| Next block of seven games 08:43 - Nov 8 with 3875 views | TK1 |
The season breaks down into blocks of seven or eight games - or at least until Christmas.
Then FA Cup 3rd Round second weekend of January and then…between January 16th and May 1st it is relentless. The season will be defined by the conditioning of the key players during this period, as well as trading in Jan.
But I had a sense we’d exceeded expectations since the last international break, so I looked up the corresponding thread:
"Would be nice to win the home games for a change.”
"Not seeing too many points out of that lot”
"We're winless in four...so I'd be surprised if we manage to stay in the top 8.”
"We’d do well to get more than 5 points from that lot. We will likely find ourselves on the back foot in four of those five games…”
In fact, we maintained play-off form from a tough-looking run.
P7 W3 D2 L2 F14 A11
Next seven also looks pretty brutal, but get our best team available and we should fear nobody, I think. What's to come?:
Millwall (A)
Norwich (A)
Sheffield U (H)
Stoke (A)
Wolves (H)
Watford (H)
Wrexham (A)
|  | | |  |
| Next block of seven games on 09:00 - Nov 8 with 0 views | GaryBannister86 |
That's a tough set of games to be sure, TK.
Millwall (A)
Norwich (A)
Sheffield U (H)
Stoke (A)
Wolves (H)
Watford (H)
Wrexham (A)
If we have aspirations for top 8 (I really think we need top 6 because 8th and 7th are going to be very hard to have anything more than a one-off quarter final) then we need 12+ points from those and that looks really hard. It would mean I suspect we need to get something from Millwall and probably Wrexham, and at least two wins from the Sheff U, Watford and Wolves home games. If we can do that, we really will be up there. |  | | |
| Next block of seven games on 09:04 - Nov 8 with 0 views | TK1 |
| Next block of seven games on 09:00 - Nov 8 by GaryBannister86 |
That's a tough set of games to be sure, TK.
Millwall (A)
Norwich (A)
Sheffield U (H)
Stoke (A)
Wolves (H)
Watford (H)
Wrexham (A)
If we have aspirations for top 8 (I really think we need top 6 because 8th and 7th are going to be very hard to have anything more than a one-off quarter final) then we need 12+ points from those and that looks really hard. It would mean I suspect we need to get something from Millwall and probably Wrexham, and at least two wins from the Sheff U, Watford and Wolves home games. If we can do that, we really will be up there. |
I agree. I think the Millwall game is absolutely key for setting the tone of the run, like the West Ham one at the start of the last run. (I reckon both clubs would accept draws now). | | | |
| Next block of seven games on 09:14 - Nov 8 with 0 views | GaryBannister86 |
| Next block of seven games on 09:04 - Nov 8 by TK1 |
I agree. I think the Millwall game is absolutely key for setting the tone of the run, like the West Ham one at the start of the last run. (I reckon both clubs would accept draws now). |
Exactly, and we need to show where we have improved and learned from last season and that embarrassingly limp effort in the first 15 minutes at The Den. When Vale and Varane looked like U12s pushed around in the playground.
So Julien needs to think about picking a good, big, solid unit out there....Cirkin, Dunne, Edwards, Kamara.....shut them out early on. | | | |
| Next block of seven games on 09:34 - Nov 8 with 0 views | Dorse |
| Next block of seven games on 09:04 - Nov 8 by TK1 |
I agree. I think the Millwall game is absolutely key for setting the tone of the run, like the West Ham one at the start of the last run. (I reckon both clubs would accept draws now). |
Spot on. We've seen Rs sides get comprehensively beaten in that fixture over the last few years but we showed, in the cup fixture back in August, that we can match them.
If we can get a positive result at their place, that would be a great foundation for us to build on. Hopefully, we'll go into the match with more options because, right now, team selection is basically 'hands up anyone who can still walk'. |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
| |
| Next block of seven games on 09:39 - Nov 8 with 0 views | Tonto |
| Next block of seven games on 09:34 - Nov 8 by Dorse |
Spot on. We've seen Rs sides get comprehensively beaten in that fixture over the last few years but we showed, in the cup fixture back in August, that we can match them.
