rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Mar 17, 2013 10:35:02 GMT
Actually, it is a very poor second half of the season we are having as we were very much challenging for the play offs prior to Christmas before the recent plummet. Initially, we tailed off due to a combination of injuries and suspensions and even then it was a succession of late goals that saw us draw/lose games that last season saw us generally winning. Even as late as our last win over Exeter, there was still the hint of a play off place but in a tough league, the loss of Ling has seen us lose that edge and confidence and with our resources we need a lot to go right to do well.
Possibly, recent events have shown what a good job Ling has been doing in getting the most out of the players and it is likely the decline in his health may have meant he wasn't at the top of his game prior to his absence and may be another reason we weren't getting those results. I also think that once the slide set in, we were set up wrong to fight a relegation battle and like someone previously mentioned that Knill's task was akin to turning an oil tanker, it has taken time and new players in to take effect and the green shoots of recovery seem to be taking root to the extent that we are coming back from adverse situations that we would have struggled from even early in the season.
I could be wrong but I think we are past our nadir and I'm confident that we will be playing league 2 football next season. Fifty point should do it, especially with our goal difference so need 3-1-4 or 2-4-2 in our run in which with five home games is very manageable. Hopefully, everyone will do everything possible to get up to the games and support the lads!
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Post by loyalgull on Mar 17, 2013 11:04:52 GMT
if knill pulls the escape off he will definitely go down in tufc folk lore as mr houdini,we need a complete 90 minutes from the players in the remaining games,nothing less will do.We desperately need to win our two home games versus chesterfield and york,two on the bounce a rarity for us.By all accounts chesterfield played very well at oxford yesterday so we need no warning what to expect.
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Post by gullone on Mar 17, 2013 12:59:00 GMT
Actually, it is a very poor second half of the season we are having as we were very much challenging for the play offs prior to Christmas before the recent plummet. Initially, we tailed off due to a combination of injuries and suspensions and even then it was a succession of late goals that saw us draw/lose games that last season saw us generally winning. Even as late as our last win over Exeter, there was still the hint of a play off place but in a tough league, the loss of Ling has seen us lose that edge and confidence and with our resources we need a lot to go right to do well. Possibly, recent events have shown what a good job Ling has been doing in getting the most out of the players and it is likely the decline in his health may have meant he wasn't at the top of his game prior to his absence and may be another reason we weren't getting those results. You echo my thoughts entirely Rob! Just shows theres 1001 different ways of looking at how we find ourselves in the current situation. This time last season all we had to worry about was how Shrewsbury and Crawley were doing... |
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Post by loyalgull on Mar 17, 2013 13:08:55 GMT
the performances have been rancid since before the humiliating harrogate defeat,the writing was on the wall then imho,octoberish?
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Mar 17, 2013 13:09:10 GMT
Actually, it is a very poor second half of the season we are having as we were very much challenging for the play offs prior to Christmas before the recent plummet. Ah December, when we turned wins into draws and draws into defeats. |
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JamesB
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Post by JamesB on Mar 17, 2013 14:08:11 GMT
Barnet have lost their 2 loanees from Stevenage, though. They could struggle without them
I don't agree that we had a good first half of the season. I go along with the view that our performances have been continuously poor since last April with the odd good one here and there. It's partly Ling's fault for his increasingly defensive tactics which probably mentally fried the players, but partly the lack of personnel and fatigue. We are down to 52 points from the last 46 league matches
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Post by Ditmar van Nostrilboy on Mar 17, 2013 14:31:45 GMT
We are down to 52 points from the last 46 league matches That just about sums it up for me James (mind you, I would take 52 points from 46 matches at the end of this season!!!) |
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Mar 17, 2013 16:00:03 GMT
Barnet have lost their 2 loanees from Stevenage, though. They could struggle without them I don't agree that we had a good first half of the season. I go along with the view that our performances have been continuously poor since last April with the odd good one here and there. It's partly Ling's fault for his increasingly defensive tactics which probably mentally fried the players, but partly the lack of personnel and fatigue. We are down to 52 points from the last 46 league matches I was trying to hightlight the difference in both halves of the season in response to Dave referring to this as a very poor season and the 1 win in 19 that has been alluded to elsewhere. If you take the first 20 games, our record of 8 wins, 7 draws and five losses is perfectly respectable and over a season would give a return of 71 points and probably a play off place which is good in my book and very good considering the loss of Olejnik and O'Kane. Also, of those five defeats, one was with 10 men against Bristol Rovers where we almost got something and one was against Barnet where we dominated but somehow got nothing but hey ho, that's football. I do agree with you that we have struggled in the 4-3-3 formation without Eunan and a strong defence coupled with less threat in attack has made for less entertainment but there have been some very good games at Plainmoor with Cheltenham, Rochdale, Aldershot and Gillingham lingering in the memory. |
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JamesB
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Post by JamesB on Mar 17, 2013 16:09:09 GMT
Yeah, we were up to 8th after beating Dagenham, but at the same time, I was never really convinced that we were genuine contenders. I don't want to sound smug here but I always had the feeling that we weren't good enough to last the distance every time I watched us play - we just didn't look that great, and at some point that was going to break, because you can't keep scraping narrow wins forever. It was always that we were difficult to beat at home, rather than beating teams there - our away form was poor. I don't think I envisaged it going quite so spectacularly wrong, though
Ironically it has completely reversed now - we've got 2 points at home since 1st December, but are unbeaten in our last 3 away matches. Problem is we have only 3 more away matches and they are trips to Northampton, Gillingham and in-form Morecambe
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Post by loyalgull on Mar 17, 2013 16:25:30 GMT
it will come down to bottle now,and turning the abysmal home form around,if we do there is a glimmer of hope,if we dont the consequences are there for all to see
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Mar 17, 2013 16:43:14 GMT
Yeah, we were up to 8th after beating Dagenham, but at the same time, I was never really convinced that we were genuine contenders. I don't want to sound smug here but I always had the feeling that we weren't good enough to last the distance every time I watched us play - we just didn't look that great, and at some point that was going to break, because you can't keep scraping narrow wins forever. It was always that we were difficult to beat at home, rather than beating teams there - our away form was poor. I don't think I envisaged it going quite so spectacularly wrong, though Ironically it has completely reversed now - we've got 2 points at home since 1st December, but are unbeaten in our last 3 away matches. Problem is we have only 3 more away matches and they are trips to Northampton, Gillingham and in-form Morecambe Funny enough, I picked up on the vibes that you didn't think we were genuine contenders!  No one could have predicted Mr Ling's illness which is probably the difference between mid tableish and where we are now. Most wins in this league are narrow and to be frank there is not such a great gap with the top end. Our home form should perk up now and we will be fine! |
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Post by loyalgull on Mar 17, 2013 16:53:51 GMT
i dont actually think this is a very good division this year,when i think of the teams who have come to plainmoor,won by the odd goal and are near the top,well they werent any great shakes,just that we have been disatrous,and apt at shooting ourselves in the foot,but it has to stop now
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Mar 17, 2013 20:13:11 GMT
Hopefully this will be the league table come 5.00pm next Saturday: York.docx (205.42 KB) |
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