Well we are playing well, and I as an educated person appreciate what is coming out of Malkie`s mouth...a balanced appraisal in my opinion. It will be interesting to see how he copes in a crisis, but we had that a month or so ago with all those injuries, and we got stronger, so............... Millwall, maybe a win or at least a draw, and Middlesborough at home......0-3 last time but we were all a bit sozzled, maybe a draw. What`ya think folks?
I'm with SB, I'd be happy enough with 4 but no reason we can't get all 6. Don't know what the injury situation is like after today but it seems whoever is called on, knows their job and gets on with it.
If we want to be in the leading pack we should take 3 points from Millwall, our home games are going to get harder with teams parking a bus in front of goal. Borough have the 2nd best away record so far this season and are masters at the counter attack but in our last 9 games in all competitions we have only left in 3 goals, so I think we can get 6points from these two games. Onwards & upwards
Millwall is a crunch game, if we can get 3 points up there and then go on to beat Boro then i can see us being in second spot for Christmas, what a prezzie that would be.
If we want to challenge the auto's we should be looking at 6pts, 4 should consolidate the playoff place. I'd love to get some pressure on the Saints and see if they crack at all.
Stevo - Do you really think that those 2 potential dropped points now will make that much difference come May? I'd be happy to take the 4 points and stay behind Soton and WHU for the moment - third spot isn't a bad place to be right now and we'd still challenge for the autos from there no problem at all. If we took the whole 6 and those two above us wobbled a bit, I'd sure take that as well, but there's a awful long way to go before we should start identifying "defining games" or points won or lost. You could just as easily say that capitulation at Peterborough back in October will cost us an auto spot. Millwall away will be the more difficult to take all three points, they're a tough squad to turnover under Jackett. I thought they were one of the best three sides to visit the CCS last season along with Norwich and Watford (Swansea weren't bad either ). Let's face it, after that last season 0-3 drubbing, we owe Boro a good hiding and I think they'll get one.
Yep prefer to give Boro a good spanking as pay back for last season. I really think all 6 points are achievable.
We should have won in Millwall last year but Bywater cocked up, even though we lost 3-0 to borough we still created enough chances to win the game. I'd take 4 points though
Lets just keep rolling on...4 points will do me...I think Soton will have a pretty big slump at some point!
I think we can take all 6 points too. We have taken 16 from a possible 18 out of the last bunch of games. to get auto promotion the reckon a team needs 20 points from every 10 games. We didn't manage it in the first 10 but we made up a lot of ground in the second 10 so now we are only 3 points adrift of that target. If we can claw back another 1 or even all 3 in the next ten we will be bang on target, and looking at the games we have, its possible. We have no need to fear anyone in this league we have already beaten W Ham and southampton, our only worry will be injuries, but if MM strengthens in the window we should be OK. Also if we can maintain our position until New Year it will encourage the players Malky is looking at to come and play for us, seeing the ambition and the results. And Malky will only get the players he knows have the same work ethic as he instils in the players already here. I think the future is bright, the futures is blue! KTF.
Not that it's defining, just that a home game and a bottom half team away from home should equal 6 points for an auto team. There be loads of twists and turns and obviously we could lose both and still go up in the top 2. There's a lot of football to be played. I didn't explain myself properly tbh, at the moment I feel like we need to take advantage of this great run of form and really pile the pressure of the top 2. It's a lot more relaxed when you've got a 5 point + lead to play with. They'll be sat waiting for our run to end, I'm sure our current form has them seriously looking over their shoulders. 2 more good results and we might even go above West Ham, it would be interesting to see how our lot deal with being in the box seat and how WH or the Saints cope with chasing. But I certainly wouldn't see 4pts as a disaster
Agree with you Stevo - wasn't having a go at you personally at all mate, just saying that we generally (me included) have a tendancy to identify season defining games rather than looking at the bigger picture of how we've progressed. I'm with you and most others on here that the current resolve from Malky and the boys will see us through. Getting 6 points from these next two is more than just possible. TBH, I'd probably be disappointed if we get less, but I still think 4 points will be more than OK for right now.
Another 13 points should see us avoid the drop. I'm hoping we can acheive that by Easter as it will take some pressure off.............. .......actually, we should be almost there by a much earlier festive period.
Middlesborough could not have believed their luck in that ill fated game last season.....we were a disgrace. A draw at Millwall or a narrow win for me, and a win at home, or a narrow draw with `Boro!
Yep, I thought that was good as well H. Let's hope Mowbray will utter that immortal Tony Pulis quote (after they got stuffed 7-0 by Chelsea?) "We were lucky to get nil"...........
Didn't take it as 'a go' at all. I just didn't explain my original post properly. I'm personally over the moon with the progress, I remember typing not too long ago that we'd be mid table this season and it turns out we're actually brilliant.........
I said in the early days we would get better as the season went on (no great insight there, I think most people realised that). Do you guys think this is it? Can we get better still?
The flashes of some of the football we've played at times this season tells me we can get better still. There are some young players in our squad that should only improve too. The addition of some Pace in January would give us an extra dimension as teams get tired.
