9 points clear with 63 to play for (9 Viewers)

[skybluecb]

I think the good thing going for us is the inconsistency of the teams below us, at the moment Watford are flying, but we have seen this from Millwall, PNE, Stoke, Bristol City, Hull. If things follow in the same suit then, Watford will drop off soon. They are 11 points behind us. Middlesborough are struggling now and we have a 9 points buffer over them. Can anyone see our form not improving, I think not. Our players and Lampard don't suddenly become rubbish overnight, look at how many points we got in 2025. Its hard for some people to accept our performances at the minute and yes while poor there are reasons, if there were no reasons then yes I would be worried. We need to remain positive and keep the faith.

 

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[PVA]

JDS is massive for us
we are so unbalanced without him
His sending off cost us 4 points in effect, and where would we be now with that
Bring him back sunday, with EMC on the left we will beat Blues

I said yesterday that it’s massively underestimated/underappreciated just how much of our play goes through him, he’s very integral to how we play.

 

[Hullinho87]

Totally agree. I find all the negativity a bit odd. We are in an incredible position having had one of our best seasons for decades. The meltdowns after every game are getting a little tiring.

It’s all very odd and feels like a premeditated groundswell to drip feed growing negativity by a growing number.

It’s one thing having a chat with your mates in person or on WhatsApp etc saying we have been poor lately and you are getting edgy but an entirely other thing to be foaming at the mouth, targeting players, storming out etc when in the stadium.

As I said, all odd and as you say Torch, tiresome and in many ways troubling.

It’s a genuine concern that if we go up then 4 to 5 defeats in a row and it gets toxic. Which feels mental saying that but it feels that could well be the reality.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

It’s all very odd and feels like a premeditated groundswell to drip feed growing negativity by a growing number.

It’s one thing having a chat with your mates in person or on WhatsApp etc saying we have been poor lately and you are getting edgy but an entirely other thing to be foaming at the mouth, targeting players, storming out etc when in the stadium.

As I said, all odd and as you say Torch, tiresome and in many ways troubling.

It’s a genuine concern that if we go up then 4 to 5 defeats in a row and it gets toxic. Which feels mental saying that but it feels that could well be the reality.

Well, the fans who've been here 5 minutes would stop going whereas those of us who've seen much worse will be there behind the team regardless. I'm hopeful it would restore the siege mentality to the club that's naturally gone away recently.

 

[Cally Fedora]

The idea that JDS is the key for us is laughable. We’ll just be reverting to being vulnerable down both wings rather than just our right.

 

[SeaSeeEffCee]

The idea that JDS is the key for us is laughable. We’ll just be reverting to being vulnerable down both wings rather than just our right.

Yes, let’s continue to play Bidwell who looks like he can’t move or Brau who is encountering a football for the first time.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

It’s all very odd and feels like a premeditated groundswell to drip feed growing negativity by a growing number.

It’s one thing having a chat with your mates in person or on WhatsApp etc saying we have been poor lately and you are getting edgy but an entirely other thing to be foaming at the mouth, targeting players, storming out etc when in the stadium.

As I said, all odd and as you say Torch, tiresome and in many ways troubling.

It’s a genuine concern that if we go up then 4 to 5 defeats in a row and it gets toxic. Which feels mental saying that but it feels that could well be the reality.

The Championship season is too long to not have a bad period. All the best Championship teams that were promoted all had ‘skid marks’ over the course of a 46 game campaign with several cup matches.

Even when we won promotion from L1, we didn’t win away until Wycombe and this forum was borderline ‘Robins out’ before we kicked on.

Back to this season, our downturn in points is mostly because we’ve had tough away games and only a few teams average 2 ppg away from home. Our home form has been great and if that continues, we’ll be absolutely fine.

Boro have dropped off harder than us and the teams below them are almost definitely not capable of catching us up. Watford, PNE are v good at home, but don’t win enough away and Hull are a mixed bag, losing a surprising amount of games considering their position.

We’ll be alright and after this transfer window, we’ll be best place to rekindle some of the early season form.

 

[Hullinho87]

The Championship season is too long to not have a bad period. All the best Championship teams that were promoted all had ‘skid marks’ over the course of a 46 game campaign with several cup matches.

Even when we won promotion from L1, we didn’t win away until Wycombe and this forum was borderline ‘Robins out’ before we kicked on.

Back to this season, our downturn in points is mostly because we’ve had tough away games and only a few teams average 2 ppg away from home. Our home form has been great and if that continues, we’ll be absolutely fine.

