I have to say, I find the negativity a little bizarre, even though it is the BBS. We've beaten Norwich 1-0, drew with Cardiff (and the ref) and drawn 0-0 at Forest in the last three games. We won six of eight games last month. We're top half. Six points off the playoffs and more than double that away from the bottom three. We even turned Wednesday over at Hillsborough with Frieser scoring the winner. We're in the FA Cup last 16 on the BBC against Chelsea. Am I missing something, because surely this is about as good as we've had things in years. No?
I guess not being able to experience it in person plays a big part. You might feel different being involved in the day to day at the club and seeing all the games, but some people are so disconnected right now with everything going on that they just don't see the positives you just reeled off. Look at Styles and Brittain. The latter we haven't seen play live and the former 'could' leave this Summer as one of the most promising talents we've ever sold on to the Prem - but none of us will have seen him hit the heights of the last 12 months and only a couple of positive cameos off the bench. I think we're in a great position by the way. More than happy. But you can still debate some of the football we're playing at times without it being a criticism.
They're in good form though and it will be another very tough game. I do though believe our week's worth of rest will help us. They're at Rotherham on Tuesday night. We've won every 3pm kick-off at Oakwell under Val so far. So fingers crossed.
I think the same, probably end up with the biggest points total since the season after the play off final at this level. Biggest average attendance for years last season and the youngest squad in the EFL, if Dennis/Cryne were still at the helm they'd be creaming.
I'm not sure there's a need to consider the BBS vibe to be negative. I'm not sure the BBS needs to be reminded of our present position. Unless we're supposed to be grateful for it. We pay our money and we're entitled not to be lectured for spending it. We all have our different opinions to the extremes or in the middle. There are those who remember your telling us we wouldn't be relegated one season. Then we were. Your excuse for that was that you were always optimistic, or summat. So we all have the same foibles, one way or another. Personally speaking, I'm happy with our league position, but concerned about the way the product on the pitch is less than pleasing on the eye at the moment. Is that a little bizarre?
Nah they were trying to attack. Too many aimless balls over the top, but they were trying. And when we play it on the deck we look good. I'm loving this season and enjoying watching the reds.
I'd be inclined to agree with that, that it's certainly not helpful that we have had no fans at games experiencing the last 7 months etc. Definitely. It's a good point and one I'll take on board. I still find it properly bizarre that anyone is criticising right now though.
I would play Brittain in a Hammill type roll and funnel all the ball to him, keep it simple and let him get those balls into the box
We gave it a half decent go second half today. But it still felt a bit stale sitting on the sofa. If 3,500 of us had been at the game, and those watching at home would have had real life crowd noise, they'd have heard the roars for Woodrow's header, the crowd going nuts for the back to back corners at the death, the cheers of anticipation everytime Brittain pelted down the right, and you'd have videos of the players being clapped off by the travelling faithful. Remove that connection and everything is dumbed down slightly. I do wonder if some of the long ball stuff will look worse or better if you're actually at the game. I fear the former, but being able to encourage the players to take their time or win an arial challenge would make a world of difference.
I don’t see how you can put Chaplin in the first list and Bradshaw in the ‘quality’ one. Chaplin scored 13 goals in a struggling team last season. That’s not a bad return. I think the style is as much to blame as the players this season when it comes to goals. Even Caukey is struggling in open play this season.
I said we'd stay up last year so it all evens out. It's only opinion buddy. We all have them. I don't claim to be right/wrong. I have three season tickets myself. I give them all to friends who can't afford one. I wasn't lecturing anyone though. Just sharing opinion. I slightly agree with your second to last line (in bold). I'd love us to win and play like 1990's AC Milan.
I think we're even better with fans behind us. Behind being the key word. Next season should see that from day one, if these vaccine rollouts succeed as expected. Fingers crossed. It's bizarre attending these games, honestly. But it is what it is. Imagine Hillsborough just before Xmas when we turned Wednesday over. Or the win at Rotherham, Derby, Birmingham. Or last season against Forest and Brentford. And, Chelsea shortly. You've all been robbed of it. But so have we, to a degree. It's w*** without fans buddy.
What I am getting at is when we had signed the likes of Bradshaw Winnall Moore and Woodrow they all had come off their previous seasons having scored a decent amount. Bradshaw 40 in 80 for Walsall Winnall 23 goals in in last season at Scunthorpe Moore 13 in 26 for Rotherham Woodrow had premier league experience with Fulham as a youngster plus championship experience with Burton and Bristol city. The long list of players i mentioned who I don't think are up to this level have all come here on the back of any type of a decent goal scoring return. Maybe there's a lesson to be learnt from that.
How many goals do you reckon Bradshaw would have scored in this formation? Considering he is a 6 yard box man? What I’m saying is a player that scored 13 goals in the championship last season doesn’t suddenly become a waste of money. The new manager has a style that doesn’t suit the majority of our strikers. I believe Chaplin will go somewhere else and score goals if the balls not sailing over his head.
I get that, I just have a difference of opinion re Bradshaw and Chaplin. I never rated Bradshaw and think there is a player there in Chaplin. I think Chaplin gets credit for making the step up and scoring more than he had previously at any level. Woodrow, Winall and Moore I agree with, the first 2 scored from all over, the latter just a freak of a player. Bradshaw not even close to those 3 lads in my estimation.
Everyone has their eyes on the better players that are a bit further down the road in their development and have to pay fees and wages accordingly. I think the problem we’d have with buying less and paying more is we’d have a smaller squad and maybe disharmony within it if some players were on a lot more money than others.
We bought a lot of t-shirts and put some in the drawer until the others start looking shabby, get a hole in them or get stolen off the washing line. When the ones tucked away come back out they may look and fit better than when we bought them. If they don't it's not a big loss as we can nip back to primark when they have a sale on. I've got a Hugo Boss t shirt in my drawer but it doesn't fit, I'll give it another try when I lose a bit.
