I'm probably the least surprised. (3 Viewers)

[Paxman II]

New with a new manager they would jump out the starting gates but Hartlepool really had nothing after that and we coped with that early onslaught.
Scunny had another very good victory today against the best away side in the league. Makes one wonder how much of a blip last week was...perhaps not as bad as we were being led by some to believe?
Noteably most results went our way today too. We have gained a lot of 'gap' points on others and I have said many times the top 6 is very achievable but will not be carried away by winning at Hartlepool while at the same time 5 away and a clean sheet, improved goal difference will help the players realise that this league is there for the taking.
Other teams will find it difficult as the season gets longer. (Wallsall is an example...they were winning for fun not long ago)
The squad today started to resemble something more stable too including McSheffrey in the whole. Think MR knows exactly what he is doing and slowly will get this right.
McGoldrick has not scored in open play last two games has he? Interesting to see how he is encoraging the likes of Rod, McSheff and others. I do expect McGoldrick will not have a problem scoring again though!
Adams? All I can say is that's surely the writing on the wall for Hussey? January looms large for one or two as MR's shapes his current squad. Look at the bench today that says a lot. Fleck as I said before, overweight, slow and not the player thought.
I'm not intrrested in the JPT game. I want more league wins and concentration on top 6.

 

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[stupot07]

We won't finish in the top 6.

 

[shmmeee]

Doesn't matter it should be our aim. Shoot for the stars and you might hit the moon.

 

[coundonskyblue]

For the sake of 1 game is it not worth going for it in the JPT?

Beat Sheff Utd & we have a great chance of getting to Wembley.

 

[Sky Blue Sheepy]

It's a long season, why shouldn't we aim for top 6? Not saying I expect it but it should still be our aim.

 

[stupot07]

Doesn't matter it should be our aim. Shoot for the stars and you might hit the moon.

That's true, but there's a fine line between aims and expectations.

 

[Houchens Head]

If we hadn't had such a shock result losing at home last week then I would have said we are now turning things around. However, it was only Hartlepool - no disrespect to them - who are having a really bad time of it at the moment. They can't score, they can't defend, they are at sixes and sevens and although I thought we should win by a goal or two, I don't want to get carried away by todays result, even though it was a great score. I had us down for a 1-1 draw in the Prediction League, thinking Hartlepool might be up for a scrap to entice the new manager coming in. I would still like to think we will finish high up the table but won't hold my breath. I'm not a defeatist - just a realist.

 

[Black6Osprey]

Its a good win today but its Hartlepool, bottom of the third tier. Of course the top 6 is possible but it is extremely unlikely based on results and more importantly performances in recent weeks and 1 decent win does not suddenly make us challengers. Its 1 game at a time and we'll see how we go. A lot of our problems come from bold statements and forgetting we actually have to turn up and play to get anything out of it. Good day but we've got plenty more to go.

 

[Astute]

Unlikely we will finish top 6 with what results?

How many clubs have won 3 out of the last 4 games? If we can keep it up for a few weeks we will be within touching reach of the top 6. It was only a few weeks ago that Tranmere were running away with it.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

We are too inconsistent at the moment, every time we look like we may build some momentum and threaten the top half we stutter and fall

 

[stupot07]

Unlikely we will finish top 6 with what results?

How many clubs have won 3 out of the last 4 games? If we can keep it up for a few weeks we will be within touching reach of the top 6. It was only a few weeks ago that Tranmere were running away with it.

We'd won 1 lost 2 and drawn 1 in the 4 games previous. In the 11 games robins has been in charge the gap has widened from 8 points to 11 points despite this wonderful run.

 

[Moff]

F*ck it, we won 5-0 away...I am going to enjoy tonight.

Sod inconsistency and all the other discussions going on, this was a good result, and we had to win not just turn up, and WE did.

Results like this breed confidence.

With 28 games left we better be aiming for the top 6, as thats what paid professionals should be doing. I dont expect us to get there but as ever live in hope.

