[DerbySpireite59]

Mr Mercury, on 15 December 2024 - 11:16 PM, said:

I think we?d all make an exception this year, including Cook.

That's an interesting question. Would you really rather we'd have beaten Notts than win the title a year later?

[Burgerman]

Maddog Tannen, on 15 December 2024 - 04:30 PM, said:

We are exceeding my expectations so far as its our first season after 6 long years away. I was expecting a season of consolidatiion with a mid table to lower half finish so yeah well happy so far

Same here, my expectations were not as high as others, mid table with a sly wish for a playoff place.

[clarevoyant.]

DerbySpireite59, on 16 December 2024 - 12:00 AM, said:

That's an interesting question. Would you really rather we'd have beaten Notts than win the title a year later?

Yes, we'd be threatening promotion to the championship now.

[Zigsuk]

It is a decent position no doubt and I think most of us are happy apart from those who expected us to be running away with the league for the second year running. However I would make a couple of points. The position is precarious as many teams have games in hand on us and we could easily slip out of the playoffs. Stating the obvious we have to try to win every game. Linked to that just imagine what our position would be had we won a couple of those drawn home matches. The extra four points would have made a huge difference. I think we have to go out and try to win every game and understand that 2 wins and 2 losses are better than 4 draws. Go for the win and risk defeat rather than drawing. Too many draws get you nowhere. In fact if you drew every game you could well be relegated.

[Bald magician]

Just shows you how important home form is. As you say one or draw of those draws turned into wins would see us top. However we are not and my action plan for the next 20 games would be a sustained effort to improve home form.

Do that and we are guaranteed at least a play off spot

[Sammy Spireite]

Bald magician, on 16 December 2024 - 11:59 AM, said:

Just shows you how important home form is. As you say one or draw of those draws turned into wins would see us top.

it wouldn't, it would see us 3rd at best.

truth is were probably only a poor 10-15 minutes of football (or even better just some poor finishing at times) away from being in the automatic places, and I'm more than happy with that.

We don't need wholesale changes and the squad is more than capable of mounting a promotion challenge as it is.

Hopefully Cookie will be able to strengthen in January (if he can move one or two on without paying them up) and we can continue that push.

[Goku]

Sammy Spireite, on 16 December 2024 - 01:44 PM, said:

truth is were probably only a poor 10-15 minutes of football (or even better just some poor finishing at times) away from being in the automatic places, and I'm more than happy with that.

Or a shocking refereeing decision or 12

[JonB]

Goku, on 16 December 2024 - 02:09 PM, said:

Or a shocking refereeing decision or 12

Yep...ref gets the County penalty right and thats 2 points more for starters!

[Sammy Spireite]

Goku, on 16 December 2024 - 02:09 PM, said:

Or a shocking refereeing decision or 12

indeed but I guess that was/is out of our hands so tried to ignore it!

[warfey is a spireite]

I see some decent teams in this league ,but with good striker could get us up again

[Rodney's Moustache]

JonB, on 16 December 2024 - 02:11 PM, said:

Yep...ref gets the County penalty right and thats 2 points more for starters!

And two more for the blatant penalty against Swindon we never got

[Maddog Tannen]

Bald magician, on 16 December 2024 - 11:59 AM, said:

Just shows you how important home form is. As you say one or draw of those draws turned into wins would see us top. However we are not and my action plan for the next 20 games would be a sustained effort to improve home form.

Do that and we are guaranteed at least a play off spot

Surely away form is just as important. We could equally say if we had drawn at Crewe and Donny we would be 4 points worse off

[JonB]

Rodney, on 16 December 2024 - 02:46 PM, said:

And two more for the blatant penalty against Swindon we never got

I was veering away from the ones that could have gone for us as we'd have to score them, see the game out etc so not as clear cut victory as that County decision that was basically the last kick of the game. There is also the one where Colchester should have played with 10 men for 85mins.

[dtp]

Zigsuk, on 16 December 2024 - 11:56 AM, said:

It is a decent position no doubt and I think most of us are happy apart from those who expected us to be running away with the league for the second year running. However I would make a couple of points. The position is precarious as many teams have games in hand on us and we could easily slip out of the playoffs. Stating the obvious we have to try to win every game. Linked to that just imagine what our position would be had we won a couple of those drawn home matches. The extra four points would have made a huge difference. I think we have to go out and try to win every game and understand that 2 wins and 2 losses are better than 4 draws. Go for the win and risk defeat rather than drawing. Too many draws get you nowhere. In fact if you drew every game you could well be relegated.

