The scramble to stay up

[lake district canary 4,533]

1 hour ago, Hank shoots Skyler said:

They managed 31 shots we had 6. They missed a penalty, forced Krul into a number of saves including a point blank header, and they also missed the target with various chances in and around the penalty box.

So yes, ignoring all of that, if the one vaguely meaningful chance we created went in maybe we’d have won…

I’m sure we have opportunities to win most matches if you simply ignore everything the opponent created and only count our own chances 😆

That's not really the point though, is it. It was 0-0 and we had a chance to win it. Sure, it's goals that win games - Brighton didn't get one and we had a golden chance to snatch one and get the three points. The opportunity was there - and that is all anyone can ask for - to have the opportunity to win the game.

[......and Smith must score. 1,345]

1 hour ago, lake district canary said:

1 hour ago, Hank shoots Skyler said:

They managed 31 shots we had 6. They missed a penalty, forced Krul into a number of saves including a point blank header, and they also missed the target with various chances in and around the penalty box.

So yes, ignoring all of that, if the one vaguely meaningful chance we created went in maybe we’d have won…

I’m sure we have opportunities to win most matches if you simply ignore everything the opponent created and only count our own chances 😆

……..we picked up a point and had the opportunity to win the match with Rashica's chance.

If there was a degree in cherry-picking isolated incidents in a game to suit a narrative Lakey would emerge with First Class Honours.

Brighton had 63% possession, bossed us from start to finish and had 11 corners to our 2. Out of their 31 shots they must be kicking themselves how they only managed 4 on target. Predictably out of our miserable total of 6 we managed a big fat zilch.

Different numbers maybe but it’s a pattern that runs through the whole season……..we’re just not good enough.

[......and Smith must score. 1,345]

3 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

That's not really the point though, is it. It was 0-0 and we had a chance to win it. Sure, it's goals that win games - Brighton didn't get one and we had a golden chance to snatch one and get the three points. The opportunity was there - and that is all anyone can ask for - to have the opportunity to win the game.

It’s entirely the point. 

[lake district canary 4,533]

12 minutes ago, ......and Smith must score. said:

If there was a degree in cherry-picking isolated incidents in a game to suit a narrative Lakey would emerge with First Class Honours.

Brighton had 63% possession, bossed us from start to finish and had 11 corners to our 2. Out of their 31 shots they must be kicking themselves how they only managed 4 on target. Predictably out of our miserable total of 6 we managed a big fat zilch.

Different numbers maybe but it’s a pattern that runs through the whole season……..we’re just not good enough.

All that, yet we still had a glorious chance to win the game! 

We need to improve, but all it takes sometimes is one chance and a bit of luck and you get your three points.  Get those three points and you move on with a bit more belief into the next one.

As it is we got a point away, now need to build on that - even if it is an awful game and we just get one chance to win it near the end like last week - take that chance and suddenly we have four points from two games and something to take into the next games.

I'm not confident of it, or even optimistic about it, but whatever you or I think about it, the opportunity is there.

[Monty13 2,235]

We have no confidence, no ability to retain the ball and virtually no threat.

If it wasn’t for Hanley and Krul we’d easily have lost against Brighton by a number of goals.

I don’t see what’s going to change to spark anything and at this stage of the season it’s far to late to keep hoping.

[rock bus 854]

18 hours ago, Hank shoots Skyler said:

Sorry but the prospect of finishing 18th or 19th rather than 20th during the last leg of the season does not enthral me whatsoever.

Nor can I imagine it getting the players' blood pumping, I mean nothing has so far this season for any length of time so why would it change now? 

I do tend to agree with this but one point worth considering is that I think each place comes with a greater reward. Let's face it for a club like ours even an extra £1m or so isnt worth sniffing at.

But agreed will do nothing for fan morale or player motivation.

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

 

23 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

That's not really the point though, is it. It was 0-0 and we had a chance to win it. Sure, it's goals that win games - Brighton didn't get one and we had a golden chance to snatch one and get the three points. The opportunity was there - and that is all anyone can ask for - to have the opportunity to win the game.

