There's a long way to go

[Triggaaar]

Just as a reminder of how far there is to go, this is what the table looked like at this point last year. Middlesbrough had a game in hand but lost 14 points to Burnley and 8 to us.

1 Middlesbrough
P 24 GD +24 Points 52

2 Derby County
P 25 GD +20 Points 48

3 Hull City
P 25 GD +18 Points 47

4 Brighton and Hove A
P 25 GD +6 Points 44

5 Burnley
P 25 GD +11 Points 42

 

[Sheebo]

There is indeed. I'd question if that Boro squad had the quality and depth of our present one - I think not but of course time will tell. As for Derby.. Well we don't want to get a rep like they have and we will be thought of as bottlers if we don't go up this season in afraid (I don't currently think we are TBH - that's just a Nigel dig that they spout occasionally...)

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

Was thinking earlier that last year Boro had a cup run that caused them some fixture congestion. Wonder how much that affected their second-half-of-the-season form?

Edit: That was in the League Cup earlier in the season, so ignore me on that front. On the other hand, they lost their 3rd round FA Cup tie and then only won 1 out of their next 6. Maybe lost momentum/confidence?

 

[Triggaaar]

As for Derby.. Well we don't want to get a rep like they have and we will be thought of as bottlers if we don't go up this season in afraid (I don't currently think we are TBH - that's just a Nigel dig that they spout occasionally...)

Why would you even listen to that shit when it's clearly not true? We got 32 points from the last 14 games - that's not even close to bottling it. We lost in the playoffs because we got 4 injuries in an hour, and the ref gave Shefwedlol a goal that even they said shouldn't have been allowed.

Oh, and I didn't even mention Mike Dean

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Not that long to go, 3 and a half months or so and we're in the Premier League

 

[Sheebo]

Why would you even listen to that shit when it's clearly not true? We got 32 points from the last 14 games - that's not even close to bottling it. We lost in the playoffs because we got 4 injuries in an hour, and the ref gave Shefwedlol a goal that even they said shouldn't have been allowed.

Oh, and I didn't even mention Mike Dean

Oh I agree fully. Losing in play offs when we scraped 6th under Garcia was anything but as well. The only time we did was in the play offs when we came 4th and us and Watford just didn't show up. That was bottling it a bit as we were the form team.

 

[Triggaaar]

...

 

[Triggaaar]

The only time we did was in the play offs when we came 4th and us and Watford just didn't show up. That was bottling it a bit as we were the form team.

We were in form, but Bolasie and Zaha are good players and had a good day, while luck wasn't with us. I don't think hitting the post and having one cleared off the line was because of bottle.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Just as a reminder of how far there is to go, this is what the table looked like at this point last year. Middlesbrough had a game in hand but lost 14 points to Burnley and 8 to us.

1 Middlesbrough
P 24 GD +24 Points 52

2 Derby County
P 25 GD +20 Points 48

3 Hull City
P 25 GD +18 Points 47

4 Brighton and Hove A
P 25 GD +6 Points 44

5 Burnley
P 25 GD +11 Points 42

And STILL went up! Happy days!

(I do, of course, take your point...).

 

[kevo]

We were in form, but Bolasie and Zaha are good players and had a good day, while luck wasn't with us. I don't think hitting the post and having one cleared off the line was because of bottle.

Agreed. A lot of rubbish talked about that match. We were a bit unlucky and they were very good on the night, simple as. I seem to remember when we hit the woodwork, it was just before they scored. A matter of inches. We could well have gone on to win it.

 

[OzMike]

Say we win our game in hand, then we would be 11 points above 3rd place.
We would have to effectively lose 4 games and they win 4 games to overhaul us.
Looking at the stats for the first half of the season and the fact that the injured players are returning, it looks very unlikely that this would happen.
We might have a couple of mares, but I don't think that we will have 4 of them.
Need to win the game in hand mind.

 

[Triggaaar]

Say we win our game in hand, then we would be 11 points above 3rd place.
We would have to effectively lose 4 games and they win 4 games to overhaul us.

Say Middlesbrough won their game in hand, that would have put them 13 points ahead of Burnley, yet Burnley finished 4 points ahead of 'brough.

Looking at the stats for the first half of the season and the fact that the injured players are returning, it looks very unlikely that this would happen.
We might have a couple of mares, but I don't think that we will have 4 of them.

It's not only losses that lose you points. And looking at the stats for the first half of last season, you wouldn't have expected Middlesbrough to be relying on Mike Dean on the last day.

 

[OzMike]

Say Middlesbrough won their game in hand, that would have put them 13 points ahead of Burnley, yet Burnley finished 4 points ahead of 'brough.

It's not only losses that lose you points. And looking at the stats for the first half of last season, you wouldn't have expected Middlesbrough to be relying on Mike Dean on the last day.

It's another season so it could be all change, your scenario is history repeating itself.
Sometimes it does, but I hope not in our case.

 

[Stat Brother]

Clearly the team could do without the pressure, but it's obvious NSC needs a couple of ugly loses to dampen down the January Premier League bullshittery.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Clearly the team could do without the pressure, but it's obvious NSC needs a couple of ugly loses to dampen down the January Premier League bullshittery.

I need Reading to have a couple of ugly losses myself.

Come on QPR on Thursday !!

 

[Napper]

Say we win our game in hand, then we would be 11 points above 3rd place.
We would have to effectively lose 4 games and they win 4 games to overhaul us.
Looking at the stats for the first half of the season and the fact that the injured players are returning, it looks very unlikely that this would happen.
We might have a couple of mares, but I don't think that we will have 4 of them.
Need to win the game in hand mind.

We don't have a game in hand on reading.

If they were to beat us at home then gap 5 points . That's would make me nervous with4 games to go . Let alone 22.

With them spending big and us still to get real depth up front , the gap is not much !

 

[DataPoint]

We don't have a game in hand on reading.

If they were to beat us at home then gap 5 points . That's would make me nervous with4 games to go . Let alone 22.

With them spending big and us still to get real depth up front , the gap is not much !

True! But it's in our own hands to go 8 points clear of Newcastle by winning our game in hand with Cardiff and beating Newcastle at home - all other things being equal.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Say Middlesbrough won their game in hand, that would have put them 13 points ahead of Burnley, yet Burnley finished 4 points ahead of 'brough.

It's not only losses that lose you points. And looking at the stats for the first half of last season, you wouldn't have expected Middlesbrough to be relying on Mike Dean on the last day.

We wouldn't have expected Karanka to walk out on them before an away game at Charlton, which they duly lost, amid all kinds of shenanigans between manager and board that also included away defeats at Blackburn and Rotherham.

I suppose Hughton could do the same, doesn't seem likely though.

They righted the ship but then had a little wobble at the death, with 4 draws to finish the season. I can imagine a nervousness to get across the line may affect us too, its already started on NSC, but really its inconceivable that this squad, club, manager, set-up won't go up his year. If they don't then everything we think we know about football is bollocks

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

There's less games to go than when we started...

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Clearly the team could do without the pressure, but it's obvious NSC needs a couple of ugly loses to dampen down the January Premier League bullshittery.

I think an away game against a dogged side like Preston is well timed for us. Will knock any complacency out of the squad (and I doubt there is much. Last season will have seen to that).