Where did it all go right?

[Exe on Valdez]

Tempting fate before the Barnet match, but it really has been a great start to the season.

Two key changes, for me, are the age of the players and nobody is playing out of position. Both of these have been gripes about Tisdale in the last few years.

I believe that our oldest regular starter has been Lee Holmes and the new signings must have brought the average age down, even with Ollie on the way out. This squad, if it could be kept together, looks to have a good few years in it.

As for playing out of position, I am aware that Taylor and Holmes have been on the 'wrong' wings, but that is something that is often adjusted during the match. As for Peirce Sweeney at right back - I don't know if he is really a CB, but he's doing a good job in our regular 'problem position'.

 

[flakey pasty]

I think players playing in their "preferred" positions has indeed helped. But there again, we haven't had all those injuries (and now it appears, family problems) which has lead to players players playing out of position. This season we have got real strength in depth and I don't think it will lead to a similar situation.

 

[Moomin Grecian]

Also using a 4-4-2 formation seems to really suit the current squad and gives Reuben some much needed support up top. And another key factor is a settled back four which we didn't have for the first half of last season. Brown and JMT should play every game where possible and Sweeney is indeed doing very well at RB and he seems to have made that position his own. While Woodman has improved, as soon as he's fully fit, I'd swap him for Moxey.

 

[arthur]

Brown and JMT - Taylor and Seaborne. Compare and contrast. More skill in the former I'd suggest; more solidity in the latter?

 

[IndoMike]

Brown and JMT - Taylor and Seaborne. Compare and contrast. More skill in the former I'd suggest; more solidity in the latter?

I think Taylor and Seaborne win that comparison: more physically imposing. However, Brown and JMT are forming a good partnership which should develop bit by bit.

 

[antman]

I think players playing in their "preferred" positions has indeed helped. But there again, we haven't had all those injuries (and now it appears, family problems) which has lead to players players playing out of position. This season we have got real strength in depth and I don't think it will lead to a similar situation.

Agreed. If you look at the players available for selection early last season and in our poor run of results in the previous season, our central midfield was weak and we certainly had players in those positions who shouldn't have been playing there but regular players were injured. You could say that we should have had more cover available but since the Grimes transfer there has been a gradual building up of the squad to a point where we now have one of the best squads in the league (or we appear to, given the quality of opposition so far). I still don't fancy losing Holmes, Reid or JMT to injury but basically the change is down to the players available. I know some people are going to say that Tis has changed his tactics which is only partly true because even if we'd been playing these tactics early doors last year I really don't think we could have carried it off with the players available.

 

[tavyred]

Primarily down to large and regular amounts of transfer cash coming in.
It's been invested wisely in our academy and on better quality players coming in, all overseen by manager who after getting a polite reminder that he needs to perform has found his mojo again.

 

[Dubai Grecian]

We're six games into the season people....as great as our start is lets judge the "where did it go right" if we are top after 12+ games.

Only 13% of the season completed so far.

 

[ECFC Music]

We're six games into the season people....as great as our start is lets judge the "where did it go right" if we are top after 12+ games.

Only 13% of the season completed so far.

You're right let's not get carried away. Whilst the good away form continues , hoping tonight goes ok, remember although we have won all 3 home matches they were 1-0 victories which could easily have produced adverse results. So i'm waiting for consistent form at home before we go overboard about our promotion chances.

 

[antman]

I was understanding the question from the point of view of "How have we had such a successful 2017 so far?", not making any assumptions that it will continue. I don't think any City fan would be stupid enough to assume that, but barring a huge injury crisis I don't think we'll fall too far down the table this time.