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Post by rambo on Sept 26, 2015 18:11:36 GMT
Just looking at the table as it starts to take some form of meaningful shape and noticed how many familiar names are around the top.
In our 9 matches, we've played 6 of the current top 8. The 3 we've played outside the top 8... 9 points from 9.
Our next 4 will see us play 2nd, 7th, 9th and 11th which will mean after 13 matches played we will have played 10 of the current top 11 teams.
I'm not blind, there are areas to improve obviously. But my word we've been given a right tough start to this season! The back end of October through to the new year should in theory should be a lot more forgiving than what we are facing at the moment and we should get behind the boys no matter what happens in the next few weeks, the season has barely even started yet!
Up the gas.
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Post by Mark Ash on Sept 26, 2015 18:15:46 GMT
Quite right that we have a tough start. I hope the results don't damage confidence too much before we face some of the others.
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Post by scoobydoogas on Sept 26, 2015 18:24:36 GMT
This is exactly what I was trying to explain to my lad as we left the ground today. Tough start by playing nearly all of the top 10 straight off, but things should hopefully improve once we start playing some of the not so good teams. However, I do fear that if the poor run continues too far into October, the confidence of the players may be so low that they won't be mentally fit to lift themselves to beat those lesser teams either. Hopefully, someone at the club has the right skills to be able to lift the players.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2015 18:32:42 GMT
We have had a ridiculous hard start. I still say of all the games we have lost so far we have not been outclassed in any of them. There is a fine line between winning and losing and we just have got to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and keep plugging away. The results will come. UTG.
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Post by baggins on Sept 26, 2015 18:38:46 GMT
6 points off 5th?
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Post by WeAreTheGas on Sept 26, 2015 19:19:28 GMT
Agreed.
Very tough start and as someone has said above, we aren't being battered or outclassed (apart from today, maybe). We're losing by very fine margins and by the odd goal here and there.
We have to create more and score more, but we're not a million miles away from being a reasonable side at this level IMO.
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Post by aghast on Sept 26, 2015 21:32:08 GMT
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Post by Topper Gas on Sept 26, 2015 21:59:44 GMT
Agreed. Very tough start and as someone has said above, we aren't being battered or outclassed (apart from today, maybe). We're losing by very fine margins and by the odd goal here and there. We have to create more and score more, but we're not a million miles away from being a reasonable side at this level IMO. Problem is clear to though if we don't bring in some quality we're simply not going to create chances/score goals. It's fairly depressing watching Rovers in a run down Mem with no money to spend on players, yet are home gate are probably second only to today's opponents. Where does all the money go? |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2015 22:17:51 GMT
for 20 minutes today easter looked like a top striker at this level but we need more from all the strikers which for me has been the main problem,,,so far very dissapointed with harrison and taylor who i like and want to succeed
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Post by rambo on Sept 27, 2015 11:29:26 GMT
Just to add some more meat to the bones of my post yesterday as I have a bit of time on my hands today. Off the back of 3 good victories, we were then faced with the following:
Leyton Orient - Had won 4 out of 4 when we played them. 11 goals scored in 4 games.
Oxford - Were unbeaten in their 5 when we played them. Hadn't lost in 13 league games stretching back to last season.
Accrington - Were unbeaten in 4, had only conceded 4 in 6 games and off the back of a solid 0-0 point away at Pompey.
Plymouth - Were 2nd, 5 wins from 7, 13 goals scored.
Pompey - Unbeaten in 8 this season (10 including last) and looking good for the title.
To play:
Hartlepool - Started well with 3 wins but then lost 4 on the bounce and have recovered slightly with a draw and a win. Definitely a winnable game for us this one though.
Morecambe - Again, patchy results but have had similar fixtures to us (Accrington, Pompey, Yeovil, Oxford, Northampton + Wycombe and Hartlepool) so to be 7th shows they're a decent side.
Wycombe - 2nd place, 1 defeat in 9. Unbeaten away.
Mansfield - Unbeaten at home this season (albeit 4 draws out of 5 matches).
