Our next four games

As is now traditional around here, points prediction?

Blackpool (A)
Leeds (A)
Huddersfield (A)
Leicester (H)

Not our easiest run of games. Blackpool while weakened significantly are still a force to be reckoned with at home, especially with our shaky away record. Leeds likewise are a team whose physical style could stop our cogs turning properly. Huddersfield have proven tricky to deal with for many teams around us thus far. They haven't won many but they've held many good teams to a draw, and nearly did the same to us first game of the season. Then there's Leicester. Or more importantly, the best striker in the league right now Chris Wood. He was impressive at average Millwall, but with the quality of Leicester's team supplying him in front of goal he's looking unstoppable. A draw would be a great result, and ill be ecstatic if we don't concede (especially as they're not as solid at the back as they are at the front).

Honestly, I'd be happy taking 6 from these four, we have enough of a lead to get away with a weak tally. More than 6 and ill be chuffed. It also has to be said however if we being in a striker with as much ruthless proficiency as Chris Wood, the outlook would look seriously brighter.

Although we lost 2 games in a row earlier in the season i am not sure we have had a bad patch as such. 6 Points from the next 4 games doesnt sound brilliant especially on the back of a dour performance and settling for a home draw against Ipswich.

The truth is though that if we did that our 5 game total would be 7 points - only 3 short of the 2 points a game average needed to guarantee promotion over the course of a season. The next 4 games tagged onto the Ipswich game might turn out to be our little blip - our bad patch for the season. If we come out of those 4 games with 6 points i think i would be equally happy. I would even go as far as saying that 5 points in a run which includes us not losing against Leicester would be an ok total right now.

My biggest worry is that yesterday was a sign of what the rest of the season could be like if we dont improve the squad - especially up front. I mentioned in a thread once before that i was worried that our lack of dominant performances and our habit of scraping narrow wins could easily turn into draws or losses. It is possible to go through the rest of the season eeking out enough 1-0 and 2-1 wins to get us to where we need to be but it is risky. Results like yesterday are always just a spurned half chance away.

If we get a top class striker in and start playing in a way to create enough chances for him then i will feel confident for the rest of the season. At the moment i am mostly looking at Marshall, Hudson and the rest of the defence to get us to where we need to be. That is a lot of pressure on them with 19 games still to go.

Exactly what I'm thinking Toast Boy. We're top of the league afterall, every other team we play against should be worried about playing us, but all we're doing is worrying about whether we'll do any good either. We need a great striker, one that would happily rival the top scorers of the league if they didn't have a 20 game advantage (unless of course we get Charlie Austin...). Once we get a striker who scares defenders and who once given the ball in the box can be trusted to put it away 9 times out of 10, then we need a good solid trouncing of a team. It doesn't matter if its Leicester or Barnsley, we need to run away with a game 3-0, 4-0 where the opposition are completely outplayed in everyway. That would give some severe confidence to the squad, and make us very hard to overcome.

Consistency of performances as well as results is the best way i think. As well as being easier on the eye and less stressful for the watching fans those dominant performances and larger wins can help keep the points ticking over - last minute goals conceded don't hurt much if you are already 3 or 4 goals up.

I have got the impression that Leicester have been one of the best sides for consitency of performances often seeming to come away with less from their games than they have deserved. I also get the impression that they might just be putting performances and results together now in a consistent way and look our biggest threat as the season progresses.

We have definitely been the most consistent results wise so far but i do think we need to up the performance levels to keep the points ticking over at the right rate for the rest of the season.

Back to the immediate 4 game run we have i will be happy if we finish the Leicester game with a 6 point lead over our nearest rivals. If we happen to still have the same lead or bigger than we have at the moment after that game then i will be delighted.

A prolific striker is what's stopping us from tearing the league apart right now.

There are other areas that need strengthening when/if (covering all bases there...) we go up but Gestede is dreadful, Helguson is getting too old and is best used as a sub, Mason is raw and Bellamy is an inside forward, winger or support man.

With the team we have now, I'd take 6 points. A good striker and a defender added to the team and I think 7-9.

Either amount would keep us top (I hope).

If not I'll chose death by being chased over a cliff by naked attractive women, as in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.

Bellamy is definetely a support striker, and a damn good one at that. That's not to say he can't break the net when asked to, but the main thing he's brought to the squad is a hell of a lot of pace and skill in our build up. Yesterday he produced some awesome little bits of skill to beat his man and find a clear run, and if it wasnt for Mason and Gestede either not expecting it or not being good enough to make the run we would of netted several times. Most used phrase on this forum right now, but a 'profilific striker' who is able to realise Bellamy can and will beat his man and can position himself to get in a position that Bellamy could give him the ball could cause devestating to team's defences.

I think we are all hopeful that Malky purchases a profilific striker who can position himself in positions to cause devastating...

Hey I'm ill, leave me alone

Red614 wrote:Hey I'm ill, leave me alone

Ah, the fatal manflu...

We have a fully fit squad and goals aplenty throughout the team. I would say that the obviously tiring Helguson is the reason we haven't been scoring so freely of late. I don't think our spearhead striker necessarily needs to be a goal machine, just good enough to cause defences headaches and bring others into play.

Even with no new faces, a win at Blackpool is certainly possible and could prove the springboard for the rest of the month. I said 10 points from the five fixtures in a previous thread, so I'll stand by that.

Three points against Leicester will be vital. The thing is, we could lose all four games and will probably still be top.

*** G L O V E S *** wrote:Three points against Leicester will be vital. The thing is, we could lose all four games and will probably still be top.

Good chance of it

Ill go with

Blackpool (A) - Win
Leeds (A) - Draw
Huddersfield (A) Win
Leicester (H) Lose

For me that would be a great return at this point of the season

Instincts tell me that 6 points will be realistic and acceptable. However after the midway point in the season we are 7 points clear of our nearest rivals, and that doesn't just happen with luck. We have the potential to pick up all 12 , but clearly Leicester is the more difficult match. A draw against them would feel almost like a win for me. So I'll go:- D,D,W,D, and bee satisfied with that.

I think that we can 8 points from the next four.
After a disappointing show on Saturday I have to amke an effort to be optimistic that they will improve from here.

I note that even after Ipswich not many fans can bring themselves to say the Foxes will beat us. I like it. May the City stadium remain unbeaten to the end of the season