2017/18 League TwoTable Predictions

[Vanni]

Some interesting places still don't see us as this overwhelming favs as the write up seems to suggest. I would of thought Coventry have it in them to have at least a Playoff slot and predicting Accrington for 4th seems slightly odd. Also I doubt Barnet would be that low if they hang onto Akinde

Exactly my thoughts when I saw that 442 prediction. Accy in 4th looks ridiculous, and does Stevenage in 5th, however tbf I won't be the slightest bit surprised if the latter really push for the play offs as they're quite unpredictable tbf, and have a decent side IMO. Barnet will most definitely not be in 22nd place come May. IIRC I had them down to make the top 10 but if they don't then I'd expect them to finish in a comfy mid table position, even if they do end up losing Akinde.

Also thought they had Newport too high on that list, and above FGR and Grimsby which I don't reckon is that likely to happen.

 

[rudebwoyben]

22nd is Barnet's spiritual home.

You're five years out of date there.
15th is now where it's at for us.

 

[Son of Cod]

Exactly my thoughts when I saw that 442 prediction. Accy in 4th looks ridiculous, and does Stevenage in 5th, however tbf I won't be the slightest bit surprised if the latter really push for the play offs as they're quite unpredictable tbf, and have a decent side IMO. Barnet will most definitely not be in 22nd place come May. IIRC I had them down to make the top 10 but if they don't then I'd expect them to finish in a comfy mid table position, even if they do end up losing Akinde.

Also thought they had Newport too high on that list, and above FGR and Grimsby which I don't reckon is that likely to happen.

I quite fancy Accrington to do alright. Perhaps not that well, but I can certainly see where they're coming from. You know what you're getting with Accrington under Coleman. Usually a solid core of about 6-8 players who are well drilled and technically adept enough to keep things neat and tidy. Not the most entertaining football, but difficult to play against. What defines their season is usually the other 3-5 players that make up their starting lineup and the strength of the division. Looking at the division, there aren't a multitude of teams that spring out and scream playoffs nailed on.

 

[Vanni]

I quite fancy Accrington to do alright. Perhaps not that well, but I can certainly see where they're coming from. You know what you're getting with Accrington under Coleman. Usually a solid core of about 6-8 players who are well drilled and technically adept enough to keep things neat and tidy. Not the most entertaining football, but difficult to play against. What defines their season is usually the other 3-5 players that make up their starting lineup and the strength of the division. Looking at the division, there aren't a multitude of teams that spring out and scream playoffs nailed on.

Yep, fully agree with your assessment. I've always said that I'd want anyone but Stanley (Morecambe too, but not as much) on the opening day of a new season - when the squad is still settling down - and that's only because one never really knows which Accy side is going to turn up. I see them as bit of Jekyll and Hyde side tbh, sometimes they look very decent and other times they look like a poor Conference North side.

But the thing is like you said, ie they have that solid core of decent enough players, but then the quality of the rest of their squad isn't that great, and you know as well as I do that the truly testing time is when the suspensions and injuries start piling up. Accy aren't flush with cash, so they always go for Conference level players and young loanees when they need to bolster their squad, and this in itself is a bit risky as you never truly know what you're getting.

But solid core or not, making the top 4 with their current squad is not going to happen. You say there aren't loads of sides that spring out and scream po's, and I think you're right, but otoh I also see loads of better equipped sides than Accy, who'll be in a much stronger position to deal with the inevitable obstacles once we're halfway through the season.

 

[Luke Imp]

1) Luton
2) Exeter
3) Mansfield
---------------
4) Coventry
5) Chesterfield
6) Swindon
7) Stevenage
---------------
8) Colchester
9) Port Vale
10) Lincoln
11) Cambridge
12) Notts County
13) Grimsby
14) Crewe
15) Wycombe
16) Carlisle
17) Barnet
18) Forest Green
19) Accrington
20) Cheltenham
21) Yeovil
22) Newport
---------------
23) Crawley
24) Morecambe

I can't really add too much because I don't know the players of others Club's well enough or how those remaining in their squads performed last season, so this is a bit of a beginners go and my pretty uneducated guess

Really, really struggled to place Notts County and Port Vale and the only two space I had left were 19th and 21st left but I didn't expect that to happen!

