In three games' time .... 08:45 - Oct 17 with 2393 views | SomethingBlue | ... we will be a third of the way, more or less, through the season. Win two of them and we'll be on 20 points, which would mean we've taken 10 points in October — that was my "bare minimum" projection at the start of the month. Do that and you wouldn't quite be laughed out of town for suggesting things have turned in the right direction for a play-off push, although there'd be considerable caveats too. Anything less, and what do the club do? I get that resilience can be one of the last things that develops in a team but then I look at the way others (Wigan) have made light of that concern. One of the excuses people have given Cook is that he's worked across two different squads and none of it should be compared. I think the exact opposite: when the exact same mistakes and weaknesses — primarily a chronic inability to manage a game or handle the lightest squall of pressure from an opponent, meaning both sets of players have capitulated time and again — then the alarm bells ring pretty loudly for me. It couldn't really be clearer. Reading people say this is a two-year project drives me mad. It's not true. This particular squad of players was built with this season squarely in mind and if we fail then 50% of it will churn and we go yet again. Anyone fancy that? It's good that fans are still onboard and coming through the turnstiles home and away. That's vital. But the debate on this board used to be about whether 15th in the Championship was enough. Now the merest flicker of quality in a game is used to justify being 15th in League One. We need to get real, it's just so far from being good enough. I'll maintain that six points from the next three just about give Cook, a good guy who I really really want to make it happen for us, licence to carry on into November and hopefully beyond. Less than that and where's the justification? I don't see any. [Post edited 17 Oct 2021 8:57]
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In three games' time .... on 16:25 - Oct 17 with 370 views | Vic |
In three games' time .... on 16:20 - Oct 17 by Keaneish | Our weakness is being bludgeoned. Cheltenham’s long throws, Accrington’s long balls, Cambridge’s height from corner’s. We restrict the footballing sides like MK Dons and Sheff Wed to little other than our own mistakes. I have a feeling that coming into a run of fixtures against the league’s ‘better’ sides, we may fair more comfortably although Wycombe will be an interesting one. Love Cook’s comment yesterday, “we are Ipswich Town”, we come to win and averaging two goals a game is fantastic. All the power to that but we have to defend too! |
It will be interesting to see won’t it. Trouble is that I remember that not so long ago we also struggled against ball playing sides like MKDons - but like you say, their goals came largely because of our mistakes so maybe, just maybe, with those becoming less we will do better. I’m so conflicted! I know what I hope for but don’t know what to expect! | |
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In three games' time .... on 16:33 - Oct 17 with 342 views | Herbivore |
In three games' time .... on 16:25 - Oct 17 by Vic | It will be interesting to see won’t it. Trouble is that I remember that not so long ago we also struggled against ball playing sides like MKDons - but like you say, their goals came largely because of our mistakes so maybe, just maybe, with those becoming less we will do better. I’m so conflicted! I know what I hope for but don’t know what to expect! |
I'm unconvinced we're going to suddenly do markedly better against the better sides, given that the paltry 3 wins we've managed so far have all come against sides currently 18th or below in the table. | |
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In three games' time .... on 16:34 - Oct 17 with 343 views | Keaneish |
In three games' time .... on 16:25 - Oct 17 by Vic | It will be interesting to see won’t it. Trouble is that I remember that not so long ago we also struggled against ball playing sides like MKDons - but like you say, their goals came largely because of our mistakes so maybe, just maybe, with those becoming less we will do better. I’m so conflicted! I know what I hope for but don’t know what to expect! |
True. You have to admit though, every game is very exciting for a multitude of different reasons! I’ve said before, Tuesday is a watershed game for me - we need a big performance. | |
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In three games' time .... on 17:11 - Oct 17 with 313 views | jayessess |
In three games' time .... on 16:25 - Oct 17 by Vic | It will be interesting to see won’t it. Trouble is that I remember that not so long ago we also struggled against ball playing sides like MKDons - but like you say, their goals came largely because of our mistakes so maybe, just maybe, with those becoming less we will do better. I’m so conflicted! I know what I hope for but don’t know what to expect! |
Imo "bludgeoned" is a mis-read. When Ironside had to compete for the ball on his own on the halfway line he was spending most of his time whinging that the ref wouldn't give him a free kick every time he lost a header (and he lost easily a dozen). It was only when we let them play the same ball from mid way in our half that it became a problem. | |
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