Why have we had two consecutive seasons of form collapse near the seasons end ?

[Sammy Chung was King]

Does our managers way of doing things change or are our players still mentally not the strongest when pressures comes to bare?. To me we have been top of a very poor league for so long that just like a horse that needs company in the finishing we have slowly allowed the 'chasing pack' to come back to us after going off too fast as a front runner.

We have lost to some very poor sides of late dropped points to sides we shouldn't have. In my opinion we have been where we are for so long due to our midfield and attack. The defence is at best just below play-off standard in this league. As good as our midfield is technically we are too nice in there off the ball. We are too heavily reliant on Marquis-Mandeville hasn't come back as the same player-Williams is in the middle of a midlife crisis and we have been relying on a guy who needs time to adapt to get us goals here and there in Alfie May. That wasn't the plan when he was signed to be reliant on him as back up so soon after jumping all those leagues in standard. As the season as gone on and on i have been less and less impressed with our goalkeepers- average at best for me.

I don't think we need wholesale changes but we do need some players prepared to do the dirty work off the ball. We need to build a different defence for next season. Butler for me is a back up at that level-Baudry as much as we rate him was signed from a side regularly struggling in that league at the time. Left back we have had quite a few stop gaps in there i think everybody agrees we need a new left back even if Garratt steps upto the position. Right back we might need another specialist in there Blair is wasted at full back-Alcock is our specialist in that position if we don't sign anybody else then Mitchell Lund has to prove he's good enough.

When the manager signed Conor Grant as good a player as he is i think it made the midfield not function as well. Tommy Rowe was pushed wide when i think he would have had a massive season for us this year. He was shunted sideways to acommodate Grant and Coppinger at different times. The manager for me talked Grant up too much he hasn't shown anywhere near enough to justify the praise Ferguson gave him before he started a game. We have the core of a good side we miss some physically and mentally stronger players to add to what we have.
For next season-Goalkeepers-1 out-1 in . Defenders -1 centre back-1 left back-1 right back. Midfield-1 winger-1 defensive midfielder. Strikers 1 of these=7 players to come in for me.

[SydneyRover]

I remember when I took my finals exams at school the relief was enormous, if I had had to work on another supplementary subject following that I'm not sure I would have had the concentration or anything else to cope with it. I know these guys are professionals but all the same they have been through a lot and I can understand the position they're in.

[esdailles left foot]

Good points

[roversdude]

  what Sammy said

[idler]

Maybe a combination of things. The players relief at going up after beating Mansfield. The following pitch invasion and thinking mission accomplished.
The manager changing the team or tactics. Added together enough to just take us off the rails. It was so near but if Plymouth slip we have to be in a position to take advantage. Finish the season on a high. It will make the close season a bit better for fans and players.

[Chris Black come back]

When we got promoted we were effectively seven points clear of Plymouth with only a few games left. Just to have picked up one further win would have probably sent us over the line. Piss poor that we could not but such is life.

[dickos1]

Last season we won 2 drew 2 and lost 1 of our remaining 5 games.
How is that a collapse?

[drfchound]

It was the nineteen or so games before the last five that was the problem.

[dickos1]

Exactly

[eastender]

Exactly

Too little too late .

[drfchound]

I still class a run of 19 defeats from 24 as an end of season (second half of season) collapse.

[dickos1]

Exactly

Too little too late .

Of course it was,
But it wasn't an end of season collapse was it? It was a mid season collapse that got better at the end. The complete opposite of this season.
Which is why it can't be compared

[dickos1]

I still class a run of 19 defeats from 24 as an end of season (second half of season) collapse.

Well by that reckoning how can you class this season as an end of season collapse? If you're including 24 games, then we've won 12, drawn 7, lost 5.
Not really a collapse is it

[drfchound]

Yes, of course it is.
You will argue for the sake of it sometimes so i will leave it there.

[Alan Southstand]

Sammy, there is no way we will bring in 7 players in the summer. I agree we need improving and in every department, but do you seriously think it is going to be commercially viable? Don't forget, also, that the manager has already said there will not be the quantity but we will be getting in quality.

We know that Mason is almost done, so there's one for starters. Houghton could be number 2 and Grant a possible third. I can't see there being many more 'quality' signings, possibly a couple more and that will be it.

The thing that concerns me is if those 3 are indeed signed, they are all midfielders. We still desperately need a left back, a striker and arguably a CB. That would mean 6 incomings which is not that far off your 7. So, either we are not going to sign Mason, Houghton and Grant but maybe get 2 out of 3. Then add to those 2 the LB, CB and striker and we have 5.

The unknown quantity, for me, is how we count the new signings - I.e. Are loans counted as part of the total? If not, then I could see us indeed getting in 7.

The players leaving are just as interesting and I can see ATS, Evina, Etheridge, Keegan and McSheffrey all leaving which would go some way to help balance the books. I think there may be a question about Williams for next season and I could see him being used as a part-ex deal.

Whatever happens, the manager needs to make his choices as much based on mental strength as much as physical, as we still have players way short in this department.

[Sammy Chung was King]

Sammy, there is no way we will bring in 7 players in the summer. I agree we need improving and in every department, but do you seriously think it is going to be commercially viable? Don't forget, also, that the manager has already said there will not be the quantity but we will be getting in quality.

We know that Mason is almost done, so there's one for starters. Houghton could be number 2 and Grant a possible third. I can't see there being many more 'quality' signings, possibly a couple more and that will be it.

The thing that concerns me is if those 3 are indeed signed, they are all midfielders. We still desperately need a left back, a striker and arguably a CB. That would mean 6 incomings which is not that far off your 7. So, either we are not going to sign Mason, Houghton and Grant but maybe get 2 out of 3. Then add to those 2 the LB, CB and striker and we have 5.

The unknown quantity, for me, is how we count the new signings - I.e. Are loans counted as part of the total? If not, then I could see us indeed getting in 7.

The players leaving are just as interesting and I can see ATS, Evina, Etheridge, Keegan and McSheffrey all leaving which would go some way to help balance the books. I think there may be a question about Williams for next season and I could see him being used as a part-ex deal.

Whatever happens, the manager needs to make his choices as much based on mental strength as much as physical, as we still have players way short in this department.

Houghton for me would be a new signing as i'm basing it on what we have right now. I think one in each section who is a bit better at the physical side. Then we either sign Mason and Grant or their replacements. It might not be as much as seven it depends on how highly the manager rates his back up players for me not many have impressed when given a chance.

[ballysbackin]

Out of the three listed for me it would be Houghton and Mason and save money on Grant

[steve@dcfd]

Because of Houghton's injury I believe we will try and loan him within the first transfer window. He should then prove he has the fitness and sign him in the second transfer window.

[RedJ]

That's what he said in the DFP.

[ballysbackin]

We have had the same dogmatic manager

[steve@dcfd]

Who will bark out the tactics next season hopefully taking the lead towards the Championship.

[ballysbackin]

I do hope so but that is next season. We still in this season. WHICh I hope will return us home as Champions tomorrow