Upcoming Fixtures

[Fez of Mahrez]

Some nice home fixtures coming up, if we can couple it with a few good points on the road we may actually be able to pass as play off contenders for awhile imagine.

The Baggies will be hard to contain, and they do deserve respect especially on their own patch, they are on of the best teams in this league. The best way to go about it would be to frustrate them for the first 15 minutes to take the life out of the Hawthorns and then step up a gear. With a back four of Stearmen Kisnorbo Mcarthy and Kenton we have a reasonable chance of a shut out if they all play to the best of their ability.

Hopefully Josh Low wont be dropped after one bad performance, it seems pointless signing a inconsistent player if your going to do that, especially if he decides to have a off day when we win. The midfield as a whole will need to step it up, I expect Andy Johnson to well up for this game in particular, I bet good money on Tiatto playing if fit, suppose we could do with his type of player in the team but it leaves us little going forward.

Fryatt and Hume are due a good day, and Leicester City are long due a good away result.

I don't know about Kellys away day teams... they're defensive but they get results (well they did last season anyway) of course sometimes we lose and look useless but then most teams, even play off chasing teams do on occasion away from home. I suppose we have only played away twice to time will tell.

One day you're going to say something I disagree with. Especially good point about Low.

[Thracian]

One day you're going to say something I disagree with. Especially good point about Low.

Last five away games: Lost three, drew two, goals for two, goals against seven. And we've averaged less than a point a game from away games over the last season and a bit. Great advert for defensive line-ups that.

Which just goes to show, there's always something from Manwell to disagree with - I don't think he'd want it any different - it's just that you have to search for it sometimes, especially when he surrounds it with quite sensible comments, which he often does to be fair.

This post sponsored by:- THRACIAN'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST NEGATIVE FOOTBALL!.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Last five away games: Lost three, drew two, goals for two, goals against seven. And we've averaged less than a point a game from away games over the last season and a bit. Great advert for defensive line-ups that.

Which just goes to show, there's always something from Manwell to disagree with - I don't think he'd want it any different - it's just that you have to search for it sometimes, especially when he surrounds it with quite sensible comments, which he often does to be fair.

This post sponsored by:- THRACIAN'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST NEGATIVE FOOTBALL!.

We've had this argument before! Selective statistics. You quote the last five games and the last season and a bit. Not really a fair reflection of Kelly's overall record. Away wins against Millwall, Luton and Brighton were the main reason we stayed up last season in my opinion. Yes, we were dire against Luton this season and the Coventry game was 0-0 but the signs are that Kelly is starting to look more adventurous with his selections and to be honest, if we win most of our home games then I would take a few 0-0s away. If we are in the top six at the end of the season then I doubt away fans will be moaning about a few 0-0s as long as we keep getting results at home like we have in the last three games.

[Manwell Pablo]

It was Rob Kellys away results that got us out of trouble last season.

Of those last five games we've had to go two without Kisnorbo (two defeats).

its not been brilliant recently I will admit but then away form is very hard to find and if you get results on the road regularly you will be there or there abouts come the end of the season. Something most of us think is beyond Leicester at ths point in time.

Home form is probabley more key to our improvement, back to back wins with Hull and Colchester to come next, now there is a run waiting to happen.

[Thracian]

We've had this argument before! Selective statistics. You quote the last five games and the last season and a bit. Not really a fair reflection of Kelly's overall record. Away wins against Millwall, Luton and Brighton were the main reason we stayed up last season in my opinion. Yes, we were dire against Luton this season and the Coventry game was 0-0 but the signs are that Kelly is starting to look more adventurous with his selections and to be honest, if we win most of our home games then I would take a few 0-0s away. If we are in the top six at the end of the season then I doubt away fans will be moaning about a few 0-0s as long as we keep getting results at home like we have in the last three games.

Of course, how the hell can I wind Manwell up a bit without being a shade selective?.

But seriously, Kelly's overall away record while very good for his first five matches (12 points from 15) has been worse than poor in the second five dating back to last April (two points from 15).

