So we have heard all the opinions from the first quarter of the season. What I want to know is where you all thought we would be and why we are there or not. For me I thought we would have at least 3 or 4 points more although that would put us in the top 7 or 8 which I never believed we would achieve. 10th to 14th was where I thought we would be after our desimation. The start of the season has seen our ups and downs, especially home form, but now we have Fireman Sam getting fit, PCH and Lowry back in training is it just me or with one central midfielder could we have a team to challange playoffs, Pray to the naked chick in the sky, we do not get promoted but lose in the playoffs, this squad is 10 plyrs short of progressing at the minute
The prediction league this year shows how difficult it is to predict anything that has any resemblance of consistant form. Other than Gillingham & Port Vale the rest are impossible to judge from one week to the next........Rotherham have not remotely reached the tag of pre-season favorites, they are the lowest placed of our opponents coming up in the next few weeks.....just our luck that they start to click. I would have been surprised if we had been higher than 16th.
I had hoped for mid table and that is effectively where we are. We have more points than games played - a huge improvement over last year - and our goal difference is now only -1. Confidence is the key going forward. I don't think we're as far off as 10 players short but we have a number of players who will benefit from a bit more experience/maturity. I do think we could, at best, make the play-offs but the main thing is to make sure we're not under any pressure in the latter stages of the season. I'm going to stick my neck out and suggest that Fletcher is getting more right than wrong. He, too, is learning and the style of play is much better. One day it will click and we will give someone a real hammering to equal Chesterfield a few seasons back. However, there will be days when it doesn't click and the passes go astray at the wrong time. That's where the confidence comes in. Two or three wins on the bounce and then let's see how we look.
Western, 10 in the squad not on the pitch was what I meant and personally I think we have 4 or 5 youth coming through which is great. For me.... Goal Keeper/ shot stopper but need to see something more. Gilmartin or buy Fullbacks/ Right side potential, Left if not Baz (he cannot finish so play where he should be) then average. Think Baz is going so we need. Cente halfs OK with Richards and Nelson looking good Holding mid..... Yes badly Attacking mid... Young or Houri need to be free to play..... not sure yet but could be better left mid...Loads but why we playing Baz there............ he could not score in a hotel for young ladies who would except money for sex. Right mid...Lowry we do not know yet, maybe fullback, Macs doing good, Lennox Upfront... Griff and PCH, let Chad go and Feeney,LaCointe or Mac funnily thought pre season it was our weakest position but signings may have changed that ... jury is out.... DJM and surrounding is one of the biggest kids leagues in the UK but when I was coaching I had 2 kids picked up on Watfords books nice to see Argyle bringing the kids on best money we could spend at the mo
Heart said up top and fighting for the league. Head said mid table but not struggling. I've just said elsewhere that all supporters think promotion is on every season which is always the heart bit. All of the players have had good and bad days at the office so far. Either by playing badly or through injuries. We have not been blessed in the injury department. Conversely they have all done well at times too but it is consistency that lets them down at the moment. Goal - ok at the moment but I wish Cole would learn to dominate his 6 yard box. Defence - RB and LB have consistently done quite well with few lapses. Berry has come on leaps and bounds and Wiliams has been solid. Centre Halfs have not been so bright and have produced more gaffs so far that the whole of last season. Not sure why because we know they can play. Back up in those positions is quite reasonable. Midfield - Has been lacking in most games although again they have had some good ones. But, more bad than good so far. Young is, well young and he will get better I'm sure. When he is bad he is very very bad but it is a lot on his young shoulders so perhaps that might be understandable to some extent. Hourihan I am afraid I just don't rate. A bit hot headed and will get booked often. Thinks he is Glen Hoddle but is nowhere near that sort of class. Needs to learn to pass it short and accurate rather than try the long pass. Also needs a new pair of shooting boots most of the time. We need cover in there. Wide players - We have a few decent players in those positions. No need to panic but they do need a bit of crossing practice at times. Forwards - Think we are ok there but I would get rid of Chadwick. I just cannot see him playing very often as the others are far better than he is. Save the wages and no need to replace with another one. I don't share the view regarding Feeney. I think he is ok as long as he isn't on his own all the time. He cannot perform that role and it showed he can play and score when he got an assistant. If this was a mid term report from school then I would say "Has performed satisfactorily most of the time but could do a lot better at others. Need to be careful not to allow underachieving to become a habit".
I think that's a pretty fair summary, sensible. I can't work out the sloppy goals we have conceded and suspect it is down to lapses in concentration. A good holding midfielder to sit in front of the back four might sort things out a bit. Wotton maybe past his sell-by date and too slow these days although he is a real workhorse.
What a luxury it would be to have a winning run of 3+ matches! When was the last time this happened???
God you're soooooooo negative plym. I was going to say look it up yourself personally I think it was 1962.
I think there is a fine line to be drawn between dismissing a good result for the sake of not getting carried away and over euphoria. For example I was very pleased with this weekend but I know it isn't necessarily the start of something really good. But I want to be able to enjoy this result on it's own without having to think about next week.
Know what you mean people but lets play it by ear and see what happens on Sat...the last 2 games has produced some inspiring football as it happens and Rochdale will be a stern test, if we can get 3 pts. out of them then maybe things are looking up. Can we get any more loanees at the moment?
