Survival

[Fosters Cigar]

So we got that vital 3 points win at last! I wasn’t there so could not possibly comment on the merits of our play but thank goodness we now have a fresh start to see if we can put a winning run together. Lots of draws and the odd loss will no longer suffice if we want to stay in the NLN. Looking at the remaining fixtures ( only 14 remain) and realising we need at least 50 points to be sure of survival, I’ve had a stab at seeing where those points might come from, trying to be realistic and not too optimistic.So here goes and you can tear this apart at your will ( as I know you will any way)!                                   
                             Pts
          Alfreton A Dr   1
         Brackley A Lose 0
         Farsley C H Win 3
         S Shields H Dr.  1
         Blyth Sp. A Dr   1
         Bishops S A Win 3
         Rushall O H Win 3
        Tamworth. H Lose 0
        Scunthorpe A lose 0
        ScarboroughH Dr 1
         Banbury.     A Dr 1
         Peterb Sp.   H Dr 1
         SpennymoorA Dr 1
         Chorley.     H Lose 0

                           Total 16 added to 32 we have = 48 (probably 2 pts short).  Winning 3 Drawing 7 Losing 4

                           This also assumes Margetts plays every game and scores at least seven

             What do you think? - Don’t have sleepless nights-I’m hopefully wrong anyway.

[A Well Wisher]

So we got that vital 3 points win at last! I wasn’t there so could not possibly comment on the merits of our play but thank goodness we now have a fresh start to see if we can put a winning run together. Lots of draws and the odd loss will no longer suffice if we                       
          Alfreton A Dr   1
         Brackley A Lose 0
         Farsley C H Win 3
         S Shields H Dr.  1
         Blyth Sp. A Dr   1
         Bishops S A Win 3
         Rushall O H Win 3
        Tamworth. H Lose 0
        Scunthorpe A lose 0
        ScarboroughH Dr 1
         Banbury.     A Dr 1
         Peterb Sp.   H Dr 1
         SpennymoorA Dr 1
         Chorley.     H Lose 0

Apart from one or two (Scunthorpe and Brackley), I can't see why we can't get either a win or a draw against all of those sides, I've been to most games this season home and away and I think the standard of this league this season has been very poor. Even Tamworth I thought weren't world beaters, they are just very well organised and have a bit of quality up top. If we can play like we did at Gloucester in the 2nd half we should have no problems whatsoever. We controlled the game and moved the ball around very well and looked like a side that had something about us. It's incredibly frustrating that we're in the position that we're in because we do have some good individual players in that squad now. Unfortunately the recruitment in the summer and the stuff going on off the pitch has probably meant we are in the position that we find ourselves.

We're going to have to focus on ourselves and hope that teams above us don't put a run together either. But as everyone has said, we now need to put another win together at Alfreton (which I'm confident we can do) because going to Brackley trying to get something will not be easy by any means.

[Fosters Cigar]

Hi well wisher,
Nice to hear from someone else whose been to most of the matches.I think you make some excellent points, including having some good individual players in the squad. My concern is that our coaches seem to overthink the required tactics for each individual match, even to the point of now leaving out both remaining playmakers in recent matches. I think we can get away with “hoofball” and occasionally get three points, because “ hoofball” is a roll the dice numbers game from which you will get several draws, the odd win and odd loss, which we can no longer risk. So for the second 45 mins at Gloucester I understand we were more or less dominant, but this was against the third worst team in the league? I just hope AL includes either Rogers or Hughes from the start of every game to provide more chances for Margetts on the deck. I fear though that “putting a shift in” and “100% work rate “ will win out in most games resulting in more paint dry football and fewer points gained. I hope you’re right and I admire your enthusiasm. Keep up the impressive travelling support!

[Linnet465]

  One factor is overlooked the run in concerning the other 6 or 7 teams performance down at the bottom area of the league. IMHO Bishop Stortford Darlington are probably doomed, Gloucester and KL could pick up enough points to overtake a Struggling Southport and maybe another team or two. It’s all conjecture and there is bound to be a surprise or two before the seasons end.

[rod]

Where's Nostradamus and Mystic Meg when they are most needed?

