10-match segments 2024/5

Oh, I think we've seen enough to judge the quality...we are mid-table mediocre. Which, as you point out, we don't stand for -- we take it lying down.

And yet I think this squad is capable of better. We show flashes of that every now and again, but whether from the coaching or the on-field leadership we just can't show it consistently, even within a match let alone match to match. THat is extremely frustrating/exasperating.

RCB

 

Wow! Now that was a 10-match segment we can be happy with! After my earlier pessimism about our prospects, may I now get over-excited about them? (It's a Bantams thing!)

1st 10: 4-3-3, 14-11, 15
2nd 10: 3-4-3, 10-11, 13
3rd 10: 8-1-1, 16-6, 25

Home: 12-3-1, 26-10, 39
Away: 3-5-6, 14-18, 14
Total: 15-8-7, 40-28, 53

Leading at HT: 13-1-0, 27-8, 40
Drawing at HT: 2-6-2, 10-10, 12
Trailing at HT: 0-1-5, 3-10, 1

Leading at any point: 15-3-0
Trailing at any point: 2-4-7
(0-0: 2)

Both led and trailed in same match: Gillingham (H), Chesterfield (H), Barrow (A)
* * * * *
8-1-1 is the best 10-match segment we've had in the 3-points-for-a-win era (I haven't looked back further, yet). We've done it twice before, in 81/2 and 98/9. Do I even dare remind readers of how those seasons ended?

8 home wins (League) in a row is the best we've done since the 67/8 season.

Our defence has been solid. I do wish we'd score more, and make their lives easier, but with no Cook and no obvious Cook-type replacement we'll just have to manage. I'll take ugly 1-0 wins. But we have also won with style.

Pattison has made a huge difference; Sarcevic has done his bit.

If I must criticise, then I'll point to our record when trailing at the half, or at any point. We also need to improve our away form -- it would be very nice, but I don't know if we can keep this home form going to the end of the season.

Well done, City!

RCB

 

Back down to earth. Normally not a bad segment -- 1.7 points per match almost always gets you into the playoffs -- but after the brilliant 3rd segment, one got greedy and hoped for more.

1st 10: 4-3-3, 14-11, 15
2nd 10: 3-4-3, 10-11, 13
3rd 10: 8-1-1, 16-6, 25
4th 10: 5-2-3, 12-6, 17

Home: 15-3-2, 35-12, 48
Away: 5-7-8, 17-22, 22
Total: 20-10-10, 52-34, 70

Leading at HT: 16-1-0, 36-9, 49
Drawing at HT: 3-8-4, 11-12, 17
Trailing at HT: 1-1-6, 5-13, 4

Leading at any point: 20-3-0
Trailing at any point: 3-4-10
(0-0: 4)

Both led and trailed in same match: Gillingham (H), Chesterfield (H), Barrow (A), Salford (A)
* * * * *
We aren't making auto-promotion easy for ourselves, are we? At least it is still in our hands, but another loss would change that.

For all the mistakes -- e.g. today -- the defence has remained very stingy, and given our offence it has needed to be. Home form and results when leading in a match remain excellent, away form and results when trailing in a match somewhat less than excellent... It would also help if we would turn more half-time draws into wins.

Overall we remain in a good position, but now we really have to fight to stay there. Like many other posters, I wouldn't want to see us having to take a chance in the playoffs. 4 more wins might be enough for autos, but now we have to do it in only 6 matches.

RCB

 

Mission accomplished!

Of course, I'm not quite sure if the mission was gaining promotion or helping solve the world's overpopulation problem by inducing stress-related terminations of certain segments of that population. Well, I'm still here, I think...

1st 10: 4-3-3, 14-11, 15
2nd 10: 3-4-3, 10-11, 13
3rd 10: 8-1-1, 16-6, 25
4th 10: 5-2-3, 12-6, 17
last 6: 2-2-2, 12-11, 8

Home: 17-4-2, 39-13, 55
Away: 5-8-10, 25-32, 23
Total: 22-12-12, 64-45, 78

Leading at HT: 17-2-1, 45-17, 53
Drawing at HT: 4-9-4, 13-13, 21
Trailing at HT: 1-1-7, 6-15, 4

Leading at any point: 22-5-1
Trailing at any point: 3-4-12
(0-0: 4)

Both led and trailed in same match: Gillingham (H), Chesterfield (H), Barrow (A), Salford (A), Swindon (A)
* * * * *
That was cutting it a bit fine, wasn't it! We could have had it done and dusted several matches ago, we could have just had a pressure-free fun match today. But no. We had to take until the last minute of time added on in the last match of the season in what had become a must-win game to score what must be one of the flakiest promotion-winning goals ever...

We remained excellent when playing with a lead, poor when trailing. Our defence, for all its shortcomings real or imaginary, ended up being alright -- when you give up less than 1 goal per match on average, you've done your job. Our offence picked up in the absence of Cook, and did just enough. 17 home wins ties our record for most home wins in a season, but the only other time that was done was back in a 42-match season. 10 home wins in a row sets a new record. Records to be proud of.

Home attendances were fantastic, especially in these last few matches. Get ourselves consolidated next division up, and then it would be nice to think such attendances will be the norm.

Time for some well-deserved drinks. See you over on the drinks thread!

RCB