Champions League Contention

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11 points from 6, 8th in the form table versus 14 points from 6 in Liverpool at the top of said table.

1 result swing is a loss of steam over the busiest period of the year, with all our injuries? Yeah maybe.

[Risso]

This is why we need a proper alternative/backup for Watkins. He's scored 1 goal in 8 games and hasn't really looked like getting on the score sheet in that time. We need somebody better than Duran to bring on. Ollie's just reverted to whacking the ball into the defender's shins every time he gets a sniff.

[Smithy]

11 points from 6, 8th in the form table versus 14 points from 6 in Liverpool at the top of said table.

1 result swing is a loss of steam over the busiest period of the year, with all our injuries? Yeah maybe.

Our recent form isn't actually that bad.  3 wins, 2 draws and a loss from the last 6 games won't win the league, but if we did that sort of return for the rest of the season we'd be over 70 points, and almost certainly in the champions league places.  And that's maintaining a level of form that people think has dropped off.  It's certainly below the 2 points per game we've been used to in 2023, but still good enough to get into the high 60s across a season.  We just need a couple of back-to-back wins to build some momentum again.  Newcastle and Sheff Utd a great place to start, given we got one point from the reverse fixtures.

[jon collett]

This is why we need a proper alternative/backup for Watkins. He's scored 1 goal in 8 games and hasn't really looked like getting on the score sheet in that time. We need somebody better than Duran to bring on. Ollie's just reverted to whacking the ball into the defender's shins every time he gets a sniff.

There was a strange thing Sunday where he often penetrated the defence through speed and time runs but then turned backwards with the ball and the move fizzles out. Happened three or four times.

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I think this time of year its erroneous to artifically cap form at 4, 5 or 6 games, because it lacks the context of what this period is. It is the crunch, an absolute slog, get in a dark place head down and work- get out of it as best you can.

We have played 9 games in a month, been without some really high quality players like Torres, Yuri, Kamara etc, with JJ and Moreno not up to full speed. We've now come into January, did something we've not done in 8 years and got our first goaless draw playing the worst anti-football side in the league.

That's definitely a weakness we're finding and perhaps with Torres and Tielemans back, that better passing will help with these rank, ambitionless sides. But we're not doing badly. We don't look tired, hopefully the break helps either players coming back and we have two games to go at where we ought to find space to dismantle.

[Brend'Watkins]

I think we all thought that Diaby would be scoring more than he has, I certainly did.  His confidence looks really low and emphasized by that chance he had in the 2nd half to run at goal when instead he chose to cut back and get the ball out to Watkins who was in a worse position. 

[LeeB]

I think this time of year its erroneous to artifically cap form at 4, 5 or 6 games, because it lacks the context of what this period is. It is the crunch, an absolute slog, get in a dark place head down and work- get out of it as best you can.

We have played 9 games in a month, been without some really high quality players like Torres, Yuri, Kamara etc, with JJ and Moreno not up to full speed. We've now come into January, did something we've not done in 8 years and got our first goaless draw playing the worst anti-football side in the league.

That's definitely a weakness we're finding and perhaps with Torres and Tielemans back, that better passing will help with these rank, ambitionless sides. But we're not doing badly. We don't look tired, hopefully the break helps either players coming back and we have two games to go at where we ought to find space to dismantle.

I wholeheartedly agree with all of this.

[Hookeysmith]

Some of the wankfest in the gutter press, especially about Spurzzzzzz is sickening

One hack even suggested Redscum could sneak into top 4 - unfuckingbelievable.

I really hope we discover some form  again and go on the march to ram it down these clowns throats

[eamonn]

What had we not done in eight years - a scoreless draw? Doubt it.

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What had we not done in eight years - a scoreless draw? Doubt it.

4th round of the Cup.

[eamonn]

Ah yes, forgot about that unwanted record.

[Drummond]

I think this time of year its erroneous to artifically cap form at 4, 5 or 6 games, because it lacks the context of what this period is. It is the crunch, an absolute slog, get in a dark place head down and work- get out of it as best you can.

We have played 9 games in a month, been without some really high quality players like Torres, Yuri, Kamara etc, with JJ and Moreno not up to full speed. We've now come into January, did something we've not done in 8 years and got our first goaless draw playing the worst anti-football side in the league.

That's definitely a weakness we're finding and perhaps with Torres and Tielemans back, that better passing will help with these rank, ambitionless sides. But we're not doing badly. We don't look tired, hopefully the break helps either players coming back and we have two games to go at where we ought to find space to dismantle.

I wholeheartedly agree with all of this.

I think the games against ManC and Arse really took it out of us. but both showed what we can do. With Torres, Kamara and Tielemans all being out over Xmas it really affected our ability to push games and we lost the control in the middle and the creativity and passing ability. I fully expect us to push on again now, Newcastle and then Sheffield United.

[coreyfeldman]

What had we not done in eight years - a scoreless draw? Doubt it.

They meant Emery had not overseen a goalless draw in the prem, not us

[algy]

I think this time of year its erroneous to artifically cap form at 4, 5 or 6 games, because it lacks the context of what this period is. It is the crunch, an absolute slog, get in a dark place head down and work- get out of it as best you can.

We have played 9 games in a month, been without some really high quality players like Torres, Yuri, Kamara etc, with JJ and Moreno not up to full speed. We've now come into January, did something we've not done in 8 years and got our first goaless draw playing the worst anti-football side in the league.

That's definitely a weakness we're finding and perhaps with Torres and Tielemans back, that better passing will help with these rank, ambitionless sides. But we're not doing badly. We don't look tired, hopefully the break helps either players coming back and we have two games to go at where we ought to find space to dismantle.

I wholeheartedly agree with all of this.

Me too. 

[Percy McCarthy]

What had we not done in eight years - a scoreless draw? Doubt it.

They meant Emery had not overseen a goalless draw in the prem, not us

Ads meant getting to the 4th round of the cup, not a scoreless draw