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Are we strong enough to mount a play off challenge from such a lowly position?

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« Reply #20 on: October 26, 2018, 14:50:05 pm »

I don’t think so .
We have to build for next season in my view .
We were outclassed by MK last weekend and have some way to go yet .
There needs to be some churn before we are true threat


If the team played as well as they did last Tuesday of course they can go for the play offs at the very least!. We have done it in the past with Wilson!  As for waiting until next season thats like a piece of string!
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« Reply #21 on: October 26, 2018, 16:51:07 pm »

On Tuesday night, Carlisle drew 2-2 away at table topping Lincoln. The previous Saturday they lost 1-2 at table scraping Macclesfield. This only goes to show this league is a lot more even than you may think.

I agree that on the day, unfortunately, we were outclassed by MK. However, I believe that on our day, we could beat anyone in this league, and it is up to Curle to convince the players of this fact. So why not target the play-offs.


Judging by your first sentence, the second sentence could apply to all the clubs in the division.
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« Reply #22 on: October 26, 2018, 17:20:55 pm »

Are we strong enough to mount a play off challenge from such a lowly position?

The short answer: Yes!

I fully expect a top 7 finish this season. We are currently 9 points off. With 31 matches to go this is not much ground to make up at all.

A longer answer?  Wink

We may have been outplayed by MK but they are one of the strongest teams in the division who will be around the top 3 come season end and we were/are in a small transitional period. I wouldn't put too much stock in the outcome in any one game let alone that particular one when it comes to considering our chances of making the top 7 come May.

Since the Mansfield hammering we have conceded a mere 3 goals in 5 games, one of which was directly from a free-kick and another was a due to a dubious off-side decision and a goalkeeping error. If we continue this form we will clearly have the best defence in L2. IMO from here on in I don't expect this recent excellent defensive form to become much worse and the games where we will concede more than 1 goal will be few. Our foundations are looking solid.

IMO we have one of the divisions best CB's (Pierre), arguably the best creative/attacking midfielder (Crooks), one of the divisions best (if not the best) overall CM units (Crooks, Foley, JJOT, McWilliams) and one of the divisions top few strikers (VV). The quality we have is clear.

On the other hand I've seen little of quality from the other teams so far (I didn't see the MK game though). Lincoln looked strong and efficient, it's no surprise they sit in top spot and I think they will be Champions. However we outplayed them for large parts of the game when they came to Sixfields and should have gotten something from the match (remember DA standing arms-crossed on the touchline with VV sitting on the bench as the last 20 minutes ticked away - see how beyond poor his management was at times?), Bury looked to have 2-3 good attacking players (but ultimately we nullified their threat) and I thought Maddox looked quality for Cheltenham. 1 or 2 others have looked decent but overall the division is poor and with the squad we have we have nothing to fear.

As to whether the ground can be made up, apart from the fact we sit a mere 9 points from 7th, it's worth asking whether Newport, FGR and Tranmere will last the distance also. I would suggest that at least 1 will fall by the wayside as the season progresses, meaning the gap may be closed more easily and quickly than many might think.

Can we make top 7? Yes!

Will we make top 7? YES!!

 Grin



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« Reply #23 on: October 26, 2018, 20:04:58 pm »

Heart says yes, head says no.
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« Reply #24 on: October 26, 2018, 20:07:32 pm »

Are we strong enough to mount a play off challenge from such a lowly position?


IMO we have one of the divisions best CB's (Pierre), arguably the best creative/attacking midfielder (Crooks), one of the divisions best (if not the best) overall CM units (Crooks, Foley, JJOT, McWilliams) and one of the divisions top few strikers (VV). The quality we have is clear.

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« Reply #25 on: October 26, 2018, 21:07:17 pm »

Since the Mansfield hammering we have conceded a mere 3 goals in 5 games, one of which was directly from a free-kick and another was a due to a dubious off-side decision and a goalkeeping error. If we continue this form we will clearly have the best defence in L2. IMO from here on in I don't expect this recent excellent defensive form to become much worse and the games where we will concede more than 1 goal will be few. Our foundations are looking solid.

