Points Progress 17/18

I'm predicting a cool 45 pts for us, 12th at the absolute lowest, but far more likely 10th or 11th. Think we beat Burnley and Huddersfield, draw to Palarse, lose to Spuds, draw to Newcastle and lose to United

 

Maybe a missed it but I don’t remember any real issue of ego between QSF and Gino? He was brought in as a ‘safe pair of hands’ defensive type coach to give us some stability in our first season. He did that very well initially when we looked hard to beat and break down, it took a little while for our first win but we looked solid and not out of our depth. Then by accident after initially starting Troy as the number 9, Iggy forced his way and he switched them round with Troy and number 10 and we had our purple patch before Xmas. Iggy then stopped scoring and we struggled. The main thing I remember was that QSF was cautious and stubborn which ultimately I think was his undoing. He had his favourite players, players who were not necessarily very good (Jurado, 0 assists, 0 goals?) but who he would rather play them out of their natural position because he trusted them to do what he said in that role, ahead of a player better suited to that role but who might take a few more risks. If we take our rose tinted specs off for a minute, how can anybody forget quite how dull the football was? People talk about getting to the FA cup semi final, but does anybody remember that game? We literally had no identity, no attack, no identifiable system of play. Our best chance to get to a major cup final in god knows how long and we were literally scared stiff/ and or clueless about attacking the opposition. Ultimately he just showed himself to be a very limited and boring coach. I don’t think Gino could see how he would take us forward or how he could trust him with better more skillfull flair players the following season. Gino is also a football fan and wants to enjoy what he sees played in front of him, that’s isnt something he would’ve got from QSF.

 

Just so.
That match was a golden opportunity and we under performed in a major way.
Opportunities like that come fleetingly and as a player you want to be certain you play to your potential,even if you lose the game.
I think,just as in the Play Off match,very few players scored more than a 5/10.
Haunting to this day.

 

A19, you don’t remember the semi final, plainly, as Jurado assisted.

It have been his only one, though.

 

I’m sure you’ve all been waiting with bated breath for this update which was delayed as I’ve just come back from holiday:

The current position is:

• 3 points worse than this time last year (37 vs 40). This is the same as after the last game.
• 1 point better than the comparable fixtures last year (37 vs 36). This is 3 point worse than after the last game.
• 2 points better than the '40 point' line (37 vs 35). This is 1 points worse than after the last game.

 

These are great, although my biggest take-homes are a) how good a job Quique did with what was essentially half a Championship side and b) how we can't afford another decline next season!

 

but...but... we wanted pretty football right?

 

God yes.

A few years ago Southampton, Everton, Swansea and West Ham were wonderful to watch and successful at doing so. They all threw their footballing principles out the window for one reason or another (poor management choice, too much money on AMCs and no strikers, European over-ambitions after beating Man Utd, and Dmitri Payet respectively) and all 4 are now poor sides.

There is a way to play well and get results, but step 1 is fixing our tinpot defensive underbelly. Pozzo's have had some success with Benatia and Zapata, Sensini, Paganin and Helveg... But history shows that developing/buying good defenders is a real shortcoming...

 

Sigh, still stuck on 37 points and it's hard to see where we will pick up anything. Staying up on 37 points is pathetic,.

 

ave of 0.88 points per game under Gracia. Hard to see where the last 3 points will come from?

 

Once we have played another 3.41 games.

 

Still 10th!

 

Geordie?

 

I dread to think what is going to happen in a season when we do not get off to a good start.

 

Watford were 4th favourites for relegation this season behind Huddersfield, Brighton and Burnley.

Bookies got it wrong but I predict Watford will be 4th favourites for relegation again behind Huddersfield, Burnley and play-off winners.

 

Why would Burnley be relegation favourites next season? Unless they sell all their players and Dyche gets the Arsenal job.

 

The goals are drying up, but another point. Can we beat the 40 we got last year?

The current position is:

• 2 points worse than this time last year (38 vs 40). This is 1 points better than after the last game.
• 1 point better than the comparable fixtures last year (38 vs 37). This is the same as after the last game
• 1 point better than the '40 point' line (38 vs 37). This is the same as after the last game

 

Should be on 42 points but for the stupid late long ball goals. At least we kept a clean sheet today

 

The current position is:

• 1 point better than this time last year (41 vs 40). This is 3 point better than after the last game.
• 1 point better than the comparable fixtures last year (41 vs 40). This is the same as after the last game
• 2 points better than the '40 point' line (41 vs 39). This is 2 points better than after the last game.

 

My last posting of this year on this post

What a funny season, but we survived, and hey - we beat last years number of points!!!

The final position is:

• 1 point better than this time last year (41 vs 40). This is the same as after the last game.
• 1 point better than the comparable fixtures last year (41 vs 40). This is the same as after the last game
• 1 point better than the '40 point' line (41 vs 40). This is 1 point worse than after the last game.

 

Great effort. Same again next year please!

 

At least next season we don't play stoke - last 2 seasons home game against them caused season to collapse!

 

We will probably draw them at the Vic in the 3rd round of the FA Cup!

 

Thanks David - this has been a great thread

 

Hey David, any chance you’ll be doing this again this season? A popular thread and one I like looking at each week. Sure it takes you some time though, so thanks either way.

 

Yes I will be! I'm just back from holiday so I'll do an update after the Burnley game.

 

Excellent news. I wonder if we can we stay above the Silva line til we play them?

 

Excellent, it's top work you do there. A little disappointed no hand drawn week one graph like when on holiday at the start of last season though.