| As daft as it sounds 07:25 - Nov 26 with 1939 views | Asa |
That might be the result that gets us promoted.
We’ve been nowhere near the incredible standards we set ourselves for weeks. We’ve been avoiding defeats, getting results, going behind every week early on and conceding boat loads and it’s totally unsustainable over anything other than the half a dozen games or so we got away with it.
There’s an element of teams figuring us out, individual performances have dropped and that’s fine. What we were doing wasn’t normal. It was outrageous and, at times, laughable. We were bound to be outfought, outthought and outplayed eventually. Yesterday was extremely poor.
But I also back McKenna to be smart enough to figure things out. We are close to a transfer window. We are 7 ahead and our two closest rivals only picked up a point away to sides down the bottom. Not many better weeks to put in that performance.
It gives everyone a kick up the backside, reminds us what levels need to be at, allows McKenna to justifiably make changes and also reminds Ashton and Co, not that they needed it, that we need some very decent replacements to come in to make us competitive at the top of the table long term.
Reality check. Blessing in disguise. Whatever you want to call it, this is one of those that could end up inadvertently taking us up another level or at least a lot closer to what we were doing before the last 4-5 weeks. [Post edited 26 Nov 2023 7:39]
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| As daft as it sounds on 07:55 - Nov 26 with 1800 views | tractorboy1978 |
Personally, I think it is daft that a few on here are trying to turn this into some sort of iffy run of performances. Since the October international break, we've played 4 away games and 2 home games.
The home games followed the same path as several have this season - end to end, we've created loads of chances and won them. There needs to be an appreciation that no away game is easy at this level. We aren't going to just rock up, batter a team and take the 3 points. The old adage for automatic promotion is win your home games and draw your away games. Well, we are 1 point ahead of that with 11 from the 6 games. | | | |
| As daft as it sounds on 09:06 - Nov 26 with 1648 views | HighgateBlue |
| As daft as it sounds on 07:55 - Nov 26 by tractorboy1978 |
Personally, I think it is daft that a few on here are trying to turn this into some sort of iffy run of performances. Since the October international break, we've played 4 away games and 2 home games.
The home games followed the same path as several have this season - end to end, we've created loads of chances and won them. There needs to be an appreciation that no away game is easy at this level. We aren't going to just rock up, batter a team and take the 3 points. The old adage for automatic promotion is win your home games and draw your away games. Well, we are 1 point ahead of that with 11 from the 6 games. |
There's no denying that the results and performances have been slightly iffier of late than the previously incredible period of success that we were enjoying. But 7 points clear of third is incredible for any stage of any season. Kieran will be his own harshest critic, and will not let any standards drop. He 'knows exactly what we need' in that he will have identified what has maybe not been so hot of late, and will leave no stone unturned in trying to make us the best we can be.
We lost a league game for the first time since the summer, away from home against a team that has a great home record and is now fifth. I imagine you'd find numerous such results in any of our promotion seasons of the past. We need to remember just how abnormal our start was, and only then can we get a bit of perspective about dropping a few points. And in any events, results elsewhere went our way (if you ignore Leicester, who really do set a gold standard for this league). |  | | |
| As daft as it sounds on 09:17 - Nov 26 with 1616 views | textbackup |
I’m all up for finding a positive, but 2 weeks off, then played like that.
I can’t find a single positive from that 90mins if I’m honest |  |
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| As daft as it sounds on 09:18 - Nov 26 with 1614 views | tractorboy1978 |
| As daft as it sounds on 09:06 - Nov 26 by HighgateBlue |
There's no denying that the results and performances have been slightly iffier of late than the previously incredible period of success that we were enjoying. But 7 points clear of third is incredible for any stage of any season. Kieran will be his own harshest critic, and will not let any standards drop. He 'knows exactly what we need' in that he will have identified what has maybe not been so hot of late, and will leave no stone unturned in trying to make us the best we can be.
We lost a league game for the first time since the summer, away from home against a team that has a great home record and is now fifth. I imagine you'd find numerous such results in any of our promotion seasons of the past. We need to remember just how abnormal our start was, and only then can we get a bit of perspective about dropping a few points. And in any events, results elsewhere went our way (if you ignore Leicester, who really do set a gold standard for this league). |
Yesterday was the first time we've been properly outclassed this season (and I'd argue since Bolton beat us in 2021/22 early in McKenna's reign). A narrative built that we were dropping off before yesterday but I don't see it. We've still been creating plenty of chances and scoring plenty of goals and the odd moment has gone against us at the other end that went for us earlier in the season (i.e Burgess og, Rotherham worldie equaliser vs Bellingham miss for Sunderland and Armstrong hitting both posts for QPR). It's all fine margins.
Leicester are only 3 points ahead of us and have lost more times than us. If they are the gold standard, then we are doing bloody ok! | | | |
| As daft as it sounds on 10:00 - Nov 26 with 1511 views | Ryorry |
Totally agree, was thinking along very similar lines, it was a very useful reality check that everyone at the Club will learn a lot from.
