NolansOrient
Active Member
Hi everyone,
With the new season fast approaching I thought I would give a quick team-by-team preview ahead of the 6th of August. More parts to follow. Let me know if I've done your side any monstrous injustices in my ad-hoc reckoning.
Accrington Stanley: Last Season = 4th.
Last season was so nearly everything Stanley fans wanted, and to be frank, 4th place was extremely harsh on an impressive Stanley outfit. Accrington were a pleasure to watch, playing confident, on the deck football and can consider themselves unfortunate in the extreme to be plying their trade in League 2 again this year.
I fear last season's heroics will be difficult to replicate this year, with both Crooks and Windass fleeing across the border to Rangers, and winger Mingoia opting for a move to Cambridge. These key losses combined with 'last season syndrome' could make things challenging for Accrington.
Retention of Billy Key, scorer / assist maker of over 30 goals last year, is crucial, but probably won't be enough to see the Reds in the right half of the table come May 2017.
Prediction: Mid table (14th).
Barnet: Last season = 15th.
15th doesn't look all that impressive, but Barnet finished the season extremely well, and boasted the 3rd best home record in the division (probably because no away fans want to go to what is, lets be honest, a training ground - no offense Bees).
Summer has been kind to the Bees, with Watson (Leicester), Nicholls (Exeter) and Akpa-Akpro (Shrewsbury) all looking to be shrewd signings. Add to this a new 3-year deal for the indefatigable, 24-goal Akinde, and you have a side very much in the ascendency.
Yiadom and Stevens are, however, genuine losses to the north London outfit, but many may underestimate Barnet, who are genuinely capable of beating any side on their day.
My dark horses for the season.
Prediction: Play Off Contenders (7th / 8th).
Blackpool: Last season = 21st (League 1).
Off the pitch drama continues for the tangerines, with talks of take-overs materialising and disappearing before fans' eyes against a backdrop of new management and seething discontentment from the supporters. Oh dear.
This fall from grace into the basement division is offset slightly by the solid signings of striker Jamille Matt, and centre back Andy Taylor from League 1 Fleetwood and Walsall respectively, despite all the off-pitch commotions, players such as these should spare the Sea-siders' blushes and ensure another relegation is avoided. Fans' discontentment and potential complacency regarding League 2 could cost them, but at least the management looks more reliable this time around.
Prediction: Lower-mid table (16th).
Cambridge: Last Season = 9th.
A decent season last time out for Cambridge, and a summer that sees them retain the core of their side, with a few tasty additions in the form of Mingoia, Elito, Pigott alongside a host of others.
Reasons to be confident then, a relatively large squad should see Cambridge though a season where loan restrictions are now much harsher than in previous years. Ryan Donaldson is the only notable exitee, moving to fellow promotion candidates Plymouth, but then he has been inconsistent in recent years.
A good start should see them consolidate a top-7 finish, but if left playing catch up it could be a different story.
Prediction: Play Offs (6th).
Carlisle: Last Season = 10th.
A good season for the Cumbrians saw them finish just 3 places outside of the play offs, in a season that was dominated by Jabo, Wyke, and biblical levels of flooding on the pitch, . Indeed, had Carlisle not had to play their 32 games in hand in the space of 3 weeks at the business end of last season they could well have grabbed themselves a deserved top-7 finish.
The retention of Wyke and Jabo practically guarantees goals for Carlisle, but they will need to shore up an, at times, leaky defence, and former Posh CB Shaun Brisley is an excellent addition. Other notable signings include Nicky Adams (Cobblers) and Oldham's Mike Jones.
A good side already, these strong additions should see the Cumbrians challenge at the right end of the table.
Prediction: Play Offs (5th).
Cheltenham: Last Season = 1st (Conference).
Gary Johnson's Cheltenham amassed over 100 points in an impressive title-winning season last time out, and payers and fans alike with go into the new season brimming with confidence. A confidence which could be potentially misplaced.
Cheltenham's strength (retaining a title winning side, no need to gel new players, everyone knows their role), could well be their undoing (potential lack of quality compared to more established league sides, smallish squad could suffer from injuries).
Only Jennings and O'Shaughnessy join from Forest (Green!) and Brentford, no one out the door.
Can't see them going down; Johnson is too capable for that, their opening game at home to the Orient should reveal plenty.
Prediction: Mid table (13th).
Colchester: Last Season = 23rd (League 1).
A season to forget for the Us as they, deservedly, went down, with the worst defence in the league.
Colchester are one of the more challenging sides to analyse this year, recently, sides who have come down have struggled to bounce back at the first opportunity, and it has been a busy summer at the WHCS.
Moncur (Barnsley), Massey (Orient) and Edwards (Walsall) are undeniably huge losses, and they represented, in my view, Colchester 3 best players from last year.
The addition of Luke Prosser should help shore up the back 4, and 2 lads from Gillingham, Loft & Dickenson, are definitely good enough for this level. However, you can't help but feel that Colchester are weaker as a unit than they were last year, and will need at least one season to consolidate before moving forward.
Prediction: Mid table (11th).
Crawley: Last season = 20th.
From my perspective, they were the worst footballing side I saw last year, offering up a 90th minute display that was so inept, I can't even be bothered to think of a comparable adjective.
Fortunate to not go down last year, and with absolutely tons of change over the summer, it's tough to predict where creepy will finish, but with the uninspiring Jimmy Smith as captain, and completely unknown signings from foreign lands, I don't expect them to be challenging for anything this season. Well maybe relegation, but there are probably worse sides than Crawley in the league this year. Just.
James Collins in from Shrewsbury is an unusually shrewd signing for the in-all-but-name-non-league outfit.
Prediction: Relegation dogfight (20th).