It is worth, for the sake of balance in this post, pointing out that after Mansfield, in the 10 games to christmas (inc. boxing day) we face no team currently higher than 10th in Cambridge, and we face 5 of the current bottom 6.
The point in all of this being, it's just bad luck that we have happened to have been given the top half of league 2 almost in our first 13 games. We will probably be in a false position come the end of these 13 games, and I really hope that fans keep the faith and don't get on the backs of the players if we do struggle in the next 4. Confidence needs to remain throughout the team and the points will come in time for christmas. I hope we can then push on in January and beyond.
UP THE GAS!!
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Post by Centenary Gas on Sept 27, 2015 12:05:27 GMT
Just to add some more meat to the bones of my post yesterday as I have a bit of time on my hands today. Off the back of 3 good victories, we were then faced with the following: Leyton Orient - Had won 4 out of 4 when we played them. 11 goals scored in 4 games. Oxford - Were unbeaten in their 5 when we played them. Hadn't lost in 13 league games stretching back to last season. Accrington - Were unbeaten in 4, had only conceded 4 in 6 games and off the back of a solid 0-0 point away at Pompey. Plymouth - Were 2nd, 5 wins from 7, 13 goals scored. Pompey - Unbeaten in 8 this season (10 including last) and looking good for the title. To play: Hartlepool - Started well with 3 wins but then lost 4 on the bounce and have recovered slightly with a draw and a win. Definitely a winnable game for us this one though. Morecambe - Again, patchy results but have had similar fixtures to us (Accrington, Pompey, Yeovil, Oxford, Northampton + Wycombe and Hartlepool) so to be 7th shows they're a decent side. Wycombe - 2nd place, 1 defeat in 9. Unbeaten away. Mansfield - Unbeaten at home this season (albeit 4 draws out of 5 matches). It is worth, for the sake of balance in this post, pointing out that after Mansfield, in the 10 games to christmas (inc. boxing day) we face no team currently higher than 10th in Cambridge, and we face 5 of the current bottom 6. The point in all of this being, it's just bad luck that we have happened to have been given the top half of league 2 almost in our first 13 games. We will probably be in a false position come the end of these 13 games, and I really hope that fans keep the faith and don't get on the backs of the players if we do struggle in the next 4. Confidence needs to remain throughout the team and the points will come in time for christmas. I hope we can then push on in January and beyond. UP THE GAS!! Add in examples such as Newport away as well. Whipping boys at the moment, but you know they will be a much tougher challenge when we play them away near the end of the season, when all the bottom teams fighting relegation seem to hit promotion form. |
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Post by Centenary Gas on Sept 27, 2015 12:06:26 GMT
It is worth, for the sake of balance in this post, pointing out that after Mansfield, in the 10 games to christmas (inc. boxing day) we face no team currently higher than 10th in Cambridge, and we face 5 of the current bottom 6. It's going to go a similar way to last year. Everyone writes the team off, questions the manager etc. And then after dropping down the league we will put a run of results together and people will start shouting for the bus. Here is another consideration... Given half of the squad haven't played league football before this season, and the squad is still finding its feet... given our financial situation, would it even be a good thing to go up again this year? |
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Post by rambo on Sept 27, 2015 12:29:55 GMT
It is worth, for the sake of balance in this post, pointing out that after Mansfield, in the 10 games to christmas (inc. boxing day) we face no team currently higher than 10th in Cambridge, and we face 5 of the current bottom 6. It's going to go a similar way to last year. Everyone writes the team off, questions the manager etc. And then after dropping down the league we will put a run of results together and people will start shouting for the bus. Here is another consideration... Given half of the squad haven't played league football before this season, and the squad is still finding its feet... given our financial situation, would it even be a good thing to go up again this year? Based on what we've seen so far, having got just the 1 point from the 6 matches played against tough opponents (and beating the 3 'weaker' teams so far) I would suggest that promotion is probably not totally realistic, and that we'll end up midtable if we carry on beating those in the bottom half. Having said that, we haven't been shown up against these teams and with improvement, I don't see any reason why we couldn't get a top 7 finish - long way to go to get there though. But to answer your question, i'm a believer of if you're good enough to do it, then it would be silly not to. I don't think the difference in quality from league 2 to 1 is that vast (at the bottom end of L1 anyway) and there's no reason why with a few additions in the right areas, we wouldn't be able to stay up. But this is getting too far ahead of ourselves I feel... promotion is a long way off at this moment in time! |
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Post by Hugo the Elder on Sept 27, 2015 13:17:16 GMT
It is worth, for the sake of balance in this post, pointing out that after Mansfield, in the 10 games to christmas (inc. boxing day) we face no team currently higher than 10th in Cambridge, and we face 5 of the current bottom 6. It's going to go a similar way to last year. Everyone writes the team off, questions the manager etc. And then after dropping down the league we will put a run of results together and people will start shouting for the bus. Here is another consideration... Given half of the squad haven't played league football before this season, and the squad is still finding its feet... given our financial situation, would it even be a good thing to go up again this year? I understand your sentiment but surely it's better to struggle in the league above than drift in the one below. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2015 14:06:00 GMT
I really don't understand this promotion talk? Even stranger when it's on a thread debating a tough start which excuses our poor form!
