Most clean sheets in a row...

[willsclarets]

If I'm not mistaken that's us up to 9, which I think equals the record in the championship. Not bad. Not bad at all.

[willsclarets]

Reading in 05/06, unless someone tells me otherwise!

[dvalley69]

Our record is now getting beyond ridiculous. It just doesn't happen. I wish people were more aware and receptive that we are watching serious makers of history. Esteve, CJR, Trafford et al. are gonna go down in the history books. Apart from the Sunderland pens, we've hardly looked like conceding and played most of the top 10 these last 9 nine games. UN-FING-BELIEVABLE.

[Darnhill Claret]

We have looked like conceding at times, but opportunities have been missed or great defending has saved the day.

[Commy]

'The all-time English football record belongs to Manchester United, who went 14 consecutive games without conceding between November 2008 and February 2009. During that run, Edwin van der Sar famously kept his goal intact for 1,310 minutes, or almost 22 hours of football.'

Not sure if they are talking about league or including cup games.

[Vegas Claret]

the most impressive thing is the age and lack of experience in the back line.

Esteve 22
Pires 23
Humphreys 21
CJ 22
Trafford 22

The record is remarkable

[Tricky Trevor]

It is a phenomenal run but this a terrible division. To think if all the foreigners weren’t clogging up the PL most of the British players in it would be PL stars.

[DCWat]

the most impressive thing is the age and lack of experience in the back line.

Esteve 22
Pires 23
Humphreys 21
CJ 22
Trafford 22

The record is remarkable

Even more remarkable, for me at least, was reading that Esteve has been playing as a centre back for three years, or thereabouts!

That’s insane.

[willsclarets]

It is a phenomenal run but this a terrible division. To think if all the foreigners weren’t clogging up the PL most of the British players in it would be PL stars.

By your logic, if players would otherwise be playing at the top level but for foreigners, this division would be stronger as better domestic players are pushed a level lower. I don't understand this "it's a terrible division". It contains by it's nature the second best group of teams outside the premier league. As it ever was. That's where we are because that's our current level. And only one other team has gotten 9 clean sheets in a row at that level. There's no buts here in my opinion, it's a fantastic achievement full stop.

[Claret53]

Just think of how many teams park the bus and still concede goals. This record is a testament to very good players and very good organisation and the level of achievement should never be underestimated.
(Although it regularly is!).

[SirBob]

By your logic, if players would otherwise be playing at the top level but for foreigners, this division would be stronger as better domestic players are pushed a level lower. I don't understand this "it's a terrible division". It contains by it's nature the second best group of teams outside the premier league. As it ever was. That's where we are because that's our current level. And only one other team has gotten 9 clean sheets in a row at that level. There's no buts here in my opinion, it's a fantastic achievement full stop.

I think the point he was making is the premier league would be terrible not that the championship would be better

[willsclarets]

I think the point he was making is the premier league would be terrible not that the championship would be better

Unless the assumption is domestic players are just worse now then they were, then you can't really have one without the other. If they would otherwise be in the premier league, this league is stronger. The fact that the premier league would be worse without foreign imports, which follows logic, doesn't reflect badly on this division.

[TPClaret]

We have looked like conceding at times, but opportunities have been missed or great defending has saved the day.

That’s what clean sheets are about, great defending.

[ClaretLoup]

Ironically maybe our lack of goals is helping our defensive play, as Plymouth apart there has been no opportunity for our boys to relax and allow the opposition to nick even a consolation goal. Maybe vs Watford was the last time that happened.

[NottsClaret]

Unless the assumption is domestic players are just worse now then they were, then you can't really have one without the other. If they would otherwise be in the premier league, this league is stronger. The fact that the premier league would be worse without foreign imports, which follows logic, doesn't reflect badly on this division.

I'm always banging on about this. People love saying what a crap league this is when it's the same every year now (ie, players not quite good enough for Europe's best leagues). And it's way better than it was 30 years ago, when as you say, half of the English players in it would be playing top flight football.

