Half way point

[2b2bdoo]

Considering the embargo I don’t think many if any would be to disappointed with 10th, 3 points off the play offs and 13 ahead of the drop especially having lost ODowda and Ramsey missing for such long stretches.

It’s certainly been a mixed bag, some good performances and winning runs and some poor performances and poor runs of forms.

I think 23 games and half way is a good time to judge and all thing considered it’s a very good half to the season. Form and performances need to pick up, we need better quality players as well which can hopefully be added in January, I think adding Moore adds a huge new dynamic.

But I think staying up under the embargo was the priority and we are on the way to doing that. Hopefully the win brings some much needed confidence.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Considering the embargo I don’t think many if any would be to disappointed with 10th, 3 points off the play offs and 13 ahead of the drop especially having lost ODowda and Ramsey missing for such long stretches.

It’s certainly been a mixed bag, some good performances and winning runs and some poor performances and poor runs of forms.

I think 23 games and half way is a good time to judge and all thing considered it’s a very good half to the season. Form and performances need to pick up, we need better quality players as well which can hopefully be added in January, I think adding Moore adds a huge new dynamic.

But I think staying up under the embargo was the priority and we are on the way to doing that. Hopefully the win brings some much needed confidence.

There are lots of angles you can look at.

After we beat Bristol City we were 6th, 2 points off Leeds (3rd) and 1 off Southampton (4th). 9 games later we're 12 points away from both. I think we accept that the top 4 are the best 4 in the division and will finish as the top 4 in whatever order it happens. Those 4 sides are the most in form in the division since November.

Watford, Norwich and Bristol City have been on decent runs since the start of November. We haven't but are 3 points off the playoffs. We're 18th in the form table since November, which isn't great, but we've only won 3 points fewer than West Brom who are in 5th and ranked 9th since November. There's not that much to separate a lot of the teams in the division.

But, god, our performances have been dire.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

If my aunty had bollocks she would be my uncle

If we had a few more quality players we could be a top six side ...incredible considering the last few years

If Ramsey hadn't got injured we might have played a bit of better football and if colwill and Tanner were able to impose themselves on games more ......again we might have a bit more about us

Bulut and his team of freebies have done a very good job on the whole and we need to be far more realistic looking long term

13 points clear of relegation sounds great as far as I am concerned

[2b2bdoo]

There are lots of angles you can look at.

After we beat Bristol City we were 6th, 2 points off Leeds (3rd) and 1 off Southampton (4th). 9 games later we're 12 points away from both. I think we accept that the top 4 are the best 4 in the division and will finish as the top 4 in whatever order it happens. Those 4 sides are the most in form in the division since November.

Watford, Norwich and Bristol City have been on decent runs since the start of November. We haven't but are 3 points off the playoffs. We're 18th in the form table since November, which isn't great, but we've only won 3 points fewer than West Brom who are in 5th and ranked 9th since November. There's not that much to separate a lot of the teams in the division.

But, god, our performances have been dire.

Recent performances have been dire for sure, I don’t agree that over the first half of the season we have been consistently dire. I think it’s been quite up and down until the recent slump. Also some very good performances and derby wins.

Nevertheless to do this being the only team (I think) under an embargo is more than I expected personally, obviously I’m not sure on other’s expectations. I think after last two seasons and considering the embargo I’m happy with the mixed seasons performances as long as it keeps us away from the drop zone and looking up rather than down. Seems like plenty to build on if we can add in January, that’s not to mean we throw money around but small fees and loan fees can make a huge difference.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Recent performances have been dire for sure, I don’t agree that over the first half of the season we have been consistently dire. I think it’s been quite up and down until the recent slump. Also some very good performances and derby wins.

Nevertheless to do this being the only team (I think) under an embargo is more than I expected personally, obviously I’m not sure on other’s expectations. I think after last two seasons and considering the embargo I’m happy with the mixed seasons performances as long as it keeps us away from the drop zone and looking up rather than down. Seems like plenty to build on if we can add in January, that’s not to mean we throw money around but small fees and loan fees can make a huge difference.

I should have said that performances over the last couple of months have been crap, not all season.

I'm hoping we can build. I do worry that we'll run out of luck at some point. We had some bad luck at the start and we've had more than our fair share of good luck recently.

What I can't understand is why a team that did play some good football, even without Ramsey where, for a while, we were winning and scoring lots of goals without him, we've looked inept from open play. Today we had a great deal of luck in front of goal where you can't argue recently we've had bad luck, because things have been so bad.

I think we've overachieved this season, massively. I don't think we have a chance of finishing in the playoffs and, if by some chance we got there, we'd get murdered.

As I said earlier in the season, I'm more interested in a bit of entertainment this season. Forget promotion, let's take some shackles off and have a go, not become more defensive and hope to pinch things.

