10 games in, what do you think?

[tktufc91]

So, after last nights boring 4-3 comeback victory, we have reached double figures in the number of games we've played. Normally I like to wait 10 games before casting my mind on what i think of the team and I am wondering what you all think of our start to the season.

Personally, I feel that there is room for improvements, but overall we are in the top half of the table and are becoming a tough side to beat. I'd have taken that 10 games ago!

The back line needs to tighten up and I think a few loan signings would really help for our rapidly depleting side. Plus putting a few of these draws to wins would also be a great help.

We have seen our youngsters been given the chance to perform at league level and it looks like we may have a few gems in the youth set up.

Overall, I am content with the start we have made. I fully believe we are capable of pushing for the play-offs, a few tweaks here and there and we could have the potential to be up for promotion come May.

What do you think of our start everybody?

[Jeff]

Can't really argue with any of the above. We are a side that is almost there, but not quite. We look a lot less disjointed than we did exactly a year ago, which is understandable. last year we were a side thrown together, finding our feet. This year we are a machine that has had the key components removed/replaced, so are seeming to play in more fits-and-starts than our fluid best that we know we can produce.

Positives are definitely the emergence of some young talent in the shape of Craig, Thompson and McKenzie, plus the fact that we now have a much stronger bench than last season. The form of Rene Howe at this stage is a massive bonus - very few at this level can touch him when on this sort of form. The negatives are the total reliance on Howe, the lack of a decent plan b (although that may have been resolved as of last night) and the revolving door of Damien Daveys treatment room.

Definitely happy with where we are at the moment though. Tough to beat, and if we can use last nights result as a springboard for some good form we are nicely poised for the winter months.

[Glostergull]

It's interesting to compare Damians Treatment room of the last couple of years to this years. or season i should say. Why are we suddenly getting all these injuries. I am not trying to point fingures. but I think we need to investigate why they are suddenly happening. Could it be that all the players are now another year older. I don't know. But if we keep getting any more injuries we won't so much have an injury list. More a horizantal.

[Gullscorer]

We now have one point more than we had last season after ten games. Could make all the difference between automatic promotion and the play-offs again..

[cambgull]

I would imagine its more to do with the team having more depth. Last season, we saw the same team week in, week out because players who were injured obviously got given pain killing injections to carry on. We now have more injuries as the players are given more time to rest.

[SteveDeckchair]

It was pleasing to see us stick to our principles against Aldershot,. Even when it wasn't quite coming off, we continued to pass the ball rather than panic and resort to going long.

Regards our season to date, I am more than happy. Mid-table without really clicking and a few points outside playoffs. Beaten only once by the way, so nobody will be particularly looking forward to playing us.

Looking forward to seeing how the season evolves.

[Popside Joe]

Agree with most of the above. I'm not concerned. We're progressing nicely.

[Gulliball]

I think it is a decent start. Looking from afar we seem to have a solid defence one week (clean sheets at Fleetwood, Port Vale etc) where we have been unadventurous, then the next week we are scoring and conceeding goals openly. With a slight bit of tweaking to our balance of play we seem to have the qualities of a good team, but haven't got them together in the same game yet.

Looking at the split table, we have played five home games and five away games. In the home games we have scored 11 and conceeded 8, in the away games those figures are 3 and 3 - which does suggest our attacking and defensive records are down to the way we set up to play.

In an ideal world we are missing a replacement for Eunan, otherwise I like the look of the squad and do think it is better than last season. If Lathrope, Mansell and Craig could establish themselves as the starting three then I think we're definitely stronger. Howe has already scored 7 of the 14 he got last year and we have Bodin, Thompson and Macklin 'extra' to the players we had last year.

With a good run of form to instill some confidence and momentum, I don't see why we shouldn't aim to reach the play-offs again. We haven't performed to our best so far, but sit 10th and only four points off 2nd. We have a solid defence at times, and dangerous attacking players, including a striker bang in form. We have played some of the trickiest fixtures on paper too, so I expect us to impove as the season goes on, much like last year.

[Neal]

Lost 1 out of 10, that is good for me, satisfied with that.

Mmmm.... Im not so optimistic though, I think we will finish about where we are now. We had a good run of results last year that improved our position, and i doubt we wil repeat that, but heh "Footballs a funny game" so who the hell knows.

[Chris B]

After 46mins on Tuesday night, I would've said we'd made a poor start to the season. That comeback has made a big difference, and now the table makes for much happier reading. We've lost just one out of ten, playing 5 of the 9 teams above us in the process (and Rotherham who are directly below us).

At the risk of sounding like a Martin Ling pre-match interview, I expect most of those 6 sides to be in the top half come the end of the season. We just need to find a way to consistently turn draws into wins against the less capable footballing sides, like the Plymouth game.

