The 3 promoted teams

[91SPP]

I cursed Derby, they look bang in trouble.

It's been a bit of a perfect storm for us, unfortunately. I don't think we are playing too badly, but every game feels like a re-run: being narrowly beaten by teams with more quality. We've lost 7 on the bounce, but almost all of them felt competitive, but we just didn't have enough in the game. We desperately needed more in the final third, which we failed to add in the window so the panic amongst fans is palpable.

I take some comfort that we aren't being battered in games, but feels like we may need a reset to kick-start our season ahead of the final 15 games. I suspect Warne may need to be relieved of his duties in order for that to happen. Not that I think he's the issue, I just feel we lack quality in the most important area of the pitch.

 

[SF_]

It's been a bit of a perfect storm for us, unfortunately. I don't think we are playing too badly, but every game feels like a re-run: being narrowly beaten by teams with more quality. We've lost 7 on the bounce, but almost all of them felt competitive, but we just didn't have enough in the game. We desperately needed more in the final third, which we failed to add in the window so the panic amongst fans is palpable.

I take some comfort that we aren't being battered in games, but feels like we may need a reset to kick-start our season ahead of the final 15 games. I suspect Warne may need to be relieved of his duties in order for that to happen. Not that I think he's the issue, I just feel we lack quality in the most important area of the pitch.

It's like you almost started too well, so the timing of your bad run means sacking the manager is risky, with the best candidates like Rowett & Neil already taken.

Kind of unbelievable you didn't sign a striker with 1 goal in 5.

 

[nelsonpfc]

Apart from the times we've heavily rotated our starting 11 and a few awful midweek away matches - Derby, Cardiff and Stoke and early home matches we've been in and competitive in all of them. Even Blackburn away was a heavy 3-0 defeat, but 2 big penalties not given and key periods in the game, hitting the bar etc..

The biggest difference in this league is even if you are top and looking like winning the match alot of sides in this division have very good championship players on the bench who will change the momentum of the match, where as the sides that come up just dont have that quality in the squad. On Saturday v Burnley we played our 12th and 13th Centre back pairings as we've been totally decminated in that area, also Bishop is our only real fit senior forward athough we have a 19 year old ausseie on the bench... our back strikers should return from injury.. Saturday was the 1st time since the beginning of November were we've actually had 2 central defenders starting the match.

Currently our injury list is Bowat CB out for the season, Farrell LB out for the season, Paddy Lane RW out for the season, Regan Poole CB out for a while, not sure how long, Jordan Williams RB, 3 weeks, Mark O Mahoney been out since November, back in 1-2 weeks, Kusini Yengi been out since November on international duty back in a month. Shaggnessey CB been out since first month of the season, started v Burnley last game.

We've conceded alot of very similar goals this season, due to not having a settled back line. Mostly losing the ball in the attacking third - normally out wide when our full backs are on the overlap. Ball gets turned over, 1 or 2 passes in behind of over the top, quick forward scores on the break. Even in the last month of Middlesborough, Millwall at Home, Sunderland Away, Coventry should have scored a 1v1 same senario. Blackburn goal came from us being in their box, nailed on penalty turned down 3 passes later a goal. Hopefully no we have a round pegs in round holes those goals due to lack of organisation should stop (hopefully)

 

[Super_horns]

Derby seem to be in free fall and didn't do much in the transfer window.

Oxford on the other hand are in a good form and recruited well

Pompey seem pretty solid at home to do enough and stay up.

 

[91SPP]

Derby seem to be in free fall and didn't do much in the transfer window.

Oxford on the other hand are in a good form and recruited well

Pompey seem pretty solid at home to do enough and stay up.

We’ve added well, but couldve done with more. We had a deal for John Swift and some La Liga striker fall through on the last day which is annoying.

We paid a Norwegian record fee for Langas (£4m) who physically looks imposing and looked the part on his debut. Clarke from Middlesbrough is an excellent signing too. Salvesen is an interesting striker, has been a threat in all the games - scored one, had another perfectly good goal ruled out against Norwich. I think we lack the service he needs but he’s a marked improvement on our current strikers (not hard).

