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I think that by January we need to be in a relatively good position in the League, as if we are in the lower reaches, it may be more difficult to attract some of PH's targets.

It's a nod to the catastrophic thinkers on the forum who have taken our form thus far and determined that it means we are going to struggle. Mansfield fans may well have been panicking yet patience paid off, same with Brizzle. There's nothing to say we'll replicate that at all, but I'd argue there's enough evidence to suggest that we are a few small tweaks and a good January window away from it being a reasonable possibility. Doncaster are similar for me and I think they'll be top half come the end of the season. In the same way that saying Mansfield/BR antics in 21/22 doesn't mean we'll do the same, saying that because we're 17th and only won 2 doesn't mean that that form will continue all season.[/quote]

There are four basic scenarios here. 1) We do nothing and carry on regardless and stop worrying because that's how Mansfield and Bristol did it, so no worries.....And that's a realistic plan?  
2) We sack PH....Well I think it's too early and actually not required as I've got a cunning plan  See 4
3) We have a wholesale change of players who will get us out of position 17..... So we think that can be done, and that there is a Ronaldo/Messi out there ready to be picked up.?
4) Change our playing tactics as happened against Swindon, and maintain it. ( In fact I think the moaning and booing did some good) A few off the bench subs with enough time to make a difference, and one never knows. What's the problem with that? It's free but should have been done in the first place.

"Catastrophic thinkers eh"?   Man 1 is crossing the road and Man 2 sees coming around the bend a White Van that looks like straight at Man1. "Look out White Van speeding" shouts Man 2. Man 1 retorts, "I don't listen to Catastrophic Thinkers"         The story ends with..................................................well, we will see May '24

Quoted from GrimPol

There are four basic scenarios here. 1) We do nothing and carry on regardless and stop worrying because that's how Mansfield and Bristol did it, so no worries.....And that's a realistic plan?  
2) We sack PH....Well I think it's too early and actually not required as I've got a cunning plan  See 4
3) We have a wholesale change of players who will get us out of position 17..... So we think that can be done, and that there is a Ronaldo/Messi out there ready to be picked up.?
4) Change our playing tactics as happened against Swindon, and maintain it. ( In fact I think the moaning and booing did some good) A few off the bench subs with enough time to make a difference, and one never knows. What's the problem with that? It's free but should have been done in the first place.

"Catastrophic thinkers eh"?   Man 1 is crossing the road and Man 2 sees coming around the bend a White Van that looks like straight at Man1. "Look out White Van speeding" shouts Man 2. Man 1 retorts, "I don't listen to Catastrophic Thinkers"         The story ends with..................................................well, we will see May '24

Where did I say that because Mansfield and Bristol Rovers were below our league position at this point a few season ago and they finished in the play offs means we don't have to worry? My context to that FACT is that 10 games does not determine the end of season outcome. Neither of those teams changed their manager and it turned out OK for them. My evidence to suggest we don't need to worry is the calibre of teams we have played has been the best in the league so far. It then comes down to 'faith' or 'belief' of whether what we're trying to achieve here will click once we get a run of games against teams who haven't started as strongly and the so called momentum that brings.

We're a team in transition, going from one of PH usual industry to one that is looking to add technical quality and intensity too. It's not a simple switch you can just turn on and there will be teething issues and bumps along the road. I don't believe that our performances are reflective of a team who will struggle and I do believe we will get a run going soon and the picture will look different. I predicted 8th at the start of the season and I'm not overly worried on that position just yet.

Of your scenarios I say we take option 1 with a slight difference - do nothing, stay calm and give a few more weeks patience before we start getting our knickers in a twist and deciding that we already have one foot in NL.

I still believe we will finish in and around the 8th place finish I predicted before the season, I've seen nothing so far that makes me feel the need to amend it. If I'm wrong come the end of the season then I'm wrong, sucks to be optimistic. But I don't see a team who are being outplayed every week, just a team that are falling the wrong side of fine margins that can very easily fall into our favour with very little changes to what we're doing.

What I've noticed since I start posting on the Fishy though is there are a lot of posters - especially the ones with negative views - who don't share them as opinions, they state them as clear fact. "Anyone who can't see this doesn't understand football", "Hurst will have us in a relegation fight" and such like. Rarely, if ever is "I think that", "In my opinion" (or similar) accompanied. I have this thought in my head that some people are desperate to see PH sacked so they can give themselves the accolade of 'being right'. If our season turns and we do make the play-offs there will be a couple of people at least who will not be happy about the fact that PH would have been the man to get us there.

Quoted from gtfc_chris

Where did I say that because Mansfield and Bristol Rovers were below our league position at this point a few season ago and they finished in the play offs means we don't have to worry? My context to that FACT is that 10 games does not determine the end of season outcome. Neither of those teams changed their manager and it turned out OK for them. My evidence to suggest we don't need to worry is the calibre of teams we have played has been the best in the league so far. It then comes down to 'faith' or 'belief' of whether what we're trying to achieve here will click once we get a run of games against teams who haven't started as strongly and the so called momentum that brings.

