20/21 Matchday Thread

[That Fat Centre Half]

Park football type performance from us today, didnt look like a professional team at times such was the lack of quality and composure on the ball. Couldnt find an answer for Barnsleys aggressive pressing style so just ended up hoofing to nowhere. Wouldnt surprise if it were some type of record for offside as well, with Collins and Cornick we are normally pretty bad in that category but today felt like another level of ineptitude at looking across the line.

Had a little spell early second half but that was put paid too by a shocking second to concede allowing Woodrow the freedom of the Kenny to get a shot off which Sluga totally fumbled. He made up for it with the penalty save which finally seemed to wake us up and we finished the game strongly. Excellent finish from Collins for our goal but never really felt like we would get another and to be honest it would have been a bit of a robbery from the Barnsley perspective as we looked inept for the balance of the game really.

Cant see us adding too many points to our 50, am sure its not on purpose but the natural relaxing at being safe for the season has meant we have clearly eased up sub consciously. Good luck to Barnsley, really hope they do something in the playoffs.

One of the questions we are looking to answer in these final few games was answered quite definitively I think, that being Nombe is going back to MK. Way out of his depth. Likewise for Pearson.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Almost made themmpay for trying to give Dike his hatrick

 

[thewwfc]

an unprecedented 3-0 v Rotherham today, so often this season we have totally failed to take our chances whereas this time Rotherham had the better chances for most of the game, but their finishing was shit and ours wasn't, so....

And off the bottom of the table (although it may only be for a couple of hours, and others have games in hand)...nosebleed.

Stay on the beach please Lu'un - it's nice out there.

 

[Kenneth E End]

It was an error from Sluga but it was bobbling around and wasn’t particularly easy for him to save it. The defending was equally as poor. The first mistake he’s made for 13 months leading to a goal.

 

[Super_horns]

Cheers Preston.

Swansea will be worried about the play-offs now...

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

an unprecedented 3-0 v Rotherham today, so often this season we have totally failed to take our chances whereas this time Rotherham had the better chances for most of the game, but their finishing was shit and ours wasn't, so....

And off the bottom of the table (although it may only be for a couple of hours, and others have games in hand)...nosebleed.

Stay on the beach please Lu'un - it's nice out there.

Apparently we havent lost away to Wycombe in 14 or something which surprised me. Decent opportunity for you to put that stat to bed id have thought, all for you to play for and very little for us.

 

[SF_]

Last minute own goal winner, have that you Welsh twats.

Didn't watch but supposedly put in a good performance and deserved the points.

 

[Super_horns]

More of the same on Saturday please!

You've helped us out in the past - 1998 beating Bristol City to help us win League One or Div 2 as it was then.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I see Daryl Dike is being predicted to join a big Premier League club for $10-20m in the summer. He is going to have a stellar career if today was anything to go by. It is scary that he is only 20 years old... how did the move come about, as he appears to have come from nowhere?

 

[Atavistic]

Sheffield Wednesday are 5-0 up against Cardiff... where's that one come from? I guess that'll put an end to Cardiff's play-off hopes for the season at the very least.

As for our game tomorrow night, Buendia is a doubt after taking several kicks from Preston on Friday, but we'll have Aarons, Giannoulis and Skipp ready to step back into the starting XI after missing that game. Would expect to see Mumba, Quintilla and Sorensen return to the bench to allow those three back into the team. I also wouldn't be against trying something different by bringing Stiepermann back into the starting XI in favour of Dowell.

Should imagine our full-strength XI will be enough to get past Huddersfield, especially as Pukki will probably feel like he has a bit of a point to prove after all his misses on Friday.

 

[SF_]

Just read that Swansea have conceded from long throws, three games in a row. That's a worrying stat for any manager.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I see Daryl Dike is being predicted to join a big Premier League club for $10-20m in the summer. He is going to have a stellar career if today was anything to go by. It is scary that he is only 20 years old... how did the move come about, as he appears to have come from nowhere?

He had a reasonable reputation from his first season in the MLS, think he was the young player of the year there or certainly thereabouts and was earning a bit of a reputation as a rising talent bit probably slightly too early for someone bigger than Barnsley to take a shot at it (all due respect intended to Barnsley!). He was being picked out as a rising talent among those circles who follow analytics closely which I think Barnsley are kind of into. Barnsley are usually spot on recruiting wise and obviously MLS is in there “offseason” so I guess just works for everyone.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I see Sheffield Wednesday out of absolutely nowhere pulled out a thrashing of Cardiff. Since Mick got that contract there red hot form has tailed off a bit. Am still not convinced that one will entirely work out even now.

A few down the bottom have started to pick up points, clubs like us are going to be prime pickings for points in the coming weeks. Big game for Wycombe against us, if they are serious about staying up they really need to beat us.

 

[thewwfc]

I think we’ve left it too late, even if (however unlikely) we won every game. But yeah, every game is must win.

If nothing else it makes the end of the season far more enjoyable if there’s something to play for - I think it’s easy to feel disconnected from your club in these lockdown times, and maybe even more so at times when the games don’t actually matter.

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

Huge result for us today. 39th game of the season and we were finally able to play our two first choice strikers up front together which made a huge difference.

