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I think the FGR game will be a good yardstick to see were we are at, I believe with a bit of luck and no/minor injuries we’ll be in the playoffs, the team spirit we have will help massively, other teams who have been promoted years gone by haven’t always been the best footballing side (Lincoln/Accrington etc) but with these sides the fans have been on board and the team spirit has got them promoted, a long way to go yet but I think this will be a great season for us, boy do we need one!

Top half finish expected... Promotion would be lovely😁 50/1 to win the league and 1/4 of that on promotion

Long way to go. I said I'd take a comfortable mid-table season with a possible top ten finish and I'm sticking to that. So many of the squads in League 2 have a lot more depth than we do. The early signs are promising though. Will be interesting to see if we can bounce back from a defeat or are we going to have these winning streaks and losing slumps again that have been so prevalent since Jolley came in?

We cannot criticise the battling performance last night against a team hoping for promotion last season.
Was particularly impressed with imaginative free kicks as plays looked to surprise the opposition.
Also plenty of movement from our players which was good to see.
On another day Donny would probably have nicked it because of their superior possession, particularly around our penalty area, but am very happy to get the win.
Well done to Cook for making and taking the goal. He looked much quicker than I remember him last season.
Bring on Macclesfield

Trying not to get carried away, I want to see where we're at 10 games in.

the only thing I expect is that they give 100% every game. Like Mariner83 said, lets see where we are 10 games in. UTM

Quoted from Son of Cod

Long way to go. I said I'd take a comfortable mid-table season with a possible top ten finish and I'm sticking to that.[/b] So many of the squads in League 2 have a lot more depth than we do.[b] The early signs are promising though. Will be interesting to see if we can bounce back from a defeat or are we going to have these winning streaks and losing slumps again that have been so prevalent since Jolley came in?

When you say "more depth", is that quality in depth or just bigger squads. I much rather have a smaller squad, with quality, rather than just journeymen making up the numbers.
Last season we were short of goals, MJ has addressed that hopefully, with the signing of Hanson & Green. MJ has until 2nd September to bring in 2 or 3 additional players, maybe a couple of loanees for cover as well.
MJ has added more quality with this seasons singning, with a blend of youth players, being given the opportunity to progress into the first team.

Last nignt MJ make 7 changes to the starting line-up from Saturday's team, 2 forced by injuries, but still held its own and won against a league one team, which will probably in the top half of the table.

Biggest is not always best.

In the short time this season, I have seen a big difference in the team, so far.

I am confident that MJ is doing all he can to improve the squad. MJ is working progress, which is going in the right direction.

A happy mariner, UTM.

Quoted from The Yard Dog

When you say "more depth", is that quality in depth or just bigger squads. I much rather have a smaller squad, with quality, rather than just journeymen making up the numbers.

In terms of teams tipped to be going for promotion/playoffs, then both I think. I'm not claiming to be a League 2 expert or anything either, so happy to be proven wrong. I just look at the likes of Bradford, Plymouth, Exeter, Colchester, etc. and they look to bigger squads with better options. I completely agree that we shouldn't be just bringing in journeymen and bodies for the sake of it though. I just always think an 18/19/20 man squad is a big risk. I think Lincoln were really lucky to go up as champions having hardly had any big injuries, for example.

We had mahoosive squads under Slade and Newell and were utter cac.

We’ve beaten morecambe (the favourites to go down) and drawn with Bradford (who look a shambles and started terribly with growing calls for the manager to go). On the face of it a solid if unspectacular start but I was very impressed by the Bradford performance and the cup squad beating Donny is another bonus I wasn’t expecting. Like you i am becoming more optimistic with each game.

If we get spanked by FGR (a decent team and a tougher test than Bradford) it will still be a good start to the season.

Can definitely see an improvement and top half finish this season. What worries me at present is the lack of depth to the squad. We need at least 2/3 players in before the window closes as a couple of injuries and we are threadbare.
Also we are quite dependent on keeping Hanson fit as he is integral to how we play, if he has a spell on the sidelines then that could affect us too.
Overall happy with the start and our squad this season.

Quoted from Son of Cod

In terms of teams tipped to be going for promotion/playoffs, then both I think. I'm not claiming to be a League 2 expert or anything either, so happy to be proven wrong. I just look at the likes of Bradford, Plymouth, Exeter, Colchester, etc. and they look to bigger squads with better options. I completely agree that we shouldn't be just bringing in journeymen and bodies for the sake of it though. I just always think an 18/19/20 man squad is a big risk. I think Lincoln were really lucky to go up as champions having hardly had any big injuries, for example.

