Robinshio
Well-Known Member
Totally disagree. Maybe me and Brian clough saw a different player to you
Solid start to the season (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter clint van damme
- Start date
TomRad85
Well-Known Member
The thing is, a lot of people would say they'd like their team to be a score more goals than you exciting attacking team over 1-0 merchants, until they see the reality
It could put me into an early grave but I've loved a lot of what I've seen so far. Actually feel like the goals we're conceding should be an easier fix than if we were shipping a load from open play too, although the longer we go on conceding that way it kind of becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
The thing is, a lot of people would say they'd like their team to be a score more goals than you exciting attacking team over 1-0 merchants, until they see the reality
It could put me into an early grave but I've loved a lot of what I've seen so far. Actually feel like the goals we're conceding should be an easier fix than if we were shipping a load from open play too, although the longer we go on conceding that way it kind of becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Bidwell said midweek sorting out the set piece issue would be an easy fix, let's see!
TomRad85
Well-Known Member
I have to think its getting to the point where it's more psychological than anything now. If we could stop giving away stupid fouls in horrendous positions it would help.
This. We like to play a high line, which is fine, but we have to manage games better. They went direct, playing long balls in behind our full backs, why didn't we just sit for a while, see off that threat and wrestle control back?
Regardless, it has been a decent start, some really positive signs.
play_in_skyblue_stripes
Well-Known Member
Stuart Pearce was fantastic in his first game.
Terry_dactyl
Well-Known Member
Saw them vs Pompey this season. They’re big and strong. Scored from a set piece…
Unbeaten start to the season, and we’re getting upset that the teams we’ve not lost to are subsequently below us in the table, great stuff.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
CovValleyBoy
Well-Known Member
Clough saw the potential & developed the player.
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
More that we got 9 points from these 4 games last season. So while the football has been great at times, results wise we’re behind on last year, which isn’t great.
However, if we draw against Norwich we’re back level and if we win we’re two points up. Next three will tell us a lot about whether we’ve improved on last year. I don’t think we came close to a top three side in any game last season under Lampard really. Beat a Sunderland team on the beach but didn’t really lay a glove on them when it mattered. I want to see us competing against the likes of Norwich Leicester and Birmingham before I decide we’ve moved up a level.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
Sunderland were on the beach?!!
They went on to get promoted, did they cut their holiday short?!
Nuskyblue
Well-Known Member
I was literally thinking the same making breakfast this morning.
We have started way better than last season, keep this return and we'll be right in the mix come season end.
pusbccfc
Well-Known Member
Spot on. The second half was poor yesterday but my word the first half was sensational. Some of the best attacking football I have ever seen us play. On another day, we'd have been 4-1 up at HT.
The international break has come at a good time really. The coaches really need to get to work on defending set pieces and they have to find a way of getting Simms to toughen up. We cannot go through the season with Simms sat on the bench and not being brought on.
The international break has come at a good time really. The coaches really need to get to work on defending set pieces and they have to find a way of getting Simms to toughen up. We cannot go through the season with Simms sat on the bench and not being brought on.
Grendel
Well-Known Member
The thing is, a lot of people would say they'd like their team to be a score more goals than you exciting attacking team over 1-0 merchants, until they see the reality
It could put me into an early grave but I've loved a lot of what I've seen so far. Actually feel like the goals we're conceding should be an easier fix than if we were shipping a load from open play too, although the longer we go on conceding that way it kind of becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Im with you on this. Some of our attacking play this season has been a level above anything I’ve seen from us in a long time. The movement, one touch and close control first half yesterday was top quality,
As others have said we to stop giving needless free kicks away, it’s just poor discipline, but no team will fancy playing/defending against us. BTA and Mason Clark are proper forwards and our set up made us look more exposed defensively yesterday. Again, as others said Saka should’ve been on earlier to make us a bit more solid
Decent start, best team in every game, could’ve won all of them with a bit of luck and league scoring record, so can’t really complain
ajsccfc
Well-Known Member
First time we've avoided defeat in the first four since coming back up I make it. Some concerns about how we've conceded and if it's a case points dropped considering the quality of opposition, but to be unbeaten and top six going into the first break while still having plenty of room to improve feels pretty luxurious in itself
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
We played them during a period where they had secured playoffs and weren’t likely to get autos. Their form was pretty horrible at the time.