So there's no questioning the achievement on those grounds. All I would say is that if we end up missing out on promotion due to spending a season with the whole XI focussed every minute on defensive shape rather than trying to outscore the other team, it'll probably not be looked back on as fondly as we imagine.

[Darnhill Claret]

We are going up automatically, hopefully as champions.

[Tricky Trevor]

Unless the assumption is domestic players are just worse now then they were, then you can't really have one without the other. If they would otherwise be in the premier league, this league is stronger. The fact that the premier league would be worse without foreign imports, which follows logic, doesn't reflect badly on this division.

I think you’ve mis-read me. If the foreigners disappeared the British players in the Championship would move up to become PL stars. Which in turn would lead to tier 3 and 4 players moving up to the Championship.
If you think this division is a good level you need to get out more, it is awful. You can get good games down the park without any quality in the players. Don’t mistake good games for quality players.

[Bosscat]

the most impressive thing is the age and lack of experience in the back line.

Esteve 22
Pires 23
Humphreys 21
CJ 22
Trafford 22

The record is remarkable

Chatting about just that in the car on the way home last night ... the young age of our back 4/5 is un-believable.

[Bosscat]

Ironically maybe our lack of goals is helping our defensive play, as Plymouth apart there has been no opportunity for our boys to relax and allow the opposition to nick even a consolation goal. Maybe vs Watford was the last time that happened.

It wasn`t through lack of effort last night, 7 shots on target with 6 saves from their keeper. Its more now about lack of confidence in front of goal and snatching at shots rather than control and scoring.
I feel that once Foster hits the back of the net (and Flemming at TM) we will see an upsurge in goals from our strike force. This clean sheet record isn`t helping, its almost as though its taken over.

But I feel you are spot on about the lack of goals helping our defensive play.

[Fretters]

Have we beaten the English record yet for goals conceded at this stage? We were tied with Mourinho's first Chelsea team a couple of games ago.

[quoonbeatz]

Have we beaten the English record yet for goals conceded at this stage? We were tied with Mourinho's first Chelsea team a couple of games ago.

Yeah we’re 9 after 31 games, they were 10.

[Fretters]

Yeah we’re 9 after 31 games, they were 10.

Thanks. That's superb.

[Goliath]

I'm always banging on about this. People love saying what a crap league this is when it's the same every year now (ie, players not quite good enough for Europe's best leagues). And it's way better than it was 30 years ago, when as you say, half of the English players in it would be playing top flight football.

So there's no questioning the achievement on those grounds. All I would say is that if we end up missing out on promotion due to spending a season with the whole XI focussed every minute on defensive shape rather than trying to outscore the other team, it'll probably not be looked back on as fondly as we imagine.

It is crap. Most teams are skint and when they do spend they spend it on some bang average players.

As for the league being way better, it's impossible to say but I think the Coyle promotion team would finish comfortably better off in this division than in the one they were promoted.
Blackburn are fifth and they are pretty dire.

[IanMcL]

Yeah we’re 9 after 31 games, they were 10.

Except when they refer to these things, they will refer only to the Prem record and we won't get a mention.

[NottsClaret]

Except when they refer to these things, they will refer only to the Prem record and we won't get a mention.

And I think that's fair enough. We know better than anyone that breaking records in the Championship is like winning a tallest dwarf competition compared to the Prem.

[IanMcL]

And I think that's fair enough. We know better than anyone that breaking records in the Championship is like winning a tallest dwarf competition compared to the Prem.

[BleedingClaret]

the most impressive thing is the age and lack of experience in the back line.

Esteve 22
Pires 23
Humphreys 21
CJ 22
Trafford 22

The record is remarkable

Using a bit of artistic licence there though

It's
Trafford 22
Roberts 29
CJER 22
Esteve 22
Humphreys 21 or Pires 23

Just saying..... Sorry!

[Hipper]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... w481xln52o

[ArmchairDetective]

I think this record is even more impressive when you consider the age of the players (as others above have mentioned) but also how many goals we were conceding last season. Quite a revolution defensively.