S-Clarke

Yep, credit where it's due. I'm still not totally on the Downes side given how he kicked up last year and the way he downed tools in previous games, but he seems happier in the setup we've got right now.

I don't think he did, no. It was a slow burn to get there, not going to lie. I think looking back some elements were forced with the injuries to Jelert, Mads, Wellington, Bree not here etc - so we had screwed full back positions for some time, which didn't help. He did have Jelert available for a few weeks though though and we still persisted with Fellows at RWB, which confused me. But maybe there is something we're missing with Jelert. What we were doing previously was square pegs/round holes, but it all feels and looks more balanced now - and all it took was a bit of common sense. Honestly sometimes it's as simple as playing the best players in their best positions. We're not perfect, don't get me wrong, and if we get done tomorrow then all chips on the table....! But I'm more comfortable when I look at a balanced team, rather than seeing players forced into roles not suited to them.

I mean...this is like an FA Cup game against a lower league team. I feel sad for Wednesday, because their team is barely L1 in quality at this stage - so in that respect, this should be a no brainer for us. They always put up a fight though, that's what's struck me all season. They don't have any real ability or depth at all, but they always give all that they have - so it won't be an absolute walk in the park, but we just need to do our game and things will happen.

I think he's made a huge difference to the camaraderie in and around the defence in this team, he's a presence, a character and he's mad. It's what you need as a goalie. Bazunu on the other had was meek and weak as piss, so as well as not being able to make saves, he never ever commanded his area or provided any form of presence in that sense.

Slightly different from 2024 I think, we were pretty much always far away from everyone else - it was always the 'Top 4', we were never battling for the playoffs in 2024. That was pretty much always a given. I think we're primed to be one of the teams who come from 'bottom half' to playoffs, probably the most primed and capable of teams to do it in recent seasons - outside of Forest a few years ago maybe. The big positive for me in the last few match days is that we've swatted away the teams above us, rather than being 4 or 5 points off but in 12th with loads of traffic in between....we're now 4 points off and in 7th, so we've really strengthened our hand here. I don't think we'll be able to maintain what we've done in recent weeks all the time, there will be dips - so it's not going to be easy, because we're chasing rather than protecting a cushion, but there's something there to catch.

Yeah the use of him at the start of the season was very odd, I think a lot of it was due to our squad size as well. We carried too big a team after that summer transfer window, and only now are we seeing the likes of Edozie, Matsuki step back out into the fold. He's not the quickest, nor the strongest - i think he gets knocked off it a bit...but he's tenacious, and that's what I love about him. He's always pressing, full of energy, he's your perfect press trigger in that sense. He's got good quality with the ball at his feet though, as shown by his second goal. I think playing him off the right is an interesting use of him, because he's not getting lost in the middle with his lack of physicality and he can get more space. I think naturally he's more central/10 type, but he's doing well.

I want him to do well, and he has done well up to this point - but we do have one of the best teams in this league, so we had to have an uptick given our quality. However, once we've moved away from this fixed 3 at the back, shoehorning Wood and Armstrong in at 9, we've looked more comfortable. I never thought we had the CB's who are happy in a 3, they all seem much more comfortable in a pair. THB - Bednarek, THB - Stephens etc. There are a few things that have shifted since that miserable Christmas - - The Bazunu experiment being ended - The return of Bree, so we didn't have to force a winger to play in a 5. - The introduction of a 4 at the back as we had Bree to operate as a proper RB again. I think we were somewhat unlucky with Mads and Jelert having injuries pretty much all season, so our RB slot was never perfect and I think we tried too much to fill that gap, thus changing the entire team structure to fit around Fellows. I feel there is more balance now, we play with proper 9's, we play with proper full backs and we have a pair of CB's in position to build a partnership. It's the most consistent 11 we've had all season to the point where we can actually name it most weeks, that's a huge shift from earlier days. Credit needs to be given to Tonda who has been involved with 1) identifying the issues, and 2) suggesting and implementing the solutions which make sense. There will be further bumps in the road, he is still very inexperienced in many aspects, but it looks like he has the backing of the group and they're all grown up and big enough to know what's right or wrong on the pitch. We just needed someone who didn't overcomplicate the plans they're asked to follow.

