In order of likelihood and misc other things...

[Rams1884]

As I see it now-

1. Scrape into the play-offs but don't get to Wembley
2. Dont get into the play-offs at all
3. Get to Wembley but lose
4. Get to Wembley and win
5. Get Automatic spot

Misc other observations-

Will Hughes- Yes he is a great player and sublime talent but sometimes I wonder what all the hype is. How often does he score? How often does he thread the killer ball? He is amazing at ball retention but yesterday was a classic example of you pass to me I will pass it straight back 2 feet either sideways or just in front. There was never any real cutting edge purpose and guile to the passing at all. I am sure I will be shot down for even commenting. Dawkins is as good as Hugehs for ball retention and Keogh did two defence splitting cross filed passes yesterday that created more of an opportunity than anything Hughes produecd. Just saying

Albentosa. Dont know why he is getting slated so much. He is not that bad.Just not that good either. Certainly no worse than any other defender yesterday. I'm sure once he settles in and if allowed to play in his proper position(right side of defence) there is a decent player waiting to emerge. He is just not as good as we hoped, but no one from the club said he was the next Igor. The fans just hoped for that...

Wonder if Sunderland. Newcastle and any other desperate Prem team still sniffing around Maclaren now.

What was the point of Warnock?

 

 

[AndyinLiverpool]

1. Hell freezing over

2. Pigs flying

3. A one-legged man winning an ****kicking competition

4. Derby getting automatic promotion this season.

[davenportram]

Buxton is better than albentosa. Just my opinion.

 

I think we will be comfortably 4th

 

 

[Day]

Problem is the hype that was built up around Albentosa, all these clubs after him, the YouTube videos showing an absolute man mountain in defence, La Liga player, sexy sounding foreign name he must be a quality player.

Expectation levels were increased, at the same time our defence was starting to crack and make mistakes, Albentosa was built up as the answer to our defensive problems, injuries only increasing the expectations, the same as Thorne, Albentosa is the saviour, send his insoles out on Easy Jet and we're going to win the league.

Now he's started 2 games, we've still conceded goals and not won, something's not right here, who's this guy wearing Albentosa's kit? Expectations of this 8ft giant kicking attackers out the pitch, defending the goal with his Spanish size 14's have been dashed, now he's a dud, drop him, get him out the team, send him back to where he came from, play Hanson instead, play McClaren instead.

I look at it as we have a new defender that's come in to the side on a poor run of form carrying huge expectations on his back, coming back from injuries, 2 games in a different league, adapting to a new country off and on the field and will need time. The only way Albentosa will settle into the side is by giving him a run of games, sat on the bench watching won't do him any favours.

Some players hit the ground running, others take time to settle in, maybe he is a dud and we have better in the squad but it's far too early to judge him just yet.

As for the likelihood of what will happen in the next 7 games and the play offs my crystal ball needs a good polish, I'll get back to you when I've cleaned it and asked for the results of potentially 10 games of football.

 

[Guest]

Starting to think warnock was pushed so rapidly from leeds he fell into derby. But i would start him now. we need all experience for the run-in.

if he cant get in the side during a bad patch like this he never will.

[Rev]

What was the point in Warnock, must be on a decent wage, understand we needed cover for Fozzy, but Ssewankambo now returning to fitness, seems a waste to be paying good money for the new Naylor, when the old one did the same role at a fraction of the cost.

[AmericanRam]

What was the point in Warnock, must be on a decent wage, understand we needed cover for Fozzy, but Ssewankambo now returning to fitness, seems a waste to be paying good money for the new Naylor, when the old one did the same role at a fraction of the cost.

[Alph]

If you think Hughes only passed sideways you need to watch again. 

assists and goals is the stats everyone looks at. Have a look at the assist stats on players like Yaya, Silva, Iniesta etc. 

These are threw of the most creative players in world football.  Hughes is very clever. His pass selection is perfection. We're talking timing, weight and everything. Finding the player in the best position to take the ball in the circumstances. He's the very begining of attacks. Much like a Yaya Toure. The guy who seems to know where everybody is and what they're thinking. Whether to just keep it steady and start again or whether the game is open to go forward. You can't teach that. It's magic. Not saying he's as clever as players like Yaya or Xavi in his prime. Or Fabregas or anything like that. These players are able to do this against the best. Hughes has only done it at this level. 

But the sight to be able to pick out the players who have the most space, the most time and the best position over and over again is genius. 

