| Top 6 results 12:19 - Sep 27 with 1285 views | FrimleyBlue |
There has of course been posts recently about the lack of wins against those in the top 6, but importantly having faced 4 of them, we are 2nd at this point which you have to say isn't bad is it.
But it's also worth nothing that apart from Plymouth, most of the other top 6 battles haven't actually been that prolific for any of the top six
Bolton - Played 3, DLL
Barnsley - Played 3, LDW
Sheff Wed - Played 4, D,W,L,D
Portsmouth - Played 2, D2
Plymouth - Played 4, W,W,D,W
Ipswich - Played 4, D,D,D,L
It's interesting that go back 3 games and there was talk that we'd not played anyone yet, however now, there's not much talk about us having played 4 of the 5 we can in the top 6, and only losing once, which lets be fair isn't bad considering the 2 i'd say hardest games of them have both been away.
There's not really a shock to the above or anything, but think it shows Sat wasn't a shock when you consider the above, against the only team that's really handled those in this current pack. If we can keep the momentum going against the lower sides, draws against those around us will be ok IF we're not going to get the wins. |  |
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| Top 6 results on 12:26 - Sep 27 with 1227 views | BseaBlue |
Thanks for that. Interesting to see a comparison of others in the top 6. My biggest concern with our recent record would be falling into the play off places at the end of the season. I'd like to think we have enough experience about us to get a result. It seems that the TV/Big crowd side of things gets to us.
The other point I would make is that it would be good for this side to really set out a statement that we fear no one in this division. We need teams changing how they setup as opposed to thinking that they will turn us over.
Overall, as you say, we are 2nd regardless and I'm confident in KM that he can overcome the Top 6 issue and see us through to promotion. |  | | |
| Top 6 results on 12:28 - Sep 27 with 1220 views | Oatkins |
| Top 6 results on 12:26 - Sep 27 by BseaBlue |
Thanks for that. Interesting to see a comparison of others in the top 6. My biggest concern with our recent record would be falling into the play off places at the end of the season. I'd like to think we have enough experience about us to get a result. It seems that the TV/Big crowd side of things gets to us.
The other point I would make is that it would be good for this side to really set out a statement that we fear no one in this division. We need teams changing how they setup as opposed to thinking that they will turn us over.
Overall, as you say, we are 2nd regardless and I'm confident in KM that he can overcome the Top 6 issue and see us through to promotion. |
Aslong as we beat the teams outside the top 6 we will be fine.
This team doesn't have the character or mentality against the best teams in the division. There's something missing.
Maybe this will change Saturday. |  | | |
| Top 6 results on 12:46 - Sep 27 with 1166 views | OsborneOneNil |
| Top 6 results on 12:28 - Sep 27 by Oatkins |
Aslong as we beat the teams outside the top 6 we will be fine.
This team doesn't have the character or mentality against the best teams in the division. There's something missing.
Maybe this will change Saturday. |
I wonder what it is, that's missing. |  | | |
| Top 6 results on 12:54 - Sep 27 with 1146 views | MattinLondon |
| Top 6 results on 12:28 - Sep 27 by Oatkins |
Aslong as we beat the teams outside the top 6 we will be fine.
This team doesn't have the character or mentality against the best teams in the division. There's something missing.
Maybe this will change Saturday. |
By not beating any teams in the top 6 it does put added pressure on the team to ensure that they win against lesser teams. But in theory alone, if a team were just to beat teams in the bottom 15 both home and away then that’s 90 points and automatic promotion. |  | | |
| Top 6 results on 12:56 - Sep 27 with 1142 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Top 6 results on 12:46 - Sep 27 by OsborneOneNil |
I wonder what it is, that's missing. |
I personally think we need to get Ball and Keogh in the team for the big games.
Within 10 minutes of sat. Our defenders were panicking, midfield were fouling everyone. Just needs a mature Head or 2 in the side. We do have some, but not many in the side in key areas imo.
We desperately need Aluko. Our 10s just don't have the ball control to slow a game down when needed. The ball bounces off them all. | |
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| Top 6 results on 12:56 - Sep 27 with 1140 views | xrayspecs |
Last season, in their ten league matches against the teams that also finished in the top 6, champions Wigan picked up 9 points out of thirty (2 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses) while runners up Rotherham picked up 13 points (3w, 4d, 2l). | | | |
| Top 6 results on 13:02 - Sep 27 with 1126 views | TRUE_BLUE123 |
I'm more concerned in the manner we lost the games tbh.
Barnsley had the lead concede two poor goals
Sheff Wed had the lead concede two poor/preventable goals
Plymouth Concede two goals had the lead.
We will get top 6 this season i think, but as of right now, i wouldn't trust us in those games. |  |
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| Top 6 results on 13:03 - Sep 27 with 1123 views | jayessess |
Worth noting, Plymouth's 3 wins all came in home games and their away form isn't quite so good. |  |
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| Top 6 results on 13:07 - Sep 27 with 1105 views | MattinLondon |
| Top 6 results on 13:02 - Sep 27 by TRUE_BLUE123 |
I'm more concerned in the manner we lost the games tbh.
Barnsley had the lead concede two poor goals
Sheff Wed had the lead concede two poor/preventable goals
Plymouth Concede two goals had the lead.
We will get top 6 this season i think, but as of right now, i wouldn't trust us in those games. |
Against SW their second was clearly preventable as the linesman should have put his flag up.
I’m still very confident that we’ll go up automatically. | | | |
| Top 6 results on 13:12 - Sep 27 with 1090 views | BseaBlue |
| Top 6 results on 13:02 - Sep 27 by TRUE_BLUE123 |
I'm more concerned in the manner we lost the games tbh.
