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Comparison of 2018 v 2020 play-offs

Started by bencher, July 31, 2020, 10:02:15 AM

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bencher

After losing the first leg in 2018, we all felt the euphoria of overturning the score and winning 2-1 on aggregrate, at a packed Cottage, on a night that will live long in the memory. I well remember walking to the Cottage that night with major doubts that we would manage to get to the final. The feeling at the end of the match was incredible. I think it gave the team a lot of confidence going in to the final. Villa, on the other hand, scraped through to the final, and didn't seem to start the game with much confidence.

This year, we won the first leg quite comfortably, and then struggled somewhat in the home leg to complete the job. The feeling at the end of the match was strange. Ignoring the empty stadium, there was none of the euphoria, neither among the fans nor the players.

Would we have been better off reversing these scores, i.e. losing 2-1 at Cardiff and then winning 2-0 at home? Time will of course tell how we perform on Tuesday night. But I do wonder what impact last night has on belief and confidence. Perhaps the silver lining is that Brentford are unlikely to get at us in the Cardiff way, and it will be more of a straight football match between the teams.

Buffalo76

In 2018 in the 2nd leg I was euphoric at the final whistle......last night I was just purely relieved at the final whistle 😣
That's it and that's all.

filham

Now we face a strong Brentford team one more who have one more recovery day than us and at the moment are Sky tv darlings.
No white wall at Wembley, the final too could disappoint.


Sting of the North

Quote from: filham on July 31, 2020, 10:30:13 AM
Now we face a strong Brentford team one more who have one more recovery day than us and at the moment are Sky tv darlings.
No white wall at Wembley, the final too could disappoint.

It is also a Brentford that has lost 3 of their last 4 games. All against opponents that I would say are of a standard lower than what Brentford will be up against on Tuesday.

Lighthouse

We are simply not as good IMO as we were in 2018. The atmosphere and buildup is missing because of the virus. I remember being totally involved with the build up and the matches in 2018. But it is missing now. The way we play may have something to do with it although that isn't a criticism just a fact.

At least we wont be favourites going into the final.  Where did we finish again? What day is it? No the whole atmosphere and feel is just not there. That is blindingly obvious.
The above IS NOT A LEGAL DOCUMENT. It is an opinion.

We may yet hear the horse talk.

I can stand my own despair but not others hope

Statto

#5
Quote from: Lighthouse on July 31, 2020, 10:57:48 AM
We are simply not as good IMO as we were in 2018.

We've finished in the same position, 3rd (or this year, joint 3rd) and again, 2 pts off second. Stats for number of passes, possession, pass completion etc. show we're still the best passing team in the division like we were then. This season we've not scored as many goals, in particular scoring from counter-attacks, so we don't seem as exciting. We've also not beaten the teams around/above us so convincingly but clearly we've compensated for that somewhere because we've ended up in broadly the same place. That's despite having to cope with lots more injuries and being less reliant on a late surge.

We're 'different', certainly a bit more boring, but not worse IMO.

Brentford IMO are a watered-down version of us in 2018. Really could go either way next week. 


Sgt Fulham

I don't feel we deserve to go up this year, unlike in 17/18 where we deserved it so so much. This time it would be a real surprise to get promoted, though Brentford will have made us earn it. It takes a lot of the stress and pressure off. If we are in the Championship next season I can deal with it and think we will have a good season.

LVBPTS

Quote from: Statto on July 31, 2020, 11:59:32 AM
Quote from: Lighthouse on July 31, 2020, 10:57:48 AM
We are simply not as good IMO as we were in 2018.

We've finished in the same position, 3rd (or this year, joint 3rd) and again, 2 pts off second. Stats for number of passes, possession, pass completion etc. show we're still the best passing team in the division like we were then. This season we've not scored as many goals, in particular scoring from counter-attacks, so we don't seem as exciting. But we've ended up in broadly the same place despite having to cope with lots more injuries and being less reliant on a late surge. We're 'different', certainly a bit more boring, but not worse IMO. 

thats quite a good assessment to be fair
Supporter since 2000

Steven Ageroad

Quote from: Sgt Fulham on July 31, 2020, 12:00:31 PM
I don't feel we deserve to go up this year, unlike in 17/18 where we deserved it so so much. This time it would be a real surprise to get promoted, though Brentford will have made us earn it. It takes a lot of the stress and pressure off. If we are in the Championship next season I can deal with it and think we will have a good season.

