Who will win the league??

[les.gtfc]

You have dropped too many points against Bottom 6 six sides. Am I right in thinking its 2 draws with Torquay, a draw with Kiddy and a Draw at home to Guiseley. Big mistakes.

Correct, and as you say it could ultimately end up costing us come the end of the season. IF we do have to settle for the play-offs though I'd like to think that we could be more than able to go that one step further this time.

 

[Jemfy]

Our last 6 away games (FGR, Woking, Macc, Cheltenham, Dover and Tranmere) are not the best 6 teams you'd want in the run-in but if we are going to overhaul Cheltenham then we need to be winning most, if not all. We're already being shown live at FGR and I'm sure the Cheltenham game will be nailed on for live coverage it we're still up there.

I don't think it's as bad as you make out. Cheltenham and FGR are big ones, but then they have to play you too. Woking and/or Macc could be out of the playoff picture by the time you play them, have to wait and see on that of course. Dover could be secure on one side of the line or the other too, and I seriously doubt Tranmere will be fighting for something on the last day.

It could be advantageous not to be playing these teams in the middle of the season when they believe they have it all to play for, it all depends on what happens between now and then of course.

 

[Jemfy]

You have dropped too many points against Bottom 6 six sides. Am I right in thinking its 2 draws with Torquay, a draw with Kiddy and a Draw at home to Guiseley. Big mistakes.

Maybe, but if they beat the top 6 sides then it's all made up for. While it's better to be consistent and get the most points, if you're going to drop them it's better not to do it against your rivals. It's the loss to Cheltenham that's the worst. With a draw in that game they would be 2 points behind if they win their game in hand (FGR and Cheltenham would be level). A win and they would have even be able to go joint top with FGR (and a win in the game in hand of course).

 

[Vanni]

Correct, and as you say it could ultimately end up costing us come the end of the season. IF we do have to settle for the play-offs though I'd like to think that we could be more than able to go that one step further this time.

But on the other hand, one could say you lot dropped points at a time when sides are still settling down. AFAIC, the title race starts after January and it's at this time when one simply cannot drop points to the smaller sides. There's also the fact that Cheltenham have yet to pass through a sticky patch, and all sides have one. The only exceptions have been the likes of Fleetwood etc when they were romping their way to the title, and going on the admittedly little I've seen so far, I don't think Cheltenham are quite as strong as these sides were.

 

[Southern Shayman]

Cheltenham will have a blip. It all depends on if Grimsby have kept the pace to take advantage of it.

My money at the minute is:

Grimsby
FGR
Cheltenham
Eastleigh
Tranmere

In that order

 

[CTFCfan99]

I'd be very surprised if FGR finish above us given their record against top half teams, I think most CTFC fans see Grimsby as the real threat.

We're arguably having a blip right now - we've not played particularly well for a couple of months now but we're still somehow grinding out the wins despite mounting injuries and below par performances. Yesterday's comeback is going to be huge for us, after that we're going to feel totally unbeatable.

 

[Son of Cod]

Maybe, but if they beat the top 6 sides then it's all made up for. While it's better to be consistent and get the most points, if you're going to drop them it's better not to do it against your rivals. It's the loss to Cheltenham that's the worst. With a draw in that game they would be 2 points behind if they win their game in hand (FGR and Cheltenham would be level). A win and they would have even be able to go joint top with FGR (and a win in the game in hand of course).

Yep, 6 pointers. Going ahead of FGR is technically still in our own hands. Win the game in hand and beat them (in the massively unlikely event that the gap remains as it is) and goal difference should see us into 2nd. It's Cheltenham that we currently also need to beat, win our game in hand and find another couple of points to go ahead of. I do think our end to the season looks brutal though. I've got a horrible feeling that if we're still in with a chance of the title on the last day, Tranmere are also going to be in with a chance of a playoff spot. However, you are right in that probably not all of the sides in and around the top ten we are due to play towards the back end of the season will have something to play for.

Forgive me if I'm incorrect, but I swear both Jemfy and Vanni both said something along the lines that we had drawn too many to win the title?

 

[Aber gas]

I'd love Grimsby to win the title, good club and great fans. If they don't do it and they end up at Wembley again I've decided I'm going in the Grimsby end. Fish .. Boom boom fish

 

[BarnwoodCTFC]

Cheltenham will have a blip. It all depends on if Grimsby have kept the pace to take advantage of it.

My money at the minute is:

Grimsby
FGR
Cheltenham
Eastleigh
Tranmere

In that order

We had a blip at the start of the season and why exactly are likely to have another blip and not Grimsby who are on a similar run of form to us?

 

[GTFCfish]

We had a blip at the start of the season and why exactly are likely to have another blip and not Grimsby who are on a similar run of form to us?

He did say it depends on IF Grimsby keep the pace, i.e don't have a blip ourselves.

 

[BarnwoodCTFC]

OK fair enough, I do think you will run us very close but in our favour our remaining games look easier than yours, we've played all the top ten away now apart from Eastleigh and only have yourselves and Woking at home to come. The rest of our games are against sides currently eleventh and below, of course it doesn't guarantee anything but it's preferable.