‘That is all anyone can ask for - to have the opportunity to win the game’.

Absolute nonsense Lakey.

We had one opportunity to win the game and about 4-5 bigger opportunities to lose it. Is that really ‘all anyone can ask for’? To get dominated for an entire match but create one decent chance? Is that how far we have fallen?

I wonder if the Brighton fans came away from the game thinking thank **** we got a point after Rashica had that decent chance at 0-0 🤣 I personally reckon they were more focused on the fact they didn’t manage to score 2-3 goals themselves…

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

4 minutes ago, rock bus said:

I do tend to agree with this but one point worth considering is that I think each place comes with a greater reward. Let's face it for a club like ours even an extra £1m or so isnt worth sniffing at.

But agreed will do nothing for fan morale or player motivation.

 

18 hours ago, BroadstairsR said:

Don't forget merit money. It's quite hefty. Maybe a million+

Finishing even a place below bottom is quite rewarding.

Enough to cater for Pukki's demands, surely. 

 

17 hours ago, dylanisabaddog said:

It's more than £1m😳

https://sillyseason.com/money/premier-league-prize-money-100681/

It’s a decent point guys but it’s not getting me up off my seat to watch the next game…

We’re basically playing out the remainder of the season to win back the money lost on the BK8 sponsorship 😭 

[lake district canary 4,533]

29 minutes ago, Hank shoots Skyler said:

‘That is all anyone can ask for - to have the opportunity to win the game’.

Absolute nonsense Lakey.

We had one opportunity to win the game and about 4-5 bigger opportunities to lose it. Is that really ‘all anyone can ask for’? To get dominated for an entire match but create one decent chance? Is that how far we have fallen?

I wonder if the Brighton fans came away from the game thinking thank **** we got a point after Rashica had that decent chance at 0-0 🤣 I personally reckon they were more focused on the fact they didn’t manage to score 2-3 goals themselves…

I would think the balanced view would be that they could easily have lost a game they should have won.

I don't understand you. If we had snatched three points from that game with that chance would you be thinking, "ooh, we won but weren't we terrible" or "we did well to stay in the game to be able to score and win" ? 

All anyone can ask for in a game is the opportunity to win it - and we had that.

[dylanisabaddog 4,931]

41 minutes ago, Hank shoots Skyler said:

 

I wonder if the Brighton fans came away from the game thinking thank **** we got a point after Rashica had that decent chance at 0-0 🤣 I personally reckon they were more focused on the fact they didn’t manage to score 2-3 goals themselves…

The one I spoke to said, very politely, that we were the worst Premier League team he'd seen and he was very worried that we could have beaten them with the chance at the end. Which is pretty much what you've said. 

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

 

24 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

I would think the balanced view would be that they could easily have lost a game they should have won.

I don't understand you. If we had snatched three points from that game with that chance would you be thinking, "ooh, we won but weren't we terrible" or "we did well to stay in the game to be able to score and win" ? 

All anyone can ask for in a game is the opportunity to win it - and we had that.

No the balanced view is that we should’ve already been 2/3 goals down but then had a decent chance near the end to win it. We could’ve lost the game several times before we could’ve won it.

I see what you’re saying but I just can’t ignore the absolute mountain of luck that saw us through to 0-0 at the point of Rashica’s chance. 

Yes we did defend quite well at times, but we offered absolutely nothing else, against a team in a terrible run of form (again), only Hanley and Krul played well, and despite all our defending it still required Brighton to be absolutely hopeless at converting the golden chances they did create. If they scored the 2 goals they absolutely should’ve done, despite all our defending, would we still be praising the defence? Praising the defence for them missing a penalty and various sitters?? No it’s every bit as much and probably more to do with Brighton’s finishing than it is with our defending.

And yes had we actually won that game I wouldn’t have taken much from it. Delighted with the result, but deeply concerned at how much luck we had to ride out in order to win the game. Hardly a blueprint for success is it? I said a similar thing after the Watford game given how poor we were in the first half; and how obscenely clinical we were in the second. 

