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Mid-table? We'll be lucky...

Mid-table this season appears to be the consensus. Personally, I think we will be lucky not to be involved in a relegation battle. Not only do we have a small and unbalanced squad once again but the owner doesn't care and is very unlikely to do much about it, even come January if we are in trouble. Lee Bowyer is our best chance of mid-table and he is still a temporary manager who will review his position soon. If Duchatelet doesn't commit money to keep Bowyer in post (a contract) and he walks, we will be in hot water. With all the back-room uncertainty and unrest, it won't take much for confidence to drop and our squad short-comings to turn draws into defeats and wins to draws. Relegation to the basement division for the first--time in our history would really be Duchatelet's lasting legacy, even after the suffering of four years.
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Comments

  • On the basis of what I've seen so far a lack of goals could be our main problem - it's very worrying to be creating so little given that we are in L1.

    Defensively we seem okay but our midfield offers little.
  • We have a good run of fixtures after the Southend game which coinciding with players joining on loan and comig back from injury will see us rise up the league.
  • I hope we've got enough points by January to be safe from relegation, because if Duche is still here, players will be sold.
  • I don’t personally think we’ll be in a relegation battle but we do need some of the long term injuries to return and stay fit for that to be the case, the squad isn’t going to cope with any injury crisis.
  • I don't see who is going to score our goals. We have injury prone players, so are unlikely to have a full squad for any length of time. We are already nearer bottom 4 than top 6, and there is every possibility of remaining there.
  • I was convinced before yesterday we will be top 6 again. I’m doubting it post-match, but my sensible head is telling me again to not be so judgemental on one match.

    Creativity and goals is a real concern, but we are missing Fosu, Clarke and Reeves, three that virtually any in our league would take.

    There’s a possibility of bottom half only if the escalation of the club destabilising that we have seen this week continues over time. And it then extended to players not caring and going through the motions. But I can’t see that, and worrying about relegation is a complete non starter imo.

    That's torn it.

    Down we go!
  • edited August 2018
    We are THE worst run club In the UK. Possibly Europe.
    Relegation is a very real possibility.
  • Im going to give it a few games before I judge it but I have to say that yesterday was a real let down after the energy and fight of Tuesday. Certainly the team looks disjointed and we don’t have the quality to get the best out of the system we are trying to play. There is no natural width in the team and none of our options at wing back have the pace and/or skill to play that role to any great effect. We have no creativity in the middle although the return of Fosu and Clarke (if he comes back the player he left which must be doubtful) lends some hope and I have a sneaking suspicion that Bielik might be worth a shot further forward.

    We are mid table at best right now. The two teams I have seen In The flesh so far were better than us. Peterborough on another day would have hammered us and Fleetwood looked better organised yesterday. But the players are getting stuck in. My main worry is that the uncertainty and decay goes on for months and the playing staff gradually or suddenly get fed up too and give up the ghost. That they haven’t done yet is to their credit as professionals but I simply fail to believe that they won’t see or feel what we are all feeling. Another two or three games of yesterday’s quality and there will be no crowd there to watch.

    Having been through the last ten years and always feeling that this is the pain before the pleasure, for the first time yesterday I came away feeling almost nothing. It was a surreal game. If I didn’t give a toss any more I wouldn’t be wasting my time writing this but I have to say I am struggling.
  • We've already had one unnecessary relegation under RD.

    If he's still here in January expect another fire sale which would finish us off from League One. We flirted with relegation two seasons ago and that was with a bigger squad lined with players that should get in most teams too.

    Not to mention pretty much the entire squad is out of contract in the summer. It just doesn't bear thinking about where we could be in 12 month's time.
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  • edited August 2018

    We are THE worst run club In the UK. Possibly Europe.
    Relegation is a very real possibility.

    Probably the World. Even pub teams have more structure.
  • We've already had one unnecessary relegation under RD.

    If he's still here in January expect another fire sale which would finish us off from League One. We flirted with relegation two seasons ago and that was with a bigger squad lined with players that should get in most teams too.

