Championship Season 2020 - 2021

[philipl]

4 minutes ago, rigger said:

I am hoping for all home wins tonight.

Boro obliging so far..

[Mattyblue]

Third of the season gone and 3 points between an automatic promotion place and 10th. It never lets you down this league...

 

[darrenrover]

5 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Third of the season gone and 3 points between an automatic promotion place and 10th. It never lets you down this league...

 

Just think if we could just beat Brentford and Bristol City?........

[joey_big_nose]

17 minutes ago, darrenrover said:

Just think if we could just beat Brentford and Bristol City?........

Anything is possible in the Championship.

[Sparks Rover]

Whatmore bagged a couple tonight. Good player

[JacknOry]

Top of the form table from the last 6 games too. 4 wins and 2 draws. 

Brentford are 3rd in the form table.

Could be a good game this. Two leading goalscorers in the league.

Win this and we are in the mix no doubt. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Mowbray for November manager of the month?

Uh oh 

Armstrong player of the month too?

Double uh oh 

It's all very deja vu! 

[Bigdoggsteel]

10 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Third of the season gone and 3 points between an automatic promotion place and 10th. It never lets you down this league...

 

We have lost to the teams in 2nd,3rd and 4th. Our next 3 games are against 6th, 5th and 1st. 

Season defining 

[ben_the_beast]

8 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

We have lost to the teams in 2nd,3rd and 4th. Our next 3 games are against 6th, 5th and 1st. 

Season defining 

Given the way we've been playing the last 2 games I feel another Mowbray death spiral coming on. Especially given we are knocking on the door of the promotion spots.

Shake up needed in the middle for our next match. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

3 minutes ago, ben_the_beast said:

Given the way we've been playing the last 2 games I feel another Mowbray death spiral coming on. Especially given we are knocking on the door of the promotion spots.

Shake up needed in the middle for our next match. 

I don't know about death spirals (what are his winning runs called actually?) ,but the next 3 games are just about as difficult as you could get. A bit of perspective necessary, 4-5 points from those games would be great. 

[JHRover]

We're in 'the zone' now. Good run, momentum, positivity building and within striking distance of the top 6 and even top 2.

I hope, and pray, that it isn't another case of hitting the glass ceiling before a death spiral over 3-4 games sends us dropping down the division again.

We need to see something now to believe this isn't just like the last 2 seasons where as soon as we get into these good positions we are able to kick on and progress rather than it unravel again.

Edited December 3, 2020 by JHRover

[JHRover]

3 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I don't know about death spirals (what are his winning runs called actually?) ,but the next 3 games are just about as difficult as you could get. A bit of perspective necessary, 4-5 points from those games would be great. 

Five or more points from the next 9 I'd be delighted with. 3 or 4 points would probably see us through the tough block intact and if we were to draw all 3 it would keep confidence flowing, but wouldn't be ideal as teams will pull away from us if we do that.

Certainly need to be looking to win the home games no matter who the opposition - Luton have just shown that Norwich are very much beatable.

 

[JacknOry]

At least the teams coming up will let us play a bit you would imagine. The same token is that they are likely to test us at the other end with better quality and regularity compared to some recent teams. 

Will be interesting, that's for sure.

[Bigdoggsteel]

14 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Five or more points from the next 9 I'd be delighted with. 3 or 4 points would probably see us through the tough block intact and if we were to draw all 3 it would keep confidence flowing, but wouldn't be ideal as teams will pull away from us if we do that.

Certainly need to be looking to win the home games no matter who the opposition - Luton have just shown that Norwich are very much beatable.

 

Seems the crowd gave Luton a boost. Hopefully we don't see the same for Brentford Saturday. We need to start well and put pressure on them. 

I can't say I'm confident about a result, but I hope I'm wrong. A win here would be amazing, but as you note 3 points and remaining undefeated over the next 3 would have it's merits, if unspectacular. 

[47er]

44 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Mowbray for November manager of the month?

Armstrong player of the month too

 

Hope not.

[HowieFive0]

19 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Five or more points from the next 9 I'd be delighted with. 3 or 4 points would probably see us through the tough block intact and if we were to draw all 3 it would keep confidence flowing, but wouldn't be ideal as teams will pull away from us if we do that.

Certainly need to be looking to win the home games no matter who the opposition - Luton have just shown that Norwich are very much beatable.

