This is not a ' we were wrong to get rid of ML' post, as I actually agree we needed to change. This is just to put my thoughts out there about how we are doing this season Vs last season, as many posts on here are saying ' we are X points behind where we were last season at this stage'. At the start of the season, after looking at our fixtures, and those of other teams, I thought we would finish with mid 40's points as we did last year (46), but that we would be flirting around relegation area end Dec to end Feb, just becuase of the way the fixtures had been handed out. It may surprise a lot of you but we are actually 2 points better off than last season based on who we have played (which is a better way to compare than just picking dates) and that is after considering we have been disadvantaged this season by: *Injuries *Additional Games *Squad dissatisfactiion with training / fitness *Manager lack of drive / interest So, over to you. What are your opinions on whether we are doing worse or better than last year?
Just to add: Based upon stats analysis of upcoming fixtures and points / teams played to date: Cardiff and Norwich will have serious concerns. The third spot is a bit close to call, but likely to be one out of West Ham / Palace / Fulham. All others should be safe based purely upon statistical analysis...but that never means it will actually be this way !!
I agree, but just wanted to respond to others who are quoting statistics such as ' we are 7 points behind compared to last season'. Well I don't agree with that viewpoint at all. Always remember: there are fibs, white lies, outright lies , damn lies , and then statistics !
I think your 46 points is still near where we will be . Took a bit of time for Bony and Shelvey to gel and injuries , oh the injuries . But I think we will see some pretty good results from here , if Laudrup was still here or not . 10 place and 45 points is my guess . For being so close to relegation , I was never worried and still not .
My take on this for the first time in a long time i was watching the football and not really enjoying it (started to feel like the Sousa days). Still travelling to away games and watching us put out poor sides with better on the bench (I know that is down to opinions). watching us playing players out of position when we have a perfectly good player on the bench. Watching us play with absolutely zero passion. It was just time to change. I thank Ml for all he did, the man was pure class in front of the cameras, but his time had come. Maybe the fact that the players new he would not be here next season was the reason their form slipped. maybe he lost his passion for the job as well.
Long ways to go yet before we can stop looking over our shoulder .If the stats work out and we stay up then this season imo will have been the most difficult to date .Expectations were set ridiculously high (by the media in the main ) ,with a new competition, an influx of new players and and the reaction to a new manger could have created a situation where we may have plummeted ,there are clubs are currently below us who have bigger resources who are struggling atm and I don't suppose they planned for that scenario .
We are only now catching up with last years season due to Garry Monk. Forget the stats for a moment, and look at the performances and the negative way we have played most of the season under Laudrup, so static we became under him, so predictable for teams to play against us, that there were reflections of our Sousa era. When you look at our last 2 games, you can see that Laudrup had sucked the life out of us, clearly there were issues with fitness, but I think it went a lot deeper than that, many I talked to after games, were not enjoying the football at the Liberty under Laudrup, and clearly Laudrup was failing to get the best out of our squad. In the final analysis it cannot be ignored that in our first two seasons we were a clear cut above the relegation dross of half a dozen teams at the bottom, but too many times this season under Laudrup we looked part of the furniture at the basement, and that alone regardless of stats could not continue, Laudrup had to go. Getting back to our roots will see us comfortable where we should be in the top 10, we are good enough for that as we have proved in previous seasons!................
2 points better off .... that's a very interesting observation and smart analysis. So despite all of the drags (injuries and additional games) on the manager and squad we have performed as well as last season - let's not quibble about two points - or better if you throw in the Europa League position / possibility. Needless to say the club has played a lot more football and that takes it's toll mentally and physically. The analysis makes the decision to replace Laudrup seem strange at best and worth some scrutiny. Clearly it was not done on the basis of these numbers because it wouldn't be justified IMO.
The only thing being ignored phil is the stamp Laudrup has on this team . By all means throw injuries and playing top teams out the window with your analysis while overlooking Monk facing Cardiff and Stoke with Laudrup's healthy team . I won't defend Laudrup and will except he's gone if no one ****s on him.One of the worst things I hate in general is being ungrateful, and it runs rampant around here by some toward Laudrup .Move on or receive your own criticism
This , of course Laudrup had his faults but to see how dismissive some are of his part in the clubs' progression has to be read to be believed . Hindsight , speculation and other adjectives you care to use are all well and good but the bottom line is we're where we are now with a new manger who has yet to put his stamp on the team ,this will come with the forthcoming run of games and if he's here next season with new signings, then hopefully all the recent shenanigans will be consigned to the history books
I've already said my farewells to laudrup and thanked him for his contribution, but unlike some on here I've moved on and support Garry Monk, who is now the Swansea Manager. All this crying over laudrup is so so sad.................
Yes phil , youve moved on to kicking Laudrup since he's gone, not really surprized frankly . Off to earn , check inlater
