I think we should be very aware of our 8 game winless streak but not yet too worried. If we manage to get two wins between now and boxing day our season again would look a very decent one. If by Brentford there are no more wins then I would be starting to get very worried, as that would be 15 without a win. I think Leeds Southampton, and Brentford are the teams we should be hoping to get those wins from.
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[Albion] At what point should we start worrying about our form?
- Thread starter A1X
- Start date
- Apr 19, 2018
- 2,133
Not in crisis mode yet, expecting Leeds to come and end their poor run of form at the Amex and then have a nervy time in Feb as we flirt with the bottom 8 but fully anticipate us drawing our way to safety with the occasional win. Not hugely exciting necessarily but not a crisis.
Over the past 5 games Man Utd, Everton, Brentford, Villa and Newcastle have all got the same or less points than us. Over the past 3 games our form is better than Everton and Leicester (and others). I know that doesn't take into account relative difficulty or anything else, but we're far from alone in hitting a lean patch.
Over the past 5 games Man Utd, Everton, Brentford, Villa and Newcastle have all got the same or less points than us. Over the past 3 games our form is better than Everton and Leicester (and others). I know that doesn't take into account relative difficulty or anything else, but we're far from alone in hitting a lean patch.
southstandandy
WEST STAND ANDY
- Jul 9, 2003
- 6,045
Would take 17th now and most seasons as it's hard to see us (over 38 games) making the top ten without playing a recognised striker. Just happy to be in the Prem though to be honest. As long as we stay up I'm happy.
Eric Youngs Contact Lens
Well-known member
The winless run is another phase of a long season. The "winning streak" before it too. Not worried about our form, but frustrated because Villa loss, Norwich and Toon draws feel so familiar, and last season was one of the most frustrating on record!! But n that winless run, performances against Liverpool, City (2nd half) and Arsenal were breath-taking. The first few games saw us win points in some games where we were lucky to get them.. that is different to last season. The games against "big teams" produced some of our very best football and a different way of playing. The draws and Saturday's defeat show that we still struggle to breakdown teams who sit.. We are not a top 10 side yet.. I think we are settling into where we will end up, hopefully mid-table, top of the bottom half.
Form this season has been patchy - we won games we didn't deserve to, we got points with draws when it looked like none were coming, and we have lost games against teams who have good players that on a good day can beat us . Everton, Villa and City.
Our form is not worrying me just yet. Its frustrating me, certainly, but most of us would have predicted a mid-table finish at very best.. typically that is one or two wins above relegation battle.
Form this season has been patchy - we won games we didn't deserve to, we got points with draws when it looked like none were coming, and we have lost games against teams who have good players that on a good day can beat us . Everton, Villa and City.
Our form is not worrying me just yet. Its frustrating me, certainly, but most of us would have predicted a mid-table finish at very best.. typically that is one or two wins above relegation battle.
Our four wins were all against teams 12th place and lower, including a win v Burnley who are in the bottom 3.
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
The virtual pub that is NSC can have it's regulars that simply cannot deal with a season being a series of peaks and troughs. We're in a trough, but it's not exactly end of the world stuff. We have only lost 3 games, so picked up points in 3/4 of our games so far. We are still top half despite a dip, any upturn in results is going to maintain that. We've only scored 12 goals, but then so have Wolves and Leeds, Spurs have scored 1 less, Arsenal have only scored 1 more.
Too many going down a path of frustration and anger really, when actually this is what midtable battles look like. 10th is around 45 - 55 points most seasons, so all teams in this area will have periods of it not going well, followed by better results. If you had a season without a dip in form, you are looking top 6. I'm not happy with results, but it's hardly the dark times some people seem to think it is.
Leeds are a decent side, wouldn't be a disaster to draw that game. Hopefully at home we can win it, but a 'must win' after 12 games with 17 pts already - not for me Jeff.
100% this - we're in a poor spell and had some hugely frustrating performances, but despite that are still 9th and the same points off the bottom three as we are off the top 3. Maybe the spell will continue, maybe we'll enter another good spell - who knows
We do need to work out how to break down teams that sit though
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
100% this - we're in a poor spell and had some hugely frustrating performances, but despite that are still 9th and the same points off the bottom three as we are off the top 3. Maybe the spell will continue, maybe we'll enter another good spell - who knows
Under Potter I think we are 99 points from 88 games, so 1.125 per game. If we continue that 2 seasons or so of form we'll get an extra 29 points this season and finish on 46, in most cases that is 13th or higher, been a few seasons that is high enough for top 10. We've had these spells in the previous seasons under Potter and come out fighting. This group always show a bit of spirit even if things aren't going well. Completely agree we find it tough against teams who sit deep and contain, but I think all sides do to a degree, our problem is we don't seem to have many worldy's in us to break the deadlock. The Newcastle game gets mentioned a lot, but we didn't need a worldy to win that, we just needed 1 decent PL finish from 2 or 3 presentable chances, let alone other chances to produce something a bit more spectacular.
