It is unpredictable but 29 points from 16 games is still doable. A mid-table team would arguably pick up 24 points from 16 games and thus a points total of just 4 or 5 over that could be enough to save us from the drop.
Our form over the last three games is encouraging, yes it wasn’t a very good spectacle yesterday but Millwall have been doing very well this season and a point is a pretty good outcome.
We still have reason to believe we can do it.
I also thought the ref was very good. My one quibble is the very cynical trip by Hutchinson on Ikpeazu when he was through and bearing down on the Millwall area. I thought that that should have been a booking and had it been, then Hutchinson wouldn't have been able to pull Ikpeazu down later as he was cutting into the area from wider - or at least not without accepting the inevitable second yellow.
I thought the team was generally good, too. Millwall were hard working and well organised, but we matched them. It was just one of those days where the defences were generally on top and the conditions (by which I guess I just mean the pitch) were unhelpful.
I was surprised that we didn't make use of Gape or Ofoborh later on to provide a bit of relief in midfield. I thought we were looking a bit leggy by 80 minutes and could have done with the energy - not to mention the anticipation of another tough game on Tuesday.
@Wendoverman On the goalkeeping front, Stockdale did well. In an interview on the official site, some interviewer I can't place suggests that he made a world-class save from the full-back, Malone. I thought it was a good save, but that assessment seemed slightly over the top.
He also made a couple of decent saves in the first half, but what Stockdale didn't do was come off his line any more than Allsop would have. But it wasn't really clear whether that was because of team orders or just because there weren't any natural opportunities for him to do so. I'm an agitator for more excursions towards the penalty spot, but I don't recall any moment yesterday where I was shouting "keeper's" at the screen.
I thought that on that very last free kick of the game our defensive line stayed a lot higher than usual rather than backing off towards the six yard box allowing Stockdale to come and claim it towards the edge of the area
@davecz said:
A very quiet evening on the forum. Little or no debate. Was it just because the game was so poor or is there resignation we are probably going down.
No resignation from me yet... my abscence from the thread was a break from the same old people stating the bleeding obvious, or sneering, or baiting other posters or asking stupid questions designed to begin the above or conducting seemingly endless decades old bickering. (And I include myself in this...)
@our_frank said: @Wendoverman On the goalkeeping front, Stockdale did well. In an interview on the official site, some interviewer I can't place suggests that he made a world-class save from the full-back, Malone. I thought it was a good save, but that assessment seemed slightly over the top.
He also made a couple of decent saves in the first half, but what Stockdale didn't do was come off his line any more than Allsop would have. But it wasn't really clear whether that was because of team orders or just because there weren't any natural opportunities for him to do so. I'm an agitator for more excursions towards the penalty spot, but I don't recall any moment yesterday where I was shouting "keeper's" at the screen.
@aloysius said:
Dull match but the only thing annoying me is the kid on commentary duty. He loves the sound of his voice far too much and needs to learn to stick to summarising rather than part-interviewing, past wrestling the main commentary off Matt (and for goodness sake get the sound levels between the two of them equal).
I think this is a bit unfair and mean spirited on someone I believe was commentating for the first time. He gave it a good go and seems a nice bloke
I think my criticism was constructive and hopefully was taken on board during half time, certainly (as I and indeed many others have already said here), his second half commentary was vastly improved.
As a sidenote, while I think it's totally fair to accept a degree of amateurism to the commentary given the constraints in a pandemic, we are paying £10 for 90 minutes of entertainment and that includes the commentary. I could easily spend that £10 livestreaming a play from one of our leading theatre companies, who all put on work with outstanding professionalism and would not get many repeat customers if they didn't (and also need the money more than a Championship football team). To a certain extent football supporters are a captive market, but that doesn't mean the clubs should treat the matchday commentary as an afterthought. Phil Catchpole provides a very high standard of work, Matt Cecil is fast becoming very good as well, Alan Parry is clearly excellent. The club has done us proud this season but when standards slip I don't think it inappropriate to point that out.
I’m sure you’re aware, but if you’re not, Phil is unable to be there due to lockdown rules. I think they’re making the best of the situation.
