Mullet 293 Posted October 17, 2020 I was full of hope to batter most teams in this division, maybe not score 4's and 5's but out play teams most weeks. I'll now just be glad if we don't get relegated. We didn't deserve to win today but pulled a rabbit out the hat somehow. Maybe we will look better once Todd Beckham returns Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jerrykerry 223 Posted October 17, 2020 You were totally unrealistic then and have learned nothing about the championship. So it's about you, not the team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ricardo 7,345 Posted October 17, 2020 Slow start is our usual style, no need to panic. The confidence will return with a few decent results. Today was a good start in the right direction. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,777 Posted October 17, 2020 I said many times over the close season that anyone who thought we'd have an easy ride or were expecting a top two finish were in for a rude awakening. Only two relegated sides have finished in the top two in the last decade. Fans of relegated sides often tend to expect automatic promotion but it rarely happens. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. Pants 4,195 Posted October 17, 2020 Promotion, promotion, promotion. Nothing else will do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Wynless Jones 161 Posted October 17, 2020 My expectation is the same as it was in the summer, not to batter everyone out of sight as such, but promotion is the minimum requirement come May. If that's unrealistic as some lesser ambitious fans might say, then so be it but it will remain my ONLY requirement for us this season. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanthecanary 168 Posted October 17, 2020 (edited) I think it was always going to be a bit harder than some thought. You don't repair the damage done to the players confidence after the run they've been on just because you've dropped down a level. It's going to take time. I think promotion via play offs would do for me. It's not just the confidence and this may be an unpopular opinion but let's be honest, two years ago was a complete surprise and so many of our players had the season of their careers. It always seemed likely to me that a few of them would be unable to reach those heights again. That season was the exception not the rule for some. It's not a criticism just what I feel is reality. Edited October 17, 2020 by seanthecanary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mullet 293 Posted October 17, 2020 16 minutes ago, Jerrykerry said: You were totally unrealistic then and have learned nothing about the championship. So it's about you, not the team. We have a good enough squad to give other teams real problems. I think we should be battering Rotherham but we look ordinary. Thats was my expectations but I was clearly wrong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NCFCInnit 52 Posted October 17, 2020 Luton, Coventry and Wycombe must be thinking exactly the same thing. Its a tough old league when you've got no cash. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KeiranShikari 1,409 Posted October 17, 2020 Pretty sure we only won by more than 2 goals on 2 or 3 occations when we blitzed the league a couple of years ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheGunnShow 5,932 Posted October 17, 2020 I said I think we'd be in the play-offs and that we'd probably start slowly as the new players find their feet. Also, the size of our squad should come into play later on as the continued run of fixtures takes effect. Provided we don't have a mighty old injury crisis... or indeed flog the rest of the crown jewels in January for that matter... or do a loan out late that baffles everyone... I would fancy us to come on quite strongly down the stretch. The first 10-15 games are about establishing a position where you're not too far away from the top end. If you're already there, then even better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dylanisabaddog 4,867 Posted October 17, 2020 Despite the fact that we haven't played well we could have won all our games with the exception of Bournemouth. Won today despite being ordinary and in fact could easily have had 3 or 4 goals. I'm sure it will all click into place now the window has closed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mullet 293 Posted October 17, 2020 Before the season started I said I'd be happy with 3 wins from the first 5 games. We are 2 points off that so I guess not a disaster. Ultimately though we are so far away from being a Premier team it doesn't even need to be thought about. We weren't a premier team in our promotion year, we weren't a premier team while in the premier league and despite our additions this year to hopefully go back stronger next time we are still way way off. Nothing has really changed we are a yo yo team at best. Im not unhappy about that I'd love for us to establish in the premier league but it's a dream not reality 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mullet 293 Posted October 17, 2020 (edited) 19 minutes ago, dylanisabaddog said: Despite the fact that we haven't played well we could have won all our games with the exception of Bournemouth. Won today despite being ordinary and in fact could easily have had 3 or 4 goals. I'm sure it will all click into place now the window has closed We could have easily conceded 3 or 4 as well, but i like your optimism Edited October 17, 2020 by Mullet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted October 17, 2020 13 minutes ago, Mullet said: We weren't a premier team in our promotion year, we weren't a premier team while in the premier league and despite our additions this year to hopefully go back stronger next time we are still way way off. Well we pretty obviously were a Premier League team when we were there last year, and without the defensive injuries and shut down who knows where we would have finished? You can't just ignore the home performances against Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs (and cup away) plus Man Utd (cup) and say that we were not capable of drawing or beating top class Premier League teams. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yorkshire Canary 118 Posted October 17, 2020 I think everyone needs to calm down and be a tad more realistic. I have always been of the view that next season provides the best opportunity of promotion. We have many decent players in the squad. Most has a fair bit of confidence battered out of them in the second half of last season. The bright stars were always likely to move on or at least think they should move one, in either event not the best platform for mounting a promotion challenge. The new players need time to bed it and tactics need to be tweaked or other sides work you out, then there are the inevitable injuries. It is very early days and at the moment we are a bang average outfit which has to potential to improve, the best is yet to come Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gordon Bennett 780 Posted October 17, 2020 1 hour ago, ricardo said: Slow start is our usual style, no need to panic. The confidence will return with a few decent results. Today was a good start in the right direction. Exactly this. The last four times we’ve been promoted we’ve started slowly and hit our straps later in the season. Unfortunately we live in an ‘instant’ society nowadays where everything must happen yesterday. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanthecanary 168 Posted October 17, 2020 (edited) 43 minutes ago, Surfer said: Well we pretty obviously were a Premier League team when we were there last year, and without the defensive injuries and shut down who knows where we would have finished? You can't just ignore the home performances against Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs (and cup away) plus Man Utd (cup) and say that we were not capable of drawing or beating top class Premier League teams. I get what you are saying but playing well in games with no pressure or expectation doesn't prove you are capable at that level. We lost most of our clutch games last year to teams around us in the table. We lost home and away to several teams who were in a relegation fight with us and some of those losses, we played really poorly. Beating Man City doesn't keep you up, beating your rivals does. You can't afford to lose so many games to rivals if you want to succeed. That applies to avoiding relegation or getting promoted. That's where we needed to be better imo Edited October 17, 2020 by seanthecanary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites