Play-Offs

[Avl1983]

I also think it's becoming more obvious how vulnerable we are at the back. We don't score enough goals but from set pieces, teams know we're there for the taking as well. As much as I'd like to see us get in the playoffs I don't think we're good enough.

 

[Avl1983]

Mid table mediocrity means we'd be nowhere near the play offs. We would've made them last season if it weren't for the -10 and we're in contention now (yes, I know, we won't make it but we'll be close). With a few quality additions we'd easily be a few places higher up. Maher can't stick the ball in the net himself can he .. or whip a decent early ball in. A player capable of both of these things on a regular basis plus a solid couple of CB's and it's a different story no?

Without trying to start another debate on Maher, he did look to be confusing Parillon last night, constantly shouting at him, not allowing him to play his natural game which has so far looked really impressive. And, in fairness, I think 10th in a league of 24 can be considered mid table. I'm sure when people say it they're not just saying 12th! Same as if we were 14th or 15th.

 

[Holy Joe]

Don't get this obsession with the playoffs. If by some miracle we did make them, we have neither the squad fitness, skill, depth or tactical tactical nous to compete over two legs.

This season is done. Let's focus on the realistic and rebuild.

Luckily the playoffs are one off games not 2 legs

 

[blues exile]

Mid table mediocrity means we'd be nowhere near the play offs. We would've made them last season if it weren't for the -10 and we're in contention now (yes, I know, we won't make it but we'll be close). With a few quality additions we'd easily be a few places higher up. Maher can't stick the ball in the net himself can he .. or whip a decent early ball in. A player capable of both of these things on a regular basis plus a solid couple of CB's and it's a different story no?

It would be nice to think so but next season will be our fifth in this league and that simply is not good enough. When your top scorer is a wing back something is wrong and where would we be without his contribution?

 

[annie1954]

I agree with you. Although we have improved since the first half of the season nearly every other team are intent on doing the same by signing players or changing manager. Last nights game showed that the standard in the National League has risen way beyond what it was ten years ago.

True anyone can beat anyone at this level

 

[GBJ]

It would be nice to think so but next season will be our fifth in this league and that simply is not good enough.

How many of those seasons have we operated as a normal club?

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Without trying to start another debate on Maher, he did look to be confusing Parillon last night, constantly shouting at him, not allowing him to play his natural game which has so far looked really impressive. And, in fairness, I think 10th in a league of 24 can be considered mid table. I'm sure when people say it they're not just saying 12th! Same as if we were 14th or 15th.

To me, if we are in for a shout of play offs it's not mid table mediocrity, as we have something to play for. As I sit in the West I'm not party to what Maher is shouting at players so can't comment on that .. but not sure what that has to do with making the play offs. We draw too many we should win and lose too many we should draw and I'm not sure that's exclusively a Maher issue, it's potentially the quality of some of the players/their decision making/composure under pressure. We had chances to win last night .. we need to be finishing teams off when we have them on the ropes.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

The bookies now make us 5/1 from 3/1 to make the play-offs. I would say we're not out of it, but more like a 7/1 shot.

 

[Tommy2holes]

If we had this team from day 1 we would have likely been several points better off and make the play offs.

I personally still don't see that as good enough.

Anything outside the top 3 next season should be seen as failure.

 

[Holy Joe]

If we had this team from day 1 we would have likely been several points better off and make the play offs.

I personally still don't see that as good enough.

Anything outside the top 3 next season should be seen as failure.

So finish 3rd and lose in play-offs - success. Finish 7th and win play-offs - fail????

 

[Avl1983]

To me, if we are in for a shout of play offs it's not mid table mediocrity, as we have something to play for. As I sit in the West I'm not party to what Maher is shouting at players so can't comment on that .. but not sure what that has to do with making the play offs. We draw too many we should win and lose too many we should draw and I'm not sure that's exclusively a Maher issue, it's potentially the quality of some of the players/their decision making/composure under pressure. We had chances to win last night .. we need to be finishing teams off when we have them on the ropes.

You mentioned that Maher can't put the ball in himself, so my comments about Maher are an example of how possibly he has a negative effect on the player who seems to be our most creative!

Whatever you class as mid table or mediocre isn't really the point, 10th is mid table whether we like it or not. I never mentioned the mediocrity, just our league position. I still have hopes of reaching the playoffs but I suspect if everyone was on level games we'd be a lot lower than we are and the playoffs would seem a lot further off.

