Poya style

If we can get 14 points from our last 9 games (eg 4 wins and 2 draws and 3 losses), Derby would need 6 wins from their last 8 games (or 5 wins and 3 draws) to finish above us. I think 14 points would probably be enough, provided that we beat Reading.

 

I just hope the Reading game isn't over hyped like the Derby game. There's no getting away from it's importance. However, if we drew every game we'd finish on 37 points. It highlights that every point no matter how disappointing it might be at the time matters. Nick a win on our travels and a must win game changes to a must not lose etc.

 

Reading's performance picked up last night and now they have a run of three home games from four (vs our 3 away games from four). We've still got it all to do.

I'll feel better if we are within 3 points prior to our game against them. Our fixtures look pretty good on paper but we don't always perform against the lower-mid table sh1thouses.

 

That can be said of most games. But I still think we had a few chances on top of the goals, so not sure I agree with the balance of chances being in their favour either

 

It has got a bit of a feel of 2017/18 for me with our run-in. The home games look winnable on paper. However, the away fixtures are shockers. We need to mug a win and a draw away to take the pressure off the home games.

 

Absolutely that. A lad I play football with, a Derby County fan, was waxing lyrical (back around November time) about how if they perform 'The Great Escape' it will be one of the greatest achievements in modern football; it was as if the eyes of the world were on his football club; it had all the hallmarks of a fan of WRDC. He's a nice lad but the entitlement and delusion was palpable. It's funny, he's been a bit quiet lately

As you say, if we stay up we fully deserve to stay up. And if we go down, we deserve to go down. And if other clubs go down for cheating (again), then they deserve that and punishment has been handed out accordingly.

This season is turning into a season of thirds (2/3 of crap and 1/3 of hope). When @Pelly dropped in on us at our lowest and said 'ey up lads, we've won at Reading for ya!' I couldn't see a path out of the mire, but I never give up hope until it's mathematically impossible. Around that time we deserved all we got and we still do, that's football. It's just that now we are actually showing some fight and quality on the field, which is great!

COYR!!

ps I wish @Pelly's Luton all the best, they have had a remarkable season, much like ours last year.

 

I don't think the chances were all in their favour. I thought we largely controlled the game without being too threatening and we do give the ball away an awful lot. I like Gomes' energy but the amount of times he misplaces a simple pass is extraordinary.

We did give Bristol some really good chances and thankfully they didn't take them. But then if you look at Bristol earlier in the season, we somehow failed to come away with anything when we deserved something.

Thankfully they didn't take the chances they carved out and we got our noses in front.

 

It's nice to be looking forward to the games again with nervous anticipation rather than trepidation.

 

It's a good point, if they better our haul of 5 points from the last 3 home games, in their next three home matches, then things will look pretty good for them. The gap is likely to open up again at the weekend.

 

How would you feel if Woodrow came back and we played:

Collins
Anderson Helik Kitching
Brittain Quina Gomes Styles
Bassi
Woodrow Morris

It's the only way I can see us fitting Woodrow back in the team. And it's at the cost of Matty Wolfe and Remy Vita, both of whom have been very good in the last few weeks.

 

The only thing wrong with last night for me was it should have been a rout. The first twenty odd minutes were fantastic. After that we didn't go for the jugular because I thought Bristol were poor and deserved to be thrashed based on how they started the game. Once you don't press home your advantage then there are always going to be nervous moments. Thankfully Bristol didn't score.

 

Exactly! And that is down to the lads really. Same way it was down to them largely when we were awful. I don't like all this manager-bashing. Yes, Poya's tactical decisions and subs are laughable at times. But I think that only goes so far. Quality and confidence on the pitch is largely down to the players I think, it requires them to really dig deep, ask questions of themselves, and face up to the task ahead, and that's what we're seeing now. The character and attitude of the players has turned around radically. It also helps that we've found our best starting XI!

Edit: and credit to Poya for dropping Benson altogether after he skipped around for 5 minutes on Saturday!

 

Shoe horning players in unnecessarily is what got us in the predicament in the first place. I'd drop Styles for Vita if I was putting Woodrow back in up front.

 

Based on the first half it could (and should) have been 4-0 at least. But at half time I fully expected a 2-2 draw

 

Me too. I was nervous as hell second half. However, watching it back we were comfortable. The nerves were all me.

 

Poya in.
Fat lady.
Whilst I completely understand that not everyone can/wants to attend the games, actually being there offers the opportunity to get a wholly different perspective to watching on TV.
Off the ball running, seeing players encouraging each other, feeling the positivity in the crowd and that being transferred to on pich performance.....all things the TV camera misses.
This group is getting stronger. It's obvious. As Helen has said Qina and Bassi have partly been the catalysts for this. And so has Poya and his management team. We look joined up at last. We've play some lovely football in the last few weeks against a challenging background. When we get going, the quality of the close one touch passing is excellent to watch.
Poya and his coaching team are transforming the group. Qina and Bassi are at the heart of it but so are the defenders and Carlton up top. Dont forget that Q and B were loaned out from their clubs because they weren't achieving. Maybe our coaching team need some recognition and credit for giving the two of them the opportunity to showcase in a motivated environment. Maybe they're improving because of us. Maybe it wasn't just luck which brought them here but an astute move in the market by someone at the club.
Given the absolute clusterf1ck of a season we've had maybe its time now for all the cynics amongst us to take a different attitude to a group of people who clearly are giving of their best....coaches and players and staff.
We're fighting and we're battling. If we go down then isn't that what people on here have been saying and wanting. Let's go down fighting.
Poya in.
Fat lady.

 

I wouldn’t want us to switch to a back 3 again. We’ve been at our best when playing 4-2-3-1.

I’m not sure Woodrow will be able to start a game this season anyway. Some cameos of the bench, if that.

 

I wasn't too nervous to be honest, but since I stopped drinking I don't really get that edge-of-seat sh1tting myself moment any more. I did think however that if they grab a goal we are fooked, so maybe I was on the edge of my seat for 5 mins in the second half. I'm contradicting myself I know..

 

Hopefully on the striker front. Woodrow and Iseka will be available after the Sheffield United game. With the international break next. . Just wish Kane had been brought back from loan in the January window.

 

I agree with you, I would be fetching him on in the number 10 role and giving one of the 3 behind the one a rest.