Relegation Thread 2019/20 (sponsored by Steve Dale)

[Conker]

I’m surprised GC has not come in to criticism at Mansfield to be honest, be unfair like but the expectation I got when he came in was to get us nicely mid-table and rebuild for a top 7 push next season, but anything that’s not relegation is the aim now.

He’s technically still inexperienced, having only done the job at Bristol Rovers but he undoubtedly did a brilliant job turning them from relegation form to promotion in L1. I will say we have and are definitely getting better, but admittedly not getting the results mostly due to a complete lack of fitness (Dempster fault) and a lack of any bollocks whatsoever (Dempster and players fault)

 

[Blue Lion]

As has been mentioned, our points deduction for the Plymouth postponement hasn't been decided yet but likely to be another 4 points. Not had a result from our appeal either but I imagine it will be rejected, which will most likely cut our advantage over Stevenage to 3 points. Apparently Westley has said in some interview that he thinks we should be docked yet more points from somewhere - every little helps in their procession to the Championship I suppose.

Another thing to consider - not that I've seen us play for a while now - but our current team on paper looks significantly weaker than the team that started the season, especially after the deadline day exodus. And with a change of owner still as distant a prospect as it was back in November, just limping over the the finish line is about as much as we can currently hope for.

 

[shoddycollins]

I’m surprised GC has not come in to criticism at Mansfield to be honest, be unfair like but the expectation I got when he came in was to get us nicely mid-table and rebuild for a top 7 push next season, but anything that’s not relegation is the aim now.

He’s technically still inexperienced, having only done the job at Bristol Rovers but he undoubtedly did a brilliant job turning them from relegation form to promotion in L1. I will say we have and are definitely getting better, but admittedly not getting the results mostly due to a complete lack of fitness (Dempster fault) and a lack of any bollocks whatsoever (Dempster and players fault)

There's been some interesting managerial changes, and as pointed out over half the division have now twisted. Ian Holloway and Derek Adams have both been eyebrow raising appointments, and well respected managers, but a lot of clubs going for youth and new ideas. Maybe Stevenage's collapse combined with the reduction in relegation places has left some of us feeling like the risk would be worth it. Beech has definitely done well and it does sound like Coughlan will be backed in the summer.

Stevenage bucking the trend by going with a washed up familiar face, will probably totally backfire.

 

[Trapdoor]

I think Westley will make Stevenage harder to beat than they were previously. Even if he doesn't get them scoring goals he will teach them to use the dark arts more effectively and have them playing niggly, disruptive football. I can see them scraping out of it, although I hope they don't 'cause f*ck Westley.

 

[shoddycollins]

I think Westley will make Stevenage harder to beat than they were previously. Even if he doesn't get them scoring goals he will teach them to use the dark arts more effectively and have them playing niggly, disruptive football. I can see them scraping out of it, although I hope they don't 'cause f*ck Westley.

Looking at your match report, you may have made quite hard work of it, but Westley doesn't appear to have improved them much and they lost Novak and Guthrie to Bradford. Isn't making hard work of beating teams at home just kind of Exeter's thing?

 

[Luke Imp]

9/2 on us is very tempting to lump on!!

A proper 6 pointer at Morecambe on Tues night mind you. Win that and we're still in a strong position even with another 4 points docked. Lose it and it looks closer to being a 2 horse race for bottom spot.

I felt guilty doing so, but I got #MaccAttack at 10's as the rumours were starting to surface about players not being paid.

 

[shoddycollins]

I felt guilty doing so, but I got #MaccAttack at 10's as the rumours were starting to surface about players not being paid.

I suspect that was the reason why betting was briefly suspended on relegation (and not as HG suspects, because Carlisle relegation was seen as a foregone conclusion)

 

[Trapdoor]

Isn't making hard work of beating teams at home just kind of Exeter's thing?

Not universally, we smashed Plymouth 4-0 without getting out of second gear.

Also I don't think we struggled against Stevenage, we hit the post, missed a few which should have gone in and had most of the possession throughout the game. If it had been 3-1 it would have been a fair result. They just happened to get an equaliser with their only shot of the game.

 

[The Terminator]

Another thing with Stevenage, is that they sacked Dino Maamria - Fair enough, but then took forever to replace him with Mark Sampson being in charge as caretaker for like 3 months I think.

Maamria to his credit has managed to steady the ship at Oldham.

Has hiring Mark Sampson maybe divided the dressing room behind the scenes? He keeps getting investigated by the FA for his conduct it seems.

They don't have a huge budget there either.

 

[valefan16]

Another thing with Stevenage, is that they sacked Dino Maamria - Fair enough, but then took forever to replace him with Mark Sampson being in charge as caretaker for like 3 months I think.

Maamria to his credit has managed to steady the ship at Oldham.

Has hiring Mark Sampson maybe divided the dressing room behind the scenes? He keeps getting investigated by the FA for his conduct it seems.

They don't have a huge budget there either.

Oddly Maamria is literally Westley loads of antics, feigning etc, last season was the worst I’ve ever seen and our players could actually hear their players discussing who’s turn it was to go down and one player apologised to Pope saying he hated having to do it!

Then they hire Sampson who at least tried getting them to play football a bit and be more honest shall we say...

Then he’s gone and go back to Westley ball!

 

[Conker]

Maamria has done a decent enough job at Stevenage and Oldham IMO.

 

[BlackHaddock]

Stevenage, odious plaice, odious club.

Please let them return to non-league football and allow Macclesfield to remain for a while.

 

[AdamStag]

From the bottom of my heart Stevenage, thank you

 

[AdamStag]

Stevenage, odious plaice, odious club.

Please let them return to non-league football and allow Macclesfield to remain for a while.

