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Most frustrating of seasons


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Despite 6 defeats in our previous 9 games, a victory against Bradford on Saturday would have had us in 9th, a point behind 3 teams running up to that precious 6th spot. Sadly another defeat (and by all accounts poor performance) and we are 13th and in all likelyhood scrapping to keep a top half finish and a best points total for a while.

 

Based on the current group of teams battling for the final play-off spot, it does look like it might end up being the lowest points total since we've been in this division that is required to get into the play-offs - probably 68/69. On top of this, for times this season it has looked liked we have had the best squad we have had for a number of seasons playing some wonderfully controlled football.

 

Up to an inlcuding the Dale game away, we averaged almost 1.6 points per game across the first 19 games of the season (which would have got us 73 points over a full season and in all likelyhood a play-off spot). Since then we have averaged 1.1 points over the next 20 games (which would have got us 50 points over a full season and in all likelyhood a relegation scrap that we might have lost).

 

After watching mostly relegation battles for the last 17 years in this division, I find this season more depressing and dissappointing than any of those. You know when you have got a crap team, crap manager, or both and except a long hard season and hope that you have enough fight to stay up.

 

This season we looked like a team that was capable and a manager that looked like he could bring something back to the club. To see it wasted away in the second half of the season is massively disheartening.

 

Yes we have had a few injuries, and a few suspensions, but overall I don't that is sufficient to explain the drop in form.

 

 

You see what LJ is achieving at Barnsely at the moment (they look a club transformed since the departure of Danny Wilson - yes they won a couple under a caretaker but he is continuing it) and do wonder 'What if?'.

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On LJ, he's not really had chance to tinker with the squad too much so i cant give him too much credit just yet.

 

Perhaps not. But isn't the mark of a good manager getting the best out of the resources you have? Something, that apart from a good game against an injury ravaged Rochdale side, I'd say we haev not seen from Dean Holden yet.

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I'm not too disheartened, a terrible record against the bottom sides and a manager and his assistant jumping ship at a crucial time have stuffed us, to go with a small squad with a number prone to injuries.

 

Get Bristol City, Preston and/or MK Dons/Sheff Utd up and the league doesn't look as tough, with the added bonus of away trips to Blackpool and possibly Bury/Rotherham/Wigan.

 

A positive managerial appointment, a bit of work in the transfer market and maybe something a bit different done regarding season tickets and most of us will be chomping at the bit come August.

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100%! Three wins in ten games and we are still only four points behind sixth place. Duplicity should have stayed and then what might have been could have been. Crazy that a run of wins, now most unlikely, would still see us in sixth spot - the reason why the lack of ambition, 'we are safe' syndrome was so annoying.

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I think a season-long relegation battle would have been more depressing and I'm not sure how the effect of our injuries isn't sufficient to explain our drop in form whereas injuries in the Rochdale team, is. At the start of Holden's tenure, he was fielding every available first team squad member due to lack of numbers. I don't think any manager could have got us results in a few of those games.

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Agree in the main...

 

On LJ, he's not really had chance to tinker with the squad too much so i cant give him too much credit just yet.

One or two Barnsley fans were questioning him playing their best striker on the left wing and bemused at his substitutions after a recent home draw with Preston.

 

That said, as much as I thought he was overrated here, you can't really argue with what he's done at Barnsley so far.

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One or two Barnsley fans were questioning him playing their best striker on the left wing and bemused at his substitutions after a recent home draw with Preston.

 

That said, as much as I thought he was overrated here, you can't really argue with what he's done at Barnsley so far.

You could even argue that it highlights what a terrible job Wilson was doing there.

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Agree in the main...

 

On LJ, he's not really had chance to tinker with the squad too much so i cant give him too much credit just yet.

I see your point but, in Johnson, Barnsley appointed someone who got the fans and players at Oakwell fired up and they're unbeaten in the seven games since he took over, and that's after playing the top two sides in the division.

 

Can't help but think Latics missed a trick in not taking the same approach after Johnson left.

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To describe it as up and down would be an understatement. So here's a prediction for the remainder. We'll go the rest of the season unbeaten and nick 6th off a collapsing Sheffield United. We'll then comfortably beat MK in the play off semi's despite the 1-10 aggregate in the 2 matches thus far before losing to Rochdale 6-0 in the final.

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I think a season-long relegation battle would have been more depressing and I'm not sure how the effect of our injuries isn't sufficient to explain our drop in form whereas injuries in the Rochdale team, is. At the start of Holden's tenure, he was fielding every available first team squad member due to lack of numbers. I don't think any manager could have got us results in a few of those games.

 

Maybe a relegaion battle would have been more depressing, but to quite the great John Cleese - It's not the despair, I can take the despair. It's the hope I cannot stand.

 

Its the fact that in probably the lowest play-off points target in 20 years, we actually had a good team and a good chance that has gone terribly wrong.

 

 

With regards to the injuries, I think the disruption within a game (tactics, who marks who etc) to a team from losing in the end 4 players is huge and difficult to legislate against - so our only decent performnace for nearly 10 games was in fortunate circumstances.

 

Lack of players has no doubt hurt our season - but I think the extent of the bad run and bad performances stretches to more than that.

 

 

 

On the plus side we avoid possibly a horrendous experience bed on the overall crapness of the teams scrapping for the 6th play-off spot. Given the teams that are comfortably in the play-offs, there is a good chance that whoever does get 6th could end up having another 'Blackpool experience'. Or, if miracles do happen, its pretty hard to see the squads that teams in 6-12 have doing anything other than getting stuffed next season.

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Maybe a relegaion battle would have been more depressing, but to quite the great John Cleese - It's not the despair, I can take the despair. It's the hope I cannot stand.

