I can definitely see why people want our manager sacked

There’s a lot of ifs there! And Connell had been out all season prior to Roberts’ injury anyway. But you just asked what happened when Collins was out and the answer was we started letting in goals left, right and centre, against poor teams (excluding Derby). Killip is an okay back up keeper for the odd game, whereas Roberts is an outstanding keeper who’s won us as many points as Cole’s goals have.

 

Considering I watch every minute of every game, I think I'm pretty well-placed to offer an opinion on this one. And this isn't a reply to you as such, more just a general ramble because I've got a spare half hour.

It seems a much more competitive division this season, to me at least. And that's where I'm struggling with this oft-repeated "it's a weaker league this year" line.

There were ourselves plus Wednesday, Ipswich and Argyle who were in my opinion, much better than the rest. Most would suggest it was just those three, but you have to remember we only won four of our final 10 games, losing four and drawing two. Those draws were against Lincoln and an MK side who went down. Had we not fallen off so much, you never know.
But there was some tripe in the division. Teams who lost between 20 and 30 of their matches. FGR, Accrington, Morecambe. Cheltenham were as bad as I've seen at this level yet stayed up. Cambridge similarly. This season, Oxford - who stayed up by just two points - are much stronger. Blackpool, Charlton, Port Vale and Bristol Rovers all strengthened. Stevenage and Northampton are much stronger than last season's promoted outfits.
I suppose we are fortunate (although we've beaten both of them) that Reading and Wigan received points deductions after relegation). But for me, I think this is a much more competitive division. Not weaker, not stronger, whatever that means. Just more competitive.

Yes, we've lost to teams like Peterborough, Oxford and Portsmouth who are currently 'just' above us. But look when those defeats occurred. So much context that often gets ignored. We're a different animal now, as our showing at Peterborough proved recently. But accepting, we again were denied by our own poor defending. Which every man and his dog is aware of. We got daft money for Mads who had been promised a move if a Prem club came in for him. We got even dafter cash for Kitch (who is better than Mads) on the final day of the window. Thomas wasn't ours, nor Isted. Our holding midfielder got a completely random, one-off illness. We are a different beast now, a few months on. And the results/form tell you that. Unbeaten in 10. One defeat in 15 is it?

Was last night a good performance? No. And the captain and coach said as much post-match. Were we lucky not to concede each of the gifted chances in that horrific opening 20 minutes? Absolutely. I don't think anyone other than Williams, McAtee and Cole rated more than a 5/10. You can often get away with a couple of individual off-days. Last night felt like 7 or 8 were having really off-nights, and the others were merely average.
And yet we rallied to win regardless, again. Three times we've won from behind now. Last season, it was game over if we fell behind. With Duff, Mads, Kitch, Thomas, Nors etc.

Are we playing scintillating football all the time? No. There are some quality moments though. Some of the goals we've scored this season are exceptional. The away record is probably right up there with our very best, ever. And we're more than halfway through the season. Our home record has improved too. We've a striker set to score over 20 goals in a season. We've got wing-backs who score and assist. The midfielders chip in. Hasn't Kane got 7 or 8? We even get AND SCORE penalties. We are ahead of where we were last season at this stage. We're on the same points (49) as we were after 26 games under Daniel, and sit in the same position, 5th. We were 16th at this point in the 15/16 season.

On Tuesday night, we had a lad who was last season playing for Pontefract, playing for us. He's made four starts, we've won all four. Did he make a glut of errors? Yes. But he's a young lad making a huge jump. Of course, if McCart was fit he wouldn't be playing. But he is playing. And he's from our neck of the woods, a great kid and always learning. He could be very very good in the future. I was speaking to Danny Wilson post-match. He's forgot more than any of us will ever know. And he rates Shepherd and said it was just one of those nights, but it's one he will have learnt a lot more from than the three other starts he had. And he said "it's good recruitment, it's what WE have always done, look at Shez, Bully and Marc Roberts". Honestly, Danny is a joy to know and I could chat to him all day. He also loves Neill. A former player. So does Mick McCarthy. And so do I and all at the club.

And yes, I know I'm club rhetoric guy. But that's the point. I will have been on here last season defending the team and Duff, when the BBS were unhappy. I note that Nors is now seen as a cult icon, yet I recall the BBS hating him for half of last season.

We might lose the next five and fall off a cliff. It's football. Who really knows? But I'd be interested to know what people predicted we'd achieve this season, back in the summer. Because I doubt many had us on 49 points after 26 games.

 

Get stuffed thee!

 

Excellent post, Andy, old mate.

 

Always preferred your Lee.

 

Hark at thee with thi La-de-da common sense post

 

I know. Old age innit?

 

The thing that gets me when people say we are a 3rd division team and this is our level is, if we wasn’t a fire sale club which division would we be in. I understand selling 1 player to balance the books but a squad rebuild season after season is holding us back. 6 ex Barnsley players from the last few season are now in the premier league.

 

How many have we got that are now playing League two or below though?

 

If that’s what you want to interpret from my rationale then that’s on you.

Cole and Roberts are the shining lights of this side and I am grateful that we have them both at the club.

 

Me too

 

Aww poor you, why do you put yourself through that.

 

I don’t want Collins sacked. The football is awful. Flat. One paced. Dull

Performances on the whole are poor and a little bit of quality upfront has resulted in better results than expected.

League is incredibly poor. Any one can’t beat anyone because of that not because it isn’t true. I didn’t expect us to be where we are in the league but I didn’t expect the league to be this bad.

 

You make some interesting and considered comments. The stats don't lie either (unless you gerrymander things to suit an agenda edit- like the Tories) . I also admire your loyalty/support and on many occasions your politics. However, there are several issues not addressed which remain pertinent. The poor quality of football is the main one which seems to be brushed off. And while the knowledge gleaned from Danny is great the main criticisms will continue. Why is the quality of football so poor? Why are so many fans disillusioned even though the club is in a good position? Why are fans constantly let down, particularly in the summer window? There's a bigger picture here and saying we have a good position and saying we have scored so many goals etc doesn't alleviate concerns. Fans see what they see and the BBS is one conduit for their concerns. Its ok to be supportive - we all are - but its another to say 'hang on, something's not quite right'. A lot of fans at the moment are in the 'something's not quite right' camp.

 

Agree fully with the first two paragraphs. Not sure about the third as yet.

But hey, if flat and boring football gets us up then I'll take it! I'd be a lot more worried about our prospects in the Championship than I would have been under MLH, but I guess that's a bridge we cross if we come to it.

 

So the 'problem' is we are more clinical with our chances and we stop the opposition scoring with theirs because we are have a good keeper?

How unfortunate.

 

Same folk annoyed that City have Harland up front and Stones at the back.

 

Not much I disagree with here. The dullness of the games provokes some to want Collins out regardless of results. I’m not one of them but just dismissing their criticism because results are good is a bit reductive.

The other side for Collins is if we don’t go up and results are all he has then you’d imagine he would come under increasing scrutiny. And if we do I’d have little confidence that dull would be good enough in the championship though let’s tackle that of if happens.

 

Misrepresenting what Paul is talking about isn’t helpful as I assume you know he is talking about statistical variance that is likely to return to the mean at some point unless performances improve.