How best to approach the rest of the season

[traff]

Looks to me as though this season is pretty much over already, with us treading water in mid-table, so attention naturally turns to next season.

Feels like a pragmatic build from the back is coming. Ward and O’Connor look nailed on, Pereira is first choice, and if we go with a back three we will need another centre-half. Burns will likely gone and I am not convinced by Dorsett yet. Wing-backs will be key too. Roberts fits the mould, but we need a proper right wing-back.

The big question is the attack. Who do we build around? Wing clearly fits LR’s , back-to-front style, but Marriott, despite his brilliant record, is not the dominant target man this system usually needs. Beyond that, there is no obvious focal point, and LR does not seem keen on relying on the kids.

Are we heading for another summer overhaul to get the right attacking profile in?

[stealthpapes]

Looks to me as though this season is pretty much over already, with us treading water in mid-table, so attention naturally turns to next season.

If you extend LR form over end of season, we get ca. 70 pts
The difference between that and challenging the play offs boils down to turning 2 or 3 draws into wins.

On the other hand, we're restructuring again but I think we're a solid side with plenty of room to improve over the incoming 19 games.

[Sanguine]

Solid season. After losing our first three, just five defeats in 24 games. As Paps says, turn a few draws into wins and we might challenge for the playoffs. But I don't think we're a promotion side. I won't be disappointed at all if we finish somewhere between 7th and 15th. We don't look like a team ready for Championship football. Let's consolidate. Richardson has his head screwed on, he's been an excellent appointment.

[South Coast Royal]

Solid season. After losing our first three, just five defeats in 24 games. As Paps says, turn a few draws into wins and we might challenge for the playoffs. But I don't think we're a promotion side. I won't be disappointed at all if we finish somewhere between 7th and 15th. We don't look like a team ready for Championship football. Let's consolidate. Richardson has his head screwed on, he's been an excellent appointment.

Totally agree.
We are 22 points behind the top team and 18 behind the second so, despite improvement we are a long way off being a side ready to play at a higher level and scraping through play-offs would IMHO do us little good.

Definitely a season now to prepare for next and it looks as though we are doing what generally the best teams do, building from the back.
Next Summer's transfer window will give us a better idea of the owner's intentions and hopefully it will just be one year late for his promised extraordinary transfer window.

Obviously I want to see us win as many games as possible but won't be disappointed if we end up with a top half finish.

[Brogue]

We’ve played 10 of the current top 12 away from home - just Stevenage and Mansfield we have to go to.

We are quite strong at home played 15 won 7 drawn 5 lost 3. With an average points per game of 1.73.

If we can pick up our away form and continue our ok ish home form I wouldn’t say the season is over yet.

[Hound]

I’m sure nobody has given up on the playoffs yet and we’re still capable of reaching them (though of course we’d need to win them as well)

But yeah we’re not there yet. We’ve had some decent results but performances aren’t great tbh

The defensive signings look encouraging. We look well set up there for next year

As in the original post I don’t think our attacking options are particularly compatible with what LR is trying to do or how we play. It’ll certainly be interesting to see what happens next summer. I don’t currently see a consistent style of trying to get the ball forward and score - maybe starting to see it with Roberts assist and goal

I’ve no expectations of play offs now, I’d like to see us become more entertaining generally (I find us proper dull atm), find spots for academy/young players if at all possible for the rest of the year

[Sutekh]

God this is depressing! The season is still underway, it’s not like it’s mathematically impossible to get promoted (or even relegated), so you approach the remainder of the season like you approached what’s gone before - by getting behind the club and trying to get them to collect as many 3 point bundles as humanly possible so we can try and extend the season before the overhyped and overbloated World Cup starts.

Still got things to learn but it’s best to do that by showing business is meant to be able to attract the better players you’re going to need in the summer.

[WestYorksRoyal]

First, let's hope for a decent run so that even we don't make the play offs, we at least have something to play for in April.

Then it looks like we have the makings of a good defence, with the signings there showing long term planning (contrasted with Keane for example). In midfield we have options but not the right blend, but you would suggest Wing is the right man for example even if he's not flourishing this season.

Assuming we're in L1, the summer will mostly focus on the attacking midfield position is my view, and perhaps finding the right partner for Wing (we may cash in on Savage).

[tidus_mi2]

We are 8pts off the play-offs with 2 games in hand, that's hardly insurmountable, especially with a favourable run of games coming up

[Hound]

We are 8pts off the play-offs with 2 games in hand, that's hardly insurmountable, especially with a favourable run of games coming up

Don’t disagree that it’s still possible but worth also noting that we’re 5 points behind Stevenage in 7th (same number of games) and 9 behind Bradford (same games) in 5th

We’ve prob got a shot at that 6th place but we do have some ground to make up. Also relying on being better than the likes of Mansfield, Luton and Peterborough til the end of the season

It’s definitely odds against

[morganb]

It's the draws that are the problem as the majority of teams in 5th to 10th have lost more games than us over the past 6 matches.

