This is now us.  We are defensively strong (second best defense in the league), but, we still have that flair element. PERFECT. 

As for the expectation, its always difficult when you have something in your grasp and its taken away, then when you receive something that is unexpected. In the grand scheme of things, it was still a very good season which set the building blocks for this campaign.  This is why even I waivered a bit not long ago as I could see the blocks were in place, but the results weren't happening.  

I truly believe that we are one top quality striker (a Tammy Abraham) away from a playoff finish.  Imagine if we had a pure finisher on the pitch yesterday and at other games?  I love Fammy, I REALLY do, but we need someone who can work alongside him that will take his chances, and who doesn't need 5 to score 1. 

COME ON YOU REDS!!!

 

Totally agree regarding a quality striker, let’s hope we push the boat out to get one in on loan ASAP.

Achieve that and I think we have a decent chance of top 6.

KP could well be crucial to this but he needs to be played in his correct position and not shoe horned in wide left or right.

[Pezo]

I agree with most points but unlike Liverpool we have reduced our flair by about 50% by selling Reid, if Palmer is the answer to that then great but that is a lot of pressure for a 22 year old who has just come in.

I think Fam is good enough, he got in all the right places yesterday but for some reason couldn't finish, most day he would have got a hat trick, but this doesn't mean we shouldn't try to strengthen.

[Alex_BCFC]

Really don’t think we will be too 6. Hope I’m wrong but under LJ we go from having great runs to terrible ones. If he can avoid a terrible run then we have a chance but likelihood is we will have one and it will kill our season. 

Still, nice to be involved and hopefully have a decent cup run too. 

[Xiled]

1 hour ago, Port Said Red said:

....looking hard to beat and somehow that's a trait that is associated with a team surviving rather than progressing.

That is definitely the most accurate and refined description of where we are at the moment and I've got no problem with it.

The difficulty is that our league position is raising exctations. And I live with the concern that we will get found out during any given match.

When we went a goal down to Bolton, I honestly thought that we would lose the game. I'm extremely pleased we didn't and credit to LJ and the 3 subs for finding that impetus that we needed to win the game.

But this needs to evolve. It isn't enough for the play-offs let alone the platform for a higher finish. We need to find a way to score goals more reliably. And at Ashton Gate we need to put teams to the sword.

When I see that then I'll believe we have progressed. At the moment this feels like a good run before the next bad run. But that's not criticism, as a certain Rovers fan would say, 'these things take time'.

[Curr Avon]

2 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

It’s usually “easier” to be in the chasing pack, than it is to be a pace setter. 

We do look calmer. I think Webster & Kalas are generally key to this. 

I don’t think it’s right to compare our style now, to that of 13/14 months ago, when there have been so many changes to the team. 

I think we are 1 or 2 key additions away from being serious play off challengers, but the fact we are even close is very impressive and a credit to everyone involved. 

 

You're spot on and in order to continue our great run we need another striker and a defensive midfielder. Right now, if Pack or Brownhill are injured, then our only cover in central midfield is Joe Morrell. Up top, two forwards would be more potent at home, avoiding the struggles to date, possibly allowing Kasey Palmer to sit behind. Away from AG, I'm happy with the 4-1-4-1, as the onus is on the hosts to attack, allowing us to counter.

[REDOXO]

4 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

Looking at how things changed for Fulham last season, Palmer could potentially be our Mitrovic signing, I saw a few signs that he and Famara can play together, if they get some minutes together, but it needs to be a  relationship that comes together quickly.

I saw signs of him and Taylor....However I think what has changed is this....Last week LJ made a comment that prices for strikers are sky high and we are simply not in that market. So if you know goals are going to be hard to come by you make sure that you don’t give many away. At the moment we don’t gift goals. Add a few more without compromising solidity and bugger the play offs we are in with a bigger chance!