I agree the players do definitely have to take some of the blame but then who's signed them and who's coaching them? It's a joint effort and again my mentioning of Parillon was done because if he was left to play his own game he may have created more than with Maher screaming at him. Thats my view of it anyway.

Plenty of players at the club would be moved on in the summer if fans had their way and if I had my way, so would Maher. We definitely do throw away too many points this season unfortunately. Sad but I would be very surprised to reach the playoffs at this point.

 

[blues exile]

You mentioned that Maher can't put the ball in himself, so my comments about Maher are an example of how possibly he has a negative effect on the player who seems to be our most creative!

Whatever you class as mid table or mediocre isn't really the point, 10th is mid table whether we like it or not. I never mentioned the mediocrity, just our league position. I still have hopes of reaching the playoffs but I suspect if everyone was on level games we'd be a lot lower than we are and the playoffs would seem a lot further off.

I agree the players do definitely have to take some of the blame but then who's signed them and who's coaching them? It's a joint effort and again my mentioning of Parillon was done because if he was left to play his own game he may have created more than with Maher screaming at him. Thats my view of it anyway.

Plenty of players at the club would be moved on in the summer if fans had their way and if I had my way, so would Maher. We definitely do throw away too many points this season unfortunately. Sad but I would be very surprised to reach the playoffs at this point.

Parillon shows imagination, creativity and a flair for the unexpected. Maher will soon reduce him to another automaton drilled to keep possession at all costs. Screaming at him repeatedly as he did last night provided all the evidence.

 

[Holy Joe]

I still have hopes of reaching the playoffs but I suspect if everyone was on level games we'd be a lot lower than we are and the playoffs would seem a lot further off.

I

Only one team can overtake us if they win both of their games in hand. But agree playoffs could be further off

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Parillon shows imagination, creativity and a flair for the unexpected. Maher will soon reduce him to another automaton drilled to keep possession at all costs. Screaming at him repeatedly as he did last night provided all the evidence.

I get how opinions on whether Maher is the right man to take us forward may differ (I’m undecided). But this notion that he coaches creativity out of players and actively encourages them not to play with attack in mind .. hmm not sure I can buy into that. What possible gain would there be from doing that?

 

[Avl1983]

Only one team can overtake us if they win both of their games in hand. But agree playoffs could be further off

I think you're splitting hairs here a little, you can see my point, we'll be further away.

 

[Supershrimper]

Parillon shows imagination, creativity and a flair for the unexpected. Maher will soon reduce him to another automaton drilled to keep possession at all costs. Screaming at him repeatedly as he did last night provided all the evidence.

I'm not sure if that's the inexperience of Leon and given that he has come in and jumped straight into the team so has to learn our shape, formation and tactics (yes yes sideways and backwards) which would normally come from a decent pre-season.

Noticed it has been both Maher and Currie giving him instructions on where to be on the pitch, who to get close to, what hole to get into etc although Kev is the louder and more animated of the two.

I've noticed it at all 4 of the home matches so far

 

[Holy Joe]

I think you're splitting hairs here a little, you can see my point, we'll be further away.

No you said we be alot lower than we are - but it's only 1 place - so I disagree.

And as I said I agree that playoffs will be further away if teams above us win their games in hand.

 

[Avl1983]

I get how opinions on whether Maher is the right man to take us forward may differ (I’m undecided). But this notion that he coaches creativity out of players and actively encourages them not to play with attack in mind .. hmm not sure I can buy into that. What possible gain would there be from doing that?

I don't think Maher goes out to take the creativity out of players but he's defensively minded and focuses on that which then nullifies their more attacking attributes. Anyway this is off topic.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

It would be nice to think so but next season will be our fifth in this league and that simply is not good enough. When your top scorer is a wing back something is wrong and where would we be without his contribution?

When your top scorer is your wingback who scores 3 goals all season something is very wrong.

When however you have a wingback with 15 goals from open play at the start of March management are clearly doing something very right.

Credit to the scouting staff who found him, the coaching staff who developed him.

 

[NZamba Legend]

When your top scorer is your wingback who scores 3 goals all season something is very wrong.

When however you have a wingback with 15 goals from open play at the start of March management are clearly doing something very right.

Credit to the scouting staff who found him, the coaching staff who developed him.

I think you can clearly see that Maher is coaching out all of Gus’ attacking instincts.