10 games in.... Where are you?

[AdamStag]

well, the experts, pundits and fans all say you've a clearer idea of what the season has in store after these 10 games so..

Where are you in the league?

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?

Good moment so far?

Bad moment so far?

Have the plans changed?

What other sides have surprised you?

 

[AdamStag]

Where are you in the league? 7th

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?
Had a very promising start with aean and tight defence, and an improved ability to score goals. Our defensive setup has caused us problems at home, though still undefeated at field mill.

Good moment so far?
The easy 2-0 win over county with the best part of 3,000 fans will probably top all season, especially for the fans, performance wise the 4-0 win over Crawley was good, tempered by the fact they were crap on an epic level.

Bad moment so far?
The 1-0 loss at accrington was galling after winning at county, though given their start to the season maybe not as bad as we thought

Have the plans changed?
No, keep going. We've a small squad, a better defence and an alright midfield, the forwardline remains a concern being reliant on green, but good so far.

What other sides have surprised you?
Crawley in how badly they've adapted to the the league despite their win at newport - but the main ones have to be accrington - *doffs cap* with a budget of about 5p they are doing excellently and are doing well to be safe for another season

 

[Brox]

Where are you in the league?
20th

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?
Probably a touch lower than I'd expected but not massively surprised to see us struggling.

Good moment so far?
The Plymouth win looks like a good one now! Not been too much to shout about.

Bad moment so far?
Barnet or Cambridge losses, manor of by was disappointing. Season in general has been pretty shite so far.

Have the plans changed?
Not sure what they were to begin with. Looks like we're going to be in a scrap, so survival has to be the aim.

What other sides have surprised you?
Wycombe and Accrington have done better than I expected so far.

 

[PortyPort]

Where are you in the league?
Below everybody else.

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?
Bang on track with the predictions of most, sadly.

Good moment so far?
Er...sneaking a win at Carlisle? Aaron Collins scoring his debut goal was enjoyable too. Pickings are slim otherwise.

Bad moment so far?
I can't comment on the Crawley game tonight as I wasn't there. But the York defeat was pretty bad. It's mostly been bad.

Have the plans changed?
There's a plan?

What other sides have surprised you?
Accrington, to a lesser extent Wycombe and Mansfield.

 

[shoddycollins]

Where are you in the league?
8th - just out of the play-offs on goal difference

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?
In a sense we're an extreme version of what was predicted. We were forecast to score lots and concede lots but simultaneously having the divisions most prolific attack and leakiest defense is just nuts. We've won more and lost fewer than expected though, I think we were generally expected to have cemented our place in the relegation mix by this point.

Good moment so far?
Scoring at Anfield

Bad moment so far?
That abomination at home to Newport

Have the plans changed?
Yes, the plans were to simply ensure we don't have any scares this season, but from where we are now and what we know we're capable of I think we have to be thinking, how can we make sure a promotion push is on the cards.

What other sides have surprised you?
Accrington and Mansfield

 

[BeesKnees]

Where are you in the league?
18th - Not unexpected that we are bottom third at this point.

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?
About right, the first run of fixtures have not been kind with half our games against top 8 sides, we've already played 4 of the top 5 with 3 of those games away. We've played 2 teams in bottom third and got 2 wins. 3 teams in middle third 1W 1D 1L and 5 teams in top third that we have lost. Home form is reassuring and we look reasonably good for a mid table finish.

Good moment so far?
Beating Stevenage.

Bad moment so far?
Losing to Bristol Rovers with a dire display. The quality and fitness of some of our signings has been a disappointment,

Have the plans changed?
No, it was always my hope we would achieve mid table mediocrity.

What other sides have surprised you?
Accrington

 

[Soup Ladle]

Where are you in the league?
17th

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?
I'd say where we are is about right. We've played badly in a lot of games but got points and played well in a couple and got nothing.

Good moment so far?
Beating York away. Something we never do

Bad moment so far?
Losing to Bristol Rovers last night was utterly horrendous. Also conceding the last minute goal at Exeter. I was seriously fucked off and had a row with the wife.

