⚽ Match Thread vs. Newport County AFC 23.11.24 [EFL L2]

[jackal2]

Unlucky teams don?t get promoted.

Given the investment made, the owners will be getting a tad twitchy, I would wager.

The owners won't be getting twitchy, because they don't see football in terms of "big investment" and an instant need for promotion like previous owners have. They simply look to improve the team - at a sustainable cost - each season, making the odds of promotion steadily greater. They also recognise that there are variables in football, like injuries to your best players, that can hold back even the strongest group of players.

Don't get me wrong, the owners are ambitious and want to climb the leagues, and if the squad this season proves strong enough to win promotion they will be delighted I'm sure, but if it isn't, they'll just look to improve a bit more again next summer. There's no "top five budgets" or "promotion or bust" panic about this regime, and the club is immeasurably better for that lack of chaos and anxiety.

There was desperation at times from fans when we fell just short of promotion from the National League, but never from the owners. They just kept looking to improve within our means, and in the end the success arrived. In fact, three near misses, battling away each season at the top end of the table, did no harm in growing our support base.

As fans we increasingly need to learn to see things in the same mature, strategic and patient way the owners do.

[SmiffyPie]

The owners won't be getting twitchy, because they don't see football in terms of "big investment" and an instant need for promotion like previous owners have. They simply look to improve the team - at a sustainable cost - each season, making the odds of promotion steadily greater. They also recognise that there are variables in football, like injuries to your best players, that can hold back even the strongest group of players.

Don't get me wrong, the owners are ambitious and want to climb the leagues, and if the squad this season proves strong enough to win promotion they will be delighted I'm sure, but if it isn't, they'll just look to improve a bit more again next summer. There's no "top five budgets" or "promotion or bust" panic about this regime, and the club is immeasurably better for that lack of chaos and anxiety.

There was desperation at times from fans when we fell just short of promotion from the National League, but never from the owners. They just kept looking to improve within our means, and in the end the success arrived. In fact, three near misses, battling away each season at the top end of the table, did no harm in growing our support base.

As fans we increasingly need to learn to see things in the same mature, strategic and patient way the owners do.

I think most know what you are saying is accurate but bloody hell I've not got many years left and have had a bellyfull of year-on-year progression! We have rebuilt the defence (and a good job done there) so next season we should look forward to a much improved forward line? So season 25/26 there should be no more "building" excuses then?

[upthemaggies]

The owners won't be getting twitchy, because they don't see football in terms of "big investment" and an instant need for promotion like previous owners have. They simply look to improve the team - at a sustainable cost - each season, making the odds of promotion steadily greater. They also recognise that there are variables in football, like injuries to your best players, that can hold back even the strongest group of players.

Don't get me wrong, the owners are ambitious and want to climb the leagues, and if the squad this season proves strong enough to win promotion they will be delighted I'm sure, but if it isn't, they'll just look to improve a bit more again next summer. There's no "top five budgets" or "promotion or bust" panic about this regime, and the club is immeasurably better for that lack of chaos and anxiety.

There was desperation at times from fans when we fell just short of promotion from the National League, but never from the owners. They just kept looking to improve within our means, and in the end the success arrived. In fact, three near misses, battling away each season at the top end of the table, did no harm in growing our support base.

As fans we increasingly need to learn to see things in the same mature, strategic and patient way the owners do.

As with supporters of any club, they will get bored and stop attending if they believe momentum has been lost along with any tangible evidence of genuine ambition on the pitch. They don't turn up to be "educated" and told what to think, they pay money to be entertained.

All of the last three gates have been less than the previous one. Too early to tell if that's an indication that people are deciding they've had enough (of Maynard at least) or just other factors (opposition/ko time/weather), but as I've said before, you can't take support for granted and nobody is just going to sit there and accept they "need to be more mature and patient", they will do what fans have always done and go and do something else and spend their money elsewhere until the club gets its' act together again, be that a change in the dugout that gets people excited or a significant upturn in results.

Not saying we're at that point now, we are 4th, but as we saw last season, the tide can turn very quickly and I can't see many fans accepting a repeat and the excuses that go with it. 3 in wins in 11 is likely to become 3 in 12 after Walsall away. That's a quarter of a season's worth of lower mid-table form.

[Old_pie]

The owners won't be getting twitchy, because they don't see football in terms of "big investment" and an instant need for promotion like previous owners have. They simply look to improve the team - at a sustainable cost - each season, making the odds of promotion steadily greater. They also recognise that there are variables in football, like injuries to your best players, that can hold back even the strongest group of players.

Don't get me wrong, the owners are ambitious and want to climb the leagues, and if the squad this season proves strong enough to win promotion they will be delighted I'm sure, but if it isn't, they'll just look to improve a bit more again next summer. There's no "top five budgets" or "promotion or bust" panic about this regime, and the club is immeasurably better for that lack of chaos and anxiety.

Aren't we missing the buzz of marquee signings? We need some excitement; any hopes in the past couple of months have leaked away.

[OP67]

Unlucky teams don?t get promoted.

Given the investment made, the owners will be getting a tad twitchy, I would wager.

The investment keeping the club going has been massive. However as mentioned at the fan forum our budget isn't up there with the top clubs in the league so I guess 4th at the moment we're pretty much overachieving.

[Elite_Pie]

On a brighter note that possibly isn't related to this thread, at least we got one point more than the scum and the inbreds managed!

As I always do I tuned into Radio Red on the drive home hoping to get a bit of reaction to our game, but it was all Forest with a bit of Mansfield thrown in. The Forest arse lickers on commentary were saying that this should be seen as a difficult game for Arsenal as much as it should be for Forest, they really do believe that Forest are competition for the big clubs!

[marky]

Can't believe Notts are still 5th, it feels like we haven't won a game in months. How awful is this League this year.

[GEZMAN]

Can't believe Notts are still 5th, it feels like we haven't won a game in months. How awful is this League this year.

4th actually!

[Robertomac]

Really poor result today against a really poor team. Once again we've failed to score at home. If we're not picking up points against promotion rivals, it's imperative to get 3pts at home to the Newports etc.

For me, it was the lack of tempo in the first half that killed us. You have to score early against teams who come for a draw. The longer it stays level, they're more in the game.

A very frustrating afternoon.

[WarsopPie]

Bedeau misses out through suspension - but Jatta's back and Didzy starts

From where I was sat in the Pavis the ref should have given us 2 or 3 decent penalty shouts today all for either close lining Jatta or trying to swap shirts with him.
The lino couldn?t keep up with play and was awful.
With the injuries we have we are seriously lacking creativity and that potency up top.
I?m struggling to see the hype around young Cisse if I?m honest, I think Muir is better than him and there would be no harm giving him an inclusion in a league 2 squad just as long as he?s protected and used sensibly.
Abbot is quality, how much realistically does everyone think Spurs if they would be willing to let him go would ask for him?