Let’s face it we replay that performance against all other teams in the PL (who can all finish better than Brighton), then 95% of the time we’ve already lost that game before it even gets to Rashica’s chance. And it wasn’t even a sitter from him it was probably a 50/50 chance.

I’m just not sure you can expect all those things to swing in our favour. Yes they nearly did on the day, but it was mighty fortunate we even got the point. That’s what you appear to be ignoring. 

[lake district canary 4,533]

10 minutes ago, Hank shoots Skyler said:

I’m just not sure you can expect all those things to swing in our favour. Yes they nearly did on the day, but it was mighty fortunate we even got the point. That’s what you appear to be ignoring. 

No, I'm not ignoring that, I'm more looking to see us build on that result, however fortunate, in the next game. A clean sheet is a clean sheet and we saw earlier in the season under Farke that we are up to the physical battle that Burnley present. The improvement I hope to see on Sunday is in creating chances - and converting one or two of them.

Even if we win it might be too little too late, but you never know in football, all you can do is to treat the game on it's merits and see where it takes you. In this case - as long as Everton lose - it would take us three points closer to 17th place, with us on 21 and them deep in the relegation struggle on 25, with all three teams below them snapping at their heels. It could - I say could - get very interesting.

[ged in the onion bag 855]

On 07/04/2022 at 09:44, lake district canary said:

Looks like three from four, with Everton well and truly joined the party. It's going to be fascinating to see who can muster the fight and desire to get that coveted 17th place.  

We can still have a big say in it and if we should beat Burnley, it makes things a bit more interesting for us, but if Burnley beat us, they will put themselves in the driving seat.

If we can find a spark of form and a bit of confidence, we can still make it a race to the line.  Watford, Burnley and Everton are down near the bottom for a reason, they are all cack, so there is still something to aim at. 

All to play for.....are the players up for it? They'd better be - there is still an opportunity to achieve something  this season. 

The way the bottom 4 have played this season, surely it the 'Scramble to go down'!

[nutty nigel 7,539]

6 hours ago, Hank shoots Skyler said:

 

 

It’s a decent point guys but it’s not getting me up off my seat to watch the next game…

We’re basically playing out the remainder of the season to win back the money lost on the BK8 sponsorship 😭 

Why would the prize money be an incentive to go to the game anyway? 

 

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,287]

Looking at Watford's fixtures, I fancy them to get out of it actually. 

It will be an exciting battle to avoid the drop. We'll take our usual place as innocent bystander and watch it all unfold from a far. 

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

1 hour ago, nutty nigel said:

Why would the prize money be an incentive to go to the game anyway? 

 

I’m not talking about attending the game specifically, just about being up for it / feeling excited for the challenge etc.

[nutty nigel 7,539]

21 minutes ago, Hank shoots Skyler said:

I’m not talking about attending the game specifically, just about being up for it / feeling excited for the challenge etc.

I know, I was agreeing with you, how much any game is worth is never an incentive. 

[......and Smith must score. 1,345]

10 hours ago, lake district canary said:

I would think the balanced view would be that they could easily have lost a game they should have won.

I don't understand you. If we had snatched three points from that game with that chance would you be thinking, "ooh, we won but weren't we terrible" or "we did well to stay in the game to be able to score and win" ? 

All anyone can ask for in a game is the opportunity to win it - and we had that.

I think if we'd won that game most supporters of either persuasion would've say we were terrible and totally fluked it Lakey

[Mullet 293]

On 07/04/2022 at 09:44, lake district canary said:

Looks like three from four, with Everton well and truly joined the party. It's going to be fascinating to see who can muster the fight and desire to get that coveted 17th place.  

We can still have a big say in it and if we should beat Burnley, it makes things a bit more interesting for us, but if Burnley beat us, they will put themselves in the driving seat.

If we can find a spark of form and a bit of confidence, we can still make it a race to the line.  Watford, Burnley and Everton are down near the bottom for a reason, they are all cack, so there is still something to aim at. 

All to play for.....are the players up for it? They'd better be - there is still an opportunity to achieve something  this season. 

We've been asking the question, are the players up for it? all season and they have answered us multiple times. They are not up for it and it's it not about to change. We are 100% the worst team in the division and have been as good as relegated since January. 

