Promotion thread

[Trapdoor]

Down here in Devon we've got a 'proper chap' in charge, and would never result to time wasting and deliberately cheating to try and win a match / hold on for a 0-0 draw.

Are you extracting the michael lad? This season we played a lot more hoofball and indulged in more of the dark arts than we ever have in the past 10 seasons in my opinion. We aren't wycombe but we are far from saintly. Some of our bigger lads are more than happy to leave the boot in on occasion.

 

[Devon_Lad]

Are you extracting the michael lad? This season we played a lot more hoofball and indulged in more of the dark arts than we ever have in the past 10 seasons in my opinion. We aren't wycombe but we are far from saintly. Some of our bigger lads are more than happy to leave the boot in on occasion.

Referring to time wasting..

We don't do that.

 

[AdamStag]

Accrington do it, as do Wycombe and Exeter.

And where are they all in the league? Obviously a correlation in a bit of play acting and achieving results.

Far from suggesting the teams are solely there because of that, but it'll have assisted them in 50,50 games

 

[Davidimp]

Referring to time wasting..

We don't do that.

You did at our place when you were in front in the first half and at 2-2.
Remember your fans who went were less than happy with Tisdale for employing for doing it mind.

 

[Devon_Lad]

You did at our place when you were in front in the first half and at 2-2.
Remember your fans who went were less than happy with Tisdale for employing for doing it mind.

I was there and I didn't see any 'time wasting' in the sense of taking ages to take set pieces and faking injuries. If anything, we were trying to hurry the game on. We're known for our late come backs and fighting until the end. Just look at any highlights when we score, we literally grab the ball from the net/keeper and run back to the centre of the pitch, even if we've just grabbed a last minute equaliser away from home.

 

[Vanni]

I think there's a big difference in 'game management' between Exeter and the likes of Wycombe and Accrington. I mean, managing the game aka slowing the game down on certain occasions is way different to doing the same thing over and over in every league game right? And time wasting is only a small part of this; the worst bit of it all is the play acting. Refs are solely the ones to blame for time wasting as I don't think they do enough to put an end to it - FFS some sides slow the game down from the first minute and yet it's only after circa the 85th min or so that the officials tell them to get a move on and perhaps dish out a couple of yellows in the process. Play acting is a different beast altogether though, and to be fair to the match officials, much more harder to control. Just imagine some ref telling some guy to get up and then said player is subbed as he can't go on?

 

[Sydney Posse]

Have to say, absolutely the worst gamesmanship I have ever seen in 40 years of watching City was away at Wycombe a couple of seasons back. It was a night game, and I think the ref added about 15 mins. City fans were singing "we've got work in the morning" to try and get the message across. One of their players in the last 5 mins lay on the floor and looked stone dead, he actually did not move at all for about 2 mins. It was right in front of the away fans as well, and I genuinely thought he was out for the count. He eventually performed a miraculous recovery and was running about like a good un......on balance I have never seen Wycombe play like that at our place, so maybe it is just key games when this occurs. Walking back to the car after the game their fans were embarrassed. It was near the end of the season and Wycombe were chasing promotion and had bad injury worries and had a lot of youth on the bench, so maybe not surprising to use tactics like that given the circumstances

 

[BelizeHatter]

It's not like it's a shock. These tactics have been around for ages. Westley's Stevenage we're far worse it seems to me. You come up against these sides and you know it's gonna happen. Worst case you lose maybe a few mins of the game, so it's not like you have much less time. Gotta adapt and overcome as it's a tactic effectively used and as it bares fruit, may become even more common. It frustrates and frustrated play is never quite as fluid. However its absolutely brutal on the eye for the paying public

 

[Kenneth E End]

It's not like it's a shock. These tactics have been around for ages. Westley's Stevenage we're far worse it seems to me. You come up against these sides and you know it's gonna happen. Worst case you lose maybe a few mins of the game, so it's not like you have much less time. Gotta adapt and overcome as it's a tactic effectively used and as it bares fruit, may become even more common. It frustrates and frustrated play is never quite as fluid. However its absolutely brutal on the eye for the paying public

This is very true. I’d say Wycombe do try and be a bit less obvious, but they’re more consistent/persistent. Stevenage used to blatantly take the piss out of the referee and the opposition by flagrantly bending the rules in front of your face.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Too much moaning about this sort of stuff in my eyes, if your own club doesn’t indulge in a decent amount in the 4th tier of English football FFS then you are at best naive, and at worst thick as pig.....

 

[Devon_Lad]

Too much moaning about this sort of stuff in my eyes, if your own club doesn’t indulge in a decent amount in the 4th tier of English football FFS then you are at best naive, and at worst thick as pig.....

The tactics Wycombe use are cheating. They con the ref with fake injuries etc.

