The Minsk Thread - 2022/23

[Big Ron fan]

I thought someone should bring this thread up-to-date for the 2022/23 season - I'm sure Minsk would want that.

Match Day 1: Spurs 4-1 Saints. 

Last year we lost 3-1 at Everton on the opening day. Like this year, conceding poor goals and getting overrun after taking the lead.

Match Day comparison - level on points, goal difference -1.

On a team-by-team (TBT) comparison, following our great 3-2 win there last season, we are -3 points and -4 goal difference.

Match Day 2: Saints 2-Leeds 2. A terrific last 20 minutes to pull back a two goal deficit after a change of shape and substitutions.

Match Day comparison: we drew 1-1 at home to Man Utd, with a Fred o.g. cancelled out by Mason Greenwood. So still level on points and -1 GD.

TBT comparison: Last year we beat Leeds at home 1-0 in match day 8, our first win of the season thanks to Broja. TBT comparison is therefore -5 points and -5 GD

Match Day 3: Leicester 1-2 Saints. Again a great comeback, this time two Che Adams goals securing the win and, like against Leeds, several of our new players looking good.

Match Day comparison - Last season we drew 2-2 at Newcastle, JWP getting the equaliser after 96 minutes after they had just taken the lead. This season's result therefore improves the match day comparison to +2 points and zero goal difference.

TBT comparison: After last season's 4-1 stuffing (partially due to inept refereeing), this season's win means we are now -2 points and -1 GD.

Match Day 4: It should be an exciting game against a revitalised Man Utd. Let's hope we can start how we have finished the last couple of games.

Match day comparison - Last season was a dull 0-0 draw at home to West Ham.

TBT comparison - As mentioned above, we drew 1-1 last year at home to Man Utd.

[Lighthouse]

Good idea but I’ll split the thread off for the new season.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Thanks very much for keeping this going Big Ron fan.

[Suhari]

Great that this thread is back.

[coalman]

Great this thread is back. Still so so poignant though.

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 4

After yesterday's narrow defeat to Utd, our Match Day comparison is now +1 points and -1 GD [Last season was Saints 0-0 West Ham].

Our  team-by-team comparison [last season was 1-1] is -3 points and -2 GD.

Match Day 5 - Tuesday night sees us play Chelsea at home as our tough run of early season fixtures continues.

Last season was the very creditable 0-0 at Man City, which we would probably have won without the bizarre VAR overturning of our penalty.

Few who were there will forget last season's Chelsea home game, when we were 0-4 down after 32 minutes and they had also hit the woodwork four times by then. The final score was of course 0-6, but the solitary highlight of the game was when a young fan ran onto the outskirts of the pitch near the end, slipped evading a steward and was then serenaded with "Are you Gerrard in disguise?" by the Chelsea fans.

Whatever happens on Tuesday, we will hopefully at least improve our team-by-team GD! I'm hoping for better though as our young team should be gaining confidence from recent performances.

[Toadhall Saint]

👍

[Saint86]

Great to see this still going 👍

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 5:

After last night's brilliant win, our match day comparison (last season was 0-0 at Man City) is now +3 points and level GD.

The Head-to head comparison is obviously greatly improved, now standing at level on points and +5 GD.

Match Day 6:

Wolves away up next. Last season, in a game chiefly memorable for JWP's unbelievable free-kick, we almost equalised at the end before they got a late goal to win 3-1.

It is also Wolves in the match day comparison, last year's game 6 being a 0-1 home defeat. My main memories of a relatively tedious game are the goal being due to a poor Bednarek error and the dreadful rolling around and time-wasting from the Wolves players, which was worse than anything I've seen from Richarlison or Gordon!

Wolves seem to be similar to last season: difficult to break down but struggling to score. Even a point would put us into positive territory on both comparisons, but the way we are playing we must have a chance of getting all 3. Let's home Lavia's absence doesn't affect us too much.

 

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 6:

Every game against Wolves seems to go the same way... a tight game that we lose after either missing a sitter or conceding a crap goal (or sometimes both, as on Saturday). At least there are no terrible VAR decisions for us to complain about.

On the match day comparison (last year was 0-1 at home to Wolves), we are still at +3 points and level GD.

