Been Here Before

[Sir Trevor B'Sol]

Been here before.

In each of the last SIX seasons we have failed to hit the ground running. The first NINE games have produced a disappointing points return.

Another massive upturn in fortunes is needed.

2017/2018 Season.

P – 9. W – 4. D – 0. L – 5. GF – 15. GA – 19. GD – 4. PTS – 12.

Key defenders – Tom Lockyer, Ryan Sweeney, Lee Brown.



2018/2019 Season.

P – 9. W – 2. D – 2. L – 5. GF – 9. GA – 11. GD – 2. PTS – 8.

Key defenders – Tom Lockyer, Tony Craig, James Clarke.



2019/2020 Season.

P – 9. W – 3. D – 3. L – 3. GF – 10. GA – 11. GD – 1. PTS – 12.

Key defenders – Tom Davies, Tony Craig, Luke Leahy.



2020/2021 Season.

P – 9. W – 3. D – 3. L – 3. GF – 10. GA – 13. GD – 3. PTS – 12.

Key defenders – Max Ehmer, Cian Harries, Jack Baldwin.



2021/2022 Season.

P – 9. W – 3. D – 1. L – 5. GF – 8. GA – 14. GD – 6. PTS – 10.

Key defenders – Mark Hughes, Nick Anderton, Harry Anderson.


2022/2023 Season.

P – 9. W – 2. D – 2. L – 5. GF – 13. GA – 19. GD – 6. PTS – 8.

Key defenders – James Connolly, Luca Hoole, Alfie Kilgour.

The defensive merry-go-round needs to end. Most successful teams depend on stability, consistency and compatibility.

A ROCK HARD defence is the passport to the top of the league. The Connor Taylor-James Connolly duo seems like a distant dream already.

Let us hope that the magic lantern eventually shines.

[kampucheagas]

Good informative post

We’ve been unlucky this campaign with injuries but your stats show we are slow starters and haven’t found a solid long term defensive line up

It doesn’t help when the manager decides to play a wired system of 3 at the back with the main central defender being a veteran central midfielder whose legs aren’t what they were

In times of crisis you go for the most stable and solid group you can muster.

Anderson
Hoole
Kilgour
Clarke

That back 4 would have stood more of a chance of defending properly yesterday

Sometimes you gotta dig deep and not be clever. This division is MUCH MUCH harder than Lg 2

Let’s hope we get the injured back soon as going forward we look ok

UTG

[CrispPusher]

Sept 18, 2022 12:16:41 GMT Sir Trevor B'Sol said:

Been here before.

In each of the last SIX seasons we have failed to hit the ground running. The first NINE games have produced a disappointing points return.

Another massive upturn in fortunes is needed.

2017/2018 Season.

P – 9. W – 4. D – 0. L – 5. GF – 15. GA – 19. GD – 4. PTS – 12.

Key defenders – Tom Lockyer, Ryan Sweeney, Lee Brown.



2018/2019 Season.

P – 9. W – 2. D – 2. L – 5. GF – 9. GA – 11. GD – 2. PTS – 8.

Key defenders – Tom Lockyer, Tony Craig, James Clarke.



2019/2020 Season.

P – 9. W – 3. D – 3. L – 3. GF – 10. GA – 11. GD – 1. PTS – 12.

Key defenders – Tom Davies, Tony Craig, Luke Leahy.



2020/2021 Season.

P – 9. W – 3. D – 3. L – 3. GF – 10. GA – 13. GD – 3. PTS – 12.

Key defenders – Max Ehmer, Cian Harries, Jack Baldwin.



2021/2022 Season.

P – 9. W – 3. D – 1. L – 5. GF – 8. GA – 14. GD – 6. PTS – 10.

Key defenders – Mark Hughes, Nick Anderton, Harry Anderson.


2022/2023 Season.

P – 9. W – 2. D – 2. L – 5. GF – 13. GA – 19. GD – 6. PTS – 8.

Key defenders – James Connolly, Luca Hoole, Alfie Kilgour.

The defensive merry-go-round needs to end. Most successful teams depend on stability, consistency and compatibility.

A ROCK HARD defence is the passport to the top of the league. The Connor Taylor-James Connolly duo seems like a distant dream already.

Let us hope that the magic lantern eventually shines.

Bit of a stretch to call Leahy a defender, surely his spot should read Alfie Kilgour?

