Time to go

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I'm somewhere in the middle. We're not out of sight yet: we're still only four points off 17th, which is actually one fewer than we were before the Fulham game. And we're showing some positive signs: twice this month we've been denied by sterling performances from visiting goalkeepers.

You mean last month I think

The Wolves game looked one of the better performances this year by us, maybe the goalkeeper had a blinder, can't remember. The game before (I think I'm talking about Newcastle) most of our shots on target I could have saved without my specs on.

Last month, yeah. Can't raise a smile. It feels like an opportunity missed.

It was mentioned before the Wolves game that we are (were?) the division's most accurate team in percentage terms of shooting on target – though as you say, doesn't mean the goalie couldn't throw his cap on it. But for the record, against Newcastle we had just one shot on target (Petrov after about 38 minutes) and three off-beam.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Feels like the mood has changed a fair bit from these dark days though by no means out of the woods,a couple of decent results in the next two games , a couple of successful signings from this window and come summer we may have survived , had a cup run and the first half of the season could be a distant bleak memory.

My comments in this thread about the quality of the squad not being good enough appear pretty misplaced.Although plenty teams spend money there isnt a huge difference in quality once you get below the top 6.

Amazing what the right system and a bit of confidence can do, oh and Ricketts coming back inplace of Robbo.

[officer_dibble]

QPR and Blackburn have improved

Wiggin look shit, wolves are in trouble

We're by no means out of the woods yet. The frustrating thing is 451 earlier this season (and maybe sorting the Robinson problem out in August) and we would be in a far better position.

We shall see.

[Lord Kangana]

Well you've done it now.

[officer_dibble]

I tried to temper it, bloody excitable youth

[Ianmooreslovechild]

LOL you're right about the 451 and robbo Dibble.At least he's cottoned on now and it's not too late.There isnt much difference in quality below the top 6 though so a confident team playing an effective system has more than a fighting chance of picking up points.Thats a lot better than the way things looked a month ago.

[TANGODANCER]

QPR and Blackburn have improved

Wiggin look shit, wolves are in trouble

We're by no means out of the woods yet. The frustrating thing is 451 earlier this season (and maybe sorting the Robinson problem out in August) and we would be in a far better position.

We shall see.

We played 4-5-1. It might not have meant to be that, but defending for our lives with a non working midfield and Davies up on his own trying to catch Jussi's barrage ballon wallops was anything but 4-4-2 or anything else. 8-1-1 maybe. It was the system that was wrong and the lack of commitment as a team. We couldn't even keep the ball from throw ins. Last week showed how it should be done and it was a team performance rather than individual ones. We need to keep playing that way.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Only two points between 15th and the top half

Shame there's five between 15th and 16th, but hey-ho - there's no bigger gap outside the top seven, so there's a rapid ascent available for teams who sort themselves out

Ask Martin O'Neill, if he can hear you from the top half

[Hoboh]

Coyle seems to have finally got his act together, I really hope so I just hope Pratley is a one off mistake now he's seen through Robbo and SKD and the Finn and hopefully Knightmare

[Prufrock]

Well, th'owd buggers in't pub have got me all giddy. 17th (thank you please) and still Swansea, QPR, Wigan, Blackburn, Fulham, West Brom at home, plus never won at the Reebok Spurs, and Wolves away. We can whinge about fixtures to now, but if we don't stay up now, it's our fault.

[Jakerbeef]

I remember looking at the fixture list an hour into the Everton game thinking- "February. 4 games, 0 pts. Then Chelsea and City. We're gone." A freak gust of wind had just left Bogdan flapping at thin air. It all seemed so cruel; how a season like the one we were having can conspire to send you tumbling into the Championship.


A couple of weeks later we're above the relegation zone and Arsenal must be a little worried after our result last Saturday (and indeed killing their 'title hopes' last year).

Barely one month has passed from the point of pure misery and everyone seems to be cautiously optimistic again. Coyle is on safe footing once more and we could be doing relatively alright by the time Lee and Holden return to chuck us up the league table.

The only question though- we've roughly the same team from the start of the season, so what the hell was going wrong? Were Jussi, SKD, Robbo and 4-4-2 the only things we needed to fix?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

The only question though- we've roughly the same team from the start of the season, so what the hell was going wrong? Were Jussi, SKD, Robbo and 4-4-2 the only things we needed to fix?

Perhaps, although in roughly the opposite order to that stated. Tactical sterility is always a killer, especially when it exposes a repeatedly targeted underperforming defender.

[thebish]

Coyle is on safe footing once more and we could be doing relatively alright by the time Lee and Holden return to chuck us up the league table.

ooooh - is there news on that??

[Wandering Willy]

The only question though- we've roughly the same team from the start of the season, so what the hell was going wrong? Were Jussi, SKD, Robbo and 4-4-2 the only things we needed to fix?

Perhaps, although in roughly the opposite order to that stated. Tactical sterility is always a killer, especially when it exposes a repeatedly targeted underperforming defender.

I would reorder those as 4-4-2, SKD, Jussi, Robbo.

[Tals-biggest-fan]

Coyle is on safe footing once more and we could be doing relatively alright by the time Lee and Holden return to chuck us up the league table.

ooooh - is there news on that??

Holden's just started jogging I believe, he won't be back IMO until the end of march and chungy is about the same.

[thebish]

Coyle is on safe footing once more and we could be doing relatively alright by the time Lee and Holden return to chuck us up the league table.

ooooh - is there news on that??

Holden's just started jogging I believe, he won't be back IMO until the end of march and chungy is about the same.

maybe me and Bruce could take him out jogging and offer some pointers?

[Gooner Girl]

Coyle is on safe footing once more and we could be doing relatively alright by the time Lee and Holden return to chuck us up the league table.

ooooh - is there news on that??

Holden's just started jogging I believe, he won't be back IMO until the end of march and chungy is about the same.

maybe me and Bruce could take him out jogging and offer some pointers?

I doubt he'd keep up with you two speed demons, he does play for Bolton after all...

[Jakerbeef]

The only question though- we've roughly the same team from the start of the season, so what the hell was going wrong? Were Jussi, SKD, Robbo and 4-4-2 the only things we needed to fix?

Perhaps, although in roughly the opposite order to that stated. Tactical sterility is always a killer, especially when it exposes a repeatedly targeted underperforming defender.

I would reorder those as 4-4-2, SKD, Jussi, Robbo.

I dunno, Robbo was almost being bullied they went down his wing so often. Tactics 101- quick guy on the slow fullback. He'll either trip you or back up all the way to the 6 yard box.

4-4-2, Robbo, SKD, Jussi for me. Since it could be argued our poor defending was often hanging our keeper out to dry. You could also argue our formation was putting undue pressure on our backline too.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Actually the 4 things mentioned amounts to quite a lot so hardly surprising we were getting tonked. We were playing an open system with a weak left back and a front line that stood still and couldnt hold the ball.

[Armchair Wanderer]

Jussi, SKD and 4-4-2 are all connected...

We played 4-4-2 because SKD was on the pitch.
Because we played 4-4-2 our midfield couldn't do anything (esp with Holden missing).
And, Jussi hoofed the ball to SKD because he was on the pitch, but our midfield couldn't hold onto it so we lost the ball.

It's surprising to me how much better Petrov plays ahead of anyone who isn't Robbo. So not only was LB the weakest link, it also affected us going forwards, keeping the ball, etc.