You cannot suggest a club is naive for not attempting to con the ref and cheat. I'd rather we were an honest side and did things the right way than cheat our way out of the division.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Time wasting when leading , on goal kicks and throw ins with the usual clear the mud from boots, towel to wipe ball, unable to pick ball up etc
Going down with cramp late on to break up the game
Making the player who is about to be subbed walk to far side of pitch before coming off
Surrounding the ref and moaning when there is a foul against one of your players to persuade to take more punishment
When a free kick is given against your team and you need more time to get defensively organised as the ball is being returned you purposely get in the way of it
Shirt pulling
Flagrant arms on aerial challenges
Keepers going down pretending to be hurt in a nothing challenge Cos they failed to take a routine cross.
Getting In the way of an attempted quick free kick.

I could go on.. they are all forms of cheating to some extent, they are all ‘dark arts’ gamesmanship. I see it every single week by all teams

 

[PiedPiper]

The tactics Wycombe use are cheating. They con the ref with fake injuries etc.

You cannot suggest a club is naive for not attempting to con the ref and cheat. I'd rather we were an honest side and did things the right way than cheat our way out of the division.

I personally feel that Coventry's and Lincoln's antics are far worse than Wycombe's Coventry players kept rolling around like they'd been shot when standing next to Noble trying to get him sent off because of his reputation whilst also pushing him trying to get a reaction and crowding the ref and then you have Lincoln's tactic of the goalie being injured so they can have a rest and a team talk and not lose a player for the next play. They need to do an ice hockey style thing in that situation where an outfield player sits on the sideline, or stop players from going near the bench in breaks of play

 

[Luke Imp]

Time wasting when leading , on goal kicks and throw ins with the usual clear the mud from boots, towel to wipe ball, unable to pick ball up etc
Going down with cramp late on to break up the game
Making the player who is about to be subbed walk to far side of pitch before coming off
Surrounding the ref and moaning when there is a foul against one of your players to persuade to take more punishment
When a free kick is given against your team and you need more time to get defensively organised as the ball is being returned you purposely get in the way of it
Shirt pulling
Flagrant arms on aerial challenges
Keepers going down pretending to be hurt in a nothing challenge Cos they failed to take a routine cross.
Getting In the way of an attempted quick free kick.

I could go on.. they are all forms of cheating to some extent, they are all ‘dark arts’ gamesmanship. I see it every single week by all teams

I think we've established by now from others that it's not what they do, but the regularity of it and the time it starts.

Difference between quietening a home crowd down for 10 minutes and hanging onto points in the final 10 and doing it for 90 minutes.

 

[Luke Imp]

I personally feel that Coventry's and Lincoln's antics are far worse than Wycombe's Coventry players kept rolling around like they'd been shot when standing next to Noble trying to get him sent off because of his reputation whilst also pushing him trying to get a reaction and crowding the ref and then you have Lincoln's tactic of the goalie being injured so they can have a rest and a team talk and not lose a player for the next play. They need to do an ice hockey style thing in that situation where an outfield player sits on the sideline, or stop players from going near the bench in breaks of play

We got away with that all season last year although Farman had a double hernia and was having pain killing injections in the final 3 months of the season so it was justified in some instances.

Not happened that much this season. Got accused of it away at Luton IIRC but Vickers actually tore his thigh muscle and is still out injured with it.

That's why DC said something along the lines of, "I'm not going to criticise Wycombe for it because you've got to be good enough to beat it and I've employed tactics like that before"

 

[Kenneth E End]

So permutations for Luton today...

If Luton win they are promoted.
If Luton draw only a win from Exeter and draw from Wycombe can stop Luton being virtually promoted because of GD.
If Luton lose, they can still be promoted if Exeter lose.

 

[denzel ecfc]

I'm hoping that Lutons celebrations are on ice for at least another week

 

[Kenneth E End]

I'm hoping that Lutons celebrations are on ice for at least another week

Not beyond the realms of possibility, but both yourselves and Wycombe have to overtake us which is almost impossible.

 

[Luke Imp]

Big four minutes at so at Field Mill and Sincil Bank today! Certainly needed that with Coventry and Tuesday and then Accrington on Saturday.

4 from 3 games needed, assuming Mansfield pick up maximum points.

 

[jacobncfc]

Very routine win for us and, with the Wycombe and Exeter results, a faint hope of nicking third has grown into a genuine outside hope of nicking third.

 

[Super_horns]

Congratulations to Luton.

Stevenage have both Wycombe and Exeter to play so will have a big say.

 

[Moomin]

Very routine win for us and, with the Wycombe and Exeter results, a faint hope of nicking third has grown into a genuine outside hope of nicking third.

Yep a good day for you. I just can’t call the final two games for any of us. I expect there will be some weird results and it’s going to be a long week waiting for the next game.

I expect Wycombe fans will be fearing the worst after today’s loss but they really should get a win on Saturday now Chesterfield are as good as down. We just both have to win to take it to the final day for more squeaky bum time.

 

[jacobncfc]

Yep a good day for you. I just can’t call the final two games for any of us. I expect there will be some weird results and it’s going to be a long week waiting for the next game.

I expect Wycombe fans will be fearing the worst after today’s loss but they really should get a win on Saturday now Chesterfield are as good as down. We just both have to win to take it to the final day for more squeaky bum time.

The problem for Wycombe is that they've completely stopped scoring. Not sure how long he's expected to be out for, but Akinfenwa being injured isn't going to help that.

