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Author Topic: How do you think we are shaping up?  (Read 106745 times)
Peter Venkman
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« on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 17:17:41 »

Well the transfer window has shut (apart from freebies) so how do we all think we are shaping up?

We are at times playing some great passing and running football as good as any we have seen in years, mixed with some long balls too to mix it up a bit.

We are getting a lot of late goals and never seem to give up, even a couple of goals down (except for Lincoln away who bullied us).

I am optimistic for a decent season even though it is still early, the signs are there of making genuine progress on the pitch.

I was looking at the start made this season under PB compared with the Championship winning sides in this division under PdC and Macari, also added Flipflop last season by way of comparison.

PB - W3 D3 L1 GF12 GA12 - 12 points - 7th place
h 3-2 w
a 1-4 l
h 3-2 w
a 2-2 d
a 1-1 d
h 1-1 d
a 1-0 w

PdC - W3 D0 L4 GF10 GA8 - 9 points - 13th place
h 3-0 w
a 0-1 l
a 0-1 l
h 1-2 l
a 1-2 l
h 3-2 w
h 2-0 w

Macari - W2 D1 L4 F6 A13 - 7 points - 20th place
h 0-1 l
a 1-4 l
h 2-1 w
a 0-0 d
h 3-2 w
a 0-3 l
a 0-2 l

Flipflop - W3 D1 L3 F8 A10 - 10 points 14th place
a 2-1 w
h 1-1 d
a 1-0 w
h 0-3 l
h 1-4 l
a 3-0 w
a 0-1 l

A fairly solid start and long may it continue.
« Last Edit: Tuesday, April 28, 2020, 12:02:24 by Peter Venkman » Logged

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« Reply #1 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 18:09:52 »

Agree with the better football this season, and probably most enjoyable since Wembley.

Was about this stage we went on a winning streak under Macari after that poor start so anything that mirrors that is more than acceptable.

Current squad shows some really good play at times, if we can get a settled 11 without suspensions we just might be surprised.
Look forward to going at the moment and long may that continue  Pint
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The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey

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« Reply #2 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 18:19:04 »

I look at our fixtures and think we should be winning all of them! Still reckon we’ll be top come October.

Nelson and Wolfie look so much more solid - bit worried about Conroy fully recovering his pre injury form atm.

Finally get Dave fit and firing, get Woolery up front with Adebayo and we’re looking well set.

Great start. Kudos to Brown and the players.
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Bob's Orange
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« Reply #3 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 18:22:58 »

Interesting that penalties and Red cards have played a big part in our season so far!

The 2 reds at Crawley cost us 2 points but the Tranmere red probably gained us 3.

From what I have seen it’s been quite enjoyable and the effort is certainly there. Cut out the stupid challenges and I think we’ll be there or thereabouts come the season’s end. Glad PB has sorted out the defence, Nelson and Wolf seem to be ideal for league 2 and we have goals throughout the team. And we still have Woolery to come into the side, I wonder how PB will utilise him?
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RobertT

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« Reply #4 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 18:36:15 »

I seem to remember last season, about two games in taking a stab and saying we looked good for play offs.  I still think we probably should have made them, but we had a couple of really bad wobbles and Flitcroft vanished up his own tactical genius arse at times.

I am not a fan of Brown, so remain cautious this season, despite potentially better signs.  Again, I think we'll make the play offs, based on what I have seen so far.  We are not amazing, there are obvious weaknesses, but, on the flip side, very little of what we have played has offered any reason why we shouldn't still make the play offs.  Lincoln were the only team who I'd be confident of finishing above us, with Franchise being the other team who I think will get to the Play Offs simply because they look tough to beat.

The midfield and Adebayo are stand outs for me, better than this league.  Keeper seems to have sorted itself.  Will be interesting to see how Richards goes for another full season at his age, and whether Woollery can fit in.  The defence shows signs of improving, the worry si Lancashire seems to have a broken body, Conroy might struggle to stay fit and Taylor may be playing his last season as a pro.

Reg will probably say something about the evidence suggesting we'll be fighting for our league survival by December, but the basic stats suggest Play Offs as well.  If all we did all season is repeat the results of the first 7 games, then play offs would be our home.
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Reg Smeeton
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« Reply #5 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 18:38:37 »

 Still too early to make a judgement....  during the pre season, the problems at the back and up top were highlighted, and as anticipated they've been solved with some loan kids.

 It's asking an awful lot for these lads essentially here for experience to carry the burden of getting us back to Div 3.  It may be that they'll get recalled in Jan, leaving us back to square 1.
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RobertT

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« Reply #6 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 18:48:39 »

Woolfenden is the only loanee likely to be recalled by the parent club for any reason other than injury or us treating them badly.

Most of our key players are just that, our players.

Nelson, Alzate & Adebayo are not close enough to their first teams currently, the latter two highly unlikely of being recalled to play.

In the event any of them did return in January, evidence suggests we'd replace them, especially if we are in the hunt, which the data suggests we probably will be.

One of our best teams in the past 30 years was riddled with loanees.
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« Reply #7 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 19:18:47 »

I've enjoyed the games and its certainly been very entertaining.

I'm still none the wiser as to where we'll finish though. It feels a better squad than I thought, then again we have seen some weaknesses too. Gut feel? Early on I thought 12th or lower, but I think we have a shot at the playoffs. I do still think the autos are beyond us though.
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Reg Smeeton
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« Reply #8 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 19:37:47 »

Woolfenden is the only loanee likely to be recalled by the parent club for any reason other than injury or us treating them badly.

