Promotion Thread 2017/18

[07.05.16]

Come back to the relegation thread, where we belong.

Playoffs are very doable.
Until we get shithoused 0-1 by Shrewsbury on Saturday, then we'll be destined for relegation.

 

[Marked Ox]

If you get at Wigan you can unsettle them and have a lot of ball but if you switch off you'll get punished, as we found out. Genuinely matched them for most of the game but a few lapses of concentration meant we lost. Very clinical on the counter. Having players like Vaughan on their bench if it isn't working out ain't to bad either!

We only lost concentration against Wigan once, the problem was it was for 90mins.

 

[Gassy]

Playoffs are very doable.
Until we get shithoused 0-1 by Shrewsbury on Saturday, then we'll be destined for relegation.

Tbf, although we're closer to the play offs than relegation, i'm still looking over my shoulder personally.

Whilst we're on good form now, that will probably end soon and ultimately, we're weaker than we were at the beginning of the window, which is worrying.

Despite selling BB it seems that we haven't been able to get in a replacement. In fact, it's not looking overly likely that we'll make any signings really. At best, we'll make some last minute loan deals because yet again, for the 4th transfer window in a row, we failed to get any of our targets, whilst selling our 2 best players.

We've been playing well which is great and all, but we haven't exactly been playing top teams either.

Re-reading that through - god i sound negative

 

[07.05.16]

Tbf, although we're closer to the play offs than relegation, i'm still looking over my shoulder personally.

Whilst we're on good form now, that will probably end soon and ultimately, we're weaker than we were at the beginning of the window, which is worrying.

Despite selling BB it seems that we haven't been able to get in a replacement. In fact, it's not looking overly likely that we'll make any signings really. At best, we'll make some last minute loan deals because yet again, for the 4th transfer window in a row, we failed to get any of our targets, whilst selling our 2 best players.

We've been playing well which is great and all, but we haven't exactly been playing top teams either.

Re-reading that through - god i sound negative

Portsmouth were flying when we beat them, Bradford been top 6 all season, Donny were unbeaten in 10. 3 very good comeback wins IMO. Don't actually think we can challenge for the playoffs but we definitely have enough to stay up.

 

[Gassy]

Portsmouth were flying when we beat them, Bradford been top 6 all season, Donny were unbeaten in 10. 3 very good comeback wins IMO. Don't actually think we can challenge for the playoffs but we definitely have enough to stay up.

Pompey - fair enough
Bradford lost 4-0 at home to Wimbledon next game
Donny - fair

I agree that we'll stay up for the record, I'm still looking over my shoulder though.
Lets see how the final hours of the window go, maybe my mind will be changed

 

[joethegill]

Pompey - fair enough
Bradford lost 4-0 at home to Wimbledon next game
Donny - fair

I agree that we'll stay up for the record, I'm still looking over my shoulder though.
Lets see how the final hours of the window go, maybe my mind will be changed

Must admit I thought you'd struggle when Bodin left, especially considering your performance at Priestfield in December which can only be described as 'toothless'.

 

[Gassy]

Must admit I thought you'd struggle when Bodin left, especially considering your performance at Priestfield in December which can only be described as 'toothless'.

Hah - that's a compliment!

Form is temporary though, you know how it is. As quickly as yourselves & us have gone up the league, we can quickly drop.

 

[joethegill]

Hah - that's a compliment!

Form is temporary though, you know how it is. As quickly as yourselves & us have gone up the league, we can quickly drop.

True, I honestly don't see us dropping into any sort of trouble from here though. Our defence was good even when we were shit, we just couldn't score. Now we've hit on a system that's allowed both our strikers to already be in double figures and gets the best out of our more creative midfielders I think we'll be fine. Looking forward to Moussa making an impact too, along with any potential signings today - Clare rumoured to be coming back to strengthen the midfield still further, and maybe another back up forward.

Don't think you guys will be in any bother - it'd take a strong run from quite a lot of sides to put you in danger, which is unlikely.

 

[Roverthehill]

This promotion thread has a few more interested parties since the recent slumps of the teams in the play-offs. Still think Bradford will find some form and be comfortable play-offs by the end of the season. One team always comes out of nowhere.... who will it be though?

 

[PuB]

This promotion thread has a few more interested parties since the recent slumps of the teams in the play-offs. Still think Bradford will find some form and be comfortable play-offs by the end of the season. One team always comes out of nowhere.... who will it be though?

Ahem...

 

[joethegill]

Ahem...

Shhhh....

 

[SkyBluesRose]

Still think Bradford will find some form and be comfortable play-offs by the end of the season.

I don't know about that, they seem remarkably similar to Sheffield Wednesday up in the second division - they had an extremely strong team two years ago and were unlucky not to go up, and then things became stale afterwards in their team as they let their strength atrophy. Earlier in the season Bradford fans were saying that their team were playing horrendous football yet were still managing to get results, and now it seems that the wheels have fallen off the wheel in the past few weeks (a la Sheffield Wednesday earlier in the season this season) and they are left with a mediocre mid-table team.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

I don't know about that, they seem remarkably similar to Sheffield Wednesday up in the second division - they had an extremely strong team two years ago and were unlucky not to go up, and then things became stale afterwards in their team as they let their strength atrophy. Earlier in the season Bradford fans were saying that their team were playing horrendous football yet were still managing to get results, and now it seems that the wheels have fallen off the wheel in the past few weeks (a la Sheffield Wednesday earlier in the season this season) and they are left with a mediocre mid-table team.