We've got momentum now, but Grimsby away next week isn't really the game that we'd want. We're pretty poor away from home full stop, but have been routinely dreadful away at the bottom few teams.

With our goal difference, another two wins would put the pressure on Exeter and Wycombe to match it.

 

[JJ1532]

91 - Guaranteed Champions 2018
90 - Champions 2015, Accrington(43)
89 - Champions 2012 Predicted Champions 2018
88 -
87 - Champions 2016, 2017
86 -
85 - Automatic Promotion 2016
84 - Automatic Promotion 2012 Guaranteed Automatics 2018, Luton(44)
83 -
82 - Champions 2014
81 - Predicted Automatics 2018
80 - Champions 2013
79 -
78 - Automatic Promotion 2017, Wycombe(44)
------------------------------------------------------------
77 - Automatic Promotion 2013, 2014, Exeter(44)
76 - Predicted Play Offs 2018, Notts County(44)
75 - Guaranteed Play Offs 2018
74 -
73 -
72 -
71 - Play Offs 2012, Lincoln(43), Coventry(43)
-------------------------------------------------------------
70 - Play Offs 2016, 2017
69 - Play Offs 2015
68 - Play Offs 2013, Mansfield(44)
67 -
67 -
66 -
65 -
64 -
63 - Play Offs 2014

Forthcoming fixtures:

1st Accrington(43) - 90 points. Newport(A), Lincoln(H), Swindon(A)
2nd Luton(44) - 84 points. Forest Green(H), Notts County(A)
3rd Wycombe(44) - 78 points. Chesterfield(A), Stevenage(H)
---------------------------------------------------
5th Exeter(44) - 77 points. Stevenage(A), Colchester(H)
4th Notts County(44) - 76 points. Grimsby(A), Luton(H)
8th Lincoln(43) - 71 points. Coventry(A), Accrington(A), Yeovil(H)
7th Coventry(43) - 71 points. Lincoln(H), Cheltenham(A), Morecambe(H)
--------------------------------------------------
8th Mansfield(44) - 68 points. Yeovil(A), Crawley(H)

Another congratulations go to Accrington, they only need a point from their last 3 to finish as Champions. Can't believe how they blew Wycombe away, now 17-2-1 in their last 20 games. That is unreal form, simply unreal.

Luton punch their ticket for League One, they deserve it and can't feel too disheartened, that Accrington form would have killed any team, they are about to see the title go to a team that will finish with the most points in over 6 years. Shows how impressive Accy have been. Best of luck to Luton next season, now go and get that bloody stadium situation sorted!

The race for third got blown wide open. All those County and Exeter fans who were already planning for the play offs might want to rethink that. Yes, you would back Wycombe to beat Chesterfield, who will probably be down come next Saturday's game. But Wycombe have gone ice cold up front and lost form at the worst possible moment. 2 wins in 6 isn't shocking, but 3 goals from their last 6 is. As is their demolition against Accrington, not to mention losing Akinfenwa. They should win next weekend, but its no sure thing at the moment.

Exeter will be kicking themselves I'm sure, a win against Crawley would have put them 3rd and in the driving seat. Just got to keep plugging away and hope for a Wycombe slip up, which could happen. Same goes for Notts County, they'll need more luck on their side given their last fixture is against Luton. Although saying that, Luton will probably have nothing to play come the final day, so maybe that is more winnable than it first seems. I can't call who gets that final spot, literally wide open.

Lincoln and Coventry barring a miracle will finish in those final 2 play off spots. Does the winner of Tuesday's game decide who finishes 6th and 7th? A win for either team in that game confirms their play off spot.

Carlisle and Swindon both see their seasons end as their inconsistency cost them in the end. Now only Mansfield, who too can't get anything going, can still reach the top 7. You feel their chance went against Port Vale, win there and they have a chance, but a draw kills them pretty much.

So, title sorted, top 2 sorted, top 7 sorted. Just need to work out who goes up automatically with Accy and Luton, one of 3 teams. Then it's between Lincoln and Coventry for who finishes 6th and 7th.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Congratulations to Luton. Well deserved as you were the best side I saw at the Park all season.
Just hope we can at least force it to go to the last day now though I fear we have blown it. Crawleys keeper should be given the freedom of Wycombe

 

[Youpies]

Exeter and Wycombe both have easy run ins so if they blow it from here, it's really deserved. Important thing for us is that we take form into the play offs. I think we will take it to the last day, but being 2 points behind with 6 to play for just requires too much luck

 

[Kenneth E End]

Wow. What a day yesterday - it turned in one minute.

Olly Lee equalised and then pretty much 30 seconds later Crawley equalised against Exeter.

In reality, even if it wouldn't be officially confirmed, with Wycombe being hammered at home to Accrington, Luton's result was irrelevant because of the huge GD advantage. They would've been 6 points clear with 2 games left with something like 35 goals ahead.

Oh and what plum decided to do a server upgrade on yesterday of all days.

 

[oakroader]

The Luton train has eventually reached its destination.....
Choo fucking choo .....

 

[oakroader]

 

[oakroader]