Objectivity

[Drunk blade]

Have we not been good enough for the last 8 premier league games or somehow has everything conspired against us...

How do we all see it?

As much as I love the blades and Wilder if I'm honest I think we've been crap since we came back out of lockdown

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Subjectively

 

[Numpty's Dusty Ruts.]

We were OK back end of "last" season. We've been shite since. It's just life.

 

[Gavlar]

I dont buy the paranoia about everything going against us. We havent been good enough.

We missed a pen, got players sent off (well the same one twice), defended poorly as a team, not created enough chances etc.

We have had players missing of course, and no fans, but my biggest question is what is our plan B?

 

[KeyffSmyff]

I also think that they have also missed the crowd.

 

[Wards]

I didn’t think we were crap when we walloped Spurs and Chelsea and also managed to beat Wolves. I’d go so far as saying we were pretty good at the football those matches.

 

[JJ Sefton]

Have we not been good enough for the last 8 premier league games or somehow has everything conspired against us...

How do we all see it?

As much as I love the blades and Wilder if I'm honest I think we've been crap since we came back out of lockdown

A bit of both. We’ve been well off our pre-lockdown pace and that has left us vulnerable to missed pens, bad refereeing, goals against the run of play etc.

 

[true99blade]

70/30 in favour of mostly not being as good/potent as the opposition.

 

[pommpey]

I dont buy the paranoia about everything going against us. We havent been good enough.

We missed a pen, got players sent off (well the same one twice), defended poorly as a team, not created enough chances etc.

We have had players missing of course, and no fans, but my biggest question is what is our plan B?

Fuck me Gavlar. Don't start speculating about a 'Plan B'. You'll have posters on here quoting Wilder and calling you a Playstation tactical genius.

Just let Wilder pick the same side and format he's played for the last eight games we've played like the Championship side we feared we always could be and we'll fucking bury Klopp's Liverpool.

Just watch.

pommpey

 

[Bla blade]

I think beating Chelsea back in July actually did us more harm than good. The celebratory tone after the win was too excessive for me, a bit like when a league one team defeats a prem team in the cup.

I just wonder whether the players felt that after that (on the back of wins v Spurs and Wolves) they thought to themselves "we've made it, we belong here". I'm not saying don't enjoy it but, stay grounded.

I said to the missus that Saturday night that I thought we were getting too carried away and that pride comes before a fall but I never imagined we'd barely score again after that let alone win again.

UTB

 

[8lade]

It's a good question but the answer is enormously complicated which I can't go into with a head cold so I'll over simplify it by saying, 'it's a bit of everything'.

 

[Yogi]

We’ve been very disjointed since the restart some of that due to bad decisions Egan some of it due to bad luck with injuries fleck and O’Connell standing out in that regard and some of it due to a long standing need to freshen up the side and integrate new players. That’s led to us not looking as fluid or potent going forward which has seen confidence drop and certain players in certain games shirk responsibility if not effort that said we’ve not really been put to the sword in any of the games thus far although that could be about to change. Not wanting to pressurise Brewster but a reliable goal scorer even when things aren’t going for us would help to boost confidence.

 

[knowsnowt]

Oink.

 

[Champagneblade]

I think beating Chelsea back in July actually did us more harm than good. The celebratory tone after the win was too excessive for me, a bit like when a league one team defeats a prem team in the cup.

I just wonder whether the players felt that after that (on the back of wins v Spurs and Wolves) they thought to themselves "we've made it, we belong here". I'm not saying don't enjoy it but, stay grounded.

I said to the missus that Saturday night that I thought we were getting too carried away and that pride comes before a fall but I never imagined we'd barely score again after that let alone win again.

UTB

I do get your point though I wouldn't say there is much evidence of taking foot off the gas.

We're certainly not a team that's trying tricks and flicks whilst not putting in the hard yards.

Despite being bottom of the VAR league we were never in trouble, so this time invites a different type of pressure.

There were fine margins and looking back, we were almost at our optimum in terms of expected results.

Getting no return from Newcastle and Southampton remains a disappointment but otherwise we pretty much got the maximum we could expect in all matches:

6 from(2):
Norwich, Palace

4 from(9):
Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Wolves, Burnley, Brighton, Bournemouth, West Ham, Villa

3 from(1):
Everton

2 from(1):
Watford

1 from(1):
Man U

0 from(5):

Liverpool, Man City, Leicester, Southampton, Newcastle

Perhaps it comes down to the fact that you can't continually treat every game as a cup final and eventually you do just need a little more quality to absorb the eventual dip.

 

[blademark]

We have had players missing of course, and no fans, but my biggest question is what is our plan B?

Plan B is to be better at plan A.

 

[Niceguyeddie]

I dont buy the paranoia about everything going against us. We havent been good enough.

We missed a pen, got players sent off (well the same one twice), defended poorly as a team, not created enough chances etc.

We have had players missing of course, and no fans, but my biggest question is what is our plan B?

Fuck me Gavlar. Don't start speculating about a 'Plan B'. You'll have posters on here quoting Wilder and calling you a Playstation tactical genius.

Just let Wilder pick the same side and format he's played for the last eight games we've played like the Championship side we feared we always could be and we'll fucking bury Klopp's Liverpool.

Just watch.

pommpey

 

[Snake]

To all you Playstation tactical geniuses out there - I'll raise you Superstriker! I was brilliant at that as a kid - the best in our house. Reight my take ............ I think our current Plan A is actually what our old Plan B would have been had we not lost Flecky, JOC and Moose more or less on the eve of the season. Our current Plan B is looking more like our Plan C but now that we have signed The Bruce, perhaps our Plan C will become our Plan A?

There you go, piece of piss this football management lark. Watch us go and get a point toneet against the scallies using our Plan E - you read it here first!

 

[Grappler]

The main problem seems to be that we needed all of our players playing at the top of their game, and anyone being slightly off, or worse (as we are seeing) injured and not playing, is a huge blow.

The thing is, as we all know, we need to be stronger at the top of the pitch, and put chances away. Losing by 1 goal to Leeds and Villa isn't as bad as letting five in, or letting 3 in, like Villa last night. Bamford is on six goals already, I think, which is what our top scorers got all last season, that tells a story in itself.

 

[RecordBreakers]

We've just not been good enought simple and after today it could be 9 games without a win which also is just not good enough what ever league your in. If it gets to 11 games then questions will start to be asked its inevitable. Most of the players haven't been anywhere near the standards they've set and don't look like snapping out of it anytime soon!

 

[The Bear]

Someone's tested positive - self isolate alert.

 

[The Bear]

The main problem seems to be that we needed all of our players playing at the top of their game, and anyone being slightly off, or worse (as we are seeing) injured and not playing, is a huge blow.

The thing is, as we all know, we need to be stronger at the top of the pitch, and put chances away. Losing by 1 goal to Leeds and Villa isn't as bad as letting five in, or letting 3 in, like Villa last night. Bamford is on six goals already, I think, which is what our top scorers got all last season, that tells a story in itself.

But that is unrealistic, you can't permanently perform at 100%. I know CW uses that in games versus top opposition and I get that, but not every game otherwise it is almost tantamount to saying we aren't good enough for the PL.

I think the main issue is that in games where it has been tight (I'd say Villa, Leeds, Fulham) our forwards just haven't taken their chances. I mean realistically I would say we should have drawn v Villa and Leeds and beaten Fulham. That would have been 5 points and with the injuries probably about right. The confidence would not have been so low and we'd be happy-ish.

But we are where we are. All I can say is if McB/Lundstrum et al keep missing chances we will probably go down. No ifs or buts you just have to put the ball in the bloody net.