Season turning point?

[SoccerHQ]

O.k don't think I'm jumping the gun but we're 99% safe now barring a 200-1 swing or whatever it is.

Anyway what was the season turning point for you then, from near certain relegation in late January to what could actually be a comfortable looking survival as if we beat Wigan we could potentially finish 11 points above them!

Newcastle at home, second half. Must admit at the final whistle I thought we were down, another home game against a relegation rival we'd lost (it remains Newcastle's only away win all season) and the games were running out.

But something clicked second half as we battered them with Gabby, Andi and Benny running amok at their back 4 and we should've got at least 2-2 out of it. We lost but suddenly in the players minds they realised we could attack and create chances and this would probably be our best chance of staying up, we went next to Everton and scored 3.

You could say the previous game at West Brom where we were outstanding first half but that game had the old problem of losing a lead so I'll go for Newcastle second half.

The other one would be a Guzan save in injury time against West Ham from Nolan. 2-2 there and we would've been down, no question.

[Dave]

[The Man With A Stick]

Agree 100% with that Newcastle game.  We lost, but that's where the belief came back.

I've gone from praying for this season to end to mulling over getting a season ticket in the space of a few weeks.

[SoccerHQ]

I think if we'd drawn 1-1 at Stoke we'd have just stepped it up a bit more the next week and beaten Fulham so gained the two lost points that way.

But yeah suppose that's an option...

[Dave]

I think if we'd drawn 1-1 at Stoke we'd have just stepped it up a bit more the next week and beaten Fulham so gained the two lost points that way.

But yeah suppose that's an option...

That's the moment that I knew we were going to stay up. Reading and QPR gave me a lot of optimism, but that's when I stopped worrying. I think I started the post-match thread by saying so as well.

[PeterWithesShin]

Lowton at Stoke. However, and i'm probably alone in this, i'd also go for the 15-0 week. We stuck with the same players, we stuck to doing the same things and that can only have helped the players later in the season. To go through a week like that and still be believed in by the manager must mean a lot.

And also us, we've been fantastic this season at matches. I'd like to think that's helped them as well.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Gabby scoring the equaliser against QPR maybe. Totally against the run of play, then we came out and haven't looked back since.

[dave.woodhall]

Maybe, possibly, not buying anyone except Sylla in January. That must have been a confidence boost to the team. 

[richtheholtender]

Getting level within minutes of going behind at Reading.

[usav]

Maybe, possibly, not buying anyone except Sylla in January. That must have been a confidence boost to the team.

That's a good point.   

[PaulWinch again]

Maybe, possibly, not buying anyone except Sylla in January. That must have been a confidence boost to the team. 

I think buying Sylla might have had a huge impact, you look at the results in the games he's played and that's where most of the points have come from.

[Dave]

Gabby scoring the equaliser against QPR maybe. Totally against the run of play, then we came out and haven't looked back since.

That's quite a good shout.

[Ger Regan]

Lowton at Stoke. However, and i'm probably alone in this, i'd also go for the 15-0 week. We stuck with the same players, we stuck to doing the same things and that can only have helped the players later in the season. To go through a week like that and still be believed in by the manager must mean a lot.

And also us, we've been fantastic this season at matches. I'd like to think that's helped them as well.

The 'we go again' mantra was often mocked on here, but to be fair it looks like the faith in the plan and players was justified.

[SoccerHQ]

Gabby goal right at the end of the first half against QPR is another good one, they battered us first half and losing to QPR would've let them right back in the hunt and they may have kept their own form up.

[neo_Villan]

Newcastle second half was the turning point but Gabby's equaliser against QPR was the most important moment of the season.