[Albion] We are going down

[Working class pride]

If we do go down then will the "development squad" be good enough to get us promoted or are they not good enough for the third tier and the entire squad is a complete waste of time?

 

[Dave the OAP]

Yup. Back to back away draws without conceding a goal, and one of them at a ground we have NEVER won at.

Right now, I'm happy with that as I didn't expect any points from those 2 matches to be honest.

I will reserve judgement on these two results to how we do next Saturday. Yes ok, 2 points away from home out of 6 is ok, and clean sheets are good, but we are still struggling at the other end, which inevitably means that we are hoping the three below us also don't win any games as all we are capable of is draws!

This will go down to the wire with some very difficult home games to come!

 

[nwgull]

If we do go down then will the "development squad" be good enough to get us promoted or are they not good enough for the third tier and the entire squad is a complete waste of time?

Eh? What have the development squad - effectively the U21s - got to do with it? Most of this years squad are still on contract next season.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Yup. Back to back away draws without conceding a goal, and one of them at a ground we have NEVER won at.

Right now, I'm happy with that as I didn't expect any points from those 2 matches to be honest.

It's also a bonus that we didn't get our usual obligatory red card at Hillsborough.

 

[OvingdeanSeagull]

The lack of strengthening during the transfer window was nothing short of disgraceful, and we will regret it. How can Bloom say we're ahead of the game and then proceed to sign one centre mid, extend a loan deal for a back up player we already had, and get one of the worst strikers in the league whilst loaning out the player who has contributed to more goals for us this season than anyone else. Awful, complacent transfer dealings, and now we'll have to rely on yet another loanee if we bother to sign anyone else. Hooray.

 

[Working class pride]

Eh? What have the development squad - effectively the U21s - got to do with it? Most of this years squad are still on contract next season.

If they are not good enough for the 3rd division at 21 (when many other players are playing for their country or in the premier league or second tier at the same age) then that suggests to me that they will never be good enough. Lets not make excuses for them as well as the pile of rubbish we have in the first team. If they are good enough, they are old enough.

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

Still think CH is the one to save us, but by god we really need a goal scorer on loan asap. Absolute tragedy Bent went to the Sheep shaggers: it's time for Hughton to use every contact he has to get someone in and if need be TB to back him large.

 

[lawros left foot]

We need a decent striker and quick, big mistake not signing a permanent one in January. we've got too many loan players who don't care if we go down or not as they will either return to parent club or go to another championship club next season

Who would you suggest we should have signed?
Easy to say we need a decent striker, but they don't grow on trees, and we arent that attractive proposition for an in demand player atm

 

[nwgull]

If they are not good enough for the 3rd division at 21 (when many other players are playing for their country or in the premier league or second tier at the same age) then that suggests to me that they will never be good enough. Lets not make excuses for them as well as the pile of rubbish we have in the first team. If they are good enough, they are old enough.

You get a few exceptional years, but I'd be surprised if more than about 10% of any club's DS make it through to the first team squad, and most of those that don't make it seem to have to drop down 2-3 divisions to have a future in the professional game.

 

[BN9 BHA]

A point at a huge club like Sheffield Wednesday is a good result, no panic.

 

[happypig]

I'd be less worried if we were drawing 2-2 and losing 3-2 but as it stands, I cannot see where the goals are going to come from to get us level/ahead.
I can understand the optimism of getting points away at Cardiff & Sheffield Wednesday but with where we are, we really needed to grab a win at one of them. It's looking increasingly likely that the game against Millwall could end up defining our season (and theirs).

 

[Worried Man Blues]

At least we will see how good Twotone is by the Summer!

 

[BensGrandad]

I'd be less worried if we were drawing 2-2 and losing 3-2 but as it stands, I cannot see where the goals are going to come from to get us level/ahead.
I can understand the optimism of getting points away at Cardiff & Sheffield Wednesday but with where we are, we really needed to grab a win at one of them. It's looking increasingly likely that the game against Millwall could end up defining our season (and theirs).

I prefer to keep a clean sheet as 1 goal will give us 3 piints. I think that is CH thinking also.

 

[Eeyore]

The toys are leaving the prams a little early today. NSC could be an interesting read after last orders has been called.

 

[bhawoddy]

In the third tier we will likely be flying high and will be north of 20,000 for many games and towards end of season the odd 30,000. If mid table or struggling then 15,000 to 17000

wow. you really can dream...... good effort

 

[Working class pride]

Meanwhile Palace a club who were struggling to get 14000 paying punters a few seasons ago in mid table in the premier league and could be on the way to Wembley and possibly a trophy. Its shocking just how shit we are and always are.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I'd be less worried if we were drawing 2-2 and losing 3-2 but as it stands, I cannot see where the goals are going to come from to get us level/ahead.
I can understand the optimism of getting points away at Cardiff & Sheffield Wednesday but with where we are, we really needed to grab a win at one of them. It's looking increasingly likely that the game against Millwall could end up defining our season (and theirs).

We scored 7 goals in our last three home games including Arsenal.

 

[Stat Brother]

It's pretty obvious, after the Forest debacle, CH said:-

2 clean sheets.
2 points, minimum.

So to that end, having a game plan, sticking to the game plan, and the game plan working is encouraging.

I do think the game plan cost us 2 points on Tuesday, and although not listened may well have done the same, today.

None of that will matter at Fortress AMEX.
But if we continue to roll over waiting for our tummies to be tickled at home, those 4 points could be massive.

All 3 v Birmingham is a must.

 

[GT49er]

We're bang on a point per game. 46 points would have been enough to stay up last season-

Last season was a bit out of the ordinary, though, as far as points needed to stay up was concerned.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Even more reason to get behind the manager and the team and act as the 12th man in an attempt to avoid this

Going to be an uphill struggle if we're depending on the crowd at The Amex to become vocal and create a hostile atmosphere to visiting clubs.