Will it be harder than first thought next season? (1 Viewer)

Paxman II · May 1, 2019

With three from Portsmouth, Sunderland, Charlton and Doncaster still in the league next year and Bolton and Ipswich joining from the Championship will it be any easier to be promoted or reach the play offs?

While Bolton may sink like we did a couple of years ago, the others will be very competitive.

MR has built a good team and squad and hopefully will continue that process to the next level. We play good football but our close season recruitment will need to be stronger than ever I feel.

What say you?

ajsccfc · May 1, 2019

It seems to be the midtable teams where we've come a cropper more than the better sides this season, if we could somehow get the hang of beating teams who are specifically setting themselves out not to lose we'd be flying.

clint van damme · May 1, 2019

Paxman II said:
With three from Portsmouth, Sunderland, Charlton and Doncaster still in the league next year and Bolton and Ipswich joining from the Championship will it be any easier to be promoted or reach the play offs?

While Bolton may sink like we did a couple of years ago, the others will be very competitive.

MR has built a good team and squad and hopefully will continue that process to the next level. We play good football but our close season recruitment will need to be stronger than ever I feel.

What say you?

BRING IT ON!!

vow · May 1, 2019

Definitely not getting my expectations up for next season, like I believe a few other's will, would be ok with top 8 tbf as I think we've overachieved this season and v happy with the progress.

Top six would be magical though!

djr8369 · May 1, 2019

I think it will be tough. Every team is hoping they will be able to kick on and do better than season plus the relegated teams will want to bounce back up. We’ll have to improve from where we are and replace players who leave and the loans.

I’m hopeful and fairly confident but people do seem to just be expecting us to finish higher than this season.

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Sky Blue Harry H · May 1, 2019

To quote Hill83.... 'FORWARD'

Malaka · May 1, 2019

We have played some good football against the better teams in this league. It is the not so good teams that bully us that we have failed against and that is down in part to the youth element within our team. We will be a little wiser next season and I think we will do well and be challenging for automatic promotion.

Great_Expectations · May 1, 2019

It might sound trivial, but I really believe the pitch will have an impact on our season.

If MR recruits in the same vein of technically superior players and sets out in a more offensive way as he has done in recent weeks, encouraging the players to play football, then a good pitch will be vital to ensuring that philosophy succeeds. We’ve seen how detrimental it’s been at times this season, as it effectively nullifies our advantage over opponents. Obviously it’s about a lot more than the pitch, but it will play a part.

I think we’re right to have positive expectations for next season, the squad isn’t far off where it needs to be so (as always) recruitment is key. I’ve seen no teams this year that have blown us away, and we’ve thrown more games away than games we’ve desperved to draw/lose.

Keeper, RB, winger (x2), Bright and potentially a striker and we’ll be up there.

Deleted member 5849 · May 1, 2019

vow said:
Definitely not getting my expectations up for next season, like I believe a few other's will, would be ok with top 8 tbf as I think we've overachieved this season and v happy with the progress.

Top six would be magical though!

If we finish midtable next season and still build more of a core of a team, that's still progress.

Irish Sky Blue · May 1, 2019

I just caught the tail end of the promotion season in 1967. Like most fans on here I have never seen us have a championship or runner up season in full. That level of consistency, where you are winning most games and losing very few must be hard to achieve but great to watch. Being in, or close to, the top places ( or even running away with the league) would be fantastic. We need the ground situation sorted, hopefully Enobakhare signing and our forwards and midfield players to be more clinical in front of goal.

Magwitch · May 1, 2019

All clubs will kick off the new season with Great Expectations

covcity4life · May 1, 2019

i think it will be easier. been a very strong top 5 this year, next year on paper doesnt look as strong. bolton have no money and if new owner comes in he apparently is shit too. sucks for them and i hope they survive but dont want them to prosper whilst in same league as cov

ipswich should be tough under lambert but will they be any more dangerous than sunderland? i doubt it squad wise.

as others have pointed out its mid table and lower we need to shap up against, if we improve our team playoffs should be minimum ambition

JulianDarbyFTW · May 1, 2019

Great_Expectations said:
If MR recruits in the same vein of technically superior players and sets out in a more offensive way as he has done in recent weeks, encouraging the players to play football, then a good pitch will be vital

Robins went offensive at the tail end of last season, which obviously took us up, then reverted to a defensive mindset for the bulk of this. I do worry he'll return to it again next year. We look a much better team when we play on the front foot.

Liquid Gold · May 1, 2019

Bolton might well be due a points deduction.

