Under the radar, target on the back

[the_anticlough]

Anyone else tired of hearing these phrases, 'going under the radar' 'target on their back'... ?

It's as if these semi-psychological factors have a big bearing on results, and success or failure!
23 teams have to play each other twice, and no 'radar' or archery-type target is going to make players pass or shoot more accurately, work all that much harder...And pressure can be a good thing, and what about teams being beaten before they kick off, that's more how other leagues work...

I guess it's one way to fill media content time, but it's not making much sense to me

[magpie_mania]

They do make some sense. Target on the back refers to the ones that you pick out. When the fixtures come out, I'm sure most of us don't think 'When are we playing Kings Lynn?'. We think about Wrexham etc. I am sure lots will look out for when they are playing us.

I would also say that Barrow and Sutton went under the radar. Unnoticed but effective.

Not sure they have a massive bearing on results, but there will be some effect when teams arrive at ML

[The_Don_ORiordan]

It’s like the manager of the month curse. At some point teams on good runs will lose.

It’s likely statistically unsound. But it’s still peddled and still by many, believed.

[the_anticlough]

I would also say that Barrow and Sutton went under the radar. Unnoticed but effective.

Are you sure? Weren't they just good teams?

Not sure they have a massive bearing on results,

Thank you

[countygump]

There's no team in this League more ''under the Radar'' than us, they own us.

[laddo]

Lots of people expected Barrow to falter in the second half of the season and many thought Torquay wouldn't be caught as they were going along like a train for so much of last season before the wheels came off.

Anybody who wins the league is not only a good team but importantly the best team that season.

[Oldstripy]

We were on course to catch and overtake Barrow when the season was cut short and PPG determined who was promoted.

[magpie_mania]

Are you sure? Weren't they just good teams?



Thank you

Of course they did. How many expected them to win the league, and keep it up all season.

In fact, lots were saying on here that Torquay were nailed on to win it.

[laddo]

We were on course to catch and overtake Barrow when the season was cut short and PPG determined who was promoted.

We were indeed but on course and achieving it are two very different things. We may have closed the gap and got close but I didn't feel our much improved form would have continued to the end of the season if all games had been played.

Obviously it's all subjective, opinions and we will never know one way or the other. Barrow were the best team that season and deservedly won the league. Same with Sutton no matter how much it upsets a few on here.

[jackal2]

The cliches used in football do get annoying, and generally speaking the league table will reflect the quality of each team rather than any other factors. If the profile or expectations of a team have any effect, I think it's likely to have most bearing on home games, where a club's supporters may expect to win every game and their reaction to perceived under-achievement becomes exaggerated.

I suspect that Nottingham Forest are sometimes weighed down by the 'big club' expectations of (some of) their supporters founded on achievements dating back forty years, and the more the club fails to live up to those expectations then the more the pressure builds on the players.