If we can get a positive result at their place, that would be a great foundation for us to build on. Hopefully, we'll go into the match with more options because, right now, team selection is basically 'hands up anyone who can still walk'. |
Naaaaarwich have annoyingly come into form just before they play us... |  |
| |
| Next block of seven games on 09:56 - Nov 8 with 0 views | terryb |
I'd extend it to the next 10 games in this block of fixtures taking us up to New Years Day, otherwise the 3 games up to the FA Cup will sit alone.
That would add :-
Bristol City (H)
Swansea (A)
Watford (A)
The Norwich & Stoke games now look a lot harder than they looked earlier in the season, but Millwall, Sheffield United, Wrexham & Swansea might be a tad easier. Not that any game we play should come under the headings of easy or hard! | | | |
| Next block of seven games on 10:01 - Nov 8 with 0 views | gazza1 |
Yea, they look tough but I would suggest that 90% of Championship matches are tough, some look tougher than others & likewise some look easy.
Sadly not the case, look at yesterday & the Imps, comfortable match 'on papaer' one would think, but it was far from easy & 'proper' tough for several reasons. Other matches, West Ham, we were excellent until the dreaded substitute replacements late in the game where we should have gotten 3 points, not to mention Bolton & Presston at home where we threw 4 ponts away imho & there are more. Should have beated Burney, another 2 points!! My bottom line is 'play well' and we got a good chance of 3 points against most Clubs.
We have a decent Team/Squad that has a good chance this season & should not fear anybody - get the right team on the pitch, get the tactics right, play well & we have a good chance against most teams in this division. | | | |
| Next block of seven games on 10:41 - Nov 8 with 0 views | nix |
| Next block of seven games on 09:34 - Nov 8 by Dorse |
Spot on. We've seen Rs sides get comprehensively beaten in that fixture over the last few years but we showed, in the cup fixture back in August, that we can match them.
If we can get a positive result at their place, that would be a great foundation for us to build on. Hopefully, we'll go into the match with more options because, right now, team selection is basically 'hands up anyone who can still walk'. |
Yes. We could have an advantage if Crama and Leonard, their natural RBs are still injured and they have the young player Osei Tutu filling in as he can get caught out of position as a naturally more attacking player. Could be something Smyth could exploit down our left.
Unfortunately Millwall are expecting players like De Norre, Jensen and Coburn back in the team against us, which is blooming typical! In fact such is the curse I can imagine they’ll all be back after the international break! |  | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| Next block of seven games on 10:45 - Nov 8 with 0 views | Northernr |
That doesn't look as daunting a list as the last month where I think by and large we've gone well.
Very good against West Ham, Derby, Swansea.
Poor really against Burnley and Lincoln but got the four points most would consider a good week.
Lost badly to Birmingham and Southampton but they look like very good teams this year.
The bit of the season that's going to make or break us is the first couple of months of next year. The January and February schedule is horrible for us. With our performance team, will we be able to get through that in touch? |  | | |
| Next block of seven games on 10:49 - Nov 8 with 0 views | stevec |
| Next block of seven games on 09:00 - Nov 8 by GaryBannister86 |
That's a tough set of games to be sure, TK.
Millwall (A)
Norwich (A)
Sheffield U (H)
Stoke (A)
Wolves (H)
Watford (H)
Wrexham (A)
If we have aspirations for top 8 (I really think we need top 6 because 8th and 7th are going to be very hard to have anything more than a one-off quarter final) then we need 12+ points from those and that looks really hard. It would mean I suspect we need to get something from Millwall and probably Wrexham, and at least two wins from the Sheff U, Watford and Wolves home games. If we can do that, we really will be up there. |
To maintain out points to games ratio, we need 11 points from those 7. Reckon 10 would still be decent.