Mcbean · May 1, 2019

Strangely we have a break then teams seem to turn up from nowhere for the new season Barnsley for example - done very well but were not tipped for autos - wherever we finish I am sure most of you will have snapped a hand off if 7th of 8th was offered at the beginning of this season - Luton have done pretty well - still could end up in tears for that big club from the North

Evo1883 · May 1, 2019

Think it’s better to wait and see who we sign , Bolton and Ipswich won’t be as good as Luton and Barnsley

Rotherham will be the toughest of the relegated teams IMO

clint van damme · May 1, 2019

Evo1883 said:
Think it’s better to wait and see who we sign , Bolton and Ipswich won’t be as good as Luton and Barnsley

Rotherham will be the toughest of the relegated teams IMO

Not so sure about Ipswich.saw an interview with the owner who said the structure and finances of the club were good and they were in a position to be able to challenge, he could of course be lying

If Bolton don't sort themselves out think they could be in big trouble.

Gibbo · May 1, 2019

The answer to the question is "Yes" - end of.

skybluegod · May 1, 2019

I have always maintained this season we would consolidate and next year we will challenge and likely finish in the top 6. I still stand by this, and think we will finish 3rd next year (as long as we make the correct additions.) Invariably 2 of the teams coming down will probably be up there. But one always tends to stumble.

RoboCCFC90 · May 1, 2019

It depends on what we add to the current squad, as we aren't far off a really good side that will compete at the very top end of this division - if we can add 3/4 good signings we will be top six, that I'm confident of.

There will be plenty of Clubs looking to go up next season, Sunderland and Portsmouth (granted they don't make promotion via the playoffs), Ipswich, Bolton, Rotherham will all look at heading back to the Championship at the first time of asking, it'll be interesting as it was this season.

steve82 · May 1, 2019

Rotherham I predict will be a strong side for L1 next year as will Ipswich.

The remainder of the current top 10 will be in contention next year.

Next year for me is a good opportunity to crack the top 6

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Sky_Blue_Dreamer · May 1, 2019

Far too early to say at the moment - no idea who's staying/going (though large nucleus of the current squad should remain) or even where we'll be playing which will make a massive difference to budget and who would be willing to stay/join.

Certainly don't think it's a given we'll be fighting for promotion as teams will have had time to work out MR's tactics. Last time we had a forward line this exciting the following season we were awful and went down. Don't think that'd be very likely to happen next year (provided we're staying at Ricoh) though.

capel & collindridge · May 1, 2019

Mcbean said:
Strangely we have a break then teams seem to turn up from nowhere for the new season Barnsley for example - done very well but were not tipped for autos - wherever we finish I am sure most of you will have snapped a hand off if 7th of 8th was offered at the beginning of this season - Luton have done pretty well - still could end up in tears for that big club from the North

No tears, I think Barnsley are safely up.

no_loyalty · May 1, 2019

I expect Lincoln, Burton and Oxford to be in the mix next season.

If we start the season off well then I think we be in or around the top six for the majority of the season.

Mcbean · May 1, 2019

capel & collindridge said:
No tears, I think Barnsley are safely up.

Tears were for those toon haters or is it Sky Blues haters now

Good for Barnsley !

capel & collindridge · May 2, 2019

Mcbean said:
Tears were for those toon haters or is it Sky Blues haters now

Good for Barnsley !

Yes. I didn't misread it. We were talking about that "big club from the North". Barnsley are much bigger than Sunderland in every way that matters. Just my opinion. ;-)

Esoterica · May 2, 2019

I think it will still be a tough season next year. If we want to be serious top 6 challengers we need to either get better at stringing results together for longer periods like the really successful sides do or improve on Dowie's bouncebackability by responding well to defeats:

Unbeaten streaks:
Luton: 28 games unbeaten
Barnsley: 20 games unbeaten
Portsmouth: 11 games, and 2x 8 game streaks.
Sunderland: 19 games, 12 games
Charlton: 11 games and 6 games.

Our best in the last 2 seasons is 6 games.

Bouncebackability:
This season we've lost 16 games and the following match has resulted in W4 D8 L4 (W25% D50% L25%)
If we compare that to Charlton who have accumulated a lot of points despite never been higher than 4th this season, following 10 defeats their next result was W6, D2, L2 (W60%, D20%, L20%).
Sunderland have won all their matches following a defeat (the issue for them has been too many 1-1 draws/not enough clean sheets)

Getting that kind of mentality/self belief instilled in a youthful squad will be key.

Nick · May 2, 2019

Esoterica said:
I think it will still be a tough season next year. If we want to be serious top 6 challengers we need to either get better at stringing results together for longer periods like the really successful sides do or improve on Dowie's bouncebackability by responding well to defeats:

Unbeaten streaks:
Luton: 28 games unbeaten
Barnsley: 20 games unbeaten
Portsmouth: 11 games, and 2x 8 game streaks.
Sunderland: 19 games, 12 games
Charlton: 11 games and 6 games.

Our best in the last 2 seasons is 6 games.

