OK, we still have 20 games to go - nearly half of the season. The thought that these same players can continue to play with such intensity without suffering some degree of burn-out, physical or mental, until May is stretching the imagination. Add injuries into the mix and there is a real danger of running out of steam very quickly.
We have a thin squad with youngsters on the bench, and although we have players close to returning from injury, there is always the danger that we will lose others in the same way, or through suspension as yellow card counts begin to mount.
The gamble on the size of the senior squad was taken in the summer and while we now have an open window in which to recruit, I'm not convinced the owners will dig deep to bolster the squad, but even if they did, I don't think the players we need or want will be available. How many clubs will be willing to sell or loan their better players to us only to weaken their own squads in mid-season?
It's going to be a very open race with other teams hitting form and closing the gap but equally, not all results are going to go their way either.
If we're going to hit a bad patch, I would rather it be now than at the end of the season when it's too late to do anything about it. This is going to be a big month and the owners now have a responsibility to do their job and bring in at least a couple of players. None of the loans have impressed or seriously challenged the first eleven for a starting place, and Brown hasn't been near the first team squad through injury. He might as well not have been signed.
We've done so well so far and you can't argue with top place but this is as big a chance as we may possibly have to achieve promotion, hopefully automatic, but we need experienced bodies in now to help the cause, not to be flogging the same horses to death.
We've been here before and blown it through short-sighted owner leadership - once with Grayson as boss and more recently with Monk. You would think that would be enough to learn the lesson whoever the owners were at the time.
The next big game is against Derby who will no doubt feel they have a point to prove after the hiding they got at their place earlier in the season.
I remain hopeful that we will come good in the end but we are at a crucial stage of the season when what we do this month will have an impact on the remainder of the season.
As the saying goes :-
To be continued...
Worrying Times
posted on 1/1/19
I'm not worried about the season as a whole, but am a bit worried about next match. We served notice with great performance v Derby, if we show the world how teams can catch up and nullify us, could be hugely symbolic.
We have a hugely experienced coach at the helm, and it's now that he really earns his pay.
Bielsa isn't perfect, I'd like to see a little change in squad from time to time rather than being so resistant to change for example, but we're top of the league and surely going to see some players coming back soon.
I'd like to see a lot fo changes for the cup.
BPF, Pablo, Alioski, Roofe, Klich, Roofe and Jansson rested.
Start with Huffer, Ayling for match fitness, Halme, Roberts, Forshaw, Shackleton, Davis, Baker and some other u23s!!!!
posted on 1/1/19
Agree Jonty, play those U23s, and don't care about the Cup. If we win, great, if we lose, meh. The guys need a rest.
posted on 1/1/19
My worry is that we have been sussed. Teams know that if they press our midfield and the ball breaks, our defenders will fold under pressure. They know that BPF will let goals in. And if you mark Pablo, you stop us from creating chances. We have all the possession, but they get all the goals. Also from today, Roofe missed 4 good chances in my books. What was going on there?
posted on 1/1/19
23 other clubs would exchange positions with us.
Worrying times is a over dramatic but I respect and agree with getting some reinforcements.
2 defeats but the performances were decent
posted on 1/1/19
Not worried - this is the championship. But if we win those 2 winnable games vs hull and Forrest we are 10 points clear of 3rd place.. huge opportunity missed. But with a solid keeper and players back from injury still confident of achieving the unthinkable
posted on 1/1/19
I’m not worried. We played great at villa and very well today with 10 men.
Teams have sussed us since September, but we’ve done ok.
I’ll be worried when performance levels drop. I don’t see that.
posted on 1/1/19
Let’s be realistic.
First goal was joke. Thanks Foreshaw.
The sending off was a disaster. Thanks Phillips.
We then go 2-1 up and we should have been able to close out the game - but with ten men that’s so difficult.
We weren’t outplayed and most results went for us.
Watch out for Sheff U though. They are on a roll.
posted on 1/1/19
No escaping the fact that our defence, for whatever reasons, have conceded 8 goals in 3 games. Four today suggests a shambles in that department. Hopefully Cooper will be back soon which will allow Philips (eventually) to revert to defensive midfield duties at the expense of Forshaw, who has been a disaster the last few games.
posted on 1/1/19
I'm concerned but we haven't been outplayed in either of these losses. Derby at home is a big game now, because we wouldn't want to go 3 losses in a row because then the pressure really amps up. They're on good form too.
posted on 2/1/19
comment by Peakwhite (U7815)
posted 13 hours, 59 minutes ago
No escaping the fact that our defence, for whatever reasons, have conceded 8 goals in 3 games. Four today suggests a shambles in that department. Hopefully Cooper will be back soon which will allow Philips (eventually) to revert to defensive midfield duties at the expense of Forshaw, who has been a disaster the last few games.
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That right there has been our problem defensively. Playing a midfielder as a CB is always gonna cause problems.
I don't understand why we can't play Halme there until Cooper comes back.