Form

[drfchound]

Is this not a carbon copy of two seasons ago BST?? Two seasons ago when we didn't strengthen in January and got relegated.
But you're right: the upturn in form has been remarkable. Have we suddenly become a good team overnight? I don't really know, but long may it continue

Another possible analysis would be that the aberration in the season 2 years ago was actually the good run after DF took charge (25  points from 15 games) after  the bad start under PD & RJ (11 points from 12 games). This could be put down to 'the new manager effect', and then it could be said that the bad run that followed and the bad start were more a reflection of our playing strength at that time.

DF has rebuilt significantly since then.

Just a possibility. As said elsewhere the next 10 games will tell us (and there are some tough ones coming up).

Bang on Dutch.

In 2015-16, we did have just that brief run of decent form. And it peaked around the end of November. By Xmas, we were already stuttering before we collapsed altogether.

This year is qualitatively different. Our firm has gradually and more or less consistently improved from September.

In 2015/16, the longest unbeaten league  run we had was 4 games. At the moment, we’re on a 6 game unbeaten run.

Finally, the spine of the team (keeper, centre backs, centre midfield, centre forward) is considerably more robust this year than 2015/16. The problem in that season, when things went bad, we totally lost shape and fight. I’m not saying the current side is perfect, but Butler (different player to 2 years ago), Baudry, Houghton and Marquis is a spine that won’t wilt like our revolving door set of keepers, Butler (2015 vintage), ATS, MacKenzie, Middleton, Tyson (who seemed to lose interest after the Stoke match) and Williams did week after week in 2015.

BST, not quite right on the timing of the kicking in of the bad results mate.
Between 24th November and 2nd January we won four, drew two and lost only once.
After that came the run of (was it 19) games without a win.

Hound

I hadn’t quite been clear.
What I meant was that after 27 matches last season, we had 34 points, just one behind where we are now. But by that time, our record over the previous 6 matches, going back to 19 Dec was W2 D3 L1. Not bad form, but a bit off our peak which had been the previous 6 games W4 D1 L1. So by 27 games, our form had already dropped some way below the season’s peak and was about to collapse.

By contrast, at the moment we are, I think, in our best form of the season and have been slowly getting better for 4 months.

Of course the wheels might yet come off, but there’s no sign of it just yet.

OK BST, but the way you wrote the first part of the saga was quite different to what you are now saying.
You have, as they say, moved the goalposts with your latest version of events.
Enough said though, I get the gist of what you are saying.