I have never known such a deluded optimist as yourself. I'm sure even with relegation guaranteed in a few games time  you will still believe we can stay up and Webber will sign Harry Kane and Farke will come back and get us playing in Europe. 

[lake district canary 4,533]

18 minutes ago, Mullet said:

We've been asking the question, are the players up for it? all season and they have answered us multiple times. They are not up for it and it's it not about to change. We are 100% the worst team in the division and have been as good as relegated since January. 

I have never known such a deluded optimist as yourself. I'm sure even with relegation guaranteed in a few games time  you will still believe we can stay up and Webber will sign Harry Kane and Farke will come back and get us playing in Europe. 

I mean, have you actually read what I wrote?  Nowhere have I said we are going to win or do enough to stay up, I've even said I'm not optimistic about the prospects, but regardless of whether people think we are rubbish (and most of us do, including me), it is still an opportunity. Maybe I am deluded, I don't know, but I can add up points the same as all of you and see that there is potential for us to be only four points off the club in 17th place after this weekend, if we can scramble a win. That is surely something to get up for?

[lake district canary 4,533]

1 hour ago, ......and Smith must score. said:

I think if we'd won that game most supporters of either persuasion would've say we were terrible and totally fluked it Lakey

You see quite a lot of games where the team that dominates doesn't score and falls for the sucker punch near the end. The fact that the dominating team couldn't finish and the other team could is not fluky, it is a result - and a good one!  Under the circumstances 0-0 was a good result, a 1-0 would have been an even better result. All semantics, as Rashica fluffed his big moment......

[chicken 2,627]

On 07/04/2022 at 15:18, DraytonBoy said:

Yes and Cooper, should make a difference defensively but we miss Bamford more than anyone so goals are a struggle.

Despite his good form in the last couple of seasons, I still feel Bamford is distinctly average, and if you are missing him then I think that probably says as much about your struggles this season as anything.

I don't mean for 'average' to sound insulting either. I just don't think he is anything particularly special. Though I will happily admit I was surprised he did as well as he did last season. I just don't feel he's the kind of player you can rely on in that way. His stats pretty much back that up.

[DraytonBoy 152]

7 hours ago, chicken said:

Despite his good form in the last couple of seasons, I still feel Bamford is distinctly average, and if you are missing him then I think that probably says as much about your struggles this season as anything.

I don't mean for 'average' to sound insulting either. I just don't think he is anything particularly special. Though I will happily admit I was surprised he did as well as he did last season. I just don't feel he's the kind of player you can rely on in that way. His stats pretty much back that up.

He has improved so much over the last couple of years and is the link between the midfield and attack, he was involved in 40% of the goals last season shows how important he is, without him the team look disjointed with no focal point upfront.

Imagine City without Pukki for three quarters of the season.

[chicken 2,627]

6 hours ago, DraytonBoy said:

He has improved so much over the last couple of years and is the link between the midfield and attack, he was involved in 40% of the goals last season shows how important he is, without him the team look disjointed with no focal point upfront.

Imagine City without Pukki for three quarters of the season.

In all fairness, Pukki has now been that for four seasons and outscored Bamford in terms of championship seasons.

Other than last season, of which 17 is a good tally in the prem. Bamford has neve hit 20 in a season in the championship, the closest being 19. I'm sure he is important, I'm just saying that he isn't amazing. I don't see a clamour of premier league clubs coming in to sign him for £20m.

Pukki probably isn't worth £20m but we know that there is premier league interest in him.

Like I said, I'm not being disrespectful, I just feel if Leeds have genuine mid-table ambitions, Bamford is not one to rely on.

[DraytonBoy 152]

Both Pukki and Bamford are vital for both teams but for different reasons, Pukki gets the goals for City whereas Bamford links the play for Leeds. One of Bielsa's mistakes was not having a decent back-up to Bamford and City still haven't found anyone to replace Pukki or even slot in when he's injured or not scoring. I'm happy for Bamford to be ignored by the rest of the PL and hope people continue to underrate him, I'd be more worried about Pukki leaving as Idah is not the solution.