Not sure I agree, GPB. There is a harder bite about the last 5 performances that wasn't as evident in the first half of the season and that has allowed us to dominate matches. Derby and Wolves were both on good runs when we met them and both Derby and Birmingham have spent considerable time in the top 6 this year (well Brum did, until they changed managers). The next step is to improve our form away from home starting at Cardiff.
I confess I'm not at the matches so hard to tell, basing comments on what I hear and read , particularly around the defence and being wasteful in front of goal. Maybe commenta tors have agendas though so I do realise this isn't necessarily the right perspective, but it does seem like similar problems were there in early season.
Jerome summed up the difference like this: “I thought the team played really well, there were better areas to link up, especially for the front players. With Wes drifting off the line, he’s very difficult to mark, and Steven Naismith as well was a little bit closer to me and I didn’t feel as isolated. I felt like we had a lot of options going forward. Rather than being isolated and being quite predictable, we were back to the fluent football in the beginning part of the season which brought us success.” I've really liked that 'fluidity up front' we've had since the new year. It makes all 4 attacking players much more difficult to mark and Howson coming forward can create overloads as well. We lost that advantage when we went down to 10 men against Rotherham, but in the other games it's allowed us to dominate.
It's a shocker!! And I couldn't agree more with your post, I was surprised he even attempted the volley last week let alone got it on target and scored. His first touch and finishing aren't good enough for me, I much prefer Hoolahan or Pritchard in the #10 position. A lot of people have said that Pritchard hasn't done much since being here, but given a string of games he would show his class, he's a really neat and constructive player. I'd love to see Maddison in there too, I think he is ready for the Championship.
These are exactly the reasons why I don't understand why AN is taking ALL the criticism. Yes he certainly deserves some, and when the team is overrun or completely outplayed then he has to take the flack. Comments about the defence looking shaky or conceding soft goals - the majority are individual errors and a lack of confidence that have resulted in goals. Being wasteful in front of goal - how does AN change that, if players bottle it when they get a chance to shoot. Just my thoughts, I am happy for him to continue in charge, he hasn't become a bad manager over night, the squad is aging but we have some exciting youth to come through. I wasn't expecting or wanting promotion this year anyway, in fact I hoped we wouldn't get promoted this year but make a real push the following year, with a younger team who have gained some valuable experience. Flak jacket time!
No need for flak jacket, IMO, Suffolk. Both sides missed chances and that will always happen to an extent. Players have to make a split second decision in most cases, so it isn't an exact art. We had 16 shots and 8 were on target, so that's not bad. Brum had 13 shots with 3 O/T, though they did hit the top of the bar twice. The defense did have uncertain moments in the first half, but these were less evident later on. There is still much to be done, but I also think it's time to accept that AN will be the manager for the rest of the season and get fully behind what is looking more and more like a play-off push. The test now is to start picking up points away from home.
Good post Suffolk. Although a play-off position is still within reach and we should aspire to getting into places 3-6 as much as possible, should we not then we should give the younger players the opportunity to step up and get lots of first team action - they are the future and we need that future to realise it's potential next season if we are still in the Championship. The Murphys,Godfrey, Maddison, Morris for sure and possibly Grant, Efete and Cantwell should at least be given an opportunity to see what they can do at a higher level.
I agree with Rick, Suffolk and the team does at long last seem to be playing as a TEAM. Yes, both sides missed chances on Saturday and IMO, a more realistic score would have been 5-2. Naismith had become a much more influential player and I'd love to see Pritchard given a chance there occasionally and also JM either given his chance there or brought on for Hoolahan - we will need a change, as Hoolahan can't cope with 3 games in 8 days (I'm JUST hoping AN realises that!!!). I'm also hoping that Naismith is going to put in some shooting/heading practice before our trip to Cardiff, as on another day, he could EASILY have had a hat trick!!! The stats for once don't lie and of our 8 shots on target, at least 3 were easy saves for Kuszczak.
Excellent post OCF and I have also been baying for the youff to be given their chances, at least as subs, but whilst AN makes noises about a 'dynasty', they only appear to get a chance to play in the under 21/23 games. I'd also add Ramsay to your list and of course Thompson when he's fit. I'm quietly confident that we could find ourselves back at Wembley, but whatever happens, we need a MASSIVE clearout of the likes of Whittaker, Turner, Martin, Bassong and McGovern - plus any others you can think of. PS - don't forget for those who can make it, we're playing Villa under 23s a week tonight.
No need for a flak jacket, but I will question some of what you have said. The reason why Neil needs to take a proportion of the blame (not all) is that he sets up the defense and picks the players. the players have consistently failed and been over exposed defensively within the system he dictates. In business if you have repeat failings, you address those failings and set up systems less likely for the failure to occur. Neil has thus far failed to do this. Just as he hasn't become a bad manager overnight, his start whilst he and his methods were unknown to the oposition perhaps gave us all a false perception that he was a good manager. The last year has certainly racked up some evidence to suggest that he isn't that good. I would much rather we played well, got promoted and continued to build. If are younguns are good enough they will find their way to the team, even in the PL. By staying down we risk losing them and the better players we have. Bah!
That is exactly what I fear will happen as well!!! Why not give them a chance against some of the weaker teams and get them on the bench as happened with Godfrey on Saturday.
IMO, AN has done a good job with younger players, sending the Murphys and others out on loan last year to get experience and then bringing them into the team this year. Jacob is now a fixture in the starting-line-up (which of us saw that coming?) and Josh is a regular on the bench. Thompson was just breaking into the team when he injured his pelvis and then his new achilles injury has put him out for the season. Similarly, McGrandles' broken leg slowed his development but Godfrey, still only 19, has forced himself into the reckoning for the cup games and then made his league debut as a sub on Saturday. I think Maddison, also 19, will get sub appearances as well, but he's got a hard job getting past Wes, Pritchard and Naismith. Senior players will tire though as the 46 game season goes on, so most will get their chances as the dynasty goes on developing.
I was really surprised with Jacobs impact. That's been fantastic. I am surprised the amount of minuted Josh has got. I thought he would be a first team regular this season. At the start of the season, I wondered if Jacob got the nod, ahead of the "more advanced" Josh, as a little nudge to Josh to spurr him on. But he's not really had a proper go. So either, that wasn't what he was doing, or he did try that, and Josh didn't kick on.
With AN still in charge we will have to win, win and then win to achieve a position 3 - 6. Teams already occupying these slots are going to have to take a dive in their performances to let us in. Only position 6 looks possible to me. It's a long time ago that we went into this league full of hope and optimism for AN to totally screw up and leave us in 10th even with two recent consecutive home wins.
IMO, 6th is definitely achievable, especially as we have to play Fulham and Barnsley at home and Derby are still involved in the FA Cup.
For me 6th is certainly achievable and 7th isn't beyond us either. Our performances in the last 5 games have shown a new determination and purpose, to produce 10 points and we could have had more if Oliveira had kept his head at Rotherham. The key will lie in improving our away form at Cardiff and then beyond. Hopefully Wildschut and Dijks will give us a lift in achieving that.
Yes, I guess you're right, but this season could be a good time to change that. For me, we really need a win on Saturday to have any real hope in achieving a play-off place, as we MUST turn round our dismal run of away results, though Cardiff have been on a good run of late.