 

[Otis]

Doesn't matter it should be our aim. Shoot for the stars and you might hit the moon.

Or a cow's arse with a banjo.

 

[Paxman II]

ha ha. As ever their are the pessimist view and the optimist view.

Yes it was Hartlepool but people have to see that any team that can destroy another 5-0 away from home in 45 second half minutes has something bubbling under the surface? It's only a matter of time the consistency will return and in this poor league with the squad we have that will play a big factor.

Otis your 14th looks under threat and we are not even at Xmas yet?

Look carefully at the table, ignore some of our awful displays because most teams are awful in this league and tell me honestly anyone that you truly think top 6 or there abouts is more about shooting for the moon?

 

[sky_blue_up_north]

We won't finish in the top 6.

Totally agree

 

[stupot07]

Paxman You're forgetting that in all likelihood we're going to lose our best player / top scorer in 6 weeks time.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

New with a new manager they would jump out the starting gates but Hartlepool really had nothing after that and we coped with that early onslaught.
Scunny had another very good victory today against the best away side in the league. Makes one wonder how much of a blip last week was...perhaps not as bad as we were being led by some to believe?
Noteably most results went our way today too. We have gained a lot of 'gap' points on others and I have said many times the top 6 is very achievable but will not be carried away by winning at Hartlepool while at the same time 5 away and a clean sheet, improved goal difference will help the players realise that this league is there for the taking.
Other teams will find it difficult as the season gets longer. (Wallsall is an example...they were winning for fun not long ago)
The squad today started to resemble something more stable too including McSheffrey in the whole. Think MR knows exactly what he is doing and slowly will get this right.
McGoldrick has not scored in open play last two games has he? Interesting to see how he is encoraging the likes of Rod, McSheff and others. I do expect McGoldrick will not have a problem scoring again though!
Adams? All I can say is that's surely the writing on the wall for Hussey? January looms large for one or two as MR's shapes his current squad. Look at the bench today that says a lot. Fleck as I said before, overweight, slow and not the player thought.
I'm not intrrested in the JPT game. I want more league wins and concentration on top 6.

Scunny drew!

 

[win9nut]

Personally, I'm just pleased that this week I'll be looking at the teams above us wondering when we'll catch them up rather than the teams below wondering if they'll catch us up!

A few beers tonight I reckon

PUSB

 

[skybluelee]

7 wins in last 12. Happy with that. We couldn't buy a win before robins arrived.

 

[sky_blue_up_north]

For the sake of 1 game is it not worth going for it in the JPT?

Beat Sheff Utd & we have a great chance of getting to Wembley.

Been saying that for weeks, beat Sheff Utd we have great chance of lifting the trophy. Its only a fiver to get in, so let try and get behind the team.

 

[Evans1883]

7 wins in last 12. Happy with that. We couldn't buy a win before robins arrived.

That's pretty impressive

 

[Black6Osprey]

Unlikely we will finish top 6 with what results?

How many clubs have won 3 out of the last 4 games? If we can keep it up for a few weeks we will be within touching reach of the top 6. It was only a few weeks ago that Tranmere were running away with it.

I said results and more importantly performances. Today is the first time we've played well under Robins and although league results are okay we have had a decent slice of luck in some of our wins recently (in fact we should have been 2-0 down today but for some poor finishing and decent saves in the first half). 5 Wins 2 Draws 4 defeats, 17 points in 11 games is okay but still not enough points per game to catch up. As I said it is possible but I haven't seen enough from this team to think it will happen.

 

[Jimmy's Chin]

Its a good win today but its Hartlepool, bottom of the third tier. .

We are also in the third tier, with a third tier team and at the beginning of the game where very near the bottom as well! Why do some people still think we have a championship standard team and should be winning every game in this division easily?

 

[stupot07]

We are also in the third tier, with a third tier team and at the beginning of the game where very near the bottom as well! Why do some people still think we have a championship standard team and should be winning every game in this division easily?