He didn't have much choice when he took over but there's no excuse for going defensive now.

If, as you suggest, we win most of our home games, what the hell is there to stop us trying to win away games?.

Why mentally concede a couple of points before we start by being "happy" to go for a 0-0?. That's Leveinspeak (Cardiff, Reading, Wolves, Palace, Burnley, Preston, Wednesday etc etc). It didn't work and it got him the sack because a) he didn't win the home games and b) 0-0 only happened twice in the games mentioned.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Why mentally concede a couple of points before we start by being "happy" to go for a 0-0?. That's Leveinspeak (Cardiff, Reading, Wolves, Palace, Burnley, Preston, Wednesday etc etc). It didn't work and it got him the sack because a) he didn't win the home games and b) 0-0 only happened twice in the games mentioned.

I'm not talking actively trying to draw 0-0 but if it happens, it's not the end of the world. I'd be happy if it worked, not just if he tries it and it doesn't work. If we pick up 4 points from every 2 games (2-0 home, 0-0 away etc) on average then we're sorted. I think it's fair enough to play a bit more defensively away from home, practically every manager does it and as long as we ARE winning our home games then the fans won't complain too much. Levein's problem was that he was losing at home and trying for 0-0 away! I'm talking about winning at home and setting up a bit more defensively away from home. Oh well, we shall see over the next few games. With Porter, Low and O'Grady in the side we should be more effective attack-wise on the road with pace and power.

[Thracian]

I'm not talking actively trying to draw 0-0 but if it happens, it's not the end of the world. I'd be happy if it worked, not just if he tries it and it doesn't work. If we pick up 4 points from every 2 games (2-0 home, 0-0 away etc) on average then we're sorted. I think it's fair enough to play a bit more defensively away from home, practically every manager does it and as long as we ARE winning our home games then the fans won't complain too much. Levein's problem was that he was losing at home and trying for 0-0 away! I'm talking about winning at home and setting up a bit more defensively away from home. Oh well, we shall see over the next few games. With Porter, Low and O'Grady in the side we should be more effective attack-wise on the road with pace and power.

And practically every manager finishes outside the top three promotion places so I've no desire to copy that lot! Reading on the other hand collected around two points a game from away matches and not many defeats at all. That'll do me - and in our own style too.

[Fez of Mahrez]

And practically every manager finishes outside the top three promotion places so I've no desire to copy them! Reading on the other hand collected around two points a game from away matches and not many defeats at all. That'll do me for an approach!

Think of all the hours you've spent going on and on about how we haven't got enough goals in the side. That's down to the players, not the approach. We haven't got the players to score the amount of goals that Reading did last season.

[davieG]

As we've just posted our first back to back home league wins since May 2005 let's not get too cocksure about our home form carrying us. As Manwell said:

back to back wins with Hull and Colchester to come next, now there is a run waiting to happen.

Do that and home wins will start to look a bit more likely, having said that theres not a title challenging team amongst the four.

[Thracian]

Think of all the hours you've spent going on and on about how we haven't got enough goals in the side. That's down to the players, not the approach. We haven't got the players to score the amount of goals that Reading did last season.

Perhaps not but with three strikers, two wingers and passers almost right through we're a damn sight closer than we were last year.

At the start of this season we had two potential scorers in the team and not many creators to help them.

Imagine:

Henderson;

Stearman, McCarthy, Kisnorbo, Kenton/Sheehan;

Low/Gradel, Wesolowski, Porter;

Hume,

O'Grady, Fryatt.

That's five potential scorers and loads of passers/creators.

Six goals in our last three home games, and all of them victories, it the most encouraged I've been for ages.

Especially as the team can be stronger and even more effective.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Perhaps not but with three strikers, two wingers and passers almost right through we're a damn sight closer than we were last year.

At the start of this season we had two potential scorers in the team and not many creators to help them.

Imagine:

Henderson;

Stearman, McCarthy, Kisnorbo, Kenton/Sheehan;

Low/Gradel, Wesolowski, Porter;

Hume,

O'Grady, Fryatt.

