It is a little strange to play our reverse fixtures for the first two games of the season back to back so late in the campaign, but what a turnaround from the opening 0-1 and 0-5 losses to Rotherham and Blackburn in those opening two games!
@Shev said:
It is a little strange to play our reverse fixtures for the first two games of the season back to back so late in the campaign, but what a turnaround from the opening 0-1 and 0-5 losses to Rotherham and Blackburn in those opening two games!
I wonder what the biggest "if only" of the season is.
If only we hadn't lost to Rotherham first game? If only Horgan had scored 2mins into that game?
@Shev said:
Sadly I think we may need to win every match now. Coventry have 42 after 39 games, and just need two wins from 7 to push on to 48. Birmingham on 41 from 39 with the Lee Bowyer bounce. Above them, only Huddersfield are perhaps a candidate for going on a really bad run from their 43 points, but they have only played 38. I just find it hard to think any of those will get less than 48-49 points, and the maximum we can get is 51.
We may need to get to the mid-40s and someone get a points deduction to stay up. All we can do is keep winning and hope for the best! So proud of this team either way.
I have a strong suspicion that Derby could well be dragged back in
@Shev said:
It is a little strange to play our reverse fixtures for the first two games of the season back to back so late in the campaign, but what a turnaround from the opening 0-1 and 0-5 losses to Rotherham and Blackburn in those opening two games!
I wonder what the biggest "if only" of the season is.
If only we hadn't lost to Rotherham first game? If only Horgan had scored 2mins into that game?
I certainly one of those who feel like that was an uncomfortable "overture" for the season, and set the tone a little too much. Every different result creates a completely different timeline, but one where we beat Rotherham first game makes me think we would have picked up more points in those first seven.
The saddest thing is that I feel we would stay up again next season if we could have this season. Luton and Barnsley (albeit with different budgets) have shown how clubs can kick on after surviving by the skin of their teeth.
I think we have really suffered this season with all the midweek games coming thick and fast. When things aren’t going that well it gives you very little time to play around in training with different formations and plans, etc so at best we could only really tweak what we do best from one game to the next.
Can’t put in words how proud of GA and the team I feel. It’s been a hard slog but the odd blip aside (Birmingham and Sheff Wed for example) they’ve never appeared to let it effect their willingness to compete.
I think the biggest if only is when we had to Covid stoppage. Felt like we were making some progress before, and took several games to get going again.
Definitely @floyd. We seemed to have found our right line up and formation just then. Key injuries also made a huge impact. I do think if our best 11 had stayed fit and it hadn't been such an intense, compacted season, we would now be above the line.
So much for conjecture though. Whatever happens, this is a season to be proud of.
In terms of hoary old war films, I suspect our remaining in the Championship is more like A Bridge Too Far than The Great Escape, but if nothing else it makes for a genuinely exciting end to the season.
I’ve seen several WWFC relegation campaigns that have been truly abject (probably the Sanchez/Adams one being the worst) where heads drop the minute the first opposition goal goes in, team spirit is dire and there’s just a cloud of negativity all around, but I’ve never felt that way this season.
Whatever happens, GA deserves credit for keeping heads held high.
Funny old game isn’t it. Allsop player of the season for me now a backup. Stewart unstoppable and undroppable for a season and a half now only got in due to injury today (and did really well). Tafazoli a bug factor in our mini turn around and now would he get straight back in?
It is certainly better to get relegated by starting terribly and finishing well, than the other way around! We have every shout of threatening 40 points and really ending the season well now.
@bookertease said:
I think we have really suffered this season with all the midweek games coming thick and fast. When things aren’t going that well it gives you very little time to play around in training with different formations and plans, etc so at best we could only really tweak what we do best from one game to the next.
Can’t put in words how proud of GA and the team I feel. It’s been a hard slog but the odd blip aside (Birmingham and Sheff Wed for example) they’ve never appeared to let it effect their willingness to compete.
With all the back to back matches right through the leagues it clearly suits the teams with the bigger budgets that have strength in depth instead of a good starting 11.
