Sudbury Away

[drummyb]

Well. If anyone thinks we're bad, needs to give their head a wobble. We're ok. Not superb, not terrible, but managing ok.

I appreciate you aren't getting the tone in my typing, thats in my head. "Ok" for me is a slight notch under Andy's well. Pleased but always room for improvement. It was always a consolidation season for me, given how long its taken, and how we laboured at times to do it. I dont and never have bought the belief that we just have to turn up to win.

[TractionJackson]

I have poor knowledge of non-league squads outside of B63 but how do we know we have a quality side who should be doing better? What's the criteria for comparing us with other sides other than the obvious one (the table).

Everyone bangs on about Mini, Jack, Miracle, etc but how many bigger teams in league(s) above us came in for them when we were flying? They can't be under the radar, surely.

As for Twitter noise, isn't it mostly just Josh getting drunk and posting rubbish he deletes the next morning anyway?

Full disclosure: I think the formation is terrible, everyone can see it. I bet even Yeltzbaby after the Mr Burns Saturday night longevity treatment would like to see Miracle get some support up top. But yeah, we're doing ok and unlucky not to be higher.

[piearce9]

Honestly, first ten games or so of this season I thought we were phenomenal and I'd struggle to think of a time, certainly in the last twenty years or so, when I felt more excited about watching us. We were a team to be feared and rightfully in the promotion mix but I can't really explain what's happened since - a mixture of bad luck, some wobbles in confidence, and a few too many gambles with the team all seem to played a factor. If you'd have told me in Sept/Oct time that we'd be out the playoff race by February then I'd have been hugely disappointed. And so I am.

The only team I've seen this season that have been cut above this season are Telford when they came to our place (and you could maybe argue Leamington too). Quality-wise, I'd say we are better than everything else I've seen. That's not to say we should be winning every game, but it is endlessly frustrating to see so many of these teams come and stick one on us - especially at our place. Honestly, I've lost count of the games that we should have won, based on the flow of play and chances, but didn't.

So that's kinda where I am at the moment. I'm delighted that we are back at this level, I'm incredibly pleased to have a squad of this quality to watch, but I just think we've underperformed and underachieved vs what I think would be "par" for this squad of players.

[drummyb]

As for Twitter noise, isn't it mostly just Josh getting drunk and posting rubbish he deletes the next morning anyway?

Outstanding!!!!

[Josh1873]

League position - acceptable. In fact, I'm more than happy with that. However, we can not hide behind our excellent start forever. Since the first league defeat against Bromsgrove we've played 20, won just 6, drawn 4 and lost 10. That's not an acceptable run of form. Add to that the dip in performances in that time means I've grown more and more concerned. Unfortunately, I can't see our league position improving, and it will regress. Thankfully we've got enough points on the board to not concern ourselves with relegation. Because that's where our current form would have us flirting with, but for that superb start.

We had a genuine chance of making a push for the play-offs, but the season has been allowed to peter out and we're fading away without much of a fight. That's what's frustrating me the most, the complete lack of desire to arrest the slide we've been on. It feels like people have been burying their head in the sand and the rot we're in is accepted due to how we started. Why? I've never been happy with 'just surviving'. That is a ridiculous and negative goal. Nor do I expect us to win every game, or even make the play-offs. I do expect us to be competitive and win more games than we have been. I've seen nothing from sides to suggest the league is as hard as we're constantly told it is. There's good teams, yes, but there aren't a number of teams that are miles ahead of us. Why is mediocracy being accepted?

It's a weird season, because we'd have all taken our current league position, but for large parts of the season we have been well below par in performances. I have lost confidence that Paul Smith is the man to take us onto the next level. A level I am certain Keith is keen to see us reach. I am not comfortable with being told we should be happy with scraping a last second draw to a side that will be relegated this season. In fact, I found that comment to be very disrespectful to the hardy fans that made the near 8 hour round trip. No, we have no God given right to win any game, but we should not settle and be happy at poor results. Make no mistake, letting a lead slip to a side in the relegation zone is a poor result.

If you want to be childish and call this view 'rubbish' then that's your right, but frankly I am growing increasingly frustrated and annoyed at those who can't take criticism of the team's poor run of form telling us that we're lucky to be at this level and survival is all that matters.

[fairweatherfan]

You mean people who don't happen to share your view?

[Josh1873]

You mean people who don't happen to share your view?

Disagreeing with views is fine. We all have different opinions and thoughts of where we should be, team selections, tactics etc. Having adult discussions about those is actually fun. But it's not acceptable to get personal and abusive if you towards those you disagree with.

[andy]

You mean people who don't happen to share your view?

Not sure whether you have noticed but Josh is only responding to what was levelled at him. With a very well thought out post I may add.

[fairweatherfan]

You mean people who don't happen to share your view?

Not sure whether you have noticed but Josh is only responding to what was levelled at him. With a very well thought out post I may add.

I'm sure it's just the internet and face to face would result in a different conversation, but 'frustrated with people who defend things' doesn't come across that way.

I don't agree Paul Smith should be sacked; perhaps you do, and Josh certainly does, but everyone is never going to agree... I'm sure there are Man City fans out there who would like Pep to be sacked!

[Rich]

Honestly, first ten games or so of this season I thought we were phenomenal and I'd struggle to think of a time, certainly in the last twenty years or so, when I felt more excited about watching us. We were a team to be feared and rightfully in the promotion mix but I can't really explain what's happened since - a mixture of bad luck, some wobbles in confidence, and a few too many gambles with the team all seem to played a factor. If you'd have told me in Sept/Oct time that we'd be out the playoff race by February then I'd have been hugely disappointed. And so I am.

The only team I've seen this season that have been cut above this season are Telford when they came to our place (and you could maybe argue Leamington too). Quality-wise, I'd say we are better than everything else I've seen. That's not to say we should be winning every game, but it is endlessly frustrating to see so many of these teams come and stick one on us - especially at our place. Honestly, I've lost count of the games that we should have won, based on the flow of play and chances, but didn't.

So that's kinda where I am at the moment. I'm delighted that we are back at this level, I'm incredibly pleased to have a squad of this quality to watch, but I just think we've underperformed and underachieved vs what I think would be "par" for this squad of players.

Spot on post.
Agree 100%
Think being new to the league helped us in the first few games as teams were unsure about our style of play.
Think teams sussed us out though and we unfortunately had no plan B to fall back on which has cost us in the past few months