Last 10 games

[Shuffle]

Whilst we have been dreadful against Brum, Reading & Possibly Millwall, how disheartening is this table as we should have taken more than 8 points from our  last 10. I hadn’t realised how poor our points return has been & with Boro & Watford to come we have to buck the trend of playing well and taking no points.  Do I have my red tinted glasses on as believe we are decent in the main this season or are we in trouble? We need our best players fit but guess all teams say the same & players like Weimann & Semenyo to start firing again.  
 

Edited November 2, 2022 by Shuffle

[And Its Smith]

Two games until the World Cup against tough opponents, both under new managers. Two losses will see us going into the break in around 20th place.  Two wins will probably see us 11th ish.  Two massive games really which will probably set the tone for the rest of the season. Nobody wants to look at a league table for one month where we are 20th, let alone the players who’s confidence it will hugely affect.  Soft goals being given away and now can hardly score.  

[Rocking Red Cyril]

18 minutes ago, Shuffle said:

Whilst we have been dreadful against Brum, Reading & Possibly Millwall, how disheartening is this table as we should have taken more than 8 points from our  last 10. I hadn’t realised how poor our points return has been & with Boro & Watford to come we have to buck the trend of playing well and taking no points.  Do I have my red tinted glasses on as believe we are decent in the main this season or are we in trouble? We need our best players fit but guess all teams say the same & players like Weimann & Semenyo to start firing again.  
 

We are in shit street. Past two games have been generally decent performances and we have got 1 point.

[ralphindevon]

It’s such fine lines, surely things will start to go our way soon.

On another day, Weimann’s shot goes in, he loves that sort of chance, Semenyo’s turn and shot goes in, Tanner’s shot is 3 inches to the left and goes in and we’re not even discussing their goal. 

[Tomo]

It's worrying, but..... I'm fully behind NP but a few of my friends (armchair supporters this season) are in the NP out brigade. 

Friend Comment: We're definitely playing better this season and more entertaining. However we are not mid table. Looking at the games in hand true position is 20th. Pearson currently averaging a worse points per game after 19 games than last season. He's the master of illusion. 1.16 points versus 1.19 last season. Keep that up we're on 53 points. 2 wins in last 11 games. It's going to be close if that's enough points. 

My response: Stats are Stats mate and I can't argue with them. The difference this season, is we have purpose and I do believe we will be mid to lower come May rather than in a relegation battle

I hope I am right and he is wrong. I firmly believe that NP will get us going, especially with all the players leaving in the summer. This season, let's hope we can finish somewhere around 14th.

 

 

[And Its Smith]

1 minute ago, Tomo said:

It's worrying, but..... I'm fully behind NP but a few of my friends (armchair supporters this season) are in the NP out brigade. 

Friend Comment: We're definitely playing better this season and more entertaining. However we are not mid table. Looking at the games in hand true position is 20th. Pearson currently averaging a worse points per game after 19 games than last season. He's the master of illusion. 1.16 points versus 1.19 last season. Keep that up we're on 53 points. 2 wins in last 11 games. It's going to be close if that's enough points. 

My response: Stats are Stats mate and I can't argue with them. The difference this season, is we have purpose and I do believe we will be mid to lower come May rather than in a relegation battle

I hope I am right and he is wrong. I firmly believe that NP will get us going, especially with all the players leaving in the summer. This season, let's hope we can finish somewhere around 14th.

 

 

Couldn’t agree with this more. After 19 games if you are of the opinion that Pearson should be sacked but if we had one more win from those games then he shouldn’t be, then I think it points to a lack of understanding

[GrahamC]

1 hour ago, Shuffle said:

Whilst we have been dreadful against Brum, Reading & Possibly Millwall, how disheartening is this table as we should have taken more than 8 points from our  last 10. I hadn’t realised how poor our points return has been & with Boro & Watford to come we have to buck the trend of playing well and taking no points.  Do I have my red tinted glasses on as believe we are decent in the main this season or are we in trouble? We need our best players fit but guess all teams say the same & players like Weimann & Semenyo to start firing again.  
 

This might be obvious but our run has seen 2 things happen;

Poor performances (you’ve listed the obvious 3) when we do look like a relegation side.

Good performances when we have then been on the wrong end of a result due to poor defensive play or of late, poor finishing.

