Lack of form

[paul2106]

Is it just me or are we seriously suffering from a lack of form. IMO it started against WBA, we were poor; thank god they were even worse. Hull was the same and i think we were lucky to get a draw and as for Derby enough said. Newcastle was a glimmer of hope in the second half but was still poor and after saturdays game i have to say the worst performance ive seen all year.

Analysing the teams there is one player missing from when the slump started Olofinjana. Why is he not in the team? Him and salif worked well togther. We just dont seem to have any balance at the moment.

[luke45]

I don't think we've been sharp at home in the last 3 league games thats for sure, but you have to seek positives from this, despite flat performances, we've took 5 points from 9.

The second half at newcastle is best we have played all season, only the first half performance against Arsenal coming close too it.

I think it is nothing more than coincidental that our form and performances have dipped since Seyi fell out of the side, but for me, even when he was in the side he wasn't doing enough to warrant his place, he drifts out of games for too much, and doesn't add anywhere near the creatiivty we were hoping, granted that could be too do with Pulis trying to adopt two defensively roled centre midfielders, but if that is what he is opting for than Seyi definately isn't the answer.

I think whelan needs to be in the side, purely because with Lawrence out, he is the best dead-ball distributor available, and with our physical and arial attributes, its crucial the service to the players in the box etc... is of a good standard.

I think the atmosphere has been fairly flat at the last 3 home games aswell, and that seems to be reflected by the nervous performances, i think even as a promoted side where ANY points are gold-dust the players sensed an air of expectancy in the last 3 home games, and felt the pressure more than against the likes of Arsenal, where we were under-dogs, out to cause an upset.

As long as we can keep collecting points at home we will survive, based on our home form this far this season thus far, and the points collected at home from now till May could put us pretty close to having enough points to survive, even with limited success on the road.

This task will remain a marathon, right till the full-time whistle at Arsenal, and we've done half the job so far, we've got so much more too achieve, or throw away, and i'm confident we'll do the first, and survive the drop.

[A-teen_six_T3]

We haven't loss in like 7 games

There teams with worse form than us, who should eb more worried than us

1 Liverpool 6 3 3 0 10 3 7 12 W W D D W D
2 Chelsea 6 3 2 1 9 3 6 11 W W D L W D
3 Manchester United 6 3 2 1 8 2 6 11 L W D W W D
4 Aston Villa 6 3 2 1 10 6 4 11 L W D D W W
5 Wigan Athletic 6 3 2 1 8 4 4 11 D D W W L W
6 Everton 6 3 1 2 8 6 2 10 W D L W L W
7 Tottenham Hotspur 6 3 1 2 6 4 2 10 W L W L W D
8 Fulham 6 2 4 0 5 3 2 10 W W D D D D
9 Arsenal 6 3 1 2 6 8 -2 10 W L L W W D
10 Bolton Wanderers 6 3 0 3 10 10 0 9 W L W W L L
11 Portsmouth 6 2 3 1 8 9 -1 9 W D D W D L
12 Newcastle United 6 1 4 1 8 6 2 7 L D D D D W
13 Hull City 6 1 4 1 9 9 0 7 L D D D W D
14 Stoke City 6 1 4 1 4 8 -4 7 D L W D D D
15 Sunderland 6 2 0 4 8 9 -1 6 L W L L L W
16 Middlesbrough 6 1 3 2 6 8 -2 6 W D L D L D
17 West Ham United 6 1 3 2 3 6 -3 6 L D W D L D
18 Manchester City 6 1 2 3 7 7 0 5 L D W L D L
19 West Bromwich Albion 6 0 1 5 2 14 -12 1 L L L L D L
20 Blackburn Rovers 6 0 0 6 4 14 -10 0 L L L L L L

[JoeinOz]

We have still managed to pick up points which is the object of the exercise BUT, we all know that we'll start getting beaten unless the squad is strengthened substantially in January.

[paul2106]

Im not disputing we haven't picked up points, it just an alarming lack of form but as for seyi he does drift out of games but he is a constant threat and he has scored a coupke of important goals this year

[apb1]

Not a bad shout Paul - I wouldn't be surprised if TP brings him back alongside Whelan for the Blackburn game.

I would actually play 5 men in midfield:

Cresswell Delap Whelan Olly and Soares or Tonge

The wide players would need to support Fuller, but hoofing it long just doesn't work without Mama, so we need to get bodies in the middle of the pitch

[Trubritt]

i think the man utd game shook us more than we realised at the time ,since then we have not been the same team, ok we beat west brom but they were very poor and we havn't played played with the same zest and confidence since.

[hchpotter]

The loss of form is understandable when you consider we have lost Griff, Shawcross, Diao, Kitson, Sidibe, and that Rory was quite clearly unfit. Any team in this league without half of its first 11 is going to struggle. In this context, Saturday's point was a good one because the boys had to dig really deep and succesfully restricted Fulham to a limited number of chances.

Really bad luck to suffer so many injuries just before a couple of crucial matches but the spirit in the team seems to be excellent. The support of a massive and vocal following at Blackburn will help. This is definitely one of those stages in the season where we can play a part as the 12th man.

[pulisatemyhamster]

think our form started to dip at the wigan game, we've really been poor in every game since, apart from the obvious 2nd half at toon, which imo was helped by kinnear taking off his 2 best players.

seriously think that delap needs to be dropped for a couple of games now and tonge given a proper chance to show us what he can do. yes i'm greatful for the 7 or so goals we got from rorys throw, but if he's struggling with his shoulders i fail to see what he brings to the table football wise that tonge can't do better.