Our GD has improved on the Head-to-Head (last season was 3-1), so we are now level on points and +6 GD.

Match Day 7:

Last season this was the last match of our opening winless run of 7 games, being a 3-1 defeat at Chelsea in which JWP got a red card.

On the Head-to-Head, last season saw us beat Brentford 4-1 at home, our biggest home win for several seasons. However, that was against a team on a terrible run with key players out with injury, so we will be meeting a very different Brentford this time.  I'm looking forward to what should be an entertaining game. 

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 7 re-boot!

With the cancellation of the Brentford game, Match Day 7 will now be Villa away. We have therefore gone from a fixture where it would have been difficult to improve our H-2-H record to one where it will be very difficult not to!

Last season's dreadful and unexpected 4-0 defeat at Villa was the catalyst for our late season implosion. In particular, having missed the game, Salisu returned and for the rest of the season largely played like a non-league player, having been one of our better players previously. 

Like last season, we go into the game in decent form (despite last week's loss). In Lavia's absence, I think the key will be the midfield. If Ralph and his coaches can get the right personnel in there to stop Villa's creative players, we will have a good chance of the points and of sending Stevie G on his way too.

I hope the Friday evening travel goes well for those attending. 

Edited 14 September, 2022 by Big Ron fan

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 7

The shitshow at Villa actually improved both our Match Day and H-2-H comparisons, if only the GD.

Match Day comparison - last year was the 3-1 defeat at Chelsea, so we are now +3 points and +1 GD.

H-2-H: we remain level on points but +9 GD

Match Day 8 was our first win last season, Broja scoring in a well-deserved 1-0 win over Leeds.

On the H-2-H, last February we had a comfortable 2-0 win over an Everton side that barely mustered a shot. Goals were from Armstrong and Long.

Everton now seem to be the sort of well-organised side that we tend to struggle to beat. I hope Ralph can sort out the centre-midfield and that he shakes up the attacking players too.

Since the last half-hour v Leeds this season, I've enjoyed our home performances. The last two results have made me very cautious about getting too optimistic though!

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 8

The 1-2 defeat to Everton has put a dent in both our comparisons.

Match Day comparison: Last year was the 1-0 win over Leeds, so we are now level on points and -1 GD.

H-to-H comparison: Last year was a 2-0 win, so we are now -3 points but plus 6 GD

Match Day 9:

Last year was the 2-2 draw at home to Burnley, a game I'd largely forgotten until looking up the details. After conceding early, we went ahead just after half-time thanks to goals by Tino and Broja, only for Cornet to get his second shortly afterwards.

Man City away was of course the 0-0 where we had the ridiculous VAR decision to overturn our penalty.

We've had some good performances at City in recent years so it will be interesting to see if we can do anything to halt Haaland. It will be difficult with a big Lavia-sized hole in the midfield and a keeper (after an encouraging start) whose confidence looks shot.

I hope the travelling fans have something to cheer!

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 9 - The 4-0 defeat at Man City leaves us with the following comparisons...

Match Day comparison: -1 point; -5 GD

Head-to-head comparison: -4 points; +2 GD

Match Day 10:

Match Day 10 last season was the 0-1 victory at Watford, Che Adams scoring in a game where we should have won by a lot more.

On the head-to-head, last season was a dull 0-0 at home to West Ham.

I'm not sure what Ralph will do to try to improve things (particularly in midfield, without Lavia) but I am going to remain positive. I've been through enough relegation battles in my 60-odd years to get seriously worried only when a big gap opens up between us and 17th place. Also, due to the various fixture rearrangements and World Cup, this will be my last game before Boxing Day, so I'm really hoping for a very early Xmas present!

 

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 10:

The 1-1 draw at home to West Ham leaves us with the following comparisons:

Match Day: -3 points; -6 GD

Head-to-head: -4 points; +2 GD [unchanged]

Match Day 11:

Next up Bournemouth away, live on Prime. Last season on Match day 11, we had a Friday night game, in which we beat Villa 1-0 thanks to A Armstrong's great strike after 3 minutes. A very similar game to last Sunday's v The Hammers: we could have been further ahead at h-t but were crap in the second half. However, we managed to hang on for a win rather than a draw.