The reason he doesn't get assists and goals? I guess like an Iniesta (or for a realistic comparison Simon Dawkins) he doesn't take the risky pass. And a killer pass is always a risky pass of course. He perhaps doesn't appreciate the positions he gets himself into. He appreciates other people's space more and trusts it to them. Where (unrealistic again) Yaya will fancy goals himself that's where Hughes and Co are perhaps blind. Same with Dawkins. The goal isnt really in his mind unless it's screaming for him. It's the pattern of play and movement he constantly has in his head.

These players are the players we don't produce enough as a nation. We recognise good technical passing ability. We have that in UK players now. But the brain part... I think things like futsal help? dunno. But that part is not so common? 

I'm sure Hendrick can do anything Hughes can. But Hughes is miles ahead at thinking. The rest is so much easier when you're clever. 

I thought Hughes was awesome v Wolves. Look at some of those passes again into Ince and Lingard. A couple of them... He just sees the perfect timing of them. He doesn't do them straight away and he doesn't leave it too long. Perfect. 

I like Hughes a bit too much. It's gay. 

[AmericanRam]

If you think Hughes only passed sideways you need to watch again. 

assists and goals is the stats everyone looks at. Have a look at the assist stats on players like Yaya, Silva, Iniesta etc. 

These are threw of the most creative players in world football.  Hughes is very clever. His pass selection is perfection. We're talking timing, weight and everything. Finding the player in the best position to take the ball in the circumstances. He's the very begining of attacks. Much like a Yaya Toure. The guy who seems to know where everybody is and what they're thinking. Whether to just keep it steady and start again or whether the game is open to go forward. You can't teach that. It's magic. Not saying he's as clever as players like Yaya or Xavi in his prime. Or Fabregas or anything like that. These players are able to do this against the best. Hughes has only done it at this level. 

But the sight to be able to pick out the players who have the most space, the most time and the best position over and over again is genius. 

The reason he doesn't get assists and goals? I guess like an Iniesta (or for a realistic comparison Simon Dawkins) he doesn't take the risky pass. And a killer pass is always a risky pass of course. He perhaps doesn't appreciate the positions he gets himself into. He appreciates other people's space more and trusts it to them. Where (unrealistic again) Yaya will fancy goals himself that's where Hughes and Co are perhaps blind. Same with Dawkins. The goal isnt really in his mind unless it's screaming for him. It's the pattern of play and movement he constantly has in his head.

These players are the players we don't produce enough as a nation. We recognise good technical passing ability. We have that in UK players now. But the brain part... I think things like futsal help? dunno. But that part is not so common? 

I'm sure Hendrick can do anything Hughes can. But Hughes is miles ahead at thinking. The rest is so much easier when you're clever. 

I thought Hughes was awesome v Wolves. Look at some of those passes again into Ince and Lingard. A couple of them... He just sees the perfect timing of them. He doesn't do them straight away and he doesn't leave it too long. Perfect. 

I like Hughes a bit too much. It's gay. 

[irobinson]

I think we need all the experience we can get after the break - personally...

if that is Warnock and Buxton in - I am happy with that in the back 4 - so be it. Shouldn't be a problem dropping Albentosa and Fozzy - hey - we need action

We need some cool heads  - and if we get Gorgeous G and Martin back  - so much the better in my book...

personally i would wear the yellow kit for the next 7 games......

 

Zac Hector lives on.....

 

 

 

[Ramos]

If you think Hughes only passed sideways you need to watch again. 

assists and goals is the stats everyone looks at. Have a look at the assist stats on players like Yaya, Silva, Iniesta etc. 

These are threw of the most creative players in world football.  Hughes is very clever. His pass selection is perfection. We're talking timing, weight and everything. Finding the player in the best position to take the ball in the circumstances. He's the very begining of attacks. Much like a Yaya Toure. The guy who seems to know where everybody is and what they're thinking. Whether to just keep it steady and start again or whether the game is open to go forward. You can't teach that. It's magic. Not saying he's as clever as players like Yaya or Xavi in his prime. Or Fabregas or anything like that. These players are able to do this against the best. Hughes has only done it at this level. 

But the sight to be able to pick out the players who have the most space, the most time and the best position over and over again is genius. 

The reason he doesn't get assists and goals? I guess like an Iniesta (or for a realistic comparison Simon Dawkins) he doesn't take the risky pass. And a killer pass is always a risky pass of course. He perhaps doesn't appreciate the positions he gets himself into. He appreciates other people's space more and trusts it to them. Where (unrealistic again) Yaya will fancy goals himself that's where Hughes and Co are perhaps blind. Same with Dawkins. The goal isnt really in his mind unless it's screaming for him. It's the pattern of play and movement he constantly has in his head.

