Post by petef on May 24, 2021 14:18:38 GMT
Interesting views on how we prepare, who will be available and who we will have to beat to win that second promotion place.
I feel we need to make sure our players are fully fit with any suffering from an arduous and compacted campaign rested but kept fresh with any limited pitch time that remains.
I see no advantage now in taking risks with the likes of Moxey, Hall or any one else with a knock or who have been feeling the pace. The fight's over for the time being and for whatever reason one or two were looking completely out on their feet at full time on Saturday despite what appeared to be a below par performance that lacked our usual fitness and energy levels.
Barnet who had a tough midweek game just three days earlier looked fresher and fitter which was somewhat of a shock to all of us including our own players on the day. We need to get that freshness and intensity back in our play or we will suffer as a result. There is no need to take any risks now with any players fitness or knocks.
Who will we have available? That's the next big question.
The absence of Ben Whitfield on Saturday was a big concern. If any one of our squad is a genuine outlet and match winner he's the boy. All the talk of Wright being back for the last game next week has gone quiet - another concern as we still lack his know how and hold up play.
Scott Boden, who has grown into the role and looks fitter with the passing of each game has done an admirable job after a slow start but lacks the physical presence of Danny Wright hence the reason why Cameron has been thrown up top of late.
We now go into the final stages with a meaningless fixture at Altrincham and after that, one or hopefully two "one off" Cup Finals in a few weeks time. I see no reason to consider recent historical league results to predict what will happen in completely different circumstances than the league campaign even the home advantage in a one of semi final may work in our opponents favour if they get some momentum and confidence from there winning qualifying performance. Our away form is better than our home form also. Its a lottery and if we don't turn up as a team and perform on the day we will fail.
It's a complete lottery now and will depend on which side can find their best form. As we finished runners up the expectation levels will be increased for us but I see the mini knock out competition as completely open with all teams capable of winning the thing and as we wall witnessed on Saturday good teams have bad days and bad teams have good days and we couldn't have complained if the whipping boys of the league campaign had beaten us on the day.
We've all been here a number of times before and know exactly how nerve wracking, elating and desperately disappointing the play offs can be so best not to make predictions perhaps.
I don't like to mention it but I feel its now or never. You only have to look at clubs who have failed in the play off clubs from previous campaigns to see how they suffer a hangover the following season. Yeovil Town are a prime example of a club suffering a massive hangover. So difficult to maintain momentum after the disappointment with squads breaking up and players moving on.
So much riding on our performances in the next month, possibly the most important fixtures in our recent history. What team will turn up when it really matters, the Hartlepool away,Stockport away, Yeovil Town at home one or the more recent Barnet/Bromley at home one?
I feel we need to make sure our players are fully fit with any suffering from an arduous and compacted campaign rested but kept fresh with any limited pitch time that remains.
I see no advantage now in taking risks with the likes of Moxey, Hall or any one else with a knock or who have been feeling the pace. The fight's over for the time being and for whatever reason one or two were looking completely out on their feet at full time on Saturday despite what appeared to be a below par performance that lacked our usual fitness and energy levels.
Barnet who had a tough midweek game just three days earlier looked fresher and fitter which was somewhat of a shock to all of us including our own players on the day. We need to get that freshness and intensity back in our play or we will suffer as a result. There is no need to take any risks now with any players fitness or knocks.
Who will we have available? That's the next big question.
The absence of Ben Whitfield on Saturday was a big concern. If any one of our squad is a genuine outlet and match winner he's the boy. All the talk of Wright being back for the last game next week has gone quiet - another concern as we still lack his know how and hold up play.
Scott Boden, who has grown into the role and looks fitter with the passing of each game has done an admirable job after a slow start but lacks the physical presence of Danny Wright hence the reason why Cameron has been thrown up top of late.
We now go into the final stages with a meaningless fixture at Altrincham and after that, one or hopefully two "one off" Cup Finals in a few weeks time. I see no reason to consider recent historical league results to predict what will happen in completely different circumstances than the league campaign even the home advantage in a one of semi final may work in our opponents favour if they get some momentum and confidence from there winning qualifying performance. Our away form is better than our home form also. Its a lottery and if we don't turn up as a team and perform on the day we will fail.
It's a complete lottery now and will depend on which side can find their best form. As we finished runners up the expectation levels will be increased for us but I see the mini knock out competition as completely open with all teams capable of winning the thing and as we wall witnessed on Saturday good teams have bad days and bad teams have good days and we couldn't have complained if the whipping boys of the league campaign had beaten us on the day.
We've all been here a number of times before and know exactly how nerve wracking, elating and desperately disappointing the play offs can be so best not to make predictions perhaps.
I don't like to mention it but I feel its now or never. You only have to look at clubs who have failed in the play off clubs from previous campaigns to see how they suffer a hangover the following season. Yeovil Town are a prime example of a club suffering a massive hangover. So difficult to maintain momentum after the disappointment with squads breaking up and players moving on.
So much riding on our performances in the next month, possibly the most important fixtures in our recent history. What team will turn up when it really matters, the Hartlepool away,Stockport away, Yeovil Town at home one or the more recent Barnet/Bromley at home one?