Have the plans changed?
No but the squad is unbalanced, Ronnie hasn't bought in too well over the summer but I hope we have enough to stay up at least.

What other sides have surprised you?
Accrington is obvious. Morecambe doing well too.

 

[thewwfc]

Where are you in the league? Um, top.

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do? Way better, last season was predicted to be a flash in the pan, we've lost key players, we'll have a playoff hangover, blah blah blah.
For my own personal prediction I thought we'd be doing OK with a mid-table spot this season, and doing well to sneak into the playoffs so we're doing better than that.

Good moment so far/ Bad moment so far? I've only been to one game so far this season (Barnet A) so it's hard to pick out massive highlights or lowlights. But I guess tonking York 3-0 on opening day remains our best result this season. Our gamesmanship continues to be carried out to an unnecessary level though, if that counts as a "bad moment. "

Have the plans changed?
Not one iota.

What other sides have surprised you?

Accy and Mansfield are the obvious ones. I can't say that Newport is a "surprise" as such given their wobbly finances and shaky manager but it's depressing to see them down there after the work it took them to get back into the league.

 

[daviejones]

Where are you in the league?

8th

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?

Quite a bit better actually. I mostly expected a mid table season, optimistically maybe a late play-off push but not much more than that. None of the new players have flopped with some of them proving outstanding signings - Ibehre being the obvious one, but players like Miller have also slotted in as though they've been here for years.

Good moment so far?

Watching Asamoah shut the Kop up. Fantastic scenes.

Bad moment so far?

Drawing to York was gutting and undeserved, Newport was also bad but half expected by a few fans it seemed.

Have the plans changed?

Plans will change once we know there won't be any relegation troubles, then we aim for play offs.

What other sides have surprised you?

Accrington, Mansfield, Wycombe. Nice to see the 'big' clubs not dominating as they are always expected to.

 

[E10rifle]

Where are you in the league? 5th

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?
Er. Playoffs is probably about right, I'd guess, but after our flying start it's difficult not to be a bit disappointed with the way September has gone, results-wise at least.

Good moment so far?
The 100% August, obviously. Dean Cox's 97th minute equaliser at Northampton was probably the individual moment so far, though Blair Turgott's stunner at home to Stevenage has probably wrapped up Orient's goal of the season already.

Bad moment so far?
The utterly inexplicable defeat last night was more amusing than bad. It's probably the moment where I realised a) how fucking abysmal this division is b) how we're fitting in beautifully and c) how much it feels like home after all those horrible years with the big clubs in League One.

Have the plans changed?
I'm not sure that there ever was a plan. Promotion is the stated aim, but the way we've gone about it is by decimating the squad and pinning our hopes on about four senior players and a bunch of kids.

What other sides have surprised you?
Avoiding the obvious Accrington answer, it's surprised me how bad virtually everyone we've played has been. Does that count?

 

[wilsontown]

Where are you in the league?

19th

How are we doing compared to predictions?

I don't think anyone is surprised to see us doing poorly, are they? I'd say it's about our level.

Good/bad moment so far?

Not much good, I've only seen us win once (against Yeovil) and even that was shiiite. Didn't see the 3-0 win at Newport, so for me it's somehow coming back from the dead to take a point from Carlisle with ten men. Bad, every home game but Notts County away last Saturday takes the prize for gutless ineptitude.

Have the plans changed?

I'd say no on the basis that using Dave Winfield as an auxiliary striker can't be counted as a plan. Some bizarre decision making at the club now.

What other sides have surprised you?

Accrington doing well is almost not a surprise now, they do OK every season and good luck to them. I thought Leyton Orient would be a shambles but they look fine. Mansfield are doing a lot better than I expected.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Where are you in the league? 11th

How are we doing compared to predictions? Pretty comfortable at the moment. John Still's sides always start slow and build up over a season. Last year we only had 1 point more at this stage, then went top in November and the season before we had 2 points more and won the Conference with 100 points. This year we have a lot more quality in key areas.

Good/bad moment so far? The 1-0 defeat against Bristol Rovers was painful. Yes it was only by 1 goal in the 90th minute but the manner of the performance was a million miles away where we needed to be.