Massive gamble by Crawley with Kewell, Morecambe have seemed to do just enough the last 2 or 3 seasons and that's not going to go on forever.

I think some are placing us too high. Average place of a promoted side is 13th, with only a handful really making their mark such as Bristol Rovers, Crawley, Fleetwood. That mid-table area is always so congested so that was more a case of sticking some names in really so that 10th-16th area could be in any order.

Some I can't really make my mind up on, so I've just stuck them in there. For example, I think Cheltenham will improve this year but I've got them down as 20th and I think FGR could be two or three places higher up.

Tbh, I'm not seeing four sides who scream PO's and I can't see too many sides who'll be in trouble either.

 

[Andy Proctor]

The 442 predictions are garbage. I've brought the mag key man for vale Chris eagles he left in may key man for Crewe George Ray think he has left to so that's enough of a reason not bother with there shite predictions.

 

[Son of Cod]

Yep, fully agree with your assessment. I've always said that I'd want anyone but Stanley (Morecambe too, but not as much) on the opening day of a new season - when the squad is still settling down - and that's only because one never really knows which Accy side is going to turn up. I see them as bit of Jekyll and Hyde side tbh, sometimes they look very decent and other times they look like a poor Conference North side.

But the thing is like you said, ie they have that solid core of decent enough players, but then the quality of the rest of their squad isn't that great, and you know as well as I do that the truly testing time is when the suspensions and injuries start piling up. Accy aren't flush with cash, so they always go for Conference level players and young loanees when they need to bolster their squad, and this in itself is a bit risky as you never truly know what you're getting.

But solid core or not, making the top 4 with their current squad is not going to happen. You say there aren't loads of sides that spring out and scream po's, and I think you're right, but otoh I also see loads of better equipped sides than Accy, who'll be in a much stronger position to deal with the inevitable obstacles once we're halfway through the season.

Yeah, can't argue with any of that. They are indeed a Jekyll and Hyde team. 4th probably is out of their reach, yes. Wouldn't surprise me if they snook into the playoffs though, but in keeping with what you're saying, it wouldn't surprise me if they finished 16th/17th/18th. What would surprise me though, is if they find themselves in a relegation scrap.

 

[Fence Sitter]

As usual it will take some dozen games to assess the strength’s & weaknesses of teams in the league but I feel we have got a very good squad this season, we badly need another goalkeeper but all in all I’m quietly confident of a top ten finish

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

The 442 predictions are garbage. I've brought the mag key man for vale Chris eagles he left in may key man for Crewe George Ray think he has left to so that's enough of a reason not bother with there shite predictions.

George Ray was retained however the other 3 senior CBs that started last season were binned off. Agree with your point though, in their 2014-15 season preview they described Steve Davis as "the shrewdest tactician in League One". Were they high when they wrote that?

 

[Mr Laybier]

1. Luton
2. Crewe
3. Mansfield
--------------------------
4. Colchester
5. Lincoln
6. Port Vale
7. Exeter
--------------------------
8. Cambridge
9. Coventry
10. Grimsby
11. Chesterfield
12. Notts County
13. Wycombe
14. Swindon
15. Accrington
16. Stevenage
17. Carlisle
18. Barnet
19. Forest Green
20. Newport
21. Yeovil
22. Morecambe
--------------------------
23. Cheltenham
24. Crawley
I might have been a bit too nice to Crewe.

On the contrary-I'd say you've got us well sussed there.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Everyone is predicting us to win the league. I'm worried.

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

Everyone is predicting us to win the league. I'm worried.

Finished in the play-offs last year and have improved your squad imo, I'd be very surprised if you didn't finish top 2.

