Promotion thread

[Fence Sitter]

Great post JJ! Agree Stanley look to have a tough run in but the relegation fight can have a strong bearing at this stage of the season, teams fighting for league survival can be just as dangerous as teams fighting for promotion, on paper Wycombe look to have a good run in but they meet 5 team fighting for league survival in the run in, as for Stanley this season has been amazing for us quite a few games we have won while looking second best, we still have 9 to play and things can change very quickly so I’m just keeping my fingers crossed for the games to come

 

[Agombar stool]

‘Swindon had a good start under Matt Taylor, but their last 10 look like there are potentials for points‘

A Crewe fan may think that a 0-3 home defeat by Cheltenham is a ‘good start’ but I’ve been brought up to believe that losing football matches is generally a bad thing.

As for potential for points in the next 10 games, I can see us falling out of the play-off picture very soon.

 

[Kenneth E End]

We can lose 5 more games and win the other 5 and still get promoted.

 

[gijsbert_bos]

It's the assertion that Lincoln are another level of direct that grates.

Anyway, anyone see the commentators jizzing their pants at Rashford's first yesterday? Big boot from De Gea, headed flick on from Lukaku and Rashford scores. Any lower league side scores that and it's "classic route one football". United do it and it's a "wonderful goal".

 

[oakroader]

There’s a hole in my bucket dear Liza....

 

[Youpies]

Luton are up Kenny. It would take an almighty bottle job from here not to get it. Exeter are a good bet for a top spot. Lots of clubs would love that run in.

Looking at Stanley, they have a really tough run in, where if they do well there, then they really deserve the league

We have tough teams at home... We are better at home although Exeter showed how to play against Notts at home.

 

[Youpies]

It's the assertion that Lincoln are another level of direct that grates.

Anyway, anyone see the commentators jizzing their pants at Rashford's first yesterday? Big boot from De Gea, headed flick on from Lukaku and Rashford scores. Any lower league side scores that and it's "classic route one football". United do it and it's a "wonderful goal".

Why does it grate? It's true and it's working for you. No one is saying you have to play like Brazil. Most teams in this league play direct for good reason

Lincoln fans dont half do a lot of pant pissing on here.

 

[Stringy]

I thought Lincoln were pretty good in both games that we played. Their style was direct, aggressive and and they battled hard for every ball but it wasn't unenjoyable. They tried to play in the right areas and put in lots of dangerous crosses. I can imagine that would be good to watch if done well consistently.

 

[Luke Imp]

There's a difference between being direct and being long ball. The former being what we do, with a focal point in Rhead to hit with players like Anderson, Rowe, Green and Frecklington around him. Long ball is just smashing the ball the length of the pitch and hoping for the best.

We get labelled long ball by opposition managers, which is unfair because we're not long ball. Direct, yes, but not long ball, but maybe they actually mean direct. We got less moans last season in a league where more football is played so we stuck out more as a direct side.

As said, when it's done well, as we do, it's good. You get a group of players who are organised, battle hard, run hard and challenge for every single ball for 90+ minutes and actually look like they know what they're doing. I've watched fancier Lincoln sides and enjoyed it much less.

EDIT - I've got no problem with being called a direct side, btw.

 

[dedwardp]

Agree that direct football is good when it works. When it was going well under Aidy Boothroyd a few years back and we were flying high in League One it was wonderful - exciting, attacking football. None of this slow, tedious build up passing sideways around the back, but if we had possession we were generally on the attack in and around the final third, putting you on the edge of your seat.

When it started to unravel and we couldn't win for love nor money, it became much, much uglier though and opinions soon turned.

 

[Conker]

Watching Lincoln just reminds me of Paul Cox, and that depresses me.

Lincoln traditionally are a direct side though, it’s how they have played for the majority of years that I remember.

 

[shoddycollins]

We can lose 5 more games and win the other 5 and still get promoted.

If you can make one of the defeats against us then it's a deal.

 

[shoddycollins]

I think the criticism over Lincoln's directness isn't so much about them per se, but that whenever Danny Cowley appears on the telly they treat him like some lower-league Pep Guardiola because he's flavour of the month and most commentators have probably never actually watched a League Two game, so people tend to think mocking the directness of their football is going to knock them down a peg or two, even if the Lincoln fans themselves have never claimed they play sexy football.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Looking at things in the cold light of day following yesterday, we arent that far off of the level we were at previously. We have had poor performances of late but in the last 3 I dont think we were really that bad. Of the previous 3 games, on other days we could have conceivably won them all and we didnt perform poorly per se in any of those matches. If Lee goal stands to make it 1-1 (or Collins scored the penalty) I think we go on and win against Cheltenham, if Collins isnt a total cretin (or we had lenient ref!) we probably see out the Cambridge game, and on another day we bury one or more of the chances we made against Accrington to at least get a point and quite possibly win that going away.