Lincoln have been very lucky. They have had a big budget but rather than pad the squad out, they have opted for quality over quantity. The Cowley's like a small squad as you have less unhappy players. I get the logic with that but you only have to look at Whitehouse last year. If his injury occurred in September our midfield would have been depleted.

Our relegation odds have lengthened.

Enjoying the optimism. A point at FGR will be a good result. But I'd still be happy with a mid/top half finish and some cup exploits.

Quoted from Son of Cod

In terms of teams tipped to be going for promotion/playoffs, then both I think. I'm not claiming to be a League 2 expert or anything either, so happy to be proven wrong. I just look at the likes of Bradford, Plymouth, Exeter, Colchester, etc. and they look to bigger squads with better options. I completely agree that we shouldn't be just bringing in journeymen and bodies for the sake of it though. I just always think an 18/19/20 man squad is a big risk. I think Lincoln were really lucky to go up as champions having hardly had any big injuries, for example.

I agree that we are probably a little short in numbers, but one thing that I was very happy about against Bradford was the strength of our bench. I doubt many teams have as much quality as Cook, Vernam and Ogbu to bring on, could probably add Ring and Wright to that too, although they've got a little more to prove.

I didn't have such Great Expectations, but what the Dickens is happening?

Let us hope we keep it up. :)

Quoted from pen penfras

I agree that we are probably a little short in numbers, but one thing that I was very happy about against Bradford was the strength of our bench. I doubt many teams have as much quality as Cook, Vernam and Ogbu to bring on, could probably add Ring and Wright to that too, although they've got a little more to prove.

Yeah, Cook and Vernam suddenly seem like very decent options off the bench as opposed to being the ones with pressure on them to score goals every week. I'm hoping at least one of them will settle down, kick on and become a bit of a supersub for us.

Quoted from Stew0_0

Can definitely see an improvement and top half finish this season. What worries me at present is the lack of depth to the squad. We need at least 2/3 players in before the window closes as a couple of injuries and we are threadbare.
Also we are quite dependent on keeping Hanson fit as he is integral to how we play, if he has a spell on the sidelines then that could affect us too.
Overall happy with the start and our squad this season.

I was also quite concerned about how reliant we might be on Hanson. However, I think Ogbu did well enough leading the line in a weakened team the other night and Green is quite physical as well. If Hanson is out on occasion, I think those two together could certainly give us a foothold up front.

Let’s not forget the superstar Harry Cardwell

My expectations stay the same and they will do no matter what happens this season, mid table finish with clear signs of progress and a good go at a cup run. It’s my hopes that'll rise if we continue to perform well.

Rising expectations are a dangerous thing, all that usually comes with that is more chance of everyone completely losing their heads and over reacting if/when we do hit a tough patch because they’ve given themselves a false sense of realistic expectations.

Hope to exceed expectations, don’t be too disappointed if we’re mid table/top half.

We’re obviously better than this time last season. The side that kicked off last season was:

Macca, Davis, Whitmore, Collins, Dixon, Welsh, Clifton, Woolford, M Rose, Hooper and Cook

Aside from 3-4 decent players (all of whom are still here) we have miles better players in all positions. I expect us to do a little better this season, maybe 9th-12th or something. If we get a decent run together we may do better.

Quoted from Mariner_09

We’re obviously better than this time last season. The side that kicked off last season was:

Macca, Davis, Whitmore, Collins, Dixon, Welsh, Clifton, Woolford, M Rose, Hooper and Cook

Aside from 3-4 decent players (all of whom are still here) we have miles better players in all positions. I expect us to do a little better this season, maybe 9th-12th or something. If we get a decent run together we may do better.

Collins, Welsh & Woolford all without a club, probably because of the age

Whitmore (Who I liked) Rose & Hooper all non-league

Dixon play's for Falkirk, who are Scottish League 1, which is probably conference north/south level?

So MJ is slowly, but surely turning the worst team for 7-8 Years, into a promising team again.

I'll happily accept another season or 2 at this level and slowly build on

Welsh won't get taken on as he's on a curfew so can't play midweek and I doubt any decent, self respecting club will want to be associated with a granny beater.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Collins, Welsh & Woolford all without a club, probably because of the age

Whitmore (Who I liked) Rose & Hooper all non-league

Dixon play's for Falkirk, who are Scottish League 1, which is probably conference north/south level?