    Not to mention pretty much the entire squad is out of contract in the summer. It just doesn't bear thinking about where we could be in 12 month's time.

    Whoever takes us over has one hell of a job to steady the ship.

    There is no reason why we would not have to take one step back to move two steps forward, who is to say we may not get relegated once taken over?
  • We've already had one unnecessary relegation under RD.

    If he's still here in January expect another fire sale which would finish us off from League One. We flirted with relegation two seasons ago and that was with a bigger squad lined with players that should get in most teams too.

    Not to mention pretty much the entire squad is out of contract in the summer. It just doesn't bear thinking about where we could be in 12 month's time.

    Whoever takes us over has one hell of a job to steady the ship.

    There is no reason why we would not have to take one step back to move two steps forward, who is to say we may not get relegated once taken over?
    Yes this is possible but that's if a takeover happens after the January window any new owner's hands will be tied.

    It makes it all the more important to get behind Bowyer, Jackson and the team to keep us in this division so we can have a summer rebuild under new ownership hopefully.
  • Mid table seems likely - the players are trying granted but we are simply not good enough,, I think it is important we stay in the division as Leyton orient “ got there club back” and now look at them
  • Early days but 5 games 5 points is relegation form.

    I believe that there are 4 worst teams even given the dire situation in which we find ourselves.

    Mid table is probably as good as it gets.

    Reeves is not going to add much. I'd rather play Morgan or Lapslie. You get 90 minutes from both of them. Fosu is a tremendous asset and Billy Clarke perhaps dependent on how good their recoveries are.

    Even so better than mid table is a stretch. We simply cannot create enough goal scoring opportunities.

  • edited August 2018
    LenGlover said:

    Early days but 5 games 5 points is relegation form.

    I believe that there are 4 worst teams even given the dire situation in which we find ourselves.

    Mid table is probably as good as it gets.

    Reeves is not going to add much. I'd rather play Morgan or Lapslie. You get 90 minutes from both of them. Fosu is a tremendous asset and Billy Clarke perhaps dependent on how good their recoveries are.

    Even so better than mid table is a stretch. We simply cannot create enough goal scoring opportunities.

    LenGlover - there probably are four worse elevens but maybe not four weaker squads. There isn't a single club run as badly us us or a single owner who cares less than Roland Duchatelet.
  • Have faith,we have Clarke,Fosu,Reeves and Pearce all to come in,this will be like signing 4 new players
  • I don’t think we’ll be involved in a relegation battle but the last few years have shown that I know absolutely nothing about football.
  • We've already had one unnecessary relegation under RD.

    If he's still here in January expect another fire sale which would finish us off from League One. We flirted with relegation two seasons ago and that was with a bigger squad lined with players that should get in most teams too.

    Not to mention pretty much the entire squad is out of contract in the summer. It just doesn't bear thinking about where we could be in 12 month's time.

    Whoever takes us over has one hell of a job to steady the ship.

    There is no reason why we would not have to take one step back to move two steps forward, who is to say we may not get relegated once taken over?
    Yes this is possible but that's if a takeover happens after the January window any new owner's hands will be tied.

    It makes it all the more important to get behind Bowyer, Jackson and the team to keep us in this division so we can have a summer rebuild under new ownership hopefully.
    Didn't people say that last year?
  • Think you have to take into account morale here.

    It must already be on a big slide. The players interact with staff on a daily basis and negativity will have an effect.
    Say Duchatelet starts hitting the first team and those around them with his extreme austerity measures.
    He might stop paying for coaches to away games and get the players to make their own way there. He might tell Bowyer he can’t use things like sports nutritionists or opta indexes because they cost too much.

    Don’t underestimate how much more capacity for damage this spiteful weasle could inflict.

    The longer he stays the more the odds shorten for catastrophe.