Head-to-head:

This is our first game against a promoted side this season. Bournemouth finished second in the Championship last season, so I have matched them up against Watford, who finished 19th last season. The comparison is therefore (as for the match day comparison last weekend) our 0-1 win at Vicarage Road.

With key players injured, I fear we may have to wait until after the World Cup for a significant improvement in our comparators.

[Saint86]

18 hours ago, Big Ron fan said:

Match Day 10:

The 1-1 draw at home to West Ham leaves us with the following comparisons:

Match Day: -3 points; -6 GD

Head-to-head: -4 points; +2 GD [unchanged]

Match Day 11:

Next up Bournemouth away, live on Prime. Last season on Match day 11, we had a Friday night game, in which we beat Villa 1-0 thanks to A Armstrong's great strike after 3 minutes. A very similar game to last Sunday's v The Hammers: we could have been further ahead at h-t but were crap in the second half. However, we managed to hang on for a win rather than a draw.

Head-to-head:

This is our first game against a promoted side this season. Bournemouth finished second in the Championship last season, so I have matched them up against Watford, who finished 19th last season. The comparison is therefore (as for the match day comparison last weekend) our 0-1 win at Vicarage Road.

With key players injured, I fear we may have to wait until after the World Cup for a significant improvement in our comparators.

Makes for grim reading this season. Agree as well, i can't see the comparison being positive until the injuries are far behind us - and even then there is no guarantees. 

Edited 19 October, 2022 by Saint86

[Ex Lion Tamer]

2 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

Makes for grim reading this season. Agree as well, i can't see the comparison being positive until the injuries are far behind us - and even then there is no guarantees. 

I agree we're on course for relegation as it stands. The only consolations we can take is that Lavia will be back soon and the board was willing to spend big on a striker in the summer and may do so in Jan. Plus a new manager might help

Edited 19 October, 2022 by Ex Lion Tamer

[Saint86]

6 minutes ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

I agree we're on course for relegation as it stands. The only consolations we can take is that Lavia will be back soon and the board was willing to spend big on a striker in the summer and may do so in Jan. Plus a new manager might help

Yup, i think it will depend how far behind we are by the world cup. Saving grace maybe that there isn't a stand out team that is being left behind atm (please don't let that be us saints 🤣), which seems to be resulting in a more even spread of points in the bottom half atm... and therefore higher jeopardy but more chances to climb out of it. We do not want to wind up on the wrong side of a gap (if/when one starts opening up).

Edited 19 October, 2022 by Saint86

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 11 - The 0-1 win at Bournemouth means both comparators are unchanged:

Match Day:  -3 points; -6 GD

Head-to-head: -4 points; +2 GD.

Match Day 12

Last season was the dreadful 2-1 defeat at Norwich, where we lost after taking an early lead and were hopeless in the second half.

Head-to-head: We somehow beat Arsenal 1-0 earlier this year, our only win in the last third of the season. Bednarek scored with what I think was our only chance, but my main memory is of an unbelievable save from Forster in the first half.

With injuries to four of our better players, it will be tough to get much from Sunday's game, but I always live in hope!

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 12:

The well earned point v Arsenal has left our comparisons as follows:

Match Day: -2 points; -5 GD

Head-to-head: -6 points; +1 GD

Match day 13:

Last season, game 13 was the 4-0 thrashing at Liverpool, where Ralph unexpectedly switched to a back 5 and we were 3 down after 37 minutes. He admitted afterwards that it had been a mistake to change formation!

At Palace last season, we conceded very early to Zaha but were ahead at half-time thanks to goals from JWP and Broja. Ayew equalised for Palace on 65 minutes and we finished 2-2.

I hope those of you going enjoy the afternoon and that travel is not too onerous.

 

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 13

The 1-0 defeat at Palace leaves our comparisons as follows:

Match Day: -2 points; -2 GD

Head-to-head: -7 points; GD Nil

Match Day 14

On MD14 last season, we drew 2-2 at home to Leicester. Bednarek and Adams twice gave us the lead, but goals from Evans and Maddison meant it finished all square, the last goal coming in the 49th minute.

H2H: Newcastle at home was the rather controversial COVID-19 postponement that was eventually played in March, Newcastle winning 1-2 with both goals coming from their new signings, Wood and Guimaraes, the latter being a brilliant back-heeled volley. It was a close game in which Stuart Armstrong had given us the lead.

