Draw at home and increase the lead at the top to 8 points. You couldn't make it up could you, and Hull getting beaten 1-3 at home? If we look at the games between the top 6 still to come they would appear to favour us too, with some interesting games between our rivals. I've discounted the game at Hull on the last day because if we need the points by then we probably won't deserve them, so: WATFORD: Palace H; Hull A: Cardiff H; Millwall A; Leicester A. MIDDLESBROUGH: Leicester A; Palace A; Millwall H; Hull A. CRYSTAL PALACE: Watford A; M'Brough A; Hull H; Millwall A; Leicester H. LEICESTER: Cardiff A; Millwall H; Palace A; Watford H. HULL: Millwall A: Place A; Watford H. MILLWALL: hull H; M'Brough A; Leicester A; Palace H; Watford H. We have Leicester H; M'Brough A; and Watford. I realise there is likely to be a late runner but looking at that, I think those teams will be more concerned than we need to be. I think it is ours to lose.
great to see hull slip up, whilst gaining a point in a game we wouldnt have scored in if we were still playing now 6.5 hours after the match kicked off.......
Weve also got Hull away. Top 2 places will be between ourselves Hull and Leicester. I always believed if by the window we were in touch we would go up as we would take action in the window. We havent and those 2 have. Yesterday was a shocker of a performance. It wasnt far from Bellamy v Ipswich. We definately need a striker and other decent managers will take note of how poor Connolly was at right back. I think he was targeted by McCarthy and put under a lot of pressure and couldnt cope. He looked like a centre half out of position. Im shocked that we have havent brought in a striker. I also think Kev should return at right back or we sign a full back. My belief is if we dont act its going to be very tight. However im still confident because of our manager. If Jones was still in charge id be waiting for us to totally collapse. Whitts seems completely out of form which is a big worry.
I don't think Whitts is fully fit. He didn't get around the pitch as normal - second half in particular. There middle 2 N'Daw (what a superb shot first half) and Hyam jumped on Whitts every time he got the ball and he couldn't shake them off. Hopefully with another week of recovery Whitts will be stronger at Blackpool. McNuggs would have posed a greater attacking threat than Connolly who gets nose bleed when he has the ball at his feet approaching the half way line and while Kev's final ball is notoriously poor he would have given them more to think about. Connolly's main advantage is at attacking set pieces but they defended those well yesterday. As far as a striker is concerned we need to get the ball in the box more quickly from attacking situations - not lump it up in the air. Our forwards feed off scraps at present. Surely a good target man who can win and hold up the ball would help this? Gestede can't seem to do it when starting a game and really is only useful as a sub when their defenders are tiring. Helga won more air ball in the last few minutes than Gestede did all game. Also, McCarthy worked out that if you keep our wingers quiet we create very little so there were 2 players on Noone and Conway every time they received the ball. Noone got free once in the first half and that created our most dangerous move. We need to create more through the middle and have some variety going forward. Gunnar has a great physical game, covers acres of space and gets in the box well but is not creative with the ball. I know Mutch hasn't played well lately however he is more of a threat with the ball at his feet but not even on the bench yesterday. Is he injured - again?
Hilts, I mentioned the Hull game but said I excluded it because if we still need the points by then, basically, we're f*cked. Not halfway through the window yet and only one game to worry about in it, so with 19 days (including today for the smart-arses) to go there is still hope.
As a target man how about a cheeky bid for Jon Stead at the Wurzels? Not Prem standard but does a good job at this level and always a pain in the ar$e for us. Has good movement, holds the ball up well and plays others in. They are in disaray at present and if we can't get the right player from other sources, then why not? He is better than what we have in that role. Just a thought and I am prepared to be shot down in flames.
Ah so, you Blitish person splot me as Tenko Camp Commandant. I remember a joke about Pierre the Pilot going down in flames. Something to do with lighter fluid and a big bush.
Bluey - Probably a woman driver in that plane. Typical woman pilot - every time they fly upside down they have a crack up.......
I personally think it's a blessing in disguise to have hull as the last game. Really we should either be promoted or in trouble by then anyway. If we are promoted, it would mean we didn't have to play one of the best teams in the league.
Ah so, you lefer to plonouncement by Honolable Confucius. He also say, "Man with hand in pocket feel cocky all day!!!"
Also from Confucius - "woman who sits on jockey's lap gets hot tip." Anyway, enough of this levity. Back to the taget man. The likes of Jon Stead and that Steve something (cant remeber his name) always caused us problems at the back not just because of their height. They could hold the ball up and allow support to arrive as well as the threat they were in the air. For all his size, Rudy doesn't possess that skill (not that I've noticed anyway), and whether he ever will is debatable. Nice guy but no cigar. Stead or similar maybe a short term option, but I think we should set out our stall more ambitiously. I honestly don't think cash is the problem, it's finding the right guy to do the job right now and also capable of progressing with the club, not retiring.
Glad to see hilts still taking snide swipes at DJ. I expect a dip in form based on the views of Watford fans and our poor 2nd half of the season proving them correct. We have the best team for many years and the teams around us appear to be helping us. Whether the current gap is good enough to see us over the line only time will tell. MM has gone on record saying not to expect too much activity in the transfer window. A smokescreen or the truth? Jon Stead may be a stop gap forward, nothing more. There doesn't appear to be many available strikers around that would fulfil fans expectations and certainly no many for the future. It has to be asked, in Velonikja has Malky bought a dud?
Taff, I had high hopes for Velikonja after his games in the development squad, but after his poor display against Macclesfield I have to agree with you. We definately need a striker brought in, in the transfer window, but saying that, our midfield sounded dreadful yesterday.
They did a job on us and we didn't have an answer. McCarthy got it right. He doubled up out wide on Noone and Conway and nullified them. Centre of the park was a shambles. Gunnar had one of the poorest games I've seen him play - he was outmuscled by young Hyam and N'daw. Whitts is nowhere near the standard he was earlier in the season. Up front we were toothless. Hudson and Turner kept us a point. Connolly had a bad one and Tayls left the door open for them on their right a number of times through running to the other side of the pitch carrying the ball and then failing to get back. He was playing nearer Connolly than Turner on times. Ben had to come wide to cover a number of times and that could easily have left the door open through the middle for their two front runners.
Don't know what the weather was like in S Wales this morning, but up here in Cheshire it was definitely a bit Pearl Harbour..... ....a nip in the air. It does sound as if we are a striker away from comfort (though still think we need a full back as well). 16 points from the last 7 games leaves us 4 points short of 20 for the third 10 games of the season with 3 games to go. That would put us on 61 from 30. Leicester seem to be the team on a charge at the moment.
Whitts has not been at his best for a while now, yesterday he was flatfooted and very slow. Good to see Smith back, he was our best player before his injury IMO. We need top remember that champions win points even when they are playing badly. Mind the gap.
No team can be on top form for every game. Yesterday we could have been mistaken for lower half strugglers. Malky makes the point that Ipswich are much improved under McCarthy and that's fair enough, but if you use similar excuses too often to explain a poor performance, then you're hiding away from the real truth. We'll face far tougher tests before the season is out, and more performances like that will see the present points cushion quickly evaporate. The side definitely needs freshening up at the front and maybe even in midfield. I'd be inclined to give Ralls a go.