3 of the goals conceded in those matches have been good strikes from outside the box, that surely cant continue youd hope!

Its all ifs and buts of course, but such searching for some green shoots following yesterdays shock to the system!

Given that we haven't won any of those games though, we need a reaction on Tuesday against Coventry. Unfortunately, they are exactly the sort of side, decent defensivley and capable of nicking a goal, that we struggle against. The players also looked shell shocked yesterday too IMO.

 

[JJ1532]

‘Swindon had a good start under Matt Taylor, but their last 10 look like there are potentials for points‘

A Crewe fan may think that a 0-3 home defeat by Cheltenham is a ‘good start’ but I’ve been brought up to believe that losing football matches is generally a bad thing.

As for potential for points in the next 10 games, I can see us falling out of the play-off picture very soon.

It was sarcasm, hence why I switched to a positive immediately after. Apologies, probably didn't word it well enough to show that.

 

[Agombar stool]

It was sarcasm, hence why I switched to a positive immediately after. Apologies, probably didn't word it well enough to show that.

I did actually wonder if you did it on purpose but thought i’d be a cock about it

 

[AdamStag]

Certainly interesting at Notts next week.

If Notts can beat us they kill what hope we've got of the top 3 stone dead.

Flitcroft needs a win also after 2 pretty poor home showings under his stewardship so far

 

[Optipez]

I think you're right about next weeks match. Same for us if we lose, having played a game extra and in moderate form if we lose we will likely find you ,Wycombe and Exeter all better placed for third spot.
It will be difficult to overhaul all three clubs with only eight to go after Saturday.
If we do win though and Wycombe and Exeter fail to pick up wins we would find ourselves with the points and goal difference to have it back in our hands and with momentum and confidence restored too.
It really is a whopper for both teams next week.

 

[jacobncfc]

It’s obviously a massive game, but a defeat for either team definitely doesn’t end their hopes.

Looking at it, yesterday was massive for us in terms of minimising the impact of teams’ games in hand, as it stands no one can get more than three ahead of us even by winning them all.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Luton are up Kenny. It would take an almighty bottle job from here not to get it. Exeter are a good bet for a top spot. Lots of clubs would love that run in.

Looking at Stanley, they have a really tough run in, where if they do well there, then they really deserve the league

We have tough teams at home... We are better at home although Exeter showed how to play against Notts at home.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but our recent performances at home still makes me think we'll finish below third, especially as we now seem to have lost our best centre half, possibly for the rest of the season...

 

[Youpies]

As you were after tonights games. Exeter would have put a lot of pressure on the top 3 chasing sides had they won, and Coventry would have opened up the play off race again. Its still 8 games, where every game looks like a must win. According to the real league table, a high 85 points will be needed for autos but i suspect 82 will do it.

 

[Kenneth E End]

83 will do it for me, especially with our GD. 13 points from 9 games. Surely!?

 

[Kenneth E End]

So Notts County leading against Mansfield. Suppose from a purely selfish point of view, that wouldn't be the worst result in the world. I think a draw would be ideal.

 

[oakroader]

Promotion by any means will be great news for long suffering Lutoners
But...I wanna get off this crazy train ride....my heart can’t stand the strain of the train....
All aboard....

 

[Agombar stool]

We are back in the game!

 

[denzel ecfc]

We may be disappearing off the list. Two points from nine, and playing poorly. After Port Vale on Tuesday we have massive games against Swindon and Lincoln, after which we should see if we will even finish in the play offs..

 

[T.A]

“After defeat at #Carlisle on Boxing Day, #Accrington were 9th & 14 points behind leaders #Luton.

Since then #ASFC have picked up 37 points from a possible 42 to lead @SkyBetLeagueTwo by 3 points with a game in hand.”

Some charge up the league that. Showing clubs like ours up massively with the small budget they have. I hope they get promoted, playing Sunderland in a league game would be fun. Being champions would be a nice bonus for them.