Bouncebackability:
This season we've lost 16 games and the following match has resulted in W4 D8 L4 (W25% D50% L25%)
If we compare that to Charlton who have accumulated a lot of points despite never been higher than 4th this season, following 10 defeats their next result was W6, D2, L2 (W60%, D20%, L20%).
Sunderland have won all their matches following a defeat (the issue for them has been too many 1-1 draws/not enough clean sheets)

Getting that kind of mentality/self belief instilled in a youthful squad will be key.

I think the thing with this as well is that spell against Walsall in the cup then Cheltenham where he messed about with the squad rather than trying to keep the momentum if the previous decent run.

Great_Expectations · May 2, 2019

JulianDarbyFTW said:
Robins went offensive at the tail end of last season, which obviously took us up, then reverted to a defensive mindset for the bulk of this. I do worry he'll return to it again next year. We look a much better team when we play on the front foot.

I agree and that’s where the frustration with MR really set in. Pretty much every match thread this season, I’ve made the same point re allowing us to attack. When he does, we look a really good team. We just need to hope he’s learned from the previous two seasons!

Gibbo · May 2, 2019

no_loyalty said:
I expect Lincoln, Burton and Oxford to be in the mix next season.

If we start the season off well then I think we be in or around the top six for the majority of the season.

Agree about Oxford -

steve82 · May 2, 2019

Nick said:
I think the thing with this as well is that spell against Walsall in the cup then Cheltenham where he messed about with the squad rather than trying to keep the momentum if the previous decent run.

Disagree partly as the previous two performances against Doncaster and Accrington we was quite poor for large parts of the game. That second half against Doncaster we were battered and was hanging on with Burge and Brown securing the points with last gasp saves.

You can say momentum was with us but that was all we went 6 unbeaten after the 1-1 draw with Accrington going to Walsall in the cup. Think he did the right thing in freshening things up tweaking the formation to try and get a response as the 442 double 6 variation wasn’t working with Hiwula on the wing being a liability at times defensively despite the run we’d managed. The results we were getting but the performances were becoming a concern.

The changes at Walsall didn’t work as a result as Jordan Thompson had a shocker of a first half and we found ourselves 2-0 down. Then after drawing level the introduction of Bayliss and JJ for Ogogo and Thomas you’d of thought would of swung the game yet it did the opposite in fact as both were well off the pace. It be a fair point to raise taking Thomas off for JJ but I’d doubt many would of disputed that at the time given the love for JJ in the fan base

Cheltenham team selection was a clear indication the cup was not a priority.

MR then went back to the 442 double 6 variation for away games at Burton and the shocker at Fleetwood before trying a 433 system for a while in December which many fans called for earlier in the year till early January and reverting back to his favoured 4231 around the time of the arrival of Enobakhare who’s helped make that system tick far better and development of others than the start of the season we played it.

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Mr Panda · May 2, 2019

Rotherham always seem to be a force when they're in League One, of all the relegated teams they're the ones I would put my money on jumping straight back up. They will have much more of a settled squad too I expect.

I seem to have this thought every year of how we're going to compete with what's left and what's coming down, yet we still manage to compete.

If we can build on what seems to be a settled system and add the experience that Robins is talking about in the press I think we'll be a little more consistent next season and we shouldn't have to worry about what teams remain in this league and who comes down.

Will be very interesting to see how Sunderland react in the event they don't go up. Got some very big earners in that squad.

tisza · May 2, 2019

think we'll be okay.
It's the daft points thrown away this season that have cost us.
Keep the core together and cut out a portion of these mistakes.
Inevitable with all lower league sides we're going to see a fair number of comings and goings.
A better keeper would be a solid start.

steve82 · May 2, 2019

Mr Panda said:
Rotherham always seem to be a force when they're in League One, of all the relegated teams they're the ones I would put my money on jumping straight back up. They will have much more of a settled squad too I expect.

I seem to have this thought every year of how we're going to compete with what's left and what's coming down, yet we still manage to compete.

If we can build on what seems to be a settled system and add the experience that Robins is talking about in the press I think we'll be a little more consistent next season and we shouldn't have to worry about what teams remain in this league and who comes down.

Will be very interesting to see how Sunderland react in the event they don't go up. Got some very big earners in that squad.

I really hope MR is able to deliver a few good experienced players in key areas of the squad to bring the calming affect to our performances and help the younger lads around the squad.

*by experienced I mean players with 150/200+ senior appearances and a few seasons behind them not the type who are seeing out a deal on the wind down for those who want a rant saying we don’t need them.

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covcity4life · May 2, 2019

steve82 said:
Rotherham I predict will be a strong side for L1 next year as will Ipswich.

The remainder of the current top 10 will be in contention next year.

Next year for me is a good opportunity to crack the top 6

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top 6 minimum,we need to improve ourselves and competition hopefully not as good.

rather rotheram than wigan or milwall personally

p.s when mowbray got auto promoted from league 1 you said he should with that budget,. when jack ross failed to get autos you said manager of season LMAO . your bias shown for everyone to see.

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