First 7 Games

When we beat Harrogate on Saturday we will have played 4 at home and 4 away and will probably well in the top half a better time to do the comparison

 

Been having this debate on another thread with posters who keep saying we've had a tough start. Without going into your in depth analysis it seems clear that our fixtures so far haven't been 'difficult' by any measure whatsoever.

I do however think we'll improve significantly when we get some key players back. I fancy Stockport to make some serious headway soon and having spoken to some Donny fans at work I think they'll be picking up. Interesting that they've statistically had a very tough start.

 

Gillingham is an interesting one. You look at their schedule and its not surprising they are top. But they've only scored 5 goals in 7 games and are top of the league. Five 1-0 wins so far against some of the "easier" sides in the division. Fluke?... possibly. But a good base if they can build on it.

 

Interesting thread. Gillingham's run doesn't seem quite as impressive now.

For me, we're right on the borderline of acceptability for this point in the season.

A convincing win on Saturday and we'll be on 12 points from 8 games. Not an incredible start by any stretch of the imagination, but it's acceptable and something to build on. Plus we have had key players injured and some events go against us (player sent off in the first game, Cook's penalty miss, etc).

A loss against Harrogate and I'll start to worry.

 

Its still about performance for me. We batter Harrogate and their keeper has a worldy and we draw 0-0 then that'll do for me. We play like we did first half on Saturday and snatch an undeserved late winner I'm not going to be getting excited.

 

I think we've obviously had a tough start, but it's not a 'cool' thing to say.

Some people think we shouldn't be rationalising, as they mistake that for making excuses.

 

'Cool' has nothing to do with it. We've been dreadful up to press barring probably the Stockport game and I think we're probably slightly lucky to have as many points as we have.

 

Its not even a matter of subjectivity. We haven't had a 'tough' start. We've played teams that average out at mid table. It's not been an easy start either. It's been a start that is very much representative of this division. It has not been comparatively tough by any measure.

 

On paper there are only two games in there that you would call tough and that's Mansfield and Stockport.We have made these set of games look tough because our manager has set us up to look that way.

 

Everyone in the division has been dreadful for one reason or other

Gillingham can't score, Swindon need to score 5 to guarantee a point some weekends, everyone has lost ridiculous games...

Nothing to worry about too much so far, aside from obviously injuries, as no team seems to actually be playing 'well'.

 

Which makes it even more frustrating that we are where we are. Everyone said this league would be tougher this year, but so far that’s not been the case. Once again, we’ve failed to take the opportunity that’s presented itself and we’re playing catch up again.

 

This season is nailed on to be another "draw specialist" season. I think it was in McCalls last spell, yes we had unbeaten runs but most of them were draws, so not many points are actually accumulated. Mid table finish beckons unfortunately

 

It's not an easy start though is it ? Away at two teams expected to be top seven, home to Grimsby who have spent quite a bit and home to Crewe who are always difficult to beat, ditto Morecambe against an old manager who won't fire his team up any better than he did against us. I know the football is shite, but put three points on that total that we should have been looking for from a trip to Crawley and we would have been fairly happy.

Injuries taking their toll as well. Now I'm not suddenly saying Hughes is the messiah (we know he's just "a very naughty boy" to coin Monty Python) but IF (and it's the biggest IF in the world) he sees sense and ditches the back three there is hope.

If on the other hand, he doesn't then god help him.

 

All I can say I guess is at least we're not miles behind anyone right now.

Sooner or later some sides will find some consistency, we obviously hope that us.

 

We have also played 4/7 games away. Getting tough away fixtures like Stockport and Mansfield out of the way is a plus.

I'm not clutching at straws to justify our position, but I'll hold judgement until ~10 games in. Until then a few good/bad results can really swing things.

 

The next three games "should" be winnable, and we are long overdue another away win. If we are sat on 18 points after 10 games I'll revert to being reasonably happy.

 

1.8 points per a game is what Northampton achieved to get 3rd last season.

 

So realistically, the only difference between our start this season and last season has been the failure to beat Grimsby, fine margins.