oafcprozac Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Are we facing another season of being sucked into the relegation battle? Ok we've not played for a month but we've also only taken 2 points from the last 12. Yes we're 4 off the play offs and it looks like we'll be 4 off the bottom 4 come 9.30 tonight. We could do with some points from the next two just to keep that daylight between us and the strugglers - games in hand are all well and good but as we found out last season are never a guarantee of points on the board.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancy lad Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Are we facing another season of being sucked into the relegation battle? Ok we've not played for a month but we've also only taken 2 points from the last 12. Yes we're 4 off the play offs and it looks like we'll be 4 off the bottom 4 come 9.30 tonight. We could do with some points from the next two just to keep that daylight between us and the strugglers - games in hand are all well and good but as we found out last season are never a guarantee of points on the board.... Err........ no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafcprozac Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 Err........ no. Ok smartarse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancy lad Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Ok smartarse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_mighty_bosh Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Are we facing another season of being sucked into the relegation battle? Ok we've not played for a month but we've also only taken 2 points from the last 12. Yes we're 4 off the play offs and it looks like we'll be 4 off the bottom 4 come 9.30 tonight. We could do with some points from the next two just to keep that daylight between us and the strugglers - games in hand are all well and good but as we found out last season are never a guarantee of points on the board.... This is why I was worried about yesterday's result. As well as we done so far this year it's difficult to know how our young team would react to a winless run or run of defeats, the next fortnight is now pivotal to which end of the table we are competing at come the end of the season after yesterday. Having said that, the bottom 3 are still a way behind us and Bristol's opponents tonight are about to drop like a stone as Noone's already gone and Wright-Phillips leaving is inevitable, which will leave them with no attacking threat whatsoever, so we should be OK in the short-term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigfinLatic Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 This is why I was worried about yesterday's result. As well as we done so far this year it's difficult to know how our young team would react to a winless run or run of defeats, the next fortnight is now pivotal to which end of the table we are competing at come the end of the season after yesterday. Having said that, the bottom 3 are still a way behind us and Bristol's opponents tonight are about to drop like a stone as Noone's already gone and Wright-Phillips leaving is inevitable, which will leave them with no attacking threat whatsoever, so we should be OK in the short-term. No strikers? Cant score a goal for toffee??? .... well thats us getting thumped a week on saturday for certain then! We'll be reet. The only difference between us an the promotion pack is a decent striker to play with Tonk. Without that we'll be mid table... win a few, lose a few... happy days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobOAFC Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 2-2 now any news on bembo? we played some excellent attacking football with him on field at start of season.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 3-2 to the no firepower team! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafcprozac Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 3-2 to the no firepower team! If Argyle hold on they go above us and we drop to 13th!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I was saying a few days ago that the, "if we win our games in hand and then..." line of thought often results in disappointment. Same goes for reading a lot into the last few results or the teams around us going the wrong way. We've done alright so far, it's fair to say that we don't have a bloody clue where we will end up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 If Argyle hold on they go above us and we drop to 13th!!!! Dickov out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_mighty_bosh Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 3-2 to the no firepower team! Fair enough, time to stop this predicting lark! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc-latics Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 If Argyle hold on they go above us and we drop to 13th!!!! Bottom half of the table?! Dickov must be feeling the pressure now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy_Fent Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I've got a horrible feeling that with the cold coming when it did might of had a very negative impact on our season, but I suppose we will see what Saturday brings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slystallone Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I was saying a few days ago that the, "if we win our games in hand and then..." line of thought often results in disappointment. Same goes for reading a lot into the last few results or the teams around us going the wrong way. We've done alright so far, it's fair to say that we don't have a bloody clue where we will end up! I think that about sums it up LL..... I’m enjoying this season soooooooooooo much more than last season, it’s an obvious thing to say considering how bad last term was under Dave Penis, but it still needs saying; so far this season has been mostly very enjoyable. BUT, the facts are that We have a brand new manager & management team; who are doing their learning & developing in the glare of actual league games – they’ve shown massive potential, but they’re raw & inexperienced. We have an incredibly young 1st team, 1st team squad & overall squad at the club – I don’t think there are many other sides with as young as average age as we have been fielding all season; and whilst that has certain advantages in some respects, in others its a major disadvantage. Whilst I hoped for a build on last season’s league position, I just wasn’t sure what the season has install for us, as we had / still have, a raw manager managing a raw team – it was pure guess work really as to where we’d finish. The fact that we’ve spent more time towards the top of the table, rather than the bottom has been a real bonus for me.......and i think some have got a little