It's difficult to find positives after a home defeat to Peterborough [no disrespect to posh]. However, looking at our first nine games before the start of the season, I would have predicted the following: Middlesbrough (a) L Brighton (h) D Reading (h) W Bristol City (a) D Cardiff (h) L West Ham (a) L Hull (a) D Blackpool (h) D Peterborough (h) W This would have given us ten points up to now so, all in all, some positive and negative results have put us in a position of being only one point below par. Let's therefore not hit the panic button just yet......
But surely you have higher hopes for the club than being in a relegation scrap Devon. If you project a point a game over a season that is only 46 points in total and almost certainly in the bottom five clubs, possibly the bottom three.
I see 60 points as a realistic target, which equates to 1.3pts/game. Even my pre-season predictions would have us below that at this current time, so, as I said, I'm not in panic mode yet. Yes I see 3 points lost last night, but I saw 2 points gained last Saturday. Hopefully last night's result will give a good kick in the goolies to a few players and ensure they go out and beat sides that we expect them to beat. We have a small squad and our disciplinary record is a disgrace on the part of players who know this. While we have the fiscal constraints that the CVA put on the club, we are more likely to be hovering a few places above the relegation zone than looking hopefully toward the possibility of the playoffs. Mathematically safe before Easter is my number one goal when I remove the blue-tinted specs.
The only aim I have for this season is survival. If we can maintain a safe mid-table position then I'll be happy.
You'll bounce around the lower half all season, but you'll be safe - I think! Just cut down on the cards!