Think we had 35 points from the first half of last season, need to aim at that. We have a better overall squad than last year, so less worried about getting caught with our trousers down in the corresponding fixtures. |  | | |
| Next block of seven games on 12:09 - Nov 8 with 0 views | KensalT |
| Next block of seven games on 10:45 - Nov 8 by Northernr |
That doesn't look as daunting a list as the last month where I think by and large we've gone well.
Very good against West Ham, Derby, Swansea.
Poor really against Burnley and Lincoln but got the four points most would consider a good week.
Lost badly to Birmingham and Southampton but they look like very good teams this year.
The bit of the season that's going to make or break us is the first couple of months of next year. The January and February schedule is horrible for us. With our performance team, will we be able to get through that in touch? |
And will there be any funds to freshen up the squad in January for the second half of the season?
Based on the summer's transfer dealings the answer to that is probably no! |  | | |
| Next block of seven games on 12:17 - Nov 8 with 0 views | dmm |
| Next block of seven games on 12:09 - Nov 8 by KensalT |
And will there be any funds to freshen up the squad in January for the second half of the season?
Based on the summer's transfer dealings the answer to that is probably no! |
It may depend on whether we get a decent offer for one of our players. I'm not only thinking of Varane (as if) but one of our best. We'll have to do that if the club is to become what it says it aspires to be.
Depending on who is sold, I'd like to see our central midfield strengthened. |  | | |
| Next block of seven games on 12:25 - Nov 8 with 0 views | Paddyhoops |
Southampton and West Ham beaten by Blackburn and Preston over the weekend.
Trying to predict anything in this leauge is like trying to nail jelly to a wall .
If we keep a fit squad we can compete with any one .
Madsen, Burell to come back and a revitalised Chair .
Very good at this level . Optimistic. | | | |
| Next block of seven games on 12:28 - Nov 8 with 0 views | OldPedro |
| Next block of seven games on 09:56 - Nov 8 by terryb |
I'd extend it to the next 10 games in this block of fixtures taking us up to New Years Day, otherwise the 3 games up to the FA Cup will sit alone.
That would add :-
Bristol City (H)
Swansea (A)
Watford (A)
The Norwich & Stoke games now look a lot harder than they looked earlier in the season, but Millwall, Sheffield United, Wrexham & Swansea might be a tad easier. Not that any game we play should come under the headings of easy or hard! |
10 games with 6 of them away and 2 three game weeks finished off by 3 games Sat to Fri over Christmas |  |
| Extra mature cheddar......a simple cheese for a simple man |
| |
| Next block of seven games on 15:46 - Nov 8 with 0 views | TK1 |
| Next block of seven games on 12:17 - Nov 8 by dmm |
It may depend on whether we get a decent offer for one of our players. I'm not only thinking of Varane (as if) but one of our best. We'll have to do that if the club is to become what it says it aspires to be.
Depending on who is sold, I'd like to see our central midfield strengthened. |
I can imagine Scott Parker will have been sitting on the bus back from Blackburn adding names to his list of January transfers. Killman is in a bad run and Ronnie Edwards is a massive upgrade for, what, a £10m first bid?
Ipswich could also do with another centre back, one who can adapt back in the Championship next season. I'd also fancy nabbing QPR's captain if I could, if I was running a team lacking leaders trying to stay (or go) up.
Otherwise, not sure who else fetches any money this Jan. | | | |
| Next block of seven games on 15:54 - Nov 8 with 0 views | nix |
| Next block of seven games on 15:46 - Nov 8 by TK1 |
I can imagine Scott Parker will have been sitting on the bus back from Blackburn adding names to his list of January transfers. Killman is in a bad run and Ronnie Edwards is a massive upgrade for, what, a £10m first bid?
Ipswich could also do with another centre back, one who can adapt back in the Championship next season. I'd also fancy nabbing QPR's captain if I could, if I was running a team lacking leaders trying to stay (or go) up.