I think what he meant was that prior today's game Hartlepool were already cut adrift at the bottom of the table with just 8 points from 17 games.

 

[Paxman II]

My God you people are so darn negative! Don't you think Arsenal should have been 2 down before they got going against Spurs?
Football is like that or have you forgotten?

Of course we can catch up.

I'm not interested in the JPT becuase it's mickey mouse stuff and if I were manager the sooner it was out of the way the better. Risking injury to our players could be too damaging for the long run this season has.

 

[Nick]

Or a chance to go to Wembley....

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

Some people are never happy.

 

[Otis]

That's true.

They are usually called 'wives.'

 

[wingy]

My God you people are so darn negative! Don't you think Arsenal should have been 2 down before they got going against Spurs?
Football is like that or have you forgotten?

Of course we can catch up.

I'm not interested in the JPT becuase it's mickey mouse stuff and if I were manager the sooner it was out of the way the better. Risking injury to our players could be too damaging for the long run this season has.

I think you could be underestimating the effect of getting to that final Pax.

Gates would go up ,possibly enough to get City out of a loss making scenario ,Possibly enough to pay DMG.

The Team would take a massive boost from this over the rest of the season possibly enough to push for those playoffs you consider on .

If that were the outcome it would provide the perfect dress rehearsal for the pressure pot of the play offs.

Finally and again we really need every penny we can generate.

 

[Otis]

Spot-on.

When the season started I wasn't at all interested in the competition, but now considering our league position and how we have come through a couple of rounds it has become much more relevant.

We need the money and we need the good cup run to help raise spirits.

 

[Astute]

Why do some people still think we have a championship standard team and should be winning every game in this division easily?

Who has said we have a Championship standard team? We have a good standard for the division we are in. We are good enough to give any club in this division a game. Our problem has been being able to do it for longer than 1 half.

 

[stupot07]

Who has said we have a Championship standard team? We have a good standard for the division we are in. We are good enough to give any club in this division a game. Our problem has been being able to do it for longer than 1 half.

To be fair there were plenty of posters saying that the squad was better than last seasons and would have avoided relegation....and that was before we signed Mcgoldrick and Bailey, etc.

 

[Black6Osprey]

We are also in the third tier, with a third tier team and at the beginning of the game where very near the bottom as well! Why do some people still think we have a championship standard team and should be winning every game in this division easily?

Hartlepool haven't won at home this season and are bottom for a reason. If you don't believe we should be good enough to turn them over then there really is no hope.

I'm under no illusion about the quality or lack of, that this squad has (I seem to remember at the start of the season saying this squad was worse but if they played each other it would probably be a boring 0-0) but even in my most pessimistic mood I expected us to win on Saturday. The score line of course was way beyond my expectation.

 

[dongonzalos]

We do have a good enough squad for the play offs.

The majority of us thought it, AT thought. All the candidates for the job thought it.

Initially we had a period of gelling 9 New players in the squad. Followed by a period of unsettlement. Now a period of transition. A new manager with new ideas. He will fancy some played and not others.

For example the original plan would have been for Barton to be the focal point of the team. He is now on the bench MR rates him but does not think he suits his system of play. This is the only player we have paid a fee for.

Quite frankly with everything that has gone on. I am pleased we are 11 points off the play offs.

MR speaks very well I am impressed with him. I think he may be able to turn around that run of 5 defeats on the trot and scrape us into those play offs.

 

[dongonzalos]

Hartlepool haven't won at home this season and are bottom for a reason. If you don't believe we should be good enough to turn them over then there really is no hope.

I'm under no illusion about the quality or lack of, that this squad has (I seem to remember at the start of the season saying this squad was worse but if they played each other it would probably be a boring 0-0) but even in my most pessimistic mood I expected us to win on Saturday. The score line of course was way beyond my expectation.

I know they normally lose six nil at home. This result means nothing.