 

[Ryan]

1) Luton
2) Mansfield
3) Swindon

4) Chesterfield
5) Colchester
6) Stevenage
7) Exeter

8) Lincoln
9) Carlisle
10) Port Vale
11) Coventry
12) Wycombe
13) Notts County
14) Forest Green
15) Barnet
16) Grimsby
17) Cambridge
18) Crewe
19) Cheltenham
20) Yeovil
21) Accrington
22) Morecambe

23) Newport
24) Crawley

 

[Fence Sitter]

1) Mansfield

2) Luton

3) Coventry

---------------

4) Swindon

5) Cambridge

6) Accrington

7) Carlisle

---------------

8) Exeter

9) Chesterfield

10) Barnet

11) Stevenage

12) Notts County

13) Grimsby

14) Lincoln

15) Wycombe

16) Crewe

17) Colchester

18) Forest Green

19) Port vale

20) Morecambe

21) Crawley

22) Newport

---------------

23) Yeovil

24) Cheltenham

 

[Wiinotfit]

1.Luton
2.Mansfield
3.Exeter
4.Coventry
5.Swindon
6.Crewe
7.Chesterfield
8.Colchester
9.Carlisle
10.Wycombe
11.Notts County
12.Port Vale
13.Lincoln
14.Cambridge
15.Yeovil
16.Grimsby
17.Stevenage
18.Accrington
19. Crawley
20. Barnet
21. Cheltenham
22.Morecambe
23.FGR
24.Newport

 

[Luke Imp]

One of the guys who covers us for the Lincolnshire Echo has been asking journalists who cover the other L2 clubs about their chances, so some might be interested in this.

http://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/s...-news/press-box-predictions-league-two-274935

 

[Habbinalan]

More uncertain than usual. Perhaps because I'm usually well out on half a dozen. Bullishness awaits puncturing experience tomorrow.

1) Luton
2) Mansfield
3) Cambridge
---------------
4) Coventry
5) Exeter
6) Swindon
7) Chesterfield
---------------
8) Colchester
9) Port Vale
10) Lincoln
11) Barnet
12) Notts County
13) Forest Green
14) Crewe
15) Wycombe
16) Carlisle
17) Stevenage
18) Grimsby
19) Accrington
20) Morecambe
21) Yeovil
22) Cheltenham
---------------
23) Crawley
24) Newport

 

[PaulHaddock]

1) Luton
2) Mansfield
3) Exeter
----------------------
4) Coventry
5) Crewe
6) Notts County
7) Lincoln
----------------------
8) Chesterfield
9) Cambridge
10) Colchester
11) Barnet
12) Grimsby
13) Accrington
14) Stevenage
15) Port Vale
16) Carlisle
17) Swindon
18) Forest Green
19) Wycombe
20) Newport
21) Yeovil
22) Morecambe
-----------------------
23) Cheltenham
24) Crawley

 

[PVFC27]

1) Luton
2) Lincoln
3) Mansfield
----------------------
4) Chesterfield
5) Coventry
6) Cambridge
7) Port Vale
----------------------
8) Notts County
9) Forest Green
10) Exeter
11) Accrington
12) Carlisle
13) Swindon
14) Crewe
15) Wycombe
16) Colchester
17) Stevenage
18) Barnet
19) Grimsby
20) Crawley
21) Newport
22) Yeovil
-----------------------
23) Cheltenham
24) Morecambe

 

[Gladders]

1) Coventry
2) Notts County
3) Luton
----------------------
4) Mansfield
5) Exeter
6) Chesterfield
7) Cambridge
----------------------
8) Colchester
9) Crewe
10) Lincoln
11) Accrington
12) Swindon
13) Barnet
14) Port Vale
15) Carlisle
16) Wycombe
17) Forest Green
18) Stevenage
19) Yeovil
20) Newport
21) Grimsby
22) Crawley
-----------------------
23) Cheltenham
24) Morecambe

 

[Luke Imp]

Bloody hell Frealaf, are you Urban in disguise?

 

[Gladders]

Bloody hell Frealaf, are you Urban in disguise?

What's wrong with my prediction?

 

[Luke Imp]

Grimsby, 21st?!

 

[TheHatterII]

1 Luton
2 Mansfield
3 Coventry
-------------------
4 Chesterfield
5 Lincoln
6 Exeter
7 Crewe
------------------
8 Swindon
9 Colchester
10 Cambridge
11 Port Vale
12 Notts County
13 Wycombe
14 Forest Green
15 Grimsby
16 Stevenage
17 Carlisle
18 Yeovil
19 Barnet
20 Accrington
21 Crawley
22 Cheltenham
-------------------
23 Morecambe
24 Newport

 

[Gladders]

Grimsby, 21st?!

