⚽ Match Thread vs. Chesterfield FC 15.03.25 [EFL L2]

[BigFatPie]

We don?t even do the thing that everyone else and sustain a tactical injury when the momentum shifts and we?re under pressure. Their first goal had been coming for about 15 minutes, but the head coach just let it happen. Does he think that if we have a tactical time out no one will listen to him anyway?

[MAD_MAGPIE]

I agree, it has that feel of the Munto season. With a fully fit squad we should be flying in this league but held back by an inexperienced manager. We hovered around 8th with McParland who was a useless manager and absolutely romped to the top under Cotterill. Don't get me wrong I like Maynard but he's not the man to get us consistancy in results if we're serious about climbing the leagues.

If in the Munto season we had suffered a lengthy injuries to the likes of Davies and Ravenhill/Bishop like JJ and Crowley, and if Hughes had been out for a period like Didzy it's likely results could have suffered.

This season the starting eleven has constantly had to change due to injuries. I can't think of a season before with so many injuries like it. Then in January the starting eleven has evolved with new young players coming in that have had to adapt to the style of play and the league and get to know their teammates so almost like pre-season in the mid-season, and a promotion chasing one at that.

We had none of the injury problems to key players in the Munto or Allardyce promotion winning seasons from memory and we didn't have it in the National League promotion season either. What's not been consistent this season is the starting eleven and for me if we do not get promoted this will be the main reason and that's regardless of who is the head coach.

Then add into the mix two first team coaches leaving and the head of recruitment half way through and it becomes a transitional season much like last season when LW and his assistant RH left and SM, the blueprint brothers and Jatta came in.

What we don't yet know is if the outcome of all of this results in us getting promoted or not.

[Three_Point_One_Four]

That's pretty much the deal for me, Mad_Magpie. There has been multi-layered disruption throughout the season, thus it's difficult to pin any blame on one aspect.

Still many twists and turns to come before the season is out.

[Mark_Ross]

The fact that there's only 9 games left and no one has reached 70 points yet shows how poor this league is and shows how poor all the teams are including us. I can't see whoever gets promoted surviving in League 1 next season.

I think the standard of L2 this season is (p***) poor. Unless the promoted teams virtually bring in new first XI they will be condemned like Creepy Crawley.

This makes it all the more disappointing that we are failing so miserably.

I think the win at Grimsby was a random fluke. We will sink like a stone and finish well below the playoffs.

[marky]

We've taken 8 points from 8 matches which is normally just above relegation form yet we're two points off the automatic promotion. It's almost unbelievable how weak this league is.

[Mark_Ross]

We've taken 8 points from 8 matches which is normally just above relegation form yet we're two points off the automatic promotion. It's almost unbelievable how weak this league is.

There's very little difference between the top & bottom of L2 in terms of quality. The points difference is deceptive.

[Lullapie]

We've taken 8 points from 8 matches which is normally just above relegation form yet we're two points off the automatic promotion. It's almost unbelievable how weak this league is.

Or is the league strong - a strong league with teams of similar quality?

[SwalePie]

Or is the league strong - a strong league with teams of similar quality?

I've had the same thought but then it would sound even less credible for people to criticise Maynard for every thing he does or doesn't do.

[tied_up_in_notts]

We've taken 8 points from 8 matches which is normally just above relegation form yet we're two points off the automatic promotion. It's almost unbelievable how weak this league is.

The competition in the Scottish League must be extremely strong then by your reckoning, because only Celtic and Rangers have won it for the past four decades. Think how weak it would be if clubs like Aberdeen and Hearts started challenging for it as well and made it a bit harder to win.

[Lullapie]

I've had the same thought but then it would sound even less credible for people to criticise Maynard for every thing he does or doesn't do.

Spot on.