Comparing our form with the bottom half

[Stimacked]

Think its fair to say we can forget about a promotion charge from now on this season and despite Clough saying he wanted to look upwards, not downwards, he has no option but to put out our beleagured lightweight squad to try and compete. I would expect reinforcements to help make a difference when loanees arrive once the Emergency loan window reopens.

Clough has talked about 2 new centre backs (including Ayala) and

the "elusive centre forward". Seems like he is happy with his options in midfield.

Looking at the form guide for teams

in the bottom half of the table

from the last 15 or so matches, (back to the beginning of November)

It would look worse for us if started later on..and better if from October.

The table in terms of points picked up is in the last 14-15 matches.

Hull 25 pts, W 6, D 7, L 2

Barnsley 24 pts W 7, D 3, L 5

Middlesborogh 22 pts W 6, D 4, L 4

Bristol City, 19 pts W 5, D 4, L 6

Doncaster 18 pts W 5, D 3, L 5

Palace, 17 pts W 4, D 5, L 6

Sheffield Utd 15 pts W 4, D 3, L 7

Ipswich 13 pts W 4, D 1, L 8

Derby 13 pts W 4, D 1, L 9

Coventry 12 pts W 3, D 3, L 9

Portsmouth 10 pts W2, D 5, L 8

Preston 8 pts W 1, D 5, L8

Ssausagehorpe 7 pts W 2, D 1, L 9

Of the The bottom 8 teams, 5 are under new management and Mowbrey has started to string together good results. Brown and Freedman are both beginning to make an impact and picking up points.

All the teams below us have strengthened during the transfer window.

We are not the only team in dire straits, but we definately need strengthening. Pompey, next up are without a win in 8 matches

and have lost a lot at home. Coventry are struggling as badly as us and like us, they did not add any players in the transfer window.

Here are the results all together.....

12 Barnsley 29 11 7 11 35 40 −5 40

H, 0-2 Leicester, L, A, 2-1 Preston, W, A, Ipswich 3-1, W, H, Portsmouth, 1-0, H, Watford 0-0, H 1-0 Sheffield Utd, W, H, 1-2 Burnley, L., A Swansea, 0-1 L, A, 2-2 Forest, H, 2-1 Coventry, W, A, 0-2 Hull, L, H, 1-1 Swansea, D, A Doncaster, 2-0 W, A, 0-2 Millwall, L, H, 2-0 Preston, W

13 Hull City 29 9 12 8 31 32 −1 39

H, Ssausagehorpe, 0-1 L, A, 2-2 Leeds, D, A, 2-0 Preston, W, H, 1-0 Ipswich W, A, 2-2 Middlesboro, D, A, 0-0 Palace,D H, 2-0 Bristol, A, 3-2 Sheffield Utd, W, H, 1-1 Reading, D, H, 0-1 Leicester, L, A, 3-2 Portsmouth, W, H,2-0 Barnsley, W, A, 1-1 Reading, D, H 0-0 QPR, H, 2-2 Leeds

14 Doncaster Rovers 27 10 7 10 41 45 −4 37

H, 2-1 Millwall, W, A,1-1 Burnley D, A, 3-2 Portsmouth, W, H, 1-1 Swansea, D, A, 0-1 Palace, L, A, 1-5 Leicester, L, H, 2-1 Middlesboro, W, H, 3-0 Ssausagehorpe W, A. 2-2 Sheffield Utd, D, H, 0-3 Reading, L, A, 2-3 Ipswich L, H, 0-2 Barnsley L, H, 1-0 Burnley, W

15 Coventry City 29 10 6 13 33 36 −3 36

H, 2-3, Leeds, L , A, 1-2 Forest, L, A, 0-2 Coventry, L, H, 1-0 Burnley, W, A, 2-0 Ssausagehrope, W, H 1-0 Midlesboro, W, A, 0-0 Reading,D, H, 1-2 Norwich, L, A, 0-2 Cardiff, L, H, 0-2 QPR, L, H, 1-1 Ipswich, D, A, 1-2 Barnsley, L, H, 0-0 Sheffield Utd, D, A, 1-2 QPR, L, H, 1-2 Forest,

16 Derby County 28 10 4 14 40 41 −1 34

H, 2-0 Portsmouth, W, A Ipswich 2-0, W, A, 0-2 Leicester, L, H, 3-2 Ssausagehorpe, W, A, 1-2 Burnley, L H, 1-2 Norwch, L, A, 0-2 Bristol, L, H, 1-2, Reading, L, A, 2-5 Forest, L, A, 2-1 Preston, W, H, 0-0 Millwall, D, A, 0-3 Watford, L, H, 0-1 Forest, L, H, 1-2 Ipswich, L