Have the plans changed? Absolutely not. We should be aiming for the top 3 definitely. And if not, qualifying for the play offs still equates to a solid year.

What other sides have surprised you? League 2 is always competitive, so it isn't particularly surprising to see a number of the smaller, less fancied clubs at the top of the division. That said, its still early and teams will often fall away as injuries and suspensions start to bite. I'd be surprised if Wycombe last the course again with their squad size.

 

[LordJord]

Where are you in the league? 10th

How are we doing compared to predictions? Would like to be a little higher but solid enough. Injuries have played a big part, arguably our best player Ricky Holmes is yet to play this season, same with Maloney and Horwood. Try and get through this difficult period and then think we will kick on again. Still early doors and in touch with the top 7 still so not to bad.

Good/bad moment so far? The 1-0 victory at home to Oxford despite playing more than half the game with 10 men was sweet. The Dean Cox leveller in the 97th minute hurt but was easily deserved for Orient, losing at home to Dagenham nearly made me need a week off. Also Adam Smith has amazed me on a weekly basis, that's been constantly great.

Have the plans changed? Depends if we get new owners or not, depends if we go into administration or not! Really disappointed that the squad players we signed are not good enough. Still think we can get a top 7 finish. Don't think we have enough for a top 3 push.

What other sides have surprised you? Surprised Wycombe havnt suffered a playoff hangover like we did a few seasons ago. Fair play to Mansfield and especially Accy who have surpassed expectations so far. Lutons early form was a shock also.

 

[WAP]

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?
Pretty much spot on tbh. The only thing thats been unusual is our away form being better than our home form. Morecambe and Accrington came down with a plan and went home happy.

Good moment so far?
5pm on the opening day, knowing we'd made a good start and that these new players are capable.

Bad moment so far?
A 0-0 draw at Crawley in which we couldn't break down them at all. Also being 3-0 down at home to Morecambe in the first half was a low point. (Still not entirely sure how that happened).

Have the plans changed?
Not really, we're pretty much on par.

What other sides have surprised you?
Plymouth have made a decent start to the season despite a new manager and losing Alessandro, I really thought they'd struggle.

 

[Chippy]

Where are you in the league?
11th

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?

Slightly worse off but not much. Fancied a slowish start. I thought we'd have about 16/17 by now rather than 14.

Good moment so far?

Tuesday's win at Morecambe. Bit of a bogey team for us and we had gone 5 Tuesday away games without a goal and hadn't won away midweek since April 1st 2014. Impressive performance too by all accounts, which made it 3 wins on the spin. Also scored our 9th, 10th and 11th away goals of the season. Only managed 17 away all last year!

Bad moment so far?

Being 2-0 up and cruising at Yeovil only to somehow throw it away and lose 3-2 in the worst hour of football I've ever seen. That just beats the 0-1 home defeat to B Rovers when we were turgid all game, and the painful last minute goals against Pompey Oxford and N County. Lots of bad moments already - let's hope they're all out the way.

Have the plans changed?

Not at all. Still fancy us for automatic promotion.

What other sides have surprised you?

Accrington obviously have had a good start. Wycombe too.

 

[Sergei from IT]

Where are you in the league?

6th

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?

On course

Good moments so far?

Kemar Roofe's goals

Bad moment so far?

Drawing at home to Crawley of all people on the opening day

Have the plans changed?

Yes - get in the top 3

What other sides have surprised you?

Accy - how the hell to they achieve what they do with such poor attendance

 

[ComeOnIrene]

Where are you in the league?
14th.

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?
Probably slightly below where many thought we would be - including myself. I guess we have been a typical League Two side so far in that we have played very well at times and awfully at others. I am hoping our excellent win and performance at Hartlepool last night will be the kickstart our season needed after a run of poor form.

Good moment so far?
For me it was the 1-0 win at Luton. We were very good on the night against a fancied side and scored a deserved winner in stoppage time right in front of the travelling army of Gasheads. The fact it was ex-Hatter Stuart Sinclair who scored made it even sweeter.

