Are we the best team?

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Cjay
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Are we the best team?

Post by Cjay »

I think so.

Have all season, i think overall we are the best team in the league.

Not individually, but as a collective group i think we are.

I think our style of play at our best is the most effective in the league, we take care of the ball best, we have the most possession, 2nd best passing accuracy.

We are the best side when it comes to limiting the opposition, we concede the fewest shooting opportunities per game in the league, we have all season, the only side to be in single figures in that respect.

We are not doing this through last gasp means in the final 3rd, we are 2nd from bottom for shots blocked, bottom for crosses blocked, but 2nd for passes blocked and 1st for tackles per game,  that suggests to me more often then not we are winning the ball back further up the pitch and are not having to resort so much to last ditch blocks.

We are 1st for shots per game, so it isnt just passing for the sake of it,  we are creating shooting chances, now clearly there is an issue either in our shot selection or our accuracy but thats an individual thing not a team thing. We are 3rd however for shots on target per game so there is a degree of accuracy although Norwich are 1st with less shots per game and they have scored more goals.

We are 1st for short passes per game, but also only 21st for long balls per game but joint 2nd for crosses, so it seems we do move the ball to the flanks quickly to create opportunities but we dont loft it forward for the sake of it.

I think our style is the most attractive, id say us Norwich and Blades have been the most attractive sides to watch this season, not much in it but we have done it all season, playoffs since game 1, top 2 almost all of it.

I think what has let us down more often then not are individuals, there has rarely been anything wrong with our approach play, our football most of the time has been very good, defensively solid largely, but individuals have been our downfall, sending offs, poor chance conversion, poor goalkeeping and just plain bad luck (3 deflected shots falling exactly where the opposition would want for example, a wonder strike from Adam Reach), its rarely been a flaw in our play imo its just been down to individual quality or luck.

So are we the best team?

Atm league position says no, but one team has been in the playoffs all season, one team has spent the most time top and the most time 2nd, its us.

Imo the team wouldn't be what costs us promotion, it would be individuals, nothing wrong with the team as a group.
Signed

King Cjay

Fountain of all knowledge and wisdom
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weasel
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Re: Are we the best team?

Post by weasel »

Excellent piece and I would agree with you. We are the best team consistently. Albeit at times the results have been up and down the level of performance has been consistent throughout, keeping possession and creating more chances even in the matches we have lost. We have done this consistently whilst having to re-jig the team due to injuries and suspensions.

Like you say it has been individual errors and at times bad luck that has been to blame for our defeats rather than the performance. Chances missed and errors, especially keeper errors have been the difference at times and at other times the simple bad luck. Against Sheff Wed we could have won by a cricket score, they score from nothing, we miss a bucketload of chances. The Norwich game just bad luck and bad misses. The only game where we looked 2nd best was the WBA one but at 1-0 down we were entering the period of the game where we have continually been at our strongest. But for a keeper error we may well have turned the match around and left with 3 points.

Norwich has been less consistent but certainly more clinical. West Brom similar but they have premiership class finishers. Sheff Utd have ridden Billy Sharp's superb season but also look to have been fairly consistent.
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Chilli D
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Re: Are we the best team?

Post by Chilli D »

On our day we are.
I still believe we would clear at the top if it wasn't for all the injuries disrupting things.
I think Sheff Utd are our biggest threat to a top 2 position. They have real goal threat in Sharp, McGoldrick and now Madine as well.
The news today about Roofe's injury is just unbelievable but Bamford is getting stronger with every game and I think Izzy Brown has a part to play this season.
It's going to be close but we can do it.
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1964white
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Re: Are we the best team?

Post by 1964white »

We are collectively as a unit

Best coach
Best two centre-backs
Best defensive midfielder
Best creative midfielder
Best team spirit
Most attractive football side
Best passing side
Fittest team in the championship
Never say die attitude
Best academy
Best fans
Had it not been for all our injuries, we'd be walking the league

:celeb:


Just need to be more clinical up top
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The Subhuman
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Re: Are we the best team?

Post by The Subhuman »

We are the best managed, maybe the deepest squad. Not sure if we're the best team
"Never debate an idiot, they'll only drag you down to their level and they have the advantage of experience"
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dezzy
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Re: Are we the best team?

Post by dezzy »

If all teams were full strength and on sing, I would pick Leeds every time, the team spirit and togetherness in this side is the key,
I realised I was dyslexic when I went to a toga party dressed as a goat..
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Doire_Boi
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Re: Are we the best team?

Post by Doire_Boi »

I'll nit complain if we finish up second best :-D
Genghers
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Re: Are we the best team?

Post by Genghers »

Considering we've not had a full strength squad at any point this season and that we have been top 2/3 since Christmas, there's definitely an argument for it.

We dominate games and create considerably more chances than other teams in the league, even though teams change the way they play for us. I've obviously not watched many SU or Norwich matches, but I wonder whether teams park the bus against them? We get the Man City treatment every game now pretty much, which is testament to the quality we have.

Thing is, I'm not sure how many of our players would walk into other teams around us. Jansson is probably top 2 or 3 in the Championship, and I don't think anyone comes close to Phillips on his day, but other than those two...

We have the best coach and I think that has been the difference. We are yet to see the team roll over and accept a defeat as we've seen in many seasons before. We play great football and have the determination to grind out results and that's a really potent combination.
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