We're a team in transition, going from one of PH usual industry to one that is looking to add technical quality and intensity too. It's not a simple switch you can just turn on and there will be teething issues and bumps along the road. I don't believe that our performances are reflective of a team who will struggle and I do believe we will get a run going soon and the picture will look different. I predicted 8th at the start of the season and I'm not overly worried on that position just yet.

Of your scenarios I say we take option 1 with a slight difference - do nothing, stay calm and give a few more weeks patience before we start getting our knickers in a twist and deciding that we already have one foot in NL.

I still believe we will finish in and around the 8th place finish I predicted before the season, I've seen nothing so far that makes me feel the need to amend it. If I'm wrong come the end of the season then I'm wrong, sucks to be optimistic. But I don't see a team who are being outplayed every week, just a team that are falling the wrong side of fine margins that can very easily fall into our favour with very little changes to what we're doing.

What I've noticed since I start posting on the Fishy though is there are a lot of posters - especially the ones with negative views - who don't share them as opinions, they state them as clear fact. "Anyone who can't see this doesn't understand football", "Hurst will have us in a relegation fight" and such like. Rarely, if ever is "I think that", "In my opinion" (or similar) accompanied. I have this thought in my head that some people are desperate to see PH sacked so they can give themselves the accolade of 'being right'. If our season turns and we do make the play-offs there will be a couple of people at least who will not be happy about the fact that PH would have been the man to get us there.

You don't understand me, and I don't understand you. Is that a fair assessment? Currently, we have 4 points from the drop zone, 7 points from the play-off zone, and 9 points from the auto promo. A statement of fact.
Your optimism says, No problems here; we will soon be shooting up the table; when January comes, we will upgrade some players; all is well. I'm not sure what you base your optimism on, but I'm not knocking it.
I say we are (by tonight) 25% through our season. We have little wiggle room—not dire, but not good either. If, by happenstance, we have some injuries, COVID illness, or both, what happens then? Can't happen? You sure?
15 matches until the January TM, and what happens if we are wallawing at the wrong end of the table and PH struggles to recruit? That's why I believe a warning sign is appropriate now so that we have time to put it right. The play must change, not the personnel.
Now nowhere in that piece am I asking for PH's head, trashing players, or wanting Town to do badly. But I'm not going to wear blinkers or bury my head in the sand so that I gain a few ticks, either. And I'm going to fall out with a fellow Mariner just because he has a different view how to get to the ultimate goal.
UTM

Quoted from GrimPol

You don't understand me, and I don't understand you. Is that a fair assessment? Currently, we have 4 points from the drop zone, 7 points from the play-off zone, and 9 points from the auto promo. A statement of fact.
Your optimism says, No problems here; we will soon be shooting up the table; when January comes, we will upgrade some players; all is well. I'm not sure what you base your optimism on, but I'm not knocking it.
I say we are (by tonight) 25% through our season. We have little wiggle room—not dire, but not good either. If, by happenstance, we have some injuries, COVID illness, or both, what happens then? Can't happen? You sure?
15 matches until the January TM, and what happens if we are wallawing at the wrong end of the table and PH struggles to recruit? That's why I believe a warning sign is appropriate now so that we have time to put it right. The play must change, not the personnel.
Now nowhere in that piece am I asking for PH's head, trashing players, or wanting Town to do badly. But I'm not going to wear blinkers or bury my head in the sand so that I gain a few ticks, either. And I'm going to fall out with a fellow Mariner just because he has a different view how to get to the ultimate goal.
UTM

I don't think it is. I understand where you're coming from and I think you understand where I'm coming from, we obviously just don't see things the same way, which is totally fine. The hinge point is how much trust we each have in an upturn in results. From what I've seen I think we have enough (continuing the discussion pre-last night - I'm sure there's another thread for last night...) to not have to worry. From what you've seen you think we have cause for concern and require changes, not in manager but in something else within our playing style. I'm not trying to categorically say you're wrong, how can I?

I don't do falling out either, I enjoy discussions like this, it's the whole point fo a forum. I'm not so sensitive that I don't like people disagreeing with me and getting all aggro about it so no fears about any ill feeling. I also didn't have you in mind for the part on wanting PH to do badly, there's at least two and possibly a couple more in that boat in my book.

Having the mentality that it's ok to lose to all of the top ten teams as long as we pick up a few points against the lower end teams isn't really the height of ambition , I've seen nothing from this season that indicates that we'll be near the top ten this year, in fact all I am seeing is the same mistakes and same tactics again and again with seemingly no intention to change anything.
If this club and its fans only ambition is to finish mid table then we are setting ourselves up for a fall