Pretty much the halfway stage and here we are at top of the table and a small cushion between us and 3rd.
Nothing is a foregone conclusion, but we simply could not have put ourselves in a better position for the second half of the season.
Norwich have had a great run so far like ourselves, WBA are making good headway, I'm sure others will hot form too, we still have our work cut out, but:
For all our worries about squad size and squad quality, our coach has proven us wrong.
For all our concern about throwing youngsters in, our coach has proven us wrong.
For all our worries about clubs with bigger budgets, our club has proven us wrong.
I am no fan of Kinnear, but he made a comment last season about being able to get more out of this squad and he has been proven right.
What we are seeing is the value of a quality manager who has the credibility to implement his ideas.
One could easily expect a draw away to bolton yesterday but yet again the team came back with maximum points, as they have done time after time.
I don't see this team collapsing, I do see other teams trying more and more to stifle us.
No fans or club "deserve" to be in prem etc, but the work that Bielsa has put in has reaped rewards so far and I hope that for us and for Bielsa that this season delivers.
With players coming back, rivals regularly dropping points whilst we gain a few more, I genuinely believe that this is our season now.
The story so far
posted on 16/12/18
Golan, not Gokan, sorry.
posted on 17/12/18
Sorry to hear about your brother Golsn, wish you long life.
posted on 17/12/18
Thanks 👍
posted on 17/12/18
apologies on behalf of apples shocking smellchecker.
posted on 17/12/18
Bielsa is proving everybody wrong.
I’ve never been so wrong about football before. Couldn’t see how this old fat foreign bloke who couldn’t speak English could get us into the top
half after watching that abysmal period between January and May.
The fans wanted Orta out. He’s going to be a real hero if we go up.
posted on 17/12/18
That fat foreign bloke was and is a genius, its not something new.
People laughed when some quoted things from Pep and Poch and said it wouldn't work....maybe when the best coaches in the world talk about Marcelo we should've listened.
Ill admit I got it wrong about Orta, he was worked wonders, along with Carlos Corberan
posted on 17/12/18
I had lots of doubts about the Bielsa appointment:
His lack of success at club level in many years
His lack of experience in English football
The language barrier
How much support would he really get from the club
The quality of squad he had at his disposal
The last 4 points are still valid, more so the last 2, but the first point and to a degree the second, he has shown how quality is the most important thing.
He has gotten the most out of what appeared to be a mediocre squad, the difference type of league has not held him back too much (I think he was expecting more conversion of chances), the language is still a barrier, but actually it works in a nice way for the public and us fans and we still need to see how much support he gets, but he's done great so far.
My biggest fear is for when he leaves us, for unless miracles happen I cant see him staying past his 2 years, its a long time to be away from his family and as a famous 606er suggested to me last week, he would not be surprised if Bielsa left after promotion if we achieved that this season.
We do have to be looking at succession planning, for when Bielsa leaves one imagines that his entire coaching team leaves with him.
posted on 17/12/18
I get the impression, although maybe completely wrong (lets face it I often am), that Corberan is the king in waiting.
posted on 17/12/18
I can 100% see CC taking over when Bielsa leaves
posted on 17/12/18
Bielsa is playing everyone like a fiddle with the language thing, he speaks to his players in English in training