End of September last season - 13 points
This season 14 points with one game less!
Good win tonight, didn't play that well, but showed grit in the end and even sneaked a winner with our backs against the wall!
Well done SJ on the subs tonight, wasn't working first half, so changed it around, but forward subs made an impact as well.
Roll on Friday!
Problem with comparing our results with last season is we needed one hell of a run after January to get into the play offs. But another good away result. Not a great performance but with a new line up and formation that didn't seem to work that well at times. The result is impressive. At least the squad can turn its hand to different things when asked.
Saved me starting a thread Brightster... Thought the subs were correct and timely..... well done SJ.
Cue the "No Plan B" brigade !
How was Mollo. Noticed he set up a goal?
Quote from: General on September 26, 2017, 10:26:38 PM
How was Mollo. Noticed he set up a goal?
Great run & intelligent, sublime, cut back to Kebano for the third
I'd like to see him start on Friday in place of Ojo who was indifferent tonight
Quote from: Statto on September 26, 2017, 10:37:34 PM
It bodes well with Cairney, Soares and Piazon still to come back or into the team. Graham can't get a look in.
Mollo, Kamara and Fonte will only get better as they settle in the UK.
And given we missed on Gayle in August, presumably we've money to spend in January if necessary as well.
If we get in or around the top 6 over the next month, IMO we can really make an assault on the top 2 of the next two thirds of the season with a full strength team, because we will be much, much stronger.
After watching that agree 100%, winning ugly and defending hard when we needed to. What a joy to have a bench that can change games, makes a change from last year.
Also thought that Button continues to be rock solid.
Overall still think top 6 is doable and top 2 a possibility.
Great result just can't believe AK could be injured. Typical!! His drag back to beat the man before shooting was some of the best play I've seen from a Fulham striker in a while! Quality!!
I got quite worried with our defending. We try to keep high line, but our team level pressure on the ball and keeping it tight with opposition players around the ball is not at the level where it should be. Forest showed us today, how it should be done, IMO.
Lucky to win tonight, but to be fair, you can say the opposite for many of our past games. Nice to win ugly for a change!
Quote from: FFC73 on September 26, 2017, 10:41:19 PM
Quote from: General on September 26, 2017, 10:26:38 PM
How was Mollo. Noticed he set up a goal?
Great run & intelligent, sublime, cut back to Kebano for the third
I'd like to see him start on Friday in place of Ojo who was indifferent tonight
+1
Mollo will tear pieces off QPR and devour them like a slow cooked beef brisket.
Quote from: Fernhurst on September 26, 2017, 10:17:15 PM
Saved me starting a thread Brightster... Thought the subs were correct and timely..... well done SJ.
Well someone had to say it, been keeping my lips sealed recently as the panic was setting in!
As Statto states we haven't had our strongest team on the pitch yet altogether, we seemed to have a better squad this year more depth.
I and I bet many on hear would have taken 4 points from Middlesbrough and Forest away.
Let's hope we can keep it up on Friday!
COYW
No one seems to be mentioning we've played 4-5 of the top 7 teams in the table, and 0 of the bottom 5 teams in the table.
Last season and this season are two different time slots but it would be hard not be pleased with a result at the City Ground that reverses those matches this term where we had the chances to win but failed to deliver the goals. We know the feeling Forest feel this morning only too well, but the stats show we hit the target (not including the woodwork) almost twice as often as our host's did. Johansen's free kick was a gem, with AK and Neesken's showing the work they have put in. It is starting to come good but we need to consolidate this victory with another good performance on Friday. The signs are there that hard work on the training ground is beginning to deliver the confidence required to turn matches in our favour even when we are not the better side, and that augurs well for the rest of the season. My only criticism was the poor defending which allowed Forest to get their goal. We really need to be cutting out crosses at source because we don't seem to be consistently able to win balls in the air.
One difference is form wise we were on the slide at this time last year... Three points in a six game period where now we are inconsistent at worse. So bodes well for our form being better this side of Xmas.
If we can do that then we may not have to be the best team for the whole of the last half of the season.
and currently only six points from automatic promotion.
After the break, we will be taking on PNE & Villa, and we need to go toe to toe with them, and not give them hope when there isn't any.
Technical ability wise there is not a lot to worry about overall, it's the application, mental strength and a little more confidence is the best medicine.
Maybe by then our injury list will have shortened.
Views from the stands
Defence quite strong. Fredericks no concerns. Central two did some great last ditch stuff throughout but two big mistakes should have led to goals and we got let off! Odoi at fault for goal .. not close enough to man. Sess looked tired when brought back to LB.. still learning as they say! Was shaky.
Midfield looked more balanced surprisingly with Norwood on. McDonald strong as ever. Johansen perhaps less effective with no Cairney as not as many men man marking the latter to free up space.
Up front Kamara looked a handful. Poor first touch. However, fast and unafraid to put himself about. His finishing looked cool and calm - no concerns there!
Fonte is the misshaped jigsaw piece. Clearly very talented with good ball control and glides around the pitch helping to control the game in a similar way to Cairney. However, one gets the impression he would be better suited further up the pitch though in what capacity remains to be seen.
Last point on Ojo. He seemed lethargic throughout. Was relieved when he was taken off. Half hearted running back - only token attempts to help the defence out. Up front he laid on some reasonable passes and to be fair for a young player seems to be quite calm on the ball. However, he is no Sess... he doesn't bear comparison and is two years older. Too sluggish for me.
Mollo didn't always chase back which confused us in the stands as he was only on for ten minutes to see the game out .....? But a very well constructed move for the goal. Intelligent run, and was aware of the player for the pass without having to look up. But time will tell.
Pleased to see that Sess. was moved out of the left back position and that at last 47AK was given a start but now disappointed that AK47 is injured and unlikely to play on Friday.
I note from published stats that we did not have most of the possession which is unusual, I suspect that we may have changed our tactics a little for this match and it obviously paid off.