So MJ is slowly, but surely turning the worst team for 7-8 Years, into a promising team again.

I'll happily accept another season or 2 at this level and slowly build on

It's not surprising we struggled for long periods of last season, there are some of the worst players in living memory in that side. We've got a much better spine now too. Macca, Ludwig, Waterfall, Hess, Whitehouse, Hanson are all good players at this level. Let's not get carried away though, we won't suddenly become world beaters.

My expectations are great.

We’ve had the worst of times, and now to the best of times,

No changes, mid to lower half at best

Interesting that Waterfall spoke of the play offs a lot in his interview.

Quoted from Mariner_09

It's not surprising we struggled for long periods of last season, there are some of the worst players in living memory in that side. We've got a much better spine now too. Macca, Ludwig, Waterfall, Hess, Whitehouse, Hanson are all good players at this level. Let's not get carried away though, we won't suddenly become world beaters.

I assume 09 on your name is the year you was born?

If you think M.Rose, Hooper, Woolford & Collins are some of the worst players in living memory, you must be very young.

I'm 26 and I've witnessed 10x worse than them 4... them 4 actually put the effort in to be fair to them

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

I assume 09 on your name is the year you was born?

If you think M.Rose, Hooper, Woolford & Collins are some of the worst players in living memory, you must be very young.

I'm 26 and I've witnessed 10x worse than them 4... them 4 actually put the effort in to be fair to them

I'm 29 and depending on when you started watching, you might get remember the dizzy heights of Division 1 like me. Memories of regular home games against Man City, Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City, Portsmouth etc.

Some players in 03/04 and 09/10 were certainly far worse than those 4. At any level a lack of effort is unforgivable.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

I assume 09 on your name is the year you was born?

If you think M.Rose, Hooper, Woolford & Collins are some of the worst players in living memory, you must be very young.

I'm 26 and I've witnessed 10x worse than them 4... them 4 actually put the effort in to be fair to them

Last season's team at least put a shift in most of the time. The team that went down and the few seasons before that were disgraceful. Dean Sinclair, Michael Leary, Joe Widdowson, Peter Sweeney, Paul Linwood, Matt Heywood...

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

I assume 09 on your name is the year you was born?

If you think M.Rose, Hooper, Woolford & Collins are some of the worst players in living memory, you must be very young.

I'm 26 and I've witnessed 10x worse than them 4... them 4 actually put the effort in to be fair to them

M Rose, Whitmore, Dixon and JJ are up there for me in terms of worst ever.

Quoted from Mariner_09

M Rose, Whitmore, Dixon and JJ are up there for me in terms of worst ever.

They're not even close to being the worst ever.

JJ wasn't quite up to league football but still showed evidence of talent. Just from the squad the season we went down there are seven strikers worse than him: Tommy Wright, Adrian Forbes, Lee Peacock, Wes Fletcher, Chris Jones, Adam Proudlock, Nathan Jarman. I've not included Conlon because he did score goals for us whilst on loan but he is an enormous twat so gets an honourable mention. Even the season after there were plenty of strikers who were than JJ such as Charles Ademeno and Tom Corner.

I'm really not sure what Whitmore did wrong because frankly at times there wasn't much between him and Davis and Davis certainly isn't a bad player. Linwood, Hope and Heywood are our worst centre backs ever (in the 21 years I've been going) by some distance and I think it's incredibly harsh to even say Whitmore was bad. He wasn't brilliant but he wasn't bad either.

Rose also wasn't brilliant but he wasn't the worst ever. I'd take Rose any day over the likes of Michael Leary, Mickey Cummins, Dean Sinclair, Mark Hudson, Andi Thanoj and many other forgettable central midfielders we had between 2008 and 2012.

Dixon was pretty poor admittedly but he wasn't as bad as Lee Ridley and there have been others who were worse such as Jamal Fyfield.

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

My expectations are great.

That's given me the Pip! (little Dickensian joke there - I'll get me coat)

Quoted from mariner91

They're not even close to being the worst ever.

JJ wasn't quite up to league football but still showed evidence of talent. Just from the squad the season we went down there are seven strikers worse than him: Tommy Wright, Adrian Forbes, Lee Peacock, Wes Fletcher, Chris Jones, Adam Proudlock, Nathan Jarman. I've not included Conlon because he did score goals for us whilst on loan but he is an enormous twat so gets an honourable mention. Even the season after there were plenty of strikers who were than JJ such as Charles Ademeno and Tom Corner.