I do not think we went into any of those drawn games with any other mindset than wanting to win. However, we did not win but drew instead. The converse of what you say regarding those draws is to imagine where we would be if we had lost a couple or more of those games instead. Every team will have its ifs and buts coupled with thoughts that things could have been different otherwise. Teams that have played less games than us probably have to play each other in their games in hand too. At the end of the season every team will have played each other home and away whilst having good and bad runs of form and results.

I always thought this season would be one of consolidation but cannot deny always carrying the hope that we might do a bit better than that. I am happy so far and, especially so, considering the injuries we have suffered. With 78 points to play for anything can happen.

[KevoBMMD]

Sammy Spireite, on 16 December 2024 - 01:44 PM, said:

it wouldn't, it would see us 3rd at best.

truth is were probably only a poor 10-15 minutes of football (or even better just some poor finishing at times) away from being in the automatic places, and I'm more than happy with that.

We don't need wholesale changes and the squad is more than capable of mounting a promotion challenge as it is.

Hopefully Cookie will be able to strengthen in January (if he can move one or two on without paying them up) and we can continue that push.

Surely 6 home draws is 12 points dropped and would have put us 3 points clear at the top on 43 points

[clarevoyant.]

JonB, on 16 December 2024 - 03:05 PM, said:

I was veering away from the ones that could have gone for us as we'd have to score them, see the game out etc so not as clear cut victory as that County decision that was basically the last kick of the game. There is also the one where Colchester should have played with 10 men for 85mins.

Let's not overlook the marvellous flick on by the ref to cost us at least a point at Harrogate and the admitted mistake at Gillingham (and other cock ups)which cost us Dunkley at Vale which you could argue would have made a difference.

[JonB]

clarevoyant., on 16 December 2024 - 03:44 PM, said:

Let's not overlook the marvellous flick on by the ref to cost us at least a point at Harrogate and the admitted mistake at Gillingham (and other cock ups)which cost us Dunkley at Vale which you could argue would have made a difference.

I'm not sure just Dunkley in would have made much of a difference at Vale!!

[DIFH]

dtp, on 16 December 2024 - 03:11 PM, said:

I do not think we went into any of those drawn games with any other mindset than wanting to win. However, we did not win but drew instead. The converse of what you say regarding those draws is to imagine where we would be if we had lost a couple or more of those games instead. Every team will have its ifs and buts coupled with thoughts that things could have been different otherwise. Teams that have played less games than us probably have to play each other in their games in hand too. At the end of the season every team will have played each other home and away whilst having good and bad runs of form and results.

I always thought this season would be one of consolidation but cannot deny always carrying the hope that we might do a bit better than that. I am happy so far and, especially so, considering the injuries we have suffered. With 78 points to play for anything can happen.

FOR ME THERE IS A SET REASON WHY WE STRUGGLE IN SOME GAMES AND THAT IT DOWN TO THE TACTICS OF THE OPPOSITION.

WHEN A TEAM HAS A REAL GO AT US AND I MEAN PHYSICALITY, PACE CLOSING DOWN ETC WE STRUGGLE TO CHANGE OUR GAME PLAN OR WE SIMPLY CANNOT GET PAST THAT STYLE.

INJURIES ARE HAVING AN IMPACT ON US AND I THINK A FULLY FIT COLCLOUGH WILL BE A BIG PLUS FOR US.

[Johnnyspireite7]

DIFH, on 16 December 2024 - 04:34 PM, said:

FOR ME THERE IS A SET REASON WHY WE STRUGGLE IN SOME GAMES AND THAT IT DOWN TO THE TACTICS OF THE OPPOSITION.

WHEN A TEAM HAS A REAL GO AT US AND I MEAN PHYSICALITY, PACE CLOSING DOWN ETC WE STRUGGLE TO CHANGE OUR GAME PLAN OR WE SIMPLY CANNOT GET PAST THAT STYLE.

INJURIES ARE HAVING AN IMPACT ON US AND I THINK A FULLY FIT COLCLOUGH WILL BE A BIG PLUS FOR US.

Mr May have you borrowed warfey's laptop again?

[dim view]

DIFH, on 16 December 2024 - 04:34 PM, said:

FOR ME THERE IS A SET REASON WHY WE STRUGGLE IN SOME GAMES AND THAT IT DOWN TO THE TACTICS OF THE OPPOSITION.

WHEN A TEAM HAS A REAL GO AT US AND I MEAN PHYSICALITY, PACE CLOSING DOWN ETC WE STRUGGLE TO CHANGE OUR GAME PLAN OR WE SIMPLY CANNOT GET PAST THAT STYLE.

No team plays that style better than Wimbledon. Should be interesting then.