Blades v Boro - the run in

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?


Watching Watford v WBA first half Boro have a much easier task than us on Sat!
 
CaptainMorgans said:
You've actually sacrificed a defender for a midfielder there.
I'm not saying that's wrong, but it is probably too late in the season for such a radical switch (4-2-3-1). I'm not sure we have the right players for a back 4.
Click to expand...
why not ? we havent played well for the last 2 months with this system and both hudders and hull should have got something from us at the lane put norwood and doyle in front of a back 4 as protection we need another body in midfield both boro and millwall carved us open by us being too light in midfield
 
Champagneblade said:
I thought it might be interesting to see how the eventual points total would turn out o
If results against the same opposition were replicated for the rest of the season.

Not suggesting this will happen but should give some food for thought as to what each team was capable of when they last met that same opposition.

Here's how it would look.

Current points:
United - 61 from 32
Boro - 57 from 33

Boro:
WBA(a) 1
Reading (h) 0
Swansea (a) 3
Stoke (h) 1
Preston (h) 0
Huddersfield (a) 1
Burnley (h) 0
Bristol (a) 1
Norwich (h) 3
Hull (h) 3
Luton (a) 3
Rotherham (a) 1
Coventry (h) 0
Summary - W4 D5 L4 Pts 17
Total - 74

United:
Watford (h) 0
Blackburn (a) 3
Reading (a) 3
Luton (h) 1
Sunderland (a) 3
West Brom (h) 3
Norwich (a) 1
Wigan (h) 3
Burnley (a) 3
Cardiff (h) 3
Bristol C (h) 3
Huddersfield (h) 3
Preston (h) 3
Birmingham (a) 1
Summary - W10 D3 L1 Pts 33
Total - 94

Just wanted to add a different context. There would need to be a 20 point gain by one or loss by the other on the current season results or loss of 10 by one and gain of 10 by the other etc. If we can close to replicate then they are out of it. Maximum they can get anyway would be 96 points, winning them all, and us replicating the earlier results gets us to 94 already.

So when I hear that someone has a harder set of fixtures than the other it might be worth remembering that Boro took 17 points from the same teams this very same season whilst United got almost twice as many against the opposition we will face.

This wasn't meant to be a positive or negative thread more a factual starter point to reference how we go during the run in. When we look at the thread comparing last seasons results we are not doing worse in many instances. By the same token, we would need a complete reversal of fortune against teams we have shown ourselves to be better than and likewise, so will Boro.

This picture can change very quickly. Another couple of bad results and they will be toe to toe. But if they lose away to West Brom and we beat Watford and win the game in hand, then the point lead will be 10 once more with little more than 10 or 11 to go which would surely feel insurmountable once more. This could well be the closest they get to us.
Click to expand...
United got 44 points from the first 23 matches.

Boro got 30 points from the first 23 matches.

Thereby, any comparison comparing how you did against how they did will show that you did better.

The problem being that since that point they’ve got 27 points from 10 matches, versus your 17 points from 9 matches.

However, to put that in context, you’ve still got 1.88 points per match in that spell. If you do that until the end of the season you’ll get 87 points.

Boro will need to get 30 points from 13 matches to match that or put another way W9 D3 L1. Possible but unlikely.

The only way you don’t go up in my opinion is if you collapse to something like 22 points from 14 matches or put another way W6 D4 L4. Possible but unlikely.

Relax, you’re going up.
 
Champagneblade said:
I thought it might be interesting to see how the eventual points total would turn out o
If results against the same opposition were replicated for the rest of the season.

Not suggesting this will happen but should give some food for thought as to what each team was capable of when they last met that same opposition.

Here's how it would look.

Current points:
United - 61 from 32
Boro - 57 from 33

Boro:
WBA(a) 1
Reading (h) 0
Swansea (a) 3
Stoke (h) 1
Preston (h) 0
Huddersfield (a) 1
Burnley (h) 0
Bristol (a) 1
Norwich (h) 3
Hull (h) 3
Luton (a) 3
Rotherham (a) 1
Coventry (h) 0
Summary - W4 D5 L4 Pts 17
Total - 74

United:
Watford (h) 0
Blackburn (a) 3
Reading (a) 3
Luton (h) 1
Sunderland (a) 3
West Brom (h) 3
Norwich (a) 1
Wigan (h) 3
Burnley (a) 3
Cardiff (h) 3
Bristol C (h) 3
Huddersfield (h) 3
Preston (h) 3
Birmingham (a) 1
Summary - W10 D3 L1 Pts 33
Total - 94

Just wanted to add a different context. There would need to be a 20 point gain by one or loss by the other on the current season results or loss of 10 by one and gain of 10 by the other etc. If we can close to replicate then they are out of it. Maximum they can get anyway would be 96 points, winning them all, and us replicating the earlier results gets us to 94 already.

So when I hear that someone has a harder set of fixtures than the other it might be worth remembering that Boro took 17 points from the same teams this very same season whilst United got almost twice as many against the opposition we will face.

This wasn't meant to be a positive or negative thread more a factual starter point to reference how we go during the run in. When we look at the thread comparing last seasons results we are not doing worse in many instances. By the same token, we would need a complete reversal of fortune against teams we have shown ourselves to be better than and likewise, so will Boro.

This picture can change very quickly. Another couple of bad results and they will be toe to toe. But if they lose away to West Brom and we beat Watford and win the game in hand, then the point lead will be 10 once more with little more than 10 or 11 to go which would surely feel insurmountable once more. This could well be the closest they get to us.
Click to expand...
Fook me you’ve got a head full of Cartoons there Champagne! I’m guessing your an accountant or something down those lines as you clearly have a maths brain but absolutely no clue about footy mate!
 