More to follow.
With the new season fast approaching I thought I would give a quick team-by-team preview ahead of the 6th of August. More parts to follow. Let me know if I've done your side any monstrous injustices in my ad-hoc reckoning.
Accrington Stanley: Last Season = 4th.
Last season was so nearly everything Stanley fans wanted, and to be frank, 4th place was extremely harsh on an impressive Stanley outfit. Accrington were a pleasure to watch, playing confident, on the deck football and can consider themselves unfortunate in the extreme to be plying their trade in League 2 again this year.
I fear last season's heroics will be difficult to replicate this year, with both Crooks and Windass fleeing across the border to Rangers, and winger Mingoia opting for a move to Cambridge. These key losses combined with 'last season syndrome' could make things challenging for Accrington.
Retention of Billy Key, scorer / assist maker of over 30 goals last year, is crucial, but probably won't be enough to see the Reds in the right half of the table come May 2017.
Prediction: Mid table (14th).
Barnet: Last season = 15th.
15th doesn't look all that impressive, but Barnet finished the season extremely well, and boasted the 3rd best home record in the division (probably because no away fans want to go to what is, lets be honest, a training ground - no offense Bees).
Summer has been kind to the Bees, with Watson (Leicester), Nicholls (Exeter) and Akpa-Akpro (Shrewsbury) all looking to be shrewd signings. Add to this a new 3-year deal for the indefatigable, 24-goal Akinde, and you have a side very much in the ascendency.
Yiadom and Stevens are, however, genuine losses to the north London outfit, but many may underestimate Barnet, who are genuinely capable of beating any side on their day.
My dark horses for the season.
Prediction: Play Off Contenders (7th / 8th).
Blackpool: Last season = 21st (League 1).
Off the pitch drama continues for the tangerines, with talks of take-overs materialising and disappearing before fans' eyes against a backdrop of new management and seething discontentment from the supporters. Oh dear.
This fall from grace into the basement division is offset slightly by the solid signings of striker Jamille Matt, and centre back Andy Taylor from League 1 Fleetwood and Walsall respectively, despite all the off-pitch commotions, players such as these should spare the Sea-siders' blushes and ensure another relegation is avoided. Fans' discontentment and potential complacency regarding League 2 could cost them, but at least the management looks more reliable this time around.
Prediction: Lower-mid table (16th).
Cambridge: Last Season = 9th.
A decent season last time out for Cambridge, and a summer that sees them retain the core of their side, with a few tasty additions in the form of Mingoia, Elito, Pigott alongside a host of others.
Reasons to be confident then, a relatively large squad should see Cambridge though a season where loan restrictions are now much harsher than in previous years. Ryan Donaldson is the only notable exitee, moving to fellow promotion candidates Plymouth, but then he has been inconsistent in recent years.
A good start should see them consolidate a top-7 finish, but if left playing catch up it could be a different story.
Prediction: Play Offs (6th).
Carlisle: Last Season = 10th.
A good season for the Cumbrians saw them finish just 3 places outside of the play offs, in a season that was dominated by Jabo, Wyke, and biblical levels of flooding on the pitch, . Indeed, had Carlisle not had to play their 32 games in hand in the space of 3 weeks at the business end of last season they could well have grabbed themselves a deserved top-7 finish.
The retention of Wyke and Jabo practically guarantees goals for Carlisle, but they will need to shore up an, at times, leaky defence, and former Posh CB Shaun Brisley is an excellent addition. Other notable signings include Nicky Adams (Cobblers) and Oldham's Mike Jones.
A good side already, these strong additions should see the Cumbrians challenge at the right end of the table.
Prediction: Play Offs (5th).
Cheltenham: Last Season = 1st (Conference).
Gary Johnson's Cheltenham amassed over 100 points in an impressive title-winning season last time out, and payers and fans alike with go into the new season brimming with confidence. A confidence which could be potentially misplaced.
Cheltenham's strength (retaining a title winning side, no need to gel new players, everyone knows their role), could well be their undoing (potential lack of quality compared to more established league sides, smallish squad could suffer from injuries).
Only Jennings and O'Shaughnessy join from Forest (Green!) and Brentford, no one out the door.
Can't see them going down; Johnson is too capable for that, their opening game at home to the Orient should reveal plenty.
Prediction: Mid table (13th).
Colchester: Last Season = 23rd (League 1).
A season to forget for the Us as they, deservedly, went down, with the worst defence in the league.
Colchester are one of the more challenging sides to analyse this year, recently, sides who have come down have struggled to bounce back at the first opportunity, and it has been a busy summer at the WHCS.
Moncur (Barnsley), Massey (Orient) and Edwards (Walsall) are undeniably huge losses, and they represented, in my view, Colchester 3 best players from last year.
The addition of Luke Prosser should help shore up the back 4, and 2 lads from Gillingham, Loft & Dickenson, are definitely good enough for this level. However, you can't help but feel that Colchester are weaker as a unit than they were last year, and will need at least one season to consolidate before moving forward.
Prediction: Mid table (11th).
Crawley: Last season = 20th.
From my perspective, they were the worst footballing side I saw last year, offering up a 90th minute display that was so inept, I can't even be bothered to think of a comparable adjective.
Fortunate to not go down last year, and with absolutely tons of change over the summer, it's tough to predict where creepy will finish, but with the uninspiring Jimmy Smith as captain, and completely unknown signings from foreign lands, I don't expect them to be challenging for anything this season. Well maybe relegation, but there are probably worse sides than Crawley in the league this year. Just.
James Collins in from Shrewsbury is an unusually shrewd signing for the in-all-but-name-non-league outfit.
Prediction: Relegation dogfight (20th).
More to follow.
