Half way point....

[Londonboy]

So we are now exactly halfway through the season with 23 games to go.

I think most would agree we are behind where we hoped we would be both pts and position wise, and our automatic promotion ambitions have long gone.

However still lots to play for.

 

Is top 3 realistic?

We probably need 80 ish points to get a home play off semi final (not sure if I'd rather be away if I'm honest) 

So a 2 points a game average for the 2H? 

Not sure what our points total was last year for the 2H of the season as we ammased a good number? 

Seems a bit too much of a stretch for me, but if we make some decent additions and get our home form sorted out I guess you never know. Maybe going into the playoffs on a great run is all we can hope for?

In MM we trust

 

[Londonboy]

In fact just checked...

W 11

D 7

L 5

Pts 40

[LightDN123]

Disappointing first half of the season, but we started with a 9 game handicap due to Unsy. 
 

This time last year, we were down near the bottom of this league, so we have improved over the 12th months and moved forward.

 

Hopefully the second half of this season we can kick on, but the squad is still massively unbalanced and players are missing in some very key positions.

 

We need to get rid of 4/5 players and bring in another 4/5 imo. The issue is that some of the players are on long contracts and expensive contracts. We either spend more money, or we hope we can move them on to free up some cash so we can recruit. We shall see. 

[League one forever]

1 hour ago, Londonboy said:

So we are now exactly halfway through the season with 23 games to go.

I think most would agree we are behind where we hoped we would be both pts and position wise, and our automatic promotion ambitions have long gone.

However still lots to play for.

 

Is top 3 realistic?

We probably need 80 ish points to get a home play off semi final (not sure if I'd rather be away if I'm honest) 

So a 2 points a game average for the 2H? 

Not sure what our points total was last year for the 2H of the season as we ammased a good number? 

Seems a bit too much of a stretch for me, but if we make some decent additions and get our home form sorted out I guess you never know. Maybe going into the playoffs on a great run is all we can hope for?

In MM we trust

 

If Mellon had been here from the start of the season, we’d be in the top 3 no question. But that 9/10 games under Unsy has really dented our season. We’ve then suffered some inconsistency as the players adapt to what MM wants. The best we can hope for is a 4/5th place finish, and even then we’ll need more far consistent performances and a few additions. I think much more probable is sneaking into 7th. 
 

Looking at the bigger picture, we finished 12th last season and if we finish top 7 this season-  I’ll still see that as progress given our start. But I’d want and expect to challenge for the title next year. 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

12 minutes ago, League one forever said:

If Mellon had been here from the start of the season, we’d be in the top 3 no question. But that 9/10 games under Unsy has really dented our season. We’ve then suffered some inconsistency as the players adapt to what MM wants. The best we can hope for is a 4/5th place finish, and even then we’ll need more far consistent performances and a few additions. I think much more probable is sneaking into 7th. 
 

Looking at the bigger picture, we finished 12th last season and if we finish top 7 this season-  I’ll still see that as progress given our start. But I’d want and expect to challenge for the title next year. 

 

Quite right and, I think we're showing a small germination of signs in how to handle ourselves in this division. We're suffering a lot of Jekyll and Hyde performances and we're in a bit of flux regarding having the right personalities and attitudes to become a leading team in this division. It's no surprise to me that the current top seven (aside from Gateshead at three seasons) are all teams that have had between 6 and 10 years at this level. They're shrewd, battle-hardened outfits and know precisely what's required. We've still some way to go to match that mental toughness and, if I'm honest, don't expect us to achieve promotion this season unless we pull off some remarkable signings that bed-in almost instantly.

[TheBigDog]

We are 10 points behind Barnet who are currently in third place.

Barnet have lost 6 games, the same number as we have. Our problem is the number of games we have drawn at home namely 5 (FIVE)

 

In fact our home form is pretty poor overall: W3-D5-L3.

 

We seem to have found a way to win on the road, time to sort out the results at BP I think

[GKing521]

This team, at present, just do not have the mental resolve to stage a successful play-off campaign. They crumbled at BP to *Ebbsfleet United*  after the home faithful started to get agitated.

We would no doubt lose the game at BP before ever making it to Wembley.

Mellon looks to be the right man to finally achieve something at this football club in the 21st century.

Finish strongly and aim for the title next year methinks. 

[whittles left foot]

13 minutes ago, GKing521 said:

We would no doubt lose the game at BP before ever making it to Wembley.

Usual display of pessimism-you really cannot help it can you?

[nzlatic]

Looking at the table, 4th place should be very achievable and should be our minimum aim with squad tweaks and more time to settle into what Mellon is asking of them.

[deyres42]

3 hours ago, League one forever said:

If Mellon had been here from the start of the season, we’d be in the top 3 no question. But that 9/10 games under Unsy has really dented our season. We’ve then suffered some inconsistency as the players adapt to what MM wants. The best we can hope for is a 4/5th place finish, and even then we’ll need more far consistent performances and a few additions. I think much more probable is sneaking into 7th. 
 