Barnsley had the lead concede two poor goals
Sheff Wed had the lead concede two poor/preventable goals
Plymouth Concede two goals had the lead.
We will get top 6 this season i think, but as of right now, i wouldn't trust us in those games. |
Albeit some poor decisions against us as well. Game management does seem to be an issue in these games though.
As someone stated on another post, missing Aluko in these games is huge. Losing someone that can come on with a calm head and just keep the ball as well as possession has been a big blow. | | | |
| Top 6 results on 13:20 - Sep 27 with 1075 views | Guthrum |
| Top 6 results on 13:02 - Sep 27 by TRUE_BLUE123 |
I'm more concerned in the manner we lost the games tbh.
Barnsley had the lead concede two poor goals
Sheff Wed had the lead concede two poor/preventable goals
Plymouth Concede two goals had the lead.
We will get top 6 this season i think, but as of right now, i wouldn't trust us in those games. |
Altho in all those cases they were battles in which we scored and took took the lead. None of them were feeble, defensive defeats to nil. The team may have been sloppy, clumsy or even unfortunate, but they were not outclassed. Neither did we lose our attacking intent. |  |
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| Top 6 results on 13:21 - Sep 27 with 1071 views | PioneerBlue |
| Top 6 results on 13:12 - Sep 27 by BseaBlue |
Albeit some poor decisions against us as well. Game management does seem to be an issue in these games though.
As someone stated on another post, missing Aluko in these games is huge. Losing someone that can come on with a calm head and just keep the ball as well as possession has been a big blow. |
I’m less concerned with how we’ve done in those games and more focused on how we build back momentum following the run of games and keep pressure on the top during Oct. | |
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| Top 6 results on 13:27 - Sep 27 with 1047 views | TRUE_BLUE123 |
| Top 6 results on 13:12 - Sep 27 by BseaBlue |
Albeit some poor decisions against us as well. Game management does seem to be an issue in these games though.
As someone stated on another post, missing Aluko in these games is huge. Losing someone that can come on with a calm head and just keep the ball as well as possession has been a big blow. |
Agree, as will Leigh be.
Leigh, Aluko, Jackson as the 3 subs that came on at 60 seemed to be a nice balance. | |
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| Top 6 results on 14:37 - Sep 27 with 971 views | Chrisd |
All good points made Frimley. However, even though we have only lost once so far against these sides this season, the thing that I would be most concerned about and what I posted in my thread a couple of weeks back regarding previous seasons also what Stuart Watson alluded to in his article on Monday is our inability to win these games against the better sides. The grim reading now - 6 wins from 39 games - no matter how you gloss it up, it makes really poor reading.
No good making the play offs come May, but still unable to beat any of your nearest rivals. [Post edited 28 Sep 2022 13:44]
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| Top 6 results on 14:38 - Sep 27 with 961 views | dirtyboy |
| Top 6 results on 13:12 - Sep 27 by BseaBlue |
Albeit some poor decisions against us as well. Game management does seem to be an issue in these games though.
As someone stated on another post, missing Aluko in these games is huge. Losing someone that can come on with a calm head and just keep the ball as well as possession has been a big blow. |
True, Barnsley and SW we were undone by a little bit of luck going against us.
Against Plymouth, we were lucky to have 11 players you could argue.
As much as it hurts, this stuff genuinely does even out of the course of a season.
Quite like the top 6 stat as it's almost meaningful after a dozen games.
Also like that point about beating the bottom 15 home and away...that definitely feels doable nowadays. |  | | |
| Top 6 results on 15:04 - Sep 27 with 907 views | Parmigiano |
I agree with the OP and am not concerned about our form against top teams any more.
Bolton: we win if Morsy scores his tap-in at the death (which he scores 9 times out of 10).
Barnsley: we win if the officials don't make a terrible decision.
Sheff Wed: we win if the officials don't make several terrible decisions.
Plymouth: the best team we've played, by a mile, and we created more than enough chances to win.
As has been pointed out a couple of times above, the main difference is the manner of these draws/defeats. We could and should have won three of them and Plymouth couldn't have complained too much if we'd snuck three points on Sunday (although Morsy should have seen red). In the previous three seasons down at this level we've barely laid a finger on the top 6 when playing them. |  | | |
| Top 6 results on 15:23 - Sep 27 with 850 views | HighgateBlue |
Your message that only one side has cleaned up against top six teams (and that side has had lots of home games) is an encouraging one.
However, those stats can be used to support a number of different arguments. Of those records you set out, ours is worse than all of them apart from Bolton. And dear old Bolton's record hardly supports our case, as the only point they've picked up against the top 6 was against us - the other two sides they faced managed to beat them.
There are different ways to paint our current situation, in the context of really wanting to avoid the playoffs. Hooray we're second. Booo, we're 3rd on PPG. Hooray we have 21 points from 10 games! Booo, we're doing worse at this stage than in our first two seasons in this division. Hooray we've played 4 of the top six. Booo, we've played 4 of the bottom 7. Hooray we've only lost 1 in 4 against top 6 teams. Booo, we've only won 1 out of 5 against top half teams.
Let's see how we do against Portsmouth. Hopefully we'll beat them, and we will have 4 points from three very tricky games. That's a return that I can more than live with, and we continue our campaign with confidence.
If we lose against Portsmouth, that's one point from three, which does not look at all clever if we want to avoid the playoffs.
No need for alarm, but no concrete evidence yet on form that we're heading for the top 2. |  | | |
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