Top half would be a realistic aim for us with how it is shaping up.
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Post by midlandgas213 on Sept 28, 2015 9:18:41 GMT
Look at the start of last season whilst we were adjusting there were many of us this season including me that thought the momentum from the second half of last season would give us a good Start and easy promotion
But realism kicks in we are now again adjusting to lifestyle in the 2nd division and if the second half of the season is as good as last season who knows what might happen
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Post by Gas Go Marching In on Sept 28, 2015 9:28:34 GMT
We have had a tough start but DC wants us to be a top 7 team. Well, we are not going to be a top 7 team if we are losing to practically all those teams in those top 7 positions. If people are happy with mid table (where we look like ending up) then so be it. With a bit more quality though we can do better than that!
We have lost 5 against Pompey (1st), Leyton Orient (3rd), Accrington (5th), Oxford (6th), Northampton (8th).
Drew with Plymouth (4th).
Beat Luton (16th), Barnet (18th), Yeovil (21st).
This clearly tells me that we are not as good as the top teams but better than the lower teams hence believing a mid table finish is on the cards. For years we have been a side who seem to do better against the top teams but that doesn't seem to be the case this season. It also tells me we are consistent, it's not like we're thrashing a top team one week and losing to a top team the next.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2015 9:50:23 GMT
We've done well to pick up 10 points really. When you consider that in the 850 minutes or so of league football we've played, we've only been in the lead for about 100 mins!
Not gonna cast any judgement just yet tho.
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Post by rambo on Feb 29, 2016 22:36:56 GMT
BUMP!
Now I am not one for starting many threads, or indeed rekindling old ones especially not my own, but I feel on this occasion it is necessary and justified.
I posted this thread after a 2-1 defeat to Portsmouth back in September highlighting what a tough opening fixtures we had. We were just off the back of playing... Pompey, Oxford, Accrington and Plymouth and picked up 1 point in those 4 against Plymouth. It was fairly doom and gloom but the easier fixtures eventually came and come the halfway point we were sitting pretty!
Now, in our last 7 games (since beating Luton 2-0 and all things being rosy), we have played... Pompey, Oxford, Accrington, Wycombe and Plymouth! Similar return really only we picked up the win v Oxford as well. The other two fixtures, we beat Morecambe and ok we lost to Barnet.
But the point of me bringing this up again, is please look at how scarily similar the two halves of the season are so far. We really haven't performed against top 6/7 sides but we do pick up points against the weaker and mid table sides. There is so much talk about our performances in decline etc but the reality is, we've actually been quite consistent!
Let's have a bit of faith, our run in is decent and if the first half of the season is anything to go by, we are in a fantastic position to kick on and go on a similar run over the next 10 games or so and have a real crack at the play offs.
By the way, the next game after posting originally was... Hartlepool and we did them 3-0. Let's hope it's an omen!
UTG!
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Post by rambo on Feb 29, 2016 22:39:55 GMT
And also, of our 12 defeats this season, only 4 have been to sides who currently sit outside of the top 7. Not bad going really!
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