Mathematically we’re in with a shout but I still don’t see any real ability to break teams down and it’s that creative midfielder we lack. I can’t see although I hope that’ll be remedied this week but its hard in January. Still think we’re fragile as the Rotherham game highlights and is there anyone that would be completely shocked if we lost to Bristol Rovers on Tuesday. We have a core group of players now to build something around and I think that’s our immediate future. Building something for next season as I think we’ll finish around 10th this term.
If you'd asked me a few weeks ago how far off the playoffs we'd be at this point I'd have said 10+ points. It's astonishing that we're suddenly as close as we are. That said we're still lacking up front and I don't trust our keeper(s) but if those areas are addressed before the window closes we've as good a chance as anyone.
If we bring in a very good attacking mid and upgrade at left center back, there is outside chance. I just don’t have faith that those players are available not to mention that jones only seems to like combative holding mid types and doesn’t seem to like creative flair type players
Still don't think we will. If we do it will be more through luck than judgement. I still have questions about Jone's tactical nous. When we're struggling to break teams down he rarely makes the changes to open them up. And I'm not just talking personnel. His in-game management really isn't the best.
Still don't think we will. If we do it will be more through luck than judgement. I still have questions about Jone's tactical nous. When we're struggling to break teams down he rarely makes the changes to open them up. And I'm not just talking personnel. His in-game management really isn't the best.
We were struggling to break Shrewsbury down yesterday, he made changes, we got the winner. It wasn’t pretty but who cares, we got the job done.
Still don't think we will. If we do it will be more through luck than judgement. I still have questions about Jone's tactical nous. When we're struggling to break teams down he rarely makes the changes to open them up. And I'm not just talking personnel. His in-game management really isn't the best.
No one in the league has gained more points from the 75th minute onward than us. Surely that says personnel changes, in-game management, fitness etc is all working well, and those things are in Jones control.
Still don't think we will. If we do it will be more through luck than judgement. I still have questions about Jone's tactical nous. When we're struggling to break teams down he rarely makes the changes to open them up. And I'm not just talking personnel. His in-game management really isn't the best.
We were struggling to break Shrewsbury down yesterday, he made changes, we got the winner. It wasn’t pretty but who cares, we got the job done.
A game we easily could have lost even after the changes and almost did. We played exactly how they wanted us to play and even after the changes that wasn't addressed imo.
A team every season always goes on a phenomenal run, why not us? It'll be tough but I'm hopeful we can sneak in. Depends who comes in this week, if anyone!
I think that's our season right there. Playing 3 of the teams we are fighting 5th & 6th spot with as well as an away game to the League champions (elect). We will know a lot more by early March.
A team every season always goes on a phenomenal run, why not us? It'll be tough but I'm hopeful we can sneak in. Depends who comes in this week, if anyone!
The thing is we don't even really need to go on a phenomenal run like that because we are already well in touch. We just need consistency - 35 points out of 60. Win more than we draw, draw more than we lose. Simple innit!
I think that's our season right there. Playing 3 of the teams we are fighting 5th & 6th spot with as well as an away game to the League champions (elect). We will know a lot more by early March.
I agree Golfie that’s why we need to maximise the next few games because the ones after are really tough I think we will do well to get 5 points from those fixtures
We got a 96th minute winner against the team who are bottom of table at end of play. Just can’t see us being consistent enough to leapfrog five teams and stay there
12 wins 11 wins, 2 draws 10 wins, 5 draws 9 wins, 8 draws 8 wins, 11 draws
Let’s say 10 wins is most realistic. Split the remaining fixtures into thirds.
Seven easiest: Bristol R (H), Stevenage (H), Peterborough (H), Exeter (H), Wigan (H), Northampton (H), Burton (H) - we would probably need 5 wins out of this 7.
Middle seven: Blackpool (A), Barnsley (H), Crawley (A), Peterborough (A), Huddersfield (H), Lincoln (H), Cambridge (A) - we probably need 3/4 wins out of this 7.
Six hardest: Birmingham (A), Orient (A), Stockport (A), Mansfield (A), Wycombe (A), Wrexham (A) - if we pick up the required wins from the above groups, we need 1/2 wins out of this 6.
I love that we have become tough to beat and that we have a resilience, a great team ethic, a steeliness about us and are building a little momentum. Thank God the turgid dogshite, the hoof it in the general direction of Ahadme, that we had to witness up as far as, I think, the first half against Mansfield now seem a thing of the past. Maybe a lot to do with having all our injured back. I still think we lack the guile and nous and attacking fluidity on a consistent enough basis to get us in or certainly through the play offs. But I am more optimistic than I was and at the very least now I will certainly enjoy watching us try
Still don't think we will. If we do it will be more through luck than judgement. I still have questions about Jone's tactical nous. When we're struggling to break teams down he rarely makes the changes to open them up. And I'm not just talking personnel. His in-game management really isn't the best.
