Just back  (merged)

I agree on Mansfield but County and Wrexham less so.

County have an identity and they ping it about very well. But I also think they're not quite good enough to adopt the style of play they want, especially at the back.  Bostock is a very good player at this level and he finally seems to have got his head screwed on, McGoldrick is ridiculously good for this level and there's a selection of very good footballers in their side too.  But their defence look vulnerable as hell when trying to play it out across the back.  It'll be their downfall this year.  We passed it about quite nicely last week there too at times. I came away thinking we lacked an edge and need to cut out defensive lapses, but didn't think we were outclassed.

Wrexham?  Obviously we've yet to see them in the flesh but if we're talking purely footballing quality then I'm far, far from convinced by them. I know last year they went less direct and used Elliott Lee as their creator in chief, but of the clips I've seen this year (arguably due to the loss of Mullin) they look to have reverted back to type.   They're free-scoring, again, but also, again, leaky as hell at the back.  As per County, it'll cost them this season.  In the Conference they could get away with conceding 3 or 4 as their firepower was just that superior to everyone else.  But in this league it won't wash most weeks....Until they replace Parkinson I can't see them at the top end of the table.

It’s frustrating when you’re actually at the match and barely seeing any chances or creativity (in the 2nd half at least), but the next day or so it doesn’t seem a bad point at all.

We have what must be the toughest start in the league….if we can get past this opening stage of the season in an OK shape, then by the time we get to some more ‘winnable’ games on paper, we’ll hopefully have a team that has gelled better.

We simply can’t compete with so many teams in this league, financially. And that makes it difficult. We will often have to keep it tight to get through some games. It’s either that or risk getting battered and I know what I’d rather see.

There's an argument that attack is the best form of defence too, something I think Hurst often doesn't employ as an approach.  That said, I do think he got it right on Saturday.

My main concern is how isolated Rose looks, despite the best efforts of the likes of Holohan to support him.  Not having the option of using Pyke for longer and Wilson unavailable is limiting him a bit. If he wanted to go with 2 up top he can't really do it, not for long periods anyway.

Hindsight is wonderful but the more I see of Rose the more I think he would benefit from acting as the link-man to another proper striker.  I know a lot of people have said they see him more as a No 10 than a 9, but I think he's still best served as what we might class as the 9 but just have someone closer to him who is there to pick up the bits and be clinical.  The hindsight element is someone like Orsi.  I could almost see them two working a little like how Orsi worked with Lloyd at the back end of the season.  Be interesting once Pyke is up to fitness and Wilson is back.

Agree with you about Rose dhm, and I also agree with you about Wrexham. I think they might be turned over, especially away from home, by some of the better teams. Not saying they won’t be top 7 competitive but not sure they’ll be top 3 with that squad and manager. I think there is a common element of underestimation of the general level of quality and competition in L2. There are plenty on here guilty of it and whose sense of realism/pragmatism is trumped by their inflated sense of expectation and entitlement.

I think that when we were promoted out of the Conference the last time, there wasn't as much between the two divisions as there seems to be now. When we were trying to win promotion the first time around, the teams which went up quite often won a second promotion immediately afterwards or at least made the play-offs. We certainly didn't seem to face too many teams who were rubbish last season (though we were ourselves hit and miss in the league).

Yeah the quality in this league has massively improved in the last decade or so.

When we came up in 2016 I felt there was an argument for two equal leagues rather than a fourth and fifth tier, maybe even a Div 4 North/South such was the much about muchness between the leagues.

League Two now though is ridiculously competitive, maybe a few exceptional teams and a few extremely poor ones at each end of the scale.  It's not enough to just walk through the Conference and think that'll carry you straight through for a back-to-back promotion.

You don't sign the players that Wrexham do and not be a decent team.  I think they've got a very good squad but that's probably not going to enough alone.  You've got to be consistently very, very good to get out of this league.  That's why the four teams who went up last year did so, they were consistently capable of doing what it took to get results.   Not convinced either of the promoted sides have that in them right now.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Yeah the quality in this league has massively improved in the last decade or so.

When we came up in 2016 I felt there was an argument for two equal leagues rather than a fourth and fifth tier, maybe even a Div 4 North/South such was the much about muchness between the leagues.

League Two now though is ridiculously competitive, maybe a few exceptional teams and a few extremely poor ones at each end of the scale.  It's not enough to just walk through the Conference and think that'll carry you straight through for a back-to-back promotion.

You don't sign the players that Wrexham do and not be a decent team.  I think they've got a very good squad but that's probably not going to enough alone.  You've got to be consistently very, very good to get out of this league.  That's why the four teams who went up last year did so, they were consistently capable of doing what it took to get results.   Not convinced either of the promoted sides have that in them right now.

Stevenage are doing ok this year, but Orient and Carlisle are struggling with Northampton not far above them.

I think Northampton will be fine, even though we threw away a 2 goal lead against them, they were good, I think they will find their feet, their last 2 results perhaps show that, against us and Posh. I think Leyton Orient and Carlisle will struggle. Steve Evans will see Stevenage safe, he's not my cup of tea, but he can clearly put a team together.

I am always quite surprised with your new regime, community initiatives under your new regime, that you haven't looked at the Cowley's, love them or loathe them, they are good managers and would get you out of this league in my opinion. I personally don't think Hurst will - too pragmatic.

Quoted from nealeardleyscrossing

I think Northampton will be fine, even though we threw away a 2 goal lead against them, they were good, I think they will find their feet, their last 2 results perhaps show that, against us and Posh. I think Leyton Orient and Carlisle will struggle. Steve Evans will see Stevenage safe, he's not my cup of tea, but he can clearly put a team together.

I am always quite surprised with your new regime, community initiatives under your new regime, that you haven't looked at the Cowley's, love them or loathe them, they are good managers and would get you out of this league in my opinion. I personally don't think Hurst will - too pragmatic.

If you're saying Hurst is too pragmatic, what does that make Cowley? The Cowleys embody pragmatism, it was all functional football that was pretty unattractive, allied to mastering the dark arts.

Well, we haven't looked at the Cowleys because we haven't been in need of a manager.

You don't just get rid of someone who, in two full seasons, has got us promoted and then lead us to our highest league finish in nearly 20 years, and the quarter final of an FA cup.