Early runners and riders

[hold'um Oldham]

So whose currently out of sync with where they should be or where they will finish? Whose in the top 7 but are expected to fall away dramatically. Who doesn't have the staying power?

Whose turned up late to the party? Whose stalled on the start line? Whose in the bottom 3 or 4 who ya think will be gunning for the top spots come may?

 

[Indian Dan]

This is, as ever, a real mish mash of a league. Lincoln look good but could be susceptible to an injury crisis. Lots thought Vale would be competitive this year, yet look as bad as last season at the moment.

Clubs like FGR have improved loads from last season, Notts County are in deep shit - but will probably rise. Mansfield are finding wins hard to come by - could go either way. We look good going forward but always likely to struggle defensively. Unfortunately, Franchise just look hard to beat and dull as fuck.

In essence, I ain’t got a clue at the moment.

 

[valefan16]

We’ve more points now than we did after 12 games last season so are slightly better in that. Essentially we’ll pick up results at home but away is a huge Achilles Heel.

Notts could go either way, they’ve dumped the type of player that worked well last year and Dennis isn’t a guarantee that you’d improve as having a 20 goal man in this level doesn’t guarantee success, we had Pope, Chesterfield had Dennis, Barnet had Akinde and FGR has Doidge last season for example.

Colchester will be my dark horse, we were furious at our defeat being so soft there but since they’ve shown they are a real force and we’re miles ahead of anyone else we’ve played.

Macc Town and Morecambe likely to struggle. Lincoln will win the league, the rest is unknown.

Crewe won 6-0 and haven’t won since, then Colchester won 6-0 and lost three days later. Unpredictability at its finest.

 

[Greenacres]

Difficult question and one that I reckon is easier to answer after about ten games, when you can see who the stronger teams are and those lacking somewhat. After that number of games last season we had five points, which suggested a season of struggle against relegation, that was exactly how it turned out. We didn't reach, or pass, our current total of seven points until well into October last season. As someone pointed out above we have improved a lot since last season, lessons seem to have been learned but I still worry that we rely too much on the goals of Doidge and might struggle a bit if he is unavailable. Personally I expected the top three to be pushing for promotion and I think that anyone who finishes above them this season can start planning their visits to Division One teams for next autumn onward.

 

[shoddycollins]

This season most teams seem to have started contrary to what was expected of them so I'd expect there's a lot of movement still to come. Notts will improve, Mansfield should get going eventually, Exeter may fall away. I think Lincoln and MK however have started their promotion push right away and will probably remain up there, while at the other end, Morecambe and Macclesfield haven't gotten going and will be hard pushed to avoid being in the relegation fight. Everyone else, anyone's guess.

 

[hold'um Oldham]

For me the top 3 is no surprise, but I wouldn't predict any of those currently in the play off spots to finish there. Mansfield Swindon and Northampton are lagging imo and obviously at the bottom end I would expect notts county to finish well clear.

 

[hellogregory]

My 2 tips for relegation (Carlisle and Lincoln) have started off really well. Whether they can both continue it is another thing.

Exeter and MK I expected to be up there. Notts County are doing much shitter than I thought but they’ll probably get their act together now.

 

[Franchisor]

Think we will be in the top 7 all season, if only for our solid defence meaning we will win and draw games where we might have lost last season. Lincoln and Exeter look solid too and expect them to be in the top 7 all season as well.

Expecting Notts County to have a resurgence under their new manager and get into the top half fairly sharpish. Colchester the surprise package for me so far, think they will continue to be in and around the playoffs for a while.

 

[Sydney Posse]

I think after their decent season last time, Lincoln could go the extra mile this time. Think MK Dons will also go up. I fancy us to do well as well. We have a stronger squad than last season and I think our rookie manager is going to do well. Yeovil have surprised me and I reckon Stevenage might also do well. I didn't think Carlisle were too bad when we beat them and note they have put some wins together, but the consensus on here doesn't sound overly positive, but early days. No strong views on the others at this early stage, lots and twists and turns and emerging teams to come no doubt !

 

[Dan_Macclad]

However badly we've started I do feel we'll be alright.. The team can only get better and we have influential players to come back.

