Testing Time Ahead

grecian-near-hell · Aug 17, 2018

Not belittling Newport or Cambridge but from next Saturday 25th, we will really be able to assess our promotion credentials as within the following six matches we shall be playing the four clubs who were the bookies favourites to go up and a premier league side as well as a local derby in the Checkatrade. Could we have sked for a sterner test for MT and his squad so early on?

25/08 M K Grecians A
28/08 Fulham A
01/09 Lincoln City H
04/09 Yeovil Town - Checka nonsense trophy A
08/09 Notts County H
15/09 Mansfield Town A

And then we shall be a few weeks off the full opening of the ground. Exciting Times

geoffwp · Aug 17, 2018

We are going to need all the squad we have, fit and firing, because that is a lot of football in a relatively short space of time.

Moomin Grecian · Aug 17, 2018

Woah that is a tricky little run. As you say we will know a lot more about our potential for a promotion push once those games have been played. I fancy us to at least win 50% of them but Mansfield, Notts and Lincoln do look strong plus MK should be up there too.

andrew p long · Aug 17, 2018

grecian-near-hell said:
Not belittling Newport or Cambridge but from next Saturday 25th, we will really be able to assess our promotion credentials as within the following six matches we shall be playing the four clubs who were the bookies favourites to go up and a premier league side as well as a local derby in the Checkatrade. Could we have sked for a sterner test for MT and his squad so early on?

25/08 M K Grecians A
28/08 Fulham A
01/09 Lincoln City H
04/09 Yeovil Town - Checka nonsense trophy A
08/09 Notts County H
15/09 Mansfield Town A

And then we shall be a few weeks off the full opening of the ground. Exciting Times

Tempting fate eh? If we lose to Newport and Cambridge you will be entirely to blame!

Actually the sheer volume of games is a problem. Between last Saturday, 11 August and Saturday 8 Sept it is 9 games in 29 days - a full month of Sat-Tues-Sat

grecian-near-hell · Aug 17, 2018

NOt really tempting anything as I fully accept we could lose to Newport particularly after their efforts away to Cambridge in midweek and that Cambridge are nobody's mugs as they will be looking to bounce back from that trouncing, I just found it particularly interesting that we have the four promotion favourites one after the other in the league with a cup match against premier opposition and local derby chucked in and that if we want to do anything this year it will be interesting to see how we fare.

As you say the number of games in the period could prove a problem hopefully we will have the squad to cope - cometh the hour and all that!

STURTZ · Aug 17, 2018

I feel that we are more ready to compete than a lot of the other teams that may be contenders.

CWH-NYC_ · Aug 17, 2018

Master Matt has made in very clear in his interviews he needs everybody in the squad up and firing. So it seems once again he is aware and planning the ECFC resurgence.

PeteUSA · Aug 17, 2018

One concern I have is that we dont have a reliable back-up keeper should Pym get injured or his form dips that someone else should step up. He will look to make up for that goal on tuesday (even though we won), and I'm sure he wont make that kind of error of judgement again; totally uncharacteristic of him. If he does need to be replaced at any time for whatever reason though, that could put a major dampener on our promotion aspirations. I dont rate Hamon at all, and I take it that Jonah isnt with us this season? I wouldn't rule out Weale deputising (I know, its funny), he's still only 36 after all and would be easily good enough to play in League 2. Lets hope none of our keeper options will have to be utilised.

Grecian2K · Aug 17, 2018

STURTZ said:
I feel that we are more ready to compete than a lot of the other teams that may be contenders.

Well, stating the bleeding obvious we have to face ALL of our league rivals (top or bottom?) twice each season, so may as well face it in September as anytime.

And Matt & all the extended team certainly seem to have got off to an assured start.

One of the most encouraging things (IMHO) was the way - a goal down against a near full strength CHAMPIONSHIP side* - he had the confidence to ring the changes to early and bung three of "the kids" into battle - taking off "stars" like Jayden and Hiram as well. Would Lord Tisdale ever have been so brave? I wonder?

Long way to go yet, but for me that certainly added unexpected levels to our "squad depths" already.

Happy days (so far)

chunkymorrinmunter · Aug 17, 2018

PeteUSA said:
One concern I have is that we dont have a reliable back-up keeper should Pym get injured or his form dips that someone else should step up. He will look to make up for that goal on tuesday (even though we won), and I'm sure he wont make that kind of error of judgement again; totally uncharacteristic of him. If he does need to be replaced at any time for whatever reason though, that could put a major dampener on our promotion aspirations. I dont rate Hamon at all, and I take it that Jonah isnt with us this season? I wouldn't rule out Weale deputising (I know, its funny), he's still only 36 after all and would be easily good enough to play in League 2. Lets hope none of our keeper options will have to be utilised.

Not the way Weale performed at Taunton ,he wouldn't be.

Testing Time Ahead

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