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Thread | Down but definitely not out
at 08:23 14 Feb 2019
It's odd being proud of a team that just earnt it's first point in five matches, that sits ten points from safety, but I definitely am after last night.
That's probably the most complete performance of the season, lots of bitty ones but it's been rare that we've kept that much pressure on for almost the whole match. Almost because, yet again, we made an abysmal start and clearly tired as we went into injury time but the contrast between that and the limp defeat to an average Sheffield Wednesday side eleven days earlier was stark.
One of the biggest problems with being as poor as we have all season is that our confidence is incredibly fragile. It says something that we've recovered well from conceding with the first attack of the game in two successive matches (and also that we still make such basic errors that we make things so much harder for ourselves) but it's taken a long while for us to get over the Millwall defeat. That first half was the last time we looked as confident as we did last night.
There was a certain amount of Derby taking us lightly, especially after the early goal but that shouldn't take away from how we played. It just felt so positive, Keane and Quaner worked well together, Judge and Bishop offered a lot on the ball and the defence was (mostly) resolute.
Perhaps the biggest question remains whether we have enough of a goal threat at the moment. The team that started had four goals between them all season and we probably didn't test Kroos enough when in good positions. Jonas's shot off the line was great and we looked to have a bit more threat from corners even if we didn't quite make the most of them.
The goal was good though, a strong positive run from Quaner, plenty of supporting players and Nolan hitting the ball well and early. I'm pleased for him, he's had a difficult season and has rarely looked like remotely justifying what we paid for him. There's definitely a player in there somewhere but one that lacks a bit of belief and consistency.
Is a point going to be enough to make a difference at the end of the season? Not on it's own but had we picked up a few more draws - Millwall, Villa, Sheffield Wed perhaps - then we would be in a much better position. Equalising is good, it's been a long time since the last one at Swansea.
It helps with Saturday as well, Stoke are talented but not playing particularly well and adapting to another change in manager. It's certainly winnable but so are most games in this division. If we could win it though well maybe, just maybe, there would still be a small chance of staying up.
It's unlikely, we're too far gone but if we are to go down then I want us to go down playing like we did yesterday and I think Paul Lambert does too. Do that, stay in touch as long as we can and end the season with us all looking forward to being able to win matches on a consistent basis next season. That might be as much as we can hope for at the moment but, given most of us will be supporting the club as passionately whatever the division, then that will have to do.
COYFB. |
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Thread | Cricket: century for Root
at 20:56 11 Feb 2019
We'll at least make it 2-1 which will be about right. The last hour of the new ball versus Root and Stokes has been fun. [Post edited 12 Feb 7:48]
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| Forum
Thread | Interesting tweet from Gwion Edwards
at 10:28 10 Feb 2019
Perhaps giving the lie to some of the outlandish claims made about him on here:
It would be nice if a few weeks break let him regain some fitness and belief as the player at the start of the season would be useful now. |
| | Steve_M
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