Two 1-0 wins can't knock it. I felt both the games were must win games with Cardiff & Millwall up next. The finishing line to safety is getting nearer.
And with Birmingham losing / three points ahead of us means that teams are being dragged back into it again
As they've just said on SKY - How do their players get motivated etc when your Manager is off in the summer etc
Not to mention the number of tackles and interceptions he put in. Back to his best, which is very very good. Can I dare to dream we might somehow find a way to get him permanently? Truth is he’s probably too good for us right now. Best loan signing ever.
What a great result. Huge praise to LB and his coaching team for getting the team so ready to resume after a long break and for the players for showing so much commitment given the nonsense going on at the club.
A few random thoughts.
1) The players are showing an incredible level of fitness, a bit like at the start of the season.
2) Ironically, the break may save us from what was looking a certain relegation before hand .
3) Dillon Phillips is turning into a top goalkeeper. He could easily follow Elliot, Randolph and Pope into the Premier League.
4) What a performance from Adam Matthews today. To think he came on a free transfer is unbelievable. I just hope he can be signed up before someone else poaches him.
5) My admiration for Josh Cullen shows no bound. For him to show as much commitment for us is astounding. Sadly, if only this club had a few bob it could try and build a team around him but sadly he will make a name for himself elsewhere. I wish him nothing but the very best.
6) Maybe, just maybe, there is a player in Chucks Aneke. Superb performance from him for 30 mins today. And eat your heart out Tony Watt, that clip of him holding the ball up in the corner circle will surely out do yours!
Two 1-0 wins can't knock it. I felt both the games were must win games with Cardiff & Millwall up next. The finishing line to safety is getting nearer.
And with Birmingham losing / three points ahead of us means that teams are being dragged back into it again
As they've just said on SKY - How do their players get motivated etc when your Manager is off in the summer etc
Come on 3rd bottom was 4 points below us and as it stands it’s now 3 points, there’s no real good in brum losing to Hull
A thoroughly professional performance against a side that looked dangerous going forward. Yet we pressed for most of the game which stifled their dangerous, creative players and on the rare occasions we messed up Dillon was equal to the task.
This was a good, solid TEAM performance so invidious to pick out individuals but that 34 or 35 year old bottle of good wine once again put in a vintage performance capped by the vital goal.
Just as well we managed to win as it sounds like our rivals are winning or have won too.
These two wins have given us a fighting chance of avoiding relegation. If we do go down the way we are playing we'll go down swinging rather than with a whimper.
Two 1-0 wins can't knock it. I felt both the games were must win games with Cardiff & Millwall up next. The finishing line to safety is getting nearer.
And with Birmingham losing / three points ahead of us means that teams are being dragged back into it again
As they've just said on SKY - How do their players get motivated etc when your Manager is off in the summer etc
Come on 3rd bottom was 4 points below us and as it stands it’s now 3 points, there’s no real good in brum losing to Hull
We're a point above Hull again as things stand
Difference is there are four clubs between us and them and if we can get above Birmingham it becomes five clubs thanks to our goal difference
We have to look up the table as to start looking back (players / fans everyone) is just going to add unneeded pressure - Im fully remembering that Im one of the few on here that have constantly maintained that we wont get relegated this season
The key to survival is a solid defence and defensive midfield not prepared to give anything away. We now have our first team in those positions. We only have to do better than the teams below us and we have the defensive strength to do that. Our weakness shown today again is the forwards. We will not be winning games 3-0 so it is going to be tight and tense until we are safe.
But we might have won games 3-0 had a certain striker not dropped us in the shit. We're not out of it yet but have taken full advantage of two of our more winnable games. Not far to go lads keep it (& us) up
For me, I think Taylor throwing in the towel may have galvanised the spirit in the team. I don’t think he was disruptive, I just think it’s brought everyone together and produced a sense of unity.
the break has really done us well. We were poor against Boro back in March and am not sure of what headspace we’d have gone into the Hull game had it taken place back then
Bowyer has gone back to basics and we’re organised and tough to break down. I think goals have been a struggle all season, so this plays to our strengths.
