⚽ Match Thread vs. Doncaster Rovers FC 03.05.25 [EFL L2]

[legs77]

I'm sick of reading that we can't beat Wimbledon....

Is it because of our sickly record of W20 D12 L14 compared to their really impressive W20 D13 L13?
I guess our D12 L14 was pathetic whereas their D13 L13 was a great heroic effort. Their end-of season form in terms of points was about as bad as ours too, but I guess that doesn't stop them being a truly fantastic, superior team, whose fans are so delighted with them, right?

The truth is they're as crap as us and all we might need to get past them is to be a little less crap than a couple of games. Not a big ask.

We can beat any of them in the play offs as the points total over the season shows there is a few points between all four teams so over 46 games not much in it.

It?s not our record against top sides that I?m interested it makes no odds to me the season is ow finished league table wise, I think out of all the teams these are the hardest in terms of set up and style for us to play against and this is perhaps why some fans are downbeat.

In saying the above it?s only an opinion of fans it doesn?t matter really it?s what the players do next week that counts and people will start to feel more optimistic towards the end of next week.

[the_anticlough]

It's not our record against top sides that I?m interested it makes no odds to me the season is ow finished league table wise, I think out of all the teams these are the hardest in terms of set up and style for us to play against and this is perhaps why some fans are downbeat.

So a different style? Maybe more physical and direct? Compared to us trying to win by tactics, technique and skill?
The league record is the same. They're better in some areas, we're better in others. What if it all clicks in the areas we're better than them? We could blow them away.

All fans should go into the play-offs realising 75% chance you don't go up. The main promotion train has already pulled out of the station. That's gone. 75% we're still a L2 club next year just like another 50% of the play-off field.

But much better we spend the next week giving our 25% chance a shot. Everyone starts from zero and it's a totally new competition. Being 'downbeat' is such a pointless state of mind.

[The_Pie_Man]

So a different style? Maybe more physical and direct? Compared to us trying to win by tactics, technique and skill?
The league record is the same. They're better in some areas, we're better in others. What if it all clicks in the areas we're better than them? We could blow them away.

All fans should go into the play-offs realising 75% chance you don't go up. The main promotion train has already pulled out of the station. That's gone. 75% we're still a L2 club next year just like another 50% of the play-off field.

But much better we spend the next week giving our 25% chance a shot. Everyone starts from zero and it's a totally new competition. Being 'downbeat' is such a pointless state of mind.

Conversely, there is no point in being excessively positive either. That is like telling yourself you are going to win ?100m on the Euromillons just because you have bought a ticket.

We cannot kid ourselves. We have been rotten for months. Nothing will change in a week. We will not magically pull three brilliant performances in the bag.

I am all for getting behind the team and I hope against hope Maynard and the squad turn it round, but nobody who watched that game today can have any real hope that will happen.

[the_anticlough]

Conversely, there is no point in being excessively positive either. That is like telling yourself you are going to win ?100m on the Euromillons just because you have bought a ticket.

We cannot kid ourselves. We have been rotten for months. Nothing will change in a week. We will not magically pull three brilliant performances in the bag.

I am all for getting behind the team and I hope against hope Maynard and the squad turn it round, but nobody who watched that game today can have any real hope that will happen.

Well today was a dead rubber. They always had far more incentive. When your chance is 4% the main goal is just staying healthy.
I don't know why anyone had any positive expectations before this weird game today.

As I just posted on the other thread, I'm advocating the exact opposite of being 'excessively positive'. 75% we fail, they're the inescapable odds. But knowing that, you give it your best shot and don't mope, there's no point in that.

It's Win-Win, we go up or we most likely get a fresh start with a new Head Coach
You can't go up with only 6 players worthy of the level, ravaged by injuries and with a flawed head coach.
ALL the NL promotion winning team are gone (bar Jodi, who was late to the party anyway, and a few peripherals), it was always going to take the club some time to build a completely new team for the next level.

The tone on here is way too resigned and defeatist IMO.
Or deluded and entitled, depending on your perspective.

[The_Pie_Man]

Well today was a dead rubber. They always had far more incentive. When your chance is 4% the main goal is just staying healthy.
I don't know why anyone had any positive expectations before this weird game today.

As I just posted on the other thread, I'm advocating the exact opposite of being 'excessively positive'. 75% we fail, they're the inescapable odds. But knowing that, you give it your best shot and don't mope, there's no point in that.

It's Win-Win, we go up or we most likely get a fresh start with a new Head Coach
You can't go up with only 6 players worthy of the level, ravaged by injuries and with a flawed head coach.
ALL the NL promotion winning team are gone (bar Jodi, who was late to the party anyway, and a few peripherals), it was always going to take the club some time to build a completely new team for the next level.

The tone on here is way too resigned and defeatist IMO.
Or deluded and entitled, depending on your perspective.

I do not think it is either entitled or deluded to expect more than 4 points from the last 21 available at home.

Maybe that is just me and we should just be grateful to have a club to support. Maybe we should get the Trust back.

[the_anticlough]

I do not think it is either entitled or deluded to expect more than 4 points from the last 21 available at home.

Maybe that is just me and we should just be grateful to have a club to support. Maybe we should get the Trust back.

Make no mistake, that was a disastrous run and one which will have to be accounted for... will be accounted for

But there's a time for everything. And that time is not when we've just entered into a 4-club tournament, all starting from scratch, with all four teams equally as crap as each other. Game on.

And EFL play-offs...this is why we dreamed of getting out of the NL, to play in games like this...
Auto-promotion was blown, but where does that get us now?

[Elite_Pie]

It's Win-Win, we go up or we most likely get a fresh start with a new Head Coach

There is an alternative that doesn't appeal to me.

We go up (win) and stick with the same head coach (lose).

[the_anticlough]

There is an alternative that doesn't appeal to me.

We go up (win) and stick with the same head coach (lose).

Then you can join CBP in interrupting the unlikely event of a promotion party to deliver first hand the news of his termination, on behalf of the club

[MagpieMeltdown]

There is an alternative that doesn't appeal to me.

We go up (win) and stick with the same head coach (lose).

Or we stay down (lose) and keep him (even bigger L).

Something just tells me the owners will never get rid of him, despite his glaring and obvious inadequacies to fulfil the job asked of him.

I?ve said it before, it?s bordering on negligence on the owners? part.

[Med Pie]

So a different style? Maybe more physical and direct? Compared to us trying to win by tactics, technique and skill?
The league record is the same. They're better in some areas, we're better in others. What if it all clicks in the areas we're better than them? We could blow them away.

All fans should go into the play-offs realising 75% chance you don't go up. The main promotion train has already pulled out of the station. That's gone. 75% we're still a L2 club next year just like another 50% of the play-off field.

But much better we spend the next week giving our 25% chance a shot. Everyone starts from zero and it's a totally new competition. Being 'downbeat' is such a pointless state of mind.

Weren't they one of the teams that physically, bullied us?Thhat won't change.