Some thoughts on the 2-1 win over Leyton Orient

Jon Palmer · 16 Feb 2020, 16:41

Can be read here: http://bit.ly/VerdictOrient" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

16 Feb 2020, 17:10

Far exceeded all pre-season expections JP?! I seem to recall the general consensus in the summer was a top half finish as the target, we still need 8+ points to achieve that. Point being if we finish top seven then I think we can make that statement, before feels a little too soon.

Also since when does budget dictate where you finish in this league? I recognise ourselves and Crewe won't have top seven budgets unlike a lot of our rivals but this is a league where anyone can beat anyone and has seen Wycombe/Accy finish top three with bottom six budgets in recent times.

Malabus · 16 Feb 2020, 18:35

Robin wrote:Far exceeded all pre-season expections JP?! I seem to recall the general consensus in the summer was a top half finish as the target, we still need 8+ points to achieve that. Point being if we finish top seven then I think we can make that statement, before feels a little too soon.

Also since when does budget dictate where you finish in this league? I recognise ourselves and Crewe won't have top seven budgets unlike a lot of our rivals but this is a league where anyone can beat anyone and has seen Wycombe/Accy finish top three with bottom six budgets in recent times.

Before yesterday game, I was hopeful for a top seven finish, now I believe we will finish in the top seven.

Hubert Parry · 16 Feb 2020, 19:42

Whatever happens for the rest of this season, we've far exceeded expectations. I had us down for a low midtable finish at best.

Ben3 · 16 Feb 2020, 20:00

I thought we would win the league - I posted that I thought we would win the league. I bet that we would win the league.

I bet each way as I thought we'd be at least top three

It hasn't exceeded my expectations. I based my expectations on the appalling quality of opposition last season (my opinion is that it had improved slightly this year); faith in duff; and faith in our core squad players.

What will be will be of course

17 Feb 2020, 13:02

Hubert Parry wrote:Whatever happens for the rest of this season, we've far exceeded expectations. I had us down for a low midtable finish at best.

I recognise that you personally may have predicted lower mid-table Hubert but the general consensus on here was that we would improve and top half was a realistic target. That mirrors my own interactions with other fans, nobody really thought we would struggle but equally nobody truly expected top seven. Ergo absolutely nothing has been achieved as yet and if we fall away and finish mid-table it's not correct to state this season will have "exceeded expectations" they will have simply been met.

Ihearye · 17 Feb 2020, 13:39

love a good debate.... then given what you say, is it not fair at this moment in time to say we are exceeding expectations ? - equally nobody truly expected top seven.

Ben3 · 17 Feb 2020, 14:06

I did

Can't be bothered to trawl back through but the messages will be there. Based on quality of opposition last year

17 Feb 2020, 16:52

Ihearye wrote:love a good debate.... then given what you say, is it not fair at this moment in time to say we are exceeding expectations ? - equally nobody truly expected top seven.

Yes absolutely we are exceeding expectations right now, I'm just being cautious that nothing has been achieved yet, including a top half finish. The sooner we are over 62 points then the target becomes 72+ and finishing in the top seven, break that then we are looking at the top three, so on and so on. Important we don't rest on our laurels and let standards drop just to be content with a mid-table finish after the last 5 years or so of general under achievement.

17 Feb 2020, 16:57

By the way if you flip the question what are most peoples expectations for the remainder of the season, mine would be to secure a top seven finish and hopefully sneak into the automatic spots. Does anyone truly expect a mid-table finish from here on in?

Hubert Parry · 17 Feb 2020, 17:31

It depends on what you class as midtable. I think we are just as likely to finish outside of the playoffs as we are in them, the league is very tight and there are usually one or two teams who drop towards the end and one or two who make a late charge. This season has been a success whatever happens here on in. We are playing some of the best football we have ever seen from Cheltenham.

Shade · 17 Feb 2020, 18:08

I would like to think we have had our dip with a few defeats and a lot of draws over the last couple of months, and find ourselves coming out of it 9 points off top with a game in hand. I would be disappointed not to make the play-offs but certainly not angry or blaming anyone (unless someone is very much to blame) if we miss out.

17 Feb 2020, 18:15

Good question. I would look at mid-table as teams who largely are not threatening either end of the table come the final few months. So you could say 10th-16th in terms of league position but it's fluid in that if you are 10th and miss out on play offs by just a few points then I wouldn't go on league position. Equally if you finish 8th and miss out by 7 points it's really just a mid-table finish. Certainly a lot of room for interpretation.

17 Feb 2020, 18:17

Shade wrote:I would like to think we have had our dip with a few defeats and a lot of draws over the last couple of months, and find ourselves coming out of it 9 points off top with a game in hand. I would be disappointed not to make the play-offs but certainly not angry or blaming anyone (unless someone is very much to blame) if we miss out.

I think this is a good perspective. I cannot imagine there would be anger should we fail to make the top seven but I would feel disappointment for the simple fact we've been in the top five almost all season and quite frankly I feel we are a better team than the likes of Port Vale/Northampton who would need to sneak in for us to miss out.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 17 Feb 2020, 18:51

Robin wrote:By the way if you flip the question what are most peoples expectations for the remainder of the season, mine would be to secure a top seven finish and hopefully sneak into the automatic spots. Does anyone truly expect a mid-table finish from here on in?

I expect us to finish in our current position.

Top three would a surprise and a monumental feat unless two sides bottle it (you can see one of them doing it but not two).

To miss out on top 7 would be a disappointment based on the season so far, even if top ten would have been viewed as positive before the season starts.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 17 Feb 2020, 18:53

Robin wrote:Good question. I would look at mid-table as teams who largely are not threatening either end of the table come the final few months. So you could say 10th-16th in terms of league position but it's fluid in that if you are 10th and miss out on play offs by just a few points then I wouldn't go on league position. Equally if you finish 8th and miss out by 7 points it's really just a mid-table finish. Certainly a lot of room for interpretation.

Simplest interpretation is to say the top 8, middle 8, and bottom 8. Ie top third, middle third, or bottom third.

17 Feb 2020, 20:10

RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:
Robin wrote:By the way if you flip the question what are most peoples expectations for the remainder of the season, mine would be to secure a top seven finish and hopefully sneak into the automatic spots. Does anyone truly expect a mid-table finish from here on in?
I expect us to finish in our current position.

Top three would a surprise and a monumental feat unless two sides bottle it (you can see one of them doing it but not two).

To miss out on top 7 would be a disappointment based on the season so far, even if top ten would have been viewed as positive before the season starts.

Pretty much matches my thoughts RCS. I do feel top three is possible though if we can hit a good run of form, win our games in hand and most likely beat Exeter at our place. Clearly won't be easy but still possible if we win 8, draw 4 and lose 2 of our remaining games.

Horteng · 18 Feb 2020, 07:36

I expect us to make the play offs now at the very least. It would be a disaster after all this hard work and current position not to make them. Top 3 would be great

Ihearye · 18 Feb 2020, 07:43

would hate to think we would drop out of the playoff spots. Also hope to maintain the dream of a top 3. You only have to look down the road to see how strange this league is. They could hardly buy a win these last few months, yet are only 6 points of the play offs

Nesty · 18 Feb 2020, 09:20

I think the comments above are spot on. If I had to sum it up, I would say that our expectations have changed as the season evolves, at the beginning mid table would have been seen as acceptable, but now we would be disappointed if we miss out on the playoffs