 

[Atavistic]

Not sure if this maths quite works out, but someone on our forum has said that if we win and Brentford draw tomorrow, we could be promoted as early as Saturday (if we were to then better both Brentford and Swansea's results).

 

[chicowintry]

Not sure if this maths quite works out, but someone on our forum has said that if we win and Brentford draw tomorrow, we could be promoted as early as Saturday (if we were to then better both Brentford and Swansea's results).

It does and doesn't.

If we win & Brentford draw:
1. Norwich P40 87pts
2. Watford P40 79pts (max: 97)
-------------------------------------
3. Brentford P39 70pts (max: 91)
4. Swansea P39 69pts (max: 90)
5. Barnsley P40 68pts (max: 86)
6. Reading P40 66pts (max: 84)
-------------------------------------
7. Bournemouth P39 65pts (max: 86)

If Brentford and Swansea then drop points their maxes would drop to 88 (lose) or 89 (draw) and 87 (lose) or 88 (draw) respectively. A win would take us to 90. So it checks out there. But while a draw for us and defeats for them would as good as settle it, it wouldn't be mathematically secured so technically it doesn't quite check out there.

I don't think it'll happen this weekend but it's only a matter of time. It's especially helpful that Watford still have to play both - it's basically a no-lose situation for us, either at least two of the three chasing us drop points or Watford lose both and their maximum drops to 91 also.

 

[SF_]

Not sure if this maths quite works out, but someone on our forum has said that if we win and Brentford draw tomorrow, we could be promoted as early as Saturday (if we were to then better both Brentford and Swansea's results).

Don't worry, the McAvoy injury-time machine will put an end to Brentford's hopes.

 

[Craig]

I see Daryl Dike is being predicted to join a big Premier League club for $10-20m in the summer. He is going to have a stellar career if today was anything to go by. It is scary that he is only 20 years old... how did the move come about, as he appears to have come from nowhere?

Massive Barnsley fan and his dream growing up was to play at Oakwell.

 

[Atavistic]

As expected and hoped, we see Aarons, Giannoulis and Skipp straight back into the starting XI tonight, with no other changes to note. On the flipside, Huddersfield seem to have quite the injury list lately, but I'm sure they'll be no pushovers. Still, we should have enough about ourselves to get the three points and take yet another step towards promotion.

While I would like results to go our way so we can get promoted at the weekend, I'd also rather see Brentford beat Birmingham to keep the race for 2nd slightly interesting and to keep Birmingham firmly in the battle for relegation.

 

[Super_horns]

Hopefully Norwich will be up by the time we play them!

4-0 up in half an hour!

 

[Atavistic]

Well, this first half has certainly been something. The usual three absolutely unstoppable and scoring some great goals to boot. And why not go and get more while we're at it?

 

[oakroader]

HTF did we beat this mob twice this season???

 

[Atavistic]

And a brilliant fifth before half-time. We've never scored five under Farke before today.

 

[Super_horns]

Amazing !

Ruthless.

TBH Norwich could have scored 3/4 on Friday from what I saw.

 

[SF_]

Is tonight all the proof you need that parachute payments are a fucking joke?

Have the three who came down sold anyone of note? How are Pukki, Buendia & Sarr in this league?

 

[chicowintry]

HTF did we beat this mob twice this season???

With all respect, you didn't. First game there was no Krul, Aarons, Hanley, Skipp, Cantwell, Buendia or Pukki. Second game there was no Krul, no left-back, Cantwell or Pukki - we literally didn't play a striker in that match. I don't think McLean was available for either also.

Don't misunderstand me, we still put out good sides and you were fully deserving of the wins but they were very different sides.

Is tonight all the proof you need that parachute payments are a fucking joke?

Have the three who came down sold anyone of note? How are Pukki, Buendia & Sarr in this league?

We sold Jamal Lewis & Ben Godfrey for around £40m which meant we didn't need to sell anyone else.

 

[Atavistic]

Well, that was certainly something, as good a performance as I've ever seen us put in. Some fantastic goals as well to do the job.

And now it is entirely possible, though not necessarily likely, that we could be promoted on Saturday if results go our way (and given Brentford and Swansea's current mediocre form, it certainly can't be ruled out).

Also, on the point of parachute payments: people are aware that Huddersfield also still have parachute payments, right? And that we got promoted two years ago without parachute payments with most of the key players doing the business now.

 

[Super_horns]

Have the three who came down sold anyone of note? How are Pukki, Buendia & Sarr in this league?

Pereryra
Capoue (in January I admit)
Doucoure
Deulofeu
Welbeck
Couple of young promising players for about 22 million in total.

Sure we kept Sarr which was important as he wanted to stay compared to the others but really it's only been in recent weeks we've looked like the sort of side people expected us to be.

Up till February we were pretty average - hardly scored away from home and won a lot of tight games at home.

Certainly not a team that looked like they would be 9 points clear in 2nd now.

 

[Kenneth E End]

If the three teams that came down go back up, that’s all you need to know. As I mentioned the other day, if the three teams promoted from L1 go back down as well, that would be a travesty.

This division is perceived by lazy media folk to be the most competitive in the country... is it hell. It’s the second most uncompetitive division after the premier league.