Otherwise, not sure who else fetches any money this Jan. |
Trouble is with Ronnie, apart from how valuable he is to our team, he cost us £4-5 million plus agents fees. Then Southampton have a 30% sell on clause. So selling him for £10 million is a teeny profit considering how good he is. | | | |
| Next block of seven games on 08:51 - Nov 9 with 0 views | TheChef |
| Next block of seven games on 12:17 - Nov 8 by dmm |
It may depend on whether we get a decent offer for one of our players. I'm not only thinking of Varane (as if) but one of our best. We'll have to do that if the club is to become what it says it aspires to be.
Depending on who is sold, I'd like to see our central midfield strengthened. |
I think if anyone makes an offer for Varane we should snap their hand off. |  |
| |
| Next block of seven games on 09:05 - Nov 9 with 0 views | BrianMcCarthy |
I don't like grouping games. It leads to comments like "we'd settle for twelve points from that block". So we end upforgiving, or accepting poor results because they're part of a decent 'block'.
Also leads to comments like after we drew at home to Burnley, that it's an ok result if we beat Lincoln. It isn't. It's two points dropped, and it doesn't matter if Rangers beat Lincoln five days later or Karachi beat Carecas. It's two points dropped.
This is how we end up mid-table every year.
Win the next game, then - and only then - think about the game afterwards. |  |
| |
| Next block of seven games on 09:30 - Nov 9 with 0 views | nix |
| Next block of seven games on 09:05 - Nov 9 by BrianMcCarthy |
I don't like grouping games. It leads to comments like "we'd settle for twelve points from that block". So we end upforgiving, or accepting poor results because they're part of a decent 'block'.
Also leads to comments like after we drew at home to Burnley, that it's an ok result if we beat Lincoln. It isn't. It's two points dropped, and it doesn't matter if Rangers beat Lincoln five days later or Karachi beat Carecas. It's two points dropped.
This is how we end up mid-table every year.
Win the next game, then - and only then - think about the game afterwards. |
I’m not sure that’s true though Brian, although as always I respect your opinion!
The reason we end up mid table IMHO is not because we lose or draw the odd game we should’ve won: just look at West Ham, Middlesbrough and Southampton last weekend. It’s because we’ve traditionally gone on streaks of poor form. So we’d not win for five or six matches.
For automatic promotion I agree you need to win pretty much most of those games but to get play offs you can afford to have the odd Burnley provided you then beat Lincoln.
The reason I don’t like it when we get so down on the team when we don’t win one game is because it leads to such a crazy rollercoaster of ‘we’re so terrible’ to ‘we’re definitely going up’ depending on whether we lose or win one game. It’s exhausting and counterproductive for my mental health!
I’d say we need to win just under half of our games to get into the playoffs. So we’re probably one win short with 6 out of 15 so far, but we’ve slightly made that up by being hard to beat with six draws compared to many teams’ four draws around us.
With Madsen and Burrell back hopefully we will on average win that extra game in our next tranche of games!
Incidentally we’re five points ahead of where we were last season. And tracking our PPG we’d get 74 points, which is bang on for the average points required for sixth place over the last few years. | | | |
| Next block of seven games on 09:41 - Nov 9 with 0 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Next block of seven games on 09:30 - Nov 9 by nix |
I’m not sure that’s true though Brian, although as always I respect your opinion!
The reason we end up mid table IMHO is not because we lose or draw the odd game we should’ve won: just look at West Ham, Middlesbrough and Southampton last weekend. It’s because we’ve traditionally gone on streaks of poor form. So we’d not win for five or six matches.
For automatic promotion I agree you need to win pretty much most of those games but to get play offs you can afford to have the odd Burnley provided you then beat Lincoln.
The reason I don’t like it when we get so down on the team when we don’t win one game is because it leads to such a crazy rollercoaster of ‘we’re so terrible’ to ‘we’re definitely going up’ depending on whether we lose or win one game. It’s exhausting and counterproductive for my mental health!
I’d say we need to win just under half of our games to get into the playoffs. So we’re probably one win short with 6 out of 15 so far, but we’ve slightly made that up by being hard to beat with six draws compared to many teams’ four draws around us.
With Madsen and Burrell back hopefully we will on average win that extra game in our next tranche of games!