 

[Si Robin]

We have Tranmere (8th), Wrexham (10th) and Macclesfield (7th) away as well as Gateshead (9th) at home.

 

[BarnwoodCTFC]

Thank you Si Robin, I stand corrected. Grimsby on the other hand still have ourselves away, Forest Green away, Easteligh home, Dover away, Tranmere away.

 

[Son of Cod]

We had a blip at the start of the season and why exactly are likely to have another blip and not Grimsby who are on a similar run of form to us?

You mean the opening two games of the season? I would argue you haven't really had much of a blip yet. You haven't gone all season without a win for longer than two matches. I guess it depends how we're defining blip, really? Perhaps it should be comparative to the blips of your competitors. In that case, I don't agree you've really had any significant blips yet.

 

[LeWhites]

Can't believe that we're even on the poll - wow!
On the basis of what I've seen it would be a travesty if anybody other than Grimsby won the league. By far the best side we've played this season. Choosing between Cheltenham, Eastleigh and Forest Green is like choosing a favourite serial killer - I hope whoever slips into the 5th spot (us) wins the play-offs

 

[Jemfy]

Forgive me if I'm incorrect, but I swear both Jemfy and Vanni both said something along the lines that we had drawn too many to win the title?

I don't recall saying that, but I do often say that it's not the losses that kill you but the draws (due to the mental differences between them and the acceptance of draws etc and how it's better to win one and lose one than draw two)

I don't have the time or inclination to put the data together, but I'd be interested to know how many draws each of the champions have had over the last say 5-10 years.

 

[Chris FGR]

Chatting to Ady Pennock last Saturday, and he was very much of the opinion that draws are not good. Better to lose going for the win then settle for draws, as he said "would rather lose 11 and win the rest rather then be unbeaten all season with lots of draws." That attitude surprised and pleased me, as last season every point away was treated like a good result, and it nearly cost us a play-off spot.

 

[LeWhites]

It is better to win one and lose one than to draw two in terms of points. However I'm sure Cheltenham would rather draw to say Forest Green and Bromley than beat Bromley and lose to Forest Green.

 

[FGR Stroud]

Fantastic combination of future fixtures.
Grimsby must play both Gloucestershire teams away and two wins would put them in poll position for automatic promotion.
A win and a loss would help the other Gloucestershire team consolidate their top of table position and put Grimsby in runner-up spot.
BUT all three teams still have to play away at Tranmere, and they could sneak in for that auto spot
Cheltenham and FGR sadly cannot influence the other sides results as they have already been made to play each other home and away in this season's crazy fixture list.

 

[Son of Cod]

I don't have the time or inclination to put the data together, but I'd be interested to know how many draws each of the champions have had over the last say 5-10 years.

I'm sure you'll have tempted Frealaf or one of the other stattos with that carrot...

Fantastic combination of future fixtures.
Grimsby must play both Gloucestershire teams away and two wins would put them in poll position for automatic promotion.
A win and a loss would help the other Gloucestershire team consolidate their top of table position and put Grimsby in runner-up spot.
BUT all three teams still have to play away at Tranmere, and they could sneak in for that auto spot
Cheltenham and FGR sadly cannot influence the other sides results as they have already been made to play each other home and away in this season's crazy fixture list.

That's not true, we can beat both Gloucestershire teams (I like how you're treating that as some kind of united front Come on Gloucestershire, just long as fucking Grimsby don't win!) and win our game in hand and still be behind Cheltenham as it stands, as they're 8 points up on us. Remember beating a single Gloucestershire team doesn't give us 6 points just because there are two of you.

Also, are you suggesting Tranmere are serious title contenders?

 

[Chris FGR]

Come on Gloucestershire, just long as fucking Grimsby don't win!)

WEST COUNTRY LA LA LA

GLOS DOMINATION

 

[Son of Cod]

WEST COUNTRY LA LA LA

GLOS DOMINATION

You do realise that if Cheltenham win the title, you can still only go up via the playoffs right? You don't go up as a pair...

 

[Harrier94]

You do realise that if Cheltenham win the title, you can still only go up via the playoffs right? You don't go up as a pair...

It's not buy one get one free?

 

[Son of Cod]

It's not buy one get one free?

The National League to discuss cancelling the playoffs if they both get the top two spots.
#teamgloucestershire

 

[Chris FGR]

The National League to discuss cancelling the playoffs if they both get the top two spots.
#teamgloucestershire

I'll put your idea to CP next time I see him. I'm sure he'd like it. And make it happen.

 

[BarnwoodCTFC]

The horrible thing is one of the three of us (at least) will be stuck down here next season. All three of us could do pretty well in league two as well.

 

[Son of Cod]

I'll put your idea to CP next time I see him. I'm sure he'd like it. And make it happen.

Who is CP?

 

[Chris FGR]

Who is CP?

Everyone knows our Colin. #moverandshaker

 

[Son of Cod]

Is that supposed to make sense?

 

[WokingTillIDiet]

Is that supposed to make sense?

Colin Peake, aka Sneaky Peaky - the man who singlehandedly made it impossible for FGR to ever suffer relegation.