Have you taken to Steve Clarke yet?

[Portsmouth Royal]

Bit confused here.

M Munch states we were only having a few shots per game under the previous manager.

I Royal provides data which proves this is not the case.

I Royal is called every name under the sun.

Was the data incorrect?

For the record I felt when he was sacked that Adkins could have few real complaints. That being said we could easily have been in exactly the same situation right now had he remained in charge (albeit circa £1million better off). Certainly I am presuming he too was looking to clear out a squad largely inherited from his predecessor with a few massively overpaid additions from a certain Russian which has hamstrung every manager employed since his arrival.

I don't think the problem is or was the management. Its the players. Too many capable managers have struggled to turn this current squad into anything approaching a unit.

[Snowball]

Let's remember the Madejski pitch is getting worse every week, and that can't be helping,
just as players thinking about maybe getting to Wembley might very well be making them
play less than 100% in the league games.

Championship results this season clearly show that apart from Blackpool there is
not a lot to choose between sides on any given day. We talk of being relegation candidates
despite having taken four points off Boro (2nd place) and all six points of Norwich (3rd place)
and six points of Ipswich (now sixth place).

This is a bit of a blip, that's all.

0-1 Watford, then, since Christmas

DWWD
L to Fulham (94th minute)
WDWW (one defeat in 9 games)

LWLWLL

So the reality is after one defeat in 9 games, we've only won 2 games in the last six,still a total of only 5 defeats in 15 games.


Clearly, the monkey on our back at home is getting bigger every week
but the bookies are still offering 40-1 against us going down


Why don't all the moaning minis like Floyd stick a few Judas grand on and get rich?

[floyd__streete]

I don't think we are going down, simply because Blackpool are a shambles of a club and Millwall have Ian Holloway as their manager. Wigan have probably left it a bit late. 3 more wins probably be enough for us, even we might be able to manage that.

Thanks for the tip off though, will go and stick some money on us at 40/1, it is good value for such a poorly performing side

[Angry Shed Sex]

I don't think we are going down, simply because Blackpool are a shambles of a club and Millwall have Ian Holloway as their manager. Wigan have probably left it a bit late. 3 more wins probably be enough for us, even we might be able to manage that.

Thanks for the tip off though, will go and stick some money on us at 40/1, it is good value for such a poorly performing side

There's always 1 club that pulls themselves out of the mire and 1 that nose dives into the relegation zone around this time. At 40/1 I'm prepared to have a little Judas bet on it being us.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Let's remember the Madejski pitch is getting worse every week, and that can't be helping,
?

Yes! Both poor sides and quality sides have been totally unable to play on the pitch. Leeds, Wigan and Forest all unable to score or defend on it. Yes, it must be the pitch. That makes total sense.

[Snowball]

Let's remember the Madejski pitch is getting worse every week, and that can't be helping,
?

Yes! Both poor sides and quality sides have been totally unable to play on the pitch. Leeds, Wigan and Forest all unable to score or defend on it. Yes, it must be the pitch. That makes total sense.

I merely said, "It can't be helping"

[Snowball]

Everyone who says we are going down and ISN'T betting on us at 40-1, is...

[TBM]

Everyone who says we are going down and ISN'T betting on us at 40-1, is...

...not a gambler

[Ian Royal]

Everyone who says we are going down and ISN'T betting on us at 40-1, is...

There's a difference between saying we haven't improved / we aren't very good / Clarke isn't doing well enough / we're in a relegation fight

and saying we're going down.

[Snowball]

Everyone who says we are going down and ISN'T betting on us at 40-1, is...

There's a difference between saying we haven't improved / we aren't very good / Clarke isn't doing well enough / we're in a relegation fight

and saying we're going down.

so are we NOT going down?

[TBM]

Everyone who says we are going down and ISN'T betting on us at 40-1, is...

There's a difference between saying we haven't improved / we aren't very good / Clarke isn't doing well enough / we're in a relegation fight

and saying we're going down.

so are we NOT going down?

So would you put a grand on us staying up?

[Hoop Blah]

Despite the shocking run of home form I'm reasonably content with the job Clarke is doing.

The team have looked much more organised, much more resilient, players have been playing in their most natural positions and we've generally played with more intensity and intent.

Since we've progressed into the cup and pulled ourselves away from the relegation zone a little he's clearly been concentrating on getting the players in the best shape possible for the Bradford game so that he can give us the best chance of our first semi-final appearance since 1927. I can't argue with that, even if it has been at the expense of a little momentum and a few league points and I'd argue that the tinkering with formation and personnel is all about working towards a win on Saturday. The one concern there is that we've lost the momentum but as we've been such an inconsistent side anyway this season I doubt it's made that much difference.

The lack of a forward capable of putting the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis is massive and really shouldn't be underestimated but the performances have been significantly better than they were under Adkins.

[Snowball]

So would you put a grand on us staying up?

No, because the odds don't make the bet worth it

But 40-1 to be relegated, even for me who thinks we'll finish
well clear of third bottom on points, is a very enticing bet

But for the moaning knee-jerkers who blet
"Going Down", they should bet and bet big

[Snowball]

Despite the shocking run of home form I'm reasonably content with the job Clarke is doing.

The team have looked much more organised, much more resilient, players have been playing in their most natural positions and we've generally played with more intensity and intent.

Since we've progressed into the cup and pulled ourselves away from the relegation zone a little he's clearly been concentrating on getting the players in the best shape possible for the Bradford game so that he can give us the best chance of our first semi-final appearance since 1927. I can't argue with that, even if it has been at the expense of a little momentum and a few league points and I'd argue that the tinkering with formation and personnel is all about working towards a win on Saturday. The one concern there is that we've lost the momentum but as we've been such an inconsistent side anyway this season I doubt it's made that much difference.