[LA Bluebird]

Think he's done very well to have us where we are especially given injuries but recent form is definitely concerning, we've probably ridden a bit of luck to still be in the top half given the last month and a half. There's no way we're a playoff side without putting some serious money in during the next window.

Realistically somewhere towards mid table and a chance to not worry about relegation and experiment a bit more with the younger squad members, with an eye on evaluating next season and some targeted recruitment over the summer will be just fine.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Think he's done very well to have us where we are especially given injuries but recent form is definitely concerning, we've probably ridden a bit of luck to still be in the top half given the last month and a half. There's no way we're a playoff side without putting some serious money in during the next window.

Realistically somewhere towards mid table and a chance to not worry about relegation and experiment a bit more with the younger squad members, with an eye on evaluating next season and some targeted recruitment over the summer will be just fine.

I'd rather Bulut give the likes of Tanner, Colwill and King much more game time this season to give them experience ahead of next season.

[olderblue]

I'd rather Bulut give the likes of Tanner, Colwill and King much more game time this season to give them experience ahead of next season.

Bulut has done a decent job keeping us in touch with the top 6.
I guess a lot of fan’s frustration is that we’re so close to being in the top 6, but of late have looked more like a side facing relegation.

The down turn in performance levels is the biggest challenge that Bulut has to overcome.

It maybe that he has looked at this realistically and the conclusion is that we’re just not good enough with what we currently have, and in reality he’s right

We have a squad made up of some good players, an exceptional player in Ramsey, a couple of talented youngsters and a load of dross who we’d have trouble giving away.

All teams go through a dip, and players form can drop, it doesn’t make them bad footballers, usually there’s a reason behind it, carrying an injury etc

Siopis was like a breath of fresh air when he arrived, but now looks like he needs a rest.
He’ll come good again as he’s a decent player

Our problems are while we have quantity, we just lack any real quality in depth, something we have to change in this transfer window or the next.

Robinson and Bowler have been the major disappointments to me, as I expected more from Robinson, and was genuinely excited about seeing Bowler running at defenders and delivering some decent crosses.
If either or both went in January I wouldn’t be too concerned.

We then have the issue of either paying off some players contracts or hoping that they have enough professional pride to find a new club and make a fresh start

Compared to the last few seasons, we’re in a good position, Bulut needs time and backing to make the transition from a struggling team into a squad that can challenge for the top six.

It’s a big job and it isn’t going to happen overnight. While I accept that, it doesn’t mean he’s always right and can’t be questioned or criticised for certain selections or style of play, I’d rather see a couple of youngsters on the bench than some of those named yesterday,

Roll on January when hopefully he can get onto the next stage of developing the squad he needs

[fugsyphil]

I was a real doomsday merchant before a ball was kicked, fearing relegation was a likely outcome, so the half way point has been way above any hopes I had.

I now don't fear the drop at all however I'll also not be surprised if our home form dips badly enough to make the end of season a little nervous. So far we've got 19 points from 11 I'll be pleased with a further 12 from the remaining 12 home fixtures.

Back on the positive side our remaining 11 aways are a fair bit easier than the ones already played so safety shouldn't be an issue

[Robin Friday's Ghost]

There are lots of angles you can look at.

After we beat Bristol City we were 6th, 2 points off Leeds (3rd) and 1 off Southampton (4th). 9 games later we're 12 points away from both. I think we accept that the top 4 are the best 4 in the division and will finish as the top 4 in whatever order it happens. Those 4 sides are the most in form in the division since November.

Watford, Norwich and Bristol City have been on decent runs since the start of November. We haven't but are 3 points off the playoffs. We're 18th in the form table since November, which isn't great, but we've only won 3 points fewer than West Brom who are in 5th and ranked 9th since November. There's not that much to separate a lot of the teams in the division.

But, god, our performances have been dire.

I make it for the Wurzels won 4, lost 3, drawn 2. So not a great run really.

[tforturton]

It maybe that he (Bulut) has looked at this realistically and the conclusion is that we’re just not good enough with what we currently have, and in reality he’s right.

We have a squad made up of some good players, an exceptional player in Ramsey, a couple of talented youngsters and a load of dross who we’d have trouble giving away.

These two lines sum it up very well. Bulut has done a great job, while having very little at his disposal. Apart from a couple of useful lads, we have a team full of freebies and give-aways, so perhaps we shouldn't expect too much. That said, we're top half, and that's miles away from where we've been the last few seasons, so hats off to Erol. We definitely need a striker or two, if only to hold up the ball, and we need cover in a couple of places, but as sides go, it's not too bad. But the football recently - I swear it's been some of the worst I've seen at Cardiff, and I've seen a lot.