Perspective

I mentioned a while back i had no idea how this team was third in league 1, it has no real quality to it other than a hard work ethic. Unfortunately that only gets you so far, January has shown the gulf in class, clubs with money have started to hit the straps, the likes of Cardiff, Lincoln, Town, Stockport, Bolton all have the financial ability that gets you the extra quality and the ability to be proactive in the transfer market. Momentum is huge in sport, our seems to have come to an abrupt halt. The worry is if that momentum starts to go the other way.

 

But still no excuse not to lay a glove on the opposition in these last 2 games.

We haven’t just played 2009 Barca or the Real Madrid galacticos.

It’s Lincoln and the dog botherers.

 

Were Doing a Walsall from last season, Only remedy is to sign some decent players soon especially a No9

 

Oh i completely agree, i know we are limited as a squad but the last two performances and the one at Mansfield were performances i'd have been pissed off watching in league 2. They weren't just bad days at the office, they were complete capitulations. Losing is part and parcel of football but not creating a chance all game, thats not down to an individual stirker of midfielders, thats a fundamental failure of your manager to send his team out with any tactics whatsoever and thats worrying.

 

If we were competing I think we’d accept, on paper, Cardiff, dogs and Lincoln was a tough run.

but it grates that:
- we've started all games poorly
- thinned the squad out and now starting players that shouldn’t even be in the squad.

it feels like the whole club is lost and lacks a strategy and also direction on the pitch.

we played well second half vs Cardiff, better last 20 v Dogs (albeit vs 10 men) but we’re still not creating enough chances.

It feels like our problems are self inflicted.

if we don’t finish top 10 now I’d say that it’s a disgrace, from the position we were in pre-Cardiff. The goalposts moved for seasonal aims after we had a strong start, and while the novelty factor has worn off and teams have fathomed how to beat us, we pay coaching staff to come up with an effective plan B and get us results. We also pay a recruitment team to recruit players to implement the plan GA is taking.

 

I agree about perspective, however this January was about adding to the squad to give us a real chance. What we've done though, is break up a squad of experienced players, a squad of promotion winners, for what? A couple of loans?

I don't think a striker or 2 will stop the downward trend. Something feels off. Hopefully it's just a blip and we can start winning again, starting Saturday. We've not been great for months though, which is my worry that we will just start to spiral down the table.

 

From where we were this time last season we are clearly in a better place, and we are highly unlikely to go down. We will probably end mid-table.

However, there is no excuse for no fight and little effort. Getting beaten like we did against Cardiff is fine, the fight and effort was there. The last two games have been embarassing and the fans are well within their rights to call it out.

1,600 fans spent money and time to sit in the cold watching that bobbins tonight.

 

Yeah, but Lincoln have been in the league for five years, so there's that.

 

We should try get that fella Walsall signed last January because that worked out really well for them.

 

Budgets are important, of course, but not everything. Lincoln can’t be a top six budget but they play to their strengths and look nailed on for a top six.

anyway, its been a bad night and I’m not gonna dwell anymore.

Tomorrow should give us a lift, getting goals in the building!

 

They've got a great budget.
Spent 700k on 2 players in January so far and they didn't even play tonight.
The Ukrainian lad in the middle who ran rings round us cost them 800k last summer.
Reeco Hackett in midfield is on about 6-7k a week.

 

Nearly 2 years ago, I had the “good” luck to come over for the Mansfield, Notts County and Harrogate games. Horrible stuff but are the last 3 games as bad as those?

 

We do need a bit of perspective. Wind back 18 months and who the hell would have thought with any conviction we would be top six of league one? Yes, it’s a poor run of form and yes the performances have been really off, but please look at what it could have been, ie the other three promoted teams. It was obvious to everyone, I think, we were hitting above our weight and January would potentially find us out with the huge contrast in budgets. Just look at the signings others have made around us. It’s completely unrealistic to expect City to be paying those prices and wages at this stage. Some calling for GA to go seems silly to me at the moment. Those who want Rupp to sell immediately surely realise in order to sell you need someone to buy. I know it stings a bit after such a great start - I get that, but it is true the teams with all the cash in this division have been in it or above it for years. I know many won’t agree with this post and I understand sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate but beware the ghost of Geoffrey Richmond.

 

Also, few days left in window. Fingers crossed for some incomings.

 

A stark reminder of what life is like at the top level of league 1. All the clubs currently around us in the top half have buying power.

 

Talk of budgets etc.

Effort costs nothing. The last two games we have been set up to go out and have our tummies tickled.