Just got back...

[Grayson]

I thought Martin Allen got his tactics spot on tonight. Made the pitch soaking so it would be churned up easily, stopping us playing our passing game. Knowing this, and that we scored from 2/3 set pieces at Roots Hall, he packed his side with 6+footers to win the game from the air. Was quite clever, and it worked.

Anyway, we'll win on Saturday

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Tilson's quote of "try & gain something from the last 25-30 minutes" on the official site worries me.  From all the reports I've read from various sources, surely last night proved he needed to gamble with at least one sub at half-time, presumably for Benno or the Goat who I hear had real off nights.  If we could have got a goal back in the first 10-15 minutes of the 2nd half then we could have pushed on and gone for the equaliser.  This conservative mentality with substitutions is OK at times but nights like last night when winning a point was key was one occasion where it could cost us come May.

 

[tomasufc 4eva]

Despite this dreadful performance, especially at the back, we did have several good chances to get goals back. Freddy had a goal disallowed, Gutts hit the post, Freddy hit the post and Bentley scooped overfrom 8 yards (it was bouncing though). So hopefully on Saturday we'll put chances like these away and come away with three points!

 

[stickyboy]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Feb. 15 2006,10:26)]If we could have got a goal back in the first 10-15 minutes of the 2nd half then we could have pushed on and gone for the equaliser.  

agree - the idea should have been to attack and get a goal back quickly then it would have been a different game and we would have no doubt lay siege to their goal.

 

[M25 Shrimpers]

I do think Goater was kept on for too long...and I revert to the quote one of my fellow Blues made earlier, about the fact that he only tends to shine when the team are playing very well.
On the plus side, whilst he had little time to settle into a pattern of play, Lee Bradbury looked ready and willing to fight for the cause.

I personally saw some heads drop after the second goal which was a little worrying, but I think the team spirit we have shown in weeks gone by will be resurrected for Saturday.

 

[canveyshrimper]

I think there needs to be some perspective here.

I just looked at the table and amazingly despite some of the posts on here we are still top of the table.

We have lost for the first time in the league since November, during which time we have only conceded 5 goals until last night.

Being a hard bitten Blues fan through thin & thin, i certainly do not view things SUFC through rose tinted specs. We have another game on Saturday and 12 thereafter. IMO we need 26 points from these games for automatic promotion and 18 for the play offs.

I accept that it is your right to express your views, but you would think with the moaning minnies here that we were about to be relegated FFS.

 

[stickyboy]

Quote[/b] (canveyshrimper @ Feb. 15 2006,10:53)]Being a hard bitten Blues fan through thin & thin, i certainly do not view things SUFC through rose tinted specs. We have another game on Saturday and 12 thereafter. IMO we need 26 points from these games for automatic promotion and 18 for the play offs.

I accept that it is your right to express your views, but you would think with the moaning minnies here that we were about to be relegated FFS.

Yes we are in a good position but also we dont want to let it slip as we wont get a better chance. Yesterdays performance was very worrying for me, we looked clueless at the back, obviously a win on Saturday then its all forgotten but with away trips to Col.U, Barnsley, Swansea we need to make sure that we dont make the same mistakes against them

 

[canveyshrimper]

Quote[/b] (stickyboy @ Feb. 15 2006,11:00)]

Quote[/b] (canveyshrimper @ Feb. 15 2006,10:53)]Being a hard bitten Blues fan through thin & thin, i certainly do not view things SUFC through rose tinted specs. We have another game on Saturday and 12 thereafter. IMO we need 26 points from these games for automatic promotion and 18 for the play offs.

I accept that it is your right to express your views, but you would think with the moaning minnies here that we were about to be relegated FFS.

Yes we are in a good position but also we dont want to let it slip as we wont get a better chance. Yesterdays performance was very worrying for me, we looked clueless at the back, obviously a win on Saturday then its all forgotten but with away trips to Col.U, Barnsley, Swansea we need to make sure that we dont make the same mistakes against them

I don't disagree with you, remember we have had some pretty crap performances before this season (Forest away) and bounced back from it.

I think the truth is more in the fact that Brentford took the game by the scruff of the neck and did not allow us to play. Which is fair play to Martin Allen. We do have some tough away games but we still have the best away record in the division.

Chesterfield will be as good a place as any to bounce back at.

 

[stickyboy]

as you say a win at Chesterfield then its all back on track - lets hope so. My concern would be after our 8 game winning run earlier that once we lost it then we started a bad run, hopefully Brentford wont start us on another bad run this time

 

[canveyshrimper]

Quote[/b] (stickyboy @ Feb. 15 2006,11:12)]as you say a win at Chesterfield then its all back on track - lets hope so. My concern would be after our 8 game winning run earlier that once we lost it then we started a bad run, hopefully Brentford wont start us on another bad run this time

Agree with that totally.
Also i did not expect Barnsley, Col Ewe or Swansea to draw at home either.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (canveyshrimper @ Feb. 15 2006,10:53)]I think there needs to be some perspective here.

I just looked at the table and amazingly despite some of the posts on here we are still top of the table.

We have lost for the first time in the league since November, during which time we have only conceded 5 goals until last night.

Being a hard bitten Blues fan through thin & thin, i certainly do not view things SUFC through rose tinted specs. We have another game on Saturday and 12 thereafter. IMO we need 26 points from these games for automatic promotion and 18 for the play offs.

I accept that it is your right to express your views, but you would think with the moaning minnies here that we were about to be relegated FFS.

Yeah but if we had drawn last night Brentford would still be 6 points behind with 2 games in hand. As it stands they are now in pole position to claim top spot when their games in hand are played, unless they do L1 proud on Saturday and beat Charlton to get a plum tie in the FA Cup QF's.