17 Ipswich Town 27 10 4 13 32 37 −5 34

A, 2-1, Sheffield Utd, W, H, 0-2 Derby, L, H, 1-3 Barnsley, L, A 0-1 Hull, L, A, 1-4 Norwich, L, H, 1-3 Swansea, L, A, 0-1 Preston, L, H, 3-0 Leicester, W, A, 1-1, Coventry, D, H, 0-1, Forest, L, (JEWELL)

A, 1-2 Millwall, L. H, 3-2 Doncaster W, A, 2-1 Derby. W

18 Middlesbrough 28 9 6 13 33 36 −3 33

H, 2-1,Palace, W. A, 2-0 Ssausagehorpe,W, A, 0-1, Swansea, L, H, 0-1 Millwall, L, 2-2. H, Hull, D, A, 0-1 Coventry, L, H, 1-0 Cardiff, W, A, 1-2 Dincaster, L, A, 3-1 Preston, W, A, 1-1, Leeds, D, H, 1-1 Norwich, D, A 4-0 Bristol W, H, 1-1 Preston D, H, 2-0 Ssausagehorpe, W

19 Bristol City 29 8 8 13 31 44 −13 32

H, 1-1, Preston,D, A, 1-0 Swansea, W, A, 1-3, Leeds,L, H, 2-0 Leicester, W, H,3-0 Sheffield Utd, W,H, 2-0, Derby, W, A, 0-2 Hull, L, A, 1-4, Reading, L, H, 1-1 Palace, D, H, 3-0 Cardiff, W, A, 2-2 QPR, D, H,

0-4 Midlesboro, L, A, 0-0 Palace, D, A, 0-1 Forest, L, H, 0-2, Swansea L

20 Portsmouth 27 8 7 12 38 43 −5 31

A, 0-2 Derby, L, H 1-1, QPR, D, H, 2-3 Doncaster, L, A, 0-1 Barnsley, L ,A, 2-1 Swansea, W, A, 2-0 Norwich, W, H, 1-1 Millwall, D, A, 3-3 Leeds, D, A, 0-3 Watford, L, H, 2-3 Hull, L, A, 1-2 Forest, L, H, 2-2 Leeds, D, H, 1-2 Burnley, L, A, 0-2 QPR, L,

21 Crystal Palace 29 7 7 15 27 48 −21 28

A,1-2 Midlesboro, L H, 3-2 Millwall, W, H, 2-0. Coventry, W, A, 2-3, Sheffield Utd, L, H, 1-0 Doncaster, W, A, 1-2, Leeds, L,, H, 0-0 Hull, D, A. 0-3 Forest, L, A, 1-1 Bristol, D, A, 0-3 Millwall, L, H 1-0 Preston, W, (FREEDMAN) A, 0-3 Swansea, L, H, 0-0 Bristol, D, H,0-0 Norwich, D, A, 1-1 Watford, D

22 Sheffield United 28 7 6 15 27 45 −18 27

(SPEED)H, 1-2 Ipswich, L, A, 2-2 Leicester, D, A, 1-0 Millwall, W. H. 3-2, Palace, W, A, 0-3 Bristol, L, A, 1-0 Barnsley, L, H 1-0 Swansea, W, H, 2-3, Hull, L, A, 2-4 Norwich, L, A (ADAMS), 2-4 Burnley, L, H 2-2 Doncaster D, A 0-0 Coventry, D, H, 1-2 Norwich, L,H, 0-1 Leicester L

23 Ssausagehorpe United 26 7 3 16 26 46 −20 24

A, 1-0 Hull, W, H, 0-2 Midsboro, L, H, 2-4, Cardiff, L, A, 2-3, Derby, L, H, 0-2, Coventry, L, A, 0-3, Millwall, L, A, 2-0 Burnley, W, A, 0-3 Doncaster, L, H, 1-2 Watford, L, A, 0-4 Leeds, L, H, 0-0 Burnley, D,

A, 0-2 Midlesboro, L

24 Preston North End 27 5 6 16 29 49 −20 21,

A, 0-1 Leicester L, A, 1-1 Bristol, D, H, 1-2 Barnsely, L, H, 0-2,

Hull, L, A, 1-3 QPR, L, H, 0-0 Millwall, D, A 1-1 Cardiff, D, H, 1-0 Ipswich, W, H 1-3 Midlesboro, L, H 1-2, Derby, L, A., 0-1 Palace, L, (BROWN) H, 1-1 Leicester, D, A 1-1 Midlesboro, D, A, 0-2 Barnsley, L

[Derbiean]

Really need to pick up for the rest of the season, certainly don't want to rely on others not picking up.