Top Seven

[The General]

1. Yeovil
2. N'ton
3. Swansea

4. Scunny
5. Darlo
6. Southend
7. Boston

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Sc**thorpe
Yeovil
Swansea
----------------------
Northampton
Darlington
Lincoln
Macclesfield

 

[Ron Manager]

Quote[/b] (Javea Shrimper @ Jan. 14 2005,20:08)]Sc**thorpe
Yeovil
Swansea
----------------------
Northampton
Darlington
Lincoln
Macclesfield

You pesimistic old *******!

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Ron Manager @ Jan. 14 2005,21:22)]

Quote[/b] (Jávea Shrimper @ Jan. 14 2005,20:08)]Sc**thorpe
Yeovil
Swansea
----------------------
Northampton
Darlington
Lincoln
Macclesfield

You pesimistic old *******!

Well, put it this way. If I'm wrong, it'll be a nice surprise 'cos I wouldn't have expected it and if we did finish, say, 8th or 9th, I wouldn't be so fed up. BUT if I predict we'll finish in the play-offs and I'm wrong, I'll be ****ed off.

WS

 

[Proud Shrimper]

But Mike do you seriously think we'll finish lower than Lincoln and Macclesfield?

 

[Beefy]

I can't see us dropping out of the play off zone. Not with the firepower we've got. A few injuries could hit us, but the same is true of any team at this level.

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Beefy @ Jan. 15 2005,01:04)]I can't see us dropping out of the play off zone. Not with the firepower we've got.

That firepower wasn't very evident yesterday though. Surely if the team holds out any hope of promotion this season, they have to work hard to beat sides like Notts County, especially at home. I realise that the Magpies arrived at Roots Hall clutching an armful of spoiling tactics but any team that harbours promotion wishes should have swept those tactics aside and dished out a lesson. But it didn't happen. So therefore I stand by my original prediction; I feel we don't yet have a strong enough (or big enough) squad to maintain a promotion campaign. This season at least ...

WS

 

[sufcintheprem]

Quote[/b] (rabbloke @ Jan. 14 2005,12:58)]I would dread the play offs as Blackpool last season and Luton this season showed us just how much we freeze on the big occassion.

It's alright now, WIlson seems to have learnt to defend a bit better!

Also, Griemink, Barrett, Prior, Nicloau (I think), Eastwood and Gray missed last year's final so it's a completely different team.

Also, when I've seen us in other big games (think Col U three times, Canvey), we've rose to the big occasion.

IMO, Luton were just better than us and Blackpool had been to the Millennium Stadium a couple of times previoiusly with a similar squad so they wouldn't have been fazed.

 

[Proud Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (sufcintheprem @ Jan. 16 2005,11:08)]IMO, Luton were just better than us and Blackpool had been to the Millennium Stadium a couple of times previoiusly with a similar squad so they wouldn't have been fazed.

Exactly, Blackpool had been to Cardiff a couple of times before but we hadn't. For this reason I believe the LDV Vans Trophy (both last years and this) could have a large bearing on our play-off chances (assuming we don't make the top 3). It would be a massive advantage if we were to make the LDV Vans Final again this year for the simple reason that those who weren't with us last year would have very recent experience of playing at the Millennium Stadium in a huge game, if we were to reach the play-off final against a side without experience of this kind it would undoubtedly give us a big edge going into the game. Already the players who were here last season and played at Cardiff would benefit from that even if we don't make the LDV Final this year.

As for freezing in the big games as someone mentioned I totally agree with sufcintheprem. In recent big games I feel our record is actually pretty good, I discount games such as Blackpool (even though their 1st was offside!) and in particular Luton as the fact remains that both of these sides were far superior to us in terms of ability at that time - I don't believe we "froze" as some have suggested.