That's five potential scorers and loads of passers/creators.

Six goals in our last three home games, and all of them victories, it the most encouraged I've been for ages.

Especially as the team can be stronger and even more effective.

Don't get me wrong, I like that team a lot. In fact I posted pretty much exactly the same team in that "Help" thread. I just think we have a better chance of winning games 1-0 than 4-3 if that makes any sense? I don't see us scoring many goals even with that team but I am encouraged by players like Kisnorbo and Kenton and the defensive solidity they bring us.

[Ric Flair]

The fact is, Levi Porter is better at defending and attacking than Danny Tiatto. Playing the likes of Levi isn't making the team more attacking whilst sacrificing it's ability to defend, it's improving the side all round. I'd also have no qualms over us becoming less likely to be able to defend if we were to play Fryatt, Hume and O'grady in the same team.

What amazes me is that in the past season there have been 6 youngsters been given a chance in the first team and every one of them has looked the part and never let us down with the exception of Sheehan's sending off against Crewe.

Logan looked very assured and his kicking is something only Douglas and Henderson could dream about.

Stearman has been an ever present and was our best defender last season.

Sheehan has gone off the radar this season but the more Nils plays the more the mind casts back to how comfortable Sheehan looked on the ball for us against Sheff Wed last season and the need for a proper left back is evident.

Wesolowski is the best midfielder we've got, embarrasses Johnson, Williams and Hughes every time he plays when you compare his game to theirs.

Porter has shown Tiatto how to provide width, how to attack, how to track back and how to make a tackle without putting someone in hospital. His set pieces are as good if not better than Tiatto's.

O'Grady gives us something Hume and Fryatt don't and that's presence. He's seriously pushing them to be first choice.

It does make you wonder whether there's any more players in our academy that can come in and improve our team. Surely the past season has been vindication that these youngsters are more capable and more reliable than some of our experienced players that managers love to rely on. I know it's about creating a blance between youth and experience but if the fans can see who are our best players then why does the manager often resort to experience even when the youngsters have put in some performances that the likes of Tiatto, Johnson and Nissa aren't capable of?

To me it seems that the youngsters will get a chance but if they aren't on the money every game then they'll be dropped but Tiatto, Johnson and Nissa will get picked almost every week even if they put in performances on a level far worse than the youngsters who incidently get dropped!

Thankfully Tiatto is as injury prone as ever and Porter will get alot of chances, but it's through forcing Kelly's hand and not because he thinks Porter is better than Tiatto and that disturbs me.

[Thracian]

Don't get me wrong, I like that team a lot. In fact I posted pretty much exactly the same team in that "Help" thread. I just think we have a better chance of winning games 1-0 than 4-3 if that makes any sense? I don't see us scoring many goals even with that team but I am encouraged by players like Kisnorbo and Kenton and the defensive solidity they bring us.

It's a nice thought but we conceded more than a goal a game away from home last season (and only kept three clean sheets throughout) so having averaged two goals a game in our last four home game (we didn't try properly to score away) I know which route I'd sooner trust.

You and others have mentioned Kisnorbo though and I'd be really worried if that guy got injured. He's a bloody rock in that otherwise perfectly ordinary defence of ours.

Funnily enough I think the same about Porter, apart from the width he provides, he gives us so many options in so many ways and makes life so much easier for people around him.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I don't want to jinx it but there are a couple of certain left-sided players who surely won't be playing for us next season (one obviously because he is being tapped up by Chelsea and the other who will switch to his more suited career of one-legged piracy)...

[Ric Flair]

I don't want to jinx it but there are a couple of certain left-sided players who surely won't be playing for us next season (one obviously because he is being tapped up by Chelsea and the other who will switch to his more suited career of one-legged piracy)...

But it's another season we have to endure of them being here and they'll only be replaced by equally irritating characters, it's inevitable.

[Manwell Pablo]

But it's another season we have to endure of them being here and they'll only be replaced by equally irritating characters, it's inevitable.

