Half way through the season, a very successful calendar year finished (just read we got 92 league points in 2023)… nail your colours to the mast, where will we finish this season?

None of this “depends what we and others do in the window” - there are always variables and that’s all too sensible.

I’m 100% convinced we go up, I’d like to think as champions (not only because I’ve got a decent amount on us at 8/1 to win the league) but I think Derby will push us all the way.

2nd for me, with Derby as Champions and then Barnsley through the play offs.

Bad feeling currently that it will be playoffs again.

Tough run at end of Feb, Blackpool and Wigan away back-to-back. Then in March - Barnsley, Derby and Stevenage away.

 

Those two runs of fixtures are definitely capable of being season-derailers.

Sorry to be negative - hopefully we batter them all, especially the local derbies. 

1 minute ago, Mantra said:

Bad feeling currently that it will be playoffs again.

Tough run at end of Feb, Blackpool and Wigan away back-to-back. Then in March - Barnsley, Derby and Stevenage away.

 

Those two runs of fixtures are definitely capable of being season-derailers.

Sorry to be negative - hopefully we batter them all, especially the local derbies. 

Aye 

Second half of the season definitely tougher than the first 

I'm not concerned about playing those teams you mentioned, I'll be more nervous against all the others, as they're the ones we have to win so we can maybe afford not to win some of the ones you mentioned

I think we are virtually guaranteed top 4 now.

Peterborough have the experience after last year and I think they will finish top 2. 

It will depend on whether we can become more solid defensively at home because our away form and especially our goals conceded column is excellent.

I really wouldn’t like to call it but we won’t be far off. 

16 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

We'll finish the season in Peterborough.

Our Barnsley in the playoff semi 🫢

14 hours ago, Mantra said:

Bad feeling currently that it will be playoffs again.

Tough run at end of Feb, Blackpool and Wigan away back-to-back. Then in March - Barnsley, Derby and Stevenage away.

 

Those two runs of fixtures are definitely capable of being season-derailers.

Sorry to be negative - hopefully we batter them all, especially the local derbies. 

Everyone is concerned about those games.

Thing is, all their fans will be too.

So long as we don't go losing them all, we'll be OK.

Also remember that on the other hand, many of our homes remain very winnable.

37 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Everyone is concerned about those games.

Thing is, all their fans will be too.

So long as we don't go losing them all, we'll be OK.

Also remember that on the other hand, many of our homes remain very winnable.

I imagine the realistic/negative fans of those clubs will very much be concerned about us and wont fancy their chances;

Blackpool - concerns with manager, beaten them once, not really put a stamp on L1

Wigan - challenging relegation, about time we put one over them, squad miles better than theirs

Barnsley - lost their manager key players worse than last season 

Derby - don’t fully trust their manager, bossed them once this season, play better football which they envy.

Off course their positive fans will quote different evidence, but I reckon most will think like above 😊

Have a look at the home and away leagues. 

Blackpool top the home league, so they won't be easy!

Quite an interesting read.

https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/blackpool-fc/blackpool-fc-latest-predicted-league-one-table-according-to-the-bookies-following-the-festive-period-with-the-seasiders-fighting-likes-of-bristol-rovers-and-oxford-united-4463846?page=5

Evatt's team talk- show them this.

1 minute ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/blackpool-fc/blackpool-fc-latest-predicted-league-one-table-according-to-the-bookies-following-the-festive-period-with-the-seasiders-fighting-likes-of-bristol-rovers-and-oxford-united-4463846?page=5

Evatt's team talk- show them this.

Evatt's spent plenty of time in Blackpool, he knows they're all fucking retards.

Probably wishful thinking on their part.

Just now, Traf said:

Evatt's spent plenty of time in Blackpool, he knows they're all fucking retards.

https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/blackpool-fc/blackpool-fc-latest-predicted-league-one-table-according-to-the-bookies-following-the-festive-period-with-the-seasiders-fighting-likes-of-bristol-rovers-and-oxford-united-4463846?page=1

Page one- it claims the report was compiled by bookies. Dunno which ones, it doesn't say.

I'd sooner answer this question on 1st Feb, when I know what our squad looks like for the rest of the season.

Tough run of away games to come, as we are squad-wise 3rd or 4th, with some reinforcements could push for top 2. 

The 'stronger in 2nd half of season' thing I'm not so bought into, for me we faded through April last season and stumbled into the Barnsley games flat and jaded. The performances in those games showed it

24 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

I'd sooner answer this question on 1st Feb, when I know what our squad looks like for the rest of the season.

Tough run of away games to come, as we are squad-wise 3rd or 4th, with some reinforcements could push for top 2. 

The 'stronger in 2nd half of season' thing I'm not so bought into, for me we faded through April last season and stumbled into the Barnsley games flat and jaded. The performances in those games showed it

It agree. In the end perhaps a Wembley cup final and getting there played a part.

I think we're already stronger though this year. 

Should one or two additions come, we should be fine.

In the end, if we don't make it, we won't have quite been good enough. 

3 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

It agree. In the end perhaps a Wembley cup final and getting there played a part.

