Can Anyone Make A Case For Automatic Promotion ?

To be honest I'm in the surprised at all we are sitting in 4th place camp given last season's catastrophe and absolutely zero money to spend in the summer .

Which is entirely the opposite view I had the last time we were in league one under Stendel when in reality we under performed by not winning the league with a 100 points considering the quality of the squad we had at this level .

Is the automatics on if we recruit well up top in January ?

Everyone has to come to Oakwell in the second half of the season let's not forget .

Ask this again at the end of January.
It all depends on who we get and who we get shut of, we were saying it in the close season and it still applies, we need a couple of strikers.
Last night match told us that, a decent striker and we’d have won by three or more goals.

It would be nice to think so Animal.

For balance i would throw in--

1 The lack of depth in the squad.--- It only needs a bad injury or two, suspensions, loss of form of key players, the sale of key players in january to have a significant effect.

2 Have we "peaked" too early---last night excepted, we have had a run of kind fixtures against very poor teams and our position could be misleading. We are due a blip or two and someone always emerges with a run

3 Promotion teams don't usually lose ten games a season. With nearly half the season gone we have lost six games compared with the likes of Plymouth, 3 defeats, Ipswich 2 Wedn 3, Portsmouth 2

4 Our packing the midfield style suits away games but may not be effective when the big boys visit Oakwell.

5 If the decline of Bristol City continues and Nigel Pearson is sacked then our coach could well be interested and them in him if his success continues. Duff's family are happy and settled in the Cheltenham area, suggesting moves North are temporary.

I would say Play Offs is more likely than automatic.

Now this is interesting , the league table for 04 December 2018 .

Portsmouth P19 W13 D5 L1 PTS 44
Sunderland P19 W11 D5 L4 PTS 40
Luton Town P20 W11 D5 L4 PTS 38
Peterborough P20 W11 D5 L4 PTS 38
Barnsley P20 W10 D5 L4 PTS 35


Neither Portsmouth or Sunderland were promoted .

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Originally Posted by Doggydo

Ask this again at the end of January.
It all depends on who we get and who we get shut of, we were saying it in the close season and it still applies, we need a couple of strikers.
Last night match told us that, a decent striker and we’d have won by three or more goals.

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Exactly.
Especially if we bring a decent target striker in.
But I might have mentioned that before.

I predicted on here before the season started that I thought we would be around the 10th/12th spot at the end of this season , I now think that with a little luck we can challenge for a play off spot which in itself was something that few fans thought achievable before a ball was kicked , the problem we have now is that fans expectation level has changed & the same fans who were predicting doom & gloom will be the same fans moaning if we do not make the top six , I happen to think we have been going along nicely under the radar with nobody really noticing the progress Duff is making with this group but the league table does not lie & the teams who have been up at the top since the start will be viewing us as a threat , we will see what january brings because we have limped along with quite a few injuries so we need topping up where Mr Duff thinks we need help , lets hope he gets backed if possible & we can make a genuine push for a play off spot , if so what ever happens we will have done really well .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Young_Nudger

Exactly.
Especially if we bring a decent target striker in.
But I might have mentioned that before.

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I don't understand your obsession with a target striker YN .

The way Duff plays is to break the lines with quick incisive passing and one and two touch play with good movement .

Very often this results in low crosses flashing across the face with nobody most of the time not getting on the end of them .

The number of times I've seen our strikers not gambling and not getting in there this season is extraordinary .

Cadden puts some devastating crosses in to really good areas , Sam Winnall would be licking his lips in this team .

That's what we need to take us to another level in this league , someone with a instinct and does his work in the penalty box .

A big brainless hold up merchant with the goal scoring record of Victor is just about the last thing that would improve this team given the way Duff has us playing .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by animallittle3

I don't understand your obsession with a target striker YN. A big brainless hold up merchant with the goal scoring record of Victor is just about the last thing that would improve this team given the way Duff has us playing .

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Its a pathetic obsession, and its bordering on sheer tediousness now to be honest. 😴
If it was that important, don't we think Duff would have got something sorted in that area. I know we miss Charlton (err Carlton lol) Morris, but I don't think we are that one-dimensional actually.

Automatic promotion is probably beyond us imo. Great performance at Peterborough and an impressive victory. These standards have to be maintained though and we have flattered to deceive earlier in the season having been on a similar run to what we're on now only to be outplayed by Exeter, Morecambe and Lincoln going 4 games wi art a goal and picking up a solitary point at Bolton.

Duff has got our defence summat like but realistically I'd be delighted with a top 6 berth with our lack of attacking options at present.

The standard of football in this division is shyte to be honest and a good striker can be the difference. We don't have enough quality in the striking department and I don't say that wi any disrespect to the lads that play and have given us everything they have so far.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Acido

Its a pathetic obsession, and its bordering on sheer tediousness now to be honest. 😴
If it was that important, don't we think Duff would have got something sorted in that area. I know we miss Charlton (err Carlton lol) Morris, but I don't think we are that one-dimensional actually.

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The only pathetic obsession on here - is your obsession with me.
Grow up for Gods sake !!