[Mallard]

Don’t mention those names to SC.  He will be looking to give them a pre season trial in a July

[Fosters Cigar]

Don’t mention those names to SC.  He will be looking to give them a pre season trial in a July

[rod]

Don’t mention those names to SC.  He will be looking to give them a pre season trial in a July

Maybe the mysterious Joe would have something to say about that, or anything for that matter!

[TonyM]

So we got that vital 3 points win at last! I wasn’t there so could not possibly comment on the merits of our play but thank goodness we now have a fresh start to see if we can put a winning run together. Lots of draws and the odd loss will no longer suffice if we want to stay in the NLN. Looking at the remaining fixtures ( only 14 remain) and realising we need at least 50 points to be sure of survival, I’ve had a stab at seeing where those points might come from, trying to be realistic and not too optimistic.So here goes and you can tear this apart at your will ( as I know you will any way)!                                   
                             Pts
          Alfreton A Dr   1
         Brackley A Lose 0
         Farsley C H Win 3
         S Shields H Dr.  1
         Blyth Sp. A Dr   1
         Bishops S A Win 3
         Rushall O H Win 3
        Tamworth. H Lose 0
        Scunthorpe A lose 0
        ScarboroughH Dr 1
         Banbury.     A Dr 1
         Peterb Sp.   H Dr 1
         SpennymoorA Dr 1
         Chorley.     H Lose 0

                           Total 16 added to 32 we have = 48 (probably 2 pts short).  Winning 3 Drawing 7 Losing 4

                           This also assumes Margetts plays every game and scores at least seven

             What do you think? - Don’t have sleepless nights-I’m hopefully wrong anyway.

FC, obviously lots of twists and turns to come but overall 12 points between now and Easter will probably keep us in the mix although probably not safe.  I would however hope for a few more than four points from the final five games but by that point it will be who handles the pressure the best.  The hope is that Margetts can prove the difference as more often than not it is goals scored that digs teams out of the mire rather than clean sheets.

[Linnet465]

  Southport lost last night, they are on a awful run I think something like 4 points out of a possible 21. Don’t know what’s happening there since they walloped us at the walks!

[Fosters Cigar]

So we got that vital 3 points win at last! I wasn’t there so could not possibly comment on the merits of our play but thank goodness we now have a fresh start to see if we can put a winning run together. Lots of draws and the odd loss will no longer suffice if we want to stay in the NLN. Looking at the remaining fixtures ( only 14 remain) and realising we need at least 50 points to be sure of survival, I’ve had a stab at seeing where those points might come from, trying to be realistic and not too optimistic.So here goes and you can tear this apart at your will ( as I know you will any way)!                                   
                             Pts
          Alfreton A Dr   1
         Brackley A Lose 0
         Farsley C H Win 3
         S Shields H Dr.  1
         Blyth Sp. A Dr   1
         Bishops S A Win 3
         Rushall O H Win 3
        Tamworth. H Lose 0
        Scunthorpe A lose 0
        ScarboroughH Dr 1
         Banbury.     A Dr 1
         Peterb Sp.   H Dr 1
         SpennymoorA Dr 1
         Chorley.     H Lose 0

                           Total 16 added to 32 we have = 48 (probably 2 pts short).  Winning 3 Drawing 7 Losing 4

                           This also assumes Margetts plays every game and scores at least seven

             What do you think? - Don’t have sleepless nights-I’m hopefully wrong anyway.

FC, obviously lots of twists and turns to come but overall 12 points between now and Easter will probably keep us in the mix although probably not safe.  I would however hope for a few more than four points from the final five games but by that point it will be who handles the pressure the best.  The hope is that Margetts can prove the difference as more often than not it is goals scored that digs teams out of the mire rather than clean sheets.

Yes Tony, I reckon that the predicted run of 12 points from 7 games before Easter is vital to give us confidence before the final run in of six games. It’s vital that Margetts remains fit (and is selected). My main fear is AL’s reluctance to start games with either Hughes or Rogers on a regular basis and is why I worry about the lack of creativity for Margetts in those last few games but as everyone says there will be many twists and turns.

[dillydilly]

Good to see that there are a couple of others on here now who believe football always succeeds where hoofball doesn’t.  I agree we need playmakers being selected, but we also need nipsters.  There is no need for defensive midfielders, because defence nowadays utilises numbers, not cloggers.  Good point made that goals lead to survival, not clean sheets, and teams set up for clean sheets rarely achieve them…