I’m not sure about that. After Plymouth:

P 8

W 5

D 2

L 1

I don’t think that’s enough evidence to say Plymouth affected us negatively. Probably more evidence to say it gave us momentum to have a decent finish.

The Barnsley 2 legs for me was too far apart from Plymouth to have an affect, think they would have had the better of us regardless, last season they were better than us.

The real truth of the matter is, there is no compelling evidence either way.

2 minutes ago, desperado said:

I’m not sure about that. After Plymouth:

P 8

W 5

D 2

L 1

I don’t think that’s enough evidence to say Plymouth affected us negatively. Probably more evidence to say it gave us momentum to have a decent finish.

The Barnsley 2 legs for me was too far apart from Plymouth to have an affect, think they would have had the better of us regardless, last season they were better than us.

The real truth of the matter is, there is no compelling evidence either way.

I think gethin jones was a massive loss

It meant they could stop bradley

I still think it wouldve been tough, mind

 

2 minutes ago, Casino said:

I think gethin jones was a massive loss

It meant they could stop bradley

I still think it wouldve been tough, mind

 

Yeh good point.

Massively underrated then and now

Was he replaced by the undercooked toal, too?

I think it was those games when i realised gethins value

15 minutes ago, desperado said:

I’m not sure about that. After Plymouth:

P 8

W 5

D 2

L 1

I don’t think that’s enough evidence to say Plymouth affected us negatively. Probably more evidence to say it gave us momentum to have a decent finish.

The Barnsley 2 legs for me was too far apart from Plymouth to have an affect, think they would have had the better of us regardless, last season they were better than us.

The real truth of the matter is, there is no compelling evidence either way.

Not necessarily form immediately afterwards. However after that short gap at the end of the season the players did seem jaded.

It catches up eventually.

Similar to the game on Monday- at one point in the second half, I caught sight of Toal shortly after he'd made a run and clearance. He was sucking air in deeply, put his hands on his hips and blew out vigorously. He was clearly tired after 4 games in a short time.

Good thing there was that the opposition had also played games in a short period.

In the play offs, I just felt it had caught up with them.

2 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

In the play offs, I just felt it had caught up with them.

Hmmm, not sure.

I thought the tactics were all wrong. We chose to sit and wait and build up at walking speed, whereas in the League game away at Barnsley and the PJ final V Plymouth we went at them from the off and showed that we could beat the top teams with the right approach.

12 minutes ago, Traf said:

Hmmm, not sure.

I thought the tactics were all wrong. We chose to sit and wait and build up at walking speed, whereas in the League game away at Barnsley and the PJ final V Plymouth we went at them from the off and showed that we could beat the top teams with the right approach.

Spot on; plus Barnsley did a job on us by pressing high and we didn’t have a clue what to do. Happened a few times this season

6 hours ago, Traf said:

Hmmm, not sure.

I thought the tactics were all wrong. We chose to sit and wait and build up at walking speed, whereas in the League game away at Barnsley and the PJ final V Plymouth we went at them from the off and showed that we could beat the top teams with the right approach.

Perhaps in part due to fatigue?

It affect both physical and mental aspects. 

Plus Barnsley nullified us and deserve credit for that.

On 02/01/2024 at 20:29, Wanderlust said:

We'll finish the season in Peterborough.

This is where I'm at.

Peterborough are the main threat for top two. I think Pompey will fade. 

We have to aim for top spot. Whilst we still have to play a lot of the half, so do others in the top half. Points will be dropped by everyone.

Charles staying/ leaving is a big factor. If he goes, we should dip in for one 9f Peterboroughs three strikers. 

6 minutes ago, Ratwhite said:

This is where I'm at.

Peterborough are the main threat for top two. I think Pompey will fade. 

We have to aim for top spot. Whilst we still have to play a lot of the half, so do others in the top half. Points will be dropped by everyone.

Charles staying/ leaving is a big factor. If he goes, we should dip in for one 9f Peterboroughs three strikers. 

Would Peterborough really sell to the team that are jostling with them for promotion?

59 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Would Peterborough really sell to the team that are jostling with them for promotion?

I don't see any of them being Championship standard which is what we'd need if promoted - and that's the problem.

We'd need serious investment in the squad if we go up, so at this stage we have a choice - either invest in that quality now to try to ensure we get over the line (which carries the risk of having a higher wage bill next season in the L1 if we don't) OR back the current lot to get us over the line - which could be supplemented with loans - and then have a complete rethink in summer.

For me the obvious route is to try to get top quality loanees in - possibly from the Bundesliga or other European league - and pay what's needed. That way our risk is mitigated and time bound - and to me that seems more like the FV way of doing things. I'd be trawling through the European leagues or even further afield right now if I was them.

Another option is to see if a trial deal can be done for an out of contract player who wants to get themselves back in the shop window - and there's lots of them including Diego Costa, that knob Lingard and a bunch of Brazilian forwards...

Edited January 4, 20242 yr by Wanderlust

1 hour ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Perhaps in part due to fatigue?

It affect both physical and mental aspects. 

Plus Barnsley nullified us and deserve credit for that.

FATIGUE 

4 off the players Wives/Girlfriends 

are Pregent or have just had Baby's 

and DC has just had Two kids 

to much Shgging going on