Thinking about this more, I don’t think it’s the quality of players is any worse than say two years ago.
As I say, I think the style, the tactics being applied across the board so far, the advancement in dark arts of slowing play, drawing fouls, committing fouls etc seems much more a factor. There seems little desire for expansive play, attacking play and much more abound being combative and organised.
may also be influenced that everything is being viewed on screen rather than in stadiums.
Gonna reserve comment until we've seen some of the true big guns
Doncaster and Sunderland are both dropping into that inconsistent tag whilst we're copying Lincoln by grinding out results, just with a bit more style
Saturday against Portsmouth will be the first true big test if we've got what it takes to be in that top two
I was thinking that before tonight - but minus Inniss, Watson, Doughty, Gilbey and Maddison not fit to start (players who probably would be in everyone’s starting 11) - I don’t think we can read too much into it if we lose, ahead of the rest of the season.
I can think of one person who may not agree with this bit ...
Haven't seen any games only highlights. Cant watch the sky games either lack of atmosphere. I do tune in to the odd game to which I end up getting fed up with commentators for apologising to something I never heard....I think it's a very competitive league that is very open this year....if we had a top striker think we would be well up there.
You could argue that the standard ought to be higher than previously, as more Championship standard players find themselves playing in League 1 due to Covid.
Across the board there may have been more squad-churn than usual and teams are probably still getting to know each other and settle on their patterns and style.
Also, having come down from The Championship, the difference in standard will be very noticeable. It's also quite possible that the standard of The Championship has gone up, rather than the standard of League going down.
Thinking about this more, I don’t think it’s the quality of players is any worse than say two years ago.
As I say, I think the style, the tactics being applied across the board so far, the advancement in dark arts of slowing play, drawing fouls, committing fouls etc seems much more a factor. There seems little desire for expansive play, attacking play and much more abound being combative and organised.
may also be influenced that everything is being viewed on screen rather than in stadiums.
Who knows
I could understand that in the Prem and the VAR debacle. But not this league. And if anything I would have though no crowds would give players the confidence to be a little more expansive. Some of the best football I've ever played was in a training session!
Then again, I'm sure most players thrive on a home crowd giving them the kahunas to push on. Maybe they are bored.
Every season players get fitter, faster and more organised. In the lower divisions where the quality of players is (of course) not as high as at the top, lesser quality players are not so adept at coping with increased physical pressure and the increased speed of the game. I don't think the overall quality is that poor. Admittedly just from watching sky video highlights, there has been some terrific passing, quality goals, good defending and goal keeping, along, as to be expected with a lot of dross. Personally, I am enjoying this season, made all the better by the fact that CAFC is doing well ((:>)
Quality of this league is terrible. That’s why it amazes me that so many have predicted that we won’t get in the playoffs.
We're a big fish at this level. When you go to some of the away grounds, you realise how small many of the other clubs are (and that's not knocking them)
That's why I've never been worried in all the years we've been in the 3rd tier since 2009 that we'd be relegated further. Indeed our record since then shows that, even with flawed squads and owners we've reached the top 6 at least 4 times out of 6, and at worst finished 13th.
This year if we had been under ESI/Lex under the transfer embargo would have been the toughest test, but even then I'd expect there to be 4 worse sides
I think there's a substantial quality gap between the top 7 or 8 and the rest of the league.
For that reason I think it will make it harder to get out
True but whilst other league one teams up the top might have decent teams, do they have decent squads? It's a long season, games coming thick and fast and injuries will soon hit. Plus how many sides can afford to strengthen in January?
For that reason i'm convinced we will be strong promotion contenders. Portsmouth will definitely be our toughest game so far though.
This.
I actually think this could be the season the best teams don't go up. Instead the teams that go up could well be the teams that have the biggest squads that can cope with the ridiculous number of games that are being crammed in (was amazed when I looked at how many Saturday - Tuesday - Saturday games there are) and the injuries that are just bound to occur.
That surely puts us in a strong position as I can't believe many sides have as strong as squads as we do.
Thinking about this more, I don’t think it’s the quality of players is any worse than say two years ago.
As I say, I think the style, the tactics being applied across the board so far, the advancement in dark arts of slowing play, drawing fouls, committing fouls etc seems much more a factor. There seems little desire for expansive play, attacking play and much more abound being combative and organised.
may also be influenced that everything is being viewed on screen rather than in stadiums.
