North_Stand_Ram Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Are against bottom half sides!... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Not sure that's a good thing, seeing as we've struggled against some of the lowly sides this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyDyer Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Unfortunately bottom half sides provide their own problems. They are far more likely to park the bus, and make it difficult for us to break down. Plus games like Millwall away could see us playing a side that needs to win to survive in the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEL Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 19 wins here we go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambitious Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 The biggest benefit from this is that for the first time in years the bottom three look nailed on. The play-off hopefuls also look nailed on. It stands to reason that we will play most of these sides when they don't really have anything to play for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovis aries Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Bent will make all the difference if he carries on how he has started , sniffing out all the half chances and following in for tap ins, this is something we have been lacking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van der MoodHoover Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Bent will make all the difference if he carries on how he has started , sniffing out all the half chances and following in for tap ins, this is something we have been lacking.loved his second the other night when he suddenly appeared from nowhere to be 6 yards out - at pace! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie20 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Are against bottom half sides!... Yeah but they might not be bottom half by the time we play them - in which case it shows an improvement in their form. It means nothing until the day of the match! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashz09 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Totally agree why I kept saying wait for December / January to get out the way then we have some nice fixtures coming up. You look at Boro there fixtures are stupidly hard in one month alone. We have the 'Easiest' lets hope we perform in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 It's a bit of a misnomer to describe sides as 'top half' or 'bottom half', for a couple of reasons... They might be bottom half now but they might not be when we play them - and vice versa The league table doesn't take into account who has played who - a team might have had harder fixtures at that point compared to another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thierry Ennui Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 The biggest benefit from this is that for the first time in years the bottom three look nailed on. The play-off hopefuls also look nailed on. It stands to reason that we will play most of these sides when they don't really have anything to play for. I felt this against Blackburn. At final whistle they were all chummy with Derby's players and had an air that they expected to lose. Imagine if our players were like that, we'd be annoyed if we didn't see them angry at losing. And Blackburn are a side with Playoff hopes (ish). Lots of sides with nothing to play for = unmotivated players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtains Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Are against bottom half sides!... That's why I say we have a good run in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Not sure that's a good thing, seeing as we've struggled against some of the lowly sides this season.We're running at 2.0 points per game against the bottom half and 1.79 against the top half.Personally I wouldn't bother with thinking "but they should be easier" though as we all know what happens when thoughts like that appear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peakram Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Don't think its a good thing as they often prove very hard to beat during the run in as they are so in need of points, and its often the case one or two of them will start a good run and pull into midtable. Don't think theres lots between top and bottom in this league anyhow as you can see with the likes of Wigan and Millwall coming back from Derby with points yet both in the relegation places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r4derby Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 We're running at 2.0 points per game against the bottom half and 1.79 against the top half. Personally I wouldn't bother with thinking "but they should be easier" though as we all know what happens when thoughts like that appear. Agreed, for our players its the worst thing at the minute. The last few games, when we have taken a goal lead, I worry. Ever since Norwich in fact. As we seem to just switch off. Not always immediately, but our play drops, and then we start to panic as the other team get a foothold. I cannot bear thinking that any of our players might go into a game thinking "we've got this". Confident, yes I want that, but not thinking the games won already. Thankfully, Mac is smarter than me, will have seen this too and will be getting this into the players head! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazram80 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 We're running at 2.0 points per game against the bottom half and 1.79 against the top half. Personally I wouldn't bother with thinking "but they should be easier" though as we all know what happens when thoughts like that appear. we sit top of the league against the top half teams 6th against bottom half teams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srg Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Unfortunately bottom half sides provide their own problems. They are far more likely to park the bus, and make it difficult for us to break down. Plus games like Millwall away could see us playing a side that needs to win to survive in the league. Is that true though? Yes it makes it more difficult, be we still usually come out on top. We struggle most against teams which press us high up the pitch and don't let us play. Look at Blackburn... sat really deep, one man up front doing virtually no closing down. Made it more difficult to find the final ball, but we were comfortable bringing it into their half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyDyer Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Is that true though? Yes it makes it more difficult, be we still usually come out on top. We struggle most against teams which press us high up the pitch and don't let us play. Look at Blackburn... sat really deep, one man up front doing virtually no closing down. Made it more difficult to find the final ball, but we were comfortable bringing it into their half. I was thinking more of how Millwall set up against us this season and last. Higher teams are more likely to believe in themselves enough to 'have a go'. I think that suits us. Sides lower down are more likely to settle for a point and therefore sit deeper. I guess thats what Darren Bent is here for. That different option to mix things up if they aren't working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheron85 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Against top half: http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-championship/2014-2015/versus-top-half/full Against bottom half: http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-championship/2014-2015/versus-bottom-half/full Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smyth_18 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Hate to make it a stat overload but.. 18 out of remaining 19 games are against teams below us. E I E I E I O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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