[Archived] We're Doing Better Than You Think

[Jordan]

I know that Bellamy contributed more than just goals last season but an interesting stastic I heard was that if we took away the goals which Bellamy scored then we would have only lost about six points.

[LeftWinger]

I know that Bellamy contributed more than just goals last season but an interesting stastic I heard was that if we took away the goals which Bellamy scored then we would have only lost about six points.

It's always a crude way of comparing it - but think Kuqi's goals were worth more actual points than Bellers.

[OJRovers]

Any super stato's able to do a comparision of:

points with just Nelson

points with just Bellamy

points with both playing

It wouldnt be conclusive but would be interesting

[philipl]

I can think of at least three magnificent goal-saving tackles last season by Nelsen.

The one against Villa was a season saving tackle. Had we gone one down to Villa at that point, I doubt we would have made the top half, never mind the UEFA Cup.

Right up there with Bellar's goal against Boro when we were down to ten men in terms of critical importance to last season's success.

[T4E]

We could all think of that one. What are the other two?

Nelsen was a huge part of our success last season, but Bellamy was on another planet. When Hendry and Shearer were around they both undoubtedly contributed hugely, but we'd all have to agree that if we were to lose one, we'd have rathered it was Hendry.

[philipl]

Interesting comment set me thinking.

Shearer managed 30+ goals a season three seasons running, Bellamy scored 15 (?) and has never got above 11 in any other season. With strikers, there are absolute measures of worth.

I am astonished to find I'd take Nelsen of last season over Hendry as the better player- anyone else agree?

So you are right about Shearer being more valuable than Hendry but I'd put Nelsen and Bellamy on a par in terms of value to the club last season.

[T4E]

I disagree on the Nelsen/Hendry thing - which is probably why we disagree on the subject at hand.

It's easy to say "If you take away Bellamy's goals we only lost X amount of points", but that we be to ignore several other parts of his game, from direct assists to the pre-occupation that opposition defenders often have with marking him, leaving spaces for others. I think it would be fair to say Bellamy being on the pitch improved us as an attacking force massively, whilst playing alongside other fairly average forwards. Nelsen on the otherhand was helped out in his endeavours by a fantastic goalkeeper and some other very good defenders.

[Paul]

Let's see if we're still two only points behind last season's equivalent tally after the next two games.

Then, Paul's point really will have some force.

Not completely out of the question either if it's the Blackburn Rovers side that turned up in the second half at Reading.

If it's the team that turned up in the first half, it'll be a sorry looking nineteen points from nineteen games at the halfway stage.

We are two points behind last season's total but have played one game more, 19 played to date. Last season, after the 2-0 Boxing Day win at Boro, we were on 24 points, in 11th spot. Interestingly before beating Boro away last season we were one point ahead of them, have a look at today's table. This time last year we won two and drew two of the next 4 PL games. So we have Boro, Wigan, Arsenal, City to come in the next four matches, last season we had Wigan, Pompey, Utd, Bolton gaining eight points. I reckon we could get nine from the four games to come this year.

My glass remains half-full, as it has been for a few days , though I've spilt a little with the news it could be very difficult to get a Leverkusen ticket.

[Paul]

A win on Monday would put us 1 point ahead of last season's total on 31/12/05 but with two more games played. It's conceivable, but very unlikely, that would put us in ninth spot, same as last year for the same stage.

[Exiled in Toronto]

But we're still 15th - hardly where we thought/hoped we would be. I am more depressed by the fact that two peer clubs to us - Bolton and Pompey - are both in the top four. But then both gave their managers far more funds to invest than Hughes has had so far. I was shocked to read in last night's LET that the funds for this Ukranian LB seem to be awaiting dosh coming in for Neill.

[joey_big_nose]

But we're still 15th - hardly where we thought/hoped we would be. I am more depressed by the fact that two peer clubs to us - Bolton and Pompey - are both in the top four. But then both gave their managers far more funds to invest than Hughes has had so far. I was shocked to read in last night's LET that the funds for this Ukranian LB seem to be awaiting dosh coming in for Neill.

I would guess, and hope, that the reason for this is that we only need to buy the player if Neill leaves, and alsothe rest of the money (somewhere between 4 and 5 million I estimate) is set aside for other things (new midfielder, possible purchase of Nonda etc.).

