C'MON PEOPLE STAY POSITIVE

[Guest utOwlz]

How did we beat Watford?

How long ago was that? and how many have we won in the last 8/9games?

[Essix Blue]

Probably thinking, 'thank flip Sheffield Wednesday are so poo poo or else we'd be in the relegation zone'.

Yeh - and 6 games ago I thought Palace would be well out of danger by now - too good to go down....

Shows what thought did eh??

[todwick owl]

God i feel pissed off , But you have to keep the faith

next week we have to get behind them more than ever

uto

[KivoOwl]

I'm more confident now than before the game.

Palace losing was a big result for us.

They'll have seen that as their most winnable game in the run in - they've now got Derby away and WBA at home - two very tough games.

I think we'll go into the final game both on 46 points - everyone else will be out of it.

So we'll need to win our last game - nothings changed really.

[Essix Blue]

How long ago was that? and how many have we won in the last 8/9games?

Palace have took 9 points in last 10 games

We've took 11 in last 10

[horny owl]

Just looking forward to the end of the season now, i'm sick of Wednesday ruining my bloody weekends.

But for no reason at all i believe we'll survive, suppose its just blind faith.

[Guest utOwlz]

Palace have took 9 points in last 10 games

We've took 11 in last 10

They are a point clear of us with a far better goals difference, i know who id rather be right now. We might have to win on the last day against them but id bet we flip it up like we always do at home, our players just cant play at hillsborough. I like your optimism but i dont share it with you

[timeforaboycott]

Why's that a wind up?

They're out of the play offs - Morgan apart who the flip from their mob is gonna be up for that??

They're all more worried about where to go on holiday in May!

Mccabe,blackwell and every pig fan will demand a win in this game,hols will come later for them.

Plus many said bristol city had nowt to play for ,and still our spineless,talentless players could not even get a point.

[Daz]

Where are the goals coming from?

2 wins in 13 is disastrous form, even if you're hoodwinked by us being a little tighter.

Can Irvine get that squad running through walls next week - it is always a pressure game, but with us in desperate trouble that pressure is doubled.

We haven't handled pressure well all season particularly in front of a justifiably frustrated home crowd.

All the ingredients are there for the most gutting weekend next Sunday - they are the last team I'd like to be playing in the situation we are in.

Over to Alan Irvine - can he get these guys playing out of their skins - that's one thing BL always did because he knew how to win the big derby matches against the pigs.

I'm an optimist generally but just can't see us escaping - mainly as this team crumbles under pressure.

[Essix Blue]

They are a point clear of us with a far better goals difference, i know who id rather be right now. We might have to win on the last day against them but id bet we flip it up like we always do at home, our players just cant play at hillsborough. I like your optimism but i dont share it with you

Our derby game apart, there's not much difference in our run ins. Rather be home v Palace than away.

[Essix Blue]

Where are the goals coming from?

2 wins in 13 is disastrous form, even if you're hoodwinked by us being a little tighter.

Can Irvine get that squad running through walls next week - it is always a pressure game, but with us in desperate trouble that pressure is doubled.

We haven't handled pressure well all season particularly in front of a justifiably frustrated home crowd.

All the ingredients are there for the most gutting weekend next Sunday - they are the last team I'd like to be playing in the situation we are in.

Over to Alan Irvine - can he get these guys playing out of their skins - that's one thing BL always did because he knew how to win the big derby matches against the pigs.

I'm an optimist generally but just can't see us escaping - mainly as this team crumbles under pressure.

Ok I'm doing the best I can here to keep our peckers up.

In reply to that - think back to the last big crowd we had at S6, Boxing Day. Our best home performance of the season

[igm1]

Where are the goals coming from?

2 wins in 13 is disastrous form, even if you're hoodwinked by us being a little tighter.

Can Irvine get that squad running through walls next week - it is always a pressure game, but with us in desperate trouble that pressure is doubled.

We haven't handled pressure well all season particularly in front of a justifiably frustrated home crowd.

All the ingredients are there for the most gutting weekend next Sunday - they are the last team I'd like to be playing in the situation we are in.

Over to Alan Irvine - can he get these guys playing out of their skins - that's one thing BL always did because he knew how to win the big derby matches against the pigs.

I'm an optimist generally but just can't see us escaping - mainly as this team crumbles under pressure.

Except for that one last September when we were 3-0 down at half time.

[Wednesday-Wonderland]

Rather be home v Palace than away.

Only Newcastle and WBA have lost less away games than Palace IIRC.

[Daz]

Ok I'm doing the best I can here to keep our peckers up.

In reply to that - think back to the last big crowd we had at S6, Boxing Day. Our best home performance of the season

I appreciate you trying to be positive mate - and we're not down until we're down.

I guess I have a different perspective than most as I have always had doubts about AI as a manager - I explained why when he was appointed and know it is not the most popular thing to say on here - but it's my reasoned opinion. I sincerely hope I'm wrong and will be happy for him to ram my doubts down my throat. But if we go down, he will have had half a season and about 70 points to play for- and what were we when he came in - just 4 points adrift? Well we're not much better off and in freefall wins wise.

I think he's organised and a decent guy who comes across well in interviews, but keeping the score down and playing tight is entirely different than setting up to win games. And we all know 1 win is better than 2 draws. We need wins now and I'm not sure he's as good at that as he is keeping us pretty tight and making it difficult for our opponents to score goals. These tactics stifle our attacking ability and we don't score many under him.