 

Its the fact that in probably the lowest play-off points target in 20 years, we actually had a good team and a good chance that has gone terribly wrong.

 

 

With regards to the injuries, I think the disruption within a game (tactics, who marks who etc) to a team from losing in the end 4 players is huge and difficult to legislate against - so our only decent performnace for nearly 10 games was in fortunate circumstances.

 

Lack of players has no doubt hurt our season - but I think the extent of the bad run and bad performances stretches to more than that.

 

 

 

On the plus side we avoid possibly a horrendous experience bed on the overall crapness of the teams scrapping for the 6th play-off spot. Given the teams that are comfortably in the play-offs, there is a good chance that whoever does get 6th could end up having another 'Blackpool experience'. Or, if miracles do happen, its pretty hard to see the squads that teams in 6-12 have doing anything other than getting stuffed next season.

 

What's the Blackpool experience? They finished 3rd.

 

I'm not sure why people harp on about Blackpool. They were a superb side and although they had a slow start to that season they were in the playoffs by around New Year.

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What's the Blackpool experience? They finished 3rd.

 

I'm not sure why people harp on about Blackpool. They were a superb side and although they had a slow start to that season they were in the playoffs by around New Year.

 

Our experience of being completely out-played by a team over two legs in the play-offs. Not a lot of fun losing both legs, and 5-2 on aggregate.

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Our experience of being completely out-played by a team over two legs in the play-offs. Not a lot of fun losing both legs, and 5-2 on aggregate.

 

My fault for not reading the paragraph properly. I thought it was a further perpetuation of the Blackpool Myth.

 

I'll get back in my box.

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Being a glass half full kind of guy I can take 2 positives going forwards

 

1. It looks like the new stand will be complete for the start of next season which will be a boost for the club in the long run

 

2. Many of the better players in this squad Winchester, Jones, Kelly, Mills are contracted beyond this season.

 

Ofcourse we could still lose our best players but atleast we will get fees, and the stand still has time to become a white elephant but it looks more likely than not that it will be ready by then. The right managerial appointment here could also see us get on a role.

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Being a glass half full kind of guy I can take 2 positives going forwards

 

1. It looks like the new stand will be complete for the start of next season which will be a boost for the club in the long run

 

2. Many of the better players in this squad Winchester, Jones, Kelly, Mills are contracted beyond this season.

 

Ofcourse we could still lose our best players but atleast we will get fees, and the stand still has time to become a white elephant but it looks more likely than not that it will be ready by then. The right managerial appointment here could also see us get on a role.

 

I don't disagree. But suppose my thoughts were that I think I will look back on this season with a sense of "What if?" for a long time.

 

Probably as much as I look back on the Dowie play-off season, where I thought we were as good as QPR/Cardiff/Bristol, and wonder what if...

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I don't disagree. But suppose my thoughts were that I think I will look back on this season with a sense of "What if?" for a long time.

 

Probably as much as I look back on the Dowie play-off season, where I thought we were as good as QPR/Cardiff/Bristol, and wonder what if...

 

I think the reason why people on here like to use the Blackpool example a lot is that it backs up the idea that the teams who come on strong in the business end of the season March April May usually get promotion.

 

Ultimately this is not the first time we have been in the mix around February and then we falter whether that be because of injuries and a lack of squad depth, a manager leaving, or just a routine team bonding session at Belle Vue dogs we don't finish the season strongly.

 

For me the frustrating part of the Dowie Season was the implosion of the club in summer 2003 Keeping that team together and a few tweaks would have seen us get promotion following season unfortunately it wasn't to be.

 

Completion of the stand, keeping the best players together and, the right managerial appointment, and some astute signings and this seasons

disappointment will be forgotten about come August. Its a big couple of months for the club coming up.

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Frustrating, but we're 4 point off the playoffs with 7 games to go. We won't make them, but to still have a chance in April is a good sign for next season.

 

Get the right manager in and we could have a better go at it next year.

 

Progress should be made this season in terms of a points finish - Latics haven't got more than 56 points since 2009, and with 7 games to go, even the current point per game form would see us top that. And without doubt keeping a few of this seasons top performers, the opening of a new stand and new manager will see us going into August with more optimism than we have for a while.

 

But I think the main reason that we are (or more likely were) in with a chance of the play-offs this season was as much due to the way the league has gone this season as it is our points. There are many seasons that the same points total wouldn't have kept us on the coat tales of the Top 6.

 

This is my frustration - the difference between 6th this season and 6th next season could be 8-10 points. That is a massive gulf. This season looks like being one of those opportunites to sneak 6th and hope for a bit of luck in the play-offs.

 

Next season could see us improve yet again on this season, finish with 72 points and still not get Top 6.

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Being a glass half full kind of guy I can take 2 positives going forwards

 

1. It looks like the new stand will be complete for the start of next season which will be a boost for the club in the long run

 

2. Many of the better players in this squad Winchester, Jones, Kelly, Mills are contracted beyond this season.

 

Ofcourse we could still lose our best players but atleast we will get fees, and the stand still has time to become a white elephant but it looks more likely than not that it will be ready by then. The right managerial appointment here could also see us get on a role.

this season is done already....I'm liking this half full approach mind :OASISscarf:

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this season is done already....I'm liking this half full approach mind :OASISscarf:

See for me we shouldn't be taking this mentality or atleast the players shouldnt be. We are probably unlikely to get either promoted or relegated but that doesn't mean we should down tools or throw in the kids. We should be aiming to finish as high as possible. Phychologically I think their will be a big difference between finishing 8th or 18th interms of what we can aim for next season.

 

We have 21 points to play for. We should be trying to get as many of them as possible.

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