Blades11 said:
Fook me you’ve got a head full of Cartoons there Champagne! I’m guessing your an accountant or something down those lines as you clearly have a maths brain but absolutely no clue about footy mate!
Click to expand...
They are not predictions!!! they are the points gained from the first meeting of each club.
 
Blades11 said:
Fook me you’ve got a head full of Cartoons there Champagne! I’m guessing your an accountant or something down those lines as you clearly have a maths brain but absolutely no clue about footy mate!
Click to expand...
You're new around here, so I'll let you off.

😂
 
Imagine how RND feels, just waiting for a chance to start the blades recovery?

How about a midfield of Basham, Norwood and Fleck? Coulibally and Doyle on the bench if it doesn’t work?

Is that midfield too old and tired, or are they the most experienced and best men for the job?

Did Bournemouth have a similar blip last season, or was that nearer the end of the season?
 
vas borbokis said:
Watching Watford v WBA first half Boro have a much easier task than us on Sat!
Click to expand...

The slight caveat to that being that WBA’s current home form of 6 and 1 draw in their last 7 games at the Hawthorns, with just one goal conceded, is formidable. And they know they need the points to stay in the play-off picture.

Watford need the points too, of course, but are a middling and inconsistent side away from home. The draw at Burnley last time out was, ostensibly, an impressive result but even Bilic was honest enough to say that they absolutely did not deserve it.
 
if anything west broms defeat at watford will give them more of an incentive to beat boro i think this is a really tough game for middlesbro one they could easily lose even if they get a draw if we can beat watford thats 6 points clear with a game in hand we will be feeling a lot more comfortable about our position
 
Like everyone else, I’ve no idea where we’ll finish. Predictions and the like don’t really interest me. Football is unpredictable and that’s why I love it.

What I do think is the last two defeats and the gap being reduced makes it a bit more exciting for me. The squad need to re-focus and go again. No resting on laurels. We’ve been winning games but not performing anywhere near what we’re capable of and now the gap is much smaller and Boro are at it… it’s do or die.

For months now it hasn’t felt like watching a team in the top two. It’s been very laboured against some poor sides. Now we’re up against it and that should make the matches - and atmosphere - much more exciting and enjoyable. Belt up..!
 
Lots of mentions of games in hand, whenever we've had games in hand, how's it worked out?

Counting chickens, that's why the last week came as a shock to many..
 

JPBrodie said:
Bit of unscientific spaffing around with a predictor sees my calculations as thus on game 45
United: P45, W26, D10, L9, 88pts, +36 GD
Boro: P45, W26, D8, L11, 86pts +27 GD
Would you take going into the final game two ahead and with better GD? We've got Birmingham away on the final day and they've got Coventry at home.
Click to expand...
No !!!!
 
JPBrodie said:
Bit of unscientific spaffing around with a predictor sees my calculations as thus on game 45
United: P45, W26, D10, L9, 88pts, +36 GD
Boro: P45, W26, D8, L11, 86pts +27 GD
Would you take going into the final game two ahead and with better GD? We've got Birmingham away on the final day and they've got Coventry at home.
Click to expand...
What do Birmingham and Coventry have to pay for in this theoretical situation??
 
We still are in a good position and we should be concentrating on improving our own performances. We have lost some of the sparkle since the WC break. Heckingbottom’s frustration on the line is a sign of the pressure he is feeling. At this stage he needs to be calm and assured.

The only potential issue for us is getting the best team on the pitch. By that I mean more than getting players back from injury. I think that us as fans would find it difficult to get consensus on what is actually our best team is. Doyle or McAtee. Lowe or Enda or RND. We have depth in the squad but few of what I would consider complete players for a specific spot. Wes, Ndiaye and probably Egan and Anel. But you could make a valid case for any player for any other position. Hecky will need to settle on what he thinks is best and put a bit of fire back into them.
 
There's always the potential on Saturday we finish 7 points clear with a game in hand. Granted that's not as good as it was looking but to most fans with 13 v 12 games to go they:d snap your hand off in August.

I'm over the sulk and while I don't think performances were great last week I do think they are good enough to get us 8 or so wins I think we will need.
 
Someone made a good point on here in the last few days that whilst Boro have done a great job of reeling us back in, noone knows how they will keep performing, especially if they get in front of us and all of a sudden we have to chase them down.

Will they keep winning like this, week in week out, or have they peaked too early, rather like we did last season on the run in?

Who knows? All we can do is get at Watford and then take it from there.
 
I'm not usually one to suggest we mess with the formation, but it does potentially raise an interesting question when you look at this well balanced team:

Foderingham
Bogle Ahmedhodžić Clark Lowe
Doyle Norwood McAtee
Berge McBurnie Ndiaye

The only difference between that midfield three playing with in 3-5-2 or 4-3-3 is whether you choose Egan or Berge.

Who would be getting your vote?
 
LS16Blade said:
The slight caveat to that being that WBA’s current home form of 6 and 1 draw in their last 7 games at the Hawthorns, with just one goal conceded, is formidable. And they know they need the points to stay in the play-off picture.

Watford need the points too, of course, but are a middling and inconsistent side away from home. The draw at Burnley last time out was, ostensibly, an impressive result but even Bilic was honest enough to say that they absolutely did not deserve it.
Click to expand...
Don’t be coming on here with your common sense posts. The pessimists won’t like it much. 👍
 

Da Yorkshire Post's "super" computer has spoken and spat out its final prediction:

1677139131437.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

Back
Top Bottom