How long is 'transition'?

Quoted from GrimRob

You can change formations and systems until the cows come home but you need a goal scorer.

Not really. You just need to score goals, not necessarily have one player scoring most of them.

Remains to be seen if we'll have enough players getting into (or near) double figures this season, but it would be nice to see the midfield chipping in with some goals.

I still think we're lacking the fulcrum around which our more creative players can play. If we're not going to be tippy-tappying through teams (which seems likely), we're going to need something else up front to make a difference in this regard. Not sure Thomas is this because he seems more of a poacher. Perhaps Pringle can add enough of a threat to make space for the rest of our attackers?

As already noted, we've really not been far off winning far more points this season and you also have to note we've played almost all of the top teams (so far). Let's wait to see what happens when Pringle, Thomas and perhaps Embleton are fit and integrated into the team before writing the season off.

In my opinion, for what it's worth we have good players, much better players than this time last year when I was genuinely worried under that clown Slade. But we have issues with fitting them all into they system the manager wants to play. He wants to play a 'modern' formation, a variation of 4-3-3, or ideally I feel a 3-5-2. But we have no target man, no forward that can hold the ball up, take the pressure off and bring the wingers / inside forwards into play. In Cook and Vernam we have quality but we resorted to booting the ball up to them from deep. Neither had a chance today against the giant centre backs.

A manager has an idea how he wants to play, what system he wants to play and I am sure he has tried to bring that target man in, maybe the new lad who was suspended today as the FA are buffoons is the answer, but we look disjointed and unable to question teams defences. As this goes on, our confidence will drop. Quality players like Cook and in particular Vernam may well drop to the poor standards we have set and we'll be looking over our shoulder. It isn't too early to be concerned, and it isn't too early to question the manager's tactics, given what he has available. Is he trying to play a formation, without having the players to make it work? They are his players now.

We all want promotion but expecting a manager getting us promoted in HIS first full season as a manager is asking too much.

I will settle for mid table this season and I think we will do that.

Then go for a promotion push next season  if not the season after.

I think everyone can see we've got a better set of players. Last year we had Dembele, who was brilliant on his day and when you have someone like that it lifts the players around him (and the crowd every time the ball goes near him). I think we need to try and get a settled team. Personally, I like wingers, it seems they are falling out of fashion though.

Our best spells seem to me to be when we pick the same XI week after week. Not a month goes by when someone isn't making their debut. I really hope Jolley doesn't fall under the spell of forever swapping and changing the team that most of our managers seem to.

Quoted from grimsby pete

We all want promotion but expecting a manager getting us promoted in HIS first full season as a manager is asking too much.

I will settle for mid table this season and I think we will do that.

Then go for a promotion push next season  if not the season after.

It's only division 4 FFS, we are Grimsby. Is it fair to say we are now the third best club in Lincolnshire? When are you people going to demand more?

The squad overall is overall better than those who where available this time last year and the manager is hungrier, cleverer and more ambitious.

Similar to previous years the squad has not been competed until the deadline and it will take time for the additions to get match fit and sharp.

The manager and his team (Dave Moore apart) are relative rookies at this level but are intelligent, well qualified, have a plan and understand the value of building a club culture.

We need to find a balance as we look better on the right than the left, ideally I think we need to just identify what shape suits us best. The defense, again once settled should be o.k.

Last season Slade changed the front 2 each week if we didn't score MJ needs to be brave and keep faith in a front 2 partnership for a good few games at a time as this alongside getting the best mid field shape/combinations the only way we'll score goals.

Manage your expectations this season will be a bumpy ride next season we'll be comparative for sure.

Also for all of those yearning for Buckley style passing football we are a fourth division team and our players play at that level for a reason, these days not many pass their way out of the EFL basement.

Quoted from 75

It's only division 4 FFS, we are Grimsby. Is it fair to say we are now the third best club in Lincolnshire? When are you people going to demand more?

Aren't we the third best-funded club in Lincolnshire though? The manager can only be expected to do on a par with where his budget puts him. All he can and do is put bums on seats and hope that the money in his pot keeps going up. Grimsby have never had big crowds, we were getting a lot less in the Championship than Lincoln are now.

Quoted from WokingMariner

Aren't we the third best-funded club in Lincolnshire though? The manager can only be expected to do on a par with where his budget puts him. All he can and do is put bums on seats and hope that the money in his pot keeps going up. Grimsby have never had big crowds, we were getting a lot less in the Championship than Lincoln are now.

Never in my life have we been the third best club in Lincolnshire. It's early days, but it really looks that way. That is very sad, humiliating and all under one mans watch. Along with relegation from the football league, two very near relegations from the football league. Countless spats with the media, flag deconstructions, fans forum embarrassments and now LINCOLN are a better club than we are. Come on, it's a joke when a club like that are better than we are.

Fenty out.

Quoted from 75

Never in my life have we been the third best club in Lincolnshire. It's early days, but it really looks that way. That is very sad, humiliating and all under one mans watch. Along with relegation from the football league, two very near relegations from the football league. Countless spats with the media, flag deconstructions, fans forum embarrassments and now LINCOLN are a better club than we are. Come on, it's a joke when a club like that are better than we are.

Fenty out.

I don't know how embedded your tongue is in your cheek but this is the essence of the problem.

Fenty thought that paying off the tax debt would be his rite of passage whereas it has become the millstone around his neck and he is now desperately trying to claw back his benign loans rather than 'risk' further investment. While all this is going on, there is no news from him, the board or the mighty Extreme about the one thing that might offer a glimpse of a way out. Since Philip Day announced that we would be in the Championship in 5 years there has been nothing from the board - not a peep. By hook or by crook, they've found a bright, articulate manager that they can hide behind - and, guess what, that's exactly what they are doing. Leaders or losers?

Have to agree with BP. Why are Lincoln now well above us? Because the Cowley's turned them around instantly, won the Conference, which we never looked like doing, went on a fantastic cup run, which brought in loads of money, and more importantly, brought the fans flooding in. They then reach the play offs and win the Checkatrade in their first season back in the league, and are now the early pace setters. All the while, we keep getting told "wait until the manager has had time, wait until the players gel".

I've been waiting patiently for over a decade, and...........

I will wait and see what Jolley does, but it gets harder and harder every season, especially when we are so poor at home. The fans are getting bored and disengaged.