Matthews was excellent today.
we just need to eliminate individual mistakes. A few times a sloppy pass could’ve cost us today and at this level, teams are more often than not unforgiving
Two 1-0 wins can't knock it. I felt both the games were must win games with Cardiff & Millwall up next. The finishing line to safety is getting nearer.
And with Birmingham losing / three points ahead of us means that teams are being dragged back into it again
As they've just said on SKY - How do their players get motivated etc when your Manager is off in the summer etc
Come on 3rd bottom was 4 points below us and as it stands it’s now 3 points, there’s no real good in brum losing to Hull
We're a point above Hull again as things stand
Difference is there are four clubs between us and them and if we can get above Birmingham it becomes five clubs thanks to our goal difference
We have to look up the table as to start looking back (players / fans everyone) is just going to add unneeded pressure
It’s all about finishing above 3rd bottom all the rest is irrelevant, look where you want but our target is above 3rd bottom and brum losing to Hull does us no good for our only objective this season .
Two 1-0 wins can't knock it. I felt both the games were must win games with Cardiff & Millwall up next. The finishing line to safety is getting nearer.
And with Birmingham losing / three points ahead of us means that teams are being dragged back into it again
As they've just said on SKY - How do their players get motivated etc when your Manager is off in the summer etc
Come on 3rd bottom was 4 points below us and as it stands it’s now 3 points, there’s no real good in brum losing to Hull
We're a point above Hull again as things stand
Difference is there are four clubs between us and them and if we can get above Birmingham it becomes five clubs thanks to our goal difference
We have to look up the table as to start looking back (players / fans everyone) is just going to add unneeded pressure
It’s all about finishing above 3rd bottom all the rest is irrelevant, look where you want but our target is above 3rd bottom and brum losing to Hull does us know good for our only objective this season .
Of course but the teams below us arent going to lose every game between now and the end of the season - Because of that its important we try and keep winning and try and capitalise on the poor results of those above us
Focusing on getting above the team ahead rather than just staying ahead of 22nd is going to produce better performances as players will play with less pressure, the alternative is we go back to playing like we did pre-lockdown
Two 1-0 wins can't knock it. I felt both the games were must win games with Cardiff & Millwall up next. The finishing line to safety is getting nearer.
And with Birmingham losing / three points ahead of us means that teams are being dragged back into it again
As they've just said on SKY - How do their players get motivated etc when your Manager is off in the summer etc
Come on 3rd bottom was 4 points below us and as it stands it’s now 3 points, there’s no real good in brum losing to Hull
We're a point above Hull again as things stand
Difference is there are four clubs between us and them and if we can get above Birmingham it becomes five clubs thanks to our goal difference
We have to look up the table as to start looking back (players / fans everyone) is just going to add unneeded pressure
It’s all about finishing above 3rd bottom all the rest is irrelevant, look where you want but our target is above 3rd bottom and brum losing to Hull does us know good for our only objective this season .
Of course but the teams below us arent going to lose every game between now and the end of the season - Because of that its important we try and keep winning and try and capitalise on the poor results of those above us
Focusing on getting above the team ahead rather than just staying ahead of 22nd is going to produce better performances as players will play with less pressure, the alternative is we go back to playing like we did pre-lockdown
Yes yes yes whatever But I’m talking about hull winning at brum it is bad news , no ifs involved
I remember regular 1-0 wins under Mike Bailey and Chris Powell, but both of those were promotion seasons!
Great credit to Bow, JJ and all the squad - they clearly kept themselves focussed and fit through all this and haven't even flinched at the curve ball of club captain and top scorer bailing out.
Hard to decide MoM between Matthews and Cullen- both outstanding. Flashes from Hemed, McGeady and Bonne too, who are hopefully all getting sharper.
