Realistic ambitions

[Luci]

I like a bit of a debate, especially with Pox fans, they gloat at our inability to beat them but this bloke/woman has not come on here purely to gloat about yesterday (which is to be expected) they have actually started off in a fairly open debate.

I certainly don't mind other fans of other clubs coming on here now and again for a bit of healthy (not idiotic) banter/pre match build up.

Sadly, far too many mongs have been let in recently - not sure who's responsible for that but it upsets the whole dynamic.  Posters like Oxford Fan are good value but some of the new posters have sadly only managed to illustrate the fact that it definitely is still the school holidays.

[Muffin Man]

I certainly don't mind other fans of other clubs coming on here now and again for a bit of healthy (not idiotic) banter/pre match build up.

Sadly, far too many mongs have been let in recently - not sure who's responsible for that but it upsets the whole dynamic.  Posters like Oxford Fan are good value but some of the new posters have sadly only managed to illustrate the fact that it definitely is still the school holidays.

That is spot on Luci, healthy debate even wth Pox fans is fine, as you say OF seems a good lad, Eric and others start off ok then degenerate into a slanging match.

I think the thing is that how many posts can you give them before they annoy everyone? 1 wind=up post or 2 or 3? or do they have to abuse everyone before they get banned or keep spamming shit.

[LucienSanchez]

Losing regularly is a rubbish habit. If we break it and turn the corner, playoffs could still be realistic. I honestly think we could finish anywhere between 1st and 15th!

[Arriba]

I'll probaby get labled as negative etc but i think we could have problems. People are rightly behind Di canio, but i am not convinced our team will be up the top fighting for promotion unless significant improvement is made.

We have lost 3 in a row and the team is still being experimented with as it's nowhere near complete. They will have to get it right and quickly.

[reeves4england]

I'll probaby get labled as negative etc but i think we could have problems. People are rightly behind Di canio, but i am not convinced our team will be up the top fighting for promotion unless significant improvement is made.

We have lost 3 in a row and the team is still being experimented with as it's nowhere near complete. They will have to get it right and quickly.

Agree to some extent, although to me it looks like the experimental stage is coming to a close. After City and Shrewsbury I think we'll see the side begin to settle and hopefully that will bear fruit. I'm still confident we can make the play-offs, and if things really do click then we could push for something better.

[Phil_S]

If we can learn to defend against set pieces & our stikers get match fit we will still do ok.

One thing with diCanio, we will fight as a team

[aroundthefur]

I think yesterday showed some very promising signs, especially with our attacking play. Caddis, Ritchie and Gabilondo had plenty of trickery on the wings with the ability to open up the full backs. Clarke tired second half but is strong and mobile, can see him being a very handy target man this year. However, Phil Smith's commanding of his area still worries me and Devera was shaky first half (though I thought he settled down after the break).

There are plenty of examples of teams starting slowly before going on excellent runs to gain promotion in recent years. Honestly believe we will be in the top 7 come Easter, and after that it's anyones.

[LittleRed]

Enouraged by the way we played in the last game and also by, hopefully the latest signing Lukas Magera, but I think the best thing to happen to us will be the closing of the transfer window. Then there will be now more players to experiment with and the players that we have will become match fit as they will be playing more often rather than being dropped for a new sigining. I think a top three place is still on the cards. Individually i think we have a good team, just they need to gell more and become fully match fit.

Losing goals during set plays could be attributed to match fitness as people are switching off and just grabbing a breather rather than staying mentally sharp. I think this will improve pretty much on its own and nothing PDC will do.

[Dozno9]

As of yesterday our team is nowhere near settled, the regulars are:

Smith
Caddis
Flint
Ritchie

Apart from those 4 it has been a different team every game, how people can expect players to perform as a team when every game they are with a new set of players is beyond me. Yesterday was new team yet again and it will be changed again for City. The only chance we have of reaching a setted team will be Shrewsbury where the same players may have played in the same team for one game.

I think from the Rotherham game we should see some stability with maybe one or two changes per game. We need to go back to the Wilson play-off season where you could name the team and substitutes game after game.

I'm not too bothered how we go up but I fear a top finish is beyond us, too be honest I dont care if we win in the playoffs with an own goal off someones arse, as long as we get out of this graveyard division where the has beens and never will be's reside.

[STFC Bart]

Anything less than top 3 would be abject failure

[Weasel]

Anything less than top 3 would be abject failure

Yeah, winning the playoff final would be a fucking nightmare. 

[Dazzza]

It depends on how quickly we sort out the spine of the side, who is our first 11 and sort out a consistent style of football.  We appear to be missing a bit of dour faced pragmatic Scotch management and on a pure personal note I believe  Paolo would benefit with having  British number two alongside him with a bit of experience up his wizard’s sleeve.

Anyway, back to the topic on hand.  I think we’ll fanny around until November with chopping and changing the first team, mixed results and then crack into gear around mid-December.   When we do hit gear I think we’ll be smashing a few back doors in but where we finish will depend on the performance of the front runners.  I think we’ll finish second with a decent cup run.

Just to add,  I don’t think Crawley have that much to offer whatsoever.  A few decent journeymen, a couple of players who should be playing at a higher level but nothing several other squads in the league can match.

[woolster]

Yeah, winning the playoff final would be a fucking nightmare. 

yeah, never lost at wembley , oh wait

[Reg Smeeton]

Anything less than top 3 would be abject failure

In 06-07, especially after the flying start, think most people expected us to go up....but this season is different, we're starting from a difficult position with a novice manager. Only the loons and  would expect a top 3 place

[leefer]

Top three will happen in my opinion,not worried one bit at present,the team wont be long in gelling then we will be on our way.