New_Hope Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Let's say we get 9 pts from our next 4 games...that will put us comfortably mid-table! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 One win in seven and I'd be surprised if it's anything other than one win in eight after next weekend, that's a woeful return by anyone's standards, I don't think we can point to the level of the opposition either, eight games is nearly half of the league if we can't do better than one win in that run, then that doesn't reflect well on us whichever way you look at it. Over three or four games against tough opposition having a bad run of form is understandable, but when it gets to seven and eight games not so much, before it gets to that point you need to pull off a few surprise results like our relegation rivals have shown they're capable of doing, we haven't even beaten anyone half decent yet. Smith's got some work to do to show that he's going to be a good manager in this league, the head honchos will be watching on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New_Hope Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Just now, useless said: One win in seven and I'd be surprised if it's anything other than one win in eight after next weekend, that's a woeful return by anyone's standards, I don't think we can point to the level of the opposition either, eight games is nearly half of the league if we can't do better than one win in that run, then that doesn't reflect well on us whichever way you look at it. Over three or four games against tough opposition having a bad run of form is understandable, but when it gets to seven and eight games not so much, before it gets to that point you need to pull off a few surprise results like our relegation rivals have shown they're capable of doing, we haven't even beaten anyone half decent yet. Smith's got some work to do to show that he's going to be a good manager in this league, the head honchos will be watching on. Yes if it was 8 teams spread throughout the league but it happened to be 6 of the top 8! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 I still think Deano will keep us up but he's got to add to that forward line in the January window and also sort the defence out. But, if we get a forward who puts himself about, maybe the ball doesn't come towards our goal so often and so easily. After all, defence is supposed to start from the front. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykeyb Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 We need battlers on the pitch and we don't appear to have enough. Do we need away to work out how to get two up top? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 8 minutes ago, New_Hope said: Let's say we get 9 pts from our next 4 games...that will put us comfortably mid-table! Just a small matter of being 4th bottom and winning 3 out of 4 games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New_Hope Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Genie said: Just a small matter of being 4th bottom and winning 3 out of 4 games. Against 3 teams lower than us But let's not let facts or our record against the bottom teams get in the way shall we? Edited December 8, 2019 by New_Hope 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted December 8, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted December 8, 2019 Dean has to sort our defense. We're not able to defend crosses and set pieces. How is that? What do we do wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 10 minutes ago, KentVillan said: Nobody's suggesting for a moment that that's what DS is doing or should be doing. A week ago we picked up a well-fought point away at Old Trafford. But our season will be largely defined by the six pointers against our relegation rivals. I don't disagree.....and the performance against Liverpool was commendable for 87 minutes too. But we need to fix our issues......otherwise those games you are looking to for salvation, will be gone and up in smoke. Southampton are turning things around.....Watford have Pearson in Charge and Deeney back, they will be up for it......Everton have big Dunc rallying the troops......These teams are fighting back and nobody wants the trap door. My Point is....(and you can bin it for all I care, but I have said it)..............If we do not improve on some of the basics in the game, That i have mentioned in my posts, we will lose against our rivals......we ignore these issues at our peril. Man U was a fine result, but it doesn't go unnoticed that when they upped the intensity against Man City, they got a result......We caught Man U on a good day for us, that's not taking anything away for us, just reality.....Interesting how Chelsea reacted to Frank after 2 defeats and out fought us. You have to compete in this league and that does not mean running around chasing rainbows and building up mileage.....Its purposeful activity. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 13 minutes ago, Genie said: Just a small matter of being 4th bottom and winning 3 out of 4 games. And if no one else picks up points yeah? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screwdriver Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Just read the match report on gov propaganda channel bb*c. then watched the two managers post match presser. Rogers talked in depth about how his diamond nullified Villa midfield. Smith said the game wasn't tactical at all, long balls over the top for Vardy were the difference. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post KentVillan Posted December 8, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 8, 2019 I think a lot of fans on here just don't appreciate how much a good / bad run of fixtures can affect results. Here are a few clubs from the 2018/19 season, who finished mid-table, had the same manager throughout the season, but had some really bad runs of "form" which were mostly fixture list related: West Ham - lost opening 4 matches of season (including games vs. Liverpool and Arsenal), leaving them in 20th place. Ended up in 10th. Bournemouth - matchday 11 onwards they lost 17 out of 28 games. But they had an easy start to the season where they banked a lot of points. Their only big scalps all season were Chelsea and Spurs (at home). Burnley - were in 18th place on Boxing Day after losing 13 out of 19 games. They turned their season around with 3 wins against West Ham, Huddersfield and Fulham. Was that because Burnley suddenly "found form" or because Huddersfield and Fulham were crap? The fact is that unless you're fighting for Champions League football, you will go through these runs of form. It's almost a statistical certainty. It does not mean you're going to get relegated. All of those teams avoided trouble because they had a good run of results when the fixture list was kinder to them. They did it without sacking their manager. There were other factors at play, of course - injuries, tactics, etc. - but the point stands. This season isn't going to be much fun at times. A lot of the criticism being levelled at Smith and the players is fair, but try and keep it all in perspective. He doesn't have a particularly expensive or experienced squad, he's had only 3 months to work with most of them, and he's just had a brutal run of fixtures. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 We need a more solid defender. Why not give Hourse or Chester a chance? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenjiOgiwara Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 I think it's interesting how shit we are defensively organised, especially on set pieces. Do we need a new defensive coach? What the hell is the point of Terry in that case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 40 minutes ago, TRO said: I don't disagree.....and the performance against Liverpool was commendable for 87 minutes too. But we need to fix our issues......otherwise those games you are looking to for salvation, will be gone and up in smoke. Southampton are turning things around.....Watford have Pearson in Charge and Deeney back, they will be up for it......Everton have big Dunc rallying the troops......These teams are fighting back and nobody wants the trap door. My Point is....(and you can bin it for all I care, but I have said it)..............If we do not improve on some of the basics in the game, That i have mentioned in my posts, we will lose against our rivals......we ignore these issues at our peril. Man U was a fine result, but it doesn't go unnoticed that when they upped the intensity against Man City, they got a result......We caught Man U on a good day for us, that's not taking anything away for us, just reality.....Interesting how Chelsea reacted to Frank after 2 defeats and out fought us. You have to compete in this league and that does not mean running around chasing rainbows and building up mileage.....Its purposeful activity. There can never be any excuses for a lack of intensity. And it seems to be happening all too often. At times the players looked totally at a loss In what to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 1 hour ago, KentVillan said: This is poppy cock Was going to say the same thing. How someone can seriously argue it’s irrelevant who the opposition is is, frankly, beyond laughable. I would choose my words more diplomatically, but “poppycock” deserves “ laughable”. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 1 hour ago, TRO said: ....plodding along awaiting for easier games to arrive is no strategy. Honestly it’s getting worse. What a ridiculous comment. Of course that isn’t his strategy. Best have a lie down. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillanousOne Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 39 minutes ago, sheepyvillian said: We need a more solid defender. Why not give Hourse or Chester a chance? Flogging that dead Horse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zab6359 Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 What has DS done to deserve a new long term contract? Not calling for him to be sacked before anyone spits there dummy. But what has he shown us to deserve a new 4 year deal? How many other managers have had similar new deals put to them when they have a 25% win rate in a season? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 1 hour ago, zab6359 said: What has DS done to deserve a new long term contract? Not calling for him to be sacked before anyone spits there dummy. But what has he shown us to deserve a new 4 year deal? How many other managers have had similar new deals put to them when they have a 25% win rate in a season? Only 8 teams have more than 1 win than us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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