Metal_Green_Mickey":2xoto0bu said:PL2 3DQ":2xoto0bu said:Knibbsworth":2xoto0bu said:Ollieargyle9":2xoto0bu said:.
Turning point for our season? It's the sort of result that could well be.
I can't really see how you will look back on Bradford as the 'turning point' when the result is our 6th match unbeaten, our third win in four matches etc.
Shrewsbury was the turning point, the first game in a long time we stopped the stupidity, the ill discipline, and the players followed a game plan and demonstrated some focus. The follow up game against Blackburn showed outstanding team spirit and commitment, it was evident then that Adams still had the players. These two points were vital and we showed character in battling hard for them - defeated teams would have rolled over.
It was logical then that results inevitably would improve. If we can do it against those two teams, it stands to reason the bottom half sides are not going to come and roll us over any longer.
This isn't just a patch of form for Adams. For whatever reasons the players were all over the place for 10 games. That period is over, the new Argyle is hard to beat and morale is high. Players across the park are returning to form. It must be a terrific feeling in the camp and I'm sure they can't wait for the next match.
I think the turning point happened off the pitch when the players held their own inquest after the home defeat against Fleetwood.
The six game unbeaten run happened after that meeting in the changing room with the Shrewsbury game the first of those six.
We are better because of Toums has given us some legs in midfield.
Yes we got a result without Carey but from the highlights, the Sky bloke on Soccer Saturday in the studio (a former league manager) and Radio Devon commentary they all seem to think we were hanging on with Bradford very much on top.
There has never been a question of lack of commitment or effort. That isn't an issue.
Its about the quality of the football and whether its good enough to stay up in league one. Carey wont be scoring wonder goals every week so I look around the team and apart from the odd one from Jervis and Grant I think who is going to score. We have 3 midfielders in Toums, Songo and Fox who you wouldn't put any money on. So where on earth are the goals coming from?
We talk about turning point. The last 3 home LEAGUE games were Fleetwood 1-2, Shrewsbury 1-1 and Rochdale 1-1. We haven't exactly turned the performances or home results around. We have a major issue breaking teams down.
And yet we have turned the corner (apparently). I hope we have but for me I think we are more combative in midfield and our discipline is better but defensively we look brittle and up front still lack punch. The same as we did during our poor run.
This essay is no different to the dozens from last season, when well into March and April you couldn't see how we could possibly get promoted with a team that spent 70% of the match "clinging on for dear life". Sorry to be blunt but you've said it all before, you don't see how we can keep picking up points when the opposition have all the chances.
There is little correlation between number of chances created and points won. Very often in football, the more entertaining side don't win, the more disciplined side will.
Exactly the way we played v Bradford worked all over the division last season, no better than v Doncaster when we soaked it all up and hit them with one set piece goal. We had among the best away form in the country playing no differently to that.