[playtowin]

Sept 18, 2022 13:10:25 GMT kampucheagas said:

Good informative post

We’ve been unlucky this campaign with injuries but your stats show we are slow starters and haven’t found a solid long term defensive line up

It doesn’t help when the manager decides to play a wired system of 3 at the back with the main central defender being a veteran central midfielder whose legs aren’t what they were

In times of crisis you go for the most stable and solid group you can muster.

Anderson
Hoole
Kilgour
Clarke

That back 4 would have stood more of a chance of defending properly yesterday

Sometimes you gotta dig deep and not be clever. This division is MUCH MUCH harder than Lg 2

Let’s hope we get the injured back soon as going forward we look ok

UTG

Joe doesnt want to park the bus .He is wrong.
When results and availability of players are not going well you do what you have to .
A boring 1-0 home victory yesterday would have been better than a confidence destroying big home defeat.
5-4-1 is always a safe option.For example.
Anderson-Hoole-kilgour-Gordon-Clarke.
McCormick-coutts-Finley-Evans
Collins

Would have been harder for Lincoln to break down.

I thought he would have played a back 3 of hoole,kilgour,gordon. The preference to play from deep overruled that choice though.

In normal circumstances a manager would now be trying to ensure a couple of clean sheets and build from stability at the back.
When you have one of the biggest budgets in a league you can expect to play how you want. When you don't you have to be able to adapt.
If a manager is not able to be brave enough to play whats needed they become a one trick pony and don't last long in a job.

[2nd May 1990]

Presuming he didn’t have a knock, I thought leaving Coutts out was also an odd decision yesterday. We really needed his guiding influence. I kind of get not playing Whelan and Coutts together and maybe that was Barton’s thought, but I could actually see Coutts making a go of the centre back position in a way I’m not sure Whelan can. He has more physical presence and we could have used his guiding influence. Whelan is only going to be a ball playing defender really and without a physical influence alongside him and his obvious lack of pace we were set up to struggle yesterday. But saying all that, with the options available it had to be Kilgour unless there’s something we don’t know.

[o2o2bo2ba]

Nice o p research.

2019....we were 2nd at Christmas with GC.
Then BG took over.

We haven't been back there before and our club suffered a few years of knockbacks because of it .... maybe we are cyclic?

[gasheadbatesy]

Sept 18, 2022 13:58:23 GMT 2nd May 1990 said:

Presuming he didn’t have a knock, I thought leaving Coutts out was also an odd decision yesterday. We really needed his guiding influence. I kind of get not playing Whelan and Coutts together and maybe that was Barton’s thought, but I could actually see Coutts making a go of the centre back position in a way I’m not sure Whelan can. He has more physical presence and we could have used his guiding influence. Whelan is only going to be a ball playing defender really and without a physical influence alongside him and his obvious lack of pace we were set up to struggle yesterday. But saying all that, with the options available it had to be Kilgour unless there’s something we don’t know.

Coutts was horrendous yesterday.
Probably the worst I’ve seen him play.

[2nd May 1990]

Sept 18, 2022 17:18:42 GMT gasheadbatesy said:

Sept 18, 2022 13:58:23 GMT 2nd May 1990 said:

Presuming he didn’t have a knock, I thought leaving Coutts out was also an odd decision yesterday. We really needed his guiding influence. I kind of get not playing Whelan and Coutts together and maybe that was Barton’s thought, but I could actually see Coutts making a go of the centre back position in a way I’m not sure Whelan can. He has more physical presence and we could have used his guiding influence. Whelan is only going to be a ball playing defender really and without a physical influence alongside him and his obvious lack of pace we were set up to struggle yesterday. But saying all that, with the options available it had to be Kilgour unless there’s something we don’t know.

Coutts was horrendous yesterday.
Probably the worst I’ve seen him play.

I thought he did alright. Steadied the ship and a lovely assist for Collins’ goal.

[supergas]

Sept 18, 2022 12:16:41 GMT Sir Trevor B'Sol said:

Been here before.

Don't look too much further back if you're looking for better starts to a season... 

Across the last 18 seasons (not including the Conference one) on the 1st of October our average position in the league is 14....

...on the face of it that sounds like mid-table but on that date we've only been in the top half of the table in four seasons (19/20, 16/17, 09/10 and 04/05). And of those four seasons only in 09/10 have we really hit the ground running and were in 3rd in the start of October....

...it covers a wide variety of managers, players, coaching staff, even other factors like where we train and who is running/financing the club...

...the only common factors are the stadium, the fans and any potential curse... 

[Windmill Hill Gas]

Was 18/19 when Clarke got sacked/left? How many games in did he go?