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The Schedule - Going to be difficult!


Mr Popodopolous

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Going to be a tight squeeze, isn't it!

I make it a mere 35 weekend slots between Game 1 and the final League Game- that's exclusive of 3 International breaks and 1 FA Cup so it could be as many as 15 midweek games?

Knock off one for a League Cup early rounds game, however that may play out.

Knowing how these International breaks work it's usually more like a fortnight in practice. ie Play Saturday 3rd October and next game Saturday 17th October.

Difficult enough with a manager- without one appointed with all a new manager needs to do, I fear it could be a wasted year!

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3 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Going to be a tight squeeze, isn't it!

I make it a mere 35 weekend slots between Game 1 and the final League Game- that's exclusive of 3 International breaks and 1 FA Cup so it could be as many as 15 midweek games?

Knock off one for a League Cup early rounds game, however that may play out.

Knowing how these International breaks work it's usually more like a fortnight in practice. ie Play Saturday 3rd October and next game Saturday 17th October.

Difficult enough with a manager- without one appointed with all a new manager needs to do, I fear it could be a wasted year!

Midweek away games in the winter will test the mettle of all the teams in this division. If you can get a result on a cold, wet night up North (and that’s not a euphemism!) then you may be good enough to be challenging for promotion.

If there are long stretches of back-to-back Saturday and midweek games, that will stretch the resources of most clubs and the size of their first team squads. More games missed after an injury and injuries may even be more likely.

Whoever we get as “Head Coach” is going to be facing unique challenges this season, which more than ever suggests to me that we need someone experienced but flexible, with a strong team of coaches around them. 

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9 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Going to be a tight squeeze, isn't it!

I make it a mere 35 weekend slots between Game 1 and the final League Game- that's exclusive of 3 International breaks and 1 FA Cup so it could be as many as 15 midweek games?

Knock off one for a League Cup early rounds game, however that may play out.

Knowing how these International breaks work it's usually more like a fortnight in practice. ie Play Saturday 3rd October and next game Saturday 17th October.

Difficult enough with a manager- without one appointed with all a new manager needs to do, I fear it could be a wasted year!

I guess the season would have been starting this Saturday

There are 5 Saturday's before the season starts, surely it is as simple as having one additional midweek game during a month over the season?

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Start of the season was a bit packed with League and Cup, but was the Phoney war really. 7 games in 29 days was it, from Exeter at home to Nottingham Forest away- and a nice little break in between, ie the International one- for some anyway. Most were at home anyway- 5/7, which reduced travel time a bit and two vs Lower League opposition albeit one vs PL opposition- bit less intensity required in the first 2 Cup games.

Had a quick look at the current followed by upcoming period- and when I say upcoming period I include say post the International break in October- so starting with Barnsley away.

  1. 17/10/2020- Barnsley A
  2. 20/10/2020- Middlesbrough H
  3. 24/10/2020- Swansea H
  4. 28/10/2020- Bournemouth A
  5. 31/10/2020- Norwich H
  6. 03/11/2020- Huddersfield A
  7. 06/11/2020- Cardiff A

That's brutal tbh! I know all clubs in the same boat etc. 4 away games, up North twice and 3 days after, a short trip to Cardiff- both night games too.

Then it possibly gets worse- post November International break!

  1. 21/11/2020- Derby H
  2. 25/11/2020- Watford H
  3. 28/11/2020- Reading A
  4. 01/12/2020- QPR A
  5. 05/12/2020- Birmingham H
  6. 09/12/2020- Blackburn- H
  7. 12/12/2020- Rotherham- A
  8. 15/12/2020- Millwall H
  9. 19/12/2020- Preston A

29 days, 9 games! Treadmill of Saturday-Tuesday/Wednesday for 4 weeks or so in the 2nd batch. 4 away games, 5 home games in the 2nd batch- albeit trips to Reading and QPR in a few days not so bad, but two trips up North in 7-8 days in December- Home, North, Home, North- turnaround- lot of miles!

