Two massive games left in January

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 11 Jan 2020, 17:26

Crewe away and Bradford away the last two scheduled fixtures of January. Big tests.

Malabus · 11 Jan 2020, 17:33

We can hold our own. Nothing to fear.

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RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 11 Jan 2020, 17:40

Yes, if we come through those two undefeated then we will definitely be a top three contender - although we may find ourselves adrift of Plymouth if we don’t win either game.

Artemis · 11 Jan 2020, 17:59

Am i right in thinking that we haven't lost away since 3rd September in a tin pot trophy 1-0 defeat at Exeter, and not in the league since 31st August at Crawley in another 1-0 defeat? And our only other away defeat was also a 1-0 reverse at Orient in the season opener. If so, that's some record.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 11 Jan 2020, 18:07

We have only conceded 7 goals away from home all season.

Won 4, drawn 7, lost 2.

11 Jan 2020, 18:11

I'd take a guaranteed three points from the next two if offered it now. Along with Swindle these are probably two of our most difficult remaining fixtures so getting could be pivotal for top three.

Shade · 11 Jan 2020, 18:19

Yes, two away defeats in the first 3 away games of the season by 1-0, and then two home defeats against FGR and Plymouth. Only Exwter have lost as few and we have the best defence again tonight as well.

With May, and Varney coming back soon hopefully, we're looking strong again - keeping it out at one end and sticking them in the net at the other.

If we were to win at Crewe and Bradford then I will be putting money on us to finish top 3. I'd take two draws though.

Shade · 11 Jan 2020, 18:20

Robin wrote:I'd take a guaranteed three points from the next two if offered it now. Along with Swindle these are probably two of our most difficult remaining fixtures so getting could be pivotal for top three.

We've got three in a row against FGR, Exeter and Swindon at the end of Mwrch and start of April.

11 Jan 2020, 18:34

Exeter at home though and to be honest they didn't look great at their place. Bradford/Swindle/Crewe the three best sides I've seen us play.

Shade · 13 Jan 2020, 12:34

They're still second, six points clear of us and the only team to have lost as few as us. They can't be there by accident. I'm sure a few teams that have played us over the last couple of months have probably said we don't look like a team that should be third.

Nham68 · 13 Jan 2020, 12:54

Wonder if Doyle being recalled to Bradford will change dynamics ..
Swindon lose their goal machine , can Bradford replicate his success ?

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 13 Jan 2020, 12:57

In March Exeter play Crewe, Plymouth and Bradford. Three draws would suit us fine.

Shade · 13 Jan 2020, 15:04

If Swindon hadn't scored 3 against Crewe without Doyle at the weekend then I'd have been half-tempted to say we could still win the league if all our injuries come back soon and stay fit.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 13 Jan 2020, 15:26

Shade wrote:If Swindon hadn't scored 3 against Crewe without Doyle at the weekend then I'd have been half-tempted to say we could still win the league if all our injuries come back soon and stay fit.

Win our game in hand and win at their gaff and there is three points in it ceteris paribus.

Malabus · 13 Jan 2020, 17:16

Robin wrote:Exeter at home though and to be honest they didn't look great at their place. Bradford/Swindle/Crewe the three best sides I've seen us play.

Bradford were the best opposition we played at home in my opinion.

ctfc-fan · 13 Jan 2020, 18:37

I’ve been wondering why Bradford would let Swindon keep hold of Doyle for so long.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 13 Jan 2020, 18:45

ctfc-fan wrote:I’ve been wondering why Bradford would let Swindon keep hold of Doyle for so long.

Hopefully it ends in tears for both clubs. Judging by what Doyle said in December, it might:

“Doyle told BBC Points West in December: "I don't think I suit them [Bradford], they don't suit me, and this is where I want to be.

"It's a season-long loan, it was made clear to me at the start of the season.

"I want to be here. I'm not being nasty or anything - I hope Bradford go up as well. I just hope I'm doing it with Swindon and they're doing it off their own back."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51037028" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

longmover · 13 Jan 2020, 21:19

Christ, Bradford must be bad to 'want' to stay in Swindon

Huw Jarse · 13 Jan 2020, 21:23

[FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY][FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

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Andy · 14 Jan 2020, 19:13

ctfc-fan wrote:I’ve been wondering why Bradford would let Swindon keep hold of Doyle for so long.

Because sadly loans now are no longer short term so the only time to recall was in a window.

