"This year's Rotherham"

I've seen this posted a few times lately. I've refreshed my memory and they were in 24th position without respite from 10 matches in until the end of last season, were already confirmed as relegated by this time last year and finished 19 points adrift of second-bottom and 28 points from safety with a total of 23 points and a goal difference of -58. We're not having a good year by anyone's estimations but surely that comparison doesn't bear much scrutiny?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016–17_Rotherham_United_F.C._season

 

That's what people were predicting after the January 2017 transfer window wasn't it? To be fair they weren't too wide of the mark. They just couldn't predict there would be several Rotherhams who we would get most of our wins against.

 

Fair enough @pontyender, particularly the last sentence as we have indeed got a lot of points off the other strugglers, but for people to be saying it now does seem to be rather ignoring the facts, doesn't it? We've spent 4 matches in the bottom 3 and have never been bottom. Even if we lose all our games from now on and finish bottom I don't think it would be fair to call us "this season's Rotherham". We're just "this season's disappointing Barnsley", no more, no less.

 

Correct. That's exactly what those fans were saying our season would be like. 'Down before the Christmas trimmings' was another pearl of wisdom. When it was shown to be garbage, other caveats are now being introduced in their attempt to claim black is white.
I just hope we avoid the same relegation fate after 46 games.

 

We could yet finish bottom with our lowest ever 46 game points total under 3 points for a win. I think ridiculing those predictions is splitting hairs to be honest.

 

I'm not ridiculing anyone and if that's the way my post came across then I apologise but I've written twice now I'm not talking about predictions from before the start of the season. I'm talking about people saying it now and saying that based on the actual statistics I don't think it's a fair comparison, that's all. I don't think the difference between a side who was glued to the bottom of the table for most of the season and one who has not been bottom at all is splitting hairs, I think it's a reasonable distinction to make. Again, I apologise if you think that's me ridiculing anyone's position - that honestly isn't my intention.

 

The comparison with last season's Rotherham is obviously some way off the mark, if you take the season as a whole, but 14 points from our last 23 games is not that much better over half a season than Rotherham did over the full season. Personally, I think the dreadful results since our creditable performance at Norwich (which completed a run of one defeat and 13 points in 8 games) do not reflect the ability of the squad. A combination of very poor goalkeeping, poor tactics and team selection and a fair amount of bad luck has been responsible for our current plight. There is a lot more talent in this squad than there was in that which was relegated in 2014.

 

And yet that squad had a higher points total

 

We've done better than a team who managed 23 points. Set that bar low.

I wonder if we will equal the five homes that Rotherham managed.

 

The only reason we spent so long out of the relegation zone this season is Hecky, he overachieved massively with this squad, but unfortunately Hecky wasn’t a miracle worker & he got out when he could & I don’t blame him.
It’s just a pity we couldn’t back him properly, we certainly wouldn’t be in this mess that’s for sure. What a sad state of affairs!

 

But we did back him to the tune of over 6 million pounds.

 

We already have half as many points again as Rotherham managed all last season , if we do stay up , it will be purely academic whether the points were got at home or away , its the staying up what counts & this comparison with Rotherham has come about with some fans predicting that before a ball was kicked that we would be this seasons Rotherham & now saying " I told you so " .

 

Maybe. But it’s proved to be wasted on Quantity instead of quality

 

The points total is indefensible. We have eleven more points than a team who averaged 0.5 ppg. As I say set the bar low. It is far from academic where the points come from if you are trying to entice people to spend £315 to renew a season ticket when we have won 3 out of 28.

I can't believe that someone is trying to put a positive spin on such an appalling record. Actually, it's the BBS - I can fully believe it.

 

This season there are 4 Rotherham’s. The only thing stopping us being cut adrift is the inadequacy of others.

 

I am not trying to put a positive spin on it all , what I am saying & keep repeating , we are not last years Rotherham , we are still in with a shout as are the others of getting out of it , Rotherham were long dead & buried , that is not spin its the truth , but actually I can understand you making the most of our demise , its the BBS - I can fully believe it

 

You could easily be aiming that at me; it's a phrase I have used recently. However, in my defence, you have to understand the context I have used it in.
Firstly, I think I was one of the first to post (early December?) that we had already passed Rotherham dire points total. Fair play to all for that.
My fear of being 'this year's Rotherham' is in the context of the three season cycle of:
* Club gets promoted from L1.
* Club has great first season back in championship.
* Club fails to consolidate / build / push on, and plummets straight back.

Yes, I am fully aware, and full of hope, that there is time and talent to still get out of this and thus avoid the situation I have attempted to describe.

It's still been a God-awful season though, no matter how much we roll it in glitter.