Aneke did his job well but, sorry, he is no Tony Watt in the corner - 20 to 30 seconds is not a patch on two and a half minutes!
Still a way to go but we're well in with a chance now.
What impressed me today, was our shape out of possession. All 11 defending together as a unit.
I feel like Bowyer has embraced the Eddie Jones Finishers philosophy, which I love. We've got players from the bench that can have enormous impact like Doughty, Aneke & Williams to name a few.
Will be interesting to see how he rotates for the next three games.
Two 1-0 wins can't knock it. I felt both the games were must win games with Cardiff & Millwall up next. The finishing line to safety is getting nearer.
And with Birmingham losing / three points ahead of us means that teams are being dragged back into it again
As they've just said on SKY - How do their players get motivated etc when your Manager is off in the summer etc
Come on 3rd bottom was 4 points below us and as it stands it’s now 3 points, there’s no real good in brum losing to Hull
We're a point above Hull again as things stand
Difference is there are four clubs between us and them and if we can get above Birmingham it becomes five clubs thanks to our goal difference
We have to look up the table as to start looking back (players / fans everyone) is just going to add unneeded pressure
It’s all about finishing above 3rd bottom all the rest is irrelevant, look where you want but our target is above 3rd bottom and brum losing to Hull does us know good for our only objective this season .
Of course but the teams below us arent going to lose every game between now and the end of the season - Because of that its important we try and keep winning and try and capitalise on the poor results of those above us
Focusing on getting above the team ahead rather than just staying ahead of 22nd is going to produce better performances as players will play with less pressure, the alternative is we go back to playing like we did pre-lockdown
Yes yes yes whatever But I’m talking about hull winning at brum it is bad news , no ifs involved
Well there kinda is. In isolation right now Hull winning this match is not the ideal outcome for us. However there's 7 games left and lots can happen between now and the end of the season.
If Hull go on run, and Birmingham get dragged into it and finish below us then this result would actually have been good for us.
Either way, to be honest, I don't feel like Bowyer and the players will be concentrating to much on what's going on with teams around them. I think Bowyer will be setting us up to get as many points as we can get between now and the end of the season.
Thank goodness we won looking at the scores elsewhere. No one laying down and dying that's for sure. But we couldn't have asked for more. A very good performance that only needed another goal or two to really give us a boost. Still that nagging worry that if the opposition score we are in bother. Hats off to Bowyer and the team for finding a system that suits our resources and to the players for adapting very well to round pin in square hole situations where required. Particular shout outs to those who are bustin their buns despite the end of their contracts looming ahead. Surprised it was so comfortable. For all their pretty possession QPR never really threatened and, a few kamikaze moments aside, we looked solid. We are weak up front. Hemed is playing well but has limited stamina, Bonne is playing above his paygrade. Manful effort but nowhere near the finished article for this level. Davison is untried. Green is talented but looks half-arsed to me. Chuks has been a revelation. I'd like to see more of him although he is injury prone so I guess LB is being careful It would be pointless to wonder what we could do with a motivated Taylor in the side but that ship sailed a while ago and I suspect has actually helped in terms of motivating those who remain. We travel hopefully.
The key to survival is a solid defence and defensive midfield not prepared to give anything away. We now have our first team in those positions. We only have to do better than the teams below us and we have the defensive strength to do that. Our weakness shown today again is the forwards. We will not be winning games 3-0 so it is going to be tight and tense until we are safe.
I totally agree, but I think the key to survival is also Lee Bowyer. He’s getting the balance of the team absolutely right. I know we now have bodies back and it’s making things a bit easier. But this man is an absolute diamond and they have to do everything to keep hold of him.
