Is L1 too big a jump? (1 Viewer)

[SkyBlueScottie]

Hold on for a win today or against Scunthorpe and we would be top 6. So no, it's not a too big jump. The recruitment has seemingly been a bit muddled by the looks of things, but we are still creating a lot of chances, we just need one or 2 of the strikers to be brave and start scoring goals.

 

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[Adge]

Think it will take a little time but think we will be ok. The majority of the dross that were a disgrace that went down last time in L1 have gone (Haynes/Bigi/Stevenson et al) but there are 1 or 2 that are still here. Maybe that experience will stand them in good stead?

 

[Londonccfcfan]

League two to league 1 isn't a big jump.

League 1 to championship now that's a jump into another stratosphere!

This league is wide open barring Sunderland. Portsmouth and Posh are hardly teams to fear.

 

[GaryJones]

Starting to look like it!

 

[Samo]

I don't think so, I think recruitment has been generally poor but I think rather then stick with a system and a core of players that did well last season, he's ripped up the plan/formation and squad and replaced them with inexperienced or square pegs. They also seem to be unfit which won't help physically nor will it help mentally and in decision making.

I don't look at the squad and think it's any stronger than last season, I don't feel like we have upgraded in any department if I'm being honest.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

I think we'll be ok. Just a matter of the right system and the right personnel along with a little luck and the corner will be turned.
I have to say though that some of the forward recruitment/extensions have been baffling.

 

[Gazolba]

<snip> is the jump to L1 a big step for a lot of our players? Maybe a lot of our players actual level is L2?

<snip>.

Chaplin scored most of his goals in L2.
Not saying he can't step up to L1 but it is a fact, and he was hardly prolific in L2.

 

[hill83]

Chaplin scored most of his goals in L2.
Not saying he can't step up to L1 but it is a fact, and he was hardly prolific in L2.

Why did I not know this. Just checked and he's scored 5 goals at this level.*

*still think he'll score loads for us as I like to stay positive

I dare say if it was Bakayoko with this stat we'd all know about it again and again.

 

[Covstu]

League two to league 1 isn't a big jump.

League 1 to championship now that's a jump into another stratosphere!

This league is wide open barring Sunderland. Portsmouth and Posh are hardly teams to fear.

Agree, we should have the resources to cope but I guess there is a difference between surviving and getting promoted !

 

[GaryJones]

I’d be happy with mid or top half finish.
Memories of our last time in League 1 are coming flooding back right now.

 

[covcity4life]

I don’t think recruitment has been that poor?
Ogogo - been probably our best player over the four games.
Sterling - been ok, could do more going forward but been pretty solid barring the Scunthorpe goal.
Mason - been impressed with
Brown - too few minutes to judge
Bakayoko - never understood this signing, I would’ve been disappointed if it was a loan never mind a perm signing where we actually paid a relatively big fee.

I’d say there’s been one big recruitment error (Bakayoko) the rest seem fine and the players from last year haven’t looked out of place. We could easily have beaten Scunthorpe and the Blackpool match looked like a draw all day long had it not been for calamity Liam. Think we will finish around mid table which is what most people expected.

A lot of posters on this board don't watch football outside cov. They don't know jack shit tbh. So blaming recruitment is something they assume is always the answer.

 

[oucho]

Over the years I have always felt the gap between L1 and L2 is greater than the gap between the Champ and L1, ot L2 and the Conf. Hard to back up but I always always had that impression which would explain why we did well in L2 after relegation but have struggled a bit early on in L1 after promotion.

 

[Grendel]

Over the years I have always felt the gap between L1 and L2 is greater than the gap between the Champ and L1, ot L2 and the Conf. Hard to back up but I always always had that impression which would explain why we did well in L2 after relegation but have struggled a bit early on in L1 after promotion.

Has the storm gone now?

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

A lot of posters on this board don't watch football outside cov. They don't know back shit tbh. So blaming recruitment is something they assume is always the answer.

You are right CC4life, I don't know back shit.

 

[Grendel]

The squad has enough about it to survive in this league as long as we select the correct players and formation.

Personally I don’t think you can have a starting 11 with Andreu and Bayliss in it and probably neither when Jones is fit.

 

[oucho]

Has the storm gone now?

Yeah but the mrs has been in bed all day, still poorly. Left her to it and explored the city.

