Halfway point

[Silent Blade]

Think we'll need a few more.

Maybe, will look to see if any team failed to finish 6th despite getting 76 points

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Maybe, will look to see if any team failed to finish 6th despite getting 76 points

Thanks.

You really are a gent.

 

[Silent Blade]

Think we'll need a few more.

Maybe, will look to see if any team failed to finish 6th despite getting 76 points

Just had a look. Only one season in the 2nd tier that had a team that failed to get a play off place despite getting 76 or more points and amazingly it happened to two teams in 2014-15 season. Wolves (78) and Derby (77). There was a gap of 10 points between 8th and 9th place (Blackburn). It must have been a freak season

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

Defensively we are abject. We need to keep clean sheets.

The only meaningful way to define “abject’ defence is relative to the defence of others.

There are 24 teams in the division. Currently, 14 teams have conceded more goals than us. 4 have conceded the same number.

This means that 5 teams have conceded fewer than us. And we are 6th.

I’m as frustrated as anyone by our entirely predictable deficiencies. But “abject”? Really?

 

[blade67]

The only meaningful way to define “abject’ defence is relative to the defence of others.

There are 24 teams in the division. Currently, 14 teams have conceded more goals than us. 4 have conceded the same number.

This means that 5 teams have conceded fewer than us. And we are 6th.

I’m as frustrated as anyone by our entirely predictable deficiencies. But “abject”? Really?

also only 3 teams have scored more goals than us despite our shite dad's army strike force.

I'm so angry :-(

 

[snootyfenooty]

Why use Wednesday as an example ?

Wednesday have bought some decent players. It's the ineptitude at management and board level which have screwed them. It's a bit silly isn't it to cite that lot as a reason for not spending any money on new players.

 

[Hartley Hare]

The stats make it hard to fathom.

Other teams and managers rate us, TV pundits like us, we play pretty attractive football, and dominate a good number of our opponents for large parts of the game (most of the time).

But draw and lose when we should be winning and putting matches to bed. Fine margins for sure, but so frustrating.

We lack that bit of quality in the final third, a clinical finisher, not afraid to have a shot. A midfielder driving forward and grabbing ten goals a season.

Today in one passage of play I saw Fleck driving forward from midfield, with speed and power we looked dangerous on the attack - but then the ball went wide with tippy tappy triangles of passing, going nowhere, slow and ponderous. Ultimately, ending in a crap hopeful cross and nothing. No end product of merit.

Shoot lads, you can't win if you do not get a goal and you can't get a goal if you do not shoot.

Sorry, but it is true.

HH

 

[HighfieldBlade]

I'm not sure a new striker would work, I mean we're not going to sign a good one, so why waste money ?

 

[SuperDuperBlades]

We are over achieving but I'm afraid the bulk of the players don't have the belief or desire to push on

For too many of them its just an overpaid job.

 

[Fanny magnet]

For too many of them its just an overpaid job.

For all the criticism of the Warnock and Bassett teams ,those lads left everything out on the pitch and would often mentally beat opposition teams into submission with shear strength of will
You just don't see it with these boys ,for example fleck seems to have gone into his shell since norwood came, o' Connell looks a shadow of the player he was before he was denied a move to brighton reserves ,the team dicks around in their own half laying nervy passes around out box until they eventually end up surrounded by opposition players and in trouble, this is just cowardice or lack of responsibility
Look up and pick a pass don't just encourage the opposition on to you and then give it the keeper grow some bollox and defend the goal with your life

 

[Rodley]

Interesting point on the teams in the bottom half Silent Blade

We are going for Prem loans it seems. Does anyone think any of the current top 6 plus Villa, Stoke etc will not have far greater spending power than us to get these same players from the small pool of quality we will be fighting for. Heard Dowell is going back to Forest for instance who will blow us out of the water in wages. We simply won't or can't compete with likes of Villa (Abraham etc). I hope I am wrong but I see others as getting much stronger and us just doing what we normally do and scraping and scrambling for whats left or the odd lower league punt.

Even if we got taken over by someone who had 3 or 4 times the money of McCabe, we’d be unlikely to compete with the likes of Villa and Stoke. They have the riches we seek plus parachute payments.