Had a brief, reluctant thought just before the int break that if we didn’t go up this season, it wouldn’t be the disappointment I’d have felt it to be one game earlier, that we’d benefit from consolidating in the Championship first. Am less reluctant with that thought now, though I’d still be disappointed of course. |  |
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| As daft as it sounds on 10:03 - Nov 26 with 1497 views | SomethingBlue |
| As daft as it sounds on 07:55 - Nov 26 by tractorboy1978 |
Personally, I think it is daft that a few on here are trying to turn this into some sort of iffy run of performances. Since the October international break, we've played 4 away games and 2 home games.
The home games followed the same path as several have this season - end to end, we've created loads of chances and won them. There needs to be an appreciation that no away game is easy at this level. We aren't going to just rock up, batter a team and take the 3 points. The old adage for automatic promotion is win your home games and draw your away games. Well, we are 1 point ahead of that with 11 from the 6 games. |
Completely agree – some people have been talking us into a run of "poor form" for weeks and there's just nothing in it. It's weird. Some of our games have been more even, that's all. And we were still much better than Swansea and Bristol City, to name two, for vast swathes of those matches. Yesterday was an exception, the better side won comfortably, and it happens to anybody. | |
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| As daft as it sounds on 10:05 - Nov 26 with 1475 views | WeWereZombies |
| As daft as it sounds on 10:00 - Nov 26 by Ryorry |
Totally agree, was thinking along very similar lines, it was a very useful reality check that everyone at the Club will learn a lot from.
Had a brief, reluctant thought just before the int break that if we didn’t go up this season, it wouldn’t be the disappointment I’d have felt it to be one game earlier, that we’d benefit from consolidating in the Championship first. Am less reluctant with that thought now, though I’d still be disappointed of course. |
Whilst I agree that the momentum of success over the last hundred league games is what we need to get us back in the Premier League I also think that if we manage it then we will see a lot more games like yesterday's next season. |  |
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| As daft as it sounds on 10:18 - Nov 26 with 1421 views | Ryorry |
| As daft as it sounds on 10:05 - Nov 26 by WeWereZombies |
Whilst I agree that the momentum of success over the last hundred league games is what we need to get us back in the Premier League I also think that if we manage it then we will see a lot more games like yesterday's next season. |
Tbh that was my fear - ie, us struggling badly in the Prem. Of course we’d upgrade with new signings, but too many all at once would damage one of our strengths, ie team spirit - cf Burley’s squad just before relegation. | |
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| As daft as it sounds on 10:23 - Nov 26 with 1402 views | Swansea_Blue |
| As daft as it sounds on 09:17 - Nov 26 by textbackup |
I’m all up for finding a positive, but 2 weeks off, then played like that.
I can’t find a single positive from that 90mins if I’m honest |
It might focus the minds a bit. Expectations are sky high, which is understandable given the run. But we're still a work in progress and essentially a team put together in L1 that's punching well above our weight due to the qualities of togetherness that KM has brought.
WBA schooled us yesterday. And if they play like that most weeks, they'll be there or thereabouts at the end of the season. No reason to panic and I'm sure KM will have learnt a lot from that match. |  |
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| As daft as it sounds on 10:34 - Nov 26 with 1362 views | blueislander |
| As daft as it sounds on 09:17 - Nov 26 by textbackup |
I’m all up for finding a positive, but 2 weeks off, then played like that.
I can’t find a single positive from that 90mins if I’m honest |
Weren’t you writing us off last season when we had a dodgy spell? If patience is a virtue, you aren’t very virtuous. | | | |
| As daft as it sounds on 11:27 - Nov 26 with 1207 views | textbackup |
| As daft as it sounds on 10:34 - Nov 26 by blueislander |
Weren’t you writing us off last season when we had a dodgy spell? If patience is a virtue, you aren’t very virtuous. |
Not writing off.
I said that given the results, and sheff weds being X amount of points ahead, that we needed to find a way to win the playoffs.
However, after that we won about a million games and Wednesday lost a load.
Anyway, what positives did you take from yesterday? I love to learn and be educated, so please let me know | |
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| Agree on 11:45 - Nov 26 with 1160 views | unstableblue |
I think what yesterday will remind everyone is the quality of the championship
West Brom’s manager and their players are real quality.
Without Hutchison. The attacking options of Jackson and Ladapo looked weak to make a difference.
And just across the pitch West Brom has some stronger players.
May help get some funds in January.
I think it’s important to not get too down about yesterday, remember how well we played first half against Swansea. And go again Weds. |  |
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| As daft as it sounds on 12:33 - Nov 26 with 1079 views | Bent_double |
| As daft as it sounds on 10:23 - Nov 26 by Swansea_Blue |
It might focus the minds a bit. Expectations are sky high, which is understandable given the run. But we're still a work in progress and essentially a team put together in L1 that's punching well above our weight due to the qualities of togetherness that KM has brought.
WBA schooled us yesterday. And if they play like that most weeks, they'll be there or thereabouts at the end of the season. No reason to panic and I'm sure KM will have learnt a lot from that match. |
WBA will be top 6 come the end of the season, and of course knowing our luck if we also finish in the play-offs, we will meet them again.
Still it would give McKenna another opportunity to out-think Corberan I suppose. |  |
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