Who'd have thunk it?

[smileychap]

Let's just see how it pans out shall we?

Allardyce has come in and done pretty much what everyone expected him to do - organise the team and get us back to basics. That will always tend to have a short term impact, but it has its limitations, and can lead to a lack of progress if the manager decides to stick with what's 'working' rather than taking a risk and trying to build something to take you through the glass ceiling.

Basically we've played three games, including one at home to a team who haven't scored away since the opening day of the season and one away to a side who've lost their last four home games and only won one of their last eleven games. I know i'm seemingly in the minority, but I'd have fancied us to win those two if my dog was in charge of us.

Don't get me wrong, Allardyce has done nothing wrong and I give him credit for getting results, but I just don't buy the idea that he's come in and turned the place on its head with some incredible results. Our best result under him is a draw at the pit that's just been matched by Alan Pardew's West Brom, while David Moyes has overseen similar results at West Ham. I'll reserve judgement on how far Sam can take us until I've got a bigger sample of games to look at I think.

Yes, much more tricky run of games coming up until mid Jan.

Coyb.

 

[Tel001]

My granny could have given the team that advice

That's the point I was making.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

My granny could have given the team that advice

Yeah, it's very worrying if this is all that was required and Koeman (paid £6 million per annum) and Unsworth couldn't do it. How much would yer Gran want for the job?

 

[Khalekan]

Yeah, it's very worrying if this is all that was required and Koeman (paid £6 million per annum) and Unsworth couldn't do it. How much would yer Gran want for the job?

She would be happy to do it for minimum wage, Dave

 

[Big Fat Sam]

It's crazy. Come Monday night we'll be 6 points behind Tottenham. The league is really congested this season. If we can maintain this gap and not be beaten by them mid January, who knows what could happen with a decent transfer window behind us.

 

[goodisonopheliac]

Not bad so far, but we've still got some tough fixtures coming up. If he can get points against the RS (again), the Mancs, Arsenal, Spurs or Chelsea, I'll be impressed.

Having said that, I'm not going to be down on the fact that we beat Huddersfield and Newcastle because we were dropping points under Koeman against the likes of Palace. Be interested to see what he does in January too.

 

[Brisan123]

You see, there is a paradox at the heart of that thinking.

In order for us not to qualify for the EL our current run of good form would have to taper off so we finish no higher than 8th place in the league and we would need to be knocked out of the F.A. Cup.

Personally I want to see us win as many matches as possible so we can finish as high up the table as we can and that we win the Cup at Wembley come May.

I do not for one moment believe you would think any differently

So here's hoping we are in the EL draw next season

And we can worry about how our squad copes with it when next season comes around.

It’s all about having a properly balanced squad with cover in all positions and a little bit of luck in the fixtures
If you get the game management right it can be done
Win your 3 home games and one away game and you are through.
Arsenal managed it and they are no great shapes this season

 

[Toffeelover]

ATM not bad, 4 points from last two away games1

 

[Brisan123]

She would be happy to do it for minimum wage, Dave

Having Rooney and a granny around the club at the same time could prove to be detrimtal to our form

 

[Khalekan]

Having Rooney and a granny around the club at the same time could prove to be detrimtal to our form

lol

 

[samcrest]

My concerns about re-signing Rooney & then appointing Allardyce as manager are well off the mark to date - what do I know? Nothing, keep it up you blues