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One thing I'm fairly confident of

Started by HatterDon, October 03, 2014, 03:24:04 AM

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HatterDon

I'm NOT confident about making the playoffs -- and I still don't think this squad is ready for promotion in any case. I'm also not confident about keeping Ruiz past January or Roberts past August.

I AM fairly confident that, barring a layoff due to injury, McCormack will bag 20+ goals this season. He's about to start going buggo on the pitch; I foresee braces and hat tricks on the horizon, and he's going to be a lot of fun to watch. He's kinda the real thing.
"As long as there is light, I will sing." -- Juana, la Cubana

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Deanothefulhamfan

#1
I agree with the first part of the post, bit disagree with parts of the second.

My reason being is that RM is playing a deeper role which benefits the team more, so he is less likely to be in goal scoring positions as Hugo would be for instance, but more likely to create goals for others.

I think it could be a case of several players scoring a fair amount, as apose to 1 scoring a bucket load.

RM is making me eat my words on him after his last 2 performances, and I hope he continues to do so.

FPT

I am the opposite to the Deano in this case then, I certainly can see us making a surge towards the top half of the table, and I'm fully confident that our squad will be further strengthened in January to help Kit (or whoever is in charge) get the club into as good as a position as possible. Obviously, the next two games are big tests, though you hope our momentum will aid us against Middlesbrough and history will help us against Norwich. 4 points from those and the positivity continues.

It's going to be a stretch as we can't really afford to slip up, but it's certainly possible. Take it game by game at the moment, but we've got to see that as a goal and something for us to chase.

I do think that we have a good squad, but I fear about depth in key areas - if Scott Parker gets injured, we're pretty knackered there as it's then a midfield three of Stafylidis, Christensen and Hyndman, but again, I do believe we'll strengthen there. Then I look at central defence, Hutchinson (and I want to like him) hasn't shown much capability of being a Championship centre half, or a promotion pushing centre half at the least. I do think we'll see a centre back join in January - Peter Beagrie proposed Robert Huth or Steven Taylor; though I doubt we could get the former at the least - Taylor would be a stretch, but certainly possible. Though to sum up there, I do feel as though we have a good enough squad to compete until January, especially if we get lucky with injuries.

As for Ross McCormack, I agree, and I would add that our front three of Bryan Ruiz, Hugo Rodallega and Ross McCormack are all fully capable of scoring 20 goals at this level, each. Though I do agree with Deano in the fact that Ross does provide more than just his goals, so even if his goal records at the end of the season doesn't match his standards, it'll be made up by other areas of his game.


Mince n Tatties

RM impressed me immensely the other night not just by his work rate but by his touch
on the ball, also has a good eye seeing things early.I will be quite happy if he bags around
15 goals this season as I think he will set up quite a few. COYW..

Deanothefulhamfan

That was the thing that has really started to change my opinion of him, his touch is excellent and his link up play, which I think was really lacking before.

Him and Woodrow against Brimingham and then him and Ruiz against Bolton were a joy to watch.

Artful Dodger

I've said it before, RM is a quality player which you could see even when we were losing every week. It's no surprise he looks even better when we are playing well. And what a delivery he has.....
Faber est suae quisque fortunae


Skatzoffc

Imo, he's quality and will score a lot of goals.
I just wish he'd shoot more. He keeps trying to play others in when he has got in a position to shoot.

It will come with confidence tho, I'm sure.
COYW!
Siblings, let us not be down on it.
One total catastrophe like this...is just the beginning !

rweller86

Quote from: Skatzoffc on October 03, 2014, 08:01:43 AM
Imo, he's quality and will score a lot of goals.
I just wish he'd shoot more. He keeps trying to play others in when he has got in a position to shoot.

It will come with confidence tho, I'm sure.
COYW!

Whenever he is in front of goal he is always angling to make room for a shot. Only if he can't find it (or if he is in a channel) will he pass/cross the ball. I have barely seen him pass the ball if he is in a goal scoring position.
@rweller

jelmo

I was impressed with end touch when he controlled a long diagonal ball while facing the direction the ball was going. Reminded me of been of berbatov the way he expertly brought it down.


Peppo

If we win the next two games then point wise we will be back in the mix but more importantly we will know we can compete. The playoffs will then seem a whole lot more possible.