It's not really the end of the world is it, Tiatto stops Porter being overused, last thing we want is another Ryan Smith, and it's hardly as if we are flush with options at left back.

[Ric Flair]

It's not really the end of the world is it, Tiatto stops Porter being overused, last thing we want is another Ryan Smith, and it's hardly as if we are flush with options at left back.

No it's not the end of the world, but why do managers do it? The reason we aren't flush at left back is down to the managers decisions on who he's used his transfer budget on. We have 3 right backs and no left backs. We signed a centre half who's made 1 appearance, it annoys me.

[Mort]

No it's not the end of the world, but why do managers do it? The reason we aren't flush at left back is down to the managers decisions on who he's used his transfer budget on. We have 3 right backs and no left backs. We signed a centre half who's made 1 appearance, it annoys me.

I’d agree… RK’s signing have turned out better than I initially thought, Kenton and Low have given a great deal in the last few games, Johnson be ok while McAuley hasn’t had a chance to do anything yet… it’s not that there bad players, as I say Low and Kenton are pretty good, it’s just we haven’t strengthened in the midfield as much as we should have, while we overstocked on defenders and defensive players, a little more creativity in midfield and on the left was something RK should have tried to bring into the squad… but overall he done ok with pretty much zero resources.

[ithuriel]

WBA win 2-1

hull win 2-1

sunderland draw 1-1

colchester win 3-0

birmingham lose 2-4

southampton lose 1-2

leeds draw 2-2

palace win 2-1

QPR win 3-2

stoke lose 0-2

theres my pot luck crap-o-rama fortune telling.

[ithuriel]

want to beat the baggies then we should do what sunderland did , go at them from the off and do not give them time to settle.

if we let them dictate the game we are going to get screwed

[Scow]

As people have said, there should be nothing to worry about. I would say West Brom and Birmingham are perhaps the toughest opposition we'll come up against, but we're capable of getting a result at either place.

It's early in the season and we shouldn't concern ourselves by looking too far ahead.

[Thracian]

As people have said, there should be nothing to worry about. I would say West Brom and Birmingham are perhaps the toughest opposition we'll come up against, but we're capable of getting a result at either place.

It's early in the season and we shouldn't concern ourselves by looking too far ahead.

We've had results against Tottenham and were level after 90 minutes at Bolton, could easily have beaten Reading but for a change of tactics, beat second placed Sheffield United and third placed Watford during the last campaign - what's all this unnecessary worrying about? If we look after what we do and do it well then let the opposition worry about us.

[Manwell Pablo]

No it's not the end of the world, but why do managers do it? The reason we aren't flush at left back is down to the managers decisions on who he's used his transfer budget on. We have 3 right backs and no left backs. We signed a centre half who's made 1 appearance, it annoys me.

What transfer budget was that then?

As far as I can see any budget handed to Rob Kelly by this club had a big fat - sign next to it.

Kelly has got rid of the following.

Dublin, mutual consent. A man I doubt has small wage demands

Hamill, mutual consent. Probably earning very little.

Gerrbrand, mutual consent. Probably earning a modest amount.

Gudjohnsen, free. IMO on shit loads considering his former clubs and the fact he was signed by Adams.

Morris, free. See above

De Vries, loan. Average Championship earner

and has been allowed to bring in.

Mcauley, free. Previously on League Two wages

Low, free. See above

Kenton free. Average Championship earner

Johnson free. Reckon his earning abit but not masses.

Look at it like that and backing the blokes received has been shocking, no budget at all. We have also payed Patrick Gerrbrand and Joe Hamill to leave the club according to the Birch. What’s the fuking point in that? just sell him for nothing and you've saved yourself the compo costs, same with Gerrbrand! Fair enough if the transfer window was shut and you know you're stuck with them but this really wasn't the case. Our soding board!!!!!

It wouldn't surprise me if there was a decent left back we could afford who is better then Nils after the signing of Johnson, so I’m guessing Kenton had to do. Far from ideal but as the above shows Rob Kelly’s transfer budget brings a whole new definition to the words shoe and string.