[madsteve]

I had confidently bet Reading to finish in the bottom half so didn't rate them from the off. When we played Cardiff, they were 16th and without a manager so it was pretty likely they were there for the taking.

If we extrapolate those results over a full season, it takes us to 72 points. This will not be enough to get us promoted and probably won't get us into the Playoffs and this was one of our better months.

We are going to have to improve massively to get promoted next season.

[St Charles Owl]

I don't think anyone is in any doubt of the improvement we need to see but if we can get off to a decent start like we did last season I would hope that with better quality in the team we can keep the momentum going instead of the poor run we saw in October and November!!

[consilio]

That improvement isn't far away. I honestly believe that with sound investment this summer we will be the surprise side next season.

[Thurnscoe_OWL]

we have 4/5 strikers so unless we get someone with a proven consistent goal scoring record then we could manage for a while

I think urgent requirements are CAM, CB and a winger. After this we should go for a striker, another winger, a proper LB to replace the one we have just released and probably another CB


crucially, any player brought in NEED to be better than the ones we have

[consilio]

Mattock wasn't good enough for a promotion chasing side. He was a headless chicken and offered virtually nothing going forward.

[St Charles Owl]

Mattock wasn't good enough for a promotion chasing side.  He was a headless chicken and offered virtually nothing going forward.

None of our LBs were good enough, so I do expect us to sign someone for this position and allow Helan to be used further forward.

[madsteve]

Mattock wasn't good enough for a promotion chasing side.  He was a headless chicken and offered virtually nothing going forward.

He was good enough for West Brom when they got promoted.

Evidence over the years shows that you can get away with average players at full back. You need a good keeper, CBs, CM & Strikers to get promoted & need pace throughout the side. We had a match winner in Antonio but SG sold him, preferring May, So far, that looks to be a foolish decision.

---

October

September had shown that we had inadequacies. October showed that something needed to be done or else we would soon be setting unwanted records for low goalscoring.

We started the month at Leeds. We actually played quite well here in parts but were still indebted to Westwood for a MOTM performance to earn us a point. May missed a good chance just before half time after Westwood had kept us in the match with three great saves.

Everything changed in the second half after Madine replaced Nuhiu. Suddenly we looked more cohesive. We took the lead when Maguire smashed in Maghoma's clever cross. Westwood saved again as the match threatened to boil over. Leeds equalised with 11 minutes remaining but Madine was denied a winner by a neat save at the death.

This was disappointing because although our football hadn't been great, we had shown an ability to close out matches when we took the lead.

Leeds 1-1 WEDNESDAY

Next up was Watford. SG pulled a surprise by giving Madine his first league start (and last as it turned out) under his management. Also, he gave Hallam Hope his first start but still no start for Drenthe. When I heard the team, I was gobsmacked. He had to give Madine a start after a good 45 minutes at Leeds but Hallam Hope? Really?

Sadly, this proved to be correct. Hope was.... well hopeless. Worse still, it convinced me that SG had little clue about players. How could he think Hope was a better option than Drenthe? In my mind, I thought for a moment that he had done this to intentionally make Madine look bad by playing him against possibly the best team in the division with the worst support we could muster - my machiavellian side.

Inevitably we lost 3-0. Westwood made a complete howler and just to prove that SG got it horribly wrong, Drenthe came on at half time after the match was lost and had our best two efforts.

This was so depressing. We lacked creation and our manager appeared to have terrible judgement.

WEDNESDAY 0-3 Watford

We went to Brentford next. Surely Drenthe would now get a start? No, SG preferred Helan this time. Inevitably we created little. May hit a post and Drenthe (an 84th minute substitute) forced their keeper into his only save of note with a late free kick. We were fortunate that Brentford had a good goal ruled out incorrectly for offside.

Brentford 0-0 WEDNESDAY

Next was Norwich at home. Drenthe had to start now because we needed goals. No, Helan preferred again. Another blank game with Westwood an absolute hero with a string of brilliant saves to earn a point. SG brought on Drenthe after an hour with our latest loan signing, Gary Taylor Fletcher. I already thought that SG had lost it with Hallam Hope but shag me sideways - Taylor Fletcher. When I first heard, I thought it was a joke. Everyone knows that he is a busted flush - one that was never very flush anyway. Except SG of course.

Only good things to be said about this game were that we got a point somehow and Westwood confirmed his class.

WEDNESDAY 0-0 Norwich

P4 W0 D3 L1 F1 A4 Pts3

A terrible month where all we learned is that Hope & Taylor Fletcher aren't good enough, that SG is stubborn and a poor judge of what is required and that we should stay up because we have the best keeper in the division.

Guess we already knew but this confirmed it.

[Thurnscoe_OWL]

Mattock wasn't good enough for a promotion chasing side.  He was a headless chicken and offered virtually nothing going forward.

But he was hardly caught out of position and as a result the defence was structured and not dragged all over the place to cover for someone who was strolling back over half way (cough Heland cough)

I'd also argue he was better than Helan (what shall I do, use my pace to beat a man or turn around and pass 50 yards backwards to CB? hmmm tough choice, oh no I've lost it. better get back into position as slow as physically possible) going forward.

Honestly I hate when we have to play Helan. He gets dizzy at the concept of crossing the halfway line and then is so slow getting back. There has been times when I could have run down from back of the kop to the leppings lane LB spot quicker than Helan could have from half way

He's not even good on the wing because he cant attack a man, cant control the ball, cant pass, cant cross and cant shoot.

If both him and Mattock were out of contract then he'd have been gone and mattock would have stayed

[madsteve]

Mattock wasn't good enough for a promotion chasing side.  He was a headless chicken and offered virtually nothing going forward.

But he was hardly caught out of position and as a result the defence was structured and not dragged all over the place to cover for someone who was strolling back over half way (cough Heland cough)

I'd also argue he was better than Helan (what shall I do, use my pace to beat a man or turn around and pass 50 yards backwards to CB? hmmm tough choice, oh no I've lost it. better get back into position as slow as physically possible) going forward.

Honestly I hate when we have to play Helan. He gets dizzy at the concept of crossing the halfway line and then is so slow getting back. There has been times when I could have run down from back of the kop to the leppings lane LB spot quicker than Helan could have from half way

He's not even good on the wing because he cant attack a man, cant control the ball, cant pass, cant cross and cant shoot.

If both him and Mattock were out of contract then he'd have been gone and mattock would have stayed

The only things in Helan's favour are his pace & his youth.

He doesn't use his pace to any great effect and needs better coaching to turn him into an effective player. Not sure wa have the coaches at the moment to do this.

[St Charles Owl]

I think if both had been out of contract they would both have gone!! Helan is not a LB and shouldn't be playing there from what I have seen.

October wasn't a disaster, some tough games in there but it was confirmation of a few things such as our inability to score at home!! I do wonder what might have been with Drenthe had he been played more often. Sure like most wingers he could be frustrating, selfish and prone to disappearing from the game, but he did have the ability to turn defence into attack with genuine pace, something we were sadly lacking. I remember still thinking that we were still doing ok after some tough games and that with a bit of help and luck in front of goal we could really push on in November where the games looked a bit easier!! Unfortunately Wednesday Nil was firmly our nickname now!!