Things only look as good as they do this morning thanks to the draws of ColU, Swansea & Barnsley.

A point at least last night & I would have thought automatics were a real possibility, now I fear it's the playoffs again where I think we might just buckle unfortunately, that's not moaning, that's taking a reality check

 

[Shrimper in India]

Anyone notice Prior and the Goat having a slanging match directly before the corner that they scored their second from?

Don't know what that was all about, although clearly Gayle wasn't picked up properly, although it was a great delivery.

Terrible performance last night but let's remember two years ago we were struggling to stay in the league!

Just shows how far we've come in last two years.

 

[C'mon you Blues]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Feb. 15 2006,11:39)]

Quote[/b] (canveyshrimper @ Feb. 15 2006,10:53)]I think there needs to be some perspective here.

I just looked at the table and amazingly despite some of the posts on here we are still top of the table.

We have lost for the first time in the league since November, during which time we have only conceded 5 goals until last night.

Being a hard bitten Blues fan through thin & thin, i certainly do not view things SUFC through rose tinted specs. We have another game on Saturday and 12 thereafter. IMO we need 26 points from these games for automatic promotion and 18 for the play offs.

I accept that it is your right to express your views, but you would think with the moaning minnies here that we were about to be relegated FFS.

Yeah but if we had drawn last night Brentford would still be 6 points behind with 2 games in hand. As it stands they are now in pole position to claim top spot when their games in hand are played, unless they do L1 proud on Saturday and beat Charlton to get a plum tie in the FA Cup QF's.

Things only look as good as they do this morning thanks to the draws of ColU, Swansea & Barnsley.

A point at least last night & I would have thought automatics were a real possibility, now I fear it's the playoffs again where I think we might just buckle unfortunately, that's not moaning, that's taking a reality check

and as I've said before look at the number of home games Col U and Brentford have played. All their games in hand are away. In fact both have played 1 more game at home than us. It's really in our own hands. One thing about Tilly is he'll not panic.

 

[Leeboy]

I was gutted we lost, I was gutted we played so badly..........BUT I did cheer up with both Col Ewe and Swansea's inability to win at home against lesser opposition

 

[Prodigal Son]

Quote[/b] (chrisblore @ Feb. 15 2006,00:07)]I agree that Brentford weren't all that wonderful but we really did make ourselves look outplayed in every area of the park tonight. I have no doubt that we'll be back to our usual style and quality of football very soon but tonight really was disappointing, especially for all the fans that went, of which there must have been close to 2000.

On another note, the away seated section was apparently appalling and some people's views were framed by about 3 or 4 posts, causing them to move to the standing terrasse!

Got there at kick-off time and our tickets were misprinted, so no seats so they sat us by the corner flag, and stewards were worried about us infiltrating home fans and causing bother. Unlikely in my pinstripes

Left five minutes early, but they would not let me out by the way we came in so ended up disorientated so asked a ploicewoman for directions to the astation, she laughed when we came back to say we had got lost. The locals were very unhelpful with instructions aswell.

Appalling all round. We are naive sometimes, every tackle we put in Brentford went to ground and got lots of free kicks.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

What is all this doom and gloom. Yes it was a bad performance last night, but we are still top and :-

Col******r's game in hand is away, and even then they will have 7 away and 6 at home. (we have 7 at home and 6 away).

Both Brentford's games in hand are away, and even then they will still have 7 away and 6 at home.

Swansea have 7 away and 6 at home.

Huddersfield have 7 away and 6 at home.

Barnsley's game in hand is also away and they will also have 7 away and 6 at home.

If we get something on Saturday (even a draw) it is going to be very hard for the teams below us to catch up with so many away games for them.

If we win the majority of our home games we will be fine.

 

[Guest]

Not that it should be made an excuse for our failure, but the referee and his assistants were very poor last night. At one point it seemed that for every marginal decision, or even every time a Brentford player went down or appealed, he gave a free kick against us.

A decision which summed up the ref was when Gower was uncerimoniously shoved off the ball in a good position in the second half - a blatant free-kick - he gave nothing.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (C'mon you Blues @ Feb. 15 2006,11:46)]and as I've said before look at the number of home games Col U and Brentford have played. All their games in hand are away. In fact both have played 1 more game at home than us. It's really in our own hands. One thing about Tilly is he'll not panic.

I do fear though that one or two of our alleged easy games left at home have the potential to be a real banana skin.

Blackpool, Hartlepool or Gillingham spring immediately to mind.

Don't get me wrong I'd love it if we get 21 points from our remaining home games but seriously is it going to happen?

Last night, definitely 1 (important) point lost, more so really as it now closes Brentford right into us again.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

You are right, the chances of us getting 21 points from our 7 home games is slim. I would probably guess 5 wins 1 draw and a defeat would be acceptable and more than probable.

16 points.

We could then lose all our away games and still finish in the top 4.

If we pick up a couple of wins at Chesterfield, Bournemouth, or MK Dons automatic promotion should be a given.

Even if Col******r/Swansea/Brentford/Huddersfield go on a great run and pick up say 30 points from their remaining 13/14 games that will still only give them mid 80's

The chances of more than one of them doing that are slim bearing in mind their away fixture bias.

Because of the competitive nature of the league this year the points tally required to go up will be lower.

I think about 86 points will be enough to win the league this year and probably about 83 for 2nd spot.

Our first 16 games gave us 33 points.
Our second 16 games gave us 27 points.
If our third sixteen games gets us anywhere near those marks then a top two finish is more than probable.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Feb. 15 2006,12:26)]Don't get me wrong I'd love it if we get 21 points from our remaining home games but seriously is it going to happen?

Unlikely. Our poor recent record against Donny Rovers, in particular, is a great cause for concern. The Gills game will have a touch of local derby about it as well, and they'll be scrapping for every last point...