 

[Luke Imp]

Notts, Carlisle and Yeovil are the anomalies at both ends of the table but they're the only three that look completely out of place IMO.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

My 2 tips for relegation (Carlisle and Lincoln) have started off really well. Whether they can both continue it is another thing.

Exeter and MK I expected to be up there. Notts County are doing much shitter than I thought but they’ll probably get their act together now.

They are the two worst tips for relegation I've ever seen.

 

[Trapdoor]

We lost at MK but it was somewhat unlucky and on another day could have come away with a win. We gave away penalties and had a man sent off which is very unusual for us.
I expect us to be challenging for the autos this season, playoffs would be an under achievement in my opinion.

 

[hellogregory]

They are the two worst tips for relegation I've ever seen.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Still early days though, both could easily be dragged into the mess.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Still early days though, both could easily be dragged into the mess.

You have a good manager for the level which will be enough to see you comfortable, Lincoln will win the league.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Ours to lose I reckon, Lincoln just keeping our seat warm. Got my fabric marker out to colour in the star already.

 

[Franchisor]

Ours to lose I reckon, Lincoln just keeping our seat warm. Got my fabric marker out to colour in the star already.

How has George Williams started for you? He came from our academy, got signed by Fulham who loaned him out a few times, including to us - but each time he came here he picked up a serious injury. Was highly rated at one point, but he's always been disappointing to be honest and his goalscoring record for his position is pretty poor.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

How has George Williams started for you? He came from our academy, got signed by Fulham who loaned him out a few times, including to us - but each time he came here he picked up a serious injury. Was highly rated at one point, but he's always been disappointing to be honest and his goalscoring record for his position is pretty poor.

Seemed a little similar in the early games, not quite living up to his rating but was very good Saturday by all accounts so might be coming on/settling in. I'm an exile now though and only going off the radio so maybe one of the regular attenders can give you a better idea.

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

Our league position is a strange one imo. Going forward we are pretty threatening and are scoring regularly once the personal errors cutout is expext us to rise fairly quickly. Lots going off behind the scenes at Notts if rumours are to be believed and getting the right manager in before the weekend would be a bonus.

Whether the players who let Nolan down so badly suddenly have an upturn in form remains to be seen. But I suppose the one positive about this sad situation is the new bloke has lots of time to turn us around and make us competitive.

 

[GTFCfish]

They are the two worst tips for relegation I've ever seen.

Worst relegation prediction I’ve ever heard was from a Lincoln fan i used to work with, before the start of 16/17 season he said he though they would get relegated to Conference North because they were apparently skint because of some money they owed to the Co-op bank.

 

[AdamStag]

Bar Newport on the opening day, we've been largely poor in the league, following on from our disasterous ending to last season from when Flitcroft took over. He currently stands at 3 wins in 17.

The team are playing alright (apart from the 2nd half against Macclesfield, which was shambolic) but it's high time they and the manager started to deliver.

 

[Chris FGR]

How has George Williams started for you? He came from our academy, got signed by Fulham who loaned him out a few times, including to us - but each time he came here he picked up a serious injury. Was highly rated at one point, but he's always been disappointing to be honest and his goalscoring record for his position is pretty poor.

Started slow, but was brilliant against Stevenage and played very well v Swindon last Saturday as well. Lots of pace and trickery, plus intelligent movement. Fits into our fluid passing style well. Looks a good signing so far.

 

[Conker]

Bar Newport on the opening day, we've been largely poor in the league, following on from our disasterous ending to last season from when Flitcroft took over. He currently stands at 3 wins in 17.

The team are playing alright (apart from the 2nd half against Macclesfield, which was shambolic) but it's high time they and the manager started to deliver.

We have been average, not poor in pretty much every game the newport one included.

The only one you might consider poor is Macclesfield due to that second half, weirdly enough we have been brilliant in both cup games with minimal changes to the starting eleven.

 

[AdamStag]

We have been average, not poor in pretty much every game the newport one included.

The only one you might consider poor is Macclesfield due to that second half, weirdly enough we have been brilliant in both cup games with minimal changes to the starting eleven.

THink that’s the frustrating part. How can pretty much the same side play so well in cups but not in the league. Maybe Carlisle will get a hiding on Saturday haha