@bigred87 said:
One thing i took from today, im gonna miss Bayo if this is his last season... what a guy
In the interest of admitting when you’re wrong (as of course as I was when I dismissed the Bayo signing way back when), one thing I have persistently whined about this season is just how ineffective Bayo’s flick-ons have been this time round.
I’ve seen several WWFC relegation campaigns that have been truly abject (probably the Sanchez/Adams one being the worst) where heads drop the minute the first opposition goal goes in, team spirit is dire and there’s just a cloud of negativity all around, but I’ve never felt that way this season.
Whatever happens, GA deserves credit for keeping heads held high.
Despite the results this season has been so much better than the promotion under Peter Taylor.
Despite the results this season has been so much better than the promotion under Peter Taylor.
If there’s a less enjoyable final day promotion (other than a team above you suddenly collapsing into administration, gets docked points, and so you go up by default) I struggle to imagine it.
@bigred87 said:
One thing i took from today, im gonna miss Bayo if this is his last season... what a guy
Bayo is a huge character at the club, exemplified when, just before the start of the second half, iFollow picked up Anis Mehmeti looking somewhat sullen in the main stand after having been subbed at half-time for tactical reasons. Ainsworth went up there to put an arm around him and no doubt explain it was nothing personal, Bayo also came along to pick him up as well with some words of encouragement.
Despite the results this season has been so much better than the promotion under Peter Taylor.
If there’s a less enjoyable final day promotion (other than a team above you suddenly collapsing into administration, gets docked points, and so you go up by default) I struggle to imagine it.
Yes! Strangest ever day at AP.! That McCracken goal in a home loss actually nudged us over the line. Even the ‘celebratory pitch invasion’ was half hearted.
@HolmerBlue said:
At the risk of being shouted at... I wouldnt, I love him but the time has come, time to move
I agree. Statue in the car park and massive thank you for everything he has done for us but no new playing contract. Father Time has finally caught up with him. It happens to all players.
@eric_plant said:
Very entertaining reading through the match day comments.
Micra's weather chat reminded me of when Tory Goon used to bang on about the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Tremendous stuff
That’s the post I meant. Ready to be blown away, I was. I’m afraid I found myself too easily wound up this afternoon about something which had little (if any) influence on the game. I made a fool of myself but, like the wind, I have calmed down now. Sad thing is that with no wind the temperature has already fallen to minus one Celsius and all that lovely magnolia blossom is going to perish.
But what a great day. Loads of happy Easter bunnies. Bring on the Hatters.
@HolmerBlue said:
At the risk of being shouted at... I wouldnt, I love him but the time has come, time to move on.
I agree...a move to the coaching team next season (Bayo would be a great youth team coach, wouldn’t he?) or a transfer to a League Two side if he wants to keep playing.
Comments
Cardiff City clearly on the beach, let's hope Luton and Bristol City are joining them.
@aloysius you probably need to be at work during evrery game from now on.
'The Lee Bowyer bounce' takes me back to my uni days in Leeds circa 2000.
It is a little strange to play our reverse fixtures for the first two games of the season back to back so late in the campaign, but what a turnaround from the opening 0-1 and 0-5 losses to Rotherham and Blackburn in those opening two games!
I wonder what the biggest "if only" of the season is.
If only we hadn't lost to Rotherham first game? If only Horgan had scored 2mins into that game?
I have a strong suspicion that Derby could well be dragged back in
I certainly one of those who feel like that was an uncomfortable "overture" for the season, and set the tone a little too much. Every different result creates a completely different timeline, but one where we beat Rotherham first game makes me think we would have picked up more points in those first seven.
The saddest thing is that I feel we would stay up again next season if we could have this season. Luton and Barnsley (albeit with different budgets) have shown how clubs can kick on after surviving by the skin of their teeth.
I think we have really suffered this season with all the midweek games coming thick and fast. When things aren’t going that well it gives you very little time to play around in training with different formations and plans, etc so at best we could only really tweak what we do best from one game to the next.
Can’t put in words how proud of GA and the team I feel. It’s been a hard slog but the odd blip aside (Birmingham and Sheff Wed for example) they’ve never appeared to let it effect their willingness to compete.
