Millwall v AFC Bournemouth - 4 To Go!

Easier to do at 3-0 granted but yes, the fragile mindset of this squad has been its achillies heel for the past couple of years.

With confidence they can do anything. But they were mentally so fragile. In the midst of seven consecutive victories. That’s gone.

Is that Woodgate? Is that the on pitch leader we’ve been lacking with Ben Pearson marshalling the middle of the park, even the calming influence of CCV? Or the ego of Danjuma? Who knows, a combination of all the above, whatever it is, bottle it for the next 6 games and we can moan about VAR next season.

This is a point that is lost on some of those proclaiming we had 'the best squad in the league' before a ball was kicked this season. We all knew that we had some decent individual players but they were almost all inconsistent and mentally fragile. This is as relevant to the quality of a squad as anything else. The challenge for JT was to turn this around and initially he did but ultimately he failed.

Agree 100% with your final paragraph. Probably a combination of all of them.
 
Who said we would be in the playoffs? The original q was who we want in the playoffs. I want Watford in the playoffs...not us :D
I read that as you saying you want to 'play' Watford in the playoffs (ie who we want in the playoffs).

On that question I would want Swansea!
 
Fingers crossed for Kelly but it didn't look good. It was one of those ones where he got injured ( was fouled as we were attacking and the ref ignored it ) hobbled about a bit, ran back because he could see there was defending to be done and as soon as he hit the ball to clear he fell to the ground in pain. So one of those where he was able to run on it just about but as soon as he had to kick a ball he was in agony. I fear some kind of ankle ligament injury again, could be season over :confused:
Maybe the damage is minor and he can recover quicker than expected. He really has been unfortunate with injuries in his time with us and deserves to play his part in the playoffs, which he ( hopefully, don't want to jinx it ! ) helped us to reach .
 
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Agree with that except the Chelsea game. They had about 90%possession in the first half but our defence was uncharacteristically good, second half we took the piss

Spot on. I was in DC for that game and thought Chelsea looked really sharp in the first half, but the whistle went and it was still 0-0 (I think?). The second half was one of the best counter attacking performances I've seen from any team. King up front with Brooks pulling the strings, it was ridiculous. Unfortunately EH was obsessed with playing Wilson up front and we never saw the King/Brooks partnership again.
 
Fingers crossed for Kelly but it didn't look good. It was one of those ones where he got injured ( was fouled as we were attacking and the ref ignored it ) hobbled about a bit, ran back because he could see there was defending to be done and as soon as he hit the ball to clear he fell to the ground in pain. So one of those where he was able to run on it just about but as soon as he had to kick a ball he was in agony. I fear some kind of ankle ligament injury again, could be season over :confused:
Maybe the damage is minor and he can recover quicker than expected. He really has been unfortunate with injuries in his time with us and deserves to play his part in the playoffs, which he ( hopefully, don't want to jinx it ! ) helped us to reach .

How unlucky is Kelly? I think he's been brilliant in this run of games and has formed a decent partnership with Danjuma. He's been shaky at times this season but he's quick, strong, doesn't get beat and is very good at reacting quickly and snuffing out trouble. He's improved on his tenancy to dwell on the ball and be indecisive too. Really looks like the player that everyone in the game rates so highly recently.

Fingers crossed for him and us.
 
How unlucky is Kelly? I think he's been brilliant in this run of games and has formed a decent partnership with Danjuma. He's been shaky at times this season but he's quick, strong, doesn't get beat and is very good at reacting quickly and snuffing out trouble. He's improved on his tenancy to dwell on the ball and be indecisive too. Really looks like the player that everyone in the game rates so highly recently.

Fingers crossed for him and us.
Yes, I think his partnership with Danjuma will be a big miss for us if he is out for the season. Rico did really well as cover for him today but the game was already won by then. We will miss him if he can't play, that's for sure. Very unlucky so far but fingers crossed his luck is about to change and this one heals quickly.
 
On whoscored tonight, Dominic Solanke with his goal and two assists was given 9.05 but MOM with 9.06 was David Brooks who scored one goal and had a good game.
 
