Here's a realistic look how 11 games really do matter. After 11 games last season, look at the top 3 teams, and where are they now. Thoughts?
(http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/gallery/361443_02_10_17_11_19_21.jpeg)
One table means little in isolation!
It matters to an extent. Huddersfield were running away with it last year with 8 wins out of 11 but ended up finishing 1 place ahead of us and promoted in more or less a lottery. It also shows being in the playoffs now means absolutely nothing, looking at Birmingham.
I get where you're coming from as in it's better to have the points than not have them but Snapshots mean nothing. Norwich had a game in hand in the screenshot you posted, won it and won the following game to sit top of the table. Means nothing if you can't sustain it
http://www.fulhamfc.com/first-team/2016_2017/league/away/barnsley ->Scroll for the table
Bristol City starting well again. Cardiff turning it around. As for us. Have to remember that we had a ridiculously good second part of the season. That will never be repeated. But the league will be much tighter this season. I can't see the top three this season making it until the end.
Quote from: Statto on October 02, 2017, 11:39:14 PM
Think you can look at that both ways.
Norwich have a game in hand in that table, which they won, meaning after 11 games the top 2 was actually Norwich and Huddersfield, neither of whom actually finished in the top 2.
Then in the rest of that top 6 you have Bristol and Birmingham who ultimately finished just above the relegation zone.
The teams who actually went on to occupy the top 6, Wednesday, Reading and Fulham (and Leeds who were there until gameweek 43) are all still outside the top 6.
But the three teams who went up were top at this stage.
As its seen on the comparison table I posted on the projected thread I dont list the teams.
For me its all about the position and the points because no matter what team is sitting in 6th place at 15, 20, 25, 30 games the points will be the important part. The teams change but the points and position dont really.
So when its mentioned about chasing Leeds or Preston, I dont see it like that, its chasing points and position.
At the moment for example 6th place at 20 games would have 36 points if the projection/form continues as it is now. It wont as it always drops off, so expect 6th place at 20 games to need 32-34 at most. (last season at 11 games Birmingham were 6th with 20 points. At Game 20 Leeds were 6th with 32 points)
Clearly important to note that we are 3 points and four positions better off having played only 10 games so far on top of which we've been having to integrate new players (at times half a team) and play with a significant number of injuries to our key players.
We have won 3 of our last six, which is looking like we've turned a corner already (which took us to January to do last season) and we're close to getting at least one or two potential key players in soares and cairney back for our next game.
On top of all that, we've had a very hard and competitive start to the season, playing most of last season's play off contenders and a few of the teams near the top who were in great form before playing us.
We have also only lost two games this season.. one against Sheffield Wednesday who we've never seemed to do well against and one against Burton.
We're obviously not in best shape, but when you realise that and know we have a lot more we can offer then it does become a lot harder to be negative.. it'll be a minor miracle in my view if jokanovic does manage to repeat or better last season's form (which despite negativity he is doing) considering the amount of new players he's had to bed in and the fact we're now and known entity and should be finding it harder to play against teams who have a better idea of what they have to do against us.
Most managers we've faced have quite clearly stated they believe we will be in amongst it again this season and have been very complimentary still of our style of play.
I reckon we'll definitely be in the playoffs but this time pushing harder and earlier for an automatic promotion spot.
Also important to note that out of all playoff contenders playing this season we're currently doing the best and by some way in readings terms..
And to note what happened to the likes bristol City, Birmingham and Norwich last season.. they faded. This is a marathon not a sprint.
of course another way to look at this is how did the table perform over the next 35 games form wise.
(https://preview.ibb.co/mt0kTw/last_year_1.png) (https://ibb.co/neHX8w)
It is history and really is no basis for predicting what may happen this season.
However it does show how things can easily change from one season to the next or even during a season.
Birmingham were going well at this stage last season but not much has gone right for them since.
Highlights what a farce it was Birmingham getting rid of Rowett. fp.gif :doh:
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