IMO we have one of the divisions best CB's (Pierre), arguably the best creative/attacking midfielder (Crooks), one of the divisions best (if not the best) overall CM units (Crooks, Foley, JJOT, McWilliams) and one of the divisions top few strikers (VV). The quality we have is clear.
I admire your optomism, but, a couple of points.
"we will clearly have the best defence in league two". No mate we wont. Buchs is past it, and we dont have a solid right back. Mcwilliams is an option, but this removes him from his best position in CM.
"the best overall CM units" negates the fact, that JJ is very off form at the moment, and we have no true wide players. Bridge and Crooks out wide are not the answer. Nor is Powell.
"one of the divisions top few strikers". Interesting one this. He COULD BE, if he can bothered consistently. I do believe that he would benefit from a decent wide man, to give him some service. But we havent got one.
"the quality we have is clear". Mate, the table does not lie. We are, where we are, for a reason. And for what its worth, I think that given a bit of time, and a transfer window, Curly will get us heading back up the table. BUT, dont get over excited about one victory, over Division Twos pub team. I have followed this team for too long, to fall into that trap.









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« Reply #26 on: October 26, 2018, 22:01:19 pm »



I think Eddie Eddie is taking the Mic'
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« Reply #27 on: October 26, 2018, 22:14:28 pm »

Well it was a great result on Tuesday, but I think its a bit too early in KC's reign to know if we have turned a corner and are going to start progressing or we're in a new manager bounce period.

Think back to the feeling of relief when we won at home to Forest Green Rovers a couple of weeks ago, and how good it felt to win at Macclesfield on Tuesday. It's not been happening very often has it!

Coming from where we are now in the table requires a lot of wins over the rest of the season, and it's fair to say that wins have become quite rare events since the League 2 championship season.

In that season we won 29 games, and in the 2 and a bit season since then (107 games) we have won (you guessed it) a further 29 games, so our form has got to change completely if we're going to become serious promotion contenders.

Hopefully it can happen, and that's the great thing about football - Hope!!

A win and a good performance v Oldham tomorrow would be a good start, and the same again v Crewe at home next Saturday.  

  
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« Reply #28 on: October 26, 2018, 22:14:53 pm »

Judging by your first sentence, the second sentence could apply to all the clubs in the division.
Yes!  Grin
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« Reply #29 on: October 26, 2018, 22:22:55 pm »

Are we strong enough to mount a play off challenge from such a lowly position?

The short answer: Yes!

I fully expect a top 7 finish this season. We are currently 9 points off. With 31 matches to go this is not much ground to make up at all.

A longer answer?  Wink

We may have been outplayed by MK but they are one of the strongest teams in the division who will be around the top 3 come season end and we were/are in a small transitional period. I wouldn't put too much stock in the outcome in any one game let alone that particular one when it comes to considering our chances of making the top 7 come May.

Since the Mansfield hammering we have conceded a mere 3 goals in 5 games, one of which was directly from a free-kick and another was a due to a dubious off-side decision and a goalkeeping error. If we continue this form we will clearly have the best defence in L2. IMO from here on in I don't expect this recent excellent defensive form to become much worse and the games where we will concede more than 1 goal will be few. Our foundations are looking solid.

IMO we have one of the divisions best CB's (Pierre), arguably the best creative/attacking midfielder (Crooks), one of the divisions best (if not the best) overall CM units (Crooks, Foley, JJOT, McWilliams) and one of the divisions top few strikers (VV). The quality we have is clear.

On the other hand I've seen little of quality from the other teams so far (I didn't see the MK game though). Lincoln looked strong and efficient, it's no surprise they sit in top spot and I think they will be Champions. However we outplayed them for large parts of the game when they came to Sixfields and should have gotten something from the match (remember DA standing arms-crossed on the touchline with VV sitting on the bench as the last 20 minutes ticked away - see how beyond poor his management was at times?), Bury looked to have 2-3 good attacking players (but ultimately we nullified their threat) and I thought Maddox looked quality for Cheltenham. 1 or 2 others have looked decent but overall the division is poor and with the squad we have we have nothing to fear.

As to whether the ground can be made up, apart from the fact we sit a mere 9 points from 7th, it's worth asking whether Newport, FGR and Tranmere will last the distance also. I would suggest that at least 1 will fall by the wayside as the season progresses, meaning the gap may be closed more easily and quickly than many might think.

Can we make top 7? Yes!

Will we make top 7? YES!!

 Grin




All that, summed up, we have the best defence in League Two. Delusional!