The key for us is obvious: keeping Rene on the pitch. If he avoids suspension and injury, and can keep playing at a similar level, we'll give ourselves a shot at the top 7. Particularly if Craig can pull the strings, and Bodin, Jarvis, Yeoman et al can support him like against Aldershot.

[Popside Joe]

Chris B you stole my thunder. Damn work got in the way as I was making a similar post to you. The point being...

We have got some of the toughest away fixtures out the way already. Fleetwood, Port Vale, Rotherham, Chesterfield. One defeat from these 4 games. On top of that, one from the 10 in total. Surely this will prove important later on in the season. Of course providing we get the most from the 'easier' fixtures. Which given my faith in the current set up...........

We seem to have a nice balance at the moment, wouldn't want expectations too high (despite me seemingly raising them with this post... Er... )

[Dave]

Think 10 games is probaly just a tad to early to judge things, however if I was going to give my opinion on the first 10 games I would say being honest slightly frustrating, the team has conceeded just far to much possession at home, I know you can't expect to have all the game go your own way, however at times we have looked like the away side at home though, and should have closed the games out against Cheltenham and Burton.

To balance this up, to be fair Lingy has not be able to pick from a fully fit squad so far, the team have only lost 1 game and sat 9th just 2 points of the play-off zone and sat in a nice position and on course for a top 10 finish, so little to complain about. Over all could have been better, could have been a lot worse, as said above at 0.3 down Tuesday night things were not looking to sweet.

Would like to see a little more 4-4-2 Tuesday night Branno had Rene Howe in his pocket untill Ryan Jarvis came on, it took the shackles off, Rene Howe escaped the clutchs of Guy Branston in turn Rene Howe became unplayable.If the team can go and win up at Wycombe that should give us a massive confidence boost and hopefully they will kick on from there coupled with the likes of Lathrope returning to the side, word of warning however, this could still go either way the team to me are still not fully clicking together, and stating the obvious one win is no good if you follow it with a draw and a loss.

Still prefer to wait untill the 15-20 game mark to should give a real indication of the season will hold for us.

[Plymouth Gull]

After 46mins on Tuesday night, I would've said we'd made a poor start to the season. That comeback has made a big difference, and now the table makes for much happier reading. We've lost just one out of ten, playing 5 of the 9 teams above us in the process (and Rotherham who are directly below us).

At the risk of sounding like a Martin Ling pre-match interview, I expect most of those 6 sides to be in the top half come the end of the season. We just need to find a way to consistently turn draws into wins against the less capable footballing sides, like the Plymouth game.

The key for us is obvious: keeping Rene on the pitch. If he avoids suspension and injury, and can keep playing at a similar level, we'll give ourselves a shot at the top 7. Particularly if Craig can pull the strings, and Bodin, Jarvis, Yeoman et al can support him like against Aldershot.

Exactly my thoughts aswell.

Not concerned at all thus far, I haven't been. As you and Alpine Joe say, we've played 4 teams expected to be in the top 7 away from home, losing just the once, conceding 3. That isn't bad.

Hopefully the Aldershot game will see us push on but if we can pull 6 points from Wycombe and Accrington then all of a sudden it's looking a very good start indeed. There are always teams that don't lose many and come out of nowhere to join the top dogs. I'd rather be in the sort of position we are now, under the radar. If we can just keep plugging along as we are doing (and hopefully see DL return with no further knock backs) we'll be right in the mix.

[Glostergull]

What do i think. Well. I think the Government hasn't a clue. The railway tendering process was a joke. and The baggage handling system at Heathrow is useless. oh you mean the Football.

I ain't too worried. At the worst I think we are middle table and may well remain there all season.
At best we will be around the playoffs or just below. The players are slowly starting to gel. but our injuries worry me a bit. who are we getting so many this season when previous seasons have been reletively free of injury. I doubt we have enough in the kitty even If I get a hammer to break it open. (that last 50p must be in there somewhere). To finance the loan signings if we want to get into the playoffs this year. I think injuries will our handicap this year. we seem to have not so much of an injury list as a horizantal. It could be a rough year for that. But if they can be cleared up in time to next season then we could be a serious contender next year. depends on who we keep and who we let go or decide to go or come in.
Either way we ain't going down. Conference will have to come up. Forest Green and Wrexham anyone?

[lucy6lucy]

In short B-

But to be fair, we have played some tough teams and all away.
We are hard to beat, 1 defeat in 10 is very very good.
Just wished the goals scored so far where more evenly distributed, we cant just rely on Rene.
Team spirit is there, otherwise we would not had come back from 3 down

I have faith, but i do not see us going up automatically(i mean we dont things the easy way anyway), playoffs yes, why not??