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Optimism

neilybags

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Jan 11, 2015
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I am definitely a lot more optimistic than I was a year ago. So few players in our first match that Tis was on the team sheet. I will be more optimistic once Ribeiro has signed. My concern is central midfield. Oakley & Harley? I hope Keohane gets a good run in the team this season.
 

On the up

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Jul 16, 2014
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Don't too sure about that. Sercs gave our midfield energy and broke lines. Can't see where that is in our current squad. Midfield looks technical but pedestrian at the mo. In fact so does our current defence. Hope we can bring in some athletic players who are ready to take a first 11 position. The teams at the top last term had players who moved the ball and also ran quickly off the ball, always trying to out number defences. Our slow players tend to play in front of opposition. Sercs Ribs and Wheeler were the only exceptions. Hope Tis can rectify that.
 
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antman

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Not trying to bring negativity to things, but am a bit surprised by all the optimism floating about.


Not saying there's no grounds for optimism... I'm enjoying it. Just wonder what its based on.
I know what you mean, it seems our supporters are at their most optimistic when we're not actually playing any football, and we never did really recover home form properly last season, while it was better than the previous one. I think the signings we make are almost irrelevant, we already have enough talent in the squad to make a playoff challenge, I just hope we don't lose any key players, it's more about consistency and home form, which is as much a mental thing as anything.
 

Pobbop

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I know what you mean, it seems our supporters are at their most optimistic when we're not actually playing any football, and we never did really recover home form properly last season, while it was better than the previous one. I think the signings we make are almost irrelevant, we already have enough talent in the squad to make a playoff challenge, I just hope we don't lose any key players, it's more about consistency and home form, which is as much a mental thing as anything.
I don't think anyone was particularly optimistic colse-season last year were we? Coming off a dreadful run at the end of the season, financial problems rearing their head again. Signings didn't look great, Ribs just looked another injury-ridden player at the time. I always did have some hope fpor Grimes and Tom, but it was potential more than fact.
 

tonykellowfan

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There was all the rubbish with Coles last year as well.
 

edwin_price

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We already have enough talent in the squad to make a playoff challenge
A few people bandy this one around, but I'm just not sure where that impression comes from. I guess you could say that if Noble and Harley play to their full potential, etc. we'd do well, but every squad in the league has players who have "potential" or who were much better 3 or 4 seasons ago, but seem to have lost it. Its an unpredictable division, but I think if we want to be in a position to have more expectation than hope, the squad is a way short at the moment.
 

Pobbop

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There was all the rubbish with Coles last year as well.
Yes from memory I think it was one of the least optimistic I've felt going into a season for many a year, plenty of people saying they'd take finishing 3rd from bottom.
 

Jason H

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One thing I'd also say is I'm somewhat puzzled by the bookies' thoughts currently in terms of our odds on promotion/relegation. We finished 10th having been around that sort of position for almost the whole season (after our poor start), financially we are a million (or 1.75 million) miles off where we were last season, yet we're at very long odds behind some teams who I've seen no reason they'd pull up any trees.

I know most bookies are at the stage where they buy a new car every time the old one's ashtrays are full, but really?
 

Strongbow

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We had an abysmal squad at the start of last season, and the rest of the league was that poor we managed to finish 10th - albeit helped by us strengthening along the way. We have now got rid of some of the dross (although some like Butterfield still remain), and already look to have a stronger quad. Plus looking at the sides that went up in terms of spending compared with those coming down and the league looks weaker still - with the possible exception of Luton and Pompey not underachieving by quite so much.

Plenty of reason to be optimistic, but the start of the season is a long way off yet
 

Pobbop

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We had an abysmal squad at the start of last season, and the rest of the league was that poor we managed to finish 10th - albeit helped by us strengthening along the way. We have now got rid of some of the dross (although some like Butterfield still remain), and already look to have a stronger quad. Plus looking at the sides that went up in terms of spending compared with those coming down and the league looks weaker still - with the possible exception of Luton and Pompey not underachieving by quite so much.

Plenty of reason to be optimistic, but the start of the season is a long way off yet
I've not got a problem with the likes of him and Oakley if they are just picked on occasions when injury demands it. Both of those two actually played pretty well in our first good run of last season. Yet they faded, not unsurprisingly at their age, if cheap they're decent and experienced fill-in who can do a job and pass on their know-how to youngsters.

Yet again though, we need first-teamers for them to back-up, and until we have them I am not quite in the optimist camp.
 
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