Newport, Tranmere and FGR might fall away. Yes, and naturally, we are handily placed to over-take them

Thought Oxford Utd were rather bi-polar...but a win at Macc clearly takes the biscuit!
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« Reply #30 on: October 27, 2018, 08:30:31 am »

I admire your optomism, but, a couple of points.
"we will clearly have the best defence in league two". No mate we wont. Buchs is past it, and we dont have a solid right back. Mcwilliams is an option, but this removes him from his best position in CM.
"the best overall CM units" negates the fact, that JJ is very off form at the moment, and we have no true wide players. Bridge and Crooks out wide are not the answer. Nor is Powell.
"one of the divisions top few strikers". Interesting one this. He COULD BE, if he can bothered consistently. I do believe that he would benefit from a decent wide man, to give him some service. But we havent got one.
"the quality we have is clear". Mate, the table does not lie. We are, where we are, for a reason. And for what its worth, I think that given a bit of time, and a transfer window, Curly will get us heading back up the table. BUT, dont get over excited about one victory, over Division Twos pub team. I have followed this team for too long, to fall into that trap.



You're taking my quote about having the best defence in L2 out of context. We have conceded 3 in 5, continue this form then we will have the best defence, that was my point. I'm probably Buchs' biggest critic and said he needed dropping even before the start of last season and still think he needs replacing. Facey is an excellent RB at this level, ergo we have a solid RB. I only said McWilliams can fill in there. Oh, and can you tell me how many games McWilliams has played at CM so far this season? Not many. He's been a big miss.

JJOT's current form should be taken as just that, current form. Note he played with injury at the start of the season (another poor piece of DA management which harmed the teams chances), missed a number of games while recovering from this injury and then had to build up match fitness. IMO we're probably only now starting to see a fully match fit JJOT. Not having wide-men doesn't negate the quality of our CM's. I never said all 4 should play together BTW.

Regarding the 'wide men', these are not a tactical pre-requisite. I never said Crooks should play there. Why do we need a 'wide-man' to create chances for VV? Are balls from out-wide the only way to create chances? Archaic thinking. I also don't agree that VV can't be bothered 'sometimes'. I know it's a commonly held view on here but god knows where this myth comes from.

'The table doesn't lie'. You might not have noticed but we are barely a third of the way through the season and there are still 31 games to go. Luckily the league isn't decided in October. At least wait until May before spouting this tired cliche! I would also add that the main reason for our current league position is DA's horrendous management stint. The guy was absolutely clueless.

I'm not getting excited over 1 win. As you bring it up though, it's actually 3 wins in 6 in all competitions since KC took over.
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« Reply #31 on: October 27, 2018, 08:36:49 am »

All that, summed up, we have the best defence in League Two. Delusional!

Newport, Tranmere and FGR might fall away. Yes, and naturally, we are handily placed to over-take them

Thought Oxford Utd were rather bi-polar...but a win at Macc clearly takes the biscuit!

The bit in bold - that's not what I said though, was it?

My point about Newport, Tranmere and FGR was simply that the gap at 9 points is not particularly large and that these teams could also hit a rough-patch of form meaning 9 points could be closed easier than you might think. Never said we were more 'handily placed' to over-take them than other teams above us, but the point stands regarding the gap between the current play-off placed sides and our own position.
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« Reply #32 on: October 27, 2018, 10:29:28 am »

Rob Page - 5 points
Justin Ed - 9 points
Jimmy - 7 points
Deano - 7 points

Kieth - 8 points

From their first five games.

Ask this question in another 5 games!!
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« Reply #33 on: October 31, 2018, 13:14:32 pm »

Rob Page - 5 points
Justin Ed - 9 points
Jimmy - 7 points
Deano - 7 points

Kieth - 8 points

From their first five games.

Ask this question in another 5 games!!
Interesting to see JED had an even better start than Curle. Things must have soon started to go downhill under him!

I'm more confident than before though that this is more than a new manager bounce. Curle has squeezed some mental strength out of them, we look far more streetwise and he seems to have simplified things, as well as using the squad intelligently.

An impressive start, but like you say it's far too early to talk about play-offs. Let's see where we are at the end of 2018.
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« Reply #34 on: October 31, 2018, 13:55:12 pm »

The bit in bold - that's not what I said though, was it?

My point about Newport, Tranmere and FGR was simply that the gap at 9 points is not particularly large and that these teams could also hit a rough-patch of form meaning 9 points could be closed easier than you might think. Never said we were more 'handily placed' to over-take them than other teams above us, but the point stands regarding the gap between the current play-off placed sides and our own position.
I think if possibly getting favourable results over the next few weeks at Exeter and Newport away, then fully with you!
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