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