With the first 25% played and sitting top of the table, what will the top seven be come may? Gillingham Port vale Fleetwood Chelntham Exeter Burton Rochdale CHAMPIONS!!!!
I think Port Vale may drop away. This is because they are still in administration so they can't sign anyone, so a couple of injuries or suspensions to key players and they may struggle. Also their defenders are quite slow and are susceptible to pace,as we showed when beating them up there. Apart from us,who I think will top the table come May,there's not much to choose between the next dozen or so teams. Everyone seems to lose games you would think they'd win and vice versa.
Top 7 (not in order) - Vale will stay up there I think. They have actually played a lot more of the 'better' sides than us. They've played 6 of the current top 10, we've played 4. They also thrashed Rovrum & Fleet. And there is talk of a buyer being announced soon. If they are taken over then you would think there may be funds available for them to strengthen in January. Fleetwood will be up there. Too much spent for them not to be. Rochdale seem to impress most opposition fans and have also had some good results against the current top teams. Southend after a poor start have come good, and some impressive wins of late Rotherham will eventually come good I reckon, and make a go of the top 7. Bradford to round out my top 7, currently having a poor patch but will come good again. Gills somewhere in there, hopefully top 3. But it's a long season. Of those to fall away - Cheltenham have played very few of the top teams yet (only Fleetwood of the top 8) so I think they may fade soon. Burton, I'm hoping we beat them next week and they begin to fade. Exeter have only played Burton & Southend so far of the top 10. They play all the other 8 in Nov/Dec. Will be tough going.
All we can do is to keep doing what we have been doing to date and disregard the rest. We have to play to our strengths rather than the perceived weaknesses of others. With the depth of talent that we have and pace in abundance, there is no reason, in my opinion, for this team to not succeed. MA has picked up the baton from Hess, who has built the foundations of this team and sourced several of the new players, and taken it to a new level. Perhaps they, together, are proving the doubters wrong and actually make a bloody good team. Allen to manage and Hess to source. It is certainly working for me at the moment and certain player's potential being released this season shows that the vision, if not the application, has been there for the last couple of seasons. A poor player does not become a good player overnight, however with the right enablement and development he can realise his latent potential. I think MA has unlocked some 'doors' this season..........Nice one!