I'm expecting another close game on Sunday, particularly if Lavia is back. I just hope we can somehow find the net!

Enjoy it if you are going. Unfortunately I won't be, as I'll be at Twickenham. Bloody fixture rearrangements!

 

[Midfield_General]

12 hours ago, Big Ron fan said:

Match Day 13

The 1-0 defeat at Palace leaves our comparisons as follows:

Match Day: -2 points; -2 GD

Head-to-head: -7 points; GD Nil

Match Day 14

On MD14 last season, we drew 2-2 at home to Leicester. Bednarek and Adams twice gave us the lead, but goals from Evans and Maddison meant it finished all square, the last goal coming in the 49th minute.

H2H: Newcastle at home was the rather controversial COVID-19 postponement that was eventually played in March, Newcastle winning 1-2 with both goals coming from their new signings, Wood and Guimaraes, the latter being a brilliant back-heeled volley. It was a close game in which Stuart Armstrong had given us the lead.

I'm expecting another close game on Sunday, particularly if Lavia is back. I just hope we can somehow find the net!

Enjoy it if you are going. Unfortunately I won't be, as I'll be at Twickenham. Bloody fixture rearrangements!

 

Loving your work on this! 

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 14:

The 1-4 defeat to Newcastle finished Ralph off and has left our comparisons as follows:

Match Day: -3 points; -5 GD

H2H: -7 points; -2 GD

Match Day 15:

Liverpool away up next. Last season this was the 4-0 thrashing I mentioned a couple of weeks ago.

Game 15 last season was Brighton at home. Broja gave us a first-half lead but, after dominating and missing loads of chances, we conceded a 98th minute equaliser. You may remember that it resulted from shambolic defending and communication, with McCarthy injured and JWP unsure whether to go back on the goal line for a free kick.

I've made two trips to see Saints at Anfield. In 1984, we drew 1-1 thanks to a very late equaliser from Joe Jordan, who poked in from a couple of yards out and stood in front of the Kop giving them the two-fingers with both hands. (They were not amused!) The other was the League Cup semi in 2017. I hope those of you making the trip end up with similarly happy memories.

 

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 15

The 3-1 defeat at Anfield leaves our comparisons as follows:

Match Day: -4 points; -7 GD

H2H: -7 Points; level GD

Match Day 16

Boxing Day sees us host Brighton, with whom we drew 1-1 last season, as discussed in the previous post.

Match Day 16 last season was Leicester at home, a game in which we twice took the lead in the first half through goals by Bednarek and Adams.

I'm usually a glass half full man, but I find it difficult to be optimistic about the second half of the season. In any event, Happy Xmas to all Saints fans!

[Suhari]

Great to have football back, and brilliant to see this thread still up and running.

[Big Ron fan]

Apologies, I realise I didn't say that the Saints v Leicester game finished 2-2 last year, although I expect most of you will have remembered anyway!

 

[Big Ron fan]

In previewing Match Day 16, my performance was as shambolic as the team's turned out to be on the pitch! MD 16 last year wasn't Leicester at home (that was MD 14), but instead the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Our 1-3 defeat to Brighton has therefore left the comparisons as follows:

Match Day: -4 points; -6 GD

H-2-H: -8 points; -2 GD

The latter is particularly depressing.

Match Day 17:

On MD 17 last season, we drew 2-2 at Palace. After conceding early an early goal by (inevitably) Zaha, we were 2-1 up by h-t, thanks to goals by JWP and Broja. Palace equalised through Ayew in the 65th minute.

H-2-H: Fulham were promoted as Champions last season, so for the H-2-H comparison I will use Burnley, who finished 18th in the Premier League last season.

We lost 2-0 at Burnley in mid-April, both goals coming in the first half.

There seems to be nothing but doom and gloom on the football front, but I wish all Saintsweb users a Happy New Year. Things can only get better...

[Big Ron fan]

Match Day 17:

Our 2-1 defeat at Fulham leaves our comparisons as follows...

Match Day: -5 points; -7 GD

H-2-H: -8 points; -1 GD

Match Day 18:

Forest up next. Last season, MD 18 was the brilliant 3-2 Boxing Day win at West Ham, a game in which we took the lead 3 times. Elyounoussi, JWP and Bednarek scored for Saints.

