Is it too early to start thinking we're going up?

Kalimantan Gull · Feb 12, 2017

Dorset Seagull said:
I expect the same could have been said during the run in last season at various points

nonsense, Burnley and Boro were in, around, and mainly ahead of us right through that period. I just pointed out that 7 wins, 5 draws and 4 defeats will see us get 90 points, over the same period last year we did much better with 9 wins, 6 draws and 1 defeat and 'only' got 89 points

Sussex Nomad · Feb 12, 2017

crasher said:
I'd feel more confident if we looked stronger away from home. Lately we've started every away game slowly and poorly.

And - because we only ever play one way 4-4-2, there are games like Huddersfield where we make it harder for ourselves.

So no, it's not time to think about going up. It's time to think about how we can improve.

I agree that perhaps we could go a little more defensive in the tough away games, 4-5-1, not all, just the Leeds, Norwich and Villa's of this world.

Bob'n'weave · Feb 12, 2017

Icy Gull said:
The changes were very sensible although it did look like it might backfire as the 3 settled in. Hemed can't play 90 mins and we looked much more threatening up front with Murray imo. Baldock and Stephens haven't played for weeks and are needed on Tuesday. Chuba and Kayal need game time. The game was pretty safe by the time the subs were made. Chuba looks like he might be a big plus for us, he has presence, although the ref took a dislike to him imo

Fair comment, and yes, the Ref was a bit funny with Chuba. I suppose it was the best time to give other players a run out, just made we sweat while the team adjusted and conceded a goal. I like the look of Chuba as well, seems to be a handful in the box. With him and Solly running at defenders I think we will pose a real problem for defences and see teams sitting back a bit more. Thought Burton did well to come and play instead of park, hope they stay up.

sydney · Feb 12, 2017

of course what we aren't considering is if the f.a have decided if it's our turn yet or are they going to send some prem refs down to put the kybosch on us a'la the complete and utter shyster , andre mariner or god forbid , darren deadman.....

SUA Seagull · Feb 12, 2017

Huddersfield’s recent league from is hugely impressive; W9 D1 L1 GD+9 with 28 points from their last 11 Championship games. Currently on 58 points, with 48 to play for (and arguably the easiest run in of the leading pack), it is not beyond the realms of possibility that they could amass 90 points over 46 games based on their current form, which shows no signs of abating.

They have a tenacious manager, a strong squad, good team spirit, they press teams very hard and they will surely be there or thereabouts come May? Automatic promotion this season may well require a haul of more than 90 points – an even tougher challenge than last season.

With Albion 6 points clear of, and with a better GD than, Huddersfield we can afford the odd slip up as long as we match Huddersfield’s points haul in 13/14 of the remaining 16 games (I am assuming that Reading and Leeds now have too many points to make up on us especially if we win our game in hand over them but, of course, anything is possible in this division - as we saw last season!).

Albion remain on course for a top two slot and with four home games in February this is a crucial month for us. Never has the “one game at a time” mantra been truer; first up, we have to beat Ipswich on Tuesday because you’d have to put your money on Huddersfield beating Rotherham and it’ll be psychologically important for us to maintain a 6 point gap with 15 games to play.

A Newcastle supporting pal of mine is expressing concerns over their upcoming games; Norwich (A), Villa (H), Bristol C (H), Albion (A), Huddersfield (A), Reading (A) and Fulham (H). He’s worried that Huddersfield and Albion may pip them to the autos, so it’s nice to know that we’re not the only ones looking over our shoulder.

It could very well go down to the wire yet again this season. I hope not; my nerves are still shot to pieces from last season’s dramatic finale! Supporting the Albion has always been a nail biting experience and this season will probably be no different.

Crucially, our fate is in our own hands. After last season’s bitter experience I am taking nothing for granted. I continue to place complete faith in CH and the squad (which, thankfully, is returning to full strength just in time for the end of season run-in) that they will get the job done.

But, whatever happens, it has been a remarkable journey over the last few seasons and, like all Albion fans, one I have been proud and privileged to have witnessed.

Come on you Seagulls!

Freddie Goodwin. · Feb 12, 2017

Newcastle seem more brittle than us, more prone to the unexpected defeat and supporters who are used to failure & tend to panic when things go badly.

We just need to keep our nerve, aim to be top & keep up with Newcastle. Every win we have will dishearten the chasing pack, the cannot close the gap while we win and they can't win all the time.

Tactically I think we need to be a bit ougher away from home, especially when it comes to our midfield being swamped because we go for 2 wide players.

symyjym · Feb 12, 2017

Shropshire Seagull said:
Our GD is a positive but I have this horrible worst case scenario nagging in my head.
Udders win the league and we are tied on points with the Toon for 2nd, thus missing out on autos on GD again.
We are drawn with in the play-offs .....

Never really considered this but it cannot be ruled out.

