The season (as a whole) hasn't gone completely as we'd probably like it too (those purgatory months of tedious, percentage football were incredibly dull) but overall we're much better off this season than we were at the same stage last year.
We also have a squad that while far from perfect we are going into the last few days looking for players who could improve us but crucially we aren't in the position of having one single left back and a utility guy who is adequate in three different positions and good at none.
Promotion/play offs are very much possible albeit will require both hard work and a bit of luck to get there.
It's not perfect but it can be, and has been, a whole lot worse.
I think it's a case of it all coming together, whether by luck or design. With Leaburn out, and Ahadme not performing as expected, the lack of a decent attacking midfielder was really exposed. The return of Leaburn and solidity of Jones has bought confidence and belief to the whole team, such that Berry has started to look decent in that role due to the form and options that surround him, with TC, Small and Leaburn/Godden, all in good form. We can now throw into the mix the return of Ramsay at a great time. Full credit to Jones for battling through the bad times, maybe he earned himself some good fortune due to his determination and hard work.
I'll openly admit, in November, I was convinced that we'd made the wrong appointment (again) and he was destined to failure. I wasn't calling for his head, but I was hoping Luton would hurry up & sack their manager and ask him to return. I'm now eating my hat, my shoes and even my underwear at the turnaround over the last couple of months. Sure, there's been the odd bump in the road since then (Rotherham), but I don't think even the NJ die-hards would have seen this upturn coming. I saw us as a bit like a L1 Man Utd: should be a top 6 team, but languishing in mid table, playing well against the big boys, but then struggling against the smaller fish, due to their counter attack style. It's hard to counter a team that's happy to sit back and let you come at them. We were pretty much the same. Jones was constantly going on about being "front-footed" and high pressing, but we simply wasn't seeing that at the time. Thankfully, we are now and it's reflecting on the results. Long may it continue.
Comments
We also have a squad that while far from perfect we are going into the last few days looking for players who could improve us but crucially we aren't in the position of having one single left back and a utility guy who is adequate in three different positions and good at none.
Promotion/play offs are very much possible albeit will require both hard work and a bit of luck to get there.
It's not perfect but it can be, and has been, a whole lot worse.
With Leaburn out, and Ahadme not performing as expected, the lack of a decent attacking midfielder was really exposed.
The return of Leaburn and solidity of Jones has bought confidence and belief to the whole team, such that Berry has started to look decent in that role due to the form and options that surround him, with TC, Small and Leaburn/Godden, all in good form.
We can now throw into the mix the return of Ramsay at a great time.
Full credit to Jones for battling through the bad times, maybe he earned himself some good fortune due to his determination and hard work.