[Albion] 24 games, 2 losses, 4th place, 8 points clear of 7th

[Bigtomfu]

Yep. I'd have bitten my own arm off and eaten it.

Injuries aside its been an exhilarating start to the season. Now we need to re-group, dig deep and find 35 points to guarantee a play off place.

Strengthening will happen next week and players will return.

Personally I'd also like to see us re-lay the pitch post Friday with the 3 week gap we then have to next home game.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Yep. I'd have bitten my own arm off and eaten it.

Injuries aside its been an exhilarating start to the season. Now we need to re-group, dig deep and find 35 points to guarantee a play off place.

Strengthening will happen next week and players will return.

Personally I'd also like to see us re-lay the pitch post Friday with the 3 week gap we then have to next home game.

It would be an unusual season if 75 points wasn't enough for a play off place.

I think we'll better 44 points in the next 22 games....there I said it!

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Absolutely after the first half of last season. Considering the teams around us and the money they have too, it's even more impressive.

 

[Diablo]

Would you have taken 2 losses, 4th place and 8 points clear of 7th after 24 games on 01/08

Of course. who wouldn`t. But if you said on 6/12/15. Would you be happy to take three points from the next 15 ? different answer.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

Obviously yes on the 1st of August.

But on the 12th of December 2-1 up at Derby with a few minutes to go which would have left us 4 points clear at the top and delivered a significant psychological blow to a major rival contrasted with 4th place, 4 points from an automatic promotion place and 8 points clear of 7th our current position doesn't look quite as peachy.

I'm all for a bit of realism and managing of expectations but at what point does this downward turn become something to be concerned about?

Edit previous post beat me to it !

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Yes of course.

But how many would take 3 points from 15 and two losses at home especially when our true quality and experience (when your thin on the ground) is sitting on the bench.

It is a cock up.

Hopefully Chris will give him the obvious start that BZ needs against Wolves.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Yes of course.

But how many would take 3 points from 15 and two losses at home especially when our true quality and experience (when your thin on the ground) is sitting on the bench.

It is a cock up.

Hopefully Chris will give him the obvious start that BZ needs against Wolves.

It's a cock up based on Chris not starting BZ!?

 

[Deleted member 2719]

It's a cock up based on Chris not starting BZ!?

Yes a very BIG one too IMO.

 

[Springal]

Beginning of the season yes. Beginning of December I'd be very disappointed

 

[Bold Seagull]

Yes a very BIG one too IMO.

He was on when we were leading at both Derby and QPR, not sure what difference it would have made him starting? Both those games could easily have delivered 4 more points and we'd be 2nd.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Aye it's been a stunner thus far, in spite of being in this, hopefully, end-of blip. Played some good football and most unfortunate that some key strong players - am thinking about how the division is largely about experience and musculariy and how without Bong, Rosenior and LuaLua we lose a bit of beefy zip - have been out, so ought be proud.
Right now, though, the players remaining, and us fans, need a sense of titanism restored with a sturdy home victory and a few flicks of flair to nourish our addiction to quality. I have faith in CH to fire us forward and thrust us lovingly from this brief nadir.

 

[Charlies Shinpad]

Would you have taken that on 1st August?

Yes

 

[Simster]

Yes a very BIG one too IMO.

Easily said in hindsight but this isn't true at all.

We went 21 games unbeaten. How many of those did Zamora start? The problem with starting Zamora is that you then HAVE to make a substitution on the hour mark, with a third of the game still to play. He's also going to be far more injury prone than younger players - there is good chance that playing him for as long as an hour at this level will lead to an injury which means he won't be available for 3 or 4 games.

 

[Yoda]

Did you want your arm back?

 

[No. 25]

Pretty much every body would have taken that on 1 August 2015

Pretty much nobody would have taken it on 1 December 2015.

 

[Zen Frenzy]

Damn right. Current blip is also a timely lesson that we don't have strength in depth during current batch of injuries. Our opponents will seek to exploit this over the next few weeks so we shouldn't be surprised if there's more slippage to come. Don't think we'll finish in the auto-places; the biggest goal differences displayed by the best 3 teams speak volumes and we're miles away from them. Got to remain confident for play-off contention in 4 months time though.

 

[Hampster Gull]

Only one answer

 

[Acker79]

No, for two reasons:

1) It's not even January first. There is plenty of time to slip down the table. I wouldn't, at any point pre or early season, take any guaranteed position at New Years because it means nothing. It's the end of the season that counts.

2) I'm not overly concerned about where we finish, I want to enjoy the games.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Easily said in hindsight but this isn't true at all.

We went 21 games unbeaten. How many of those did Zamora start? The problem with starting Zamora is that you then HAVE to make a substitution on the hour mark, with a third of the game still to play. He's also going to be far more injury prone than younger players - there is good chance that playing him for as long as an hour at this level will lead to an injury which means he won't be available for 3 or 4 games.

It does look like hindsight but I had mentioned this way before the match to my friends. That a side I have NO issue when we have a strong squad to pick from but we haven't at present so I feel our quality should be longer on the field and not off it. As for starting the game I prefer to get the goal/s first then get hemed working there defence late on.
Bobby could get injured at any point and with our weakened bench if he gets injured coming on late and then needs to be subbed that would be unthinkable, surely.

 

[Spider]

Never really understand this kind of question, because surely context is everything. At the start of the season of course we would all have taken it, but I'm not sure how relevant that is now. What if we lost every game between now and the end of next season, would we then say 'would you have taken league 2 football at the start of the 97-98 season' and the answer would probably be yes.