From the table there are three stand out teams, the top three. We are streets ahead of the others for the season but, I think only one of them would come through the play offs. We need to get this done.
It pains me to say it , but even before Kalvin's injury (and he definitely improves our shape and strengthens our spine) our midfield have looked like they were more interested in supporting attacks than doing the hard stuff in the middle in a few games - not for the first time last night all the 50/50s and second balls were going to the opposition because their midfield players were more up for it. We look great going forward, we look great defending, but we zone out a bit in the middle when it gets scrappy or feisty and we allow ourselves to be put under pressure. And we're not very imposing physically - Pablo, Alioski, Costa, Poveda, Shackleton and Harrison are all quite small guys, so likely to get out-jumped in aerial duels. In short (see what I did there?) we need to bypass the central battlefield as much as possible through slick passing and creativity - when teams press us high or we have an off day passing-wise it looks like a shambles.
What would you give for the BMW Brentford have? I don't know how much they cost but I think we're looking at over 30m for our HBC. I reckon we'd have got change.
Watkins 1.7m, Mbuemo 6.5. so they basically got the best strike force in the Championship for less than we paid for Costa.
So we need one more point and then not only are we promoted but we're champions. And I want that! I've always thought it strange that the champions get a trophy, the winners of the play offs get a trophy but the team that comes second are sort of forgotten. Yes I know promotion is the main thing but the fans always enjoy a trophy ceremony. Of course none of that matters this year thanks to the pox.
Pablos passing when he came on was not good he had to be sacrificed to shore things up. Thought strew. Och did well and hes a tall ladbielsa can analyse our last game all he wants but we dont play till sunday. He should not set us up on the video of last game. We need to know what is required but i doubt he will budge. Really thought he had learned from last season until i saw the shambles of the defense he set up. Cooper was playing left back and white was absent till he changed it round.
I think Bielsa was caught on the hop because Barnsley altered their set up completely for that game and he had to adapt to combat it. Basically, we got away with one last night - we were under the cosh the whole match but the defence, with Struijc sent on to shore it up, managed to hold out. We'll take it, but we need to be learning lessons on how to cope better in the middle without Kalvin.
What do you think about this Liverpool lad Larouci - I know we'll be linked with all & sundry but he seems highly regarded by club & fans, and idea if there's any substance to the rumour? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53431903
For the remaining games there are 729 possible combinations of results. 728 result in us being promoted. MOT
