Short Memory

[Gezza]

For those of you with a short memory remember in 2018 we totally blew it, under Slav, against Birmingham in our last game of the season which, if we had won we would have gained us automatic promotion. Against a near bottom of the table team we were hopeless losing 3-1. We then lost our next game against Derby. Still got promotion though !

[sarnian]

Not completely true. Cardiff and Reading only went through the motions as they knew the Fulham score. You can guarantee that if Fulham had taken the lead against Birmingham then Cardiff would have had a different mentality and gone for the win themselves.

[Andy S]

What you are saying is Slav was no better than Parker.
Slav started to get it right from Christmas on and the players all new how to play the game. By this time in the season the players might have been tired but the momentum was already there. This time we are up the top but where's the momentum?

[Sting of the North]

Not completely true. Cardiff and Reading only went through the motions as they knew the Fulham score. You can guarantee that if Fulham had taken the lead against Birmingham then Cardiff would have had a different mentality and gone for the win themselves.

But that is just a baseless guess (also kind of hard to believe that Cardiff would not be up to winning that game to begin with). What the OP mentioned actually happened. We played our worst game when it mattered the most (in the sense that there were no more chances for autos). But immediately followed games that mattered even more in the playoffs, and then the team turned it up a notch (even in the first game against Derby where we were good despite the loss) and deservedly won promotion. Our current team still have every chance to do the same.

[Gezza]

What you are saying is Slav was no better than Parker.
Slav started to get it right from Christmas on and the players all new how to play the game. By this time in the season the players might have been tired but the momentum was already there. This time we are up the top but where's the momentum?

Last 5 games won 4 drawn 1 lost nil. Only 1 goal conceded. What momentum do you need ?

[MaidenheadMick]

Two seasons ago we had Sessegnon & Fredericks bombing forward. This season we've got Odoi and Bryan, one of which goes sideways and backwards plus a midfield who performed brilliantly as a unit. This season its square pegs in round holes.

[Take Me Home MAF]

You can't even compare what Slavisa did to Parker, or the momentum going into the playoffs.

That Birmingham game the players did bottle it, was a weird atmosphere - the heat, Birmingham's crowd behind their survival, a Fulham win not being enough.

They certainly didnt freeze in the playoffs, although Derby (a) it was not looking good.

I think with Slavisa we went into the final confident, I was not nervous, just excited - alongside Wolves we were the best in the league.

If we were walking down Wembley to face Bees in a few weeks, I would be petrified, I would be dreading it.

[Bassey the warrior]

For those of you with a short memory remember in 2018 we totally blew it, under Slav, against Birmingham in our last game of the season which, if we had won we would have gained us automatic promotion. Against a near bottom of the table team we were hopeless losing 3-1. We then lost our next game against Derby. Still got promotion though !

This team cost a lot more to assemble and therefore I think we should be doing better.

[Gezza]

For those of you with a short memory remember in 2018 we totally blew it, under Slav, against Birmingham in our last game of the season which, if we had won we would have gained us automatic promotion. Against a near bottom of the table team we were hopeless losing 3-1. We then lost our next game against Derby. Still got promotion though !

This team cost a lot more to assemble and therefore I think we should be doing better.

The point of my post was not to compare Parker with Slav or the current team with 2018. It was to say that the draw with West Brom is not the end of the world and promotion is still well within our grasp albeit via the play-offs. COYW

[Take Me Home MAF]

Agree, yesterdays draw not the end of the world, and I think the damage was done with the first 2 games back, and even before the break with some key dropped points. Playoffs not a good season for Parker, not an awful one - but does not tell the story of the football quality. That is another discussion.

For me, I know the playoffs can be a lottery, although I believe generally the best team goes up over 3 games. I think the lottery aspect does not apply as much this year without a crowd, which is always a key player. 

I think we will get to the final, but I just can't see us causing an upset against Bees. If the season was 5 games more they would be going up top 2.

[Andy S]

The thing is it's not and it will be played without a crowd in a big empty stadium. So let's see what it brings. There could be surprises yet. It's not written

[Twig]

In one sense I agree that the draw against WBA was not the end of the world.  However I felt that our failure to show any attacking intent was a bit like the end of the world. If we couldn't use any pace or attack on the break when it was our last chance of an auto spot then heaven help us. As to bringing on Christie in the 89th minute words fail me.

