It's still far too early to be writing off our chances of a top 6 finish but the real test now is Saturday against Huddersfield. It is a cliche but it is now a must win game. We just can't afford to drop more points and lose sight of the top 6. A big test for Mick and the boys that's for sure.
Probably never but I thought we won our season defining game so I thought our season had already been defined in your eyes....
Can I just say the word perspective again? First game we've lost since the Norwich match after which nearly everyone said Mick wasn't the man to take us forwards, since then everyone has been saying we've had a chance at the top 2, now we've drawn 2 and lost 1 and season over already, do me a favour!!!!
Very true. I know we all do it but it's pointless making judgements on the season at this stage. Teams start badly and improve, others start well (Norwich) and then struggle. It's why the Championship is so exciting. You can never write anyone off even at Christmas. Shame about the result tonight... At 2-1 we seemed to struggle. Just wish we had picked up those lost 4 points from the other two games to make up for it.
Football, especially in this exciting league, is all about seeing games out....grinding results out even tho not playing well.....momentum, confidence, a great team spirit and effective manager who has the players trust & respect. We had all that 2 weeks ago, were playing well... and blew it! We need to bounce back quickly..I am sure we will, and win the next two. Just puzzled by our 2nd half performance last night. Played well and put them off their stride in the 1st half. What was that about?
We are never going to win every game much like every other team, there will be ups and downs throughout the season and if two draws and a loss is the worst down I think we will be in the top two come May. If we are getting into positions to break into the top two how can we moan that is major progress surely.
Well, let's say we've had a 'good start'. In that case - based on our average so far we are heading for 70 points likely to be just outside the play off zone. So, to get into the play off zone we need to improve on what we've done already. If we are heading for the top two and finish on, say, 90 points, there would need to be a dramatic improvement. I think it's fair to say for this season to be an improvement on last we need to actually be competing in the play offs. So, my opinion is that we are better than we were under Keane or Jewell but that doesn't really say a lot does it? The ship is steadied but can McCarthy really take us forward? I have my doubts.
In a strange way it could be a good thing to lose last night, perhaps it will refocus a few players and we can go on a decent run again, I got the feeling that they had got a bit slack and the concentration wasn't what it should be.
Crikey I do love over reaction if we win, and the same if we lose it's absolutely hilarious. From my perspective, I was 100% we'd be top 10 before the season started and I'm still quite sure we'll be play offs. Last night was such a waste. First 30 minutes we played decent stuff, certainly a very good away performance. Limited Cardiff to very little, had most of the ball without creating anything but certainly in the ascendancy. Our goal was out of nowhere. I just wanted us to get in half time 1-0 up........ we didn't. Williams ( our best player by a country mile last night ) lost the battle to Whittingham. To be fair no one else got into him either, hey ho........... 1-1 half time, we were certainly a little hard done by. We'd created sod all but neither had they. Cardiff had laboured and it was generally as comfortable as you'd get away at Cardiff. Second half - keep it tight first 10 minutes? NO. Mings I have no idea what you were doing, clear the ball. Mings was absolutely pathetic throughout, taking 20 minutes to distribute the ball, ambling back at times and didn't impress me one jot. I've seen him live 5/6 times now and bar one good 45 at Derby he has been absolutely gash in my eyes. Perhaps I've just seen his bad performances. After that goal, we offered very little. We did come into the game to a degree before the 3rd Cardiff goal, which again looked a very poor goal to give away. Last 25, and with a 2 goals lead Cardiff did show class. Confidence was clearly low, and the game was played in poor conditions for large spell which perhaps made a freeflowing passing game difficult. McGoldrick and Murphy offered very little for us in 90 minutes. Sammon was woeful, however he likes the ball to feet so we need to play to his strengths or it's tough for him! No idea why Banj came on, likewise as soon as Williams went off that was it. He was class ! Skuse had a decent game too. How on earth there were four goals in a game of very few shots god only knows either! However, we were far worse at Reading. Way worse. There were good signs for around 45 minutes of the game. We're certainly keeping the ball better, less direct and mixing it up. The tempo is too slow, and we're way too slow off the ball. We require runners to provide options! Very very static. That said, it's only 3 points dropped ( the way some people talk you would think a defeat amounts to -8 points and a win equates to 7 points......... ) and we have plenty more points to play for. We usually bounce back under Mick, and I think we'll beat Huddersfield Saturday. COYB.
Ahh, those seagulls know what they're doing.... Agree with Westlake about the game - first half it was 6 of the one and half a dozen of the other. We seemed to stand off a bit for the first 30 minutes and you got into some sort of rhythm that could have done us, but............ .........after Whitt's goal, and especially after the break, you were not in it in reality. When our second goal went in it was all over - the third was just icing on the cake. Good luck under McCarthy - I still think he can haul ass and get you to the playoffs - last night was just one game.
The way I see it is we are 4 points better off than this time last year(missed the play offs by 4points) and 13 points better off than the season before(missed the play offs by 8 points) so all in all I'm happy with the progress, I'd love to win every game but that doesn't happen in the real world. Is McCarthy the right man to take us forward........yes he bloody well is of that I have no doubt...
I disagree slightly with you - at 2-1 sure you were ahead, however you certainly didn't take the game to us. We had started to ( marginally ) get on top, the next goal was always going to be key and you got it. I really need to see the highlights, your 2nd and 3rd goals both looked ridiculously avoidable! I think we've both got a decent shot at top 6
