Final League Position (POLL)

Callum Cooke. He's the hub. Most of our goals are coming from his creativity.

 

I voted top half, but after todays result playoffs is a very realistic possibility now and even top 3 isnt off the table yet.
2 weeks ago Newport and Carlisle looked nailed on for top 3 and now don't look like they'll make the playoffs. Us and Bolton are storming up the table. All about who has the squad to manage the intense fixture list and so far we are looking equal to that challenge.
I think we will finish above Cambridge, not going to predict where that will be though

 

Bit of free time this morning so i've done an exercise based on everyone's current form over the last 12 games, and then a comparative one for everyone's form over the last 6 games too. this also considers how many games everyone has left, an everyones current points total.

If everyone maintains the form over the last 12 games, it will see city finish 3rd! If you base it on everyone's form over the last 6 games it sees us in the playoffs due to Cheltenham and Bolton picking up over the last 6 matches. Interesting none the less. What i found interesting is that in both cases the minimum points total for a play off place is 74 - 76 points, which is probably a better gauge / target.

 

Nicked this from the league 2 forum.
Table since Trueman and Sellars took over.
The only side to concede single figures is a telling improvement imo.
Repeat this form the next set of 12 and believe me we will be top 5 pushing for the autos.
Tonight FGR play Southend and Walsall play Newport.
Heres hoping for a set of draws.

 

Im so excited for the run in.
Last 5 games sees us against Tranmere, Vale, Salford, Scunny and Morecambe.
A true test of any promotion chasing team.

 

Why do FGR matter?

Probably going to win the league.

 

FGR will be champions imo

 

Both of my assessments above have FGR winning the leave based on form over the last 6 and 12 matches

 

Thought I’d share this post with you, from TFF.

“Current Table (max points achieveable)

Cambridge 52 (97)
FGR 51 (105)
Cheltenham 50 (103)
----------
Morecombe 49 (97)
Tranmere 48 (99)
Exeter 46 (101)
Salford 45 (96)
----------
Newport 44 (98)
Bolton 44 (92)
Carlisle 43 (103)
Bradford 40 (94)

PPG Table

FGR 84
Cheltenham 79
Cambridge 77
----------
Tranmere 76
Exeter 76
Carlisle 76
Morecombe 75
----------
Newport 72
Salford 71
Bradford 66
Bolton 63

PPG Table based on last 10 games form
Example Tranmere 48 points from 29 games.
21 points in last 10 so 2.1 x 27 (last 10 games + 17 remaining games) + 27 (points from 1st 19 games) = 83.7 points

Tranmere 84
FGR 80
Cheltenham 79
----------
Cambridge 79
Bradford 77
Exeter 75
Morecombe 73
----------
Bolton 70
Carlisle 68
Salford 65
Newport 57

The 10 game form PPG table offers a decent insight in to how things may pan out as it factors in how teams are performing after the transfer window and had poor starts (Tranmere, Bolton, Bradford) or overpowered starts to the season but are now on the slide (Newport and Carlisle even?).”

Makes for very interesting reading.

 

Whilst the form under T&S is almost unprecedented there is still plenty to do
After 28 games we have 40 points have scored 32 goals and let in 31
At the same stage last year we had 46 points scored 35 and let in 24
Since we got relegated from the PL in 2001 the most points we have collected in the last 18 games is 39 in 2015/6 and the only other seasons we gained more than 30 points was 2016/7 -33 the 2 seasons we made the playoffs in L1
The last time we got promoted in 2012/3 (when we finished 7th in L2) we had 41 points after 28 games and finished on 69
The season we got promoted to the PL we had 53 pts after 28 games and finished on 87 (98/9)
Hopefully we can change the habits of a club lifetime and T&S can keep up the remarkable current form
Just a shame we can’t be there to witness it

 

This current run is fantastic. The question in my head, is it attainable? Very possibly but we still need to get c2/3 of the points available, not withstanding, loss of form, injury, suspension and AN other team(s) making a late dash for the play offs. Around 32-34 points needed from 18 games in 10.5 weeks and furthermore, goal difference, could make a difference come may 8th.
We have been reliant in our defensive capabilities, only 2 wins from the 8 (in our run), by more than 1 goal. It's a not a complaint but a acknowledgement that opposition are still in the game, late into the match. Are we gonna keep seeing games out as potential tiredness and fatigue build?
We are due a bump in the road (hopefully won't happen) and thats what concerns me. Imagine a run of say, 3 games without a win, it potentially means us winning 10 of the other 15 games.

 

Last night was a taste of what we can expect on the run in teams will be getting bodies behind the ball and it will be very hard to play the nice football we have been doing.
Teams that get promoted often can play a bit and scrap a bit and on occasion play it long in other word be adaptable the recruitment has enabled us with some different threats but I think to get two thirds of the points on offer might be a step to far. Just a pity we didn’t have a few more in the bag before T&S took over

 

I saw a lot of what looked like tired challenges around our box last night culminating in 4 or 5 really good opprtunities that better teams than Orient will capitalize on.
As much as people lauded Orient for being disciplined in their defensive approach a lot of our passes into players and energy to get to balls that weren't bang on were short of how they have been in games leading up to last night.
We got some of this back with the introduction of Stevens and Crankshaw.
For all their hard work, Wood, AOC, Watt and Sutton coughed up posession a lot.
Not being critcal, just backing up what both the posters above have stated.
Im not blindly seeing us marching our way to the top by the end of the season.
Its very possible but, as last night highlighted to me, we need to freshen things up across the whole team rather than rotating the front 4.
I hope to be proven wrong with a more convincing display on Saturday but if the little obsevations like loss of possession or cheap free kicks given away because the players look leggy crop up again then imo then the reasons are for all to see and against Mansfield, a little squad rotation should be applied to keep those outside promotion chances going long term instead of watching them fizzle out because we ragged the back 6 silly.

 

What is telling is both show FGR winning the league which i agree with.
They've got the experience and players to do it.
A remarkable job for all concerned if they do considering the size of the club.

 

When teams pack midfield and defence it’s not easy to play the inter passing we have been doing.also last night there was a strong Swirling wind which made longer passes from Watt more difficult. I would have liked to see us carry the ball a bit more like what Sutton did on a couple of occasions and Crankshaw when he came on

 

I heard at the weekend, one of the BT commentators mentioning in the man utd v Newcastle about Man United being slow into the game , due to fatigue from a midweek European game, in effect stating that it can take up to 30 minutes to stretch the tiredness out of legs.
I saw that last night in City, that we were a little slow in tempo, miss placed passes and a touch pedestrian early doors.
Like United, we grew more into the game as it progressed making the (right) substitutions as the game required.
It's so important we utilise the bench as the season continues. Little adjustments in personal, substitutes as fatigue will occur.

 

Another of the things I am picking up from this forum is the idea that T&S seem to have a better strategy with substitutions than previous managers. Seems that quite often their changes have a positive impact on the game.

 

I think the strength of the bench has a lot to do with it.

 

Don't feel the need to defend yourself by saying you're not been critical
You're actually bang on in your assessment, I saw the same myself last night.