I thought the commentary team was really good yesterday, was impressed with Dan Simpson's debut. He's got a great broadcasting voice and I was impressed when at times he offered a slightly critical view. Was always constructive and never crossed the line to moany or disrespectful.
I'd be glad to see him on the team again at some point
Just shows you what we are up against if your pal thinks a team in 5th place with 51 points says they are in ‘quite a state.’ Wish we were in a similar state!
@glasshalffull said:
Just shows you what we are up against if your pal thinks a team in 5th place with 51 points says they are in ‘quite a state.’ Wish we were in a similar state!
Oh he's still talking playoffs, but I think we can all see they'll end up 7th or lower.
@our_frank said:
He also made a couple of decent saves in the first half, but what Stockdale didn't do was come off his line any more than Allsop would have. But it wasn't really clear whether that was because of team orders or just because there weren't any natural opportunities for him to do so. I'm an agitator for more excursions towards the penalty spot, but I don't recall any moment yesterday where I was shouting "keeper's" at the screen.
I shouted it a couple of times but one of them I thought was worse than I remember Rocky ever doing - the incident that left two Millwall forwards on the deck should have been a gentle pick up 3 feet in front of him but he didn’t move at all and our defence was left trying to make tackles a foot in front of him. We got extremely lucky with the bounce of the ball.
@A_Worboys said: @glasshalffull With your 40 pts total did you have us staying up or going down? What do you think the points total for safety will be this season?
With Birmingham currently in 21st position with 31 points from 31 games, I would think that 46 or 47 points would keep a team up this season.
Anyone noticed that Kashket hasnt been playing as much in the League since the Cardiff game?He's been an unused substitute in 6 games since then (his only start was against Sheffield Wednesday). This is a bit surprising, given that in the first half on the season, he was our biggest goal threat, scored the most goals and who I believed had the potential to score 10 goals for us this season. I do wonder if he's a victim of the type of formation we play though, given he's best alongside a target man, and had scored in the games that we played 4-4-2, something were not doing now, but I would like to see him back in the lineup sometime.
@A_Worboys said: @glasshalffull With your 40 pts total did you have us staying up or going down? What do you think the points total for safety will be this season?
With Birmingham currently in 21st position with 31 points from 31 games, I would think that 46 or 47 points would keep a team up this season.
With Sheffield Wednesday on 34 points after 30 games(6 Point Deduction), I can see the benchmark being 48 or 49 points
We have a much better system in place now, this relies on Stewart, Taff and Knight being fit. If we can keep these three fit and Uche then we have the smallest of chances of picking up 28 points in 16 games.
@A_Worboys said: @glasshalffull With your 40 pts total did you have us staying up or going down? What do you think the points total for safety will be this season?
With Birmingham currently in 21st position with 31 points from 31 games, I would think that 46 or 47 points would keep a team up this season.
With Sheffield Wednesday on 34 points after 30 games(6 Point Deduction), I can see the benchmark being 48 or 49 points
We have a much better system in place now, this relies on Stewart, Taff and Knight being fit. If we can keep these three fit and Uche then we have the smallest of chances of picking up 28 points in 16 games.
28 points in 16 games. Almost impossible but who knows. Can we win 7/8/9 games and pick up some draws. Cannot afford to lose many!!
The thing that dragged me down again was the Derby game as proof that our luck has not turned. After Huddersfield, there was that glimmer of hope, but after Derby, I am still waiting for that kick in the teeth.
Unless....
EFL official, running into conference room: "Gentlemen, we have an emergency!"
EFL executive: "What seems to be the problem?"
First EFL official: "You know that famous rule about things evening out? We have forgotten to honour it for Wycombe Wanderers, and there are only 16 games to go!"
EFL Executive (standing up suddenly and knocking his desk over in the process): "How did this happen? The 50-50 rule is inviolable!"
EFL official: "More to the point, what can be done about it? They have been screwed out of 15 points and counting."
EFL Executive (smacking his fist into his palm emphatically): "Phone the refs - all of the refs. If anyone so much as breathes on a Wycombe player in the box - it's a penalty. If a Wycombe player assaults an opposing player in the box - no penalty. Dish out red cards to opponents as much as possible. Instruct the linesmen to call no offsides against Wycombe, but use their diagonal vision against opponents."