I know he has to work with the players he largely inherited, but have we seen any evidence in his armoury that he can get players playing out of their skins and above their abilities? Organisation is one thing, making them believe, lack fear and be supremely confident is another.

[Bluesteel]

I think if we lose to Utd were down,

but I think the game has the potential to be a real catalyst for us. No one can fail to give it their all when the Hillsborough crowd is really going for it. Like Newcastle at home its one of those occassions when the crowd takes the inititative rather than needing the players to give them something to get excited about.

If we lose that were fooked, but I thought before today were unlikely to get a win and thankfully only Watford and QPR pulled away from us. We still have others in touching distance, big attendances at home vs Blades and Palace are our only hope. If that cant do it for the players then nothing can.

[ReadingOwl]

I appreciate you trying to be positive mate - and we're not down until we're down.

I guess I have a different perspective than most as I have always had doubts about AI as a manager - I explained why when he was appointed and know it is not the most popular thing to say on here - but it's my reasoned opinion. I sincerely hope I'm wrong and will be happy for him to ram my doubts down my throat. But if we go down, he will have had half a season and about 70 points to play for- and what were we when he came in - just 4 points adrift? Well we're not much better off and in freefall wins wise.

I think he's organised and a decent guy who comes across well in interviews, but keeping the score down and playing tight is entirely different than setting up to win games. And we all know 1 win is better than 2 draws. We need wins now and I'm not sure he's as good at that as he is keeping us pretty tight and making it difficult for our opponents to score goals. These tactics stifle our attacking ability and we don't score many under him.

I know he has to work with the players he largely inherited, but have we seen any evidence in his armoury that he can get players playing out of their skins and above their abilities? Organisation is one thing, making them believe, lack fear and be supremely confident is another.

Absolutely, top post. 100% right.

Well said that man.

[Bluesteel]

Ok I'm doing the best I can here to keep our peckers up.

In reply to that - think back to the last big crowd we had at S6, Boxing Day. Our best home performance of the season

that has been my thought for a while,

I hope its not just a straw Ive been clutching at, but it will be a noisy stadium rather than that nervy tension of bank holiday mon (I HOPE)

[Bluesteel]

I appreciate you trying to be positive mate - and we're not down until we're down.

I guess I have a different perspective than most as I have always had doubts about AI as a manager - I explained why when he was appointed and know it is not the most popular thing to say on here - but it's my reasoned opinion. I sincerely hope I'm wrong and will be happy for him to ram my doubts down my throat. But if we go down, he will have had half a season and about 70 points to play for- and what were we when he came in - just 4 points adrift? Well we're not much better off and in freefall wins wise.

I think he's organised and a decent guy who comes across well in interviews, but keeping the score down and playing tight is entirely different than setting up to win games. And we all know 1 win is better than 2 draws. We need wins now and I'm not sure he's as good at that as he is keeping us pretty tight and making it difficult for our opponents to score goals. These tactics stifle our attacking ability and we don't score many under him.

I know he has to work with the players he largely inherited, but have we seen any evidence in his armoury that he can get players playing out of their skins and above their abilities? Organisation is one thing, making them believe, lack fear and be supremely confident is another.

I know where youre coming from,

I think if you looked at PNE they had the same solidness and perhaps a patient manner about them. But they seemed, on the whole to get the job done. I think if we had trundled along all season in the form weve had since AI took over rather than the nightmare spell under Laws we wouldnt be where we are now. Its that spell that sent us down not this one, if we'd actually picked up some points between Oct and November we wouldnt even be in this predicament.

I just think that AI only has faith in his current bunch of players through allowing them to be tight with one or maybe two outlets through JJ and Varney. If were still playing like this at Xmas next year when AI has had a chance to sculpt a team then I will agree with you.

[ReadingOwl]

I know where youre coming from,

I think if you looked at PNE they had the same solidness and perhaps a patient manner about them. But they seemed, on the whole to get the job done. I think if we had trundled along all season in the form weve had since AI took over rather than the nightmare spell under Laws we wouldnt be where we are now. Its that spell that sent us down not this one, if we'd actually picked up some points between Oct and November we wouldnt even be in this predicament.

I just think that AI only has faith in his current bunch of players through allowing them to be tight with one or maybe two outlets through JJ and Varney. If were still playing like this at Xmas next year when AI has had a chance to sculpt a team then I will agree with you.

It's all about a positive attitude. The players you pick, the formation you play, the tactics you choose.

Notwithstanding that the current squad is useless, you cannot say in certain games that they have exuded a positive attitude.

AI's mindset is negative. At an early stage of his tenure, that cautionary approach was to be applauded. But as wins have become more vital, Coventry, Bristol, Middlesborough etc the players should have come out with the attitude to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

Instead he has played the same players and installed then with a 'not lose at all costs' attitude.

Not go out there and beat them. Take the game to them FFS.

No direction, no imagination, sorry - not good enough. Even with this useless bunch.

Recipe for disaster IMO.

[Bluesteel]

Weve seen what happens when were open with "shackles off" though.

I wondered how long people would take to call for that but I didnt think it would be happening within the same season

AI talks as if he wants to attack, but we have such a lack of pace and power in the team. I can see why people are criticising AI for this, but Im not sure its fair to judge him yet.