Season 2019/20 Can We Finally Go Up?

[Paplane]

Without wanting to sound negative I do get his point. I think we've been a bit lucky this year. Not denying some excellent performances too eg brentford. 

Expected goals which is a vague chances to success ratio has us around 18th. 

All that said most teams that go up are lucky, just look at Sheff U and Norwich. We remind me of norwich, rode our luck in the early part winning a lot of games by 1 now we need to step it up and accelerate. Hopefully the greater options on the bench will help. I'm very hopeful of that painful few weeks in may when the playoffs are on

I don't think we have been lucky to be honest chap. What results do you think we've got that we weren't due?

We've been lucky in that Grabban and Watson have remained fit, but take key players out of other sides and they struggle too.

We keep it tight at the back and win games by the odd goal.  I accept that Grabban is scoring most of those odd goals but without him we probably wouldn't play the way we do. As he's remained fit, we've been able to play to plan A all season. 

Only Sheffield Wednesday have managed to beat us by a margin of more than 1 goal this season. That's excellence, not luck.

Barnsley (H), Wigan (H), Blackburn (H), Luton (H), Fulham (A), derby (H), Stoke (A).

Not saying we were lucky in all these wins but we wkn these games and at times we were heavily under siege and could've easily not won. 

I agree we've done a good job of being awkward opposition and I'd love to be proved wrong and we start winning more comfortably or even just continue to scrap out tight wins and go up that way. I just dont think we want to be over confident so that when we dont win there is so much anarchy and anger.

Then we're going to have to agree to disagree mate. I'd say there's a difference between getting ahead, digging in & getting a result, and being lucky. The game's about defending too remember.

[wassy04]

Without wanting to sound negative I do get his point. I think we've been a bit lucky this year. Not denying some excellent performances too eg brentford. 

Expected goals which is a vague chances to success ratio has us around 18th. 

All that said most teams that go up are lucky, just look at Sheff U and Norwich. We remind me of norwich, rode our luck in the early part winning a lot of games by 1 now we need to step it up and accelerate. Hopefully the greater options on the bench will help. I'm very hopeful of that painful few weeks in may when the playoffs are on

I don't think we have been lucky to be honest chap. What results do you think we've got that we weren't due?

We've been lucky in that Grabban and Watson have remained fit, but take key players out of other sides and they struggle too.

We keep it tight at the back and win games by the odd goal.  I accept that Grabban is scoring most of those odd goals but without him we probably wouldn't play the way we do. As he's remained fit, we've been able to play to plan A all season. 

Only Sheffield Wednesday have managed to beat us by a margin of more than 1 goal this season. That's excellence, not luck.

Barnsley (H), Wigan (H), Blackburn (H), Luton (H), Fulham (A), derby (H), Stoke (A).

Not saying we were lucky in all these wins but we wkn these games and at times we were heavily under siege and could've easily not won. 

I agree we've done a good job of being awkward opposition and I'd love to be proved wrong and we start winning more comfortably or even just continue to scrap out tight wins and go up that way. I just dont think we want to be over confident so that when we dont win there is so much anarchy and anger.

Then we're going to have to agree to disagree mate. I'd say there's a difference between getting ahead, digging in & getting a result, and being lucky. The game's about defending too remember.

Yeah fair enough I get that, it's an interesting debate really. Are you a good team regardless of you win or can you be lucky too? For me winning isn't everything in terms of defining how good you are.

Personally, I think you can be good and not win so the same goes for being bad and win. Not sure which I'd choose at this point in the season though!

[Strawberry Avenger]

Good teams make their own luck.

...and seize opportunities.

SA.

[Paplane]

Without wanting to sound negative I do get his point. I think we've been a bit lucky this year. Not denying some excellent performances too eg brentford. 

Expected goals which is a vague chances to success ratio has us around 18th. 

All that said most teams that go up are lucky, just look at Sheff U and Norwich. We remind me of norwich, rode our luck in the early part winning a lot of games by 1 now we need to step it up and accelerate. Hopefully the greater options on the bench will help. I'm very hopeful of that painful few weeks in may when the playoffs are on

I don't think we have been lucky to be honest chap. What results do you think we've got that we weren't due?

We've been lucky in that Grabban and Watson have remained fit, but take key players out of other sides and they struggle too.

We keep it tight at the back and win games by the odd goal.  I accept that Grabban is scoring most of those odd goals but without him we probably wouldn't play the way we do. As he's remained fit, we've been able to play to plan A all season. 

Only Sheffield Wednesday have managed to beat us by a margin of more than 1 goal this season. That's excellence, not luck.

Barnsley (H), Wigan (H), Blackburn (H), Luton (H), Fulham (A), derby (H), Stoke (A).

