I said the same thing at the final whistle after the Villa 'game'. And if we can't even scrape a point against that wretched outfit (with key players missing for them, don't forget), then I'm guessing sixth placed Wet Sham is surely a bridge too far to expect anything from?
I want to see this against West Ham: Ruddy Pinto Bennett Klose Brady O'Neil Howson Redmond Naismith Hoolahan Bamford Stick with that back four and 'keeper for the next few weeks, regardless of what happens. We need to rebuild familiarity and stability at the back. Keep the ball on the deck and actually try to play football like we were doing at the start of the season. Pragmatism and direct football isn't serving us well at all at the moment. In Redmond, Naismith, Hoolahan, Howson, Brady and Bamford we have a glut of intelligent ball-players throughout the lineup. Keep possession. Keep the opposition honest. We're at home this weekend. Play how AN used to have us play!
Mbokani merely encourages us to look for him as a target man. Too direct. It really isn't working, Bamford's movement fits that lineup a whole lot better. I'm starting to think even Jerome offers better movement than Mbokani - just a shame he's so inconsistent at finishing. To play possession, we really need Wes on the pitch, yes. I'd rather drop Redmond than Wes. EDIT: you know what, I'd even put Mulumbu in for O'Neil.
I'd go with Ruddy Wisdom Bennett Klose Olsson Pinto O'neil Howson Brady Naismith Jerome I think if you are the oposition manager at the moment you would say easy 3 points, they leave themselves hopelessly exposed out wide. That is why i would go for WIsdom and olsson with Bardy and Pinto infront. At least both Brady and Pinto as players who have played FB should afford a little cover for Wisdom (Who I think has been decent if unspectacular when called on) and Olsson (Who I still really worry about but we need Brady further forward) Jerome goes in because he works harder than Mbok in closing down the Oppo. I just think with this team we might have a chance going forward and a sniff of a chance at keeping them out. Ruddy I'm far from convinced about though, but in choosing between our 2 keepers at the moment I think AN is damned one way or other! Bah!
Here's my choice: Ruddy Wisdom Bennett Klose Olsson Jarvis Howson O Neil Brady Naismith Bamford I'd like to see Bamford up top as I think Dave could do with a rest and him and Cam on as second half subs might just work if we are trailing (which is more than likely).
Can you stop doing this JK - it's far too depressing, every bit as depressing as the last few months of CH's reign, with results that are all too similar or at times worse
I hope Thai is joking! Keep up the excellent work IMO JK - although it makes for depressing reading, at the moment I find it quite comforting because I see this as more of an 04/05 comparison than a 13/14. We're doing better than that, and even in 04/05 we nearly stayed up until the penultimate disaster...
I think we have a half-decent chance of getting to 37 points. No idea whether that'll be enough though.
I would be stunned if 37 points doesn't keep you up, unless your GD is terrible At the moment I feel we would do well to get to 36 points (3 wins, 3 draws), which is very much borderline and we could do without Sunderland getting wins like against Man U... The really annoying thing I found this weekend was Everton losing - that pretty much rules West Brom safe. And just another couple of wins any time soon for Swans/Bournemouth would do the same for them I think.
Wins? = Toon (H), Sunderland (H), Watford (H) = 9 points Draws? = 4 from the remaining 9 games = 4 points Total points? = 13 points (+ 24) = 37 Doable I reckon.
Definitely - although I prefer not to target specific games (because you win some or draw some you don't expect to, which makes it look like we're doing better than we are, then the opposite happens...) If we can get a point against Leicester, for example, we'd be looking all of a sudden quite healthy (although if Sunderland or Newcastle win it won't feel like it). I do think our run in is marginally easier than our competitors and we are massively boosted by being yet to play both Newcastle and Sunderland at home, but a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush so we HAVE to win those and find points anywhere else we can
I agree about not targeting specific games. I'm more of a fan of setting monthly targets which can build momentum over the course of a season. I just wanted to demonstrate that we still have some very winnable games, and a bunch of games in which I think we're still capable of scrapping for a point.
I really value your tables as well, JK. Looking forward, I hope we still have a surprise result against one of the big teams in store to kick off a good run during April, but the Toon and Mackem matches are the key ones.