carried away with it all & talk of the play-off’s or even automatic was being spouted...... As has been said by BigFin – until we find that elusive partner for the Tonk, we’re a mid table side that will win a few & lose a few..........and after last season’s debacle, that sits pretty well with me, mid-table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaticsLee Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 If Argyle hold on they go above us and we drop to 13th!!!! never thought you would be a doom and gloomer ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattsgrandad Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 ..........and after last season’s debacle, that sits pretty well with me, mid-table. .... and unfortunately, there lies the problem. A mid-table position yields mediocre crowds in this division (<4000) and that's nowhere near enough to support any aspirations for progress - either on the field or off it. The only hope we have of moving forward as a club is to gain promotion and, yes the team is a young one and yes, we do have an inexperienced management team but those should be viewed as positives - youth brings enthusiasm and ambition; inexperience brings innovation. Let's hope the new year results were just a blip in an otherwise exceptional season (from initial expectations) and we find that little bit extra that turns good overall performances into wins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lookers_Carl Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 .... and unfortunately, there lies the problem. A mid-table position yields mediocre crowds in this division (<4000) and that's nowhere near enough to support any aspirations for progress - either on the field or off it. The only hope we have of moving forward as a club is to gain promotion and, yes the team is a young one and yes, we do have an inexperienced management team but those should be viewed as positives - youth brings enthusiasm and ambition; inexperience brings innovation. Let's hope the new year results were just a blip in an otherwise exceptional season (from initial expectations) and we find that little bit extra that turns good overall performances into wins. An even bigger problem lies within the mindset of some of our so called 'supporters' (this is not a pop at you 'mattsgrandad') Where the hell has this blind expectation come from with sections of our fanbase, that we ought to be fighting for promotion? Reality check time. We are a 3rd division team, losing money on a weekly basis with ever dwindling crowds (current averae is approximately 4500), and people expect us to be competing with teams who have average crowds that range from double to quadruple our average, much higher wage bills, better players and superior off field infastructures to ours, in terms of the off field management team and facilites available. Sorry, but I think the argument that we are playing a division above our station holds alot more weight than the one that we ought to be fighting for promotion. As I said on oafc.co.uk, how many fans who traveled to yeovil last season, or who watched us go out with a wimper vs Charlton under mediocre martin, would have taken a mid table/top half finish this season? How many people would have taken 20th if offered? Dickov's hands have been tied to a large extent, as he is still lumbered with players who have no future here on good money, taking up room on the wage bill. And at the end of the season, with only Stephens, Furman, Brooke, Feeney, Taylor, Millar and Jones contracted beyond the end of this season (and with a bit of luck Lee will be added to that list), Dickov will have more or less a clean slate for the 2011/2012 season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Dickov will have more or less a clean slate for the 2011/2012 season. That's quite exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattsgrandad Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 An even bigger problem lies within the mindset of some of our so called 'supporters' (this is not a pop at you 'mattsgrandad') No offence taken - appreciate the inference that I'm not in the 'so-called' brigade Where the hell has this blind expectation come from with sections of our fanbase, that we ought to be fighting for promotion? Reality check time. We are a 3rd division team, losing money on a weekly basis with ever dwindling crowds (current averae is approximately 4500), and people expect us to be competing with teams who have average crowds that range from double to quadruple our average, much higher wage bills, better players and superior off field infastructures to ours, in terms of the off field management team and facilites available. Sorry, but I think the argument that we are playing a division above our station holds alot more weight than the one that we ought to be fighting for promotion. As I said on oafc.co.uk, how many fans who traveled to yeovil last season, or who watched us go out with a wimper vs Charlton under mediocre martin, would have taken a mid table/top half finish this season? How many people would have taken 20th if offered? Dickov's hands have been tied to a large extent, as he is still lumbered with players who have no future here on good money, taking up room on the wage bill. And at the end of the season, with only Stephens, Furman, Brooke, Feeney, Taylor, Millar and Jones contracted beyond the end of this season (and with a bit of luck Lee will be added to that list), Dickov will have more or less a clean slate for the 2011/2012 season. I do agree that managing supporter expectations is going to be difficult - but the point of my post was to highlight the likelihood of failing the club's aspirations whilst we remain in the lower levels of the professional leagues so whether it's realistic or not, our only hope of progress is via promotion. Survival in Division 1 was probably the target for most of us at the start of the season but the bigger fight is that of survival as a football club and whilst the possibility of a promotion still exists, we need to do everything we can to nurture that hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyPimp Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Where the hell has this blind expectation come from with sections of our fanbase, that we ought to be fighting for promotion? It has come from the manager who genuinely believes he can get us promoted in his first season. Although Dickov hasn't publicly stated this it was confirmed by one of the players in a LW video a couple of months back. By the way, I didn't expect anything from this season but I've sure as hell enjoyed most of what I've seen up to now. I don't expect we'll get promoted (or even make the play-offs for that matter) but to the same extent, I don't think we'll be looking over our shoulder come May