Original prediction:
Position 7th
Outstanding Long
Breakthrough Holicek
Champions Stockport
Promoted Wrexham Doncaster Gillingham
Relegated Colchester Barrow
My changes:
Position 2nd
Promoted Swindon Crewe Notts
Relegated Sutton FGR
Printable View
Original prediction:
Position 7th
Outstanding Long
Breakthrough Holicek
Champions Stockport
Promoted Wrexham Doncaster Gillingham
Relegated Colchester Barrow
My changes:
Position 2nd
Promoted Swindon Crewe Notts
Relegated Sutton FGR
Keep 'em coming!
I changed my prediction after 10 games to 9th and now I'm sticking to it. Our form, results wise, in the first third of the season has been great- beyond most expectations and certainly beyond the 'expertise' of yer average media pundit.
However, our hovering around 3rd place has been achieved with a minimum of absences through injury. Now that is beginning to change. Powell is already missing, probably for the whole season. At the same time Tabs plus the support midfield are also out injured. Add to that 8 to 10 weeks for Williams and the problems are beginning to mount up. Absences up front are beginning to occur but so far have been restricted to 1 or 2 matches. Hopefully, that won't deteriorate any further.
We always knew that, with a thin squad, injuries may have an impact on our season but if the current pattern of a constantly changing line-up continues then our league standing may deteriorate, certainly over the next 3 or 4 months.
Historically though, the form picks up in the spring and we'll probably finish well.
I only thought I'd write this piece in anticipation of a possible slump. One of the temptations when experiencing this after a period of positivity is the tendency to see a relative slump in absolute terms. Hopefully, everyone will consider the great start to the season we've had and judge the team in terms of where they were a year ago.