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  • Bowyer said he was hoping to bring in two more players, so the quality of those could dictate a lot of waht happens. On paper, having Fosu, Reeves, Clarke and Vetokele available could make a huge difference. Add to that a better standard of central midfielder so Lapslie and Morgan don't get over-exposed and we might look alright. I don't think the 3-5-2 accommodates any of Clarke Fosu or Reeves that well so we'll have to see how we play once the squad is complete and actually fit. After that point hopefully we'll be able to get a run together, keep people fit and consolidate while we wait for Roland to finally give up. It's certainly a squad capable of mid-table if it all comes together; it's next season we need to worry about if Roland is still here as we'll start to lose more and more players with no hope of replacing them permanently.
  • This season is going to be a struggle. Through the misery I see four worse teams who will help us stay up.
  • The core of the team (Bauer, Pearce, Pratley, Aribo, Taylor... plus Fosu, Clarke to return) is too good to be relegated from this division.

    There will be at least seven or eight worse teams than us, let alone four worse.
  • Judging a half strength bare-bones squad after 5 matches is not really any indicator of where the team will finish in 8 months time - especially as the injured return soon and another signing or 2 promised this week.


    Even full strength sides often take time to gel or get into their stride.
    Normally it takes 10 or 15 games before it's worthwhile making an assessment of how the season will go - and managers will often say, "...... let's see where we are after the Christmas games".

    Many teams start the season well, before falling away (Peterboro last season won their first 5 games).
    Other teams in recent years, Barnsley, Millwall, etc started really poorly before a strong consistant run propelled them into the playoffs late on. Plymouth Argyle last season, were bottom of the table last December - yet missed the playoff positions by just 1 single point, thanks to a series of injuries disrupting a small squad and losing a 6-pointer at The Valley.

    All to play for and right now, no one has any idea how the League will finish this season.



  • Oggy Red said:

    Judging a half strength bare-bones squad after 5 matches is not really any indicator of where the team will finish in 8 months time - especially as the injured return soon and another signing or 2 promised this week.


    Even full strength sides often take time to gel or get into their stride.
    Normally it takes 10 or 15 games before it's worthwhile making an assessment of how the season will go - and managers will often say, "...... let's see where we are after the Christmas games".

    Many teams start the season well, before falling away (Peterboro last season won their first 5 games).
    Other teams in recent years, Barnsley, Millwall, etc started really poorly before a strong consistant run propelled them into the playoffs late on. Plymouth Argyle last season, were bottom of the table last December - yet missed the playoff positions by just 1 single point, thanks to a series of injuries disrupting a small squad and losing a 6-pointer at The Valley.

    All to play for and right now, no one has any idea how the League will finish this season.



    What you say is reasonable and sensible in normal circumstances.

    We are not, and will not be for the foreseeable future, operating under normal circumstances.

    Hence the concern.
  • Oggy Red said:

    Judging a half strength bare-bones squad after 5 matches is not really any indicator of where the team will finish in 8 months time - especially as the injured return soon and another signing or 2 promised this week.


    Even full strength sides often take time to gel or get into their stride.
    Normally it takes 10 or 15 games before it's worthwhile making an assessment of how the season will go - and managers will often say, "...... let's see where we are after the Christmas games".

    Many teams start the season well, before falling away (Peterboro last season won their first 5 games).
    Other teams in recent years, Barnsley, Millwall, etc started really poorly before a strong consistant run propelled them into the playoffs late on. Plymouth Argyle last season, were bottom of the table last December - yet missed the playoff positions by just 1 single point, thanks to a series of injuries disrupting a small squad and losing a 6-pointer at The Valley.

    All to play for and right now, no one has any idea how the League will finish this season.



    Is the right answer :smile:
  • We will get in play-offs .
  • If Roland stays for the season I'd take 5th bottom right now. Bauer will get sold in January, our squad has several injury-prone players so we are unlikely to enjoy a full squad of fit players for any length of time and morale will be a serious problem. If Roland stays.
  • We are THE worst run club In the UK. Possibly Europe.
    Relegation is a very real possibility.

    We are THE worst run club In the UK. Possibly Europe.
    Relegation is a very real possibility.

    Blackpool? Coventry??

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Roland Out Forever!