Most of our key players are just that, our players.

Nelson, Alzate & Adebayo are not close enough to their first teams currently, the latter two highly unlikely of being recalled to play.

In the event any of them did return in January, evidence suggests we'd replace them, especially if we are in the hunt, which the data suggests we probably will be.

One of our best teams in the past 30 years was riddled with loanees.

Loan recalls can happen for a number of reasons.... think Doughty and Furlong, yes they were sort of replaced but not by what we needed. I assume you mean the Cooper side?   Yes had a load of loan players.... failed to get us up.  Presumably that is what you think we are trying to do?

For me... relying on loan kids in key positions isn't a particularly reliable template for getting promoted.  OK it's possible that we may be able to cover the centre halves to some extent, depending on Lancashire and Conroy's fitness, but we haven't really got cover for Elijah....
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ferret

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« Reply #9 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 20:04:25 »

Loan recalls can happen for a number of reasons.... think Doughty and Furlong, yes they were sort of replaced but not by what we needed. I assume you mean the Cooper side?   Yes had a load of loan players.... failed to get us up.  Presumably that is what you think we are trying to do?

For me... relying on loan kids in key positions isn't a particularly reliable template for getting promoted.  OK it's possible that we may be able to cover the centre halves to some extent, depending on Lancashire and Conroy's fitness, but we haven't really got cover for Elijah....

You can be dismissive about just about any category of players. ‘loan kids’, ‘lower league journeymen’, ‘old timers’ etc etc... call each of them what you like.

If there is a ‘particularly reliable template for getting promoted’, with the possible exception of throwing wads of cash around, I’m not aware of it.

Correct, we didn’t get promoted in 2015. But we finished 4th in a higher division. Further to which, that team was an extremely young one, which may have been detrimental in the presssure of the playoffs. This one, in addition to a smattering of ‘loan kids’ contained 3 x 35+ year olds on Saturday, and therefore appears to have a more sensible balance.

Woolery should soon be fit, and will offer ‘cover for Elijah’.

If you really think that the team will fail, have the balls to say so, rather than cowering behind the ‘too early to comment’ excuse. I think that we’ve improved significantly since the early games, most notably at the back (gone from conceding 8 in the first 3 to 1 in the last 3), and I think we are set for a serious promotion push.
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« Reply #10 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 20:14:14 »

You can be dismissive about just about any category of players. ‘loan kids’, ‘lower league journeymen’, ‘old timers’ etc etc... call each of them what you like.

If there is a ‘particularly reliable template for getting promoted’, with the possible exception of throwing wads of cash around, I’m not aware of it.

Correct, we didn’t get promoted in 2015. But we finished 4th in a higher division. Further to which, that team was an extremely young one, which may have been detrimental in the presssure of the playoffs. This one, in addition to a smattering of ‘loan kids’ contained 3 x 35+ year olds on Saturday, and therefore appears to have a more sensible balance.

Woolery should soon be fit, and will offer ‘cover for Elijah’.

If you really think that the team will fail, have the balls to say so, rather than cowering behind the ‘too early to comment’ excuse. I think that we’ve improved significantly since the early games, most notably at the back (gone from conceding 8 in the first 3 to 1 in the last 3), and I think we are set for a serious promotion push.

He’s probably picking the splinters out of his arse from sitting on the fence so often as opposed to sitting in the bench but will get round to answering you when he has carefully disected all of his previous and other posts pertaining to yours to carefully craft a nondescript reply bring you back to square one.
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The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey

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« Reply #11 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 20:20:22 »

Without actually knowing, I’d imagine every club in L2 has a smattering of young loan players - the same as us.

We have great strength in depth in midfield. If Conroy gets up to speed we now seem OK for CB. Up front is the only worry if (when) Adebayo gets injured.

Keepers are ridiculously good for this level.
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ferret

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« Reply #12 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 20:35:06 »

Without actually knowing, I’d imagine every club in L2 has a smattering of young loan players - the same as us.


This is another good point.

In 11/12 we were leaking goals. Conceding 3 at home to Hereford was the final straw, so di Canio, despite probably having money on tap, loaned in a ‘young kid’ without a first team appearance to his name.

In his opening 19 home league games, Wes conceded a total of 1 goal.

Using the loan market is hardly a recipe for failure. It’s common sense.
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Reg Smeeton
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« Reply #13 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 20:38:23 »

Without actually knowing, I’d imagine every club in L2 has a smattering of young loan players - the same as us.

We have great strength in depth in midfield. If Conroy gets up to speed we now seem OK for CB. Up front is the only worry if (when) Adebayo gets injured.

Keepers are ridiculously good for this level.

It's likely but there are many risks involved....

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/sep/06/football-league-loan-deals

I would say that ideally you want the core/spine of the side to be your own players and then the loans to add a bit of froth on the top, or plug an obvious gap, probably at full back or wing.
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Reg Smeeton
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« Reply #14 on: Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 20:45:32 »

This is another good point.

In 11/12 we were leaking goals. Conceding 3 at home to Hereford was the final straw, so di Canio, despite probably having money on tap, loaned in a ‘young kid’ without a first team appearance to his name.

In his opening 19 home league games, Wes conceded a total of 1 goal.

Using the loan market is hardly a recipe for failure. It’s common sense.

But PdC then used the  money to give Wes a 2 and a half year deal and Palace an undisclosed fee, after the 3 month loan deal expired.
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