We're roughly a quarter way through the season and what have we seen?
I think the first thing is obviously the impact of a simple passing and moving game.
To do this you need good technique and if you watch the Klich goal you can see the accuracy of first time passes leaving Weds nowhere near the ball for the duration of the lengthy build up.
You can sense more of a trust between players, and a confidence that comes from being trusted bytes coach as well.
As others have said, there is a resilience, we've not been ahead in a match much for over a month, but you feel that the quality, fitness and mindset means that a goal is always possible.
We clearly miss key payers who are out, but players whom have come in have fitted in really well ie Harrison and Roberts.
When you think that Douglas and Saiz are not contributing as many goals or assists as you might expect, Roberts is only now playing his first matches for club and Harrison is only showing glimpses, you can see that there is potential for doing even better and that is without factoring in the impact that the return of Roofe and Pablo will surely make. I was also really impressed by the amount of fouls that Dallas attracted last time he played, that surely provides opportunity for Douglas.
We've not had a great points return from last few matches compared to start of season but there is no sense of panic, a feeling that Bielsa knows what he is doing.
I feel that teams have clued up to us and attempt to defend in numbers which has halted our momentum to a degree, but the Klich goal shows what you can do even against that mindset, if we keep believing in the philosophy we surely will be in mix for auto spots this season.
Quarter way mark
posted on 30/9/18
Been slightly disappointed with Douglas so far but thought he will excellent against Wednesday
posted on 30/9/18
There is a lot to be happy about, Jonty, for sure, but 25+ shots at goal tells a story - we require a lot of activity around the box to get a goal. For all our possession yesterday, Wednesday had 4 direct shots, 1 was a goal and 3 required good saves from PF. For all our dominance, how often did we make their goalie work? Our shots were hurried, our final balls were seldom where they needed to be, and our players look anxious in front of goal. Alioski shooting over, Cooper and Pontus heading reasonable chances into the air, Harrison losing his footing, Samu shooting weakly at the keeper, that final touch is eluding us. Pablo makes more time for us in crucial areas, but he is masking a bigger issue for us, one that we need to resolve, that we are not great finishers. If we don't get promoted, this will be the reason why. Our possession figures are great. We are the Barcelona of the Championship. We just need a little ice in the veins to make us the real deal.
posted on 30/9/18
That Wolves team that Douglas was in was far to good for the Championship and better then our team atm. So I think its to much to expect him to repeat the assists he got for them. For me he is improving with each game and his best game was his last.
With a few injured players back soon we should return to winning ways!
#MOT
posted on 30/9/18
We’re way ahead of where any of us expected at this stage.
Might not be winning all matches, but bar Brum, we’re not losing either.
Playing best footie I’ve seen since premiership days, by a country mile.
Most matches we’re causing opposition far more problems than them us. They’re hanging on to games not us.
Who’d have thought we’d be so expectant of Roofe in terms of goals.
Despite having BOTH main strikers out we still look a threat.... 10 different players had shots on goal on Friday.
I’d not swap this right now. We need players back for sure. But applause to the players who’ve performed & adapted way beyond anyone thought they could.
Tough league, still along way to go - but 9/10 so far for me !!!
posted on 30/9/18
I actually don’t think last two games we’ve created that many chances, we’ve created loads of opportunities to create clear cut chances, but poor decisions making is killing us.
Saiz and Harrison been the worse culprits
posted on 30/9/18
The fact that we're second and have only lost 1 game in 10, but there's still a little bit of disappointment that we haven't got more points on the board tells us everything. We've been performing brilliantly. I think of run of wins is coming and starts on Tuesday away at Hull. We've not had an easy start by any means and have been the better team against everyone we've played.
posted on 30/9/18
Our 3 best best finishers are injured, but in any case our goals/shot ratio was unusually high in the first few games... and we benefitted from defensive mistakes from the opposition a bit.
But in addition to poor finishing, and poor choices we didn’t have much luck on Friday, hit the post, clearances off the line etc.
Same team, same performance, same chances, on another day we score 2 or 3 of them in my view.
posted on 30/9/18
Strength in depth is still an issue for me, particularity in defense, however, I've let my feelings be known on that one enough not to have to repeat myself
In terms of our upfront strength, we only play a single striker so there is now way we are going to have more options then we currently have, its just a real shame that our first two got injured, however to be able to bring in a player as good as Roberts has been as your third choice shows there is some stregth in depth to our our squad
I think when Pablo comes back along with Roofe we will be looking strong, we also have players like Baker, Brown and Forshaw in the middle who can come in as the season develops.
If we can get a couple of wins on the bounce now, with players coming back in, and maybe even start to open a gap on third then we could go into January, and its transfer market with enough to fill in any gaps we feel that we have developed and then go full steam for promotion
posted on 30/9/18
Fallen to below 2 points per game, which is disappointing. Dominating games but not scoring freely is also disappointing. Saiz going off and complaining all the time is disappointing but I could see his point of view - he expects more from the players around him and when he doesn't get it he feels he has to do it all by himself.
Am expecting many more injuries to come - we desperately need to strengthen in key areas. Defense and GK are sound, we have plenty who can slot in.
We need a true back-up for Pablo who would also offer backup for Saiz, and we need a better backup striker than Bamford. And if those players can allow for true rotation, rather than just sit on the bench waiting for the 70th minute, even better
posted on 30/9/18
Realised you meant Roofy, Pablo and Bamford, Milky (thought you meant Bera for a second).
Other person to factor in will be Brown, what kind of impact will he make.