Just think, if we'd managed to nick winners in only the Rotherham and Brighton games out of that lot we'd be just two points off the top. I know that means nothing and is easy to say, but it seems crazy that we weren't able to win those two games - let alone Charlton, Leeds and Reading. Lots of football to be played yet, plenty of points to be dropped and it wouldn't require a catastrophic collapse by the teams above us, we'd just need to win two more games than they do as well as beat them at home. Very doable if you ask me
You clearly haven't been reading properly over the last few months ,we were told in no uncertain terms that it was the Reading defeat that killed our season.
So you don't think the two defeats to Reading, a team who have shown no form whatsoever, either before or after those games, have screwed us over? Two of the most pathetic performances for years. You could easily say any bad result from the season has screwed us over but for a team as bad as Reading to do the double over us, I think, will be looked back on at the end of the season as a massive, massive reason why we don't gain automatic promotion. Those 6 points should have been in the bag. They'd be 1 point above the bottom three without them.
I personally beleive the loss to Forest when we had them beaten was worse and the loss to Charlton was also catastrophic. When the points are added up at the end of the season we can pick through the bones if needed but at this stage no win or loss can be pin pointed as the game that killed or made our season. Comparitavely the loss to Brentford at home was a huge game that could slap us in the face if they finish above us. The only game we can hold our hands up and say we were handed our arses was Middlesboro IMHO. We are in a position where we can put pressure on them Derby and Blackpool under a manager that we all respect , even Grabban Bassong and Whittacker are proving to us that he can get these three bums that some had written off playing out of their collective skins and winning games..
Forest away, yes - totally threw the game away. Totally needless. Charlton at home was just downright unlucky. You're right though, the new guy has got a few players performing much better than they had at any point his season. Having Bassong back makes a big difference - the guy is a class above in this division. He's tightened us up defensively (though we still have our moments) and he's protecting the back four much better. Players just seem to know their roles now which it was quite clear they didn't before. Hell, even Grabban is playing well. I said the other day I think we look a better side without Jerome because we can't play long balls. Hooper is the key though - his touch, his vision and his finishing has not been in doubt but his fitness and form has. He's started to play very well now though and for me, keeping him fit and firing is essential if we are to be promoted, regardless of the route.
We are in total agreement Supers, your annoying insistence that under Adams we looked unbalanced even when winning was in hinesight spot on. A few players mentioned ,I think Hooper said it "he tells us exactly what our roles are and what to do" maybe football is that simple , simply letting 11 talented players express themselves is not good enough they need to be told exactly what is expected of them or be dropped. Bassong would never swallow his pride and play for Adams but he is head and shoulders above this league and EXACTLY what we were missing. Grabban has also taken his opportunity and grasped it with both hands. 5 wins and a draw from Alex's first 7 games has shut all us doubters up for certain.
It's not even as though Alex Neil is just a brilliant boss. We don't really know yet, its still early days. But I think the signs all point in the right direction and I think he's certainly very promising, talks superbly (as good as any manager in the country) and he's got his team playing some good football in the process. All he's started with though is doing the basics right, something Adams never even bothered with, and by doing so its allowed good footballers to play with more freedom and they look like they are enjoying working hard again. And just look at the difference its made!! Players need direction, they need guidance. They're getting it now. But is it too late? Time will tell but I can't envisage a scenario where we don't at least reach the play offs now, so that's a good start because I couldn't see it happening under the old regime.
No, we don't really know yet, Supers, but as you say there are some encouraging signs. It has to be said, though, that there are also some concerns as he settles in, such as almost blowing both the Cardiff and the Charlton games through some basic mistakes, and the Brentford game could well have been a rout as the players hardly knew what they were doing from start to finish. I'm hoping that those were transition problems though, as the Birmingham game showed a much more solid defensive approach and the Wolves game was professional and thorough both in attack and defence so hopeful signs are certainly there. I do find it irritating though when you say things like Neil "is doing the basics right, something Adams never even bothered with", which is basically just your rather biased opinion at the end of the day. Neil took over a team that had taken 10 points from the previous 5 games, scoring 15 goals and conceding 5, so they were getting some of the basics right. More importantly though, Neil does seem to be getting things right now and the man management he has shown with both Bassong and Grabban is very encouraging, so why don't we just go forward with that now. The next three games will be testing in the extreme, but I firmly hope he passes that test and convinces us further.
Brilliant!! I take it he couldn't get through this week!!! (kept his 'head below the parapet' more likely )
No JR. he got through again. No mention about the game of course. Just talked about how he once enjoyed a wonderful chat in the pub with Greg Downs over halves of lager in 1982. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02hp0w5
Sorry Rick but anyone who has watched us this season will now see the difference between a manager who does the basics right and one who doesn't. It's not a surprise to hear the players come out and say they know exactly what they are supposed to be doing because now they do know!! It was hideously obvious to me, it was hideously obvious to everyone near me in the Barclay too. It seems McNally saw it as well. Your constant backing of Adams is admirable but also completely misplaced. We now have a manager who is starting to do what Adams couldn't.
I like the fact that Tettey is starting to be picked as opposed to Hoolahan, as he offers more especially in defence. Also. Grabban seems to be thriving, as apart from the goal he scored on Saturday, he had 2 shots which brought good saves from Kuszczak.
It's not a question of backing Adams, Supers, but about seeing the whole picture without sweeping generalisations that paint a black and white that is far too simplistic. Not everything Adams did was bad and not everything Neil has done is good. He has come in with a positive presence which I like, but it hasn't all been a bed of roses. The falling away in the second half against Cardiff and again at Charlton, with the complete disorganised shambles against Brentford in between showed more than the basics that weren't right, but to his credit Neil has addressed that. I'm not pro-Adams and anti-Neil by any means, and I think he's getting there judging by the excellent Blackpool and Wolves games but we still have yet to see what he will be able to achieve, although I hope that is a lot and we continue to push on from here.
Why did the heck did they let him on again - what a complete waste of time?????? I had been listening on Saturday evening, but switched off before he came on.
