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)