either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_R Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I do agree that managing supporter expectations is going to be difficult - but the point of my post was to highlight the likelihood of failing the club's aspirations whilst we remain in the lower levels of the professional leagues so whether it's realistic or not, our only hope of progress is via promotion. Survival in Division 1 was probably the target for most of us at the start of the season but the bigger fight is that of survival as a football club and whilst the possibility of a promotion still exists, we need to do everything we can to nurture that hope. The thing is (and I think it’s pretty much what you are saying), is that we’ve lost a lot of fans recently, and they haven’t all buggered of to Man City no matter what our Chairman says. The football and results so far may be a lot better but hovering around mid table isn’t going to tempt many back or attract new ones. They may hear noises about how much better we’re doing but when they pick up their Sunday paper and see us in twelfth position or whatever, they just think ‘That’s pretty much how its been for the last fourteen seasons.’ Unfortunately we are in that viscous circle were the only way crowds will increase significantly is with a serious promotion push, but we need the gates to show a sharp rise in order to finance one. Either that or Dickov proves to be a miracle worker and achieves it on a shoestring budget like he’s working on now, but for that he’ll probably need that precious commodity, time, and our recent history shows we don’t afford our managers too much of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddog Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) . Edited January 5, 2011 by maddog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slystallone Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 An even bigger problem lies within the mindset of some of our so called 'supporters' (this is not a pop at you 'mattsgrandad') Where the hell has this blind expectation come from with sections of our fanbase, that we ought to be fighting for promotion? Reality check time. We are a 3rd division team, losing money on a weekly basis with ever dwindling crowds (current averae is approximately 4500), and people expect us to be competing with teams who have average crowds that range from double to quadruple our average, much higher wage bills, better players and superior off field infastructures to ours, in terms of the off field management team and facilites available. Sorry, but I think the argument that we are playing a division above our station holds alot more weight than the one that we ought to be fighting for promotion. As I said on oafc.co.uk, how many fans who traveled to yeovil last season, or who watched us go out with a wimper vs Charlton under mediocre martin, would have taken a mid table/top half finish this season? How many people would have taken 20th if offered? Dickov's hands have been tied to a large extent, as he is still lumbered with players who have no future here on good money, taking up room on the wage bill. And at the end of the season, with only Stephens, Furman, Brooke, Feeney, Taylor, Millar and Jones contracted beyond the end of this season (and with a bit of luck Lee will be added to that list), Dickov will have more or less a clean slate for the 2011/2012 season. Sh&t – I knew that the likes of Purdie & Worthington had signed 2 years, so those and the others of that ilk were out of contract; but it’s not until you see it written down like that it suddenly kicks in – we’re going to have pretty much a blank canvas aren’t we, there’s not much left there........ no ‘Keeper <insert your own joke about not really having one now in Brill at your leisure> / no defender at all / 5 midfielders & 2 strikers. Whilst I can see the positives in Dickov being able to bring in his type of player, not having to work with Shez & Penney’s dead-wood who will finally be off the wage bill & out of the club, and the club being able to (hopefully) make sensible signings that fall within a sensible wage budget...............for me, it’s also a massive worry; in that we need to bring in 18 new players to get up to a squad of 25, that i think you need if you want to compete with any semblance of depth of squad for a league campaign. With a reduced budget, a 3 sided ground with below average training facilities, offering L1 football and poor home crowds, would we be in a realistic position to attract 18 players to the club??? With Taylor on the left, Stephens & Furman in the middle & Kirk Millar on the right, with Brooke & Feeney up front, we need 5 quality additions just to field a side, let alone sub’s & squad players......... Could be a major positive having so many players leave the club at the end of the season, but it could well be a major issue – guess it depends on how you view it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafcprozac Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 Sh&t – I knew that the likes of Purdie & Worthington had signed 2 years, so those and the others of that ilk were out of contract; but it’s not until you see it written down like that it suddenly kicks in – we’re going to have pretty much a blank canvas aren’t we, there’s not much left there........ no ‘Keeper <insert your own joke about not really having one now in Brill at your leisure> / no defender at all / 5 midfielders & 2 strikers. Whilst I can see the positives in Dickov being able to bring in his type of player, not having to work with Shez & Penney’s dead-wood who will finally be off the wage bill & out of the club, and the club being able to (hopefully) make sensible signings that fall within a sensible wage budget...............for me, it’s also a massive worry; in that we need to bring in 18 new players to get up to a squad of 25, that i think you need if you want to compete with any semblance of depth of squad for a league campaign. With a reduced budget, a 3 sided ground with below average training facilities, offering L1 football and poor home crowds, would we be in a realistic position to attract 18 players to the club??? With Taylor on the left, Stephens & Furman in the middle & Kirk Millar on the right, with Brooke & Feeney up front, we need 5 quality additions just to field a side, let alone sub’s & squad players......... Could be a major positive having so many players leave the club at the end of the season, but it could well be a major issue – guess it depends on how you view it?? What it says to me is that we'l do what we did at the end of 97/98 - namely sign all the yoofs on and the likes of Crompton, Winchester etc will be playing week in week out come August... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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