Who will win the league - Part 2

[Harrier94]

Don't worry FGR fans we'll do our best

 

[Si Robin]

Private Fraser is/was Mark Halliwell, co-commentator on Radio Glos and local journo. I know what you mean about his attitude, but I tend to have the very similar opinions as him so have never really had a disagreement with him.

Sadly, I also now only see it as a two horse race.

 

[Tom Fgr]

Don't worry FGR fans we'll do our best

Ill be in the Kidderminster end on tuesday!

 

[Master D]

Grimsby now have 15 games to prepare for the playoffs.

 

[Mariner2015]

Grimsby now have 15 games to prepare for the playoffs.

7 wins should confirm it for us (mathematically). We have had the scenario in previous years about resting players or going into the play-offs being the inform team but I personally think its all rubbish. Newport rested all there players against us and were out of form and we even beat them 3-0 in the game before we played them in the play-offs and they went on to win the play-offs. Cambridge lost their previous 4 games before going into the play-offs and ended up winning them. Then Bristol Rovers took Barnet to the last game of the season (in which some people said they would be mentally drained) and won them. No correlation for me.

 

[Son of Cod]

Yep we're done now. See you in the hell lottery Forest Green, Tranmere and whoever else gets there.

Agree with Mariner2015, too. It's all about who wants it more and/or gets the rub of the ref's decisions. Both factors that have prevented us in the last three seasons.

 

[EnglishRed]

I don't think Tranmere will make it. They've played too many games and have pulled themselves up there on the back of fairly unimpressive wins against struggling teams. Failing to beat Aldershot is not the result of a team bound for the play offs.

FGR, Grimsby, Eastleigh and Braintree for me. I'll be cheering on the Fishys.

 

[Greenacres]

It pains me to say that I think it will probably be our near neighbours who win the league, assuming that both teams don't suffer massive slumps in form and throw their lead away over the following pack. I have just had a look at the remaining fixtures and feel that we have it slightly easier up till the end of March, and harder in April, with the situation reversed for Cheltenham. So, I think that we would need to be top of the table at the end of next month to have any confidence in finishing as Champions, otherwise it is more than likely that we will have a second year "enjoying" the play-off lottery.

I tend to agree with the view of EnglishRed, on who will make the play-offs, based on current form...apart from the glaringly obvious!

 

[EnglishRed]

It'll be a tough one to call when it actually comes to the play offs. It looks likely, assuming Cheltenham are champions (and we all know nothing is certain in this league) that Grimsby and FGR will make it. Youd assume they would get to the final as I think squad wise they have the strongest teams but on the day they are pretty evenly matched. If Eastleigh had a defense I'd consider them real contenders but they seem keen to stay in this league.

Having sat at Wembley supporting a losing play off final team I know how horrible it is, which is why ill be supporting Grimsby, wouldnt want them to go through that twice.

Newport....bloody Newport!!

 

[Greenacres]

Definitely a tough call with the play-offs, where often the team who finish second in the table fail to show up at all. This may be due to the disappointment of missing out on direct promotion, particularly if they only missed out by a narrow margin. In the last couple of seasons Bristol Rovers and Cambridge managed to buck that trend, having finished in second place, but to be fair they were both somewhat better than the other teams in the play-offs and deserved promotion. Plenty of twists and turns still to go and, whilst I think the current top three will make play-offs at least, you have maybe nine or ten teams with a realistic chance of making the remaining play-off positions.

 

[Clarkey_GTFC]

We won't lose at Wembley again. No way. We've already lost there 3 times, not happening again. Surely.

 

[EnglishRed]

Definitely a tough call with the play-offs, where often the team who finish second in the table fail to show up at all. This may be due to the disappointment of missing out on direct promotion, particularly if they only missed out by a narrow margin. In the last couple of seasons Bristol Rovers and Cambridge managed to buck that trend, having finished in second place, but to be fair they were both somewhat better than the other teams in the play-offs and deserved promotion. Plenty of twists and turns still to go and, whilst I think the current top three will make play-offs at least, you have maybe nine or ten teams with a realistic chance of making the remaining play-off positions.