Taken together I am concerned & bluntly the WC break can’t come soon enough to get a few more defensive options available, though ironically we have defended better overall in the last 2 with few options.

I do think that without more of our forwards returning to the form of earlier in the season we are likely to be in a battle much nearer the bottom than I hoped.

Last point if there is interest in Semenyo or Scott (& after last night I’d be amazed if there isn’t) we might have to consider selling one to freshen it up, as I doubt we will be able to move on those we’d prefer to, instead.

Edited November 2, 2022 by GrahamC

[mozo]

1 hour ago, And Its Smith said:

Two games until the World Cup against tough opponents, both under new managers. Two losses will see us going into the break in around 20th place.  Two wins will probably see us 11th ish.  Two massive games really which will probably set the tone for the rest of the season. Nobody wants to look at a league table for one month where we are 20th, let alone the players who’s confidence it will hugely affect.  Soft goals being given away and now can hardly score.  

Win one lose one would be acceptable

[The Original OTIB]

13 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

This might be obvious but our run has seen 2 things happen;

Poor performances (you’ve listed the obvious 3) when we do look like a relegation side.

Good performances when we have then been on the wrong end of a result due to poor defensive play or of late, poor finishing.

Taken together I am concerned & bluntly the WC break can’t come soon enough to get a few more defensive options available, though ironically we have defended better overall in the last 2 with few options.

I do think that without more of our forwards returning to the form of earlier in the season we are likely to be in a battle much nearer the bottom than I hoped.

Last point if there is interest in Semenyo or Scott (& after last night I’d be amazed if there isn’t) we might have to consider selling one to freshen it up, as I doubt we will be able to move on those we’d prefer to, instead.

I think the break is also a great opportunity to look at out of contract players and get them up to some semblance of match fitness. A time that can be spent very usefully.

[Mr Popodopolous]

12 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

I do think that without more of our forwards returning to the form of earlier in the season we are likely to be in a battle much nearer the bottom than I hoped.

Argument that they were overperforming their expected output, Conway 5 goals in 6 games across 11 shots (none of them penalties)! Extreme example but never sustainable. Now we are probably underperforming where we should be striker output wise but that level of collectively clinical was a bit off the charts for us tbh.

[TomShor10]

I personally think we will get a win and a draw in the next 2 games. Probably beating Boro. Our luck has to change at some point! 

[And Its Smith]

28 minutes ago, The Original OTIB said:

I think the break is also a great opportunity to look at out of contract players and get them up to some semblance of match fitness. A time that can be spent very usefully.

Are there going to be any players that are still without a club that will improve us?  Hard to see that happening 

[GrahamC]

2 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Are there going to be any players that are still without a club that will improve us?  Hard to see that happening 

You’re being very kind.

What players are there out there still don’t have a club by November yet are apparently good enough to improve a side at Championship level that no one else has thought of, either?

The answer is none, isn’t it?

Our focus has to be on getting Naismith, Kalas, Benarous fit & allowing those like Scott & Weimann who barely had a break between seasons to have some rest.

[Kingswood Robin]

46 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

You’re being very kind.

What players are there out there still don’t have a club by November yet are apparently good enough to improve a side at Championship level that no one else has thought of, either?

The answer is none, isn’t it?

Our focus has to be on getting Naismith, Kalas, Benarous fit & allowing those like Scott & Weimann who barely had a break between seasons to have some rest.

I wouldn't completely discount it. There might be someone out there, short term, that's a safe pair of hands (or feet) that could help keep us above the line.

[Davefevs]

There are a number of leagues that run a summer calendar, e.g. Norway and Sweden, so that could be an option to explore, if players are OOC?

[marcofisher]

Middlesborough have only beaten a Hull team have been really poor after a few good games at the start of the season. I'm not sure how the whole of OTIB sees that as them "picking up form". We have a really good chance of settling the ship on Saturday.

[LoyalRed]

12 hours ago, Shuffle said:

Whilst we have been dreadful against Brum, Reading & Possibly Millwall, how disheartening is this table as we should have taken more than 8 points from our  last 10. I hadn’t realised how poor our points return has been & with Boro & Watford to come we have to buck the trend of playing well and taking no points.  Do I have my red tinted glasses on as believe we are decent in the main this season or are we in trouble? We need our best players fit but guess all teams say the same & players like Weimann & Semenyo to start firing again.  
 

