good game .. all we ask of Jack Ross is that he perseveres with Wyke up front for the rest of the season .. also, Accy's first goals of 2019 .. pity is was not enough for 3 points
Unbeaten in 9, but only 3 wins. That's not promotion form, some fans are starting to get restive...
15 points from 9 games ....... that's nevertheless a tidy return from a team out of form. Remember the old adage about successful teams playing poorly but still picking up points?
Don't underestimate them. They are not getting beaten; Confidence and morale will still be high. It's a sound platform to build on should they finish the season on a winning run.
Anyway, Bowyer talks about his 9 game blocks and target of 17 points. By that reckoning, he will think Sunderland are only 2 points behind target - and won't underestimate them.
Why will their confidence be high when they keep drawing all those games ? Every time we draw it feels like we’ve lost.
They're not losing games though ...... they've won 3 of them, and the ones they've drawn, they'll feel they should have won most of those - and will look at situations like Grigg rounding the keeper and missing an open goal, feeling next time they'll score it.
Confidence drops when you're truly struggling, getting beaten every week and never look like getting anything out of a game: That's not Sunderland right now.
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The run has gone on for too long not to affect them. And not just for 9 games - 5 League wins from the last 14 games and 23 points out of 42 have seen them go from right in the mix for automatic promotion to having to play catch up.
Their issue is that they haven't scored more than a single goal in the League for over two months. Sunderland were wholly reliant on Maja for their goals - 16 this season and 4 of the 9 in their last 9 matches - and there is no guarantee that his replacement, Grigg, will hit the ground running.
So that's 24 points from the last 45 - barely mid table form.
Mackems may be drawing games but GD is 8 better than us, or worse with other top six and until recently we had two of L1 top goalscorers. That is worth a point. Needs addressing.
If this was us with this series of draws it would be all "season over" everywhere. The reality is the form teams are Barnsley and luton, a few weeks ago it was Pompy... Things can and will change in the blink of an eye. No position is assured, to coin a phrase; it ain't over til it's over.
Every year someone complains goal difference isn’t good enough, but I cannot remember the last time a significant league position was decided on goal difference. Yes it theoretically could be but I reckon the statistics say it’s so unlikely to be that it’s effectively irrelevant.
And are still 4 points and a game in hand in front of us , I think Pompey are catchable but the top two aren’t , it’s the play off lottery for us !
Lots of games to play, and form can turn 180 degrees in a couple of games. Pompey looked in catchable a few weeks back but not anymore. I wouldn’t be willing to place money on us sneaking into the top two but its not impossible. Personally think it’d be helpful to the team if us fans can stay positive and create that kind of vibe around the Valley. I have no doubt that it’s tarting to turn poisonous again up in Sunderland and it’s unlikely to be helping the team.
4m for Will Grigg, Jesus (I thought it was closer to 3m, but still). Like, we whinge that Roland doesn't splash the cash to get a striker in, and we're not wrong about that, but looks what it takes to get a good League One striker. I don't think Grigg has ever done it at a level above League One. Definitely a good League One striker, but 3-4m plus wages (which I imagine will be significant) is a lot of money at this level.
4m for Will Grigg, Jesus (I thought it was closer to 3m, but still). Like, we whinge that Roland doesn't splash the cash to get a striker in, and we're not wrong about that, but looks what it takes to get a good League One striker. I don't think Grigg has ever done it at a level above League One. Definitely a good League One striker, but 3-4m plus wages (which I imagine will be significant) is a lot of money at this level.
Think it is 3m with another 1m added on for promotion.
And are still 4 points and a game in hand in front of us , I think Pompey are catchable but the top two aren’t , it’s the play off lottery for us !
Lots of games to play, and form can turn 180 degrees in a couple of games. Pompey looked in catchable a few weeks back but not anymore. I wouldn’t be willing to place money on us sneaking into the top two but its not impossible. Personally think it’d be helpful to the team if us fans can stay positive and create that kind of vibe around the Valley. I have no doubt that it’s tarting to turn poisonous again up in Sunderland and it’s unlikely to be helping the team.
(1) I doubt that either Barnsley or Luton will fall away sufficiently to make a difference to us. That's not to say that they won't lose the odd game but they are the best two teams in the division and also have the strongest depths to their squads.
(2) For us to challenge them we have to turn around our form and everything in that respect seems to rely on a returning Taylor because, put bluntly, now that Grant has gone no one else is capable of scoring goals regularly - of the players currently available to us Reeves is top scorer with 3.
(3) We are 13 points behind Luton (and worse by 22 goals on goal difference) and 7 points behind Barnsley who have a game in hand - unlike Sunderland they are more than likely to win that game on current form which would make the difference 10. There are only 42 points available to us so we would probably have to win at least 12 of the last 14 games to have a chance.
Spot on Blackpool. Luton and Barnsley are hammering everybody. Best we can hope for is Portsmouth in the play-offs, away leg (guaranteed win) last. Looking forward to taking over the Oval in May by the way.
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Pompey and Sunderland are stuttering badly.
(2) For us to challenge them we have to turn around our form and everything in that respect seems to rely on a returning Taylor because, put bluntly, now that Grant has gone no one else is capable of scoring goals regularly - of the players currently available to us Reeves is top scorer with 3.
(3) We are 13 points behind Luton (and worse by 22 goals on goal difference) and 7 points behind Barnsley who have a game in hand - unlike Sunderland they are more than likely to win that game on current form which would make the difference 10. There are only 42 points available to us so we would probably have to win at least 12 of the last 14 games to have a chance.
Play offs it is for us.
But it's important we can finish 3rd or 4th so we can play second leg of the playoffs at the valley.
Looking forward to taking over the Oval in May by the way.