If I was Forest and had the cash, I’d loan Dowell purely to stop us getting him.

We are where we are and we need to continue to box clever. I think it’s a mistake that we’ve shifted to ruling out lower league players (as much a fan base and a club), just because Lundstrum and Leonard weren’t huge successes. We need to pick up those players. We also need to scout overseas.

It isn’t going to be a quick fix with our financial constraints, and even if we’re taken over, unless it’s a Fosun outfit, it could take time.

 

[Rodley]

The stats make it hard to fathom.

Other teams and managers rate us, TV pundits like us, we play pretty attractive football, and dominate a good number of our opponents for large parts of the game (most of the time).

But draw and lose when we should be winning and putting matches to bed. Fine margins for sure, but so frustrating.

We lack that bit of quality in the final third, a clinical finisher, not afraid to have a shot. A midfielder driving forward and grabbing ten goals a season.

Today in one passage of play I saw Fleck driving forward from midfield, with speed and power we looked dangerous on the attack - but then the ball went wide with tippy tappy triangles of passing, going nowhere, slow and ponderous. Ultimately, ending in a crap hopeful cross and nothing. No end product of merit.

Shoot lads, you can't win if you do not get a goal and you can't get a goal if you do not shoot.

Sorry, but it is true.

HH

Yes but you have to take some comfort from the fact that 16 months into our return to the Championship, it’s just “the final bit” that is sometimes lacking. The general performance, dominance of far superior teams on paper is astonishing. It’s not major inadequacies in a number of parts of the team, it’s not terrible / mind numbing football. It’s the cherry on top. For me that is a phenomenal achievement for CW & AK. We’re halfway through our “difficult” second season in the Championship. This isn’t the norm for a team in our circumstances.

If we can get that final piece of the jigsaw on a loan, or an up and coming Jack Marriott type, or a foreign player, we’ll be a rock solid top 4 or 5 team. Fucking brilliant IMHO.

UTB

 

[Hartley Hare]

Yep, Rodley. I agree, we have come along way in a very short period of time. It is easy to get carried away.

It is good that we can all just about see where improvements and strengthening is required to push on and climb another rung of the ladder.

Looking at Brooks score those goals yesterday made me think that is just the type of young player we need.

HH

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

also only 3 teams have scored more goals than us despite our shite dad's army strike force.

I'm so angry :-(

Me too, FFS!!!!!!!!!

 

[CarlMcBlade]

10 points behind Leeds.

 

[Topplayersleave]

We will fade out just like last year, arguably its self inflicted this year, last year we blamed it on Coutts.

I am sick and tired of us dominating teams but failing to capitalise- god only knows how bewildered Wilder must be.

Tough game at home in Boxing Day.

We might get another injury and the boardroom can blame it on that

 

[Northyorksblade]

Wait and see!

That's the third time you've said that. Are you in the know?

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Yes but you have to take some comfort from the fact that 16 months into our return to the Championship, it’s just “the final bit” that is sometimes lacking. The general performance, dominance of far superior teams on paper is astonishing. It’s not major inadequacies in a number of parts of the team, it’s not terrible / mind numbing football. It’s the cherry on top. For me that is a phenomenal achievement for CW & AK. We’re halfway through our “difficult” second season in the Championship. This isn’t the norm for a team in our circumstances.

This is exactly why I’m finding watching us so enjoyable. I enjoyed it last season, I’m enjoying it this season. Yes there are still things we can improve on, and individual errors are frustrating when they happen, but it’s a long long time since I’ve been miserable watching us play.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

That's the third time you've said that. Are you in the know?

Watch what we do rather than listen to what they say they’ll do is my motto.

That way you aren’t disappointed when they blame it on wages

 

[Silent Blade]

10 points behind Leeds.

And?

I wasnt talking about automatic places

 

[Silent Blade]

That's the third time you've said that. Are you in the know?

No

 

[Silent Blade]

Rotherham a
Brentford a
Leeds h

I’ll be happy with 3 points from that lot

Watch what we do rather than listen to what they say they’ll do is my motto.

That way you aren’t disappointed when they blame it on wages

We got 4 points from the three matches you have mentioned and you are still as miserable as usual!