 

Anyone can beat anyone this season in the the Championship. Every team suffering with more injuries than usual ..plus covid omissions and factor in no crowds at home games its makes the League a very level playing field as results and league positions prove.

Every game is all about what happens on the day ..more outside factors than ever influencing games ..there doesnt seem to be any runaway team (yet) who you d say they will walk it.

I wouldnt put too much bearing on any results because in the next game it will probably go against everything you thought would happen! Every team suffering losses were you d quietly think ..bloody hell didnt see that happening!

[Mattyblue]

11 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Seems the crowd gave Luton a boost. Hopefully we don't see the same for Brentford Saturday. We need to start well and put pressure on them. 

I can't say I'm confident about a result, but I hope I'm wrong. A win here would be amazing, but as you note 3 points and remaining undefeated over the next 3 would have it's merits, if unspectacular. 

First game with fans in their new ground too, so will be a bit of occasion even with 2,000 scattered about...

[Bigdoggsteel]

2 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

First game with fans in their new ground too, so will be a bit of occasion even with 2,000 scattered about...

Gonna be a tricky one. I will be surprised if we don't lose 

[47er]

Well we have the better goalkeeper! 

[superniko]

Tough 3 games (and Stoke away after Rotherham who are much improved this season). I'd take 4 points from the 3 personally, draws aren't the worst either. Bristol City are punching above their quality, I think that game is very winnable so long as we don't suffer many more injuries. Saturday will be the toughest, i'd be happy with anything there. Armstrong v Toney.

Brentford (L), Bristol City (W), Norwich (D)......then probably lose to Rotherham 

[RevidgeBlue]

Way too much pessimism above.

I've yet to see another Championship side I've been particularly impressed with this season and we need to be going into every game with the mindset that it's a winnable fixture and perform accordingly.

None of this we'll settle for 3 draws or WLD malarkey.

[Admiral Nelsen]

2 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Way too much pessimism above.

I've yet to see another Championship side I've been particularly impressed with this season and we need to be going into every game with the mindset that it's a winnable fixture and perform accordingly.

None of this we'll settle for 3 draws or WLD malarkey.

Agree with that to a point, whilst we can look at the last two games and feel a bit lucky to have picked up 6 points, we weren't outplayed by any of the top sides we've come up against this season with the exception of Reading.

Even so if we were taking a Hughes-like approach of targeting a certain number of points from the next few games, a return of 5-6 points would be very decent in keeping the optimism going. Norwich will be weakened with injuries, so three points there and 1 win/2 draws from the other games keeps us well in touch with the top. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

13 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Way too much pessimism above.

I've yet to see another Championship side I've been particularly impressed with this season and we need to be going into every game with the mindset that it's a winnable fixture and perform accordingly.

None of this we'll settle for 3 draws or WLD malarkey.

Of course, but I think some are just suggesting caution and not an over reaction if we don't win all(or any) of those games. Lets not jump straight to "death spirals", talk of relegation and other favoured tropes on here.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Way too much pessimism above.

I've yet to see another Championship side I've been particularly impressed with this season and we need to be going into every game with the mindset that it's a winnable fixture and perform accordingly.

None of this we'll settle for 3 draws or WLD malarkey.

100% agree. I feel that especially because we have always been in a position whereby we need to make up a points deficit to get into the top 6, and based on the confidence we all seem to have regarding the players at the moment, especially with the top scorer in the league, now more than ever there is no need (I do totally understand it because as Rovers fans especially we are used to being let down in recent years) to fear games against teams like Bristol City, like Brentford, against anyone. This is coming from someone regularly criticised for being negative but we need to try and win these games and there is no reason why we cant.

I remember on here last season going into the Brentford game and we were 3 points away, it was a chance to get into the play offs and make up that ground (temporarily before 3pm fixtures) and people were bracing themselves and willing to happily accept a point before, and then once we let go a 2 nil lead, people still seemed totally content with a point and I was absolutely gutted that we had chucked away such a chance. I do totally understand it as I mentioned but we need to be going into these games thinking there is no reason why we cant win them, it wont be easy but if we dont feel like we have a good chance then maybe we arent serious top 6 contenders.

I understand the injury woe as well but ultimately it is the same for all teams. You hear Mowbray mentioning the tightness/faitgue, Rothwell and Johnson to name 2 but again that is par for the course with 2 games every week at the moment. Every team is suffering from injuries, you will need more than 11 players to get a top 6 finish and we have added some depth and numbers.

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

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