Why not? Fenty has sent us back to the time before we last got relegated by sacking managers for no reason.
Bignot was brought in to build on the success of promotion and set us on a path to promotion to lge 1 and building the club up for the future. Backed in the transfer market and signed arguably our two best players in Osbourne and Jones.

Two months later he's sacked because we aren't in the play offs, Slade is brought in and told we are aiming for promotion and has the budget to get us there.
Players leave, we sign a couple decent defenders but are old (not a problem Collins was excellent as well). Then pretty much the rest of our signings are all players we have on trial, may turn out great but as they required a trial they obviously weren't initial targets. Instead of signing a striker (don't expect a bogle replacement but someone who can get double figures would be nice) we let what we have leave a week before the season starts.

In short our best players were signed by Bignot or Hurst (Jones, Osbourne, Mills and Collins) and Slade has replaced outgoings with trialists despite supposedly going for promotion and Fenty spouting crap about us having money to fund it.

All the good vibes around the club after promotion, op promotion, 3000 season ticket sale etc. was all undone in one season by Fenty thinking getting back into lge 2 was job done and he can return to his ways pre relegation.

Now Slade may prove me wrong and I hope he does, but I have lost all confidence in Fenty (not just for sacking Bignot, but for B teams etc.) and fully expect us to be non league within 3 years.

 

[Luke Imp]

Fair points, you know better than me. 21st just strikes me as too low in my completely guesswork opinion!

 

[Gladders]

Fair points, you know better than me. 21st just strikes me as too low in my completely guesswork opinion!

Well if it's anything like last season which it probably will be, you can swap all the sides between 6th and 15th and 16th and 21st around until the final couple weeks

 

[Vanni]

One of the guys who covers us for the Lincolnshire Echo has been asking journalists who cover the other L2 clubs about their chances, so some might be interested in this.

http://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/s...-news/press-box-predictions-league-two-274935

Cheers for the link. Interesting to note that half of the journos predicted the side they covered to go up

1) Coventry
2) Notts County
3) Luton
----------------------
4) Mansfield
5) Exeter
6) Chesterfield
7) Cambridge
----------------------
8) Colchester
9) Crewe
10) Lincoln
11) Accrington
12) Swindon
13) Barnet
14) Port Vale
15) Carlisle
16) Wycombe
17) Forest Green
18) Stevenage
19) Yeovil
20) Newport
21) Grimsby
22) Crawley
-----------------------
23) Cheltenham
24) Morecambe

I've always had you down for a realistic Grimsby fan, ie not a miserable bastard but neither an overly optimistic one. Could be I was wrong though looking at your prediction of 21st for Grimsby. While it's well known that you lot haven't signed loads of quality players, I find that people generally only look at the strength of their squad and that of a few other clubs' when predicting, and don't see the whole picture. Do you really believe you're only stronger than 3 sides this year, considering there are at least 6 sides who're looking very poor on paper, and another 5 who look distinctly average?

 

[Gladders]

Cheers for the link. Interesting to note that half of the journos predicted the side they covered to go up



I've always had you down for a realistic Grimsby fan, ie not a miserable bastard but neither an overly optimistic one. Could be I was wrong though looking at your prediction of 21st for Grimsby. While it's well known that you lot haven't signed loads of quality players, I find that people generally only look at the strength of their squad and that of a few other clubs' when predicting, and don't see the whole picture. Do you really believe you're only stronger than 3 sides this year, considering there are at least 6 sides who're looking very poor on paper, and another 5 who look distinctly average?

As I said to Luke you can swap the teams in 16th to 21st around do all season, so I put us in that bracket at the moment, I just put us in the bottom of it at the end of the season when there is nothing to play for with 3 games left. I hope to be proven wrong and maybe even push into the top half because Slade is half decent but at the same time could quite easily see Fenty sack him at Christmas because we are 12th, 5 points of his target.

Oh and yes I am miserable and fallen out of love with both Grimsby and football in general last season

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

I will be interested in what Grimsby's fans think of the style of play Slade plays
It was without doubt the most direct aimless hoofball any skyblues fans had ever witnessed at the Ricoh and away from home, and we have had Aidy Boothroyd as manager so that takes some doing
His win rate of 8% was very generous, he didn't win many fans here, but he did have the worst squad to play with in footballing history si I will give him that excuse