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Does anyone know what the rules are for this season if we have another full lockdown or games are being cancelled at an unsustainable rate? I assume the league clarified when or if this season can be made void before it started...

Are there a certain number of games to be played in the league season for that season to be considered valid? 

No doubt we will be in the top 2 if the season is called off.....


 

 

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Big, big month ahead. Pretty much define whether we will be challenging or surviving come the 2nd half of the season. Wins will be expected v Derby (covid dependant) QPR, Birmingham, Rotherham and Millwall. 15 points. Bang in a further 4/5 points we will be very close to the top. Home form needs to improve to ensure we are competeting.

21/11/2020- Derby H

25/11/2020- Watford H

28/11/2020- Reading A

01/12/2020- QPR A

05/12/2020- Birmingham H

09/12/2020- Blackburn- H

12/12/2020- Rotherham- A

15/12/2020- Millwall H

19/12/2020- Preston A

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19 minutes ago, joshthomson said:

Big, big month ahead. Pretty much define whether we will be challenging or surviving come the 2nd half of the season. Wins will be expected v Derby (covid dependant) QPR, Birmingham, Rotherham and Millwall. 15 points. Bang in a further 4/5 points we will be very close to the top. Home form needs to improve to ensure we are competeting.

21/11/2020- Derby H

25/11/2020- Watford H

28/11/2020- Reading A

01/12/2020- QPR A

05/12/2020- Birmingham H

09/12/2020- Blackburn- H

12/12/2020- Rotherham- A

15/12/2020- Millwall H

19/12/2020- Preston A

Yeah that seems to make sense. Need some good form straight into Derby game and run it through those games 

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I know we all look at points totals from a set of games, and that’s fine, but I rarely look at any game in the Champ and think that’s a easy 3 points.

I look at that list and see 2 easier games on paper....Rotherham and QPR, but as both are away I’m thinking take a point and move on.

The other 7 games are all hard in their own way.

I don’t really care at this stage who we pick up points against, but I think you’re right Dave that if we come through it with that sort of points total we will right in amongst it.  432 (15) or 441 (16) or other combination would make me pretty content.

21/11/2020- Derby H 24th

25/11/2020- Watford H 2nd

28/11/2020- Reading A 1st

01/12/2020- QPR A 18th

05/12/2020- Birmingham H 17th

09/12/2020- Blackburn- H 12th

12/12/2020- Rotherham- A 19th

15/12/2020- Millwall H 9th

19/12/2020- Preston A 14th

So:

Top 8: 2

Middle 8: 3

Bottom 8: 4

If it was as simple as beat the bottom 8, draw with the middle 8 and lose to the top 8, that’s 15 points from 9.  Chances are it’ll be a right mixed bag! ?

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4 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I know we all look at points totals from a set of games, and that’s fine, but I rarely look at any game in the Champ and think that’s a easy 3 points.

I look at that list and see 2 easier games on paper....Rotherham and QPR, but as both are away I’m thinking take a point and move on.

The other 7 games are all hard in their own way.

I don’t really care at this stage who we pick up points against, but I think you’re right Dave that if we come through it with that sort of points total we will right in amongst it.  432 (15) or 441 (16) or other combination would make me pretty content.

21/11/2020- Derby H 24th

25/11/2020- Watford H 2nd

28/11/2020- Reading A 1st

01/12/2020- QPR A 18th

05/12/2020- Birmingham H 17th

09/12/2020- Blackburn- H 12th

12/12/2020- Rotherham- A 19th

15/12/2020- Millwall H 9th

19/12/2020- Preston A 14th

So:

Top 8: 2

Middle 8: 3

Bottom 8: 4

If it was as simple as beat the bottom 8, draw with the middle 8 and lose to the top 8, that’s 15 points from 9.  Chances are it’ll be a right mixed bag! ?