[philipl]

Just noticed that four of our next five Premiership games are away from home with Arsenal being the home game.

We need a dramatic upswing in away form to keep this comparison with last season going.

If you chuck in Cup games then seven of the next nine currently known fixtures are away.

[Fife Rover]

Just noticed that four of our next five Premiership games are away from home with Arsenal being the home game.

We need a dramatic upswing in away form to keep this comparison with last season going.

If you chuck in Cup games then seven of the next nine currently known fixtures are away.

That's damned bad planning (and unfair) by the fixture gurus. How on Earth has that happened?

[stuwilky]

That's damned bad planning (and unfair) by the fixture gurus. How on Earth has that happened?

Its thrown by the Watford match.

Without that, and ignoring cup matches...

It would be

HHAHAA from Boxing Day until the end of January. but the A cup match and A postponement throw it off.

[Ozz]

We could be in 9th on New Years day.

[Paul]

12 months ago yesterday we were 9th in the table with 30 points and had just beaten QPR 3 -0 with Peter making his debut (I think?).

Today we are 11th, 28 points and have just stuffed Everton away 4-1 and are in with a good shout in the UEFA cup. Arsenal next up and we need to really give them a going over. Surely the players will be up for it?

My glass is no longer half-full............it's around three-quarters now

[BuckyRover]

12 months ago yesterday we were 9th in the table with 30 points and had just beaten QPR 3 -0 with Peter making his debut (I think?).

Today we are 11th, 28 points and have just stuffed Everton away 4-1 and are in with a good shout in the UEFA cup. Arsenal next up and we need to really give them a going over. Surely the players will be up for it?

My glass is no longer half-full............it's around three-quarters now

So is mine.

When I saw Benni's goal on MOTD and I was in football heaven.

I now believe we are going to win every game we play in.

Watch out Arsenal, revenge is on the cards.

[philipl]

Well, no revenge against Arsenal then...

But a quick look at the table and we are a mere 4 points behind Spuds in 7th with a game in hand.

It looks odds on the League Cup will be won by a CL qualifier which means 7th is good enough for the Intertoontoon next year whilst it looks like there is a reasonable likelihood that two of the clubs in places 1 to 7 will fight it out in the FA Cup Final making 7th in the Prem a UEFA place and 8th Intertoto.

So whilst I cannot see us matching last year's points haul (we have lost 10 games already), European qualification through league position is seriously up for grabs.

[Bobby G]

So how does it match up to last season after the 23rd game?

[Esulx]

Our 23rd league game of the season last year was the 4-3 defeat of Manchester United on the 1st February. This put us on 37 points so we're 6 points behind this stage last year. However we did lose games 24 and 25 (to WBA and Everton) so we have the chance to get ourselves level after 25 games.

Fingers crossed.

[Bobby G]

Ya with the Chelsea game as the 25th, sure we will!

Ill be happy being 3 points behind that haul after 25 games though. More than acceptable considering the injuries we have had this season, the poor start, and the extra games in Europe.

[Esulx]

It looks odds on the League Cup will be won by a CL qualifier

I hope not... I've got twenty quid on my hometown team!!!

[Paul]

January 21st 2006 Rovers beat Newcastle 1-0 at St James's and sat 8th in the PL with 34 points from 22 games. Tonight we are 10th with 31 from 23 matches. Last season we then lost two in a row Man Utd in the league cup and Wham in the FA Cup.

Do people relaise we've won 7 of the last 9, scoring 16 and conceeding 3 .....don't you just hate Arsenal. P 2 l 2 F2 A8 spoils it a bit really.

I'm off to fill my glass up, especially as the possibilities of getting to Leverkusen are increasing almost by the hour.

[Driftpeasant]

So on a note of pessimism, how many points do we have to get to avoid going down? Any guesses?

I'm a natural paranoid, and the injury to Oojier added to all our other injury troubles rather scares me.

[philipl]

Based on most prem seasons, another two wins would see us to 37 points which would be enough to keep us up. However, it looks like a 4 way battle between Charlton, WHam, Wigan and Sheff U to avoid two relegation places so the hurdle could well be 40 this year.