 

[JJ1532]

95 - Predicted Champions 2018
94 -
93 -
92 -
91 -
90 - Champions 2015
89 - Champions 2012
88 -
87 - Champions 2016, 2017
86 -
85 - Automatic Promotion 2016
84 - Automatic Promotion 2012
83 -
82 - Champions 2014 Predicted Automatics 2018
81 -
80 - Champions 2013
79 -
78 - Automatic Promotion 2017
77 - Automatic Promotion 2013, 2014 Predicted Play Offs 2018
76 -
75 -
74 - Accrington(37)
73 -
72 -
71 - Play Offs 2012, Luton(38)
70 - Play Offs 2016, 2017
69 - Play Offs 2015
68 - Play Offs 2013
67 -
66 - Notts County(38)
------------------------------------------------------------
66 - Wycombe(37)
65 -
64 -
63 - Play Offs 2014, Mansfield(37)
62 -
61 - Coventry(37)
60 - Lincoln(37)
-------------------------------------------------------------
60 - Exeter(36), Swindon(37)
59 -
58 -
57 -
56 - Carlisle(38)

Forthcoming fixtures:

1st Accrington(37) - 74 points. Mansfield(A), Notts County(H), Colchester(A), Exeter(H), Wycombe(A), Yeovil(H), Newport(A), Lincoln(H), Swindon(A)
2nd Luton(38) - 71 points. Barnet(H), Colchester(A), Mansfield(H), Yeovil(A), Crewe(H), Carlisle(A), Forest Green(H), Notts County(A)
3rd Notts County(38) - 66 points. Chesterfield(A), Wycombe(H), Accrington(A), Coventry(H), Colchester(A), Yeovil(H), Grimsby(A), Luton(H)
---------------------------------------------------
4th Wycombe(37) - 66 points. Crawley(A), Port Vale(H), Notts County(A), Grimsby(H), Yeovil(A), Lincoln(A), Accrington(H), Chesterfield(A), Stevenage(H)
5th Mansfield(36) - 62 points. Stevenage(A), Notts County(A), Forest Green(A), Accrington(H), Luton(A), Crewe(H), Stevenage(A), Chesterfield(A), Port Vale(H), Yeovil(A), Crawley(H)
6th Coventry(37) - 61 points. Grimsby(H), Newport(A), Yeovil(H), Notts County(A), Crawley(A), Stevenage(H), Lincoln(H), Cheltenham(A), Morecambe(H),
7th Lincoln(37) - 60 points. Morecambe(A), Exeter(H), Carlisle(A), Port Vale(A), Wycombe(H), Colchester(H), Coventry(A), Accrington(A), Yeovil(H),
--------------------------------------------------
8th Exeter(36) - 60 points. Port Vale(A), Swindon(H), Lincoln(A), Cheltenham(H), Cambridge(A), Accrington(A), Chesterfield(H), Crawley(H), Stevenage(A),
9th Swindon(37) - 60 points. Exeter(A), Morecambe(H), Crawley(A), Carlisle(H), Yeovil(H), Newport(A), Grimsby(H), Colchester(A), Accrington(H)
10th Carlisle(38) - 56 points. Cambridge(H), Cheltenham(A), Lincoln(H), Swindon(A), Morecambe(A), Luton(H), Port Vale(A), Newport(H)

Working from the bottom, Carlisle are slowly dropping off the pace as their fans said they would. Looking like a long shot that they make the play offs, but still got a chance. Swindon got a nice boost in Phil Brown's first game. Big game for them next week against Exeter. Exeter only pick up one point from games against Yeovil and Morecambe, not good. A win at home to Swindon would get them on track, but if they lose that, then that would raise questions about their promotion credentials.

Lincoln have recovered from a little wobble, now 3 unbeaten and back to back wins puts them back in the play offs. Looking strong in their hunt for a play off spot, got a lot of competition for it though. Coventry are also very much back on track, now 5 unbeaten and right amongst it after looking like they might slide out of contention. Mansfield have now drawn 5 straight, the automatics are slowly sliding away if they aren't careful and they could get overhauled by the chasing pack as well. Be interesting to see how they go in this last stretch. Saying that, rescuing a late point against Notts County might be the boost they need.

Wycombe and Notts County are scrapping for that last automatic spot at the moment. I wonder how costly that late Mansfield equaliser today will prove for County? Another big local derby next week for them at Chesterfield. Wycombe draw level on 66 points with a comfy win over Barnet. They've got a chance to move into 3rd and right behind Luton if they beat Crawley on Wednesday.

Luton slip further away from Accrington as their jitters continue with a draw at Newport. They have really got to be winning next week against Barnet. Accrington keep grinding their way to promotion and possibly the title. Should win next week against Yeovil, then their games against fellow promotion contenders start. Still very congested and we're still none the wiser as to who will finish where.

 

[Youpies]

Will be interesting to see how we cope with the pressure of playing once all the other teams have played. We will probably be in a play off spot come kick off

 

[Fence Sitter]

great summation JJ but accy won't beat yeovil this coming saturday as the fixture has been moved to the 17/04/2018 owing to yeovil players commitments in internationals