Predict the League

[Mark kavanagh]

Great work mate, your table is a million times better then my predictions

 

[Cheese & Biscuits]

I've updated the first post with the predictions too, in case anyone is interested.

 

[FGR Stroud]

Regret must post BBC league table - the official National Conference table remains to be updated.
It still has the results/table as at 5pm with FGR equal top with Tranmere at 16 points each.

 

[GodsGift]

Leewilson

Stick to tennis mate!

 

[Leewilson]

Leewilson

Stick to tennis mate!

I was always going to be atrocious at this. I knew very little about this league and I can't claim to have learned much other than there is quite a jump in ability to League 2.

 

[Luke Imp]

Don't be saying that. We still get people, not necessarily on here btw, who think the gap is minimal/closing!

 

[FGR Stroud]

 

[CrazyImp]

Don't be saying that. We still get people, not necessarily on here btw, who think the gap is minimal/closing!

Don't lie Luke, there's a large, deluded contingent on here who still think this is the case.

Don't think I'm doing too bad at this so far from what I can recall. Think my call of sixth for us was far too conservative though.

 

[Chris FGR]

Think in general that there is a gap in quality between this league and league 2, with one or two exceptions.

We're one of the main exceptions, the standard of player and type of football we play is better suited to higher levels. I'm pretty sure we'd be right up there in league 2 and will be next season.

 

[Sparrow]

If the gap in standard between the two leagues is so big, then how come no club promoted from the Conference has ever come straight back down?

 

[CrazyImp]

Bit tubbier than I expected you to be Sparrow, gym memberships aren't expensive nowadays.

Not sure the two-tone tache is working either.

 

[Sparrow]

No answer to my question, though. Your, and others, statements haven't been backed up by any FACTS.

 

[Chris FGR]

Reverse bottle neck. The bottom clubs in league 2 are shitter then the best clubs in the National League, but there aren't enough relegation places to flush them all down. The rest of league 2 is a lot better standard then most National League clubs (apart from us).

 

[GEORGE]

I actually think the National league is the most diverse between the top 4 divisions (not including Premier ) whereby the top of the Conference would certainly be around mid table in Div 4 ( possibly Tranmere higher up ) and the bottom part of the Conference would totally struggle in Div 4 ( that's why there in the Conference I suppose )
The one thing I've notice since returning to the Football league is the amount of away supporters/better grounds and definitely better atmospheres.
I'm sure Forest Green & Tranmere will go up this season and should do ok next year.

 

[PaulHaddock]

Might be to do with our new team but there is a definite step up in standard. Not so much in terms of the football but players are more intelligent, the finishing is better and you get punished more for mistakes.

 

[Cheese & Biscuits]

The class of defenders was my noticeable change when we went up. Defences are a lot worse down here (see Matt Rhead's record).

 

[Master D]

Might be to do with our new team but there is a definite step up in standard. Not so much in terms of the football but players are more intelligent, the finishing is better and you get punished more for mistakes.

Sounds like a load of cliches but I imagine it's true. You also don't get the guaranteed win games where you thrash a Hyde type tinpotter who are virtually doomed to relegation by Xmas.

 

[Silver Stone]

We've lost three games, to first, second, and fourth. Not bad.

 

[Sparrow]

Nope, still can't see any hardcore FACTS about why League 2 is amazingly better.

 

[Pablosammy]

Nope, still can't see any hardcore FACTS about why League 2 is amazingly better.

It is better. I thought League 2 was poor when we were passing through, but I had no idea how bad it would get.

The biggest gap, though, is in the standard of refereeing. You could grab a randomer from the crowd in non-league, and there would be a 50/50 chance he could do a better job than the ref on the pitch. Some of the decisions I've seen since we've been down here have been outstandingly bad.

 

[PaulHaddock]

It is better. I thought League 2 was poor when we were passing through, but I had no idea how bad it would get.

The biggest gap, though, is in the standard of refereeing. You could grab a randomer from the crowd in non-league, and there would be a 50/50 chance he could do a better job than the ref on the pitch. Some of the decisions I've seen since we've been down here have been outstandingly bad.

They haven't really improved since we've gone up.

 

[Harrier94]

They haven't really improved since we've gone up.

Think how bad they are at our level then.

 

[FGR Stroud]

 

[BeesKnees]

Nope, still can't see any hardcore FACTS about why League 2 is amazingly better.

It isn't. We went down and kept the same team that had been in mid table form for the second half of the season, ended up just outside the conference playoffs.
Then we went up, are still largely unchanged and remain a mid table side.
Key difference to me is the style of play, far more teams come to away games looking for a draw in league 2. With so few going up and so many being relegated a win is more valuable in the conference so games tend to be more open.

 

[Imp in Branston]

It isn't. We went down and kept the same team that had been in mid table for the second day half of the season, ended up just outside the conference playoffs.
Then we went up, are still largely unchanged and remain a mid table side.
Key difference to me is the style of play, far more teams come to away games looking for a draw in league 2. With so few going up and so many being relegated a win is more valuable in the conference so games tend to be more open.

Off topic, we are rumoured to be after Tom Champion, what's he been like for you?

 

[BeesKnees]

Off topic, we are rumoured to be after Tom Champion, what's he been like for you?

Handy bench warmer for us. Decent but nothing special.

 

[PaulHaddock]

It isn't. We went down and kept the same team that had been in mid table form for the second half of the season, ended up just outside the conference playoffs.
Then we went up, are still largely unchanged and remain a mid table side.
Key difference to me is the style of play, far more teams come to away games looking for a draw in league 2. With so few going up and so many being relegated a win is more valuable in the conference so games tend to be more open.

So far, I've seen it as the exact opposite. So many teams in the Conference came to us, set up not to lose. Meanwhile, we haven't had (yet) a team that has sat back against us.

 

[BeesKnees]

So far, I've seen it as the exact opposite. So many teams in the Conference came to us, set up not to lose. Meanwhile, we haven't had (yet) a team that has sat back against us.

Most sides seem happy just to retain the ball and if they get a goal lead then the likes of Wycombe shut up shop completely.
Our first few games away from home last season we tried to play the same way and teams just sat back, hit us on the break and then kept hold of the ball. We had to change and by Christmas it was us that was defending deep and looking to break.

 

[Pablosammy]

So far, I've seen it as the exact opposite. So many teams in the Conference came to us, set up not to lose. Meanwhile, we haven't had (yet) a team that has sat back against us.

That's exactly what we have found. Nearly every team sit with 10 players behind the ball at Prenton Park and hit us on the break. Unfortunately, Brabin hasn't worked out how to consistently break these teams down yet... not sure he ever will.

 

[Chris FGR]

That's exactly what we have found. Nearly every team sit with 10 players behind the ball at Prenton Park and hit us on the break.

We wont. Our defenders seem to spend more time in the opposition half then in our own. Not sure Brabin would work out a way to deal with that either. In fact not sure he'd cope that well with any sort of opposition tactic.

You should have got Harvey in while he was available.