I would say so, yes. We have 11 points from the games so far. Against the same teams last season (swapping QPR for Norwich and Burnley for Cardiff) we also had 11 points.
I thought that was our style whenever we had a slide in the standings. Dont worry we will win one game and then everyone will be talking about a top 10 finish.
Every team has a rough patch. We're having it now, which is better than having it after Christmas IMO and other teams still to have a bad patch. We'll be ok,
I think it's almost certain that we're spending Christmas in the relegation zone. This isnt poodling or panicking cos I dont care if it happens but at present we really do have the look of a team heading to relegation. Unsettled side, desperately looking for winning formula, too many disgruntled players not playing, throwing away leads...Unfortunately we did the classic thing of a team that is in its 2nd season and we threw away everything that made us a success. Last season the media and the fans went on and on about the positive of our mainly young, British and Irish first XI and we chucked that completely out of the window.
How many league games have we won in 2014? It isn't a rough patch, it's a disastrous run of form that would, if it had been over a season rather than a year, seen us relegated. I'm no Bruce out merchant but questions have to be akked.
I don't think it's poodling to recognise early on that we're likely to be in for a massive struggle. I desperately hope we can snatch anything from the United & Everton games, but the likelihood of course is that we won't. It's football, happens to loads of teams, and though I know that we're capable of more, I refuse to delude myself into thinking that it's a nailed on certainty that we'll stay up, purely on the basis of the cash that was spent. I just hope, if it does turn out to be a permanent slide in form, and we do go down, that Allam (should he still be here) doesn't wield the axe on the man who got us here. I'm not going to make any predictions, other than that I am ready to strap myself in for a long, drawn-out scrap - which hopefully we will emerge from still a top-flight team.
If he does sack him, that run will be what the Allam fanboys will cling to. He'll be another ex-City man not remembered anywhere near as fondly as he should be.
im not too worried , our league position and points total seems very false - we could easily have another 10 points - we have only really been shown up by a poor Villa side . i have everything crossed for Diame though
I have no worries that we will be relegated, we have been losing my small margins, which over the season will average themselves out. However it does pose the question why we concede late on so often, is this lack of fitness to play the full 90 minutes, or the fact that we tend to defensively start dropping deeper towards the end of games, to either protect a lead or see out for a draw?
Last 5 games: Reality vs expectations Arsenal away 2-2, 1 pt - expectation: 0pts Liverpool away 0-0, 1 pt - exp 0pts Southampton home 0-1 0pts - exp 1pt Burnley away 0-1 0pts - exp 3pts Spurs home 1-2 0pts - exp 1pt points won 2 points expected 5 I think we're 3 pts behind, without the red we'd have beaten Spurs and we were playing great. But that's done now
We have less points than we should have, our team is better than our league position suggests but we really need to sort the lack of balance in the squad in January, we can't spend the rest of the season desperately hoping that neither of our strikers get injured. I'd think that Bruce was still completely safe, but you never know with our owner, he is rather prone to rash and unreasonable decisions.
Yes, and that was a much changed team that wouldnt be the same if he had all his options. How often have Meyler and Quinn got on the pitch this season?
It worries me the way he describes conceding late as a 'curse'. That suggests he thinks it's just that - a curse - rather than something we're doing wrong or can actively address.
It would be rather handy if Brucey got a little more gung ho, defensive substitutions have been the biggest cause of dropped points this season.
That worries me as well , we've conceded late goals far too often and it can't simply be put down to bad luck We seem to sit back and go very defensive and invite the pressure , more understandable with 10 men but it happens regularly