These players are the players we don't produce enough as a nation. We recognise good technical passing ability. We have that in UK players now. But the brain part... I think things like futsal help? dunno. But that part is not so common? 

I'm sure Hendrick can do anything Hughes can. But Hughes is miles ahead at thinking. The rest is so much easier when you're clever. 

I thought Hughes was awesome v Wolves. Look at some of those passes again into Ince and Lingard. A couple of them... He just sees the perfect timing of them. He doesn't do them straight away and he doesn't leave it too long. Perfect. 

I like Hughes a bit too much. It's gay. 

[Alph]

Yes it was a brag.

I'd lick his toilet seat just to get close to where he's been 

[MuespachRam]

As I see it now-

1. Scrape into the play-offs but don't get to Wembley
2. Dont get into the play-offs at all
3. Get to Wembley but lose
4. Get to Wembley and win
5. Get Automatic spot

Misc other observations-

Will Hughes- Yes he is a great player and sublime talent but sometimes I wonder what all the hype is. How often does he score? How often does he thread the killer ball? He is amazing at ball retention but yesterday was a classic example of you pass to me I will pass it straight back 2 feet either sideways or just in front. There was never any real cutting edge purpose and guile to the passing at all. I am sure I will be shot down for even commenting. Dawkins is as good as Hugehs for ball retention and Keogh did two defence splitting cross filed passes yesterday that created more of an opportunity than anything Hughes produecd. Just saying

Albentosa. Dont know why he is getting slated so much. He is not that bad.Just not that good either. Certainly no worse than any other defender yesterday. I'm sure once he settles in and if allowed to play in his proper position(right side of defence) there is a decent player waiting to emerge. He is just not as good as we hoped, but no one from the club said he was the next Igor. The fans just hoped for that...

Wonder if Sunderland. Newcastle and any other desperate Prem team still sniffing around Maclaren now.

What was the point of Warnock?

 

 

[Curtains]

4 or 5

 

Happy days are yet to come after today's results. 

 

 

[Ambitious]

1. Play-Off semis
2. Wembley loss.
3. Wembley win.
4. Miss out on play-offs.
5. Automatic promotion. 

The play-offs could go either way, but I think it could be a team like Wolves or Brentford who does it - even Ipswich. 

I think missing out on the play-offs just edges ahead of automatic promotion in the likelihood list. 

[Mr Tibbs]

Will Hughes- Yes he is a great player and sublime talent but sometimes I wonder what all the hype is. 

[rynny]

If you think Hughes only passed sideways you need to watch again. 

assists and goals is the stats everyone looks at. Have a look at the assist stats on players like Yaya, Silva, Iniesta etc. 

These are threw of the most creative players in world football.  Hughes is very clever. His pass selection is perfection. We're talking timing, weight and everything. Finding the player in the best position to take the ball in the circumstances. He's the very begining of attacks. Much like a Yaya Toure. The guy who seems to know where everybody is and what they're thinking. Whether to just keep it steady and start again or whether the game is open to go forward. You can't teach that. It's magic. Not saying he's as clever as players like Yaya or Xavi in his prime. Or Fabregas or anything like that. These players are able to do this against the best. Hughes has only done it at this level. 

But the sight to be able to pick out the players who have the most space, the most time and the best position over and over again is genius. 

The reason he doesn't get assists and goals? I guess like an Iniesta (or for a realistic comparison Simon Dawkins) he doesn't take the risky pass. And a killer pass is always a risky pass of course. He perhaps doesn't appreciate the positions he gets himself into. He appreciates other people's space more and trusts it to them. Where (unrealistic again) Yaya will fancy goals himself that's where Hughes and Co are perhaps blind. Same with Dawkins. The goal isnt really in his mind unless it's screaming for him. It's the pattern of play and movement he constantly has in his head.

These players are the players we don't produce enough as a nation. We recognise good technical passing ability. We have that in UK players now. But the brain part... I think things like futsal help? dunno. But that part is not so common? 

I'm sure Hendrick can do anything Hughes can. But Hughes is miles ahead at thinking. The rest is so much easier when you're clever. 

I thought Hughes was awesome v Wolves. Look at some of those passes again into Ince and Lingard. A couple of them... He just sees the perfect timing of them. He doesn't do them straight away and he doesn't leave it too long. Perfect. 

I like Hughes a bit too much. It's gay. 

[eddie]

Bananas