Saturday 5th March

[stevowanderer]

That 6-0 win for you unravelled everything and totally de-railed the season. Since then we sacked LJ, then it came out that Kyril Louis Dreyfuss only owns 40 odd percent of the club and madrox (stewart donald, methven and co) own the rest, hence why they are still penny pinching. Madrox are despised by fans after everything thats went on under their ownership (the grigg fiasco on safc till i die was a joke) . They got Kyril on board and fooled us into believing they had the smallest of percentages left in shares, 6% each or summit like that. Kyril acquires the rest of his wealth when he turns 25 so he may buy them out at that point but now we know why so little has been spent because he doesn’t own the majority. It’s been a circus lately. However Alex Neil imo is a good appointment who hopefully can get us in form for these play offs. However if we don’t go up this year i predict he will have us up there next year. This league is strong now and will be again next year so i just hope we can escape it soon. Lots of teams are impressing me this season and pompey/ipswich and yourselves are charging up the league. It’s going yo be a very interesting last third of the season.

We’ve been very good against the more traditional footballing sides this season. Beaten Ipswich twice, we played really well at your place and should have had at least a point and then the 6-0. We struggle against the more direct teams especially in bad weather conditions. It was similar last season. The teams that sit in and break on us or are great at set pieces usually have our number especially first half of the season.

If we can solve that going into next season (to some extent we already have by buying a target man in Bodvarsson) I think we will be a threat. But that has been our main downfall this season. I think we will be looking to strengthen defensively in the summer as we have a lot of forward options now (providing we can keep them). League 1 seems to get bigger and bigger teams every season. Either Derby or Reading will be down here next season with Barnsley. Peterborough are usually good at this level too… and only one of Wycombe, you, MK Dons (or Wigan), Ipswich, Pompey, Oxford, Plymouth, Sheff Wed will go up. It’s going to be even harder to get out of this league next season. I think Neill will need to put his own stamp on it and spend some money in the summer as plenty of those teams mentioned will be spending.

 

[K-Win]

It looks like a doozy of a play-off chase this season.

I did my analysis of the last 10 seasons a while back and 75 points guaranteed a playoff place every time. Seriously starting to wonder if that will be enough this season with most of the top 11 in great form. I reckon you may have to hit 78 points which is pretty crazy.

 

[SMH]

It looks like a doozy of a play-off chase this season.

I did my analysis of the last 10 seasons a while back and 75 points guaranteed a playoff place every time. Seriously starting to wonder if that will be enough this season with most of the top 11 in great form. I reckon you may have to hit 78 points which is pretty crazy.

It's because the gap between the top ten clubs in L1 and the bottom ten is probably the biggest it's ever been in the league's history in terms of player quality. Combined with heavily fancied clubs like Ipswich and Sheff Wed massively flopping which has burst the top six race wide open.

Ipswich in particular is an incredible story which I don't think has been talked about enough. It's probably been the worst achievement of any third tier club ever since the Football League rebrand to find themselves in 9th place in mid-march with the squad they have.

 

[WhiteRussian]

It's because the gap between the top ten clubs in L1 and the bottom ten is probably the biggest it's ever been in the league's history in terms of player quality. Combined with heavily fancied clubs like Ipswich and Sheff Wed massively flopping which has burst the top six race wide open.

Ipswich in particular is an incredible story which I don't think has been talked about enough. It's probably be the worst achievement of any third tier club ever since the Football League rebrand to find themselves in 9th place in mid-march with the squad they have.

You're absolutly correct about Ipswich. They should have walked the league with that squad and probably would have ifn they had got rid of Cook at the beginning of the season but with hindsight that's easy to say.

 

[GeneralLee]

It looks like a doozy of a play-off chase this season.

I did my analysis of the last 10 seasons a while back and 75 points guaranteed a playoff place every time. Seriously starting to wonder if that will be enough this season with most of the top 11 in great form. I reckon you may have to hit 78 points which is pretty crazy.

I have a feeling it might be even higher which is bonkers really.

 

[Tea Towel]

It's because the gap between the top ten clubs in L1 and the bottom ten is probably the biggest it's ever been in the league's history in terms of player quality. Combined with heavily fancied clubs like Ipswich and Sheff Wed massively flopping which has burst the top six race wide open.

Ipswich in particular is an incredible story which I don't think has been talked about enough. It's probably been the worst achievement of any third tier club ever since the Football League rebrand to find themselves in 9th place in mid-march with the squad they have.

Massively flopping is a bit harsh. We had transfer restrictions and have had massive injury problems this year.

Were we that heavily fancied? I seem to remember a few tipping us for a bottom half finish, a lot of mid table finishes with the odd play off shout.

I also don’t think the Championship is that good either. Blackpool have shown it can be done and anyone beats anyone on their day. Loads thought Huddersfield would struggle after their summer recruitment - me included. There are some very ordinary teams in there.

 

[SMH]

Massively flopping is a bit harsh. We had transfer restrictions and have had massive injury problems this year.

Were we that heavily fancied? I seem to remember a few tipping us for a bottom half finish, a lot of mid table finishes with the odd play off shout.

I also don’t think the Championship is that good either. Blackpool have shown it can be done and anyone beats anyone on their day. Loads thought Huddersfield would struggle after their summer recruitment - me included. There are some very ordinary teams in there.

I disagree mate. Barry Bannan is arguably the best player in the league. Chey Dunkley was a regular starter in a side that won this league with almost 100 points. Callum Paterson was a Premier League player not so long ago. All that is before taking into account the likes of Luongo, Windass, Gregory and Iorfa. You can't account for injuries, but you should be doing far better IMO with that squad and would have been if you didn't have that terrible start.

 

[Tea Towel]

I disagree mate. Barry Bannan is arguably the best player in the league. Chey Dunkley was a regular starter in a side that won this league with almost 100 points. Callum Paterson was a Premier League player not so long ago. All that is before taking into account the likes of Luongo, Windass, Gregory and Iorfa. You can't account for injuries, but you should be doing far better IMO with that squad and would have been if you didn't have that terrible start.

I agree they are very good players for this league but most of them you’ve named have missed large parts of the season. Luongo being back fit and our upturn in form was no coincidence, he lets Bannan play.

Paterson was a Premier League player but unfortunately ir doesn’t mean he had the ability. Before he got 3 in his last 4 he went 22 (I think) without a goal. Dreadful.

We’ve got Dunkley, Windass, and Harlee Dean back in full training now plus Gregory and Iorfa have been on the bench so we’re getting them back at the right time for the run in. Looking forward to it.

 

[BarrieOwl]

I disagree mate. Barry Bannan is arguably the best player in the league. Chey Dunkley was a regular starter in a side that won this league with almost 100 points. Callum Paterson was a Premier League player not so long ago. All that is before taking into account the likes of Luongo, Windass, Gregory and Iorfa. You can't account for injuries, but you should be doing far better IMO with that squad and would have been if you didn't have that terrible start.

I don't think we flopped more that we had to rebuild and it took time, injuries didn't help but that's no excuse for not being as consistent or ruthless for the first half of the season.

The hangover of relegation certainly played a part as well, we have thrown away 16 points from winning positions which is unforgivable at times but we are still in the hunt so what's gone has gone.

If we don't go up I'm not convinced Moore stays, and I'm not inspired with giving him some cash in the window when we can pay fees again.