Half-term report - happy or not?

[Meade's Ball]

I didn't come into this season expecting anything other than the experience of being in this division and battling it out with clubs still much larger than ours. It's not all been brilliant, but it's been wonderfully emotional. Some dreams have been built and others shattered, but that's how great it is. I'm chuffed and proud of where we've got to and have a small smile over the likelihood of the future. I just mostly wish the pretty football returns to its best mixed in with the grit that stops opponents bag a goal or two. Flair and bravery, what more could we ask for in this sophomore year in the championship?

 

[The Brighton Buzz]

I'm Happy. We were always going to have to see which players were going to "cut the mustard " in this league. The first half of the season has told us this. Assuming we address the situation in january with a few good signings,I see no need to worry. Although it would be nice to be promoted realistically we are not good enough in all areas and not ready. Let's just enjoy the ride this year and "crack on" next season with a much improved squad with new signings and a years experience with the ones we have now who were good enough.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Look at the table. We have been beaten by the teams in the top half (apart from Cardiff) and beaten teams in the bottom half. We are a classic mid table team.

1 Southampton 23 23 47
2 West Ham 23 17 44
3 Middlesbrough 23 10 44
4 Cardiff 23 11 39
5 Hull 23 3 39
6 Reading 23 8 36
7 Blackpool 23 8 35
8 Leeds 23 5 35
9 Burnley 23 4 33
10 Crystal Palace 23 0 33
11 Brighton 23 -3 32
12 Leicester 23 4 31
13 Peterborough 23 3 31
14 Derby 23 -5 31
15 Birmingham 21 3 30
16 Barnsley 23 -4 30
17 Portsmouth 22 0 27
18 Watford 23 -8 27
19 Ipswich 22 -10 27
20 Millwall 23 -2 26
21 Bristol City 23 -13 21
22 Nott'm Forest 23 -19 21
23 Doncaster 23 -20 19
24 Coventry 23 -15 16

 

[matthew]

I'm on the fence

 

[Lush]

I don't care about the league position so long as we're out of the bottom three. I also don't expect us to win every week. But I'm not really enjoying watching us play at the moment. I'm also disappointed that the players we've bought haven't shown anything near what I'd hoped for. So for those reasons I voted unhappy. The Amex has been the best thing about the season so far, by far.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

I'm happy but I will be happier when Hoskins and Vicente(not so much) are fit and back to playing regulary

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Look at the table. We have been beaten by the teams in the top half (apart from Cardiff) and beaten teams in the bottom half. We are a classic mid table team.

Against teams in the top half of the table, we have the second worst record in the division ... only 6 points from 11 games. Only Coventry City have a worse record.

Against teams in the bottom half of the table, we have the fourth best record ... 26 points from 12 games. As good as Southampton.

I'm not entirely convinced that this is a "classic" way to target a mid-table finish.

 

[Stoo82]

Very happy.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I didn't come into this season expecting anything other than the experience of being in this division and battling it out with clubs still much larger than ours. It's not all been brilliant, but it's been wonderfully emotional. Some dreams have been built and others shattered, but that's how great it is. I'm chuffed and proud of where we've got to and have a small smile over the likelihood of the future. I just mostly wish the pretty football returns to its best mixed in with the grit that stops opponents bag a goal or two. Flair and bravery, what more could we ask for in this sophomore year in the championship?

nice post which sums up how i feel...i'm loving it

 

[Mr deez]

Most competitive league in the world, and one of the best. Pleased to be competing.

 

[Chesney Christ]

Neither really.... just bored.

I can't complain about the league position but we have just become such a boring team. Our build-up play is like pulling teeth.

 

[jessiejames]

Happy, a few things need to be sorted out like discipline and a couple of transfers in i think a mid table finish is possible. consolidate our place in the championship and build on it.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

I would have voted 'Confused' if that was an option.

I'm ecstatic about the Amex/Bloom and players like CMS joining...but on the pitch since Palace equalized I haven't been enjoying it that much if I'm honest.

That just about sums it up for me too.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Overall very happy. We have made the step up to a higher division and have more than held our won. Our current league position represents considerable forward progress for this team. We now appear to be a comfortable mid-table championship side, which will hopefully allow us to build for a more successful future.

We lack the nous, cutting edge and experience of the top teams in this division, but we do not look out of our depth with the rest of the teams, a far cry from our last two appearances in the championship.

If you have not been able to enjoy the last year then you should really stop going, it's been a great 2011.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Pretty happy really. I never expected promotion this year, I thought we'd do well enough to not be involved in the relegation battle and that is how it's panning out. On the pitch is a little puzzling, it's all or nothing, either highs or lows, nothing mediocre. The season start was better than could have been hoped for, then a large slump, a fine recovery for a while and now back down again. Would be nice to see a little consistency for a while - but all-in-all, lovely stadium, good crowds, and a good future beckons. Onwards and upwards.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

The top two from the year before were doing better at this stage, pboro are only 1 point behind us having lost players & Saints are top have scored twice as many as us, having spent less. We are underperforming

 

[jimhigham]

Certainly happy with the fact that we are holding our own and don't appear to be "fodder" unlike previous seasons at this level. However, the recent trend is worrying. Suspensions all over the pitch and a reluctance to shoot don't bode well for the second half of the season. I'd still go for a "glass half full" assessment though.

 

[Barrow Boy]

I would have voted 'Confused' if that was an option.

I'm ecstatic about the Amex/Bloom and players like CMS joining...but on the pitch since Palace equalized I haven't been enjoying it that much if I'm honest.

Me neither, at times we have flattered to deceive and we just aren't creating enough chances in front of goal. Tippy tappy, ticky tacky or whatever you want to call it works fine if you're Barcelona/Real Madrid/Arsenal etc., we clearly are not. We are far too one dimensional and have been found out, It's all right people defending Gus and his tactics, but for how long ? We desperately need some creativity in midfield and a big player up front who can actually win a ball in the air, hold the ball and start giving CMS the chances he is crying out for, and barndoor Billy is clearly not the answer. And now we have incurred the wrath of the FA and Refs by our on-field antics and Managers comments. There are enough 'clown' officials in this league, as has been proved over the last few games, but FFS stop giving them any more reasons to give us a hard time.

So,
league position = good
Team performance = concerned

 

[Max Paper]

I want to vote happy but the performances over the last month or two have left me frustrated so I'm another on the fence!

 

[JetsetJimbo]

I went with 'happy', but I would have taken an 'undecided' option if there was one. I'm happy in the sense that I would have taken this offered at the start of the season, but after the first 5 games, my expectations rose quite a bit: those later expectations haven't been met, although they were probably a bit unrealistic. The main thing to note, though, is that a) we're in the Championship (or "Division 2" as I still call it in my head); we have a lovely new stadium; and we've got a few players who can kick the ball around a bit. Those of us who remember Stuart Storer being our big signing for a whopping £15,000 would have to be seriously short-sighted to not be happy with where we are now (and yes, I know he's a legend, that's not my point).

It'd be easier to stomach if Southampton weren't doing so well (not that I have any problem with Southampton, good luck to them, but it's a bit painful watching the team that finished runners-up to us last year doing so much better than us this time out).

But yeah, overall I can't grumble too much. I've got faith that Gus and his management/coaching team have been paying close attention and that by the start of next season we'll look much more like genuine promotion contenders. For now we'll have to be happy with the fact we're doing a reasonably good job of learning the ropes in this division.