 

[blade67]

Wednesday have bought some decent players. It's the ineptitude at management and board level which have screwed them. It's a bit silly isn't it to cite that lot as a reason for not spending any money on new players.

true. Signing expensive players is likely to lead to success. If it doesn't, the manager or head scout is in the firing line, quite rightly

 

[blade67]

Yes but you have to take some comfort from the fact that 16 months into our return to the Championship, it’s just “the final bit” that is sometimes lacking. The general performance, dominance of far superior teams on paper is astonishing. It’s not major inadequacies in a number of parts of the team, it’s not terrible / mind numbing football. It’s the cherry on top. For me that is a phenomenal achievement for CW & AK. We’re halfway through our “difficult” second season in the Championship. This isn’t the norm for a team in our circumstances.

If we can get that final piece of the jigsaw on a loan, or an up and coming Jack Marriott type, or a foreign player, we’ll be a rock solid top 4 or 5 team. Fucking brilliant IMHO.

UTB

The last time United were this good in terms of results, Blackwell was in charge with 2 banks of 4 playing just ahead of the 18 yard box, and 10 yards further forward, with a 40 yard gap to 2 forwards chasing % balls. I know what I'd rather be watching.

 

[wizadry]

The only meaningful way to define “abject’ defence is relative to the defence of others.

There are 24 teams in the division. Currently, 14 teams have conceded more goals than us. 4 have conceded the same number.

This means that 5 teams have conceded fewer than us. And we are 6th.

I’m as frustrated as anyone by our entirely predictable deficiencies. But “abject”? Really?

Agree with most of that and something else that needs pointing out is that if our attacking play got us more goals perhaps our defenders wouldn’t have to do any attacking and could concentrate on defending more instead of making lung bursting runs forward, leaving us wide open? something I have huge respect for by the way as no one else plays like that. It’s great but we have to take this into consideration when we’re conceding the odd soft goal.

Our defenders do more than enough for their respective abilities and must walk off that pitch absolutely fucked every game.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

And?

I wasnt talking about automatic places

There hasn’t been an hairs breadth between us and Leeds this season, with both teams being stand out performers in the league. It is just so galling to see two equally matched sides going in opposite directions since we played each other.

 

[Silent Blade]

There hasn’t been an hairs breadth between us and Leeds this season, with both teams being stand out performers in the league. It is just so galling to see two equally matched sides going in opposite directions since we played each other.

You are going off point to my OP. I was talking about our chances of getting into the play off places

 

[coaxingstar71]

As fans, we just love to seek out the negatives don't we.

Before the start of this season, there was a feeling that we'd have a more difficult 2nd season and perhaps mid-table even to about 15th place would be ok. Alarm bells started ringing after the first two games and we'd be struggling to stay up. Then we signed Norwood, got some great results and even topped the league again. The feeling now is that this squad is over-achieving, well maybe in terms of comparable budgets with other clubs in this league. I've heard Wilder's comments about that but I'm sure he believes this squad has the potential to do better. We already know that when we play well, teams find it difficult to live with us. We just need to play better more consistently, rather than 30 minutes here and there. Despite us apparently over-achieving, I can't help but think that we could actually be in a much better position.

I was disappointed at the result against Ipswich because I thought it was a game we'd win. However we're still in a great position and if we can sustain the first half of the season form, we'll probably make the play-offs. I'd be more than happy with that.

Who knows, perhaps Leon may come back and have a purple patch of scoring, maybe we'll stop conceding every time we make a mistake, maybe Coutts and the rest of the midfield will click, maybe Fleck will come back to form, maybe Washington will score a goal and get a bit of confidence back and maybe we might sign a couple of players that improve on what we've got.

 

[coolhandluke]

Wednesday have bought some decent players. It's the ineptitude at management and board level which have screwed them. It's a bit silly isn't it to cite that lot as a reason for not spending any money on new players.

It's a perfectly sensible comparison to make . But it is a little bit disingenuous to say posters who do cite them as an example also say we shouldn't spend any money at all . I've not seen anyone say that . Have you ?

 

[coolhandluke]

We got 4 points from the three matches you have mentioned and you are still as miserable as usual!

Touche