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Chip20

Another unbeaten run?

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There has been a lot of negativity on this board lately, mainly in response to a poor run of form and lack of superstar striker signings. Some are predicting certain relegation if we don''t sign a proven striker this window. Obviously comments from the gaffer that he is happy with what we already have if nothing transpires on the transfer front haven''t helped such people, but is a multi-million pound forward really likely to be that pivotal?I bet a lot of us felt like this after a similar run of games at the start of the season, with some disappointing draws and some morale-sapping hammerings. Yet after just such a pounding at Stamford Bridge in early October we embarked on a run that saw us undefeated until almost Christmas and included some unexpected victories. Now, I''m looking back and trying to work out who the superstar striker was that rescued us from certain relegation back then. Who did we sign, well outside the transfer window, that arrested our relegation form and propelled us away from the dreaded relegation zone?Back then many were hailing the form of the cultured Garrido, the awesome enforcing of Johnson, the marauding forward runs of Tetty. Our strikers were conspicuous by their lack of goals throughout most of that run, yet we were still winning games and performing well. It seems to me that the problem has arisen at the other end. The loss of Ruddy and Whittaker and the occasional absence of Bassong has hit us hard. Some players are perhaps not showing quite the form they did during that wonderful run. Is the multi-million pound capture of a Graham or a Hooper or A N Other (proven goal-scoring record or otherwise) going to offset our defensive frailties or reinvigorate any out-of-form midfielders/defenders?Is there any particular reason to feel that, when Whittaker and Bassong are back in the side, the same set of players who contributed to that run couldn''t repeat a similar feat? I know some think everyone else below us will spend their way out of trouble and stride above us in the table. Yet there are sides still below us in the table despite our disappointing recent form who have had how many transfer windows to build a squad stronger than ours and yet they still languish below us, unable to translate all that investment into league position. Is there any particular reason to believe that suddenly they will all find just the right ingredient over the next nine days? Will one or two players make all that difference to all of them; will one or two players make all that difference to us?Bottom line; why can''t the doom-mongers conceivably entertain the possibility that the same players who contributed to our unbeaten run could repeat a similar feat without the signing of a superstar striker?

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The lack of attacking intent from that unbeaten run is what is concerning people. They say the best form of defence is attack! Newcastle, West Ham and Liverpool were very poor attacking performances, the squad needs a new face or two to freshen it up. If Holt were to get injured again, who would fit his role?

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I see what you are saying about injuries but...I know I keep harping on about it, but we still have the same players available who were so immense in October/November/December. Goals from strikers isn''t what sustained that run. What has changed so much that several people on here are getting their knickers in a right twist about not having signed a proven striker, like, weeks ago?

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[quote user="Chip20"]I see what you are saying about injuries but...

I know I keep harping on about it, but we still have the same players available who were so immense in October/November/December. Goals from strikers isn''t what sustained that run. What has changed so much that several people on here are getting their knickers in a right twist about not having signed a proven striker, like, weeks ago?
[/quote]

 

Spot on. We all know that we need another striker, including the club. However, some of us have sufficient brain cells to understand that, however hard the club tries, we may be outbid for our primary targets by bigger clubs. Consequently we may have to look at Plans b,c,d or e. I think that Hughton''s comments are perfectly understandable. If no one arrives how would he be able to lift the squad if he''s spend the window banging on about the need for reinforcements?

That said, I have no doubt that players will come in over the next 9 days, but as you rightly say, we have the players who produced the run and its significant that our poor run has conincided with Whittaker, Holt and Bassong missing games to add to the long term loss of Ruddy. Get those three back and we''ll be  amuch stronger proposition. The problem is that names are being bandied around and certain posters are acting like spoilt kids because they aren''t getting exactly who they want when they want. It''s rather pathetic but sums up why so many good posters have disappeared from this forum in the last couple of years.

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If the defence can start playing tightly as they did during the 10 game run, then it might free up the midfielders to be more positive.  This in turn may lead to creation of more chances for Holt.  Bassong and Whitaker back could make the difference.  Also after Spurs, the next few games, whilst not gimme''s, are more winnable.  Maybe with Camp replacing Bunn (although I would still try Rudd first!), even a new striker, then by end of February the cigars can come out again.

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Like many have already said - don''t panic!

Without any stats to hand, I would be very surprised if there have been any teams relegated from the Prem, who have, at some stage in that season, had a 10 game unbeaten run, but am willing to be corrected, and let the headless chickens have their moment.

We are more than capable of having another ''mini'' (5/6/7) game unbeaten run, which will take us way beyond where the doomongers, are forecasting.

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Baldyboy, is it impossible to conceive that, with the same tools available as last time, we couldn''t embark on a second unbeaten run? The last one followed a sequence of poor results; why couldn''t another one? Like I said above, it didn''t take a superstar striker to achieve it before.

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It seems to be a season where teams have a good run followed by a poor run, followed by a good run. WBA & Swansea have had these kind of runs. Stoke were like us on a 10 game unbeaten run and have then lost the last 2 or 3.

We have struggled over the last 6 games because we have generally had at least 2 of the "first eleven" missing - Ruddy & Whittaker have missed them all, Holt didn''t start 4, Johnson & Bassong have missed games and Pilks/Wes/Tettey have all had a little drop in form. It has shown that the likes of R Bennett, Howson, Jackson & Kane aren''t perhaps quite good enough. Would like to see Fox given a game or 2 - keeps us in possession which is something we really have struggled to do.

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