He is absolutely right; its how we perform against the teams around us and near the bottom of the league that will define were we finish. So yesterday we came up against a team also under performing, and with the worst away record in the league. Afterwards all Brucey would talk up is that we've stopped the rot and created a couple of good chances and that he was happy to take a point and move on! Surely yesterday if ever there was the right opportunity, was the game to be more offensive, 3 points was there for the taking against another team lacking confidence. Yet I can't help reflecting and thinking that we never looked capable of going for the three points; the target seemed more not to lose the one we started with. Big let down. Two points dropped, not one gained in my personal view. Brucey, you contradicted yourself yesterday! I'm sure better performances are ahead, but then again that won't be too difficult based on yesterday.
In the context of the game, it was a point gained, given that McGregor saved a penalty and a few decent shots. However, in the context of our season, it's certainly 2 points dropped. I would still expect at least another 7 points from December.
Last season we got 6 points against Sunderland and 4 against Swansea. No need to be sorry, if we don't get the points its because we're not good enough.
I don't mean to be pessimistic, and i'm usually not. I base my own prediction of one point from the rest of December,on our current dismal form.
Our last 8 matches have been against Arsenal, Liverpool, Southampton, Burnley, Spurs, Manchester United, Everton and West Brom. We've got 4 points. I didn't expect anything more because we hardly ever win against Burnley. I'd say we've had some good results against established Premier League teams and we were close to getting something in two others. A bit more composure and the right pass and we could have got all three points yesterday. Our season isn't going to be defined by the last 8 games unless we let them get to us.
West Brom lost their last four games, they have the worst away record in the league and we set up defensively against them. Whichever way you spin it, it was a terrible decision and it cost us two points, if it keeps happening the fans will start to lose patience with Bruce, however good he's been for us overall.
It's not even the results that are the most annoying, the fact is we're doing **** whilst playing **** in dire defensive strategies and there's hardly been a moment of excitement in 2014 as a whole. If we actully gave it a go yesterday but just couldn't get it in the net it wouldn't be so bad but seeing us set up to defend a clean sheet at home against the worst away team in the league when we're desperate for a result and more so a performance to galvanise the players is just so frustrating. Bruce has spent tens of millions on players he's not using effectively, we're spending more for tickets to reflect that investment, and the football on the pitch doesn't justify either. It also wouldn't be so bad if the fat old t**t didn't wave the white flag on our European dream. If we were competing on two fronts it'd be understandable, but he surrendered Europe to focus on the league, and we're playing utterly ****ing ****e and horrible ugly negative football that's not even getting results! Bruce out.
I seem to remember a Sunderland fan on here a while ago saying something like "bruce will sign a load of players then struggle to get them playing". It is worrying that he's signed these players and we haven't improved and we need to go back to the old guard.
Please not the old guard, surely the signs against Tottenham were good, a bit of flair, attacking intent, and pace in the side. My concern is we are trying to hard to be difficult to beat, and the chances to attack go because we cannot put the opposition on the back foot quick enough. I watch the other sides Burnley, QPR, Palace and even Leicester they seem to have a go throughout the game, we only have a go when we are 1 down, come on brucie trust your attack a bit more we have decent defenders.
How about we could be good enough if the right players were played in the right positions in the right formations? Both Sunderland and Swansea finished above us last season and it is a real folly to compare results, as I recall it was a December loss against Sunderland that triggered our last relegation season. I do not like being beaten at any sport, but I can accept it; what I do not accept is a very well paid football manager giving me bullshit excuses and patronising explanations.
What worries me, and it's not necessarily to do with Bruce - is that we couldn't play attacking football against a team - and a manager who's fans were shouting "You don't know what you're doing" halfway through the second half. As much time as I have for the bloke, and as much respect he commands at the club - maybe he is starting to run out of ideas. Meyler at RM... leaves a lot to be desired. Looking forward to seeing Diame back on the 20th!
It's not last season fella. You've got three games after Chelsea that can go either way. There's nothing certain in this league. What's happened in the past means nothing what so ever.
Never said it was the same as last season. As you said the games could go either way, which means its possible we could end up with another seven points by the end of December.