Who knows
I think this is very much the case. The expectation is that, if you are playing at home in front of a crowd, the paying public should be entertained and if they aren't they will soon let the players and manager know. The expectation of away fans is more about getting a result.
So, with no fans, the be all and end all is the result and how many of us are really going to argue with that if we don't get to see any football live this season but end up being promoted?
The other thing to consider , probably more of us are watching more games than we would than if we could actually go to the game?
Once i'd been to a ground, and ticked it off my list, there has to be a special reason as to why i go back, i can't afford to go to every game home and away, and where we might watch the highlights on Quest or Sky sport, or even a goals reel on here, i am sitting through more matches (particularly away games ) that i might not have gone to.
Quality of this league is terrible. That’s why it amazes me that so many have predicted that we won’t get in the playoffs.
Are you saying then that we are 100% nailed on for a top six finish?
I’m 99% certain that we will finish top 6. Huge difference of quality between top 8 and the rest of the division. Our squad depth is very impressive at this division. Maddison is probably the most well known player in this division and he’s not even involved in the first team yet.
long season ahead of us, but I think we are on course for a good season. Can’t not be excited when Charlton & Sunderland are both in the play off shake up.
From what I’ve read and I’ve seen I think we will finish 3rd behind Posh & Hull.
the standard ain't helped by the effing awful refereeing only the cobblers game has been officiated with discernible consistency and common sense and that was by a relatively inexperienced whistler the less said about Craig Hicks's egotistical moronic shitshow last night the better 😉
Quality of this league is terrible. That’s why it amazes me that so many have predicted that we won’t get in the playoffs.
Are you saying then that we are 100% nailed on for a top six finish?
I’m 99% certain that we will finish top 6. Huge difference of quality between top 8 and the rest of the division. Our squad depth is very impressive at this division. Maddison is probably the most well known player in this division and he’s not even involved in the first team yet.
long season ahead of us, but I think we are on course for a good season. Can’t not be excited when Charlton & Sunderland are both in the play off shake up.
From what I’ve read and I’ve seen I think we will finish 3rd behind Posh & Hull.
I'd take Pompey to finish above Peterborough as they always find a way to mess up. Even with Maddison until January and Toney up front, they were only 7th last season.
Good discussion and in truth probably one that will run throughout the season as it’s too early to say for sure.
I think this league seems to have a clear top 8 of Us, Lincoln, Donny, Sunderland, Ipswich, Hull, Peterboro and Portsmouth with another 4 teams who I’d expect to give you a good challenge such as Oxford, Fleetwood, Plymouth and maybe Bristol Rovers at a push as they seem to be playing some nice stuff.
I think it’s important to bear in mind that most of the clubs in this league had 6 months off followed by a shortened pre season. It means that I don’t think we’ll be seeing their best for another 6 weeks or so. I would imagine that training at some clubs (Oxford being a prime candidate for this) has certainly been disrupted by Covid. We’ve seen 3 of that top 8 so far and Lincoln and Doncaster impressed me.
I think as a whole the quality hasn’t been up to the standard of two years ago yet but it is definitely too soon to say for sure. I also think Bowyer has become a more pragmatic manager in that time and knows better how to grind out results and win ugly.
I think Portsmouth will go some way to perhaps answering their question further as it’ll be the first time since the transfer window closed we’ve played a top 8 team (and the in form one at that)
I think there's a substantial quality gap between the top 7 or 8 and the rest of the league.
For that reason I think it will make it harder to get out
Think you’re right. Looking at the finished table from last season (even if it stopped at 34/35 games) 3 points between 2nd and 8th is ridiculously close. Be interesting to see how close the top 8 is again this season.
Edit: just realised this is probably the table after PPG, so not exactly accurate.
Last season's three promoted clubs to the Championship have amassed 15 points from 24 games this season. If it weren't for Wednesday's point deduction they would be 17th, 23rd and 24th respectively.
The wage cap has also stopped anyone from buying beyond the club's station so the likelihood of any team from the lower half of last season's table challenging for the top is limited. The exception, admittedly, is Lincoln but it remains to be seen whether they can maintain that - they won their first four games last season and then went on a run of two wins from their next 17 games.
The thing about the level is if you are solid you can expect opponents to gift you games. It is a way, and there are quite a few teams that can't go 90 minutes without making major errors. I hope we will evolve, as players bed in, into a side that just overpowers teams with its superior attributes.
