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Post by wilmslowgas on May 4, 2021 13:34:13 GMT
The first thing to do is to assemble a group of solid core players who will provide the backbone of the team and get us out of the lowest tier. Apart from Anssi, there are no players in the current squad who fit this description.. Sad but true.
In addition, there are a couple of decent players like Nicholson and Leahy who would fit in perfectly.
The rest were pretty shocking. They underperformed on a grand scale in L1. What makes anybody think they will suddenly cut it in L2?
We are the worst team in L1. The existing players, by and large, are not good enough. We need to get rid and start again (again).
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Post by Colyton Gas on May 4, 2021 18:36:22 GMT
Currently renting a holiday cottage on the Essex/Suffolk border.TV local news all about Southend who have dropped into the National league.Seems they didn't pay a tax bill and had a transfer embargo.Fans protesting about how their club is run. Also visited Colchester's ground which I am informed the Council provided? Anyway,it's miles out of town so be aware when we visit. Ipswich biggest team around here which is in Suffolk and I remember them winning the first Div title!!!!! in 1962.
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Post by Charlton Hayes Gas on May 8, 2021 18:24:09 GMT
As depressing as that league currently looks and as deluded as I am, I will be disappointed if we don’t go straight back up with a top 3 automatic finish.
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Post by clockendgas on May 8, 2021 18:41:51 GMT
As depressing as that league currently looks and as deluded as I am, I will be disappointed if we don’t go straight back up with a top 3 automatic finish. Anyone who thinks we will just waltz back up next season is either on drugs or deluded or very naive,I'm expecting a hard tough battle to even make the play offs,fifty years watching football has taught me that,feel free to disagree but I think I'll be proven correct.
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Post by Charlton Hayes Gas on May 8, 2021 19:11:36 GMT
As depressing as that league currently looks and as deluded as I am, I will be disappointed if we don’t go straight back up with a top 3 automatic finish. Anyone who thinks we will just waltz back up next season is either on drugs or deluded or very naive,I'm expecting a hard tough battle to even make the play offs,fifty years watching football has taught me that,feel free to disagree but I think I'll be proven correct. Ive no problem falling into deluded and naive category. Next season if we put some experienced heads next to the quality I believe we have already in the side, just need that experience to cut out the silly mistakes, there’s not many teams on that list I wouldn’t expect us to beat or at the very least draw against. Once Joey puts his own stamp on the side and gets use of the training facility in all its brilliance I think we should be looking at top 3.
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Post by Hugh Jarsole on May 8, 2021 19:17:16 GMT
As depressing as that league currently looks and as deluded as I am, I will be disappointed if we don’t go straight back up with a top 3 automatic finish. Anyone who thinks we will just waltz back up next season is either on drugs or deluded or very naive,I'm expecting a hard tough battle to even make the play offs,fifty years watching football has taught me that,feel free to disagree but I think I'll be proven correct. No disagreements here
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Post by Hugh Jarsole on May 8, 2021 19:23:31 GMT
Anyone who thinks we will just waltz back up next season is either on drugs or deluded or very naive,I'm expecting a hard tough battle to even make the play offs,fifty years watching football has taught me that,feel free to disagree but I think I'll be proven correct. Ive no problem falling into deluded and naive category. Next season if we put some experienced heads next to the quality I believe we have already in the side, just need that experience to cut out the silly mistakes, there’s not many teams on that list I wouldn’t expect us to beat or at the very least draw against. Once Joey puts his own stamp on the side and gets use of the training facility in all its brilliance I think we should be looking at top 3. If we show the same silly mistakes in league 2 we'll be crucified, its an unforgiving league, smaller teams but a tougher game with lesser scoring games, Couple that with those looking to be giant killers, its going to be a very bumpy ride, I want us to be in the top 6 but expect us to be mid table. Dont forget it wasn't that long ago we dropped out of league 2... We're not bullet proof
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Post by Big Jock on May 8, 2021 19:47:08 GMT
Ive no problem falling into deluded and naive category. Next season if we put some experienced heads next to the quality I believe we have already in the side, just need that experience to cut out the silly mistakes, there’s not many teams on that list I wouldn’t expect us to beat or at the very least draw against. Once Joey puts his own stamp on the side and gets use of the training facility in all its brilliance I think we should be looking at top 3. If we show the same silly mistakes in league 2 we'll be crucified, its an unforgiving league, smaller teams but a tougher game with lesser scoring games, Couple that with those looking to be giant killers, its going to be a very bumpy ride, I want us to be in the top 6 but expect us to be mid table. Dont forget it wasn't that long ago we dropped out of league 2... We're not bullet proof Agreed on all that pal, except th ‘giant killers’ bit, we gotta stop thinkin were giants in League Two...IMO we are not.