We fell foul of that after busting a gut battling with Fleetwood (98 points and nothing!). That first game against Luton at their place we were lethargic and not up to the required standard. Although we came close to pulling it back in the home leg the damage had already been done. Conversely we did over Kiddie after their chasing of Mansfield the following season. Again they looked a spent force.

 

[Greenacres]

We fell foul of that after busting a gut battling with Fleetwood (98 points and nothing!). That first game against Luton at their place we were lethargic and not up to the required standard. Although we came close to pulling it back in the home leg the damage had already been done. Conversely we did over Kiddie after their chasing of Mansfield the following season. Again they looked a spent force.

I am worried that that might happen to us this season, miss out on promotion by a couple of points and then blow it in the play-offs. Last season we had started to lose our way well before being humbled over two games by the Gas. Our form had dropped off in the last few games of the regular season, we had resorted to lumping long balls forward to Parkin, which did work to a degree but was awful to watch. This season I think there is a bit more steel to the team, the balance is certainly far better, but we all know that the play-offs are still a massive lottery.

 

[Tom Fgr]

I think Tranmere will go up via play offs. I can see Eastleigh dropping off because of their poor pitch, and Dover sneaking a play off spot.

Cheltenham are too consistent, can't see them dropping many points. Both teams are heading for a very high total amount of points, both should be hitting the 100 mark imo. On paper Cheltenham have the easier run in, but as everyone knows too well, anything can happen in football.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Looking forward to next Saturdays game at Prenton Park, which is the graveyard of unbeaten runs.. a 2-0 win over the Leicester side that won League One with 100 odd points etc. A post on our forum pointed out that if Cheltenham win midweek we will beat them, if they lose.. they'll beat us. Tranmere logic for you!

I don't think Tranmere will make it. They've played too many games and have pulled themselves up there on the back of fairly unimpressive wins against struggling teams. Failing to beat Aldershot is not the result of a team bound for the play offs.

Not a fantastic result, but our wins have been convincing in my eyes, opposition teams are barely getting a sniff of our goal. We've conceded 1 goal in the last 4 games. With the purchase of Higdon, you'd expect is to stop being so wasteful infront of goal. We play 6 of the current top 11 teams at Prenton Park before the end of the season, the points tally of those games will probably decide whether we finish 4th>8th.

 

[Back in the DHSS]

Given the resources Gary Brabin has had, Tranmere should be making the play offs, but I'm not convinced. So I would like FGR to go up as Champions and Eastleigh via the play offs, thus getting rid of the 2 moneybags and making next season a more even playing field.

 

[Vanni]

Yes, Rovers managed to get themselves up for the play offs after the disappointment of losing the title to Barnet, but I reckon they already knew before their last game against Alfreton that the title was going to Barnet. I believe they approached that particular game without any pressure at all, and it showed when they put 7 goals past Alfreton. So, imo, they were already preparing for the play offs before that last match.

Otoh, we knew there was no catching Luton so the main target was making the po's as early as possible to give us enough time to prepare. I believe we were better than Gateshead in the final, but still, better on the day doesn't always matter for much in football. When Gateshead pulled a goal back, and we were playing the last 10 mins or so with 10 men, I was reminded of our two previous failed attempts. If they had taken the match to et, then I doubt we would've gone up.

I fully believe that those sides that go into the final day with a chance of winning the title, and then fail to do so, stand less chance than those sides who have had more time to prepare. And luck certainly plays it's part on the day.

Re. my picks for the po's this year( Grimsby and one of FGR/Cheltenham are a given) it's two from Eastleigh, Dover and Tranmere, but there is still more than enough time for sides like Wrexham to turn things round.

 

[EnglishRed]

Given the resources Gary Brabin has had, Tranmere should be making the play offs, but I'm not convinced. So I would like FGR to go up as Champions and Eastleigh via the play offs, thus getting rid of the 2 moneybags and making next season a more even playing field.