Birmingham had our best striker for years and a fella they payed £15 million up front and we stopped them having a shot on target. Yes there's been some poor performances in that time but we've clearly turned a corner. We've also scored the most goals from the 80th minutes onwards than any team in the division. Think it's very harsh to criticise his in-game management
Still don't think we will. If we do it will be more through luck than judgement. I still have questions about Jone's tactical nous. When we're struggling to break teams down he rarely makes the changes to open them up. And I'm not just talking personnel. His in-game management really isn't the best.
Birmingham had our best striker for years and a fella they payed £15 million up front and we stopped them having a shot on target. Yes there's been some poor performances in that time but we've clearly turned a corner. We've also scored the most goals from the 80th minutes onwards than any team in the division. Think it's very harsh to criticise his in-game management
That Birmingham game should end all debate about Jones tactical nous. We had a game on the Tuesday night so he had probably 1 proper training day on the Thursday and probably a lighter Friday session. In that time he got us playing a completely different system and nullified the best team in the league
I would say his in-game flexibility and management is one of his strengths. Outside of the injury crisis poor run (where he didn’t have good options on the bench to use), he’s used his subs pretty well and shown he can switch formation to good effect. The Bolton game was the best example of this, changing formation and making a triple sub where each player made an impact and turned the game around
For those who were 100% sure we wouldn’t reach them a few weeks ago would you consider us reaching the playoffs but not winning them a success?
There’s no way that another season in League One could be considered a “success”. It would be better than last season, but that’s an incredibly low bar.
Still don't think we will. If we do it will be more through luck than judgement. I still have questions about Jone's tactical nous. When we're struggling to break teams down he rarely makes the changes to open them up. And I'm not just talking personnel. His in-game management really isn't the best.
Birmingham had our best striker for years and a fella they payed £15 million up front and we stopped them having a shot on target. Yes there's been some poor performances in that time but we've clearly turned a corner. We've also scored the most goals from the 80th minutes onwards than any team in the division. Think it's very harsh to criticise his in-game management
That Birmingham game should end all debate about Jones tactical nous. We had a game on the Tuesday night so he had probably 1 proper training day on the Thursday and probably a lighter Friday session. In that time he got us playing a completely different system and nullified the best team in the league
I would say his in-game flexibility and management is one of his strengths. Outside of the injury crisis poor run (where he didn’t have good options on the bench to use), he’s used his subs pretty well and shown he can switch formation to good effect. The Bolton game was the best example of this, changing formation and making a triple sub where each player made an impact and turned the game around
I know Small is an attacking minded player anyway but the move to go back 4 with Small and TC on either wing may have won us the game on Saturday
We got a 96th minute winner against the team who are bottom of table at end of play. Just can’t see us being consistent enough to leapfrog five teams and stay there
Ainsworth makes his teams very hard to beat. Not saying beating Shrewsbury 1-0 makes a huge statement but worth it's mentioning they have beat Birmingham and Wrexham under him
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Which inevitably means we'll lose our next 4 and be out of it by March
I still have questions about Jone's tactical nous. When we're struggling to break teams down he rarely makes the changes to open them up. And I'm not just talking personnel. His in-game management really isn't the best.
11 wins, 2 draws
10 wins, 5 draws
9 wins, 8 draws
8 wins, 11 draws
Let’s say 10 wins is most realistic. Split the remaining fixtures into thirds.
Seven easiest: Bristol R (H), Stevenage (H), Peterborough (H), Exeter (H), Wigan (H), Northampton (H), Burton (H)
- we would probably need 5 wins out of this 7.
Middle seven: Blackpool (A), Barnsley (H), Crawley (A), Peterborough (A), Huddersfield (H), Lincoln (H), Cambridge (A)
- we probably need 3/4 wins out of this 7.
Six hardest: Birmingham (A), Orient (A), Stockport (A), Mansfield (A), Wycombe (A), Wrexham (A)
- if we pick up the required wins from the above groups, we need 1/2 wins out of this 6.
Thank God the turgid dogshite, the hoof it in the general direction of Ahadme, that we had to witness up as far as, I think, the first half against Mansfield now seem a thing of the past.
Maybe a lot to do with having all our injured back.
I still think we lack the guile and nous and attacking fluidity on a consistent enough basis to get us in or certainly through the play offs.
But I am more optimistic than I was and at the very least now I will certainly enjoy watching us try
I would say his in-game flexibility and management is one of his strengths. Outside of the injury crisis poor run (where he didn’t have good options on the bench to use), he’s used his subs pretty well and shown he can switch formation to good effect. The Bolton game was the best example of this, changing formation and making a triple sub where each player made an impact and turned the game around