Bad moment so far?
The 1-0 defeat at home to Accrington was awful. They put in a decent away performance, but we were so far off our own game and that made it easy for them. The Oxford defeat sticks out as well, as there is no way on earth we deserved to lose and it underlined how unlucky we were with refereeing decisions for a number of weeks.

Have the plans changed?
No. There have been encouraging signs from our young squad and whilst we can be frustrating at times in the final third, I do think we will continue to improve as the season goes on.

What other sides have surprised you?
Accrington have been better than I thought they would be, so on that basis I'd pick them.

 

[Trapdoor]

Where are you in the league?
uhhhhh... ummmm.... 10th maybe?? somewhere around there anyway....

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?
Pretty much as expected. We suffer from classic League 2 inconsistency syndrome. Some days we tear teams apart if they play into our game plan and other times we get humped and look completely bereft of ideas. It tends to be the more physical athletic sides like Accrington and Wycombe who we struggle against. Press us hard all over the park and dont over-extend in attack and you will get easy points from us.

Good moment so far?
4-0 against Orient who were top of the league at that point. Our current Exeter team naturally sets itself up for counter-attacking, Leyton had way more possession than us in that game but our pace going forward did the damage.

Bad moment so far?
The 4-2 defeat at home to Accrington. They pressed us and rushed us when we had the ball and looked very comfortable and disciplined when not in possession. They were aggressive, physical and organised - basically everything which we struggle to cope with. From the first 5 minutes you could see we were going to lose that game.

Have the plans changed?
No. Tisdale is a bit of a mystery in terms of "plans", I'm not really sure he ever has any real plans other than long-term strategic goals. He is ultra-pragmatic in terms of team selection and subs and will often plays people way out of position just because he wants that player on the pitch at a given time. I suspect in training he forces players to play out of position so they learn other roles as well. We have a lot of pace in attack so its quite effective to hit people fast on the break, it will stay like this for the rest of the season providing we retain the players we currently have.

What other sides have surprised you?
Argyle - on paper they should not be anywhere near the autos.
Accrington - incredible work rate and organisation. Doing the basics well is enough to get out of this league. My outside tip to go up via the playoffs.

 

[devilofajob]

Where are you in the league? 21st

How are you doing compared to how you were predicted to do?
Probably a touch lower than I'd expected but not massively surprised to see us struggling.

Good moment so far?
The 3-0 wins at Cambridge and Newport.

Bad moment so far?
Losing at home to the pretend wombles.

Have the plans changed?
Not sure we've ever had a plan! My current plan though would be to try to win or draw against clubs in the current bottom 10

What other sides have surprised you?
Carlisle and Accrington have done better than I expected so far. I expected Carlisle to struggle, and how they lost to Newport must be one of life's mysteries.

 

[Flaxman's Alibi]

Where are you in the league?
7th

How are you doing in comparison to how you were expected?
Better. The football is unrecognisable from what we'd become accustomed to in the past couple of seasons. We now have a small squad of intelligent, committed, grafting footballers compared to a big squad of hardworking donkeys.

Good moment so far?
Obviously the win at Meadow Lane in our local derby.

Bad moments so far?
I suppose the 2 defeats at Accrington and Luton, but it's to be expected that a team that's virtually cast aside an entire squad for a new one is going to lose games. However, I can handle that if the right attitude and application is put in - which to all accounts it was disappointing at Accy away.

Have the plans changed?
My own personal plan for the season is to keep everything crossed that we don't suffer injuries like we did last season. The squad is too small to cope with 2-3 major casualties, like the previous campaign, and would significantly harm any ambitions.
As regards the club in general, I think it's a case of taking it one week at a time, build an understanding with a squad that includes 14 new faces and see where it takes us. I think most supporters just wanted to see improvement on the field and for the moment this is being achieved.

What other sides have surprised you?
Should anyone be surprised by Accrington? I'm not, they outperform expectations every single season. If you could transfer what they have running through that clubs foundations, every other club would be in for it.
The 2 club's that have impressed me the most have been Wimbledon and Oxford, who were both better than us at Field Mill and made it an achievement to get a point in both of those fixtures. I quite fancy Oxford for the title.