The lack of a forward capable of putting the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis is massive and really shouldn't be underestimated but the performances have been significantly better than they were under Adkins.

Excellent post.






But please stop being sensible.

Surely you know we are going to be playing in the conference soon?

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Despite the shocking run of home form I'm reasonably content with the job Clarke is doing.

The team have looked much more organised, much more resilient, players have been playing in their most natural positions and we've generally played with more intensity and intent.

Since we've progressed into the cup and pulled ourselves away from the relegation zone a little he's clearly been concentrating on getting the players in the best shape possible for the Bradford game so that he can give us the best chance of our first semi-final appearance since 1927. I can't argue with that, even if it has been at the expense of a little momentum and a few league points and I'd argue that the tinkering with formation and personnel is all about working towards a win on Saturday. The one concern there is that we've lost the momentum but as we've been such an inconsistent side anyway this season I doubt it's made that much difference.

The lack of a forward capable of putting the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis is massive and really shouldn't be underestimated but the performances have been significantly better than they were under Adkins.

With all due deference to what is a perfectly reasonable and well argued point, I would have to quibble about our poor form being due to Clarke "tinkering" with one eye on Bradford. That team against Forest was his strongest starting 11.

[Snowball]

Despite the shocking run of home form I'm reasonably content with the job Clarke is doing.

The team have looked much more organised, much more resilient, players have been playing in their most natural positions and we've generally played with more intensity and intent.

Since we've progressed into the cup and pulled ourselves away from the relegation zone a little he's clearly been concentrating on getting the players in the best shape possible for the Bradford game so that he can give us the best chance of our first semi-final appearance since 1927. I can't argue with that, even if it has been at the expense of a little momentum and a few league points and I'd argue that the tinkering with formation and personnel is all about working towards a win on Saturday. The one concern there is that we've lost the momentum but as we've been such an inconsistent side anyway this season I doubt it's made that much difference.

The lack of a forward capable of putting the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis is massive and really shouldn't be underestimated but the performances have been significantly better than they were under Adkins.

With all due deference to what is a perfectly reasonable and well argued point, I would have to quibble about our poor form being due to Clarke "tinkering" with one eye on Bradford. That team against Forest was his strongest starting 11.

And we played really well against a side that has roared up the table

I feel sure, had we scored and gone in ahead at HT we'd've got at least a draw

There was very little wrong with us for the whole game (except poor finishing)
and Forest are on a six-game winning run, scoring 10 goals in 3 away games

3-2 A Brighton
3-0 H Wigan
4-4 A Blackpool
4-1 H Bolton
2-1 H Bournemouth
3-0 A Reading

[Hoop Blah]

@Roadkill, IMO the tweaking stalled our momentum and has given the players a bit of an excuse to drop their performances a tad because we're rotating and disrupting things.

Players aren't machines and chopping and changing as dramatically as we have has an impact. That's my only fear over the route Clarke has gone. I'm not 100% sure we'll be able to just switch back to the level of performance we were starting to get (although we were still inconsistent obviously).

[Hoop Blah]

And we played really well against a side that has roared up the table

I feel sure, had we scored and gone in ahead at HT we'd've got at least a draw

There was very little wrong with us for the whole game (except poor finishing)
and Forest are on a six-game winning run, scoring 10 goals in 3 away games

I'd agree with that to a large extent. I'd also add that we got beaten thanks to two well hit long range efforts that I think Federici could've done better with.

He's carrying a knock at moment and has always had a bit of a weakness to long range efforts. If he'd not been caught off his line for the first one the result could well have been different.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Despite the shocking run of home form I'm reasonably content with the job Clarke is doing.

The team have looked much more organised, much more resilient, players have been playing in their most natural positions and we've generally played with more intensity and intent.

Since we've progressed into the cup and pulled ourselves away from the relegation zone a little he's clearly been concentrating on getting the players in the best shape possible for the Bradford game so that he can give us the best chance of our first semi-final appearance since 1927. I can't argue with that, even if it has been at the expense of a little momentum and a few league points and I'd argue that the tinkering with formation and personnel is all about working towards a win on Saturday. The one concern there is that we've lost the momentum but as we've been such an inconsistent side anyway this season I doubt it's made that much difference.

The lack of a forward capable of putting the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis is massive and really shouldn't be underestimated but the performances have been significantly better than they were under Adkins.

Excellent post.






But please stop being sensible.

Surely you know we are going to be playing in the conference soon?

You are strawmanning what people are saying. It doesn't win you the argument if you change the argument to something different, m8.

[leon]

Despite the shocking run of home form I'm reasonably content with the job Clarke is doing.

The team have looked much more organised, much more resilient, players have been playing in their most natural positions and we've generally played with more intensity and intent.

Since we've progressed into the cup and pulled ourselves away from the relegation zone a little he's clearly been concentrating on getting the players in the best shape possible for the Bradford game so that he can give us the best chance of our first semi-final appearance since 1927. I can't argue with that, even if it has been at the expense of a little momentum and a few league points and I'd argue that the tinkering with formation and personnel is all about working towards a win on Saturday. The one concern there is that we've lost the momentum but as we've been such an inconsistent side anyway this season I doubt it's made that much difference.

The lack of a forward capable of putting the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis is massive and really shouldn't be underestimated but the performances have been significantly better than they were under Adkins.

Excellent post.






But please stop being sensible.

Surely you know we are going to be playing in the conference soon?

You are strawmanning what people are saying. It doesn't win you the argument if you change the argument to something different, m8.

no you're strawmanning