Before the season started I would have been happy with 9th or higher. After the start we've had it would be a disappointment not to at least make the top 6. I think we need a mini reshuffle in January to strengthen the overall squad as I don't think we've been at our best since destroying Stockport and some of the supporting players appear a little jaded. The next six weeks is huge for us with the run of home games and short rest periods between them. Get through those without more than a couple of defeats and we have got a great chance. I have a suspicion that Huddersfield might be the team that find their feet in second half of the season and push past us and Wrexham. Wouldn't compromise where we are for anything though. It's been one of the finest in memory, particularly the quality of the football.
After this weekend we will have 43 points after a game less and still be top and as far as I know the world is not facing an imminent pandemic. What a time to be a Wycombe supporter.
Its his new team. Ainsworth might want to give us a right thrashing.... but to his squad its just another game. Wycombe mean nothing to them.
I mean, they could set up to park the bus and hope to nick a winner.. but they need to win... they don't have much option but to go out and push forward do they ?.. a draw is of no use to them... they need points on the board ASAP .
I don't want to jynx it, but I can't see them causing us too much bother.
I'm pretty sure quite a few Birmingham fans were thinking this way recently. And that was before Gaz had even had more than a few training sessions with them.
The first goal is going to be more critical than ever. If we get it, I could see us turning the style on.
Yep, going a goal down in this game feels very dangerous.
However, we do have to remember we're top and they're bottom, and remember our strengths. Don't give them a chance to remember the Birmingham performance. Which as good as it was still saw them ship 2. And i'm sure I remember 2 of the goals they did score were absolutely outrageously lucky falls of the ball.
But, looking at the fixtures over the next two or three weeks, I can't see Birmingham dropping many points, so we need to keep the unbeaten run going, and hopefully pick up a few more wins to stay in the top two.
I have always felt Birmingham are going to win the league at a canter, and still do. I think it is a mini-league between us, Wrexham and Huddersfield for the remaining spot, and we are currently winning that little league handily.
Since Scowen has been out we haven’t been as good as we had been still not losing but just not quite right. I think we need to strengthen and get another josh type player and maybe a centre half in . Think the owners will be keen to keep us in the top two , i’m confident we can stay there think Huddersfield will be the team we have to fight off rather then Wrexham who have got lucky in quite a few of their recent games.
We will certain win games without Scowen playing, and have done so. Just as we have previously before Morley, Humphreys and Taylor joined on loan.
However, I'd be a lot more confident of winning & bossing the game with those players in the team than with the replacements we have to hand - Bakinson, Leahy, Butcher, Taf.
That's not meant to diminish the contributions of the later group - I've said before, it's their presence which keeps the others performing so well each week in order to retain the shirt - and I feel they all deserve a place within the squad.
I think we will need another midfielder if both Morley and Humphreys loans are ended, maybe if either of them are recalled. I trust the scouting system has a replacement identified.
The only player who isn't getting enough minutes is JMac, perhaps he might fancy half a season at Shrewsbury?
Edit: Top 10 finish is certainly what you'd hope for right now but I'm wishing for much more than that.
It'd seem really daft of Ipswich to take Humphreys out and seek a championship loan when it's all going brilliantly here.
But it seems equally bizarre why Bolton wouldn't take Morley back. However, their manager is one stubborn bloke. We just have to hope he's still in a job as a new manager would surely be keen to bring a brilliant player back.
My attitude is a bit like a well media trained player or manager. One game at a time. Our run at the moment is extraordinary. Three teams are smashing this league. But it can’t continue. It can’t continue.
So I’m staying with my 10th and happy.
Saying that when the bubble has burst on our season in the past (like most teams) is when player x loses form or stops scoring goals. We have lost plenty of players and we have 5 players scoring goals. It’s a unique scenario for me.
We'll get bored of saying it, but the sheer numbers of options in every position are just outrageous this season.
It's the attacking options that really are the area we're spoilt. We can give it a great go against anyone with the starting 3, then replace all of them and have another crack.
Comments
It will all come down to the January transfer window.
I will be happier to attempt to predict the rest of our season after that.
Who's off from our owned players? Who's off from our loaned players?
Whos coming in?
Will the powers above fancy an early shot at Championship football next season?
Will Matty have any funds made available to consolidate our current playing level or even improve on what we have?
Until the transfer window is over I think its next to impossible to judge.
In our current format I would be hugely disappointed with not getting in the top 6 I think.... after such a good start.
So after this coming weekend 5 years ago we had 43 points from 20 games and were 7 points clear at the top.
In the next 10 games we then got a grand total of 10 points.
it’s a funny old game.
(I’d settle for a full 46 game season this time round though)
Before the season started I would have been happy with 9th or higher. After the start we've had it would be a disappointment not to at least make the top 6. I think we need a mini reshuffle in January to strengthen the overall squad as I don't think we've been at our best since destroying Stockport and some of the supporting players appear a little jaded. The next six weeks is huge for us with the run of home games and short rest periods between them. Get through those without more than a couple of defeats and we have got a great chance. I have a suspicion that Huddersfield might be the team that find their feet in second half of the season and push past us and Wrexham. Wouldn't compromise where we are for anything though. It's been one of the finest in memory, particularly the quality of the football.
