Sunbury Fox

Not sure I agree with this. None of the strikers have scored many because we have rotated them constantly. The 4 of them collectively have something like 24 goals.

I don't think so. There is always 1 team that starts slow and then is unstoppable for the second half of the season. They'll be in the top 2 for sure. They were terrible for large parts tonight and yet still won 3-1.

It's very interesting how some fanbases are so overtly confident, almost irrespective of how their team are doing. Leeds and Forest spring to mind as 2 prime examples. By contrast, our fanbase very much reflects the city of Leicester, in that we are generally self-deprecating and humble. Personally, I would never publicly state how great are we and say how we're definitely going up, or definitely going to beat team a, b or c, for fear that I would put the mockers on everything. Plus, blowing massive leads to miss out on UCL qualification 2 years running has left me with PTSD when it comes to Leicester City!

Ha, my bad! Didn't notice that! I'm thinking back to his days of shafting us regularly v Big 6 teams in the PL.

Can't remember us ever winning a game that Pawson has refereed. He really does seem to have it in for us. He's also the sort to bottle it in front of a raucous home crowd by giving them a soft pen.

I don't know. They seem to have a totally unbreakable spirit.

That jammy last minute goal has taken the gloss off an almost perfect evening for us. It is truly bizarre that after winning over 75% of our games we're still looking over our shoulders with 3 teams not that far back. Any other season we'd have top 2 tied up by now.

You might have to wait a while, look at their next 6 fixtures....

Anyone know how many injury time goals Ipswich have scored? Mental.

Saints now have 4 home games out of 5 with the away game being at Brum. Leeds play 4 of the bottom 6 consecutively after the game against us. Ipswich now have 7 games where the highest placed team they play is Bristol City, who are 12th.

Yawn, not this again.

So what, so long as we go up. We're almost certainly ahead of where they were at the same point last season.

It's worse than that - we could be 6 points ahead of 4th! Ipswich have 2 very winnable home games this week.

Why are people slagging off the standard of the league so much? I'd say the Championship is much stronger this season than last when the 3rd placed team got only 2 points more over a full season than we have already. The top 4 are all very good sides, playing decent football. Of course all 4 would struggle in the PL 'as is', but that's why better quality players would be signed if we went up. It's quite sad that some fans can't give our players more credit for what they've achieved this season, instead claiming that we are only top because everyone else is rubbish.

I would start with the same XI who started v Boro. Still feel that is our best available XI and those players have earned the right to make up for yesterday's defeat. Agree that LB, the right 8 position and striker are the 3 question marks. For me JJ has to start over Doyle v Leeds, given his pace. For the right 8 position, I thought Praet was one of the better performers yesterday, so would keep him in. There is a case for Vardy starting but I would still stick with Daka for now. He's a confidence player and wouldn't want to damage that due to him having one quiet game. His pace in behind and pressing will be very important in a game like this, I think.

Cheers, mate. Very balanced post. Leeds definitely come into this in better form than us and our defeat yesterday will ensure that your players and fans are even more up for this, I suspect. This is the first time this season where there is a real sense of jeopardy for us, which is causing a sense of unease, even panic for some, on here.

It's definitely a blueprint for mid table and below teams, maybe for some of the play off chasers. But there is no way that Leeds set up 541 against us at home. They probably think they're better than us (their fans almost certainly do), so they'll definitely take the initiative against us at ER.

As I've said earlier in this thread we've created 13 more big chances than any other team in the Championship. In fact, we've already created more big chances than Burnley managed in the whole of last season. Yesterday, we created and missed 4 big chances - Vesty and Daka first half, Vesty and Vardy second half.

So boring that we're top scorers in the league and have created 13 more big chances than any other team in the league? In fact, we've already created more big chances than last season's champions, Burnley managed in 46 games last season.

I think it's unlikely VK will come back to play for us but not impossible as he may be willing to compromise on the role he plays given the extra money he'll be earning in the PL. What we ideally need, though, funds permitting, is a LCB who has Doyle's ability on the ball and left footedness, together with JJ's pace and 1on1 defending. Finding one of those in the market we'll be shopping in will not be easy of course, so I'm guessing we'll be looking at a young player from a European league or a loan from a big 6 club. If we can't find one then JJ will definitely do a job for us in the PL, fitness permitting, but I'm not convinced that Doyle could; even in the Championship he has struggled against tricky, fast players.

Good news that Cov are losing. Was worried that they had cut our lead over them to only 28 points.

I'm a massive fan of Fatawu but he has been a bit hit and miss recently. He seems to have stopped keeping defenders guessing by sometimes going outside and crossing with his right foot. He seems to be forever cutting inside and playing long passes/ crosses to the back post. Can only think this must be on Enzo's instructions. Earlier in the season, I remember something similar in the home game v Leeds when having absolutely murdered poor old Sam Byram in the first half with his speed, dribbling and trickery, in the second half he stopped taking him on altogether and instead repeatedly attempted crossfield passes to Stephy.

That's being generous!

Russell Martin, manager of the week for "masterminding" a "totally unexpected" home win against the 4th worst team in the league whilst conceding 3 in the process?!! And Rutter (refuse to call him Georginio) is now a right sided central midfielder, is he?! Or is there a stipulation that at least 2 Leeds' players must be in the team of the week?

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