Our last 8 home fixtures are tough.

[BensGrandad]

On our day we should fear no team but the problems is we are not having enough of our days.

 

[Goring Gull]

Including games against:

Watford
Bournemouth
Norwich
Wolves
Derby

We could end up ruing the lacklustre performances against the 'weaker' sides at the start of the season.

Was positive until tonight, but listening to the performance on the radio has put me in a real funk.

People keep forgetting we are one of the weaker teams

 

[Lurchy]

Majority of those teams heading to the AMEX will be in desperate need of points themselves to help secure a play-off place and meaning they arrive with an attacking mentality which means they could be open on the counter. Anyhow they're going to be tough and largely unpretty.

 

[nwgull]

Ipswich came knowing that they'd go top with a win. On our day we can take points from anyone. Except Derby and Wednesday away.

From 16 games I can see 5 ugly wins, 3 draws and 8 defeats. 48 points should be enough.

 

[severnside gull]

If we set up with negative "away team" tactics at the Amex and have the courage to reinvent our defence by introducing Hughes at right back and Halford for Greer we might have a chance of pulling more points from those home games. Our problem remains that we can't score goals.

 

[Ferring Marine]

Including games against:

Watford
Bournemouth
Norwich
Wolves
Derby

We could end up ruing the lacklustre performances against the 'weaker' sides at the start of the season.

Was positive until tonight, but listening to the performance on the radio has put me in a real funk.

So were our first 15 home games. Heh, lets score first for a change and let them score within minutes and hey, let's dominate the first 15 minutes and let them score with their first attempt on goal. We're too nice at home whatever that means.
A similar pattern (apart from Ipswich which was magnificent)

 

[Paris]

Good job we have an easy last day game then

We have been pony at the Amex against Boro but have a decent enough recent record at the Riverside. Hopefully they will be home and hosed come the final day of the season. We might well be lining up against a load of hungover players.

 

[Easy 10]

psssst I don't know if you've noticed, but when there are only 3 teams more shithouse than us, all the games are tough.

Particularly when 2 of those 3 shithouse teams below us have already taken 4 points in 2 games and 3 points in 1 game off us this season...

 

[GingerBeerMan]

If we set up with negative "away team" tactics at the Amex and have the courage to reinvent our defence by introducing Hughes at right back and Halford for Greer we might have a chance of pulling more points from those home games. Our problem remains that we can't score goals.

Completely agree with everything. Our defensive solutions are on the bench.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

We struggle to break down teams that defend in numbers and most teams tend to do that at the Amex. Sadly this isn't exclusive to this season and we struggled at home last season too (even with the players who went during the summer and who a lot of fans are mourning the loss off)

We do better against teams that are prepared to attack us (like Ipswich) teams that will want to try to win the game but will leave themselves more open for us to exploit. (They may also have a dip in form as the finish line approaches which may benefit us too

 

[Guy Fawkes]

If we set up with negative "away team" tactics at the Amex and have the courage to reinvent our defence by introducing Hughes at right back and Halford for Greer we might have a chance of pulling more points from those home games. Our problem remains that we can't score goals.

We need numbers in attack (and quickly) we need people running off the striker towards goal (like Buckley used to do on occasion) we need to be more inventive and less predictable, more little flicks, give and goes, etc, to buy space for a shot but it's always hard to do this when a team is struggling. Hopefully Hughton can get this right and quickly.

 

[durrington gull]

Our home form will send us down, we need to nick some away wins - lost complete confidence at the amex

 

[severnside gull]

We need numbers in attack (and quickly) we need people running off the striker towards goal (like Buckley used to do on occasion) we need to be more inventive and less predictable, more little flicks, give and goes, etc, to buy space for a shot but it's always hard to do this when a team is struggling. Hopefully Hughton can get this right and quickly.

Totally agree........Once we have solved our proclivity for giving away soft goals.......

Kayal showed class last night and Stephens' return is a real bonus but there was so little movement up front!!!!!
Admittedly only on the basis of one game O'Grady is currently a better option than Best to start. He was largely immobile and there is little excuse for that.
We need natural width and we need pace but if there is one change I would say we need to make it is that midfielders need to shoot early. Look at the Ipswich game and then look at Forest and again last night when we reverted to playing too carefully and waiting for the final pass that never comes before the move breaks down.

 

[perseus]

We get the possession advantage in midfield (except against Brentford, and this might be Derby, Wolves, Norwich, Bournemouth, Watford as well).

So it might figure that we needed a wide man to cross the ball instead of trying to thread it through the middle all the time?

The snag is our home opponents are more tricky now as the OP said and we might have to battle for supremacy in midfield and the forwards to win the ball back if they lose it. Different kettle.

We could really use a speed merchant (CH terminology) wide player to be more expansive and stretch the opposition. But we seemed to be OK in midfield possession wise. But whether we will against the top teams?

All told the home games will be more interesting from now on if we can compete.

PS: I am not sure we should shoot early as the shots get blocked. Forest showed that a quick cross can be dangerous. A quick dart and a low cross into space in front of a striker and then the "striker" has to choose to shoot straightaway or evade the defender. It will probably depend if it falls on his stronger or weaker foot?

 

[perseus]

If you can't beat the sides around you at home then you know you got problems big time

Both Millwall and the Albion have the same trouble.

 

[perseus]

Home League defeats:

11-12 4
12-13 3
13-14 6
14-15 6 (probably at least 8)

05-06 11

91-92 9
72-73 6

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96-97 5