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Thread | Some brief player notes
at 13:07 14 Apr 2024
Al-Hamadi: I haven't been too impressed with him since he's joined. Plenty of buzz from others and clearly has some raw talent, but I haven't been able to join the hype. Yesterday, in the first half, I thought he was excellent. He'd drop of the defenders and collect it shorter, he'd get in behind and stretch them, he'd hold it up well, he'd have close control. Really allowed others to come into it. I felt he still is not near his best though, trying to do too much and that is causing a loss of awareness. He has the confidence of someone who feels they can prove themselves worthy of being in the team, rather than the confidence of someone who has proven they belong in the team. We looked so much better with him in the pitch.
Morsy: I traditionally think of the striker creating space for the 10s to operate. But with more of the place further up we saw Morsy give one of his best Halfs of football. He broke down so many of the Boro attacks, was seemingly everywhere. A performance that underlined why he should be winning player if the season. He found it more difficult to impose himself in the second half (was still good) when our hold up play diminished up top.
Tuanzebe: Trying his best. Solid and reliable. But not good at crossing his lack of presence allows for Hutchinson to be marked by two. A solution for now, but not in the long term.
Moore: We owe a lot to Moore for our season's turnaround. But this game highlighted the one dimensional nature of his game. Great when we naturally dominate and need a presence up front. But his hold up play was poor and he couldn't bring people into the game like Al-Hamadi could against a footballing side. |
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Thread | Championship 1st/2nd points totals
at 03:09 30 Mar 2024
Went back to 1988-89 as the year before had less teams
Season: Position - Team - Points
2005-06: 1 - Reading - 106
1998-99: 1 - Sunderland - 105
2013-14: 1 - Leicester - 102
2009-10: 1 - Newcastle - 102
2022-23: 1 - Burnley - 101
2000–01: 1 - Fulham - 101
2017-18: 1 - Wolves - 99
2001–02: 1 - Man City - 99
1988-89: 1 - Chelsea - 99
2002–03: 1 - Portsmouth - 98
1996–97: 1 - Bolton - 98
2020-21: 1 - Norwich - 97
1992-93: 1 - Newcastle - 96
2018-19: 1 - Norwich - 94
2016-17: 1 - Newcastle - 94
2004-05: 1 - Sunderland - 94
2003–04: 1 - Norwich - 94
1997–98: 1 - Nottingham Forest - 94
2019-20: 1 - Leeds - 93
2016-17: 2 - Brighton - 93
2015-16: 1 - Burnley - 93
2013-14: 2 - Burnley - 93
2005-06: 2 - Sheff Utd - 92
2002–03: 2 - Leicester - 92
2022-23: 2 - Sheff Utd - 91
2020-21: 2 - Watford - 91
2009-10: 2 - West Brom - 91
2000–01: 2 - Blackburn - 91
1999–20: 1 - Charlton - 91
1997–98: 2 - Middlesbrough - 91
2021-22: 1 - Fulham - 90
2017-18: 2 - Cardiff - 90
2014-15: 1 - Bournemouth - 90
2008-09: 1 - Wolves - 90
1993-94: 1 - Crystal Palace - 90
2018-19: 2 - Sheff Utd - 89
2015-16: 2 - Middlesbrough - 89
2014-15: 2 - Watford - 89
2011-12: 1 - Reading - 89
2001–02: 2 - West Brom - 89
1999–20: 2 - Man City - 89
2021-22: 2 - Bournemouth - 88
2011-12: 2 - Southampton - 88
2010-11: 1 - QPR - 88
2006-07: 1 - Sunderland - 88
1992-93: 2 - West Ham - 88
1990-91: 1 - Oldham - 88
2012-13: 1 - Cardiff - 87
2004-05: 2 - Wigan - 87
1998-99: 2 - Bradford - 87
1990-91: 2 - West Ham - 87
2006-07: 2 - Birmingham - 86
2003–04: 2 - West Brom - 86
1989-90: 1 - Leeds - 85
1989-90: 2 - Sheff Utd - 85
2023-24: 1 - Ipswich - 84
2010-11: 2 - Norwich - 84
1991-92: 1 - Ipswich - 84
2023-24: 2 - Leeds - 83
2019-20: 2 - West Brom - 83
2008-09: 2 - Birmingham - 83
1995-96: 1 - Sunderland - 83
1993-94: 2 - Nottingham Forest - 83
1994-95: 1 - Middlesbrough - 82
1988-89: 2 - Man City - 82
2007-08: 1 - West Brom - 81
1996–97: 2 - Barnsley - 80
1991-92: 2 - Middlesbrough - 80
2012-13: 2 - Hull - 79
2007-08: 2 - Stoke - 79
1995-96: 2 - Derby - 79
1994-95: 2 - Reading - 79 [Post edited 30 Mar 3:10]
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Thread | One game at a time...
at 17:09 17 Mar 2024
Next up:
Friday 29th
Bristol City v Leicester City
Blackburn Rovers v Ipswich Town
Watford v Leeds Utd
Teams
Bristol have lost 5 of their last 6 games, and lost 6 of their 7 games against the top 4. Postively, they did manage a win against Southampton and all their losses against the top 6 were by one goal, so they are unlikely to roll over.
