| Reality Check 00:47 - Apr 26 with 2108 views | quad |
I'm sure I'm going to get loads of downvotes for this, but here goes.
I think we are a better side now than when we got promoted last time around. I'm getting annoyed at people saying we've been terrible this season when we're currently on the brink of promotion.
Even if you ignore the Southampton game coming up completely, I would strongly fancy us to beat a mid-table QPR with nothing to play for, at home. I'm not saying it's a certainty that we win that game, but you would have to fancy our chances. It wasn't supposed to be a formality that we get promoted, the HMS Piss the League was never going to set sail. Fans have just become more entitled.
It was more exciting last time and the players were hero-worshipped because promotion wasn't expected, we were the massive underdogs.
Not taking anything away from that achievement because it was truly amazing. But I think that we all forget certain things like Leeds bottling it and losing at home to Blackburn and then 4-0 away to QPR, Sarmiento's late, late winner, and the fact that Chappers was really ineffective in the 2nd half of that season.
We were a good team then and we're a good team now. We needed a bit of a rub of the green then and we will need it again now. It was a tough season then and it's a tough season now. The current team don't deserve to be slated the way they are being. |  | | |  |
| Reality Check on 10:19 - Apr 26 with 117 views | Blue_Heath |
| Reality Check on 10:15 - Apr 26 by Simonds92 |
We also scored 17 more goals in 23/24.
Results wise we've done ok, fairly in line with what most of us expected this season. It's a completely different thing turning those expectations in to reality and credit to McKenna and the players for getting to where they are.
However, we are not an easy team to like at all. We're generally a horrible watch and hugely frustrating. Objectively, I'm expecting us to win on Saturday but I don't trust them to get it done the way that I knew the team from 2 years ago would make sure they got over the line against Huddersfield. This group doesn't seem mentally strong enough to deal with the pressure.
I don't buy the argument that the league is more competitive than it was 2 years ago, I think that's nonsense. Now Southampton have sorted themselves out they've demonstrated the standard of this division, 44 points from their last 20 games. |
Agree with your point re Huddersfield match, even negative me was VERY confident, today I am CONFIDENT but not almost certain as I was for Huddersfield. [Post edited 26 Apr 10:19]
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| Reality Check on 10:53 - Apr 26 with 90 views | eirannach_gorm |
| Reality Check on 01:55 - Apr 26 by TripSwitch |
The OP has brought up the comparison by stating that this side are better than the previous promotion side which is clearly untrue.
FWIW I agree with you that we shouldnt be comparing and just look at both teams on their own merits on their own right |
Both yourself and the OP are missing the true differance between the teams. The reality is the first group was a better team while the latter has better individual players. This was borne out by what happened during during both seasons. 23/24 we won/drew ( mainly won ) by sheer determination and hard work and struggled when we came up against technically better teams ( eg Leeds ). The current team is more flat track bully and technically overcome teams. Because we are more dependant on individuals there is an intrinsic brittleness in the current team. We dont cope well with teams that bully us by being more agressive. Cajuste epitomises the current team. The 23/24 team had bigger forearms! I do worry about the current team in the Premiership as we still don't have the power and pace required to compete. | | | |
| Reality Check on 11:00 - Apr 26 with 81 views | SWLondonBlue93 |
It's pure pub chat but if the 23/24 team was able to play against 25/26 in a one-off match, my money would be on the former. We are more defensively stable now but the 23/24 team was far more cohesive and generally more effective in attack. The collection of individuals we have now is better but we're still working out how to get the best out of them. That is not intended to be negative, in fact in some ways it's quite promising that we can be second while still seeing areas we can improve. | | | |
| Reality Check on 11:11 - Apr 26 with 64 views | Churchman |
| Reality Check on 10:15 - Apr 26 by Simonds92 |
We also scored 17 more goals in 23/24.
Results wise we've done ok, fairly in line with what most of us expected this season. It's a completely different thing turning those expectations in to reality and credit to McKenna and the players for getting to where they are.
However, we are not an easy team to like at all. We're generally a horrible watch and hugely frustrating. Objectively, I'm expecting us to win on Saturday but I don't trust them to get it done the way that I knew the team from 2 years ago would make sure they got over the line against Huddersfield. This group doesn't seem mentally strong enough to deal with the pressure.
I don't buy the argument that the league is more competitive than it was 2 years ago, I think that's nonsense. Now Southampton have sorted themselves out they've demonstrated the standard of this division, 44 points from their last 20 games. |
‘Generally a horrible watch’? I take it you don’t go to games. If you think this team, particularly at home, is a horrible watch, I hate to think what you’d have made of the Bobby Ferguson years, Duncan’s hoofers and most of Evans’ era of dross. It’s another generalisation, but even Jim’s team were ropey away despite being fun to watch at home. Even GBs lovely teams stank the place out at times.
For me, this team is not a horrible watch. It’s not as ‘free’ or fluid as the 24 team, but at home we’ve seen plenty of really good goals, players and games worth watching. Well I have anyway.
As for the last 20 games, we’ve picked up 39 points. Not the greatest, but not too shabby. Some sides do get their act together - just look at Norwich and even SU at one point. I think the division has been very competitive. I know plenty want to talk it down as a way of kicking this club. I get that but while it’s well short of the Premier League standard, it’s not an easy place, as Birmingham have found out.
Sheffield U were hopeless at the start of the season and we all know Wednesday’s problems. But the rest of the teams have been as well organised as two seasons ago and a lot stronger than ten years ago.
It’s a rough and tumble division, just as Leeds found out in 24. They had the best players and on their day the best team capable of dismantling anyone, including Leicester and ourselves. But despite an abundance of talent, they came up short.
It’s how the division is and the fears expressed before the 23/24 season are still valid. |  | | |
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