Unfortunately there always seems to be moneybags coming up from the leagues below nowadays. Whitehawk, Fylde, Ebbsfleet etc etc.

With the parachute payments being even more generous for relegated teams I'm starting to think we'll never get out of this league

 

[Si Robin]

Looking forward to next Saturdays game at Prenton Park, which is the graveyard of unbeaten runs.. a 2-0 win over the Leicester side that won League One with 100 odd points etc. A post on our forum pointed out that if Cheltenham win midweek we will beat them, if they lose.. they'll beat us. Tranmere logic for you!

Interestingly, if we don't lose against Kiddy on Tuesday then we'll equal our longest ever league unbeaten run. Last time our run was bookended by defeats to Telford. On Saturday we play Tranmere, who our last defeat was against. Not saying I expect defeat next Saturday, but I won't be surprised.

 

[FGRJC]

Unfortunately there always seems to be moneybags coming up from the leagues below nowadays. Whitehawk, Fylde, Ebbsfleet etc etc.

With the parachute payments being even more generous for relegated teams I'm starting to think we'll never get out of this league

You will get out don't worry conference north will soon be calling

 

[EnglishRed]

I think we are stable enough to ensure that doesn't happen, barring some sort of disaster. It's not like we are completely propped up by the private fortune of one man or anything

 

[ROBH]

Nothing done yet, three points for a win and anything can happen.

 

[GEORGE]

I feel very sorry for either Cheltenham or Forest Green --- Well the team that misses out on automatic promotion because they'll probably be at least 10 points ahead of third place and will probably fail in the play offs.
Mind you imagine a Forest Green v Dover final -- I dread to think what the crowd would be. Possibly put the whole lot together in one pen.
Got a suspicion Tranmere will get there and win it.

 

[CTFCfan99]

I'd still fancy our chances in the playoffs but obviously all the old cliches of it being a lottery and form going out the window etc come into play and I'd quite like to avoid that. Never seen us promoted automatically either (I started following us a couple of years after we last escaped the Conference) so that'd be nice.

 

[BeesKnees]

I feel very sorry for either Cheltenham or Forest Green --- Well the team that misses out on automatic promotion because they'll be at least 10 points ahead of third place and will probably fail in the play offs.
Mind you imagine a Forest Green v Dover final -- I dread to think what the crowd would be. Possibly put the whole lot together in one pen.
Got a suspicion Tranmere will get there and win it.

As long as the club's that make the play off final do so on merit then good luck to them regardless of the size if their fan base. I must confess this post grates a little considering Bristol Rovers got promoted on penalties
Both relegated sides getting promoted would be a first.

 

[Dean]

We are in the unusual situation whereby if the season finished today we would face Grimsby in the play offs. We also face them on the final day of the season and would mean we play them 3 times in a week. Wouldn't know what to make of that. Would probably beat them in the league and then get thrashed in the play offs!

 

[Greenacres]

We are in the unusual situation whereby if the season finished today we would face Grimsby in the play offs. We also face them on the final day of the season and would mean we play them 3 times in a week. Wouldn't know what to make of that. Would probably beat them in the league and then get thrashed in the play offs!

How bizarre, we are in the same situation with Dover.

 

[Clarkey_GTFC]

Happened when we first made the playoffs against Newport. We battered them in the league game and they battered us in the playoffs.

 

[BarnwoodCTFC]

A few seasons back, we missed out on automatic promotion on the last day drawing at home to Bradford. We had been in the top three pretty much all season, we then drew Northampton in the play offs who had been in awful form and lost both legs 1-0.

 

[appletablepenny]

We won't lose at Wembley again. No way. We've already lost there 3 times, not happening again. Surely.

Guiseley lost in the Conference North playoffs (2 finals) for four consecutive seasons before they escaped.....

From a purely selfish perspective, I'd like to be playing Grimsby and Tranmere next year, which is something I could never say about FGR, Eastleigh or even Braintree and Dover. That's assuming Altrincham survive, which certainly isn't a given.