Eddie

I’ll have a bit of that Lusty. Not arsed who starts - if we have the mentality right then we win it (and we will). 3-0 Burstow brace (the start of a good run for him) and Gale.

This! Forget the formation, play with the same mentality and intent from 25-45 as we did from 0-25 and we win that game. Our biggest problem away from home is when we go 1-0 up, we don’t then keep the foot down and put it to bed. We seem to think that is a bigger risk than becoming more conservative when actually it has the opposite effect. All of a sudden, a ball with the full back goes back to the centre back rather than forward to the winger or Dempsey, and then it’s back to TSL and by that time the opposition have moved up the pitch 30 yards and we’re playing in our half rather than theirs. We invited it on ourselves on Saturday. Of course there are tactical points to consider and personnel etc., but we were absolutely battering them on Saturday exactly how we were set up, it was working, then we went into our shell and it switched.

See this kind of reasoning / debate / challenge I can get on board with. L1 keepers have mistakes in them, shots get deflected (look at the first Swansea goal on Friday night). There are definitely improvements we can make, especially away from home, but to try and make out that a loss yesterday is all due to underinvestment from ‘the board’ is pure knuckle-dragging territory.

Making such bizarre links just highlights lack of intelligence mate - best leaving them to it rather than trying to explain (not directed at those on here, generally)

I’ve never actually figured out whether it even makes sense in terms of those individually expected results adding up to enough to get promotion. Fun Saturday night Home: win 19 and draw 4 - 61 points Away: win 9, draw 10, lose 4 - 37 points 98 points total Based on our current results we’re 6 points down on where I’d ‘expect’ individual results to put us (basically the Burton and Northampton away results). You can guess at what is needed for automatic but given how evenly spread the league is this year I reckon 86 might get it, but let’s say 88. So on my weird tracker basis, we’ve got 4 more points to lose in terms of under performance against expectation. The next 4 are all in the expected wins category, so @Johnnyrotten is right, 12 points is par or we’re falling further back (although anything more than 3 points from the following 3 away games is upside). Think I’ve bored myself but you’re right, 3 points today would have been a nice way to claw a couple of those dropped points back.

4 points off with a game in hand. 10 of the most inviting fixtures ahead of you. Clearly

👀 looking like a cracking shout

Just for balance, is the insane home record also down to him?

At a team that are 5th in the home form table. I think of games in terms of what the ‘par’ result is. At home, I’d say anything other than Cardiff, Huddersfield, Stockport and maybe Luton - 3 points is par. We ‘should’ win every other game and we ‘should’ get a point against those 4, with a win being a great 3 points. Away from home it’s a bit different. Those 4 above I’d probably have an expectation (realistically) of a loss and therefore even a point is a good point. Wycombe is in my group of 1 point is par, I’d expect a draw. It’s a tough place to go and they are a decent team. They’re not Mansfield where you turn up thinking you’ve got to get the 3 points, so for me it’s 1 point down on today’s expectations. Of course you can get into the performance and how we let a lead slip, that’s a different story, but high-level keeping some perspective it’s no disaster. 10 points is par for the next 4 games. Let’s see if we get them - in which case we’ll be on 44 off 24 games.

I get it mate, I’m genuinely not happy clapping and was as pissed off as anyone watching us let them walk through us twice in two minutes and waste chance after chance. I just think we’ve got to look a bit longer term when statements like “questioning the manager” are thrown around. If we’re being serious, sacking SS cause we lost today would do us no favours whatsoever - although I imagine that was a very in the moment comment. We’ve got to beat Rotherham and Mansfield at home and I’m convinced we will do. I’d then expect us to get at least 4 points against Donny and Northampton. If we start losing those games then I’d have some questions!

Back to everything being a short sighted single game view I see. Before today we were 8 unbeaten in the league and had taken 20 points from 10 games. So out of interest, how many good results in a row do we have to have before one loss sees you ‘doubt’ the manager? A loss is shit, I get it, but surely we’ve got to keep some perspective?