I thought we took a bit of time to get going last night, the early goal was a big positive as it felt like we were going to struggle our way through - we somewhat did after we scored, we lost composure and control for some reason. I guess QPR rallied, but we didn't grab that first half how we should have after the 1st goal. 2nd half was a different picture, the two goals either side changed everything though. QPR knew the game was done on 48 mins, and from that point on it was as easy as it'll ever be at this level. What I did enjoy for the first 60 mins or so was Larin, because he provided a genuine attack pivot point and others played around him - similar to how Stewart operates when he comes in. As we all said throughout the summer, we needed a proper number 9 and not an Archer/Armstrong trying to do it. But to put it into perspective, QPR's goalkeeper was dreadfully bad. I'd say 3 of those goals, at least, were thrown in by him. We took our chances though and cleared up their errors, but there will be much tougher tests to come that's for sure.

The Edozie sub improved us I felt, but Jander has struggled since the turn of the year for me. Needs some time out of the side. Where was Romeu out of interest? I thought that run out against Leicester would have been enough to at least get him on the bench, but no sign.

I felt it was just one of those days, I think we've seen a hell of a lot worse this season. In the first half I think we should have had at least 1 goal, they made a great block on the line from Leo as that was in otherwise. (think that was the first 5mins). I didn't think we stretched them enough though, certainly second half. We could have used Fellows and Leo more to stretch it, but they were coming inside into any area already crowded. It was your typical Nathan Jones backs to the wall low block, nothing spectacular about it - but those games need players willing to break the lines and get in behind, that's how you beat those. So the main criticism is our lack of width at times and our habit to come inside all the time, the subs didn't change that as Matsuki is naturally as central. Edozie was the only player doing a true 'wide' performance in that game, and it did make a difference. We were never going to win 3 games in a week, the results around us could have been worse - but if we're honest, the playoffs have always been a longshot. We look like your typical 10th/11th placed team to me.

Yep, King Power almost went bust on the back of the pandemic - as their business in duty free was null and void for months. I think the Thai Government saved it, but in exchange a big % of their profits have to go back to the airport authority for rent space, as well as the Thai Government - so the King Power brand is not what it was, their profits are down 75% and the club is a big casualty of that. Quite a few of the players on their books don't have a relegation clause in their deals if they did go down to L1, so they'd automatically be in breach of the L1 rules and have further deductions. King Power going into trouble hasn't helped them in any way, but they've been horrendously mismanaged in light of that.

I heard about this last year, it was a pointless suggestion then. So count me not surprised that they've pushed ahead with this pointless suggestion. I'd imagine this format has been heavily pushed by the American owned clubs.

Their owner is batshit, so it's no surprise. They'll be another Watford before long. If they reacted based on them not winning last night then they're bonkers, as Forest absolutely trounced Wolves - thrashed them off the park, they just couldn't finish for toffee. Not sure how that's the managers fault per-say. I think it'll be one of WHU or Forest. I hope it's not Leeds though, as having two promoted teams go back down again would be a bit of a kick.

I've looked at it a few times, I thought it was intentional. Maybe I'm giving him the benefit of doubt! Either way, it's an assist!

He's always looked better in a 4, so has THB. There was a moment yesterday though where they both forgot to head the ball, but other than that they seem more at home as a pair. 3 CB's didn't work for multiple reasons and I think the wrong profile of player was a key reason in that. Not saying we can't do it from time to time, but that can't be our go-to approach with these players.

Certainly one of the most memorable games and results in my lifetime, I'll never forget this one. Everything about it was great, but to win it with the last kick of the game just makes it even more special. There wasn't even time for us to panic about holding on!

It certainly made a difference to have two 'big' men on the pitch at the same time, I think Leicester's defence was already at 6's and 7's, and it just pulled them all over the place. Larin had a shot just before our 2nd or 3rd goal as well, so he was causing a nuisance. And Stewarts movement in and around was also causing a problem, his assist for the winner shouldn't be understated. Cute touch and an awareness of what is around him.

Pressure is an interesting point, last night by all accounts was a team playing without any real pressure. 3-0 down at HT, nothing position in the league - nothing to lose, just go all out and give it a shot and see what happens. We'll certainly encounter some 'pressure' if we do remain in the conversation over the next few weeks, and I'm still not 100% convinced we have the players or the coaching setup who have the experience to handle the pressure - but last night at least showed they have some character and fire in their bellies.