EFL official (running from the office screaming): "Code red! Code red!"
@thedieharder said:
Anyone noticed that Kashket hasnt been playing as much in the League since the Cardiff game?He's been an unused substitute in 6 games since then (his only start was against Sheffield Wednesday). This is a bit surprising, given that in the first half on the season, he was our biggest goal threat, scored the most goals and who I believed had the potential to score 10 goals for us this season. I do wonder if he's a victim of the type of formation we play though, given he's best alongside a target man, and had scored in the games that we played 4-4-2, something were not doing now, but I would like to see him back in the lineup sometime.
@thedieharder I’d like to see Kashket start up front with Uche in a 4-4-2 but for some inexplicable reason Kashket’s appearances always have to be tied in with Bayo.
If we ever get to see a 442 it's got to be Muskwe who starts up front with Ikpeazu. He was brought in to be the fox in the box but we've always started him wide. We certainly haven't seen the best out of Admiral yet.
I agree with that @aloysius. I’ve mentioned it before but the link-up play between Knight (in midfield) and The Admiral on that Leicester U23 showreel was impressive.
As far as I can see it all the players have been tried this season to varying success...I assume Gareth is loathe to change a team that seems to be finding it's feet.
Knight is the only loan signing who's really found a secure place this season. Wonder how much of this is down to not being able to do the normal due diligence in these pandemic times.
All the loan signings have looked decent at stages but have all floated around the edges.
Comments
Yes I can’t quite get my head around that one!
The Championship is a notoriously unpredictable league which is why no one will be shocked if we beat Reading on Tuesday.
It is unpredictable but 29 points from 16 games is still doable. A mid-table team would arguably pick up 24 points from 16 games and thus a points total of just 4 or 5 over that could be enough to save us from the drop.
Our form over the last three games is encouraging, yes it wasn’t a very good spectacle yesterday but Millwall have been doing very well this season and a point is a pretty good outcome.
We still have reason to believe we can do it.
I also thought the ref was very good. My one quibble is the very cynical trip by Hutchinson on Ikpeazu when he was through and bearing down on the Millwall area. I thought that that should have been a booking and had it been, then Hutchinson wouldn't have been able to pull Ikpeazu down later as he was cutting into the area from wider - or at least not without accepting the inevitable second yellow.
I thought the team was generally good, too. Millwall were hard working and well organised, but we matched them. It was just one of those days where the defences were generally on top and the conditions (by which I guess I just mean the pitch) were unhelpful.
I was surprised that we didn't make use of Gape or Ofoborh later on to provide a bit of relief in midfield. I thought we were looking a bit leggy by 80 minutes and could have done with the energy - not to mention the anticipation of another tough game on Tuesday.
@Wendoverman On the goalkeeping front, Stockdale did well. In an interview on the official site, some interviewer I can't place suggests that he made a world-class save from the full-back, Malone. I thought it was a good save, but that assessment seemed slightly over the top.
He also made a couple of decent saves in the first half, but what Stockdale didn't do was come off his line any more than Allsop would have. But it wasn't really clear whether that was because of team orders or just because there weren't any natural opportunities for him to do so. I'm an agitator for more excursions towards the penalty spot, but I don't recall any moment yesterday where I was shouting "keeper's" at the screen.
I thought that on that very last free kick of the game our defensive line stayed a lot higher than usual rather than backing off towards the six yard box allowing Stockdale to come and claim it towards the edge of the area
Maybe I just saw what I wanted to see
No resignation from me yet... my abscence from the thread was a break from the same old people stating the bleeding obvious, or sneering, or baiting other posters or asking stupid questions designed to begin the above or conducting seemingly endless decades old bickering. (And I include myself in this...)
That was the moose from talk sport
I’m sure you’re aware, but if you’re not, Phil is unable to be there due to lockdown rules. I think they’re making the best of the situation.
I thought the commentary team was really good yesterday, was impressed with Dan Simpson's debut. He's got a great broadcasting voice and I was impressed when at times he offered a slightly critical view. Was always constructive and never crossed the line to moany or disrespectful.
