The next 4 games will see us hit the half way stage H v Stoke A v WBA H v Man U H v Fulham We're still ahead of the point per game marker, but looking at the above we have never had a better chance of boosting this number We don't want to get carried away, but would you take 6 points now from the above 4 games that fall in quick succession? That would give us 24 points by that half way stage and then just 4 wins and 4 draws from 19 for the second half of the season
We are running out of 'easy' home games having played most of the lower teams in the first half of the season. Therefore we need to take something from the Stoke and Fulham games as we might find points start to dry up at home in the new year.
By the same token we have played a lot of the more difficult (on paper at least) away games so we will hopefully begin to pick up more points on the road and if we play as well as we did last night I am sure we will. I would be happy with 6 points over the next 4 games - but which games will produce them is anyone's guess as the league is so unpredictable at the moment.
The other side of the coin is that the away games are a bit less daunting in the second half of the season. Last night was our first game away to a team not in the top eight or so and City did look reasonably comfortable - on balance they're doing OK at present. Sorry for repeating tigerrev's view but he just beat me to it!
I think there's 10 or 12 points there, but I'd take 6 or 7. Vital that we take points off the Stokey oat cakes and Fulham.
I'd be more than happy with 6 points. I'm trying not to look too far ahead, one game at a time and all that. A draw on Saturday wouldn't be the end of the world I reckon.
It would be disastrous Carmine. Can't let those grubby bastards take anything from us, it's principle. We're not a charity for delinquents.
One of our problems is the way we set up our side, which is to stifle and frustrate our opponents and hit back on the counter attack which seems to work in away matches as the onus is on the home team but when at home and the onus is on us we sometimes seem devoid of ideas of how to break a team down. I also think Stoke will play a more direct and physical game which could nullify our tactics, with this in mind maybe we should play Faye in place of Chester? I would be happy with 6-8points from the games.
Before last night all our away games had been against teams in the top 8 (the only top 8 team we haven't played away is Liverpool). we had genuine chances to get more points than we did. How would you rank the opposition in those games? My take is: 1. Arsenal 2. Southampton 3. Chelsea 4. Man City 5. Swansea 6. Everton 7. Newcastle 8. Tottenham
Arsenal Chelsea Southampton Everton Man City Newcastle Tottenham I didn't see the game last night so can't really comment but Swansea sounded dire by all accounts. I think we were lucky to escape goodison without a hit on our goal difference despite the week long examination to rule their first offside. They didn't half miss some bloody sitters.
Talksport's predicted table after 20 games... please log in to view this image I thought they'd put us lower.
I'd have to disagree. Barry should've walked with around 40 minutes to go and their goal was offside. I'd say we were bitterly unlucky to lose and with a decent ref we could've won, or most likely drawn the game.
7 points Beat Stoke and Fulham. Point at WBA. Man U is a free hit really. We are well capable and i dont blame Brucey making us a little cautious but i think if we're a little more adventurous we can score more goals and beat teams.
