Where we were a year ago

[Dumbo]

After our 12th game we had a point less and had just walloped Reading 4-1, but it felt so different.
That day I left the ground delighted with the win, but it all felt so unconvincing.
In that game, for those who forgot, we were losing at the break and it could have been worse. We were fannying about at the back, but somehow we just seemed to score at will in that second half. It was very flattering.
Not long after that we were torn apart by Derby and had a wobbly few weeks. 
This season I really can’t see that sort of thing happening again.

Now you’ve really gone and cursed us haven’t you! 

A lot will think Barnsley will be easy on Tuesday with them being bottom but it’ll be anything but.

Correct!

I actually think Tuesday could be a banana skin, whereas I feel more confident about beating Charlton on Saturday. Charlton, minus Leko and Field, will come to play football and we can take advantage of that. Barnsley could be a grind...

[Statto]

On Saturday we looked a cohesive unit. “Turning the screw” was my phrase for the second half. Last year I’d have been thinking it was gonna be one of those days, whereas I always felt it was coming. It was like the game of space invaders where we were on top and closing in!!

[Sliced]

Correct!

I actually think Tuesday could be a banana skin, whereas I feel more confident about beating Charlton on Saturday. Charlton, minus Leko and Field, will come to play football and we can take advantage of that. Barnsley could be a grind...

Charlton is more concerning to me. Barnsley play more open and concede a hell of a lot of goals. Charlton generally have a solid defence which won't change by Leko and Field not being available. 

I have no doubt we'll score against Barnsley, Charlton could shut us out.

[Spandaubaggie]

After our 12th game we had a point less and had just walloped Reading 4-1, but it felt so different.
That day I left the ground delighted with the win, but it all felt so unconvincing.
In that game, for those who forgot, we were losing at the break and it could have been worse. We were fannying about at the back, but somehow we just seemed to score at will in that second half. It was very flattering.
Not long after that we were torn apart by Derby and had a wobbly few weeks. 
This season I really can’t see that sort of thing happening again.

Now you’ve really gone and cursed us haven’t you! 

A lot will think Barnsley will be easy on Tuesday with them being bottom but it’ll be anything but.

I don't think having confidence in our team based on us being top of the table is a curse. Of course, we could slip up and we won't always have great days, but if we can't be confident putting a struggling team to the sword then we have a strange attitude.

[SW4Baggie]

Correct!

I actually think Tuesday could be a banana skin, whereas I feel more confident about beating Charlton on Saturday. Charlton, minus Leko and Field, will come to play football and we can take advantage of that. Barnsley could be a grind...

Charlton is more concerning to me. Barnsley play more open and concede a hell of a lot of goals. Charlton generally have a solid defence which won't change by Leko and Field not being available. 

I have no doubt we'll score against Barnsley, Charlton could shut us out.

I think we should be expecting to beat both of these sides, but you’d expect Charlton to be the more dangerous. We need to be professional and make no silly mistakes as both sides have the ability to snatch a goal if we let our levels drop or show a remote bit of complacency.

[Spandaubaggie]

I think this side is our version of the great Spain side of a decade ago. We keep possession play cat and mouse, wear teams down and eventually get the goal or goals.

[ColliersWoodBaggie]

We'll win both IMO.

I think last season, at this point, we'd lost at Wigan. We didn't fire on all cylinders at Wigan going forward, Livermore was sent off, and we couldn't grind the result out. Bomber on Radio WM, in the run up to the Derby game (I was listening in the car en route) had said that you need to grind out a win or be organised enough not to lose if you are not firing on all attacking cylinders. He doubted whether or not we could do it to get to the top 2. He was right and I think a lot of people had similar doubts, although I do think we were playing quite well up to the bad October run and the games were enjoyable. Just think of two years ago. The Reading 4-1 game was actually similar to one or two home matches this season.