horrible thought...

[spencer 1970 207]

Last time in the Prem we went a whole season without winning away...what do you think are chances are of going a whole season without a clean sheet?

TBH...I don''t care if we come 17th or above.

["""""""""Ben """"""""""" 0]

It''s really not an issue if we always score one more than the opposition ..... Last season we hardly kept any clean sheets and we all know how that season ended up.

[ryan1992 0]

I''ve been worried about this for a while. I think it''s going to be very close at the bottom nearer the end of the season, and a decent Goal difference could be crucial. We can''t afford to keep conceding 2/3 every game, because our goal difference will drop rapidly. It''d be nice to just get a decent worry free 2-0 win or something soon aswell, so we can breathe in the last 5 minutes!

[curly_whirly_tipz 0]

As much as it would be nice to have a clean sheet, a 2-1 win is not much different to to a 1-0 win or whatever. Obviously we are making some silly mistakes and have yet to get a clean sheet but so far we have won much more games compared to last time we were in the prem! The clean sheet will come but as long as we keep scoring that is imo the most important thing.

[smooth 114]

I agree with curly whizz regarding a 2-1 and 1-0 being of no difference, really.

But it is a lot to ask to score two goals a game for us to be close to a win for the whole season.

I think a clean sheet is not far away could be qpr, newcastle, fulham or any of the teams in the bottom half really. We just need to step up our defensive efforts, work harder at hunting in packs for the ball etc. The Stoke game is still a killer, but our time will come, def. think we have an opportunity against qpr and need to be truely up for this game. The last game where we should have been psyched up for was the blackburn game, where we were flat.

So looking forward for that to change.

Think a 4-4-2 can bring us more goals but could open us up a little more, so as always a balancing act with the players that we have.

One thing needs to happen if Hoolahan does play Saturday he needs to be pulling the strings and making an impact in the final third. If he doesn''t then I think he has had a chance against a team we should consider an equal and not had an impact when we need him too.

Its alot of pressure on the wee man, but welcome to the premier league wes hoolahan.

Defensively lets keep it simple and concentrate. Sure we can still express ourselves but keep it simple and look for the movement that our team must be constantly doing.

[Bryangunnshairline 0]

Wes only ever pulls the strings in the final third when we play a diamond so wait and see. I agree though. If we stopped worrying about other teams and played our own game and pressed teams in their half then I think we would play better.

[smooth 114]

I do want to know wes''s stats in regard to within the final third.

One goal, I know... but any assists? any defence splitting passes? any surging runs? Anything that would imply he is supporting Morison? No not really.

Yes on goal kicks I have seen him run past Morison to collect a flick on, and in one game he ran through and tamely tested the goalkeeper. But that is not enough. So do we go back to a diamond to get the best out of wes?

I have said it before I am hyper critical of wes, but I believe if yo uhave the ability and you are playing in that position you are very much on display. He is regarded as our most creative players but as of yet I have not seen his impact in the final third.

His overall game has improved greatly with tracking back, fitness, understanding positioning and controlling the ball with the midfield. But as a goal threat I have not yet seen enough.

It is hyper critical but I want the team to do well and I want our players to display all their attributes just feel wes hasn''t.

Certainly feel he has helped defensively but in the last few weeks having conceded goals the defensive duties need to be looked at by all. Certainly as the clean sheets are very important.

[Bryangunnshairline 0]

They linked up once in the arsenal game. No enough. Morison is doing well but we need more support up front. I think we should go back to the diamond . It worked so well for two years. I understand for the "big" teams we can''t do that but for games like this sat at home we should go with it. For me the same back 5 with Holt and morison with Wes behind , pilks /Bennett or crofts on the right, fox in front of the back four and Johnson on the left. The main threat from Qpr will be wright Phillips so Johnson can keep him quiet . This formation will give us more tempo and push us higher up the pitch and put less pressure on our defence.

[curly_whirly_tipz 0]

I partly agree with Bryangunnshairline... Although a risk - we have in previous season done well with the diamond and although QPR should not be doubted, I think it would be the best opportunity the team will have to try out the formation.

However QPR is a massive game and 3 points is greatly needed to boost confidence and morale etc as 3 loses or 2 loses and a draw will probably be seen as disapointing and therefore playing with the formation might not be a good idea. I dunno im just glad im not the one to make the decision...