Good defending or poor opposition finishing? I think some of the games we’ve taken a point in, we’ve actually been very lucky to come away with a point.
I really think it's the opposite. We've gone behind in every game but the Millwall one which has made it much harder to score because the opposition then has something to hang onto.
To be fair, the standard of finishing in the mid to low ranks of the championship does allow you to take a level of risk, but were getting done the same way time and time again. I come back to the last 3 goals from our own set piece with a 2 week training ground break in between. There's calculated risk and then there's suicidal risk.
The clear out was necessary I agree. More the poor management reflects on leaving it all too late. I get it didn’t probably pan out but they should’ve given Tim more tools to start the season and pick up a win. A small confidence boost against Bristol, Plymouth or Millwall would probably have snowballed into something more. Funny thing about Rosenior was early doors he did adapt with the squad he had. He then slowly introduced his style but he probably got too wedded to it by the end. I’ll never forget the WBA game at home where we were being played off the park. Slater goes down and we make some adjustments to win 2-0. He had it in his locker. I like Tim. Even if I didn’t I’d still want him to succeed in the same way I still wanted Shota to even when the Swansea game happened. He just needs to be a bit more canny until results give him a safety blanket. Leeds away at 0-0 and you take Slater off to go for the win is a great example. Tighten up and try ****house a win.
I understand the point you’re trying to make, but it’s a little misleading as you make it look like those were our first five games last season. Instead, we’d beaten Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn Rovers, drawn with Bristol City, and beat Leicester in our first five. We had 10 points and much greater momentum and belief in the team.
It really hasn't. Oppositions have failed to capitalise on chances. Just on Friday night Moore got played through with an easy ball through the middle of the ground when he was last man in his own half and I have no idea how they didn't score.
The issue is that the blueprint to beating us is clear and straightforward. You sit back, surrender possession knowing we won't do much with it and then wait for the mistakes/opportunities to counter attack. As Sheff Utd showed, you don't even need to be particularly quick on the counter attack to hurt us. Stoke will be prepping to do exactly the same
A hammering it was not. Millwall were well on top for the first 20 minutes, after that they huffed and puffed and never looked like scoring - just for balance, we could still be playing them now and still not scoring.
Yes it was mainly the first 20 although they definitely had another strong spell later in the game, which is where the impression of "all game" comes from, but you're right the game became quite bleak for both sides for the rest.
Do you know what a fluke is? Do you genuinely believe Coyles goal was the result of Walter's style? Ffs man. It's admirable you're so staunch in defending him but come on.
We aren’t talking about goals though, you were talking about situations where teams SHOULDVE scored but didn’t. If anything Coyle’s goal was a product of the system he played forward into the wide areas and then drove into the vacated space. The finish is somewhat of one but the way he got to it is down to how the system works
