4 games undefeated

Cringed when I read that, we should be beating teams like that with our bootlaces tied together...

 

This group of players has energy and a willingness to learn and Stevenage will certainly give us a marker as to how much has been taken on board. Quietly confident though.

 

Tough month ahead really.

Stevenage H (2nd) - only lost 1 of their 4 away trips so far which was an injury time goal at Salford
Wimbledon H (15th) - just one away win so far
Harrogate A (19th) - not looking good, but they do have a 4W-0L record against us since coming up.
Stockport H (18th) - decent at home, lost every away game so far, with an away trip to Northampton before us.
Salford A (4th) - seems to be clicking, unbeaten at home 3 wins from 4
Maybe, Mansfield A (8th)? - could get added midweek in the next month? If it does, they are still unbeaten at home.

As seen so far this season against teams that sit back, we have a bit of an issue with. Stevenage play a back 5 and try break teams down, even though they are 2nd they are 17th for possession, they are happy to let the other side play. Wimbledon will come for a point, another who don't have much possession. Harrogate will frustrate as they always do. Stockport seem to play very open football, so might play into our hands, they just seem naff at the back.

Salford a big test, scoring goals, impressive at home with wins against Stevenage, Mansfield & Crewe and one of the only teams who keep the ball more than us with them average 65% possession so far. Only Man City, Liverpool & Burnley in the English leagues keep the ball more than Salford.

 

We need to be beating Harrogate ffs. Our record against them is embarassing. 4 games 4 defeats and lets not forget the pre season friendly there a few seasons back.

I noticed Grimsby have rearranged their game which was postponed this week for early November.

I don't think we will be fitting our game with Mansfield in till November either as 3 of the 4 tuesdays in October have games, the only one free is the 11th but that would push us into 4 away games in the space of 11 days. No way will we agree to that. Mansfield have no schedule home games in November so it would be good for them to have it in November for cash flow reasons.

 

Harrogate will beat us. There’s an inevitability about it

 

As I mentioned a while back keep faith in the process that Hughes is looking to implement. There's a lot to work on and we are nowhere near the finished article but the basis of a good team is there. Doesnt mean we won't get the odd battering like Walsall did but generally we have a strong spine developing and a team that is starting to buy into the managers philosophy.

 

5 across the back and hope for a breakaway or set piece. That’s his go to tactic away?

 

Maybe we will get a few more called up and we can call it off

 

Face facts. We aren't losing again this season. 37 games to play. 37 wins.

 

Big loss but also presents a huge opportunity to another player to stake a claim in the team.

 

To me the one real threat are Mansfield ........... lot of teams are looking ok but when the winter hits and injuries are mounting up are they gonna be able to adapt like us ?????? I seriously think that If we hit the top 3 come November then we will stay there

 

The form table for the last 5 looks like this,

Our next 3 games are against 19th at home, 24th away and 16th at home.

If ever there was a chance to push on before we hit 11th away, 5th away and 4th at home it is now.

Make teams fear us. I mean Harrogate have only scored once in their last 5 games and don't have a goal from open play in over 9 hours. A Derek Adams Bradford side would lose 2 - 0 to them on the back of those stats.

 

Harrogate are bottom of the form table, with 1 point from their last 6 games. They've not won or even scored a goal at home since a 3-0 opening day win at home to Swindon. As someone else said, they cant buy a goal at the minute, their last goals in open play coming away at Gillingham on August 16th.

But they have beaten us every time so far since coming up to the EFL, putting 8 past us in 4 games...... We've all seen this show before.

 

If we are being honest we are extremely lucky to have come through the Wallsall Wimbledon matches with 4 points I hope in the future we adapt better against teams that stop us playing”our Football”