As Forest came up through the play-offs, I will use Norwich, who finished bottom of the Premier League, for the H-2-H comparison. On the last Friday in February, we comfortably beat them 2-0 at St Mary's, due to a first-half goal from Adams and a late goal from Romeu. That took us to 35 points and to within touching distance of the European places. Little were we to know that, after this game, the season would implode (the next league game was the 4-0 thrashing at Villa).

I am not going to be able to keep this thread updated during January, but will return for the February games. I hope someone can take it over in my absence and that the change of contributor brings more of a change in fortune than the change of manager has. If there are no takers, I will retrospectively update it in early February.

Here's hoping 2023 is much better on the football and non-football fronts than 2022 was!

[redkeith]

I will keep it going for you, although I can't  remember if we got a result when I filled in before.  The comparison is soon bad this season! 

Almost makes you want to do a comparison with the last time we were relegated. 

[SotonianWill]

19 hours ago, redkeith said:

I will keep it going for you, although I can't  remember if we got a result when I filled in before.  The comparison is soon bad this season! 

Almost makes you want to do a comparison with the last time we were relegated. 

As of Matchday 17, we are -1 point, -8 goal difference worse off than 2004/05. 

In terms of H2H it will be harder to do as Portsmouth, Blackburn, Birmingham will all have to replace the newer clubs to the league. 

[redkeith]

Match Day 18:

What a complete shit show! The Forest keeper could have played the 90 with his hands in his pockets ! 

Our 0-1 defeat by  Forest leaves our comparisons as follows...

Match Day: -8 points; -9 GD

H-2-H: -11 points; -4 GD

The equivalent match in 2004-2005 was a  5 -1 defeat at Tottenham  so -1 point and -4 goal difference on that. 

 

Everton up next, by which time we will have been knocked out of both cups, so we will be able to "Concentrate on the League" .  One of our worst away grounds to visit, both from a results point of view and an away section viewpoint as well.  

Last season  we scored first, to a great A Armstrong finish, only to collapse in the 2nd half to a 3-1 defeat. 

Match day 19  last year was Brentford at home, a cracking 4 -1 win.  I have to admit I don't see the likelihood of either a win or an Armstrong goal.

Matchday 19  in our last relegation season was a 0 0 draw at home to Charlton.

[redkeith]

Well what do I know? Not much apparently.

A great week with 3 fantastic, and deserved results.  

JWP and DCC were immense yesterday, and everyone put a shift in.

The comparison now reads. 

Match Day: -8 points; -11 GD

H-2-H: -8 points; 0 GD

Next up is a tough match against Villa, who have won at Spurs and Brighton recently.  Last year we beat them 1.0 with a first time shot from A Armstrong.

Matchday 20 was a 3.1 loss at Wolves, with the only positive being the Ward Prowse rocket free kick.  

[redkeith]

A New dawn fades! 

That was completely shit, bar a 2 minutes spell in the 2nd half. 

Last year we beat Villa  1.0 with a first time shot from A Armstrong. This year he hit the keeper. Matchday 20 was a the 3 .1 loss at Wolves, so our comparative goal difference goes up by one, Yippie !  I'm  sure that will set the jackpot off in one of Rasmus's spreadsheets.

 H-2-H: -11 points; -2  GD

Match Day: -8 points; -10 GD

Matchday 21 was a good 1. 1 draw at home to the champions Man City.  The head to head against Brentford was a complete no show, like a trailer for this season and a  3 nil defeat. 

Someone is going to have fun next year trying to equate Blackburn with Newcastle to work the equivalent teams out !  

[Dark Munster]

Quote

H-2-H: -11 points

That is abominable, isn't it? The two jokers Ankersen and Semmens have a lot to answer for.

[redkeith]

 

 

Last season the  3 nil defeat at Brentford was the final straw for Ralph  for most of those present. This season was even worse, and the post match comments have put the internet into meltdown. If it wasn't for Salisu it would have been 6 nil.

 H-2-H: -11 points; -2  GD

Match Day: -9 points; -13 GD

Matchday 22 was the 3 2 win at Spurs, the last proper performance we have seen from Saints. The head to head was a one nil loss to Wolves, with the inevitable come back goal from Jiminez.

