Time to take stockšŸ¤” | Vital Football

Time to take stockšŸ¤”

PerthImp

Vital Football Hero
With the enforced break of the next couple of weeks it gives us an opportunity to sit back and have a real think about how things are going in terms of recent performances and the new players, development of playing style, etc.
A few thoughts of mine, for what they are worth.
There is an algorithm in change management where you go through a process, graphically similar to the letter ā€˜Uā€™. First, thereā€™s the downward trend where many people get disheartened and almost feel lost with the uncertainty of everything, and they canā€™t see where itā€™s all going to end, or fear the worst. Then thereā€™s the ā€™bottoming outā€™ as things level off and stabilise and people start to slowly appreciate what is happening. Then, thereā€™s the upward trend as it all starts to come together and people can see the improvements and growth. Finally thereā€™s the upper ā€˜levelling outā€™ as performances improve and become more consistent - and everyone can breathe, smile and enjoy life again šŸ˜. That doesnā€™t always apply to football, but Iā€™m sure itā€™s a process MA and the Board have in mind.
Realistically, this was always going to be a difficult and uncertain time with so much change - almost a complete turnover in both players and playing style in mid-season, which is almost unheard of. Very brave, but necessary and the good thing is the way the season and the league table have panned out, they have probably taken advantage of the perfect timing in terms of risk/damage limitation. Bound to be an uncomfortable time for some of the players who start to question their place in the team going forward but you canā€™t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs (šŸ¤”).
There are undoubtedly those who fear the whole process (& I did at first to an extent) but you have to have faith in what MA and the Board are trying to achieve. Itā€™s about sustainability - for MA in terms of what is needed to develop the playing style towards survival and competing as equals if we get to the Championship, and, for the Board, growing the business financially and physically - neither is mutually exclusive and I think it is a very sensible and sound approach - much more so than the ā€™boom and bustā€™ approach adopted by many clubs with, often, unsurprising results. There are no guarantees - there never are in football - but I know which approach I prefer.
As for current expectations and performance/results, you canā€™t judge this team on the past three years, and you canā€™t change a team wholesale and expect superb team and individual performances overnight. It takes time to get players on the same wavelength in league games, let alone implement everything the manager wants. I fully expect to feel uncertain and uncomfortable at times, probably through to this time next year as MA is able to bring in the players good enough to adopt his desired playing style and consistently play it to a level good enough to challenge and play at the next level.
Patience, perspective and continued loyal support are the watchwords we have to keep in mind. It will be frustrating at times but I wouldnā€™t want to be anywhere else (well, metaphorically speaking given my location šŸ¤”). Under DC/NC we often heard about ā€œthe journeyā€ we were on. Well, the track ahead was blocked, we have taken another route, but we are still on a journey. Itā€™ll be unfamiliar for a while, and may be a bit bumpy occasionally, but just buckle up and grit your teeth folks - hopefully it will be worth the ride. (OK - enough cliches).
LCFC - 50 years and counting, through thick and thin. My hope (& dream) is to see them competing in the Championship as ā€˜their levelā€™. Several smaller clubs have achieved it - why not our beloved Imps.
UTI šŸ‘šŸ‘šŸ‘šŸ‘
 
What MA said a few days ago about the necessity to build a squad capable of staying in the Championship - not merely getting there - rings especially true.

What is the point of winning promotion, only to be relegated straight back again?

For instance, Tranmere scrambled back into the EFL via the play-offs, and there isn't a single Tranmere supporter who will regret that.

However, they also scrambled into League One at the first attempt - also via the play-offs - but this time they were very obviously not ready for the higher level. Whilst relegation is by no means certain at this stage, it will be a huge step backwards for them if it happens. It will have killed their momentum stone dead, and history shows that teams relegated to League Two often fare very poorly in the next couple of seasons: Hartlepool, Orient, Yeovil, Chesterfield and Tranmere themselves in recent years have all gone almost straight through to the National League, and Bury are in oblivion.

Promotion itself is not the be-all and end-all. Timing is of utmost importance.

On that basis, I would prefer to give the right manager - whom I believe to be Michael Appleton - the time to build the playing side in his own image and create a sustainable model in tandem with the financial capability of the club.

Anything else is short-termism of the worst kind.

Want to go back to Morecambe and Macclesfield?

Or to Welling and Woking?

Patience.
 
Re Tranmere, I know a team is more than one player, but personally I reckon the sale of Norwood had a bigger impact on them than they would admit. They need to find a replacement or they will be back in the NL.
 
last season plymouth were relegated with 50 points

another thing we had in our favour - aiding the drastic changes in january - was the fact that it is an unusual league this year. there was one less relegation place. add to that 2 places were effectively booked early by bolton and southend. leaving only tranmere, whose ppg is that of a usual bottom team.

so risk of relegation was much lower at the beginning of january, the transformation was most likely advanced due to this. i wonder if we would have made the same number of changes if we had been closer to the bottom end of the table.
 
le. add to that 2 places were effectively booked early by bolton and southend. leaving only tranmere, whose ppg is that of a usual bottom team.

Quite.

Tranmere have only scored 1 goal in their last 7 matches and only won 1 of their last 16 matches. Another 3 points by hook or by crook and avoiding defeat at PP will almost certainly see the Imps in the third tier next season.

Bolton are currently on course to be relegated in March and quite possibly Southend too.

It is highly likley the club finishing in 21st position this season will be well short of 50 points.
 
Quite.

Tranmere have only scored 1 goal in their last 7 matches and only won 1 of their last 16 matches. Another 3 points by hook or by crook and avoiding defeat at PP will almost certainly see the Imps in the third tier next season.

Bolton are currently on course to be relegated in March and quite possibly Southend too.

It is highly likley the club finishing in 21st position this season will be well short of 50 points.
I'll be surprised if Tranmere get to 40 points.

All things considered, it's a good season to be 'transitional'
 
Almost certainly not. A calculated risk. Whether or not we've made the best use of these fortunate circumstances will only be known in the fullness of time.

Spot on.
Club have banked something approaching a million in transfer fees, and whacked a whole pile more off the wage bill, and all done with the fairly certain calculation of staying up. What would have been the point of being say a million and a half or even two million worse off this season simply to finish a few places higher?

We can now have a much better budget for next season, or the one after, when we will be more likely to be able to mount a serious challenge for play offs.
 
Tranmere have quite a hard run in too, they play only 5 more home games compared to 8 away from Prenton.

Home

Fleetwood
Lincoln
MK Dons
Rotherham
Oxford

Away

Shrewsbury
Accrington
Blackpool
Rochdale
Wimbledon
Doncaster
Gillingham
Peterborough
 
Tranmere have quite a hard run in too, they play only 5 more home games compared to 8 away from Prenton.

Home

Fleetwood
Lincoln
MK Dons
Rotherham
Oxford

Away

Shrewsbury
Accrington
Blackpool
Rochdale
Wimbledon
Doncaster
Gillingham
Peterborough
I think if we're generous, they'll do well to pick up 17 points. The Imps are a point from safety.
 
The league table will look a little different when we next play as teams catch up. Assuming Blackpool & Shrewsbury beat Bolton & Tranmere in midweek they'll both overtake the Imps.
MKD are on a bit of a run, but don't see Rochdale or Wimbledon, and certainly not Tranmere catching us (although taking some points when we play those three will help!).