Looking at the bigger picture, we finished 12th last season and if we finish top 7 this season-  I’ll still see that as progress given our start. But I’d want and expect to challenge for the title next year. 

Based on what? Managing to move us a whopping two places higher in the table since joining? 

[BP1960]

6 hours ago, Londonboy said:

So we are now exactly halfway through the season with 23 games to go.

I think most would agree we are behind where we hoped we would be both pts and position wise, and our automatic promotion ambitions have long gone.

However still lots to play for.

 

Is top 3 realistic?

We probably need 80 ish points to get a home play off semi final (not sure if I'd rather be away if I'm honest) 

So a 2 points a game average for the 2H? 

Not sure what our points total was last year for the 2H of the season as we ammased a good number? 

Seems a bit too much of a stretch for me, but if we make some decent additions and get our home form sorted out I guess you never know. Maybe going into the playoffs on a great run is all we can hope for?

In MM we trust

 

 

Is it a glass half full, or a glass half empty?

[Bobledgersheart]

7 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

Is it a glass half full, or a glass half empty?

Half fuller than it was this time last season !

[League one forever]

1 hour ago, deyres42 said:

Based on what? Managing to move us a whopping two places higher in the table since joining? 

 

I know you don’t rate 5 promotions Mellon, but other than his 5 promotions- 

 

I’m basing it on his PPG- which is currently 1.75

 

1.75 x 23 is 40.25 which would have us 4th and 3 points behind 3rd. 
 

I just wish he was 20 years younger, had no previous experience and we lost nearly every game. But crucially, we knew it would be progressive football. 

[GlossopLatic]

14 hours ago, BP1960 said:

 

Is it a glass half full, or a glass half empty?

 

Optimist: The glass is half full

 

Pessimist: The glass is half empty

 

Realist: It's a glass of water....

 

I'm still fairly confident we can get into the play offs and while the play offs do favour teams who finish in the top 3 their is still very much a level of unpredictability about them.

 

We won't be facing anyone as formidable as the Notts County side that finished 2nd with 107 points last year. What is required is a strong second half to the season, While I'd still expect us to throw in a couple of Ebsfleets performances there is no reason why we can't get into the top 5 certainly if we put our minds to it. If we can have a strong second half of the season and go into the play offs with sone momentum then we will give ourselves the best chance possible of going up.

Edited December 19, 2023 by GlossopLatic

[Hemel latic]

Every reason to expect the play offs from this jumping off point (cue three match losing streak). The target pre-season was probably top three so if we make the play offs we won't be a million miles off. Like everyone else I'd really like to see those three signings (RB, ball playing CM and scary winger) that might potentially transform the side. It would be nice if we got them in before the end of January.

 

HOW ****ING HARD IS IT TO SIGN A RIGHT BACK IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE??

[League one forever]

8 minutes ago, Hemel latic said:

 

HOW ****ING HARD IS IT TO SIGN A RIGHT BACK IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE??

Impossible. . apparently. 

[Wee Bobby]

Strangely that before the Solihull game and for a few weeks earlier, my £5 bet, at 14 to 1 for promotion with bet365, had a pay out of £1.53. After Solihull it took a jump to £2.80.

So the bookies are thinking we have a much better chance now.

[ceskylatic]

58 minutes ago, Wee Bobby said:

Strangely that before the Solihull game and for a few weeks earlier, my £5 bet, at 14 to 1 for promotion with bet365, had a pay out of £1.53. After Solihull it took a jump to £2.80.

So the bookies are thinking we have a much better chance now.

7th favourites at 12/1. Same odds for the FA Trophy.

[yarddog73]

34 minutes ago, ceskylatic said:

7th favourites at 12/1. Same odds for the FA Trophy.

Whose priced up the Trophy?

[Hemel latic]

22 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

Whose priced up the Trophy?

Yep, looks generous given only 10 or so NL teams left in the comp, although most drew lower level oppo in the next round,

Edited December 19, 2023 by Hemel latic

[Monty Burns]

Under achieving so need to over achieve in the second half of the season and will finish around 5th. which is not good enough but its much easier to find stuff to be positive about on and off the pitch than it was at ten matches in.

[ceskylatic]

43 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

Whose priced up the Trophy?

Bet365.

[Monty Burns]

urgh l never thought of that suppose it woud make me interested in the competition and take it seriously.

ok l'm in l'm taking the competition seriously. l'll let you know if l back us!!!

[L1onheartNew]

22 hours ago, LightDN123 said:

Disappointing first half of the season, but we started with a 9 game handicap due to Unsy. 

Interesting observation.

 

I also used to play off 9. Nowadays, my handicap is my clubs.

 

In similar fashion, ours is now the players.

 

However, I believe that we may get closer to automatic than we think. 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by L1onheartNew

[Monty Burns]

12/1 for FA Trophy. picked up £2.50 on goals giveaway so lve backed us £1.25 e/w.

just off to the food bank*