January could be something we’re not used too. A bunch of players we know and love shown the door.
Dont think I can remember a time when more than 1 or 2 players left that we all “knew”.
could realistically happen, maybe some off to Shrewsbury.
After this weekend we will have 43 points after a game less and still be top and as far as I know the world is not facing an imminent pandemic. What a time to be a Wycombe supporter.
I fear that Ainsworth will give us a much harder game than you think...
Its not really Ainsworth though is it?
Its his new team. Ainsworth might want to give us a right thrashing.... but to his squad its just another game. Wycombe mean nothing to them.
I mean, they could set up to park the bus and hope to nick a winner.. but they need to win... they don't have much option but to go out and push forward do they ?.. a draw is of no use to them... they need points on the board ASAP .
I don't want to jynx it, but I can't see them causing us too much bother.
I'm pretty sure quite a few Birmingham fans were thinking this way recently. And that was before Gaz had even had more than a few training sessions with them.
The first goal is going to be more critical than ever. If we get it, I could see us turning the style on.
Final sentence is especially spot on. I almost feel like this has to be 1-0 or 0-3.
Yep, going a goal down in this game feels very dangerous.
However, we do have to remember we're top and they're bottom, and remember our strengths. Don't give them a chance to remember the Birmingham performance. Which as good as it was still saw them ship 2. And i'm sure I remember 2 of the goals they did score were absolutely outrageously lucky falls of the ball.
https://www.dw.com/en/dr-congo-on-high-alert-over-deadly-mystery-illness/a-70986072
I'm going to disagree again! Wow Im full of myself this evening aren't I?!!
I predict Shrews will come out all guns blazing and take a 1-0 lead.
Then I think our class will shine through and we will lump 3 or 4 back in return.
Oh for fucks sake. Good luck to the medical teams out there and here’s hoping the basic reproduction number is a low one.
Don't worry. We're doing war this time.
Which means Flymofrank is the only one on here getting a call up.
At this stage, playoffs must be the target and top two would be a bonus. Surely we are one of the six best teams in this division?
I would say we are one of the best three.
But, looking at the fixtures over the next two or three weeks, I can't see Birmingham dropping many points, so we need to keep the unbeaten run going, and hopefully pick up a few more wins to stay in the top two.
Birminghams two losses in the league were against lower league teams and one rooted to the bottom.
Anything can happen.
I have always felt Birmingham are going to win the league at a canter, and still do. I think it is a mini-league between us, Wrexham and Huddersfield for the remaining spot, and we are currently winning that little league handily.
Since Scowen has been out we haven’t been as good as we had been still not losing but just not quite right. I think we need to strengthen and get another josh type player and maybe a centre half in . Think the owners will be keen to keep us in the top two , i’m confident we can stay there think Huddersfield will be the team we have to fight off rather then Wrexham who have got lucky in quite a few of their recent games.
We have nearly always (always?) struggled at St James’s Park, with or without Josh.
Reading have a superb recent record and we played them on a day (last Saturday) when the extreme weather made the result a bit of a lottery.
A year ago, almost exactly, we lost 1-2 at home to Reading.
Our result yesterday was probably as good as any this season for the away club.
I don’t think Josh’s absence has necessarily had as big an impact as some suggest but I will be chuffed to bits to see him return to the fold.
We will certain win games without Scowen playing, and have done so. Just as we have previously before Morley, Humphreys and Taylor joined on loan.
However, I'd be a lot more confident of winning & bossing the game with those players in the team than with the replacements we have to hand - Bakinson, Leahy, Butcher, Taf.
That's not meant to diminish the contributions of the later group - I've said before, it's their presence which keeps the others performing so well each week in order to retain the shirt - and I feel they all deserve a place within the squad.
I think we will need another midfielder if both Morley and Humphreys loans are ended, maybe if either of them are recalled. I trust the scouting system has a replacement identified.
The only player who isn't getting enough minutes is JMac, perhaps he might fancy half a season at Shrewsbury?
Edit: Top 10 finish is certainly what you'd hope for right now but I'm wishing for much more than that.
It'd seem really daft of Ipswich to take Humphreys out and seek a championship loan when it's all going brilliantly here.
But it seems equally bizarre why Bolton wouldn't take Morley back. However, their manager is one stubborn bloke. We just have to hope he's still in a job as a new manager would surely be keen to bring a brilliant player back.
My attitude is a bit like a well media trained player or manager. One game at a time. Our run at the moment is extraordinary. Three teams are smashing this league. But it can’t continue. It can’t continue.
So I’m staying with my 10th and happy.
Saying that when the bubble has burst on our season in the past (like most teams) is when player x loses form or stops scoring goals. We have lost plenty of players and we have 5 players scoring goals. It’s a unique scenario for me.
but still one game at a time.
We'll get bored of saying it, but the sheer numbers of options in every position are just outrageous this season.
It's the attacking options that really are the area we're spoilt. We can give it a great go against anyone with the starting 3, then replace all of them and have another crack.
West Brom fans seem pretty much in agreement they need Taylor back. I am hoping they are massively wrong!