Any team needs a bit of luck to get promoted. Luck with injuries, suspensions, the odd decision. We are playing well enough to be in the mix for the promotion come season end. In the 07/08 season we had 31 points at this stage and got 44 in the second half of the season. We have 44 now, so we could see some drop off in form and still be in there. But I don't think we will.
We've shown over the last few games we're good enough to be in the top 2, we're not there by accident and are 2nd on merit. The challenge now is to stay there and there is no reason why we can't. We need to get a couple of additions up front but it looks like we have plans in place to do this in January. Get a couple of additions in up front and we'll be looking good to push on for the top 2. There will be set backs along the way, but like we've shown after the Leicester, Peterborough and Blackpool defeats and Burnley and Palace at home we can bounce back from poor results. If we lose the next 2 games at home, it'll be disappointing but it won't spell the end of our top 2 ambitions. We need to be cautious and avoid complacency but we have every right to be confident in our chances of finishing in the top 2 or top 6 at least.
I dont think that there is a chance in Hell of Hull City being complacent in the next 2 home games. 2 x full houses (hopefully) and what both games mean to one and all @ Hull. 6 points won and i really dont care about Blackpool actually.
The next game is more than a six-pointer. If we beat Leicester there wil be a ten point gap between the two teams. That also means Leicester are ten points off the automatics which is a big psychological difference for them. It helps us a lot when serious promotion rivals are cut adrift and who knows a win on Boxing Day might also see them out of the top six and more questions asked about Pearson.
Sitting at second spot without Sone Aluko, Matty Fryatt, et al. NickP yet to come into the reckoning and we have won games in every fashion and showed our resillience. We have dropped some right bloopers that would otherwise have shown a clean pair of heels to the other contenders; in theory, all we have to do is repeat what we have done, bloopers and all to get automatic. As someone pointed out, we have taken on the hard away games and now we must focus on the KC results and keep punishing clubs away from home. Will we strengthen - I would be surprised if a striker is not KC bound. After all of the hullabullo over strengthening last season, I would think the owners will be keen to show their ambition is more than words - although I believe they have already done that. Is it just me, or is the last thing you would post about one of your players breaking his leg? Maybe I'm just a tad wary of the hex!
I agree with Erik at the moment.obviously depends on January and injuries etc.we have a thin squad unlike some of those around us.although palace are also a bit thin and they may loose zaha in January.i just hope that if we do find a striker in January that we get him in early ads I hate the usual let down of deadline day I predict three points from the next three games but no idea if it will be 3 draws or only one win.
I am enjoying seeing us in 2nd place at the moment. Cardiff and Crystal Palace play each other on Boxing day so one of them will drop points or only gain 1. Whilst I understand why people are being cautious and want to keep their feet on the ground someone has to be in the top two and I don't see why it can't be us. We are much more consistent this season then we have ever been, the players must feel that they are halfway to their goal and full of confidence. These next two games especially at home will be huge occasions and I know the KC crowd are going to be much more animated then usual given the opposition. I am not over confident but not pessimistic either. It is going to be a fantastic last half of the season with lots more ups and downs, knowing City we will be biting our nails and sitting on the edge of our seats till the last minute but I am just going to sit back and enjoy it.
Here is my take, We are in second place, we have a fantastic young quality squad, the team is full of confidence and the difference between this season and any other that all the pessimists are talking about it... alongside the fantastic squad and advantage by our current position, we also have Steve Bruce, a premier league quality manager who knows what he is doing. This whole "all we need is a quality striker" nonsense is annoying, what? us and every single football club in the world? its about taking chances, just because a striker is scoring goals for one club does not mean he will fit in to our team, so maybe somebody we currently have will come good like proschwitz or it might not be somebody we are expecting. as for the xmas fixtures, leeds and lessta will be tough, I would love 6 points, realistically I would be happy with 4 but even one win of the two would still be a good result.
It's not about 'pessimism'. No one wants to see us fail or thinks we can't do it. It's just about reigning in smugness and complacency. Watford were 2 points clear at the top at halfway in 2007/8- look what happened to them.....
Hornet in peace. You are the only team to have outclassed us in three months, in contrast to Boro and Cardiff, whom we made look very average against ten and nine men respectively, and Palace, who we managed to beat with a bunch of players who had literally only met a couple of weeks beforehand. I think it's too soon to write off teams from outside the top four, but you have a massive gap to anyone below the teams I've mentioned, and bearing in mind Malky Mackay's tendency to burn his teams out by February, I think you're title contenders. I won't curse you with the favourites tag, but I think you can do it.
i notice you are always very positive and one to stick up for everybody in the team etc, which isnt a criticism but i do sometimes think its rose tinted, but on this occasion i completely agree with you.. anything could happen and realism is good, but its the same for every other club, they all could get there best players leg broken, they all could lose form, its not just us it can happen too.. we are not sat 2nd after 2 games, its halfway through which is usually a half decent marker point..why people cant just think a bit positive is baffling to me too and im usually one of the ones who is reluctant to get carried away, predicted defeats at watford because they where in form, at forest cos i didnt think we could win there 3 years in a row, and predicted a defeat at derby due to there home form and was proved wrong on all occasions..time to start having a bit of belief! theres a fine line between confidence and arrogance, but theres also a fine line between cautious and a being a bit miserable.
I understand the caution of some and where we are in the season BUT lets enjoy where we are now and really get behind the team for these 2 massive home games, I ve got a great feeling we are all going to be happy in May.
Nice one. If we had Vydra in our front line I reckon we'd definitely go up! Can we have him for a few games....say 20 or so?
You may be, but this is understandable, some people were watching City before man landed on the moon, it would be natural for some of them to hold those band wagon jumping types who only started watching them when Terry Neill was appointed manager in disdain. Good on ya.
I said this last year but.....It makes no difference at all,whether we expect promotion or not. It can't possibly affect the outcome.But my main point is,it also won't affect us as fans or individuals feel,when were promoted or not promoted. If i'm overly confident(as many on here might term it) and we don't go up,i'll be dissapointed. But,and this is the real point of the post,i'll be gutted anyway. It's not going to help my emotions if i firmly dismiss any hope of success now is it ? So just get your tail feathers up boys and girls,and enjoy the ride. Oh and by the way,we are defo going up