I think it is fine - and almost expected - for supporters to be bi- polar about results. We all have a huge amount of emotional investment in the club and for many of us that goes back decades and will last a lifetime. In many ways it’s unnatural for supporters to be pragmatic about poor spells, even if it is logical. After all, what’s logical about supporting a football club?
What does reassure me though is that we have a manager who repeatedly states that he doesn’t get too high about the good times or too low about the bad times. That’s his job and it’s my job to shit the bed because we just lost 2-0 away at Villa FFS.
Then of course when we beat Leeds 3-0, Villa will be erased from my memory and I’ll be back to studying my AA roadmap of Europe.
What does reassure me though is that we have a manager who repeatedly states that he doesn’t get too high about the good times or too low about the bad times. That’s his job and it’s my job to shit the bed because we just lost 2-0 away at Villa FFS.
Then of course when we beat Leeds 3-0, Villa will be erased from my memory and I’ll be back to studying my AA roadmap of Europe.
Insel affe
HellBilly
12 games gone..
DLDDL
we are sitting on 9th position with 17 points
Jebus if this is our bad run, then I am not in slightest concerned.
Yes Villa was hugely frustrating, credit where credit is due, it was an exceptionally well taken break and after that we were all flustered, shite happens.
Leeds is not a must win, However I think it is more important for the mind set of the squad we do play better and hopefully get a good result. We don't want the negativity of some of supporters to impact the team, and sow seeds of doubt, when there should be none.
The Leeds game will be end to end, with plenty of attacking football, I cannot wait.
DLDDL
we are sitting on 9th position with 17 points
Jebus if this is our bad run, then I am not in slightest concerned.
Yes Villa was hugely frustrating, credit where credit is due, it was an exceptionally well taken break and after that we were all flustered, shite happens.
Leeds is not a must win, However I think it is more important for the mind set of the squad we do play better and hopefully get a good result. We don't want the negativity of some of supporters to impact the team, and sow seeds of doubt, when there should be none.
The Leeds game will be end to end, with plenty of attacking football, I cannot wait.
albionalex
Well-known member
Burnley was 1st game of the season. Norwich and Newcastle were both bottom 2 when we played them.
Barnet Seagull
Luxury Player
I've seen the performances this year and they are comparable to last. That makes me think we will be fine.
There are two things that strike me.
1. We have generally done a better job at closing out games than last year although there is still a sense of fragility whenever we go ahead
2. More recently, we haven't reacted well to going behind, particularly if it's in the second half.
I watched the match loss to Aston Villa in full. I thought Villa defended well and were very compact vertically. As much as i don't want to get drawn into the False Nine conversation, I think Villa took advantage of us not having a significant threat in behind.
I thought the tactical change from Graham Potter was bold and the right one in terms of shape to win the game.. Conceding a bit of possession to stretch them vertically could have seen us create more. The reality of course is that they scored two good goals
and we lost.
All in all, I think Villa played us well. They shuttled across the midfield very effectively in their 3 and as such, they restricted us from any penetrative play. In those sort of games, you need someone to break the lines from midfield or get in behind. Unfortunately we had too little of either. On the subs, tactically I felt the the game was setup for Aaron Connolly rather than Maupay due to all I've said above. It was a surprising substitution in that sense.
To summarise though. Not yet.
There are two things that strike me.
1. We have generally done a better job at closing out games than last year although there is still a sense of fragility whenever we go ahead
2. More recently, we haven't reacted well to going behind, particularly if it's in the second half.
I watched the match loss to Aston Villa in full. I thought Villa defended well and were very compact vertically. As much as i don't want to get drawn into the False Nine conversation, I think Villa took advantage of us not having a significant threat in behind.
I thought the tactical change from Graham Potter was bold and the right one in terms of shape to win the game.. Conceding a bit of possession to stretch them vertically could have seen us create more. The reality of course is that they scored two good goals
and we lost.
All in all, I think Villa played us well. They shuttled across the midfield very effectively in their 3 and as such, they restricted us from any penetrative play. In those sort of games, you need someone to break the lines from midfield or get in behind. Unfortunately we had too little of either. On the subs, tactically I felt the the game was setup for Aaron Connolly rather than Maupay due to all I've said above. It was a surprising substitution in that sense.
To summarise though. Not yet.