Incidentally we’re five points ahead of where we were last season. And tracking our PPG we’d get 74 points, which is bang on for the average points required for sixth place over the last few years. |
I 100% agree that we shouldn't get too down after a bad result.
100.5% agree.
But I don't think we should trot out excuses either. Call a bad result what it is, a bad result. Move on.
I think as a club we lack ambition, and have done for years.
We chat too much about 'tough games', 'tough opposition', 'tough weeks', 'thr**-gam*-we*ks'. I think that kind of talk puts a limit on our ambition. So does chat like 'it's a good draw if we win our next game'.
I can't imagine Warnock accepting such chat in his promotion season.
'Ye've got to DIE for three points'. :))
It's a decent season so far, but we need to drive it on. Relentlessly.
This is our chance. | |
| |
| Next block of seven games on 09:44 - Nov 9 with 0 views | JamesB1979 |
So the next 7 are tough…..the previous 7 were “daunting”…..that’s over half the league! I don’t think any games in this league are easy. Lincoln was a really tough game and will make it tough for anyone that plays them. I’d say Southampton, Boro, West Ham and Wolves away are the “really tough” games. But otherwise it’s all the same in my view. | | | |
| Next block of seven games on 09:46 - Nov 9 with 0 views | stowmarketrange |
| Next block of seven games on 12:25 - Nov 8 by Paddyhoops |
Southampton and West Ham beaten by Blackburn and Preston over the weekend.
Trying to predict anything in this leauge is like trying to nail jelly to a wall .
If we keep a fit squad we can compete with any one .
Madsen, Burell to come back and a revitalised Chair .
Very good at this level . Optimistic. |
Southampton were at West Brom on Tuesday and West Ham were at Cardiff so maybe their long distances played a part in them losing on Saturday?But then Norwich were at Derby and then an early ko against Bristol city and won them both without conceding a goal. |  | | |
| Next block of seven games on 10:06 - Nov 9 with 0 views | Rsole |
| Next block of seven games on 10:41 - Nov 8 by nix |
Yes. We could have an advantage if Crama and Leonard, their natural RBs are still injured and they have the young player Osei Tutu filling in as he can get caught out of position as a naturally more attacking player. Could be something Smyth could exploit down our left.
Unfortunately Millwall are expecting players like De Norre, Jensen and Coburn back in the team against us, which is blooming typical! In fact such is the curse I can imagine they’ll all be back after the international break! |
Do you think they call Osei - Vicar-in-a ? |  |
| Those possessed by devils, try and keep them under control a bit, can't you ?
|
| |
| Next block of seven games on 10:08 - Nov 9 with 0 views | TK1 |
| Next block of seven games on 09:05 - Nov 9 by BrianMcCarthy |
I don't like grouping games. It leads to comments like "we'd settle for twelve points from that block". So we end upforgiving, or accepting poor results because they're part of a decent 'block'.
Also leads to comments like after we drew at home to Burnley, that it's an ok result if we beat Lincoln. It isn't. It's two points dropped, and it doesn't matter if Rangers beat Lincoln five days later or Karachi beat Carecas. It's two points dropped.
This is how we end up mid-table every year.
Win the next game, then - and only then - think about the game afterwards. |
You can look at the blocks between breaks and organise appropriately. And you can also look at it on a game by game basis. On a day by day basis. And I'm sure that's what the club does. They'll want to win each game, but they'll also set targets across blocks.
On a personal level, I look at blocks of matches to work out which away games I can go to without setting fire to my domestic arrangements by going to another game three days later! | | | |
| Next block of seven games on 10:09 - Nov 9 with 0 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Next block of seven games on 10:08 - Nov 9 by TK1 |
You can look at the blocks between breaks and organise appropriately. And you can also look at it on a game by game basis. On a day by day basis. And I'm sure that's what the club does. They'll want to win each game, but they'll also set targets across blocks.
On a personal level, I look at blocks of matches to work out which away games I can go to without setting fire to my domestic arrangements by going to another game three days later! |
No mention of 'three-game weeks' in your house, so?
 | |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.