I'm really not sure what Whitmore did wrong because frankly at times there wasn't much between him and Davis and Davis certainly isn't a bad player. Linwood, Hope and Heywood are our worst centre backs ever (in the 21 years I've been going) by some distance and I think it's incredibly harsh to even say Whitmore was bad. He wasn't brilliant but he wasn't bad either.

Rose also wasn't brilliant but he wasn't the worst ever. I'd take Rose any day over the likes of Michael Leary, Mickey Cummins, Dean Sinclair, Mark Hudson, Andi Thanoj and many other forgettable central midfielders we had between 2008 and 2012.

Dixon was pretty poor admittedly but he wasn't as bad as Lee Ridley and there have been others who were worse such as Jamal Fyfield.

Come to mention it, I’d forgotten some of those players and I have been harsh on some. Dixon is still up there for me.

Quoted from mariner91

They're not even close to being the worst ever.

JJ wasn't quite up to league football but still showed evidence of talent. Just from the squad the season we went down there are seven strikers worse than him: Tommy Wright, Adrian Forbes, Lee Peacock, Wes Fletcher, Chris Jones, Adam Proudlock, Nathan Jarman. I've not included Conlon because he did score goals for us whilst on loan but he is an enormous twat so gets an honourable mention. Even the season after there were plenty of strikers who were than JJ such as Charles Ademeno and Tom Corner.

I'm really not sure what Whitmore did wrong because frankly at times there wasn't much between him and Davis and Davis certainly isn't a bad player. Linwood, Hope and Heywood are our worst centre backs ever (in the 21 years I've been going) by some distance and I think it's incredibly harsh to even say Whitmore was bad. He wasn't brilliant but he wasn't bad either.

Rose also wasn't brilliant but he wasn't the worst ever. I'd take Rose any day over the likes of Michael Leary, Mickey Cummins, Dean Sinclair, Mark Hudson, Andi Thanoj and many other forgettable central midfielders we had between 2008 and 2012.

Dixon was pretty poor admittedly but he wasn't as bad as Lee Ridley and there have been others who were worse such as Jamal Fyfield.

This post was so close to being perfect...

JJ was a decent non league striker - don't you remember Rob Duffy? - i'd take JJ over him any day of the week. Mitch Rose was an ok league 2 midfielder, better than what we had when we were relegated. plus the best penalty taker I've ever seen at club. Woolford, was technically very good but was a year or two to old and Collins was brilliant until the final season, which was just one season too many. I'd take all 4 over any of the dross that got us relegated.

Quoted from horsforthmariner

JJ was a decent non league striker - don't you remember Rob Duffy? - i'd take JJ over him any day of the week. Mitch Rose was an ok league 2 midfielder, better than what we had when we were relegated. plus the best penalty taker I've ever seen at club. Woolford, was technically very good but was a year or two to old and Collins was brilliant until the final season, which was just one season too many. I'd take all 4 over any of the dross that got us relegated.

Mitch Rose is what he is, a lower League 2 player at best. No coincidence that he's been at the bottom end of League 2 the last 3 seasons with Newport, us and County. Flynn overhauled that squad and don't recall him fighting to keep Rose.

Saw County v Stockport last week and he slipped on the ball in possession on the half way line in the last minute. He was great at Palace but is prone to lapses in concentration at the wrong times. Countless times, he took too many touches on the edge of the box. Can't fault his endeavour, penalty taking or throwing ability though.

Quoted from mariner91

I'm really not sure what Whitmore did wrong because frankly at times there wasn't much between him and Davis and Davis certainly isn't a bad player. Linwood, Hope and Heywood are our worst centre backs ever (in the 21 years I've been going) by some distance and I think it's incredibly harsh to even say Whitmore was bad. He wasn't brilliant but he wasn't bad either.
.

God I still have nightmares of Hopeless and Deadwood, I remember at a Vale away match Hopeless ducking out of the way of a easy header under no pressure as the ball came floating in (not like it was rifled in and would take his head off if he'd headed it) just because he didn't want to head it

I don't get what the hell Alex Whitmore did to get a mention in there. He had two stinkers (Bury away and Exeter away), other than that, he was a pretty solid L2 centre back.

If we looking at expectations so early in the season:

The 4 teams that we have played this season (League and Cup) are all currently in top 7 league positions. This includes Macclesfield (who we beat) and Donney Rovers (who must be poor as we beat them).

We could easily have played 4 teams at the bottom of our division. We are WIP, however, have done well to date.