 

[joemercersaces]

Robins said himself that hard luck stories don’t cut it and lead to relegation, but...we created more than enough chances to beat Scunthorpe and Rochdale and by all accounts Gillingham too. Fine margins. All three of those sides must count themselves somewhat fortunate that we put so many attempts wide or over. And at least two fine saves. My point is that we could quite easily have 8 more points. Not saying we’re going to finish top or anything close but I don’t see any unbridgeable gap.

 

[oucho]

The squad has enough about it to survive in this league as long as we select the correct players and formation.

Personally I don’t think you can have a starting 11 with Andreu and Bayliss in it and probably neither when Jones is fit.

What do you consider would be a reasonable league finish this season, given our squad/bydget?

 

[cc84cov]

The squad has enough about it to survive in this league as long as we select the correct players and formation.

Personally I don’t think you can have a starting 11 with Andreu and Bayliss in it and probably neither when Jones is fit.

Agree here...I said weeks ago we can’t play Bayliss & Andreu it doesn’t work.

 

[cc84cov]

What do you consider would be a reasonable league finish this season, given our squad/bydget?

Top half would be nice but I would be happy staying up this season considering the start we’ve had.

 

[GaryJones]

What do you consider would be a reasonable league finish this season, given our squad/bydget?

Top 10

 

[Rasputin]

What do you consider would be a reasonable league finish this season, given our squad/bydget?

6th

 

[oucho]

Top half would be nice but I would be happy staying up this season considering the start we’ve had.

I'm with you. Provided we avoid a relegation battle we will have done reasonably well. Let's us not forget it is only 2 years since we got relegated out of this league.

 

[Captain Dart]

I'm with you. Provided we avoid a relegation battle we will have done reasonably well. Let's us not forget it is only 2 years since we got relegated out of this league.

It's a poor show if you lose the momentum provided by promotion.
I see no reason why the team should not deliver a play-off place at worst.
Unfortunately the form in the first few games has been well below expectations.

 

[oucho]

It's a poor show if you lose the momentum provided by promotion.
I see no reason why the team should not deliver a play-off place at worst.
Unfortunately the form in the first few games has been well below expectations.

I think that is asking too much. There are 20 teams in this league who were in high divisions than us last season, I don't see why we could expect to walk through them like The Terminator in that LA police statLAn in 1984....

Yes one win from 6 is disappointing but hardly earth-shattering, it is early days.

 

[Captain Dart]

I think that is asking too much. There are 20 teams in this league who were in high divisions than us last season, I don't see why we could expect to walk through them like The Terminator in that LA police statLAn in 1984....

Yes one win from 6 is disappointing but hardly earth-shattering, it is early days.

You'll never succeed at anything with that attitude.

 

[Paxman II]

It's how we performed that tells you whether it's a temporary blip or not. Scunny, The Gills, Rochdale should have been wins. I think we are fiddling with getting it right but believe it will get much better rather than worse, and we will be challenging this season. We have a strong squad and have spent a decent amount. I think Chaplin will come good as Mc.Nulty did. We are just looking for the balance and dare I say a bit more fitness and a bent ear or two!
Stats are often used to emphasise a point but can be horrendously out of sync with realty. Our realty to use such a stat is undefeated in 3 lost 3. There sounds better already!

 

[oucho]

You'll never succeed at anything with that attitude.

The attitude is to respect the higher level and to recognise we aren't going to steamroller our way up the leagues. It'll be a gradual process.

 

[Paxman II]

The attitude is to respect the higher level and to recognise we aren't going to steamroller our way up the leagues. It'll be a gradual process.

I somewhat disagree with this assumption. If you invest in the team to better it then why would you not expect to rise through the league? As a larger club than most at this level the support base alone is akin to an extra man on the pitch. Yes given the close season investment of MR's I expect some results. For me at least in with a shout of the playoff's as a minimum.

 

[oucho]

T

I somewhat disagree with this assumption. If you invest in the team to better it then why would you not expect to rise through the league? As a larger club than most at this level the support base alone is akin to an extra man on the pitch. Yes given the close season investment of MR's I expect some results. For me at least in with a shout of the playoff's as a minimum.

Thing is, in terms of experience, we are not really a big club in this league. Also the finances, though opaque, do seem to mean we get less financial benefit from our crowds, fan for fan, than other teams at this level. So despite the backing the club have given MR, I think mid table, provided we don't get dragged into a relegation battle, is about par. Anything else is over-achievement.