Just now, Bruce said:

Sometimes you get a stroke of luck when you need it. At that point you thank your lucky stars, take advantage of and move on. 

We got lucky but crucially, we took advantage of it. As the game went on you could see us grow in confidence and start to play the type of football you know that Carrick wants us to. It may not have solved anything. The players who aren't good enough still aren't good enough but with a little confidence they'll see us through to the end of the season.

Something I did go and take a look at is where O'Brien played at Huddersfield under Corberan. The answer was virtually everywhere but fairly rarely as a holding central midfielder. He most commonly played as a #10 or as an attacking left-sided midfielder/forward.  Possibly explains why he has looked lost when playing the holding midfielder role for us but has looked a different player when he has licence to attack. 

Yeah O'Brien is definitely not a DM, he's a box to box mid. I think he's a bit like Tav, in that his best qualities are his engine, stamina, and tenacity. Will chip in the with the odd goal and assist too.

This is why I felt a bit for Barlaser and O'Brien as a midfield two in our usual set up. It suits neither of them and was never going to work.

2 hours ago, Neverbefore said:

https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/championship-wage-bills-2023-24-leeds-leicester-southampton

We're 10th and that's before we shed crooks and Rogers wages. If we win our game in hand we're sitting in 10th. So we're about where we should be.

We have shed Crooks and Roger’s wages,  but adding Ayling and Thomas is £2m per annum between them (according to source figures). So seems to me we have probably increased wages, not reduced them.
Can you believe the figures in the report though? It does say they are just estimates. The summary report says £13.5m, but if you go to Capology source date it says £16.5m for our wages cost currently. So table isn’t even accurate to base figures they say they have used.

Our total wages bill to June 22 and to June 23 was £26m each year. 
One of few clubs that separates out players wages in Cardiff - out of total wages of £19m last year they had £5m of non player salaries and £14m of player salaries. (So based on the table, Cardiff have spent £5m more on wages this year than last - they are put at £19m in table).

We spent £26m in 2022 and in 2023 - so assume we spent same as Cardiff on stewarding, ticketing, sales, admin etc. and that leaves around £21m on players. We have gone down from that £21m to £14m then according to the table? I can believe we have reduced wages with loss of Akpom and the loanees ( Steffan particularly), but that seems a lot, especially as Archer and Ramsey were only for part of the season like Ayling and Thomas. 

Mind, if the figures are true, then we need to temper expectations going forward. Based on last years turnover plus inflation, it would only just cover the current £14m players wages, plus £5m other wages, plus £3m employers costs, plus stadium costs . In other words any transfer fees or amortisation of existing fees will have to come out of Gibsons pockets, plus player sales.

10 hours ago, Changing Times said:

I think there's a difference between ending a bad run of form with a good performance, and the hope that might bring future good performances, and what we saw tonight.  

Sometimes a win is all you need though, however you get it. Confidence has a massive part to play.

We got our first win of the season against Southampton after only getting 1 point in the 7 games before that.

We didn't play well in the first half against Southampton and should have been 2 or 3 down before we equalised.

That unconvincing win was a catalyst for a winning streak.

Yes, I know we recently beat Leicester and it made no difference, but I haven't got all the answers. It's football for god's sake. Anything can happen. 

 

All in all, a strange game with the phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" being very apt. We began as though we were a group of lads having a kick about the morning after a night on the beer and played like that until the lucky sending off. It was about as vicious a reaction as Beckham v Ronaldo but it did happen and right in front of ref, so he had no option with his having to show the red. Wasn't impressed to see O'Brien immediately leap into the air and pump his fist but I suppose it might have just been out of relief. Over the 90 minutes, Rav probably had his worst game but was nice to see Clarke talking to him all the time and the errors he made seemed to act as a gee-up rather than dispiriting him. Ayling at moment is a weakness in that he no longer has the pace to recover quickly if he lose possession and whilst he might be a decent bench option, he is not the answer to any of our problems and at the end of the season, that should be it. Engel is better the farther up the pitch he plays and again visibly became more confident in the second half and the same applies to Paddy. He is much better moving forward than operating as a defender and for me the decision to play him as a centre back rather than a midfielder has probably been a factor in his becoming a squad player instead of a "must have", but that is just my opinion. Best thing was the manner all three goals were taken in that the scorers knew what they wanted to do and completed it with composure and no lucky deflections made a difference. Hopefully lifts them a bit for Saturday but as we all know, anything can happen and we just have to hope that the corner has been turned and we are heading back towards the sunlit uplands from the valley of despair. UTB 🙂

   

7 minutes ago, Old Codger said:

It was about as vicious a reaction as Beckham v Ronaldo

It was v Diego Simeone (1998).

Thanks....  who was involved when R winked at the cameras (obviously I am getting the two events mixed together) 

29 minutes ago, Old Codger said:

Thanks....  who was involved when R winked at the cameras (obviously I am getting the two events mixed together) 

Rooney & they were both at manure

Edited March 7, 20242 yr by estonpidge

"We are heading back towards the sunlit uplands from the valley of despair"

 

That is the most poetic thing i have seen on here for a long time 😎

 

That explains it..  Knew Man U connection was there and Beckham and Rooney look So much alike they are easily confused 🙂

 

Was at the game last night and share the thoughts of the people here. We looked out of it until they had a man sent off.

One thing that stood out to me (before the sending off) was the sheer lack of confidence the majority of our lads had. It seems like they didn't want to show for the ball and would rather play it safe. Norwich sensed this, pressed us really well and looked like they were going to cruise the game. Contrast this to the same defensive system employed against Villa and Chelsea at home where we looked really solid.

After the man being sent off and we got our goal, you could see a change in the body language and confidence.

Hopefully this win has taken the pressure off a bit and we can push on from here.

Was really impressed with McGree last night. Not sure about his situation but hope we can keep him here for next season.

Had a dream last night that we finally won 

42 minutes ago, Leesider said:

"We are heading back towards the sunlit uplands from the valley of despair"

 

That is the most poetic thing i have seen on here for a long time 😎

 

Probably a bit premature as well. One swallow, as they say, does not a Summer make...

If we at least get a point at QPR, then maybe our journey to sunnier climes may have begun.

 

But we are Smoggies after all...comfortable in the darkness and gloom. 😁

26 minutes ago, SimonD said:

Had a dream last night that we finally won 

13 hours ago, boro-unger said:

Howson showed his experience to win that red card. If it'd been a barlaser on, he wouldn't have gone in that hard and caused a reaction. Won us the game that piece of grit. 

Reminiscent of Souness/Pogba that. Can we give Barlaser a break from imaginary certainties

14 minutes ago, wilsoncgp said:

Haha actual footage!