That is a worrying statistic. 

[Supersonic Robin]

IMO it's clear that if we consistently play anywhere near our best, then we're comfortably good enough to be a midtable team this season. 

However, achieving that is dependent on a few things:

1. Us being relatively consistent in our performances (at least consistent enough to avoid the "no show" performances like vs Birmingham and Reading). Okay, we won't always be at our best, but we should always be competitive. We can't afford to give other teams around us a "free match" to gain points on us because we didn't bother to show up and challenge in our fixture.
    
2. Simply cutting down on the soft goals we concede. How many deserved points have we lost to soft goals this season? We don't need to be great defensively, just a bit less bad. Continuing to concede soft goals will mean continuing to drop points which we "deserve". (Take the Sheff U game as an example)
    
3. Improving our luck. No idea how we do that, unfortunately. As things stand, it feels like we're one of the most unlucky teams in football. Things just don't go our way. When it comes to penalties, for example, we are incomprehensibly unlucky. (I do genuinely feel this is a relevant factor for us)

 

The positive aspect is that, IMO, we're good enough to decide our own fate this season........we shouldn't have to be hoping for other teams to drop points and let us off the hook. Unfortunately, that makes it incredibly frustrating when we needlessly concede soft goals and needlessly drop points!

As good as some of our performances can be, we do need to start converting them into results (and points) sooner or later. I'm not too worried yet; I'm confident that there are a decent number of poorer teams than us - it's just about making sure the league table reflects that!

[Guest]

20 hours ago, ralphindevon said:

It’s such fine lines, surely things will start to go our way soon.

On another day, Weimann’s shot goes in, he loves that sort of chance, Semenyo’s turn and shot goes in, Tanner’s shot is 3 inches to the left and goes in and we’re not even discussing their goal. 

"fine lines" and elsewhere "poor/bad Ref" getting a bit like reading LJ`s reasons for not winning. Real reasons; poor defending and missed goalscoring chances lost us the game.

[GrahamC]

For the pessimists out there (a fair few on this thread), some good results last night, Wigan lost their 5th consecutive match, bottom side Huddersfield continue to struggle & Cardiff lost at home again.

All sides who look like being in the shake up for the bottom three.

[firstdivision]

Meanwhile, at Birmingham City, new manager John Eustace has been able to find a solution to a problem (his comments after last night’s 0-0 draw with Birmingham):

"It was always going to be a difficult night for us and I'm delighted with another clean sheet and another point on the board. I know we weren't as fluid as we want to be on the ball but we've defended our box with our lives. 

"Our defensive record is the best in the league which is very pleasing and that's coming from a collective, from the whole squad, starting from the strikers back to John Ruddy. 

"We conceded 75 goals last season which I think was the third or fourth worst in the league so when we came in that was something we wanted to improve on, and up to now we've done OK."

[TheReds]

2 hours ago, gl2 said:

"fine lines" and elsewhere "poor/bad Ref" getting a bit like reading LJ`s reasons for not winning. Real reasons; poor defending and missed goalscoring chances lost us the game.

It is fine lines though, and whinging about refs or not I don't think anyone is stating that we aren't conceding poor goals and not taken our chances. Surely you have to see the bigger picture, but how many games this season can you honestly say we have had bad decisions go in our favour, where we have gained points from?

Off the top of my head:

Hull - ref cost us a minimum point with ridiculous decisions, and could argue all 3, 

Wigan - ref cost us by not giving them a red, 1 up at the time in blistering heat. Ref cost us 2 points

Sheff U - goal offside, they should have got a red at 0-0, minimum cost us 1 point and could have been 3 (still needed to convert any chances though)

Plenty of penalty decisions (couple on Atkinson in one game wasn't there)?

 

I would say we should easily have 6+ more points than where we are, simply on bad decisions by the officials, possibly more. Add in the momentum/psychology and staying unbeaten longer etc you could argue it could be more. I'd like to say it all evens itself out, but I am not seeing any evidence to support that. With decent officiating we could easily be in the top 6 in this League - albeit with a defence that does concede soft goals.

