So good to see Tom Nichols back to his best recently. Especially well timed with Kwesi being injured. Superb work to create Tsarollua’s goal and then a beautiful finish for his own.
Nichols is up there with Morris as our most important player IMO. When Nichols is on form he adds so much to the attack with his link up play, he's always involved in the build play even when he's not scoring he's often crucial to our attacking play.
Tom Nicholls was a class act last night. No Doubt about it! Long may it continue!
Also, that was probably our best match this season for the last 25 mins play. Long may that continue!
If we continue to out-play our opponents last 25 mins in most of the remaining matches then Top7 is a Certainty, otherwise it wont happen. Its all about the last 25 mins of each match for me! Only Forest Green have more 1st half points than us in the whole league. Only Forest Green. Northampton & Tranmere have more points than us after 65 mins play in the whole league.
Easier said than done tho. The last 25 mins against Salford Away and Forest Green Home in 2 weeks time will Reveal All. We will all know whether Top7 is going to happen after watching the last 25 mins in those 2 games.
Nichols is up there with Morris as our most important player IMO. When Nichols is on form he adds so much to the attack with his link up play, he's always involved in the build play even when he's not scoring he's often crucial to our attacking play.
When we had that horrendous run earlier in the season that pretty much coincided with Nichols' form dropping off badly, since he's started playing well again the results have been a lot better. Could have easily won 4 consecutive matches
Tom Nicholls was a class act last night. No Doubt about it! Long may it continue!
Also, that was probably our best match this season for the last 25 mins play. Long may that continue!
If we continue to out-play our opponents last 25 mins in most of the remaining matches then Top7 is a Certainty, otherwise it wont happen. Its all about the last 25 mins of each match for me! Only Forest Green have more 1st half points than us in the whole league. Only Forest Green. Northampton & Tranmere have more points than us after 65 mins play in the whole league.
Easier said than done tho. The last 25 mins against Salford Away and Forest Green Home in 2 weeks time will Reveal All. We will all know whether Top7 is going to happen after watching the last 25 mins in those 2 games.
So 7 of our next 10 games are at home including playing the bottom 2 and 3 others below us - 5 games we could / should win.
I can see why some people still harbour hopes of a playoff place but in fairness to the squad, we are inconsistent and unlikely to win all those games BUT if you do dream, now is the time to do it and start by beating Hartlepool on Saturday
Yems was right after the match to make the point that at times on Saturday we played better than on Tuesday. I thought the two games were actually very similar but, as ever, fine margins decided the games. In both, we dominated, Nichols had stormers, we conceded equalisers after a mistake, Morris had barely anything to do except scoop out of the net. Crucially Nichols didn’t get that third goal on Saturday yet he took a way more difficult chance for the third goal on Tuesday.
Overall we are playing really well, perhaps our best run of form this season. Playoffs not out of the question given our deeper squad now (with the new additions and clearing injuries) but top 10 more realistic given we’ve not had that level of consistency for the best part of a decade.
Lots of talk on here about stats and data. Just a reminder that data scientists would laugh at 3 data points being any kind of trend. Just as we had 3 red cards in close succession earlier in the season, that really didn’t justify a narrative that our players had discipline issues. And very similarly three games where we’ve conceded very late doesn’t necessarily mean we have problems closing games out, a small number of data points are more likely to be chance rather than a meaningful trend
Yems was right after the match to make the point that at times on Saturday we played better than on Tuesday. I thought the two games were actually very similar but, as ever, fine margins decided the games.
A well observed point. Analysis of the big picture (formations, approach, tactics, patterns, stats etc) often overlook the pivotal small detail.
On Saturday - despite all the noise about fitness & inviting pressure - it was us attempting a quick break that lead to Stevenage getting the crucial free-kick at the death... ...conversely, it was a simple Harrogate square pass that lead to our opener on Tuesday...!
I think top half will be decent to be honest, just want to take each game as it comes and see where we end up by the 8th May.
Wouldn't disagree but would be great to go on a run that gave us some cheer going forward even if most of us would settle for what we have but a good run would certainly be fun!
Yems was right after the match to make the point that at times on Saturday we played better than on Tuesday. I thought the two games were actually very similar but, as ever, fine margins decided the games. In both, we dominated, Nichols had stormers, we conceded equalisers after a mistake, Morris had barely anything to do except scoop out of the net. Crucially Nichols didn’t get that third goal on Saturday yet he took a way more difficult chance for the third goal on Tuesday.
Overall we are playing really well, perhaps our best run of form this season. Playoffs not out of the question given our deeper squad now (with the new additions and clearing injuries) but top 10 more realistic given we’ve not had that level of consistency for the best part of a decade.
Lots of talk on here about stats and data. Just a reminder that data scientists would laugh at 3 data points being any kind of trend. Just as we had 3 red cards in close succession earlier in the season, that really didn’t justify a narrative that our players had discipline issues. And very similarly three games where we’ve conceded very late doesn’t necessarily mean we have problems closing games out, a small number of data points are more likely to be chance rather than a meaningful trend
but in my view the sending's off were all of our own making and players should have been fined for letting colleagues down! No excuses
As good as we have played in the last couple of games, I do not think that we have seen the best from the team yet. We have some good players getting close to returning. Kwesi, Joel and Ludwig. John Yems will have some difficult team selections to make soon. Looking forward to some exciting times.
I think top half will be decent to be honest, just want to take each game as it comes and see where we end up by the 8th May.
Wouldn't disagree but would be great to go on a run that gave us some cheer going forward even if most of us would settle for what we have but a good run would certainly be fun!
Same too but just trying not to get too over-excited quickly