Tuesday 5th: Blackburn Rovers v Millwall Coventry City v Rotherham Utd Hull City v Birmingham City Leeds Utd v Stoke City Sheff Wed v Plymouth Argyle Sunderland v Leicester City Ipswich Town v Bristol City (20:00) Wednesday 6th: Cardiff City v Huddersfield Town Middlesbrough v Norwich City Southampton v PNE Watford v Swansea City QPR v West Brom ____________ I think 5 defeats in a row for us tomorrow. I can see Leicester getting back on form, especially with us missing Jack Clarke for another few weeks. It’s getting tight mid-table & below!
We're 18th in the away form table and have struggled against Boro of late. Need a massive performance on Wednesday night.
Couple of interesting games there for those of us with a toe in the relegation battle, not even sure how I want them to go.. Blackburn Millwall Sheff Wed Plymouth Probably a draw in the Blackburn game and Plymouth to put the skids on Sheff Weds recent revival would be best. Blues will definitely lose to Hull which ends our little run of games against teams at the top, after that will be the games that define our destiny in the league.
Been a terrible few weeks since we put 3 past Southampton. All that optimism has died out with one of the worst 3-game spells I've ever seen - we were insipid against QPR, clueless against Sheffield Wednesday and turgid against Cardiff. I don't think the players have thrown the towel in - I think they're shit. Shit at passing the ball, shit at creating chances, and not that great at finishing them when they come around. The way we play suits us well against teams that come at us and ultimately over-commit (Saints, Hull, Watford, Sunderland, Boro) so we can pass around them. But sit back against us and mark our players half-decently (QPR, Sheff Wed, Cardiff) and eventually we'll give the ball away. The problem we'll have tomorrow is that Ipswich will come at us, I'm sure, but they're also really good. Leeds came at us and we couldn't get a touch on the ball all 90. We need them to have an off-day like Southampton did or we probably won't touch the ball.
Hard to know what to make of our midweek game, we probably should've lost to Preston at theirs and their form has been really good the last few games, we have also dropped off a bit and are at the stage where people can figure us out (play wingers and press the backline) which has meant we've reverted to the same style that meant we were losing a lot at the start of the season. Saying that though we've got Downes back who's probably the most important player for the team, Brooks looks good, and hopefully KWP will be fit. I think we'll probably get a draw in this but honestly wouldn't be surprised if we lost it too (now watch us go out and smash Preston completely out of a nowhere )
Indeed, we don’t do sitting back. Although we don’t keep the ball like some teams either. It’s more likely to be end to end against us, and we back ourselves to come out on top. Who knows. We’ll give you chances for sure so you’ll need to take them. Still a couple of big absences for us with Burns and Broadhead unlikely to feature, Luongo has been ill as well so wait and see with that one. Travis may well play in his place and Taylor should be fit enough for the bench. Tuanzebe has had a couple of good games depping for Clarke at right back whilst Williams is on his hols, but three games in a row may be too much for him so Clarke may return, if fit. Harness had a good game at the weekend so may come in for Sarmiento. Looking forward to it anyway, should be fun.
Genuinely forgot we even had a game midweek before you posted this Adz. What a thoroughly meh season this is becoming after what was looking quite positive a couple months back.
Yeah they are. Some of his team selections and decisions are bizarre. But I think the majority of us realise it doesn't really matter who the manager is, problems run a bit deeper. Our fans are just disillusioned with the club really. We were a comfortable prem side who had just got to the fa cup final 5 years back. It's astonishing how badly our ownership have ****ed it since then. To the point we are skint, in danger of being in a relegation fight and no real sign of things improving. So we could sack him but nothing will change We ain't in crisis, but we might be on our way.
Mate I feel exactly the same as you Within touching distance of the play-offs for so long and then 4 defeats on the spin means we’re miles off it. Thoroughly depressing and very boring.
Very tough game for us obviously so we're likely to still be in the bottom three after this round of games. QPR managed something special at Leicester though so you never know. It's the only way we can look at it.
We managed to record 0.00 xg at Blackburn a couple of years back. Would be fine with that again if we can put in a similar defensive performance.
Teams who try to play out from the back have completely fallen in to our hands lately. Liam Millar ripped you apart at Deepdale so hopefully he's on his game. I think he'll need to be for us to get something. But like you say, your squad is capable of turning up and battering a team out of nowhere. I'd definitely be happy with a point because our six games after that are all against bottom half sides
Connor Townsend out for 2 games with a slight hamstring. Adam reach time oh no. Yann M'Vila ready for involvement now.
looks like KWP won't be fit for this so Manning will probably play, and for that reason alone i'm revising my prediction from a draw to a Preston win.