We've got a game in hand over most of these sides too so it only takes a few wins for us and a few loses for them and we could scrape into the lower play-off positions

I guess the Club need to decide if the rest of this season is about experimenting with formations and tactics, or if we're going for a definite play-offs push (rather than getting there more by luck than design, though I'm sure they wouldn't say no)

It would be nice to still have an outside chance come the start of April, makes the end of the season a tad more exciting

[tidus_mi2]

We are 8pts off the play-offs with 2 games in hand, that's hardly insurmountable, especially with a favourable run of games coming up

Don’t disagree that it’s still possible but worth also noting that we’re 5 points behind Stevenage in 7th (same number of games) and 9 behind Bradford (same games) in 5th

We’ve prob got a shot at that 6th place but we do have some ground to make up. Also relying on being better than the likes of Mansfield, Luton and Peterborough til the end of the season

It’s definitely odds against

I do agree we're not in the best position to make a play-off charge and also about the games in hand, it's a bit hard to say we're 8pts off as there is a big spread of teams who have played different games.

That said, it wouldn't take a massive improvement in results to make the play-offs I would think and even if we don't make it and end up mid-table, which is what looks most likely. We've done enough squad building these last two windows to not be playing catch-up like we were doing this season.

[rabidbee]

We are 8pts off the play-offs with 2 games in hand, that's hardly insurmountable, especially with a favourable run of games coming up

Yes, but the six clubs above us are also 8 points or less from the playoffs, all with games in hand over Hiddersfield. They cant all lose all of the time.

I wouldn’t write off the playoffs yet, theres often one team that puts together a good run late in the season to push up the table, but we are so mid-table it hurts. However, pushing up for as high a finish as possible can only stand us in better stead when it comes to signing better quality players in the summer.

[Crowbar6753]

We all sit here saying mid table is great, and after everything that has gone on at the club then mid table really should be looked at as being great, but in truth mid table is the most boring place to be especially as the season progresses!!
You go/watch the games and you can tell we're mid table!! When you're a top 6 side there is that added excitement which rubs off on the fans which creates larger crowds and better atmospheres at the games. This also can be said when you're in the bottom six, especially at the back end of the season when there's the siege mentality to stay up which again the fans seem to buy into and help add to the atmosphere.
Whereas mid table towards the backend of the season may as well be pre-season games really with little to play for which again rubs off on the crowd with a more lethargic atmosphere.
I really wish we can hang around in the play off hunt just so we get to relish the fun times which come towards the end of season (Remember Brizzle Rover's away last season trying to chase down Orient) that's what makes football what it is.

[morganb]

We all sit here saying mid table is great, and after everything that has gone on at the club then mid table really should be looked at as being great, but in truth mid table is the most boring place to be especially as the season progresses!!
You go/watch the games and you can tell we're mid table!! When you're a top 6 side there is that added excitement which rubs off on the fans which creates larger crowds and better atmospheres at the games. This also can be said when you're in the bottom six, especially at the back end of the season when there's the siege mentality to stay up which again the fans seem to buy into and help add to the atmosphere.
Whereas mid table towards the backend of the season may as well be pre-season games really with little to play for which again rubs off on the crowd with a more lethargic atmosphere.
I really wish we can hang around in the play off hunt just so we get to relish the fun times which come towards the end of season (Remember Brizzle Rover's away last season trying to chase down Orient) that's what makes football what it is.

We were saying similar when leaving the ground after Tuesday's game - if you were towards the top or near the bottom a 2-2 draw after a late equalizer really hurts but being in mid-table you kind of just shrug it off as it hasn't done any real damage to your chances of either promotion or relegation.

To be honest I don't really like the mid-table feeling...

[SouthDownsRoyal]

We’ve got a head of AI at the club so let’s hope that makes the difference and we get promoted this season

[Jackson Corner]

We are 8pts off the play-offs with 2 games in hand, that's hardly insurmountable, especially with a favourable run of games coming up

Have you watched us play lately? we are average at best. For those of us who remember the pre playoffs days that really was depressing. Out of both cups by December and12 points off third place just meant 5 months of meaningless matches and most of those against sides in a the same position. Gates would decrease week by week until May when they would be down to 3k.

[tidus_mi2]

We are 8pts off the play-offs with 2 games in hand, that's hardly insurmountable, especially with a favourable run of games coming up

Have you watched us play lately? we are average at best. For those of us who remember the pre playoffs days that really was depressing. Out of both cups by December and12 points off third place just meant 5 months of meaningless matches and most of those against sides in a the same position. Gates would decrease week by week until May when they would be down to 3k.

I wasn't even born in the pre-playoff days.

[Clyde1998]

I feel our transfer business suggests we're still targeting the play-offs, although I expect us to end up mid table. That's unless we can start turning more of these draws into victories and start to look like a side that's not fairly average in this division.

Once it's becomes almost certain we can't reach the play-offs, I think we should instantly be focusing on building the side for next season:

1. Give younger first team players such as Benn Ward; Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan; Paddy Lane; and Daniel Kyerewaa as much game time as possible, even if there are better players not playing as a result (assuming these names are still likely to be here next season).
2. Give opportunities to U21 players like Ashqar Ahmed (some may count him as a first team player now); Sean Patton and Tyler Sackey.
3. Stop using anyone who's unlikely to be here next season, especially any loanees who we're unlikely to sign permanently.

Something like this for a starting XI:

At least building towards something may give something interesting for the latter stages of the season.

[Stranded]

Yes we are mid table but have you looked at the table this year?

8 points from the play-offs, 7 from the relegation zone - this season is absolutely not over as any up tick in form (in comparison to the last 3 games) will see us challenging whilst a continuation of the results of the past 3 games, will suddenly see us looking over our shoulder.

So how do we approach the season? We go all out for the play-offs and see where we end up - probably about 10th.

If in about 10 games time the gaps to either end are identical or slightly bigger then you can experiment more with line-ups etc to see what may work next year but for now the only approach is WNG and see where we end up.