Why is this such a bad thing? Birmingham going down would be a victory for the game of football itself
It’s a horrible thing. We need the 3 teams at the bottom NOW to lose everything from this point out. It’s not important which other teams drop, but that we get as big a gap from the zone as possible and that did not happen today. The more muddled the drop zone, the riskier for us. Luton winning today also sucks. Honestly, we did not really add much to our safety today, we just held in there. How that crappy Hull team won today is beyond me. They were so bad that I did not think they would win any remaining matches.
i think the way we play demands quite a bit of energy so possible that we've benefitted comparatively more from the break and re charge than others - lets hope we can maintain it
Wonder what LB will do at Cardiff??? Mix it up and save some players for Millscum?
Rest Pratley for sure after today's lung busting effort and give Field as many minutes as he can safely do. Lapslie to come onto the bench to cover midfield generally and Matthews in particular. Mrs Pearce will have some influence over team selection too.
Comments
As they've just said on SKY - How do their players get motivated etc when your Manager is off in the summer etc
A few random thoughts.
1) The players are showing an incredible level of fitness, a bit like at the start of the season.
2) Ironically, the break may save us from what was looking a certain relegation before hand .
3) Dillon Phillips is turning into a top goalkeeper. He could easily follow Elliot, Randolph and Pope into the Premier League.
4) What a performance from Adam Matthews today. To think he came on a free transfer is unbelievable. I just hope he can be signed up before someone else poaches him.
5) My admiration for Josh Cullen shows no bound. For him to show as much commitment for us is astounding. Sadly, if only this club had a few bob it could try and build a team around him but sadly he will make a name for himself elsewhere. I wish him nothing but the very best.
6) Maybe, just maybe, there is a player in Chucks Aneke. Superb performance from him for 30 mins today. And eat your heart out Tony Watt, that clip of him holding the ball up in the corner circle will surely out do yours!
Ask Sue
This was a good, solid TEAM performance so invidious to pick out individuals but that 34 or 35 year old bottle of good wine once again put in a vintage performance capped by the vital goal.
Just as well we managed to win as it sounds like our rivals are winning or have won too.
These two wins have given us a fighting chance of avoiding relegation. If we do go down the way we are playing we'll go down swinging rather than with a whimper.
COYR
Difference is there are four clubs between us and them and if we can get above Birmingham it becomes five clubs thanks to our goal difference
We have to look up the table as to start looking back (players / fans everyone) is just going to add unneeded pressure - Im fully remembering that Im one of the few on here that have constantly maintained that we wont get relegated this season
the break has really done us well. We were poor against Boro back in March and am not sure of what headspace we’d have gone into the Hull game had it taken place back then
Bowyer has gone back to basics and we’re organised and tough to break down. I think goals have been a struggle all season, so this plays to our strengths.
we just need to eliminate individual mistakes. A few times a sloppy pass could’ve cost us today and at this level, teams are more often than not unforgiving
Sausage rolls 7/10
Pies 3/10
Focusing on getting above the team ahead rather than just staying ahead of 22nd is going to produce better performances as players will play with less pressure, the alternative is we go back to playing like we did pre-lockdown
Great credit to Bow, JJ and all the squad - they clearly kept themselves focussed and fit through all this and haven't even flinched at the curve ball of club captain and top scorer bailing out.
Hard to decide MoM between Matthews and Cullen- both outstanding. Flashes from Hemed, McGeady and Bonne too, who are hopefully all getting sharper.
Aneke did his job well but, sorry, he is no Tony Watt in the corner - 20 to 30 seconds is not a patch on two and a half minutes!
Still a way to go but we're well in with a chance now.
I feel like Bowyer has embraced the Eddie Jones Finishers philosophy, which I love. We've got players from the bench that can have enormous impact like Doughty, Aneke & Williams to name a few.
Will be interesting to see how he rotates for the next three games.
If Hull go on run, and Birmingham get dragged into it and finish below us then this result would actually have been good for us.
Either way, to be honest, I don't feel like Bowyer and the players will be concentrating to much on what's going on with teams around them. I think Bowyer will be setting us up to get as many points as we can get between now and the end of the season.