[Brawn]

For those of you with a short memory remember in 2018 we totally blew it, under Slav, against Birmingham in our last game of the season which, if we had won we would have gained us automatic promotion. Against a near bottom of the table team we were hopeless losing 3-1. We then lost our next game against Derby. Still got promotion though !

This team cost a lot more to assemble and therefore I think we should be doing better.

This team only costs more because the key parts of the 17/18 team were built on loans (Targett, Mitrovic) or the academy (Betts, Sessegnon). And having lost Targett, Fredericks, Sessegnon, we needed replacements.

[Statto]

For those of you with a short memory remember in 2018 we totally blew it, under Slav, against Birmingham in our last game of the season which, if we had won we would have gained us automatic promotion. Against a near bottom of the table team we were hopeless losing 3-1. We then lost our next game against Derby. Still got promotion though !

This team cost a lot more to assemble and therefore I think we should be doing better.

This team only costs more because the key parts of the 17/18 team were built on loans (Targett, Mitrovic) or the academy (Betts, Sessegnon). And having lost Targett, Fredericks, Sessegnon, we needed replacements.

.

Think that underestimates the difference. Both teams have loans (we still have Arter and Reed on loan) and youth players (we still have Bettinelli, plus Rodak). Take Bettinelli/Rodak, Ream, Odoi, Cairney, Kamara and Mitrovic out the equation and compare what's left..

Fredericks, Kalas, Targett, Mcdonald, Johansen, Sessegnon, Ayite. Cost about £4m for that lot.

Christie, Hector, Bryan, Reed, Reid, Cavaleiro, Knockaert. Reckon you're touching £50m. That's also without including Mawson.

Pretty stark

[Brawn]

For those of you with a short memory remember in 2018 we totally blew it, under Slav, against Birmingham in our last game of the season which, if we had won we would have gained us automatic promotion. Against a near bottom of the table team we were hopeless losing 3-1. We then lost our next game against Derby. Still got promotion though !

This team cost a lot more to assemble and therefore I think we should be doing better.

This team only costs more because the key parts of the 17/18 team were built on loans (Targett, Mitrovic) or the academy (Betts, Sessegnon). And having lost Targett, Fredericks, Sessegnon, we needed replacements.

.

Think that underestimates the difference. Both teams have loans (we still have Arter and Reed on loan) and youth players (we still have Bettinelli, plus Rodak). Take Bettinelli/Rodak, Ream, Odoi, Cairney, Kamara and Mitrovic out the equation and compare what's left..

Fredericks, Mcdonald, Johansen, Ayite. Cost about £4m for that lot.

Hector, Bryan, Reid, Cavaleiro, Knockaert. Reckon you're touching £50m. That's also without including Mawson.

Pretty stark

Just changed that slightly because we did have Christie then as well, and Kalas, Reed, Sess, and Targett all loans/academy. So I would have thought Hector + Bryan + Reid + Cav + Knockaert = £30m ish. The backbone of our team does cost more but what I am trying to get at is the promotion team was extraordinarily cheap.

[Statto]

For those of you with a short memory remember in 2018 we totally blew it, under Slav, against Birmingham in our last game of the season which, if we had won we would have gained us automatic promotion. Against a near bottom of the table team we were hopeless losing 3-1. We then lost our next game against Derby. Still got promotion though !

This team cost a lot more to assemble and therefore I think we should be doing better.

This team only costs more because the key parts of the 17/18 team were built on loans (Targett, Mitrovic) or the academy (Betts, Sessegnon). And having lost Targett, Fredericks, Sessegnon, we needed replacements.

.

Think that underestimates the difference. Both teams have loans (we still have Arter and Reed on loan) and youth players (we still have Bettinelli, plus Rodak). Take Bettinelli/Rodak, Ream, Odoi, Cairney, Kamara and Mitrovic out the equation and compare what's left..

Fredericks, Mcdonald, Johansen, Ayite. Cost about £4m for that lot.

Hector, Bryan, Reid, Cavaleiro, Knockaert. Reckon you're touching £50m. That's also without including Mawson.

Pretty stark

Just changed that slightly because we did have Christie then as well, and Kalas, Reed, Sess, and Targett all loans/academy. So I would have thought Hector + Bryan + Reid + Cav + Knockaert = £30m ish. The backbone of our team does cost more but what I am trying to get at is the promotion team was extraordinarily cheap.

Fair enough. Although, no way even just those 5 were £30m. At least £40m I reckon.