Losing Cashin isn’t great, but adding Langas who is very quick allows us to play with a different dynamic. I think it will help the team overall. We had to play very deep to accommodate with the lack of pace, it’s not the case now.

 

[HoxxySoxxyOxxy]

Neither fans coming here after the terrible game on Tuesday, not a good advert for the Championship.
Pompey tomorrow early kick off. Not sure how to feel about this one.

 

[nelsonpfc]

Our point count hasn't been amazing lately, but our performances in general and been decent. Battered Sheff Utd, deserved to beat Burnley at home aswell. Millwall home was not great, but didn't deserve to lose to be honest. Blew Cardiff away for 25 mins until they scored against the run of play then struggled, but made it a crap game to just hold onto the points.

 

[Mansfield_Ram]

Unless something drastically changes we will take 1/3 of the relegation spots. Our issue is creativity to create chances. We scored allot of goals under Warne from set pieces and now that it’s dried up, we look hopeless.

Bundle in our confidence is rock bottom meaning we concede goals for fun all of a sudden it’s a huge task for Eustace.

 

[nelsonpfc]

Literally the worst news from the club today that Callum Lang has torn his hamstring and will be out for the rest of the season. Top scorer, leads the aggresive press, pain in the arse bag of tricks, shoot from anywhere. We dont have someone like him in the squad, but the lad Aouchiche from Sunderland will more than likely start in his place.

 

[Bar Carousel]

Starting to hit the home straight.

Our clever strengthening in the January window has helped but the loss of key players has massively hampered us throughout the season. We're back to playing a 35 year old centre mid at centre half, and must have played 20+ different centre half combinations this season already. But i think two wins and a couple of draws should get us over the line, which with our home form at least should be achievable.

Have to think Derby look doomed barring a rich vein of form. Oxford probably done enough in the middle third of the season to save them, but will be worried if the bottom three start improving.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I think the bottom 3 is pretty set to be honest, no one in it, including ourselves look in anyway capable of putting together a run, so I’d say Oxford are pretty comfortable with another win and a couple of draws which should be easily gettable

 

[IzzyFook]

I think the bottom 3 is pretty set to be honest, no one in it, including ourselves look in anyway capable of putting together a run, so I’d say Oxford are pretty comfortable with another win and a couple of draws which should be easily gettable

What was that again...??

Looks like we might be playing you next season again after all. After digging yourself out of the shite, surely you'll get it done at WBA next week - when they'll probably be halfway to the beach...

M Bloomfield's methods finally sank in then... just in time.

If he hadn't joined you, maybe you would have still been playing us anyway - but in L1, with him taking Wycombe up instead of us!

When's your posh new stadium due to be completed btw...?

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

What was that again...??

Looks like we might be playing you next season again after all. After digging yourself out of the shite, surely you'll get it done at WBA next week - when they'll probably be halfway to the beach...

M Bloomfield's methods finally sank in then... just in time.

If he hadn't joined you, maybe you would have still been playing us anyway - but in L1, with him taking Wycombe up instead of us!

When's your posh new stadium due to be completed btw...?

He’s done well especially in solidifying the defence but I am actually quite cool on him still to be honest.

It’s in fact not Bloomfields methods really that have turned it around, what’s done is a return to our first principles and identity under Edwards really before he tried to change it all over last summer. Bloomfield attempted and then had to bin his obviously preferred 433 after not getting a win in his first 6 games or so, and elected to revert back to Edwards 352. We got some players back from injury and the new lads, especially Aasgaard and Makosso - have assisted greatly in turning the form around.

I credit Bloomfield a lot with getting us more organised defensively and for looking like he has swallowed some of his pride and not just trying to blindly implement “his way” on a group that wasnt suiting it, but Im really not sure that same wouldn’t have happened with Edwards eventually if I’m honest.

We look a bit anemic in attack still but the defence has been sured up enough that we have been able to finally eke out some form.

