Here's a little question........

[mrfrostsdad]

So, with two games left we still have a chance of staying up. Nothing more than a miracle itself considering our run of 4 points from 16 games.
BUT! Given the players, and alleged budget we have, where should we have finished this season?
We're not worldbeaters by any stretch of the imagination but we shouldn't be where we are now.
Players like Stuckman, Butler, McCullogh, Coppinger, Tyson etc are good enough to have kept us out of trouble.

With the squad we've got, I'll go for 15th.

[DonnyOsmond]

Top 10.

[IDM]

Definitely top ten if not the play offs.

I make this opinion based on the period from after the away game at Peterborough to the home draw vs Gillingham.  That time we were in play off form, but recovering from where Dickov left us.  Had we continued that form and with a few additions to the squad then we should have been a top ten side -  no guarantee of play offs as results don't always follow form.

This is the shocker for me this season, the big contrast in form before and after the Stoke/Gillingham games in early January.

[NickDRFC]

I think top 10. The squad has been lacking depth all year (struggled when Tyson was injured/Williams out of form/Grant unfit or out of form) so I think you'd be hard pressed to say we should have been in the play offs. As you say the squad should have been good enough to keep us out of trouble, but they weren't good enough to mount a consistent charge towards the top (unless everyone had stayed fit and in form all year).

[Copps is Magic]

The players and squad we've had all season = exactly where we end up finishing. Anything else would be disingenuous.

The current squad we have now with the latest additions = top half, possibly top 10. Someway off a promotion squad though because there is not depth.

[mrfrostsdad]

So who's fault is it then?
Personally I don't think this squad is anywhere near good enough to finish in the top 10. We have too many players who are nowhere near good enough to be League 1 players, and too many who are way past their best.

 I also blame 2 piss poor managers and 'something' that happened early in the new year. God knows what that something was. Maybe a list of players who Ferguson didn't want as some people suggested. Maybe the players not agreeing with what Ferguson was trying to do (don't blame them) and like I said above, players who are not good enough.

And finally, the board. They took too long to sack Dickov, too long to appoint Ferguson, and didn't sack Ferguson when they should have done weeks and weeks ago.

Let's just hope we stay up so we have another chance to get it right next season

[IDM]

I blame the players- and to some extend the manager(s) - because they ARE good enough!

They proved that in Oct-Jan, and they are doing it again now.  yes, of course we can't expect that form all season otherwise we'd be nailed on for promotion/play offs.

But I maintain these players and the squad, including loanees, ARE good enough to be competitive in the top ten in this division.

The question is WHY the form dipped so badly this year?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Top half of course. Morally, I won that bet.

[wing commander]

   Where we finish is were we should be..simple as that...We have some very average players who just ar NOT good enough 40 odd games have proved that ..Week in/out they make the same mistakes,give the same stupid goals away,put in the same turgid rubbish...Rovers fans have always thought there heroes were better than what they actually are,ive been guilty of it myself...Class players always stand out and if I'm honest if we could release the lot..I probably would...

[DonnyNoel]

The league table doesn't lie in that it reflects all aspects of our performances this year (technical, physical, tactical and mental) but I really find it hard to stomach the "4 in 48" run compared to the form before and the form after (ie now). That's why I'd still contradict myself and say we should be a top half team with these players and with proper additions in January plus proper loans (not untried kids in key positions) we'd be there comfortably.

It's an unusual thing to say as a DRFC supporter since the late 80's but I genuinely think we've underachieved this year and either the players have tossed it off or the manager(s) haven't been up to it. Or both. Previous relegations have been gutting. This one may genuinely annoy me.

[mrfrostsdad]

It would totally piss me off Donny Noel

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Just couldn't see us anywhere but pushing for a play off place. Yes, could see us doing these mathematical gymnastics to finish in the play zone but never our League one status.

It is what it is and if we get out of this it will be remembered alongside our other achievements.

[mrfrostsdad]

Just shows how we think so differently. Some people saying we should be pushing for a play off place and others saying we are as bad as out league position shows.
God I hope we stay up!

[IDM]

There'a a difference between where we are - because that is a direct consequence of actual results - and where we could be had the players performed to their potential more often.

The fact that we could/should have beaten Wigan early in the season, that we got draws at Burton and Coventry and at home to Gillingham when all were pushing for promotion, and the last few games, shows that the players have that ability.  If the performances like Peterborough away for example were going to be as good as it gets, then we'd be 24th.

[nortikorner]

If we have had decent Refs then top two

[RobTheRover]

I think there was one thing I would point to as a major contributory factor.

Keshi Anderson's injury. With him in the side we looked irresistible.  Without him,  we looked laboured.  Further injuries didn't help,  and the confidence visibly drained from the players.

[Wokingviking]

When he first took over, Ferguson was quoted as saying, "Aye, there's definitely a team here" if I remember rightly, so surely he must admit he's failed?

[mushRTID]

12-16th for me. Defence too slow/not good enough and relying on one man for goals.

[NickDRFC]

I think there was one thing I would point to as a major contributory factor.

Keshi Anderson's injury. With him in the side we looked irresistible.  Without him,  we looked laboured.  Further injuries didn't help,  and the confidence visibly drained from the players.

Hmmm, not sure how irresistible we looked losing to Sheff Utd, Bradford and York!

[Metalmicky]

So who's fault is it then?

Yours - and your similarly negative son......