Agree with you to a certain extent but NO Premier League next season, NO Mitrovic and maybe NO Cairney!


Fulhamfan666


ALG01

IMO
In 2018 we were head and shoulders better than the rest of the division with wolves being the only exception.

This season Brentford are propably the best team i have seen. we are too pedestrian and the fabled squad is not totally as brilliant as some seem to suggest.

I think the two managers will play a massive part in determining the outcome next tuesday... brentford have their mojo back? or are they over confident?
We will be depressed? or will we use last night as a wake up call to do better?

Personally I have the final as a very close thing. If we press them too hard they are brilliant on the fast counter attack, but Wembley is a big pitch so how might that imnfluence their style?
If they let us have possesion (I do not think they will) we will give them the runnaround and that will tire them out.

We do not have many substantial attacking options on the bench, a disapoiting and half fit cav, a 50;50 half fit mitro?
ebano looks like he has pulled something which will be a great pity if he doesn't recover.

Time for knock and Bobby R to step up and really influence the game.

Steeeeeeeeeed

2018...I watched in a jam packed pub in Brighton with loads of Liverpool fans gathering for the Champions League Final after.

2020... Will watch on my iPad. At home.




WhiteJC

our squad for the 2018 "Final"...

1 - Bettinelli
2 - Frederics
4 - Odoi
13 - Ream
21 - Targett
10 - Cairney
6 - McDonald
8 - Johansen
47 - Kamara
32 - Mitrovic
3 - Sessegnon

Subs
27 - Button
22 - Christie
26 - Kalas
16 - Norwood
20 - Piazon
9 - Fonte
11 - Ayite

the 'high-lighted players' are still with us and can rightly say...
"been there, done that, WON IT!"

how many Brentford players can?

Robbie

We are a much more experienced side this time.

We need to shut up shop for their 20 minute onslaught and then counter-punch hard.

I think Kebano, AK and Mitro will run them ragged ... leave two up top all the time.

Brentford will be super nervous.

Arthur

Quote from: Robbie on August 01, 2020, 04:36:08 PM
I think Kebano, AK and Mitro will run them ragged

If I thought all three were going to be in the starting XI, I'd be as delighted as I would surprised.


rebel

Quote from: Sgt Fulham on July 31, 2020, 12:00:31 PM
I don't feel we deserve to go up this year, unlike in 17/18 where we deserved it so so much. This time it would be a real surprise to get promoted, though Brentford will have made us earn it. It takes a lot of the stress and pressure off. If we are in the Championship next season I can deal with it and think we will have a good season.

I hope the players are more upbeat about the potential to get to the Prem then you.
It's the saying 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth' is where we are.

rebel

I think this is potentially the team Parker will start with:-

Rodák
Christie
Hector
Ream
Bryan
Reed
Cairney
Onomah
Knockaert
Kebano
Mitrovic

Jim©

I think Brentfords last 4 games have shown they ain't great with pressure. Even their home leg v Swansea where the swans had more of the ball, more shots etc. Swansea looked absolutely terrible. Brentford beat an average swans 3 2. We beat an average but very combative 3 2 and the home leg we could have scored more,more shots, more of the ball etc.

The home game v Brentford when they were flying was tight, Mitro had two chances he'd normally bury and we got caught minutes from the end after reed was withdrawn.

All set up to be much tighter than the bookies expect.


rebel

Quote from: Jim© on August 02, 2020, 09:56:33 AM
I think Brentfords last 4 games have shown they ain't great with pressure. Even their home leg v Swansea where the swans had more of the ball, more shots etc. Swansea looked absolutely terrible. Brentford beat an average swans 3 2. We beat an average but very combative 3 2 and the home leg we could have scored more,more shots, more of the ball etc.

The home game v Brentford when they were flying was tight, Mitro had two chances he'd normally bury and we got caught minutes from the end after reed was withdrawn.

All set up to be much tighter than the bookies expect.
Yes they can't cope with being pressed, they can't move the ball around quickly, if our players 2/3 of them stop their 3/4 influential players when they have the ball, they won't be able to play their 'passing football'.