I am a bit of a Mathematician by training and I have spotted a definite trend here. We are doing worse than last season. Quite a lot worse. 

Maybe, after Rasmus has digested Saturdays XG stats, he might start paying attention to the actual League table.  

 

[SotonianWill]

41 minutes ago, redkeith said:

 

 

 

Last season the  3 nil defeat at Brentford was the final straw for Ralph  for most of those present. This season was even worse, and the post match comments have put the internet into meltdown. If it wasn't for Salisu it would have been 6 nil.

 H-2-H: -11 points; -2  GD

Match Day: -9 points; -13 GD

Matchday 22 was the 3 2 win at Spurs, the last proper performance we have seen from Saints. The head to head was a one nil loss to Wolves, with the inevitable come back goal from Jiminez.

I am a bit of a Mathematician by training and I have spotted a definite trend here. We are doing worse than last season. Quite a lot worse. 

Maybe, after Rasmus has digested Saturdays XG stats, he might start paying attention to the actual League table.  

 

thats the only positive I can see from the weekend, we didn't ruin our HTH by losing by four!

[redkeith]

 

After watching football for over 50 years and reading the occasional book on tactics, I never knew that it was more difficult to play against 10 men ! Learn something new every day ! 

Just watched it again on MOTD and have to say that, as crap as we were and even allowing for the fact that we played completely the wrong tactics for a team with one extra man, the winner should have been disallowed for the push on AMN that caused the collision, and that Lyanco could have stopped the shot if had not turned side on to it. 

H-2-H: -11 points; -2  GD

Match Day: -12 points; -15 GD

Matchday 23 was the 1 all draw at Old Trafford, while the head top head at Chelsea was heading for a draw until JWP got sent off by VAR, ending up in a 3 1 defeat.

Let's hope for a no manager bounce. 

 

[S-Clarke]

Thanks for keeping this thread going, but it's a stark illustration of how much we've gone backwards.

Double figures worse on points and H2H records, and it's not like last season was amzing. This is only going one way sadly!

[redkeith]

Saturday was a breath of fresh air. So much to like about the way the team applied itself, and the confidence exuded by Ruben in the dugout. 

H-2-H:   -8 points +1 GD . Wow  a positive  goal difference! 

Match Day:  -10 points  -14 GD .

This weekend corresponds to the 2 nil home win over Everton, whilst we where still in the middle of the last good run under Ralph.  The corresponding match at Elland Road was a 1 all draw, courtesy of another JWP free-kick.  As someone famous was said, maybe it was Shelly in the sit-com, "It's the hope that kills you". Long may it continue.

[redkeith]

Held off writing this until after the Grimsby game in case there was something positive to put in it. 

Well we don't need to worry about hope anymore as the team and the club is hopeless, almost to a man.

Leeds away was pathetic, didn't lay a glove on them and yesterday we did the same at home to a league 2 side. 

H-2-H:   -9 points 0 GD .  

Match Day:  -13 points  -17 GD 

This is getting so bad that I may need to study Large Negative Number Theory to be able to keep up with it. 

On to the next one, which I don't think I can even be bothered to look for a dodgy stream for.

Last season  we drew 2 all with Leicester, scoring 2 goals at home eh, remember that feeling. No me neither.

The corresponding home game was a 2 nil home win over Norwich, our last win before the terrible run we are on started. In theory, after this one the head to head can't get much worse as we only took another 5 points all season. 

 

[Eric The Red]

On 02/03/2023 at 11:21, redkeith said:

Held off writing this until after the Grimsby game in case there was something positive to put in it. 

Well we don't need to worry about hope anymore as the team and the club is hopeless, almost to a man.

Leeds away was pathetic, didn't lay a glove on them and yesterday we did the same at home to a league 2 side. 

H-2-H:   -9 points 0 GD .  

Match Day:  -13 points  -17 GD 

This is getting so bad that I may need to study Large Negative Number Theory to be able to keep up with it. 

On to the next one, which I don't think I can even be bothered to look for a dodgy stream for.

Last season  we drew 2 all with Leicester, scoring 2 goals at home eh, remember that feeling. No me neither.