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RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 17 Jan 2020, 22:21

Hopefully the goals dry up for Swindon and the fact Doyle doesn’t want to play for Bradford disrupts their camp.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 18 Jan 2020, 16:53

Failed the first of January’s tests. Looks like Plymouth will be too far ahead of us to think about top three now. If we get no result at Bradford then we not even be in the top seven by the time the Easter triple whammy comes around.

Ben3 · 18 Jan 2020, 17:09

RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:Failed the first of January’s tests. Looks like Plymouth will be too far ahead of us to think about top three now. If we get no result at Bradford then we not even be in the top seven by the time the Easter triple whammy comes around.

Fair play RCS that is absolutely hilarious, even by your absurd standards.

I'm not going to indulge you by arguing, just genuinely laughing so hard right now.

Shade · 20 Jan 2020, 13:53

We've gone 8th to 3rd to 7th. We're not playing teams in the top 6 every week. We will finish in the play-offs but top 3 will be too much to ask for I feel, unless we do get Varney back fully fit and we can sneak wins against teams above us.

Nesty · 20 Jan 2020, 17:06

whatever happens we have done incredibly well

20 Jan 2020, 23:31

Nesty wrote:whatever happens we have done incredibly well

Big improvement and enjoyable season so far but if we somehow fail to make the top seven it would be very disappointing.

Hubert Parry · 21 Jan 2020, 09:14

Would it though? There seems to be a top batch of 9/10 teams and at no point this season have we looked unassailable in the top 7. Anything in the top half would be far from a disappointing season.

Benctfc · 21 Jan 2020, 12:54

Exactly its crazy to say anything other than top 7 would be disappointing! If we finish in the top 10 that would mark a good season especially when you consider how poor the past few football league seasons have been.

We are a small club in this league and are punching above our weight we have no right to be a top 7 club enjoy it while it lasts because it wont be often we have a manager the calibre of our current one.

21 Jan 2020, 15:56

Benctfc wrote:We are a small club in this league and are punching above our weight we have no right to be a top 7 club

Uh-oh... You know that's a Trigger, don't you...?

21 Jan 2020, 16:20

I look forward to Ben and Hubert celebrating a glorious tenth place finish then. In all seriousness I would have taken tenth at the start of the season but considering we've been competing for the top three for almost half a season I do find it odd how you can say it wouldn't be disappointing should we not be in the top seven. As for small club you could say the same about FGR/Colchester/Exeter/Crewe who are also up there, it means little.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 21 Jan 2020, 16:32

Hubert Parry wrote:Would it though? There seems to be a top batch of 9/10 teams and at no point this season have we looked unassailable in the top 7. Anything in the top half would be far from a disappointing season.

Once you have something in your grasp or sights then of course it is disappointing to lose it.

Before the season top ten would have been great. But having spent a long time in the top seven then it would be disappointing not to keep that place.

Bradford and Crewe both play tonight.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 21 Jan 2020, 22:08

Crew and Cobblers both draw. Colchester draw with Bradford to overtake us and push into 8th but we don’t lose much ground at all.

Benctfc · 21 Jan 2020, 22:33

Pretty decent set of results tonight shame Crewe got a last minute equaliser. It is frustrating that we are going to have a back log of games. I see the Newport game ended up getting called after we had to cancel our match against them again! I also read somewhere if Exeter with their next EFL trophy round and get to the final our match against them on the Saturday will need to re-arranged due to it clashing with the date of the final!

Ben3 · 22 Jan 2020, 07:45

Yes good results, it's just a shame Plymouth are so far out of sight that we have no chance of making the top three (as they sit 3 points ahead of us - in FOURTH

)

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 13 Jun 2020, 16:35

Ben3 wrote:
RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:Failed the first of January’s tests. Looks like Plymouth will be too far ahead of us to think about top three now. If we get no result at Bradford then we not even be in the top seven by the time the Easter triple whammy comes around.
Fair play RCS that is absolutely hilarious, even by your absurd standards.

I'm not going to indulge you by arguing, just genuinely laughing so hard right now.

Just bumping this thread because we haven’t heard from Ben3 for a while. My fears in January were that lack of wins in the run of big games would mean we couldn’t catch Plymouth, and so it proved to be, despite Ben’s scepticism. A couple more points from the fixtures mentioned above and we would be planning for L1 already instead of the Pilgrims.