We've had shit loads of injuries tbf, and our back up keepers wouldn't get in most non league teams, just look at most of the soft goals we've conceded recently. Our first choice is back this week as well as a couple of defenders, once we get our full squad back if we are still having crap results like Wimbledon and Bristol Rovers in the next couple of weeks then I'll agree it's terminal, but I think we may finally turn a corner in the next couple of weeks (hopefully).

We haven't played as well as last season, however up until a few weeks ago our stats baring goals conceded were far better than last.

 

[Bottega Don]

Surely Shrews fans can see they'll be out of the top 2 by New Year now?

bump

 

[Don Tonberry]

We're still in the fight just about despite not having won in 2018. Like Bradford, our luck with injuries has been absolutely horrendous with Henderson injured on his second debut for us.

MK away next week is huge for us.

 

[Marked Ox]

We're still in the fight just about despite not having won in 2018. Like Bradford, our luck with injuries has been absolutely horrendous with Henderson injured on his second debut for us.

MK away next week is huge for us.

Tbf, most sides have had injury problems. For example, we've had 1 player retire (Christian Ribiero), 6 players long term injured (Curtis Nelson*, Rob Hall, Ivo Pekalski*, Agon Mehmeti, Joe Rothwell and Gino Van Kessel) and 2 regularly having spells out injured in Wes Thomas and Jon Obika. They are all starters or challenging for 1st team football when fit apart from Gino who just isn't a footballer.

That isn't the reason we have been rubbish for chunks of this season though although it is a contributory factor in some team selections.

*Nelson is out for the season whilst Pekalski hasn't played for us yet after signing in the Summer and getting injured in his 1st day training with us.

 

[roversfan2001]

bump

Apologies for not having 20/20 foresight.

 

[Bobbin']

Apologies for not having 20/20 foresight.

You made it sound like you were 100% sure about it to be fair and that everyone should have been aswell.

 

[Jockney]

I don't know about that, they seem remarkably similar to Sheffield Wednesday up in the second division - they had an extremely strong team two years ago and were unlucky not to go up, and then things became stale afterwards in their team as they let their strength atrophy. Earlier in the season Bradford fans were saying that their team were playing horrendous football yet were still managing to get results, and now it seems that the wheels have fallen off the wheel in the past few weeks (a la Sheffield Wednesday earlier in the season this season) and they are left with a mediocre mid-table team.

They had a better side last season compared to the one of two seasons ago. They played better football and were far more threatening in the final against us than in the semis the previous year. The only outstanding teams in this league during that period were the two champions, Wigan and Sheffield United, and Barnsley (for the second half) and Scunthorpe (for the first half). Every other side managed to place in the top six mainly through attrition and organisation.

 

[Reaper]

Think theres a good chance that the 3 relegated sides from last season could go straight back up but Shrewsbury will have something to say about that who don't seem to drifting just yet.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

They had a better side last season compared to the one of two seasons ago. They played better football and were far more threatening in the final against us than in the semis the previous year. The only outstanding teams in this league during that period were the two champions, Wigan and Sheffield United, and Barnsley (for the second half) and Scunthorpe (for the first half). Every other side managed to place in the top six mainly through attrition and organisation.

Spot on, the year before (our last under Parkinson) was some of the worst football I have seen for years. We got in the playoffs by shithousing every week. Last season we dominated most games and probably should have been looking for top 2, but missed out due to lack of goal scorers.

 

[SF_]

Apologies for not having 20/20 foresight.

I think your next chance is the Aztec New Year.

 

[Ciderhead]

we've had 1 player retire (Christian Ribiero)

Hadn't heard Ribs had retired

He looked such a bright prospect coming through our academy, one particular standout game at home to Newcastle, but his career was just crippled by injuries. Such a shame.

 

[Marked Ox]

Hadn't heard Ribs had retired

He looked such a bright prospect coming through our academy, one particular standout game at home to Newcastle, but his career was just crippled by injuries. Such a shame.

Yes, sadly knee injuries just got too much. Currently a coach (doing his badges) with us although in public it has only been confirmed until the end of the season.

 

[beaufighter]

Only side in the top 7 to win and on a great run. Things are looking very good at the moment. We are as far away from the Autos as the likes of Posh at Pompey are from us. I wonder which way that will go?

 

[UTS]

There’s always a team that comes from nowhere to storm the play-offs on the last day...

Could it be us?

 

[T.A]

4 points off Bradford! 6 points off Oxford Just hand us the title now.

 

[loz]

4 points off Bradford! 6 points off Oxford Just hand us the title now.

Even Wimbledon have taken 6 points from Bradford with a 6-1 aggregate and they keep fairly within ffp so you can't be that good.

 

[T.A]

So do we unless you can prove differently?

 

[Hedonist Puncture]

Yes, sadly knee injuries just got too much. Currently a coach (doing his badges) with us although in public it has only been confirmed until the end of the season.

He played a fair bit for Scunny and I always enjoyed watching him attack. I looked away when he tried to defend. He is erudite and thoughtful and I wish him the best.