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Post by Gassy on May 8, 2021 19:59:03 GMT
Have to say, without knowing too much about L2 these days - it looks to be of lower standard than it was last time we were there.
The bottom 4 coming down are really poor and the ones coming up I'm not worried about.
From whos left, including the play off teams, I can't see a walk away from the list tbh.
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Post by Gas Go Marching In on May 8, 2021 20:01:42 GMT
Glad Bolton went up today. A big team out of our way, who would have been sure to be up there next season.
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Post by Gas Go Marching In on May 8, 2021 20:06:39 GMT
As depressing as that league currently looks and as deluded as I am, I will be disappointed if we don’t go straight back up with a top 3 automatic finish. Anyone who thinks we will just waltz back up next season is either on drugs or deluded or very naive,I'm expecting a hard tough battle to even make the play offs,fifty years watching football has taught me that,feel free to disagree but I think I'll be proven correct. I agree with you, we never do things the easy way anyway. That sort of comment is the sort that would come from someone that has only followed us since the conference season. Naive. Whilst the league could be a lot harder. There are clubs who haven't been afraid to throw money at it, Salford, Forest Green, Mansfield. Stockport are paying Madden £3k a week so they will be a threat IF they come up. Newport (might go up via play offs) , Exeter are up there every season so know the score. Port Vale seem to have invested a lot recently, especially with their coaching set up (and not just talking about DC). Having said all that, I think top 7 has to be the minimum target and measure of a success or failure for me. Anything less will be disappointing.
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Post by Charlton Hayes Gas on May 8, 2021 20:08:14 GMT
If we show the same silly mistakes in league 2 we'll be crucified, its an unforgiving league, smaller teams but a tougher game with lesser scoring games, Couple that with those looking to be giant killers, its going to be a very bumpy ride, I want us to be in the top 6 but expect us to be mid table. Dont forget it wasn't that long ago we dropped out of league 2... We're not bullet proof Agreed on all that pal, except th ‘giant killers’ bit, we gotta stop thinkin were giants in League Two...IMO we are not. I wouldn’t go as far to say we we’d be considered a giant killing, but I think we are one of the bigger teams in the division next season that teams won’t expect a result against and will expect a difficult game. IMO we’re the biggest of the teams coming down, the teams coming up don’t concern me too much either and the teams mid table I can’t see moving much either other than possibly Bradford, Salford and possibly vale. I look at those teams we’ll be up against and I don’t think it’s anywhere near as strong as when we were here last time. I think we should go into next season with a sense of expecting and aim of automatic promotion.
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Post by Gassy on May 8, 2021 20:12:17 GMT
Agreed on all that pal, except th ‘giant killers’ bit, we gotta stop thinkin were giants in League Two...IMO we are not. I wouldn’t go as far to say we we’d be considered a giant killing, but I think we are one of the bigger teams in the division next season that teams won’t expect a result against and will expect a difficult game. IMO we’re the biggest of the teams coming down, the teams coming up don’t concern me too much either and the teams mid table I can’t see moving much either other than possibly Bradford, Salford and possibly vale. I look at those teams we’ll be up against and I don’t think it’s anywhere near as strong as when we were here last time. I think we should go into next season with a sense of expecting and aim of automatic promotion. Yeah from the teams in L2 next season I'd say on size you're looking at 1. Bradford, 2. Rovers/Swindon (think we're about the same size)
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Post by Gas Go Marching In on May 8, 2021 20:19:24 GMT
I wouldn’t go as far to say we we’d be considered a giant killing, but I think we are one of the bigger teams in the division next season that teams won’t expect a result against and will expect a difficult game. IMO we’re the biggest of the teams coming down, the teams coming up don’t concern me too much either and the teams mid table I can’t see moving much either other than possibly Bradford, Salford and possibly vale. I look at those teams we’ll be up against and I don’t think it’s anywhere near as strong as when we were here last time. I think we should go into next season with a sense of expecting and aim of automatic promotion. Yeah from the teams in L2 next season I'd say on size you're looking at 1. Bradford, 2. Rovers/Swindon (think we're about the same size) I think us and Swindon are similar size but our owner has more ambition so would say we edge Swindon on that. Judging a club's success on their club size is dangerous though and is only setting us up for failure.