Boro have dropped off harder than us and the teams below them are almost definitely not capable of catching us up. Watford, PNE are v good at home, but don’t win enough away and Hull are a mixed bag, losing a surprising amount of games considering their position.

We’ll be alright and after this transfer window, we’ll be best place to rekindle some of the early season form.

You make some great points here.
There is so much context but if you are more naturally negative in mindset you tend to be more likely to ignore the context.

We clearly haven’t been good in recent weeks, not good enough and you can’t just say carry on and we’ll be ok, football doesn’t work like that and we do need to change something. Mindset, work rate, formation etc or a combination of all of that … but …

.. if we are in a position going into our next game with a very real opportunity to go 12 pts clear at the top (if all results align) - whether that is likely or not, the fact that is a possibility, that is an unbelievable position to be in coming into January.

I don’t care what anyone says, my personal opinion is that because of the above I am 85% in the positive camp. That’s just me though. Opinions are opinions.

 

[Robinshio]

The idea that JDS is the key for us is laughable. We’ll just be reverting to being vulnerable down both wings rather than just our right.

You clearly haven’t been watching the play much this season

 

[StrettoBoy]

Needs to hit the ground running when he’s back in the team Saturday

I don't know who he is playing for tomorrow but I hope he doesn't tire himself out for the Birmingham game on Sunday.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

You make some great points here.
There is so much context but if you are more naturally negative in mindset you tend to be more likely to ignore the context.

We clearly haven’t been good in recent weeks, not good enough and you can’t just say carry on and we’ll be ok, football doesn’t work like that and we do need to change something. Mindset, work rate, formation etc or a combination of all of that … but …

.. if we are in a position going into our next game with a very real opportunity to go 12 pts clear at the top (if all results align) - whether that is likely or not, the fact that is a possibility, that is an unbelievable position to be in coming into January.

I don’t care what anyone says, my personal opinion is that because of the above I am 85% in the positive camp. That’s just me though. Opinions are opinions.

With the greatest respect to who this next line applies to, but a lot of posters on here are temperamental. They panic over the smallest of provocations - 1 loss

We all knew that December was the month that would stress test the team and overall, we did well. We were unlucky to not win v PNE, Southampton and even both Ipswich games* there was a bit of bad luck there. The gap from 1st to 2nd has shortened by 1 point post-Boro away. This does not call for panic there’s been in some quarters lately.

We’re in Jan now and by all accounts, we’re going to have a go so I’m confident that the types of player we’ll bring in will freshen things up and help get over the line.

* We were outclassed but the first goal takes a massive deflection.

 

[JohnWH]

Look at table.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

With the greatest respect to who this next line applies to, but a lot of posters on here are temperamental. They panic over the smallest of provocations - 1 loss

We all knew that December was the month that would stress test the team and overall, we did well. We were unlucky to not win v PNE, Southampton and even both Ipswich games* there was a bit of bad luck there. The gap from 1st to 2nd has shortened by 1 point post-Boro away. This does not call for panic there’s been in some quarters lately.

We’re in Jan now and by all accounts, we’re going to have a go so I’m confident that the types of player we’ll bring in will freshen things up and help get over the line.

* We were outclassed but the first goal takes a massive deflection.

Lesta's form fell off big time in the 23/24 season, but because they'd accumulated so many points in the first half of the season it didn't matter.

First 23 they'd managed a whopping 58 points (2.52 PPG), but second half just 39 (1.70 PPG). If we had a 0.8 PPG drop off as they did, we still make 84 points.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Lesta's form fell off big time in the 23/24 season, but because they'd accumulated so many points in the first half of the season.

First 23 they'd managed a whopping 58 points (2.52 PPG), but second half just 39 (1.70 PPG). If we had a 0.8 PPG drop off as they did, we still make 84 points.

Unlike that season, the chasing pack are well behind.

That season, you had the following after 25 games:
1) Leicester 62 points
2) Ipswich 54 points
3) Southampton 51 points
4) Leeds 45

What is the likelihood of any of the teams below us and Ipswich capable of getting 45-50 points between now and the final day?

Realistically, no one. Even Southampton have slowed down after the initial new manager bounce. Even Watford would need 43 points from the remaining 21 to get to 84 points.

I honestly think 85 points secures promotion and we will 90 points which is 1.8 ppg for the rest of the season. Our ‘wobble’ we hit 1.3 ppg over December and that was from a particularly tough set matches.

After Birmingham, the schedule relaxes a bit. There’s tough games, but mostly mid table/bottom half teams.