Ernest · Feb 12, 2017

I'm glad we play Norwich at the end of the season as they seem to have turned it all around and are on a charge

Dorset Seagull · Feb 12, 2017

Kalimantan Gull said:
nonsense, Burnley and Boro were in, around, and mainly ahead of us right through that period. I just pointed out that 7 wins, 5 draws and 4 defeats will see us get 90 points, over the same period last year we did much better with 9 wins, 6 draws and 1 defeat and 'only' got 89 points

It's all pretty academic really I guess as the only certainty is if we only lose 1 more game and win the others we will definitely be promoted

peterward · Feb 12, 2017

crasher said:
I'd feel more confident if we looked stronger away from home. Lately we've started every away game slowly and poorly.

And - because we only ever play one way 4-4-2, there are games like Huddersfield where we make it harder for ourselves.

So no, it's not time to think about going up. It's time to think about how we can improve.

Without blowing my own trumpet, I was of those that kept harking on about the value of Baldock to this formation when others only looked at his not so great goals return. Our 4-4-2 works with Baldock as he makes it a 4-5-1 without ball, he constantly puts pressure on defenders and his runs open up spaces. It's no coincidence our blip coincides with him out of the team, the balance for our 4-4-2 is missing and we lose the midfield battles. It just doesn't work defensively when Murray and hemed start together.

Keep Baldock fit and I'm sure our away form improves, he defends from the front and is massively underrated in our system. It may be Murray or hemed on the scoresheet and knockaert producing wizardry, but Baldock is the main man for me in making this system work when we don't have the ball.

Joe Gatting's Dad · Feb 12, 2017

I do not understand why people keep going on about "our game in hand" - it's against Newcastle for goodness sake. All we have to do is average two points a game (which we are well ahead of) and we must finish in the top two. It is almost mathematically impossible for three teams to achieve this level.

Your Mum · Feb 12, 2017

Pevenseagull said:
I think about

your mum

too much.

Nixonator · Feb 12, 2017

peterward said:
Without blowing my own trumpet, I was of those that kept harking on about the value of Baldock to this formation when others only looked at his not so great goals return. Our 4-4-2 works with Baldock as he makes it a 4-5-1 without ball, he constantly puts pressure on defenders and his runs open up spaces. It's no coincidence our blip coincides with him out of the team, the balance for our 4-4-2 is missing and we lose the midfield battles. It just doesn't work defensively when Murray and hemed start together.

Keep Baldock fit and I'm sure our away form improves, he defends from the front and is massively underrated in our system. It may be Murray or hemed on the scoresheet and knockaert producing wizardry, but Baldock is the main man for me in making this system work when we don't have the ball.

Whilst I mostly agree with what you're saying, it's certainly not as obvious as missing Stephens, but missing both of them definitely compounds the issue.

We were without both of them for our only home loss of the season thus far, and without both of them for the recent demolition job Hudds did on us.

London Irish · Feb 12, 2017

I'm certainly not reading anything into yesterday, Burton were abysmal

NooBHA · Feb 12, 2017

Icy Gull said:
Huddersfield gained 5 points on us last week, so yes much too early

That's true but we now have got two tough away games out of the way and actually only lost 2 points on the 3rd placed team, albeit that 3rd placed team has now changed

Rugrat · Feb 12, 2017

Joe Gatting's Dad said:
I do not understand why people keep going on about "our game in hand" - it's against Newcastle for goodness sake

The game in hand (over Reading and Leeds) can be against anyone you want it to be, fact is we have 16 to play and they have 15. We've still to play Newcastle just as they have so there's an argument to say it's Rotherham (who Leeds don't play) or Bristol (who Reading don't play)

Seasider78 · Feb 12, 2017

Before Xmas everyone was worrying about reading then Leeds went on an incredible run and it was them we should be worrying about how it is Huddersfield. Throughout all of that one thing has remained consistent and that is us digging out results and remaining in the top two spots. It is still in our hands and I think our home form and ability to battle draws and wins away will see us through.

B52 · Feb 12, 2017

erkan said:
Funny how every few weeks a different Championship team has suddenly acquired the quality of Brazil 1970 and we have to worry about them winning every game... Huddersfield are likely to take around 14-16 pts max. from their next 8 games - we will probably extend our lead over them.

Sent from my SM-G357FZ using Tapatalk

That's the spirit!!

Bob'n'weave · Feb 12, 2017

We all seem to have a belt and braces mindset about the promo battle, which is understandable. I also think though, that apart from a few disasters and a few massive wins, we have been consistently hard to beat without a 'perfect' set up that everybody is happy with and without a stand out run of games. We have just been consistently well managed and hard to beat. I am still waiting for our 'run of great form' to happen and with the current squad this could happen, ON TOP of our steady form, when we are settled. Quietly confident is as far as I will go. God bless CH and TB, #keepTheFaith. :albion2:

Gazwag · Feb 12, 2017

Dale Jasper said:
We are one bad week away from getting sucked into a six-team fight to go up. Huddersfield are on fire. In the past few years we have struggled in the play offs. Much as I would like it to be, this is not over

We were on fire last February, March and April but we didn't catch up

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