I think the biggest if only is when we had to Covid stoppage. Felt like we were making some progress before, and took several games to get going again.
Definitely @floyd. We seemed to have found our right line up and formation just then. Key injuries also made a huge impact. I do think if our best 11 had stayed fit and it hadn't been such an intense, compacted season, we would now be above the line.
So much for conjecture though. Whatever happens, this is a season to be proud of.
Absolutely. Most would have had us down by now, but we’re one of the form teams in the bottom third.
We'll take it into May now I reckon, which no-one would have backed us to do.
In terms of hoary old war films, I suspect our remaining in the Championship is more like A Bridge Too Far than The Great Escape, but if nothing else it makes for a genuinely exciting end to the season.
I’ve seen several WWFC relegation campaigns that have been truly abject (probably the Sanchez/Adams one being the worst) where heads drop the minute the first opposition goal goes in, team spirit is dire and there’s just a cloud of negativity all around, but I’ve never felt that way this season.
Whatever happens, GA deserves credit for keeping heads held high.
Funny old game isn’t it. Allsop player of the season for me now a backup. Stewart unstoppable and undroppable for a season and a half now only got in due to injury today (and did really well). Tafazoli a bug factor in our mini turn around and now would he get straight back in?
It is certainly better to get relegated by starting terribly and finishing well, than the other way around! We have every shout of threatening 40 points and really ending the season well now.
Cardiff are just outside play-offs!
48 points to stay up I think (about 2 points more than a point a game). That means we need at least five wins from the six games remaining,
One thing i took from today, im gonna miss Bayo if this is his last season... what a guy
With all the back to back matches right through the leagues it clearly suits the teams with the bigger budgets that have strength in depth instead of a good starting 11.
I hope we can get him his Championship goal too. Otherwise he will look back at that Watford miss with sadness.
In the interest of admitting when you’re wrong (as of course as I was when I dismissed the Bayo signing way back when), one thing I have persistently whined about this season is just how ineffective Bayo’s flick-ons have been this time round.
Today, not so much.
Despite the results this season has been so much better than the promotion under Peter Taylor.
If there’s a less enjoyable final day promotion (other than a team above you suddenly collapsing into administration, gets docked points, and so you go up by default) I struggle to imagine it.
I’d keep Bayo for another season if he fancies it. Plenty to offer on and off the pitch to our club.
Of course Uche would be first choice but to have Bayo for 10-15 minute cameos and to come in when he’s injured could be really useful.
Particularly as the move to three at the back lends itself to playing 2 or 3 forwards which means we can get quick energetic players around him.
So much to offer the younger players in the squad, as well as the sense of togetherness and professionalism that he exudes.
At the risk of being shouted at... I wouldnt, I love him but the time has come, time to move on.
Bayo is a huge character at the club, exemplified when, just before the start of the second half, iFollow picked up Anis Mehmeti looking somewhat sullen in the main stand after having been subbed at half-time for tactical reasons. Ainsworth went up there to put an arm around him and no doubt explain it was nothing personal, Bayo also came along to pick him up as well with some words of encouragement.
Yes! Strangest ever day at AP.! That McCracken goal in a home loss actually nudged us over the line. Even the ‘celebratory pitch invasion’ was half hearted.
I agree. Statue in the car park and massive thank you for everything he has done for us but no new playing contract. Father Time has finally caught up with him. It happens to all players.
Phew! For a split second I thought @arnos_grove was talking about me. I was ready to be blown away.
That’s the post I meant. Ready to be blown away, I was. I’m afraid I found myself too easily wound up this afternoon about something which had little (if any) influence on the game. I made a fool of myself but, like the wind, I have calmed down now. Sad thing is that with no wind the temperature has already fallen to minus one Celsius and all that lovely magnolia blossom is going to perish.
But what a great day. Loads of happy Easter bunnies. Bring on the Hatters.
I agree...a move to the coaching team next season (Bayo would be a great youth team coach, wouldn’t he?) or a transfer to a League Two side if he wants to keep playing.