Not saying we were lucky in all these wins but we wkn these games and at times we were heavily under siege and could've easily not won. 

I agree we've done a good job of being awkward opposition and I'd love to be proved wrong and we start winning more comfortably or even just continue to scrap out tight wins and go up that way. I just dont think we want to be over confident so that when we dont win there is so much anarchy and anger.

Then we're going to have to agree to disagree mate. I'd say there's a difference between getting ahead, digging in & getting a result, and being lucky. The game's about defending too remember.

Yeah fair enough I get that, it's an interesting debate really. Are you a good team regardless of you win or can you be lucky too? For me winning isn't everything in terms of defining how good you are.

Personally, I think you can be good and not win so the same goes for being bad and win. Not sure which I'd choose at this point in the season though!

Yeah but at some point you have to look at the results which say we've only lost to one team in the top ten this year (we were unlucky!!) and only lost by more than 1 goal once. I suppose every team will get a lucky win every now and then but if it keeps happening then it has to be happening by design, surely.

[wassy04]

I don't think we have been lucky to be honest chap. What results do you think we've got that we weren't due?

We've been lucky in that Grabban and Watson have remained fit, but take key players out of other sides and they struggle too.

We keep it tight at the back and win games by the odd goal.  I accept that Grabban is scoring most of those odd goals but without him we probably wouldn't play the way we do. As he's remained fit, we've been able to play to plan A all season. 

Only Sheffield Wednesday have managed to beat us by a margin of more than 1 goal this season. That's excellence, not luck.

Barnsley (H), Wigan (H), Blackburn (H), Luton (H), Fulham (A), derby (H), Stoke (A).

Not saying we were lucky in all these wins but we wkn these games and at times we were heavily under siege and could've easily not won. 

I agree we've done a good job of being awkward opposition and I'd love to be proved wrong and we start winning more comfortably or even just continue to scrap out tight wins and go up that way. I just dont think we want to be over confident so that when we dont win there is so much anarchy and anger.

Then we're going to have to agree to disagree mate. I'd say there's a difference between getting ahead, digging in & getting a result, and being lucky. The game's about defending too remember.

Yeah fair enough I get that, it's an interesting debate really. Are you a good team regardless of you win or can you be lucky too? For me winning isn't everything in terms of defining how good you are.

Personally, I think you can be good and not win so the same goes for being bad and win. Not sure which I'd choose at this point in the season though!

Yeah but at some point you have to look at the results which say we've only lost to one team in the top ten this year (we were unlucky!!) and only lost by more than 1 goal once. I suppose every team will get a lucky win every now and then but if it keeps happening then it has to be happening by design, surely.

That is true and you're right too that you should include being good at defending in rating a team. In fact if your midfield is average youre going to need that skill even more!

I also think as with Norwich that it's not unreasonable that we can use our lofty position and hopefully improved squad to improve the attacking side of the team too and then potentially win a few games more comfortably. Would be good for my heart if nothing else!

[Ciscokid]

For me tomorrow's team selection and performance will decide how where we'll be placed in May. What i think we have to do to go up is to increase the goals scored significantly. I don't think that we can do that with one up front. If he plays da Costa alongside Grabban and it works then we can do it. Failing that I reckon that we'll fall short.

[Sabricadabra]

A team isn’t lucky or unlucky to be where they are in the table after 30 games.
They are where they are on merit.

[GaribaldiRED]

For me tomorrow's team selection and performance will decide how where we'll be placed in May. What i think we have to do to go up is to increase the goals scored significantly. I don't think that we can do that with one up front. If he plays da Costa alongside Grabban and it works then we can do it. Failing that I reckon that we'll fall short.

If you look at the the 6 last league games Forest have scored 10 goals which is the fifth highest in the league. Derby are on top with 13 goals followed by Brentford, Birmingham and Blackburn on 12 goals. Leeds have 9 and West Brom 6.

So based on this I believe Forest are scoring an adequate number of goals.

[Mcforest]

You only need to score one more than your opposition to take 3 points.

How many times have we seen teams bang in 3 or 4 in one game to then go one and not score in the next couple? Rather be clinical than need 20 shots to score one

The only thing that stops me thinking we could go up is the fact we are now entering the stage of the season when teams find that extra fight and with things so tight anything can happen and i just can't figure out how things will go.

[ThePromisedLand]

Bristol City home defeat tonight - can’t do us any harm!

[WrexhamRed]

Bristol City home defeat tonight - can’t do us any harm!

& to Birmingham too!!! Who would've thought crappy old Birmingham could beat a top 6 side   :rolleyes:

[WrexhamRed]

Good goal by Jutkiewicz to wrap it up by the way