I really wouldn’t be surprised if we still go down however, just a nagging feeling that this disaster of a season has a further sting in its tail yet.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

So "well organised defensivley" was a bit of an illusion too.

Its not been his fault, although the fialure to get a new manager bounce in his first few games was massivley costly ultimately, but im not keen on Bloomfield at all, he was culpable in a number of games with very naive tactics.

 

[HoxxySoxxyOxxy]

All 3 promoted teams stayed up in the end. All had terrible patches to the season.

Will any of us fall to second season syndrome?

 

[91SPP]

All 3 promoted teams stayed up in the end. All had terrible patches to the season.

Will any of us fall to second season syndrome?

We've got a complete rebuild this summer so it will depend heavily on who/how we recruit. I suspect this summer is one where we kick on in terms of investment in the squad, I don't see Eustace coming in if there wasn't assurances, but the scale of the job can't be underestimated.

 

[nelsonpfc]

We are in a half decent position as our first 11 is not far off complete. Our midfield has been decimated due to loans going back and we've released our 3rd choice forward in Yengi. If we can get Atkinson from Bristol City and let go Towler and McIntyre that 4 good CBs and the young lad Bowat. We know Murphy, Bishop, Schmid, Lang and Ogilvie are better than a 16th place finish. We need a forward to be first choice backup to Bishop, another option @10 a starting RW, a backup LW and at least 2 central midfielders


GKs - Schmid,Archer?,Killip?
RBs - Swanson,Williams,Devlin
CB - Poole, Shaughnessy, Matthews, Towler*, McIntyre* Bowat?
LB - Ogilvie, Farrell?

CM - Dozzel, Pack?, Kamara*

AM - Lang,Saydee*

Wingers - Murphy, Ritchie, Blair? Lane?

Strikers - Bishop, Waddingham?

All these have played and proved they can play at good championship level

* ones who will probably leave
? those who will probably be backup or haven't proved themselves due to injury

I think if we can keep a decent share of CBs fit, we've definately got the capability to be around Sheff Weds and Swanseas. We showed after Jan we could complete away from home even though we didn't get the results

 

[91SPP]

Matthew Clarke signs a three year deal, albeit expected, I’m still bemused how we have been able to get him for roughly £250k.

One of the most consistent defenders at this level and always seems to score very highly in almost every defensive metric. The back three ended the season in fantastic form: Langas was playing on a torn ligament and had to be managed in the last couple of months. If we can bring Phillips back on a permanent deal then it keeps what was the best part of our team together and a good platform to build upon.

 

[nelsonpfc]

Matthew Clarke signs a three year deal, albeit expected, I’m still bemused how we have been able to get him for roughly £250k.

One of the most consistent defenders at this level and always seems to score very highly in almost every defensive metric. The back three ended the season in fantastic form: Langas was playing on a torn ligament and had to be managed in the last couple of months. If we can bring Phillips back on a permanent deal then it keeps what was the best part of our team together and a good platform to build upon.

Loved Matt Clarke when he was here, but not sure why it didn't work out at Boro. He's a top 6 defender. Cultured on the ball, strong, probably only things to go against him was his injury record and tends to have head rushes at times (had a couple of FP at the end of the season) Was a very strange signing for Brighton from us, never played for them, was just farmed out on loan. I wonder if Cashin will end up the same?

 

[91SPP]

Loved Matt Clarke when he was here, but not sure why it didn't work out at Boro. He's a top 6 defender. Cultured on the ball, strong, probably only things to go against him was his injury record and tends to have head rushes at times (had a couple of FP at the end of the season) Was a very strange signing for Brighton from us, never played for them, was just farmed out on loan. I wonder if Cashin will end up the same?

I said unironically that Cashin would probably follow in Clarke’s footsteps - then we signed Clarke. Very similar defenders, Cashin on the smaller side but has a unique ability to leverage his body to win the majority of battles in the air. A good footballer too, very good ability on the ball.

The main problem is that he lacks agility and I think twitchy Premier League strikers will have him on ice skates - but he’s definitely good enough, consistent enough to play at the top end of this division for a long time.