What concerns me is our history against lower clubs, I think the outcome of those games will show if we have improved or not.

I'm quietly confident (covid willing), but as you say, no easy games.

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Mariappa, Walsh and Williams in the squad is a big plus. So far so good and Im optimistic. One game at the time and hope we beat Derby on saturday. The leauge is difficault and can change with 3 defeats. Bournemouth and Norwich no points, then Hudds and Cardiff wins. We have a good team but the results can change quikly. Some luck have to be If we should be in the top. Bentley and the defence have a big role to play. Bentley- Moore debacle must be avoid. COYR!!!

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1 hour ago, Major Isewater said:

The assertion that we should beat Derby concerns me a bit view the fact that the training ground is closed until two days before the game and we may still have a reduced number of players to choose from.

What sort of preparation will the team have ?

 

It will be really interesting to see how Derby set up under their new Wayne mgmt team. I can see them setting up quite defensively to try and solidify some form. At a guess I would imagine a 451 kinda formation with Rooney being a bit of a free role in the middle of the pack. Waghorn will start as a lone striker. This in hand will mean a fighting battle in midfield, this wont be the type of game to start both Paterson and Weimann. With the closure of Failand I fully expect us to revert back to our 352. I would start Bakinson, Nagy and Paterson across the middle. Wells and Martin (Martin will be fired up seeing as they basically ditched him) up top. Dasilva, Moore, Kalas, Vyner and Hunt across the back. Obviously this is all Covid dependant. 

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47 minutes ago, joshthomson said:

Martin will be fired up seeing as they basically ditched him)

I agree that he will be ‘fired up’ but disagree that they ‘ basically ditched him’ . 
They offered him, what I am sure was , a good contract so they wanted him. We just wanted him more and had the means to offer him a slightly longer contract. ( which may or may not turn out to be good business but so far , so good ?)

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8 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

I agree that he will be ‘fired up’ but disagree that they ‘ basically ditched him’ . 
They offered him, what I am sure was , a good contract so they wanted him. We just wanted him more and had the means to offer him a slightly longer contract. ( which may or may not turn out to be good business but so far , so good ?)

And don’t forget the signing on fee that Martin gets..........:cool2: 

Financial security is what footballers want to achieve if they can. Take Flint - never going to play in the PL consistently so moves from club to club to improve his economical status. 

Can’t blame any footballer for that.
 

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1 hour ago, joshthomson said:

It will be really interesting to see how Derby set up under their new Wayne mgmt team. I can see them setting up quite defensively to try and solidify some form. At a guess I would imagine a 451 kinda formation with Rooney being a bit of a free role in the middle of the pack. Waghorn will start as a lone striker. This in hand will mean a fighting battle in midfield, this wont be the type of game to start both Paterson and Weimann. With the closure of Failand I fully expect us to revert back to our 352. I would start Bakinson, Nagy and Paterson across the middle. Wells and Martin (Martin will be fired up seeing as they basically ditched him) up top. Dasilva, Moore, Kalas, Vyner and Hunt across the back. Obviously this is all Covid dependant. 

Weimann out for the season so he definitely won't be starting.

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17 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Take Flint - never going to play in the PL consistently so moves from club to club to improve his economical status. 

I am not so sure that it is Flint’s desire to move so frequently. I think it is more down to his clubs undervaluing him or him not quite being up to regular starts. 

I am convinced that Flint would have liked to have made one move after City and made himself a fan’s favourite there.

 

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18 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

I am not so sure that it is Flint’s desire to move so frequently. I think it is more down to his clubs undervaluing him or him not quite being up to regular starts. 

I am convinced that Flint would have liked to have made one move after City and made himself a fan’s favourite there.

Flint was a fans favourite because of his persona. He’s an amusing guy with a great sense of humour but limited in his footballing skills - a 1970s ‘stopper’ who imo was overvalued by the managers who signed him.

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