The Birmingham result was an added cherry on top last night, that was entirely unexpected - and going by the highlights, shouldn't have been a 0-0. A few of the teams around us and above us play each other in the coming weeks, so if we keep our heads and get 7-9 points from the next 3 we'll be in an interesting position for sure.

He won't, but if he did get the job that would be ultimate box office.

They're owned by the same entity, but the son took sole control after the father died - the son and father were always active during their winning years though. Obviously they've won more than many of us will ever experience in our life, in that quick 3-4 year period, but their decline should be studied for sure - in many ways it is very, very similar to our own (they've even copied our scouting) - they just had some huge achievements during their highs. It's the same arguments really - poor recruitment, poor manager selection, keeping failed managers too long etc etc. It spirals and it's very hard to get yourself out of it. PSR has made it 10000000 times more difficult for anyone who isn't a mega club, as the scope to 'fix' the mistakes you made with scouting and managers is limited - so the decline is often accelerated, whereas clubs like Utd, Spurs etc can just write off 3 or 4 players and multiple managers and go again. One of the first suggestions I'd make to them though - stop signing our castoffs, it's really not going to help.

His energy and fight is infectious, that's what I see he brings more than anything else. He's always buzzing around, always pressing, always hassling. He's not the quickest nor the strongest, but he's the sort of guy who injects energy and life into a side - and it showed in that 2nd half. Sometimes you don't need amazing skill or pace, just a bit of tenacity and energy can be enough to tilt the momentum. He's not an every week type of player, but his energy is so important at times we're lagging. We could do with a few more players with his style, as we do become passive from time to time.

That club is such a poisoned chalice for anyone. They've gone through Conte, Mourinho, Frank, who are clearly not bad managers given their records elsewhere. If you stuck Emery in charge there, he'd be out within 10 months too. I couldn't tell you what they need, it's fun to watch their decline though as their fans are a bunch of entitled morons. They're not too big to get relegated, just like West Ham and Newcastle of yesteryear. They're in big trouble.

He's a bit of a nut head, he does run out of his area quite a bit - I thought he should have saved the first one to be honest, 3rd looked like he should have saved it, but I reckon that hit the net at some serious speed it would have taken something extraordinary to stop that. I like his character though and I genuinely feel he's added some life to our defence in certain respects. He can't be 'too' perfect, as we'll end up losing him in the summer to another club - so throwing a goal in now and then this year will hopefully draw the eyes away. I'd be signing him.

Well holy fucking shit, that was incredible and slaps us all who doubted the character of players and individuals in this team. The first half was just like the last Champ encounter against them at their place, I thought it would end up 4 or 5 as they were rampant. We just weren't there at all. It didn't help as we were playing with 8 or 9 men for that first half, Jander probably had the worst game of his entire career in those 45 mins. Archer, as we know, cannot play as a loan man and was a lamb to the slaughter really - but he still has to be tons better than he does, he offered us no out. Fellows didn't keep the ball and there was no width. Those 3 subs made sense at HT, presence up top, extra steel in CM and a slightly different profile coming off of the right. It took us a while to truly settle in, but we were so much more comfortable in that 2nd half. Stewart provided us with a shape and a structure to 'attack' around, and players like Leo came alive - and Azaz to a degree. Matsuki isn't someone I'd pick for wide right every day of the week, but it was his energy which was so important to us. We've been on the end of some honking results in my lifetime, last min defeats, 9-0's, and that horrendous Leeds 4-3 home game in 2005. Something like this was due, but it still takes character and belief to actually turn it around - and this is where the players and everyone in the coaching and management sphere should take enormous credit, because at 3-0 down we should have folded given how it's been going. I feel for Leicester a little bit, as we've been there - it's just horrendous to lose a game like that, but I cannot remember a team imploding like that. They were in bits in those last 10 mins, and if I were one of their fans I'd be seriously worried about relegation on that showing. They won't be able to deal with a proper battle given by what I saw from them in the 2nd half. Turn arounds like this are quite often defining for a team, not just in a season, but over a longer term - let's hope it's the first genuine green shoot we've seen in a while. Can we play them every week? Oh yeah, we can.