I'd be glad to see him on the team again at some point
Reading are in quite a state according to a STH pal of mine there.
Constantly have 3-4 big players out injured.
They certainly didn't deserve to beat us early in the season either. One shot on goal and 1-0.
Just shows you what we are up against if your pal thinks a team in 5th place with 51 points says they are in ‘quite a state.’ Wish we were in a similar state!
Oh he's still talking playoffs, but I think we can all see they'll end up 7th or lower.
I shouted it a couple of times but one of them I thought was worse than I remember Rocky ever doing - the incident that left two Millwall forwards on the deck should have been a gentle pick up 3 feet in front of him but he didn’t move at all and our defence was left trying to make tackles a foot in front of him. We got extremely lucky with the bounce of the ball.
Were you scrolling through tinder?
With Birmingham currently in 21st position with 31 points from 31 games, I would think that 46 or 47 points would keep a team up this season.
Anyone noticed that Kashket hasnt been playing as much in the League since the Cardiff game?He's been an unused substitute in 6 games since then (his only start was against Sheffield Wednesday). This is a bit surprising, given that in the first half on the season, he was our biggest goal threat, scored the most goals and who I believed had the potential to score 10 goals for us this season. I do wonder if he's a victim of the type of formation we play though, given he's best alongside a target man, and had scored in the games that we played 4-4-2, something were not doing now, but I would like to see him back in the lineup sometime.
16 x 1.74 = 27.84
Just saying?
With Sheffield Wednesday on 34 points after 30 games(6 Point Deduction), I can see the benchmark being 48 or 49 points
We have a much better system in place now, this relies on Stewart, Taff and Knight being fit. If we can keep these three fit and Uche then we have the smallest of chances of picking up 28 points in 16 games.
28 points in 16 games. Almost impossible but who knows. Can we win 7/8/9 games and pick up some draws. Cannot afford to lose many!!
The thing that dragged me down again was the Derby game as proof that our luck has not turned. After Huddersfield, there was that glimmer of hope, but after Derby, I am still waiting for that kick in the teeth.
Unless....
EFL official, running into conference room: "Gentlemen, we have an emergency!"
EFL executive: "What seems to be the problem?"
First EFL official: "You know that famous rule about things evening out? We have forgotten to honour it for Wycombe Wanderers, and there are only 16 games to go!"
EFL Executive (standing up suddenly and knocking his desk over in the process): "How did this happen? The 50-50 rule is inviolable!"
EFL official: "More to the point, what can be done about it? They have been screwed out of 15 points and counting."
EFL Executive (smacking his fist into his palm emphatically): "Phone the refs - all of the refs. If anyone so much as breathes on a Wycombe player in the box - it's a penalty. If a Wycombe player assaults an opposing player in the box - no penalty. Dish out red cards to opponents as much as possible. Instruct the linesmen to call no offsides against Wycombe, but use their diagonal vision against opponents."
EFL official (running from the office screaming): "Code red! Code red!"
Brilliant @Shev, made me laugh on a dull day. Shouldn't it be "Code Blue" though?
Good point @ValleyWanderer!
Yup
@thedieharder I’d like to see Kashket start up front with Uche in a 4-4-2 but for some inexplicable reason Kashket’s appearances always have to be tied in with Bayo.
Sadly Kashket has too many games where he is completely ineffective.
He’s also missed some real sitters this season (Preston & QPR) so I think that’s probably counting against him at the moment.
If we ever get to see a 442 it's got to be Muskwe who starts up front with Ikpeazu. He was brought in to be the fox in the box but we've always started him wide. We certainly haven't seen the best out of Admiral yet.
I agree with that @aloysius. I’ve mentioned it before but the link-up play between Knight (in midfield) and The Admiral on that Leicester U23 showreel was impressive.
As far as I can see it all the players have been tried this season to varying success...I assume Gareth is loathe to change a team that seems to be finding it's feet.
Knight is the only loan signing who's really found a secure place this season. Wonder how much of this is down to not being able to do the normal due diligence in these pandemic times.
All the loan signings have looked decent at stages but have all floated around the edges.