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ferrarilover wrote:Odd for Stef to be so negative.

In fairness, we weren't really 'hanging on' in the second half. The only thing Wimbledon did was have a lot more of the ball. There was shockingly little end product to any of their possession. Poke didn't make a save in the whole half and they didn't even have any real goalmouth scrambles or near misses to point to, either. They were a bit like we have been at times this season, looking lovely in the stats column, but in reality, never truly in control of the game.

Funny GITP mentions Exeter. I think they are a damn sight more likely to go down than plenty of the team currently below them. They are woeful at home (and have been for a number of years) and, as we approach the business end of the season, teams always look to tighten up at home, so their away record is not immune from suffering either. I still think we'll finish above them.

Matt.

Yes it is unusual for me to be negative and as I pointed out to Hector on another thread in the past I have been accused of being ridiculously over optimistic so much so that I have seen a light at the end of the tunnel when there hasn't even been a tunnel let alone a light!

My original post on this thread contained a lot of 'tongue in cheek' material amongst the serious bit in which I did really fear for our league status. We were in the relegation zone, without a manager, with a worse goal difference than others, had played more games than others, and despite having played very well we had just dropped another two home points. Coming up the following week was Wimbledon who had just had a cracking away win.

In respect of the 'hanging on' I wasn't at the game and didn't have the impression that we had been, but I referenced it to the report posted on here by the Wimbledon fan (who like most football fans was suffering from tunnel vision - see there's that tunnel again!).

You know what it is like on forums Matt, you post something having a clear idea what you are trying to say but the responses suggest that nobody read it the way you thought you had written it (hope that makes sense - it confused me reading it back)!

We are not out of the woods, but I feel a lot more optimistic than I did after the Morecambe game and think we will stuff AC Northampton and then turn over Oxford at their place the following week.

We'll definitely make the play-offs then..

I would see the Northampton game as being much harder than the Wimbledon match. Sure Wimbledon had a good win the week before but the opposition had a player sent off early. Wimbledon have actually been bloody appalling of late. Their star striker's loan was up. Harry Pell went down with a stomach bug, they had suspensions,injuries and only had Midson (who is useless against everyone apart from us normally) and Dick Van Wyke a youngster loanee up front.
I would suggest that we struck lucky on the week we played them.
Northampton will be a different kettle of fish - they beat Newport in their last away game and they cannot afford to lose this one any less than we can.
Any talk of us giving them a stuffing is I feel a bit premature perhaps.
Its really another must win game for us.
Played more than everyone else, worse goal difference. We really need another three points from this one.

I often wondered what tea would taste like after pouring it out of a kettle of fish!

As for who will be relagated. WHO CARES AS LONG AS IT AIN'T US

Long way to go but one or two teams hovering around mid table could be dragged into the relegation dogfight and that could well include Exeter. They've got a young side and whilst they've done ok when results go their way, they could lose confidence when things don't go so well as has happened in recent weeks (except on Boxing Day !!) and slip further down the table. I wouldn't like to see them relegated cos I like Paul Tisdale. I think he's a canny manager.

Several have mentioned Mansfield (surprised they've released John McComb who I see has been quickly snapped up by York) but I don't think Wycombe have been mentioned. They've been in serious freefall. I'm confident we will be okay (I wouldn't have said that a couple of weeks ago) and I don't know why, but I think Northampton will get themselves out of trouble. I would love to see Portsmouth go down (as I'm sure would Southampton Gull !) ..... but I don't think it will happen.

brucie wrote:I would see the Northampton game as being much harder than the Wimbledon match. Sure Wimbledon had a good win the week before but the opposition had a player sent off early. Wimbledon have actually been bloody appalling of late. Their star striker's loan was up. Harry Pell went down with a stomach bug, they had suspensions,injuries and only had Midson (who is useless against everyone apart from us normally) and Dick Van Wyke a youngster loanee up front.
I would suggest that we struck lucky on the week we played them.
Northampton will be a different kettle of fish - they beat Newport in their last away game and they cannot afford to lose this one any less than we can.
Any talk of us giving them a stuffing is I feel a bit premature perhaps.
Its really another must win game for us.
Played more than everyone else, worse goal difference. We really need another three points from this one.

I agree completely but having predicted certain relegation last week I thought I'd have my optimistic head on this week!

just looking at the odds that bet365 are quoting, and, unbelievably, they are making us 5/4 favourites to go down, closely followed by stanley and the cobblers at 13/8 and 7/4

bixieupnorth wrote:just looking at the odds that bet365 are quoting, and, unbelievably, they are making us 5/4 favourites to go down, closely followed by stanley and the cobblers at 13/8 and 7/4

I can live with that TUFC defying the odds that's the way we like it.

Just a little off topic, but as things stand, at the moment, IF we had beaten Excrecia we would now be level on points with them. (29). I know its hyperthetical but only a few weeks ago they were looking at winning a game to go TOP of the league. This division is so tight, this season, anything could happen.

For my money. I think we will avoid relegation.

Exeter was the most galling result since we lost to Crawley in the Fa Cup. We should never have lost that game - we gave them the three points. Had we scored first they would have folded. They were actually a bloody awful team, which was shown as they managed to lose at home to Mansfield in the next match.
I listened to the last half an hour of the Wimbledon game - certainly from the commentary they appeared to be all over us but who cares its all about points.
I don't think it can be understated how big the Northampton game is - I always thought that if Hargreaves could get 6 points from his first two games in charge we would at least stand a chance of staying up.
Lose against Northampton and with Oxford to come we could be back where we started. We really need to get out of the bottom two so we are not chasing everyone else.
There are enough poor teams for us to play and its important we win against them.

Agree with everything you have said Brucie. As for the Wimbledon game, yes they did have a lot of the ball, in the 2nd half, but we didn't allow them to do anything with it. Downesy made one terrific, acrobatic, clearence and Pokey made a couple of saves/punches. TBH they never looked dangerous. We looked much more likely to score, on the break, than they did, despite their superior ball retention. 3weeks ago, if we had taken a 2-0 lead, I would have been worried that we would end up with 0 or 1 point, from the game. On Sat. even though the Dons did have the ball, it really didn't feel like we would not get all 3 points. Can't explain it...... (Actually, I probably can. CH) just hope it continues. In fact, it felt like a win.

bixieupnorth wrote:just looking at the odds that bet365 are quoting, and, unbelievably, they are making us 5/4 favourites to go down, closely followed by stanley and the cobblers at 13/8 and 7/4

Great odds on Exeter to go down, 25-1. Think I will put my money where my mouth is and use the proceeds to buy season tickets for myself and the mrs for League 2 at Plainmoor next season.

And I agree that Saturday's game against AC Northampton will be both crucial and very tough. The Cobblers can't afford to lose this one (nor can we really, but a draw would not be a disaster for us). The game means a lot to me, as one of the towns in my "two places" name is Northampton. I lived there (and part time in Devon) until recently, now full time in God's own county Devon.

I am not so sure a draw is a good result. Our home form has been abyssmal. We have to start winning at home.

Yes, I agree - given that others have games in hand over us, we need to keep winning to ensure that maximum points are obtained. We can't afford to drop any really.

brucie wrote:I am not so sure a draw is a good result. Our home form has been abyssmal. We have to start winning at home.

Hmmm ...... I sort of half agree Brucie. Yes - our home form has been dreadful. But Saturday's game is a 'six pointer' and we know how tense these games can be. Northampton will be well and truly up for it cos if they lose, they could be five or six points adrift. A draw wouldn't be a good result but I think in the circumstances, it would be an okay result. A win would be great ..... but let's not expect too much.