1. Is that everything sorted out then? Two draws against two of the leading lights of the division was impressive and encouraging, but it was the QPR and Burton games we were really looking at for a decisive result. And this was a decisive result, decisively arrived at. 2. As we mused on Wednesday, QPR are close to ideal opponents for anyone at this stage of the season. Lower-midtable with nothing to play for, a collection of players scarcely better than our own, an uninspiring manager and the sort of ethos that suggests they’ll gladly roll over for northern opposition on a day such as Saturday. And so it proved. 3. What was richly satisfying was the way City continued to press after taking the lead, scoring quickly after the gaining the opener and making the game safe in the second half rather than giving the visitors the opportunity to create an anxious finale. To have the points won with half an hour left was a credit to the side and manager. 4. There were a lot of strong performances, and Abel Hernández’s was perhaps the best. This could be one of his last appearances at the Circle, and it was clear he was a class above most on the pitch. There was plenty of good fortune in City’s second goal, but his pass (for Wilson’s deft finish) and his predatory concluding of a smart move for the fourth made us wonder just what might have been had he been fit all season. One player doesn’t make a team, but a good striker can certainly make a difference. 5. Harry Wilson looks like a player with a fine career ahead of him. It’s something of a surprise that he’s played so few first team games at his current age of 21, just 15 to date. However, some players reach maturity after others, and even if he’s starting a little late it’s clear he’s got plenty of talent. His touch is as exactly as assured as you’d expect from someone who’s spent a long time at an élite club’s academy, but he has a refreshing willingness to play simple balls when the situation demands, he can find (and use) space and we’ve seen that he can take a chance. We have no chance of signing him permanently for next season, but if we can persuade both player and parent club that another spell in a Championship club’s first team is in his best interests, he’d be very welcome. 6. So, Burton next. Depending on how you count these things it’s probably a tick ground, and the rare treat of a proper terrace too. A big game for both too. City are already as long as 200/1 to be relegated, though the mathematics aren’t certain yet and it’s likely we’ll need a point or two more than we currently have. For Burton, their chance to scramble to safety probably went when they failed to hang on at Birmingham on Saturday. Failure to beat City – a winnable game for them, remember – will effectively seal the deal. 7. The hope must be that City don’t relax, because the last time complacency set in we lost pitifully at Birmingham. A repeat would be unwelcome, because even if it may ultimately not have too much effect, this has been an awful season and we deserve at least a spirited end to it. And there’s nothing better than celebrating a City goal on a proper terrace, is there? 8. Nigel Adkins. Let’s assume City are going to be okay. He’s done well hasn’t he? He’s got a lot to do to convince City fans that he’s worthy of a long spell at the club, but his immediate remit was to ensure we line up in the 2018/19 Championship, and we’re about 95% of the way towards that. He deserves credit for that. Hell, we’ve even started to play a bit following the unwatchable dross that pockmarked his early weeks. 9. And hey, exactly 11 years ago Phil Brown was patchily guiding City to Championship survival while not really expected to achieve anything else. We can’t see it, but Adkins keeping City up and then doing well with us next season certainly wouldn’t be the most ridiculous thing we’ve ever seen. 10. That stupid sham vote continues, with the club resorting to offering prizes for voting. We aren’t falling for it. Boycott the poll; and City, it’s April for crying out loud, get season tickets with proper concessions on sale, right now. 10a. Lastly, a very happy No To Hull Tigers Day to everyone. http://www.ambernectar.org/blog/2018/04/things-we-think-we-think-299/
10a: Happy "No To Hull Tigers" Day http://www.ambernectar.org/blog/2018/04/happy-no-to-hull-tigers-day-3/
I think the wolves and qpr game were massive for adkins The lineup at wolves left most of us baffled and expecting a defeat, saving our 'best/better', players for the qpr and onwards felt bizzare But what a decision and that's why he's the manager It's a shame that the whole nucleus of this team will be ripped apart in the summer, it has the makings of a very good championship team Oh to have decent owners
We should have had a penalty against Aston Villa, that would have been a win. The commentator said they hadn't had a penalty given against them all season.
The league table says otherwise. Given that we are a handful of games away from a full season, I'm interested in what possible criterion could suggest our squad is better than theirs which is more objective than league table position?
Experience, level reached in the game, international recognition etc DQPR's squad reeked of dirty journeymen M25 cloggers egged on by rabid carrot cruncher.
Right, got ya. So quality of squad is essentially Top Trumps, with each player rated like this: Kamil Grosiki. Experience 74 Level Reached 40 International recognition 92 Dirty Journeyman 100 M25 clogger 0 Rabid Carrot cruncher 98 I can see now why we are probably the best team in the Championship, if not the world.
You seem to be confusing squad quality with league position, at the expense of all other critical factors such as internal disarray, crazy recruitments, lack of coherent playing strategy caused by the previous stated reasons.
I'm easily confused. Currently I'm struggling to differentiate between the objectivity of points gained over a 46 game season with the subjectivity of one bloke's opinion.
I think there's enough examples to show that a squad of players can underperform or overperform compared to their combined level of talent. It's not hard to conclude that our squad has more talent than QPR's, but clearly they have performed better over the season. Perhaps if Adkins had been in charge from the start and we'd had less injuries, we might have been higher up the table with the same squad of players.
With Hernandez and Wilson I think our squad is much better than QPR , they haven't played many games for us though