First 25 was brilliant, as ever we should have had more than we did, but we looked a cut above. Next 20 was ‘lacklustre’. The goals had misfortune in both of them with 2 untimely slips, and I genuinely think the first doesn’t go in without it (2nd maybe as Conway wasn’t close enough). Not sure we deserved to be going in behind though. 2nd half was average, some good stuff, some poor stuff, we were unlucky in hitting the post but the subs definitely looked to weaken us. Ultimately a loss here in isolation as part of a longer run of good form isn’t terrible. Wycombe are a decent team and we aren’t going to win every game to the end of the season. Obviously as part of our away record it’s concerning, but we have just got 7 points from 9 so it’s not like we are completely useless away from home. Results in the main have gone in our favour. Annoying we didn’t capitalise but at least we haven’t fallen behind (points wise). The next 4 games should see 10 points at least and if they do then this result can be forgotten.

It was in reference to our away ‘form’

We’ve got 7 points in the last 3 away matches. And should have at least a point here

Cardiff are losing, Bradford drawing, Stockport drawing and Stevenage drew - are they all going to be in the play offs?

Full backs are great going forward. Tutu was caught in behind time after time before the first goal - Gale’s slip was unfortunate. Conway just isn’t very good at defending, that second goal was ridiculously easy. 2nd goal all started when Tutu had a throw in line with their 18 yard box and within 3 passes it was back at TSL. Amazing how our mentality switches from the first 25 where everything was front foot, to the second 20 where everything was conservative. We’ve got enough in us to at least draw this, just need to stop shipping such weak goals.

Agree it’s a good result and nice to see that they didn’t pick up and expected 3 points. They’re falling though and won’t be near us by the end of the season. 13 points in the last 10 games. They started like a train but I’ll put it out there that they won’t be in the play offs come the end of the season.

On paper… really like it. Strongly in @Johnnyrotten’s way of thinking now though that it doesn’t necessarily translate to performance. Let’s just see what they’re like in the game!

Agree with parts but can’t get on board with it being must win, not in the position we’re in and the run we’re on. If we were to draw and then follow it up with 2 more home wins then we’ll still be in a brilliant position in 3 games’ time. A win would be a proper statement though and looking at the other games it would likely be a weekend where a win makes a big move unlike recent ones where wins just keep us up with other wins. As for needing to [batter] teams - I’d take a scruffy 1-0 win with a goal off their centre backs arse right now. Keep the big statement wins for nice Spring days at the Toughsheet as we race towards the title. My prediction Head says 1-1, heart says 1-0 to us. Toal

Not for me, for the reasons you say. Parky has him left of a midfield 3 in a 532. It’s not a technical role, it’s a running role, supporting the wingback and getting around the front men and finding himself in positions to either get the ball whipped into Moore or have a shot himself. To be fair to Parky, if you’re going to get the best out of him it’s exactly there. He’s absolutely bought him for his system (although I’ve not exactly been impressed watching this game - granted they’ve generally been under the cosh).

GT yellow card after 18 mins 😂

Happy with that. Their bubble has burst and it would be stretch to catch up and challenge for top 2 given their extra games. The fewer challengers the better. Just need Bradford/Lincoln/Stevenage to start slipping when the games come thick and fast and hope that Stockport don’t find another gear!

Driving down there were multiple occasions where we drove through a flood and were basically driving blind for a second or two, whilst games were being called off all over the place - I was sure it would be off. Shit game, don’t remember the penalties (so Andrews can still fuck off if that was one of his better contributions), do remember how bad we were at the back and we left at 5-2, only to hear in the car on the way back that it ended 5-4. Genuinely pleased we didn’t get back to 5-5 - if we’d have missed it after going through all that it would have just put the cherry on top.

Massive game. One I’d have down as a really good win, rather than an expected win. If we were to get 3 points and keep the momentum going, you’d think with our home form that 2 wins will (should follow) and suddenly you’re staring at 5 wins in a row and 26 points in 10 games. It’s quite presumptuous but I genuinely think if we can find a way to win this one then the other 2 follow it and we’ll be top 2 at the turn of the year and flying.

The thing I don’t get is why teams don’t go to other teams at the top of the league and do the same - I watched the EFL highlights show last night (granted only a snippet of a game) and Donny were open, attacking, leaving all sorts of space. It nearly worked for them but I can’t imagine they’ll turn up at our place and play the same, they’ll “low block” and try and pick us off with set pieces, like every other fucker does. Maybe it’s cause Cardiff can be more direct and are more dangerous with crosses in the box, so you can’t defend in the same way (and this is where Dalby proves to be effective). Annoying seeing the space they’re given at home though - we’ve only had Wigan do that and we destroyed them.