Morecambe and Macclesfield would be excellent to stop up, especially if you live in manchester

 

[Conker]

We are fully relying on Stevenage not being able to string some results together now, because we might not win again this season.

I’m genuinely more interested in Stevenage games now, it’s all in their court. We are incapable of saving ourselves.

 

[AdamStag]

We are fully relying on Stevenage not being able to string some results together now, because we might not win again this season.

I’m genuinely more interested in Stevenage games now, it’s all in their court. We are incapable of saving ourselves.

I genuinely think we will go down

 

[valefan16]

I genuinely think we will go down

Only if you go into administration! Stevenage are showing no signs of clawing together points.

 

[Blue Lion]

By all accounts we we're playing like a side whose off field issues have finally caught up with them. As if things couldn't get any worse we are now deep in a relegation battle and Morecambe are suddenly looking more comfortable. Sounds like fans are turning on Kennedy as well.

Our next five games are Exeter, Plymouth twice, Crewe and Salford. Golden chance for Stevenage to catch up if they fancy it.

 

[AdamStag]

Only if you go into administration! Stevenage are showing no signs of clawing together points.

Which is why I’m so greatful

 

[AdamStag]

By all accounts we we're playing like a side whose off field issues have finally caught up with them. As if things couldn't get any worse we are now deep in a relegation battle and Morecambe are suddenly looking more comfortable. Sounds like fans are turning on Kennedy as well.

Our next five games are Exeter, Plymouth twice, Crewe and Salford. Golden chance for Stevenage to catch up if they fancy it.

If it makes you feel any better our next 6 games are
Newport H
Cheltenham A
Swindon H
Northampton A
crewe H
Salford A

taking into account you should be above us in the first place we’re all relying on Stevenage being shit

 

[hellogregory]

Yeah we’re the same, totally hoping that Stevenage don’t string some results together, because we look a really poor team and the few players who seem to be decent for us seem to be dropping onto the treatment table like flies.

Things were looking extremely worrying at half time, but thankfully Bradford turned it around. I still wouldn’t be surprised if Stevenage do pick up a couple of wins out of somewhere. All they need to do is be within 5 points of us with 2 games left then they’ll have a great chance of staying up and relegating us at brunton park on the final day.

 

[The_Boss]

By all accounts we we're playing like a side whose off field issues have finally caught up with them. As if things couldn't get any worse we are now deep in a relegation battle and Morecambe are suddenly looking more comfortable. Sounds like fans are turning on Kennedy as well.

Our next five games are Exeter, Plymouth twice, Crewe and Salford. Golden chance for Stevenage to catch up if they fancy it.

I actually think people have got far too carried away with the "quality" of this squad, and it is actually pretty darn poor. We have no cutting edge whatsoever.

Defenders who get caught out of position a lot and are very slow. Tidy players in midfield but not strong enough to dictate games. Hard working centre forward with zero goal threat. Pacy wingers with no end product.

We are seriously in the shit now.

 

[AdamStag]

Given our run of games I’m really concerned

 

[Blue Lion]

I actually think people have got far too carried away with the "quality" of this squad, and it is actually pretty darn poor. We have no cutting edge whatsoever.

Defenders who get caught out of position a lot and are very slow. Tidy players in midfield but not strong enough to dictate games. Hard working centre forward with zero goal threat. Pacy wingers with no end product.

We are seriously in the shit now.

Defence is now shipping soft goals unlike earlier in the season and lacking cover. Midfield looks very lightweight now that Harris is gone. Attack has been toothless all season and now severely lacking in numbers, hence why Blyth has been getting so much game time recently.

In previous months you could bet on us at least scraping a few 0-0s along the way. But with Harris, Evans, Vassell, Osadebe, MWH & Gomis all gone and Archibald not contributing much, any quality we may have had earlier in the season has all but disappeared.

And let's not forget the upcoming points deduction, the fun never ends....

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

In the next 4 weeks we play Macclesfield, Morecambe, Stevenage and Mansfield (we also play Plymouth and Exeter).

I'll judge who the worst one is out of the four by the 14th March.

 

[Pennywise]

Mansfield fans turning into Carlisle fans, I see. It’s boring. Stop.

It’s a two horse race and one of them has one leg. Simple.

 

[E10rifle]

Just had a peek at Stevenage’s fixtures. The only glimmer they’ve got is that they’re playing the six sides immediately above them, as well as mid-table shite like Salford, Walsall and Newport. Still can’t see them picking up more than 10 points.

 

[Chris FGR]

Mansfield fans turning into Carlisle fans, I see. It’s boring. Stop.

It’s a two horse race and one of them has one leg. Simple.

Agree, although in Mansfield's case their season has been incredibly poor, so you can see why they're down. That squad/budget should be challenging, not one of the worst sides in the division. They could well have gone down without Bury and Macc's troubles, which is ridiculous.

 

[AdamStag]

It’s also not aided by the fact that the fans pretty much hate most of the players and the players hate the fans - there’s nothing between the 2 at all. I’m pretty hopeful that all but a handful of the players stay for next season. I could count on one hand the players I’d keep if I had my way

The culture of the players that was bourne under Evans festered under flitcroft and ran riot under the hopeless dempster. Most of the old guard of players are complete c***.

The thing I like about coughlan is that it’s pretty evident he’s not a man to take any shit, once he gets in his players playing how he likes ive no doubt he’ll rule the roost.

Thanks to Stevenage well probably stop up, but this side won’t make it to 50 points, never.

 

[Conker]

Agree, although in Mansfield's case their season has been incredibly poor, so you can see why they're down. That squad/budget should be challenging, not one of the worst sides in the division. They could well have gone down without Bury and Macc's troubles, which is ridiculous.

We are a embarrassment quite frankly, it’s still unlikely we will go down but I swear to god it’s completely in Stevenage hands - we are not capable of any sort of relegation battle.