Playing better teams

Here's a thought... I don't know what next Monday's result will be we could easily win, lose or draw. However, it will predictably be close as it has been whenever we play any of the teams competing around the top places. Many of the positive results against these teams have involved letting the opposition have more of the ball while the Alex occasionally pick them off forcing a draw or gaining a win.
However, after playing the Burslem team we face Carlisle, currently 23rd. I worry that we might find this game much harder. Even though we are away, we would probably expect to have more of the ball. But are the Alex set up to dominate games any more. Last season we seemed to struggle against teams further down the league (FGR anybody??).
So I'm saying we'll have a close game next Monday but I'm really worried about Carlisle (and others in that part of the table).

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Originally Posted by gazan

Here's a thought... I don't know what next Monday's result will be we could easily win, lose or draw. However, it will predictably be close as it has been whenever we play any of the teams competing around the top places. Many of the positive results against these teams have involved letting the opposition have more of the ball while the Alex occasionally pick them off forcing a draw or gaining a win.
However, after playing the Burslem team we face Carlisle, currently 23rd. I worry that we might find this game much harder. Even though we are away, we would probably expect to have more of the ball. But are the Alex set up to dominate games any more. Last season we seemed to struggle against teams further down the league (FGR anybody??). So I'm saying we'll have a close game next Monday but I'm really worried about Carlisle (and others in that part of the table).

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Totally agree, I have November as few as 1 x point and 2 x losses. But vs Notts County, best all round performance this season, with folk fighting to get into the team, so PV a point and Carlisle a point, so 5 in Nov. Long, watched it 3-4x very unfortunate....
December should see us a few points and the game in hand still?
Let's see what the disastrous January transfer
window does to us...I hate this as anybody decent goes back to home club (we loose a keeper normally) and its a cast of castoffs to bring in!!!!
I still think season end edge of playoffs. MK Dons my surprise disappointment team. AFC Wimbledon my surprise better than expected to date.
Thoughts

Hopefully, we won't lose our keeper this time, as he is on a season-long loan. He also seems to be enjoying playing for us - fingers crossed because he has improved a lot.

Looking forward to playing Vale on Monday, and believe that we can get something from the game.

Today's Vale game in the second half was a case in point. It was effectively attack v defence. We huffed and puffed but didn't look like we were going to blow their defence down. Okay, in the end, we did it but it was hard work. I just worry that some other teams who will shut up shop, particularly at Gresty Road, will manage to frustrate us.

I mentioned this point in the Vile thread but will repeat. I don't think that there will be a better chance than this season to claim automatic promotion. The only thing that will hold us back is our forwards. Unfortunately I think that you can almost write off Long, Bogle doesn't look right to me and I suspect another spell on the side lines. Thibaut still too inexperienced and Hemmings hopefully can stay fit once he returns. Tracey having his best season but I don't think that he will turn into a 20 goals a season player. If we could push the boat out for another striker in January I'm pretty certain that it would pay for itself. Does anybody agree?

I think the chances are that we've pushed the boat out already.
Neither Shilow nor Bogle were involved enough because we didn't get forward enough (until added time) down the wings to play them in. The Alex don't seem to be set up to feed the forwards any other way. Our midfield has not provided much to the forwards. The one exception is Lankester who can carry the ball into the box and provide or shoot from there. Port Vale played the second half narrow and filled their box with bodies to keep us out. Only Lankester's dribbling approach tested it by drawing defenders out of their spaces. Defenders know they can hold a line that is difficult to pass around so taking men on is necessary to create space.
As we will see this occur again a few times, I'm hoping Bell has contingencies in place.

Not sure Bradford count as a better team but we have to say they are a big team. Of course that's part of their problem, imagining what they could be as opposed dealing with the now. So as Bradford will bring a large expectant crowd, it'll count and I expect a better performance. The other positive factor is that we'll have a full week to prepare and they have to play Barrow in midweek.