Blackburn have won one in their last 17 games. A run that has seen them drop to 17th, just 3 points above the drop zone. They do carry a serious threat up front, with Szmodics getting 21 goals in 36 games so far. They still have 4 games left against the top 4. They've lost all 4 of their games against the top 4. Their run-in is rough, and they could well go down.
Watford are the highest placed team in this batch of games. They are 14th. Having shown some good form half way through the season, they seem to have tailed off. They've only won 5 games at home this season and have lost 5 of their last 8. They've lost 4 of their 5 games against the top 6 and having drawn at home against Southampton. |
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Thread | I'm not saying I love Omari, but...
at 02:09 17 Mar 2024
in light of there being zero threads about him, I thought I'd give it a shot.
In the summer, I like a few others, thought Jackson wouldn't contribute much at this level (@Jackson's Dad - He's proved me wrong, another great performance when we needed him today). So I was happy to see us heavily linked Rak-Sakyi - not the Rak-Sakyi that has played 133 minutes across 6 league games for Palace this season, the one that had just got 15 goals and 8 assists in 40 League One starts for an undewhelming Charlton side.
So when we missed out on him and picked up Omari Hutchinson, a then 19-year-old from Chelsea, with a grand total of 22-minutes of professional football, I was a little skeptical. Don't worry, I wasn't writing him of then, nor after his first substitute appearance, like some. But I wasn't seeing the signs that he would do anything special.
1,457 mins league minutes later and he's scored 7, assisted 5, and been an important apart of the build-up in others. He hasn't just scored in meaningless games when we are home and dry. He's really stepped up when it mattered. Would there be a hangover from the loss last week? No, Omari would break the deadlock after 15mins. His goals against Southampton and Rotherham were important match-winners.
He's not perfect, his decision-making has been questioned. But he is young, and if that improves significantly, he'll definately have a long career at the upper end of the Premiership.
But why do I love his performances in a Town shirt? Honestly, I still can't get over the fact that for a young flair player, with good end-product, he is totally willing and good at the defensive side of his game. Being around players like Burns and Harness, who can also mix it defensively, must help, but this natural abilty has been there since game one and it is great to see him interested in improving and evidently improving this aspect of his game.
Most of the season he has been on the right hand side, but he is intelligent, so when we needed someone to step in for Connor Chaplin, he was able to instantly contribute today. He was unplayable for Sheff Wed. Yes it was Sheff Wed, but let's not kid ourselves, We've not put in such a dominent performance against other lower table opposition at home. The only game that has been more than a 2 goal margin was Hull. Pretty much every game has been a battle, and even Rotherham was a 90th minute winner. So credit where it's due.
He is also unselfish. Twice in this game highlight this. Laying it off for Sarmiento or for Al-Hamadi, when he was on for a hatrick led to two goals.
Some are saying he's the best loan signing we've had. Magilton, Peralta, Bullard, and Gio all come to mind. Whether he is or not doesn't matter, I think he has been great to watch this season - Be it his end-product, continuous improvement, or defensive qualities. That he would like to come back here is great. If we get promoted, I think it would be another mutually beneficial season together. If he spends next year at Chelsea, it would be a shame, as he'd likely only feature akin to Rak-Sakyi this year, whereas McKenna has proven he can develop his game. |
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Thread | What a goal!
at 15:44 2 Dec 2023
Take a bow Wes Burns |
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Thread | So close
at 20:31 29 Nov 2023
Great shot from Wes |
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Thread | Desert island desert islands
at 05:36 22 Nov 2023
I'm feeling left out... If you could only select five desert islands to take to your desert island what would they be? Mine would be:
1. Devon Island
2. Ball’s Pyramid
3. Jaco Island
4. Phoenix Islands
5. Aldabra Atoll |
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Thread | Random Stats: Conceded First
at 00:24 12 Nov 2023
Okay, so some of you have noticed that we seem to be surprisingly good at getting back into the game after conceding first, but also somewhat frustrated that we appear to be conceding first a lot.
We've conceded first 6 times in our opening 16 league games, which is the 5th best in the league. The spread accross the league 4 to 11 times.
From our 6 games we have got 12 points. 12 points is the joint highest achieved. The other team to get 12 points is Preston, but they have conceded first 10 times.
The most interesting stat for me is when you look at the PPG when conceding first. Here's the top 6 teams PPG from conceding first:
1: Ipswich Town 2
2: Preston 1.2
3: Leicester City 1.2
4: Leeds Utd 1.14
6: Sunderland 1
17: Southampton 0.25
As you can see, we are way out in front on our PPG, and the number of times we have conceded first, though frustrating, is competitive. [Post edited 12 Nov 2023 0:24]
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Thread | 3 Again...
at 16:29 11 Nov 2023
Crazy that 7 home league games on the bounce we've scored 3. Over our 8 home games we average 3 goals. |
| | Kropotkin123
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