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Post by Gassy on May 8, 2021 20:27:22 GMT
Yeah from the teams in L2 next season I'd say on size you're looking at 1. Bradford, 2. Rovers/Swindon (think we're about the same size) I think us and Swindon are similar size but our owner has more ambition so would say we edge Swindon on that. Judging a club's success on their club size is dangerous though and is only setting us up for failure. Yeah tough one on Swindon. Crowds wise I remember them getting more in the promotion in L2 than we did and they've also been in the Prem. But I feel our crowds are more consistent and we have more potential. But as you say, club size means nothing at the end of the day. We've learnt that lesson many a time.
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Post by Charlton Hayes Gas on May 8, 2021 20:39:12 GMT
Yeah from the teams in L2 next season I'd say on size you're looking at 1. Bradford, 2. Rovers/Swindon (think we're about the same size) I think us and Swindon are similar size but our owner has more ambition so would say we edge Swindon on that. Judging a club's success on their club size is dangerous though and is only setting us up for failure. Agree on the club size doesn’t guarantee success, but I would argue if we can add a little experience to our young side, we’d have a very good team with enough quality to be confident of promotion. If we can find an experienced head next to Kilgour, another experienced CM to hold the shape and allow for Westbrooke to be more creative and a forward who can hold the ball up well up top who can bring Hanlon and daly into the attack, basically improving the spine of the team, then I don’t see why we shouldn’t aim for promotion. Imo Nicholson, hanlon and westbrooke can do some serious damage in league 2 next season. you then add the stature of the club, other than Bradford, us and Swindon (if they’re doing well), how many other clubs will travel in numbers like the rovers and have a decent average attendance which will encourage and get behind the team. With Barton, the training ground, the support and backing of Wael, the players and the quality of opposition we’re up against, I think top 3 isn’t as so naive, but a level of optimism which I think we shouldn’t play down just because it could come to bite us.
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Post by Goose on May 8, 2021 21:19:48 GMT
For me, four those who JB think has enough to stay, it's a clean slate. It has to be otherwise we'll start next season on a negative straight away and continue on the downward spiral.
I think with Barton having a full pre season and also wanting to do business early, it gives us the best chance and the players that stay well surely want to right the wrong (not saying it will happen)
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Post by A Source (aka Angry Badger) on May 8, 2021 22:34:13 GMT
I went to watch a couple of Forest Green games during that very short period where fans were allowed in this season. They knocked the ball round a lot better than I expected. One game was against Cambridge who were just physical and direct. We would have struggled against both styles this year. We really need a squad who can mix it up a bit next year
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Post by axegas on May 8, 2021 23:49:12 GMT
Bradford City are a fair bit larger club than us and they’ve struggled in League Two over the last two seasons. They finished as close to the relegation zone as they did to the playoffs this year.
Salford will probably have a bigger budget than us, I’d imagine clubs like Swindon, Mansfield, Northampton, Tranmere (if they don’t go up) will have similar budgets to us. Clubs like Forest Green, Exeter and Newport always punch above their weight.
Will be tough IMO, I would see reaching the playoffs as a successful season.
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Post by lastminutewinner on May 8, 2021 23:57:40 GMT
Exeter seem to think they will be going for it next season and spend a bit of the Ollie Watkins cash. I think L2 will be weaker than this season though for sure.
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