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
This I agree with completely. The change even from Hull to the other games is night and day and we’re attacking better than I can remember in a long time (Eric Black maybe?).
I just want to see how it does against the better teams in the league.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
Our home form has been very good under Lampard.
Aside from when we went 5 at the back our away form under him last season was ropey.
So far this season we've picked up 4 points on the road so I'd say that's a positive.
I really don't get the negativity, there are some genuine concerns, I agree, but there's plenty of positives as well, to just focus on the negatives is unessacary doom mongering in my opinion.
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
No doom. Very happy generally between the final whistle at Hull and the HT whistle yesterday it’s been some of the best I’ve seen us attack in my life. Comparable with the entertainers and Black sides. I just have questions about whether we can do it against the better teams who last season kept us at arms length then picked us off at best and ripped us apart at worst.
Flying Fokker
Well-Known Member
Interesting. Did we play them early on? Those 17 points from 17 games were the killer. We couldn’t have got autos but could have given Sheffield U a run for their money.
It's a good start but for the cross bar we could have 4 wins from 4. We are so good attacking and in my opinion we have the best midfield in the championship. But to be a top team our defence needs to be so much better. We need a CB with a cool head, someone who doesn't give away silly fouls around our box and can organise the defence during set pieces. I am not sure about Rushworth, is he still settling in or is it he is not good? They say 10 games in gives a good indication as to where your season could be heading, we have 4 tough games after international break, so we obviously need our defence to improve. Hopefully a new CB before window closes tomorrow. We can't keep having to score more than 2 goals to win a game.
Cally Fedora
Well-Known Member
Horses for courses. This pre-occupation with a starting 11 is crazy. Anyone could see yesterday was crying out for a Sheaf rather than Torp. Torp has tons of ability but his influence is all about moments of quality rather than impacting 90 minutes.Why would you drop our most in form midfielder
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
Is that really relevant? Last season we got 0 points v Leeds, 4 points in 23/24.
We’ve started stronger and of the 2 games we’ve drawn, we were the better team.
We put the ball in the net 4 times in the first half v Oxford and should’ve been out of sight. Oxford scored a decent FK and probably deserved the draw. The game yesterday was a similar game flow to last season.
It goes without saying that yesterday was frustrating and should have been 3 points.
Evo1883
Well-Known Member
I think torp for sheaf was the correct sub but for the most part the reason the game went away from us is that we dont adapt to changes in the game at all .
The defence were constantly left exposed with little cover from the wings and it really just needed lampard to tweak us to be more compact for a short period to recoup and stay solid but he just carried on gung ho
procdoc
Well-Known Member
He’s scored 4 in 4 and is the only player in our team scoring from outside of the box. He’s integral to how we play.
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
For starters, Sakamoto and Sheaf probably weren’t 100% so there was a reluctance to risk them.
The issue I’ve pointed out a few times this season is that there’s no game changers on the bench. When a game was tied or we’re trailing… who is going to come on and make an impact and get a goal or an assist?
CM - there’s good options but Sheaf, Allen, Grimes and Eccles between them don’t offer a big goal threat. Personally, Grimes looked hurt and stuttered in the last 15-25 minutes. There’s no balance, Eccles, Sheaf, Grimes and Allen all do similar type of roles (more or less).
Wingers - Sakamoto looked good in his cameo but is a BTA/Sakamoto/EMC as your winger corp a top end Championship? My view is that it’s stretched too thin. Oxford targeted the gaps between JDS and EMC too.
Haji - there was no need to sub him tbf because he played well but generally the team around him struggled to get a grip on the game and create a good chance for him. Had his shot that hit the crossbar went in, it would have been a great strike (top assist from Sakamoto too).
Cally Fedora
Well-Known Member
Why does it matter where we score from? His goals are generally in games where we have lots of possession and are mainly at home. It’s fine to play him in those games. But we needed to tighten up yesterday and he’s not the right player for that. Sheaf sitting with Grimes second half and we probably go on to win.
covcity4life
Well-Known Member
We also were more likely to win the two games we have drawn than the opposition so all this stuff about 9pts last year from same 4 is silly, we are clearly in a better place and close to sitting on 12 PTS right nowWe were the better team over the two legs and should have won.
procdoc
Well-Known Member
He’s scored in both away games. You don’t go to games though so probably haven’t even noticed