The corresponding home game was a 2 nil home win over Norwich, our last win before the terrible run we are on started. In theory, after this one the head to head can't get much worse as we only took another 5 points all season. 

 

Redkeith I am afraid I think you have the Matchday comparison wrong. After Match 24 last year we had 29 points and a GD of -7 so we are 'only' a horrendous -11 Points at the moment ( & -15 GD). Looking back over the thread I think you've  missed the home draw with Spurs , matchday 19.

We could well be  -17 on points in 2 games time though. You would hope it couldn't get much worse after Matchday 26 but you never know .........

[redkeith]

Thanks for the fact check. I am quite lazy so I just continued from the original poster and then get the results off the club site.  I will double check after tonight's defeat

[redkeith]

Done some actual research after last night's battling win and there definitely seems to have been a game missed along the way . 

HTH was actually Everton at home 

H-2-H:   -7 points  +1 GD .  

Match Day:  -11 points  -16 GD 

Next up is Man United away, where we got a creditable 1 all draw last year. They are a different beast this Season, without the cry baby up front. Our best hope is if Rashford gets involved in solving the nurses pay dispute. 

Match day 26 was the 2 nil home win over Norwich .    

[Ted Bates Statue]

As a slight twist on this exercise, I've been glancing at our performance in 2004-2005, as that has until now been my benchmark for a terrible season.

Match day 25 back then yielded defeat against Birmingham City on 2nd February. Until that point, we had managed three wins against Blackburn, Pompey and Liverpool, and 9 draws. So, 18 points, which makes us +3 right now by match day. That said, back then, we subsequently went on an undefeated run over five matches. Could do with something like that now.

[redkeith]

I am on holiday ATM, so sorry if the format is not so good.

Very enjoyable game on Sunday, shame we couldn't snatch the win.

HTH same -7 points +1 goal difference.

Match day -13 points and -18 goal difference.

Last season we beat Brentford 4 1 , whilst  the match day was the 4 nil, shape of things to come, shitshow at villa Park.

Let's hope it is more of the former . 

 

[Midfield_General]

Keep up the good work 👍

[Ted Bates Statue]

Continuing the 2004-2005 comparison, as reviewing against any other season is a bit depressing right now.

Match day 26 featured an infamous 2-2 draw against Everton, versus our 0-0 against Man Utd.

Match day 27 was a 0-0 against West Brom, in comparison with our 0-2 defeat tonight. 

That gives 20 points after round 27 in 2005, so we are still +2 points up over that season, at this point.

[redkeith]

Fuck Fuck Fuck .. that was horrible. Playing a defensive winger in a must win home game !!! 

We are  well into massive negative number theory again .

HTH same -10 points -4  goal difference.

Match day -13 points and -16 goal difference.

 

Next up is spurs at home, last year it was a 1-1 draw. If the PMU took bets on goal scorers over in France, I would be putting a load on Richarlson to get his first spurs goal.

The equivalent matchday  was a 2.1 defeat at home to Newcastle, so we only have goal difference to lose on that one.  

I struggle to pick a first choice 11 atm, so god knows what we will put out on Saturday.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[redkeith]

Well that was a big improvement, with a bit of fight in the last 15 minutes. 

HTH same -10 points -4  goal difference.

Match day -12 points and -15 goal difference.

 

 Next up is a trip to the London Rent Free Stadium to play West Ham. We won 3-2 up there last time, but we also lost a vital relegation match  up there under Hughes . 

The equivalent match day was a tame 2.1 home defeat to Watford. 

Fingers crossed and hold on tight ! 

[redkeith]

Glad to say that I couldn't get to see this one, as I was driving. I was just waiting for updates from my wife in the passenger seat. Less frustrating than actually watching it be all accounts.

HTH same -13 points - 6  goal difference.

Match day -12 points and -15 goal difference.

 

Next up is Man City. I know we beat them with the worst PL manager ever in charge, but I can't see it happening, not even if Pep picks a team of 11 false 9's. Last season we drew 1 all with a KWP cracker. The equivalent match day was a 1-1 draw at Elland Road, thanks to a JWP free kick.

Maybe Elyonousi will score the 4 goals that a player in his position should have scored after 30 games. If so, I predict Saints 4 City 6 !