Still could be a Bournemouth V's Watford final. Brentford could still come in second. Personally though, I think that Watford will sneak it. Fingers crossed we continue with this brilliant current form.
UTCIAD
 
Still could be a Bournemouth V's Watford final. Brentford could still come in second. Personally though, I think that Watford will sneak it. Fingers crossed we continue with this brilliant current form.
UTCIAD
I think Watford will easily hold second and be well clear of third come the end of the season

Agree, though, the important thing is to keep our momentum going.....six more wins will do it, thirteen on the bounce would be a magic way to round off a tricky couple of years
 
A part of me actually wants to see a slight blip, say a draw or two in our final three or a draw and a win in the semis. I can't see us having a thirteen game winning streak, as much as I would absolutely love it to happen. This takes into account the three games in the semis and the final. I would hate to get to the final say after winning twelve straight and marginally lose that game, or get thrashed. I suppose it's a case of having the confidence but not being too over confident as a squad. However, then again isn't that part of the coaching teams job to level their squad. After all a winning streak has to end sometime and I would much prefer that to be in the final three league games if that makes sense and then go again.
UTCIAD
 
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A part of me actually wants to see a slight blip, say a draw or two in our final three or a draw and a win in the semis. I can't see us having a thirteen game winning streak, as much as I would absolutely love it to happen. This takes into account the three games in the semis and the final. I would hate to get to the final say after winning twelve straight and marginally lose that game, or get thrashed. I suppose it's a case of having the confidence but not being too over confident as a squad. However, then again isn't that part of the coaching teams job to level their squad. After all a winning streak has to end sometime and I would much prefer that to be in the final three league games if that makes sense and then go again.
UTCIAD
Makes total sense, but it is the old adage of taking each game as it comes.

I know there are only two options on tossing a coin, but it is highly unlikely you will spin 10 heads or tails in a row. However it is stil 50/50 that the next one will continue the streak. The odds dont change.

So just because we have won 7, 8 ,9 etc, its only our knowledge and belief that winning runs will end at some point, that put in that concern.

I think Brentford themselves won 8 on the bounce last year, starting at exactly the same time as us. They then lost the last two at Stoke I think, and then at home to Barnsley, which cost them automatic.

They then spluttered in the play offs. Thats our fear, but there is no reason it should happen, just because it happened to them.

To be fair in the play offs, you can even afford to lose one game, (as Brentford actually did) in the semis, as long as you win on aggregate.

Nevertheless we wouldnt be a fan, without worrying about all the permutations!
 
A part of me actually wants to see a slight blip, say a draw or two in our final three or a draw and a win in the semis. I can't see us having a thirteen game winning streak, as much as I would absolutely love it to happen. This takes into account the three games in the semis and the final. I would hate to get to the final say after winning twelve straight and marginally lose that game, or get thrashed. I suppose it's a case of having the confidence but not being too over confident as a squad. However, then again isn't that part of the coaching teams job to level their squad. After all a winning streak has to end sometime and I would much prefer that to be in the final three league games if that makes sense and then go again.
UTCIAD


yeah I know what you mean, a bad result or draw, could help refocus, but then on other hand whose to say we can';t go on a crazy winning streak with confidence sky high.

monmouth sums it up well.

also, can't be discounted that player for player we have more ability than any of the playoff contenders, so a crazy run isn't out of this teams grasp, assuming Woodgate has got the belief and focus instilled.
 
yeah I know what you mean, a bad result or draw, could help refocus, but then on other hand whose to say we can';t go on a crazy winning streak with confidence sky high.

monmouth sums it up well.

also, can't be discounted that player for player we have more ability than any of the playoff contenders, so a crazy run isn't out of this teams grasp, assuming Woodgate has got the belief and focus instilled.
Good point, if we were Man City in the PL we wouldnt be thinking we couldnt continue the run.

Mind you first ten at Norwich we were blown away. Lets see how Brentford pans out Saturday especially as we will now be without Kelly I assume, breaking the settled team.
 
Good point, if we were Man City in the PL we wouldnt be thinking we couldnt continue the run.

Mind you first ten at Norwich we were blown away. Lets see how Brentford pans out Saturday especially as we will now be without Kelly I assume, breaking the settled team.


exactly, relative to the level we're playing at, although not easy, its not totally unrealistic to keep this run going... as say it would be to expect Rotherham to go on a similar streak.
 

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