What Lincoln did against us, and an admittedly weaker us, was to defend well. They also relied on a truly awful refereeing decision. A good defence is the way to go for a team like them but they should get found out by the stronger sides as the season goes on.
The standard in the Championship is pretty poor this season so L1 is not alone. We have a team of journeyman who are grinding out results and I'm not expecting a lot of flair this season.
The wage cap won't help L1 but it will even things up.
Oxford are better than second bottom, I'd say, they'll finish mid table. But I think the low standard contributes to the absence of fear that we will let slip a lead. Our back five are immense, but theres a distinct lack of forward quality in the teams I've seen us play so far.
Comments
As I say, I think the style, the tactics being applied across the board so far, the advancement in dark arts of slowing play, drawing fouls, committing fouls etc seems much more a factor. There seems little desire for expansive play, attacking play and much more abound being combative and organised.
may also be influenced that everything is being viewed on screen rather than in stadiums.
Who knows
Across the board there may have been more squad-churn than usual and teams are probably still getting to know each other and settle on their patterns and style.
Also, having come down from The Championship, the difference in standard will be very noticeable. It's also quite possible that the standard of The Championship has gone up, rather than the standard of League going down.
And if anything I would have though no crowds would give players the confidence to be a little more expansive.
Some of the best football I've ever played was in a training session!
Then again, I'm sure most players thrive on a home crowd giving them the kahunas to push on.
Maybe they are bored.
I don't think the overall quality is that poor. Admittedly just from watching sky video highlights, there has been some terrific passing, quality goals, good defending and goal keeping, along, as to be expected with a lot of dross. Personally, I am enjoying this season, made all the better by the fact that CAFC is doing well ((:>)
That's why I've never been worried in all the years we've been in the 3rd tier since 2009 that we'd be relegated further. Indeed our record since then shows that, even with flawed squads and owners we've reached the top 6 at least 4 times out of 6, and at worst finished 13th.
4th - Playoffs
13th - Midtable
1st - Automatic
13th - Midtable
6th - Playoffs
3rd - Winning Playoffs
This year if we had been under ESI/Lex under the transfer embargo would have been the toughest test, but even then I'd expect there to be 4 worse sides
I actually think this could be the season the best teams don't go up. Instead the teams that go up could well be the teams that have the biggest squads that can cope with the ridiculous number of games that are being crammed in (was amazed when I looked at how many Saturday - Tuesday - Saturday games there are) and the injuries that are just bound to occur.
That surely puts us in a strong position as I can't believe many sides have as strong as squads as we do.
So, with no fans, the be all and end all is the result and how many of us are really going to argue with that if we don't get to see any football live this season but end up being promoted?
Once i'd been to a ground, and ticked it off my list, there has to be a special reason as to why i go back, i can't afford to go to every game home and away, and where we might watch the highlights on Quest or Sky sport, or even a goals reel on here, i am sitting through more matches (particularly away games ) that i might not have gone to.
long season ahead of us, but I think we are on course for a good season. Can’t not be excited when Charlton & Sunderland are both in the play off shake up.
From what I’ve read and I’ve seen I think we will finish 3rd behind Posh & Hull.
the less said about Craig Hicks's egotistical moronic shitshow last night the better 😉
I think it’s important to bear in mind that most of the clubs in this league had 6 months off followed by a shortened pre season. It means that I don’t think we’ll be seeing their best for another 6 weeks or so. I would imagine that training at some clubs (Oxford being a prime candidate for this) has certainly been disrupted by Covid. We’ve seen 3 of that top 8 so far and Lincoln and Doncaster impressed me.
I think Portsmouth will go some way to perhaps answering their question further as it’ll be the first time since the transfer window closed we’ve played a top 8 team (and the in form one at that)
The wage cap has also stopped anyone from buying beyond the club's station so the likelihood of any team from the lower half of last season's table challenging for the top is limited. The exception, admittedly, is Lincoln but it remains to be seen whether they can maintain that - they won their first four games last season and then went on a run of two wins from their next 17 games.
What Lincoln did against us, and an admittedly weaker us, was to defend well. They also relied on a truly awful refereeing decision. A good defence is the way to go for a team like them but they should get found out by the stronger sides as the season goes on.
The wage cap won't help L1 but it will even things up.