MJG

Ok some stats so you realise now how hard getting into the playoffs will be.

Currently 7 points from 10 games

36 games left 108 points

Past 13 seasons the average pts needed for 6th place is 73 (Range from 68-75)

We need 66 pts from 36 games at 1.83 ppg

If you averaged 1.83 ppg over 46 games you get : 84 points.

On average over 13 seasons 84 points  would get you 3rd place (Range 75-86). In 13 years only 4 times has that been enough for 2nd place

So basically for us to get to 6th place and a play off place by the last game of the season, we need to play like the 3rd best team for the rest of season.

At worst the 4th best team might just scrape in, but I doubt it.


How does that look now?

SouthWest6

His work rate off the ball is fantastic, was a please to watch him and Ruiz link up the other night, pure class..


ron

".........we are (still) in hell right now gentlemen.............we'll do it inch by inch, play by play......"


Al, tell them! ..... Listen to the coach!

Burt

Quote from: MJG on October 03, 2014, 10:07:52 AM
Ok some stats so you realise now how hard getting into the playoffs will be.

Currently 7 points from 10 games

36 games left 108 points

Past 13 seasons the average pts needed for 6th place is 73 (Range from 68-75)

We need 66 pts from 36 games at 1.83 ppg

If you averaged 1.83 ppg over 46 games you get : 84 points.

On average over 13 seasons 84 points  would get you 3rd place (Range 75-86). In 13 years only 4 times has that been enough for 2nd place

So basically for us to get to 6th place and a play off place by the last game of the season, we need to play like the 3rd best team for the rest of season.

At worst the 4th best team might just scrape in, but I doubt it.


How does that look now?

How dare you put a blocker on all the optimism by introducing fact and data in to the debate  :dft011:

As I said on a previous post, this side are still "work in progress" with an interim manager who is learning on the job. There will still be cases where we go two steps back for every step forward. But hopefully we have turned the corner, and the sort of play we saw in patches v. Doncaster and Birmingham, and for most of the match v. Bolton will become the norm rather than occasional flash in the pans.

I think for this season a strong mid- to upper-table finish would be a realistic, good achievement and represent a strong platform for next season.

A lot will depend on the manager situation, and the degree to which we get pillaged in the January window.

MJG

Sorry Burt.  But my aim is a really strong end of season,  something like 6/7 wins out of ten and then that would give us momentum into the next season hopefully.
There is still a chance of playoffs,  but it's a long shot at this moment in time for me.
If we can somehow be within 6-10 pts of sixth place come January then I believe it could happen.


filham

It really is too early for sensible predictions ,we must not get carried away after a couple of Championship victories against lowly teams. Kit would seem to be the right man for us but lets take it game by game for a while.

We have a tough game against Middlesborough tomorrow and if we lose that relegation will again be on the agenda.

WhiteJag

Best to hope for is steady improvement and a good push for promotion next year.  That's not a bad thing.

ToodlesMcToot

For me, promotion this season would be bad for business. The spend we would have to make to try and remain there would have to be QPR'ish in nature - in other words ridiculous and rules breaking. That prospest also happens to be very unrealistic, thankfully.

Our young players need more than a season's worth of first team experience and we need to continue our roster construction. The summer transfer window will hopefully be one where we begin cherrypicking players from the teams around us that are capable of playing at a higher level but happen to be on teams that are not capable.

I just hope the next manager is backed in the transfer window with a "build toward competing in the PL" attitude rather than a "sell so and so and see what you can bring in for that amount" approach.
"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man." — The Dude


BestOfBrede

Quote from: MJG on October 03, 2014, 10:07:52 AM
Ok some stats so you realise now how hard getting into the playoffs will be.

Currently 7 points from 10 games

36 games left 108 points

Past 13 seasons the average pts needed for 6th place is 73 (Range from 68-75)

We need 66 pts from 36 games at 1.83 ppg

If you averaged 1.83 ppg over 46 games you get : 84 points.

On average over 13 seasons 84 points  would get you 3rd place (Range 75-86). In 13 years only 4 times has that been enough for 2nd place

So basically for us to get to 6th place and a play off place by the last game of the season, we need to play like the 3rd best team for the rest of season.

At worst the 4th best team might just scrape in, but I doubt it.


How does that look now?
But we are now playing like we are the best team in this division, so no need to play like the third best!