[ralphindevon]

7 hours ago, gl2 said:

"fine lines" and elsewhere "poor/bad Ref" getting a bit like reading LJ`s reasons for not winning. Real reasons; poor defending and missed goalscoring chances lost us the game.

Thats not fine lines though, if we defended better and took our chances we win 3 or 4 nil. And if we'd done that all season we'd be top of the league. 

But we didn't so its down to fine lines. One of those strong gusts catches Tanners shot and we're one all and he probably doesn't get as frustrated  that he gets sent off. 

When you're at a similar level as most clubs around you uts down to fine lines 

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 hours ago, TheReds said:

It is fine lines though, and whinging about refs or not I don't think anyone is stating that we aren't conceding poor goals and not taken our chances. Surely you have to see the bigger picture, but how many games this season can you honestly say we have had bad decisions go in our favour, where we have gained points from?

Off the top of my head:

Hull - ref cost us a minimum point with ridiculous decisions, and could argue all 3, 

Wigan - ref cost us by not giving them a red, 1 up at the time in blistering heat. Ref cost us 2 points

Sheff U - goal offside, they should have got a red at 0-0, minimum cost us 1 point and could have been 3 (still needed to convert any chances though)

Plenty of penalty decisions (couple on Atkinson in one game wasn't there)?

 

I would say we should easily have 6+ more points than where we are, simply on bad decisions by the officials, possibly more. Add in the momentum/psychology and staying unbeaten longer etc you could argue it could be more. I'd like to say it all evens itself out, but I am not seeing any evidence to support that. With decent officiating we could easily be in the top 6 in this League - albeit with a defence that does concede soft goals.

I thought the Norwood non red card they were already 1-0 up, was on 80 mins or so but all the same that extra man and the crowd would have got a lift, the players in turn may have been lifted and perhaps an equaliser comes.

[TheReds]

5 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I thought the Norwood non red card they were already 1-0 up, was on 80 mins or so but all the same that extra man and the crowd would have got a lift, the players in turn may have been lifted and perhaps an equaliser comes.

I stand corrected if that was the case.

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 minutes ago, TheReds said:

I stand corrected if that was the case.

I mean maybe there was another incident I dunno but Norwood on Williams was on 80 mins or thereabouts.

[TheReds]

3 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I mean maybe there was another incident I dunno but Norwood on Williams was on 80 mins or thereabouts.

I think you are right as their goal was early in the second half, and I am 99% sure it was quite late in the game

Edited November 3, 2022 by TheReds
spelling

[Redrascal2]

On 02/11/2022 at 09:45, mozo said:

Win one lose one would be acceptable

Acceptable it would be bloody fantastic!!!

[Bar BS3]

This is actually quite interesting - in that looking at it over the last 10 games, it generally worrying & concerning, to most people. 

Yet, questioning NP, after a not dissimilar record over the past 20 months in charge (no idea what it actually works out at - but it's certainly not good!) people kick off and tell you it's all part of a longer term plan..! 

Yes I get the spending restrictions & I've been pleased to see a general improvement of performance - but we've got a pretty decent squad (far better than it's going to be next season IMHO) and the only thing we've seen any consistency in, is failing to get the best out of them & failing to show any consistent game plan or shape. 

Despite what some think, because I liked LJ - I want NP to succeed. Obviously, I want any City manager to succeed - but NP's record is very little short of atrocious here - yet many seem to think he's some sort of messiah. 

It's genuinely baffling. 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

12 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

This is actually quite interesting - in that looking at it over the last 10 games, it generally worrying & concerning, to most people. 

Yet, questioning NP, after a not dissimilar record over the past 20 months in charge (no idea what it actually works out at - but it's certainly not good!) people kick off and tell you it's all part of a longer term plan..! 

Yes I get the spending restrictions & I've been pleased to see a general improvement of performance - but we've got a pretty decent squad (far better than it's going to be next season IMHO) and the only thing we've seen any consistency in, is failing to get the best out of them & failing to show any consistent game plan or shape. 

Despite what some think, because I liked LJ - I want NP to succeed. Obviously, I want any City manager to succeed - but NP's record is very little short of atrocious here - yet many seem to think he's some sort of messiah. 

It's genuinely baffling. 

I feel like you just stepped into my thoughts.