Pre season: The law of inverse proportion. | Vital Football

Pre season: The law of inverse proportion.

I wouldn't be surprised to find there is absolutely no discernible pattern.

But as a previously lapsed supporter can I give an example from my Spanish 2nd division team. About 10 years ago they tore it up in pre-season including, the week before the season started, an absolute rout of La Liga side Real Betis. So good was the football on display that there were involuntary standing ovations during play from the approving crowd.

Five weeks into the season the manager was sacked.

I've never been to a friendly since.
 
MaineRoad_96 said:
Not sure it’s even that EB, it’s just a massive sense of entitlement has pervaded some of our fanbase, based on hardly seeing us lose for the last three years. A few are going to come back to Earth with a bump this season.
Click to expand...

If we can finish 6 places higher , 19th, that's good progress.
Higher than that is very good.
Into the top half will be an excellent achievement and well in excess of our financial means.

Surviving this season will be priority and try and add another fund- raising cup run which will help towards a more competitive 2nd season in League One.
 
buckielugger said:
If we can finish 6 places higher , 19th, that's good progress.
Higher than that is very good.
Into the top half will be an excellent achievement and well in excess of our financial means.

Surviving this season will be priority and try and add another fund- raising cup run which will help towards a more competitive 2nd season in League One.
Click to expand...
Have to agree with this. Can't quite believe that it seems de rigeur to expect us to be achieving a play off place at the end of the season at the very least! We'll do what we can with what we have, hopefully over achieve and build from there. This expectation on us to win every match is bonkers. Just enjoy league one I say. I for one will be doing, and have realism in mind.
 
No worries about pre-season or the upcoming season from me. Looking forward to a mid table finish with a few upsets along the way. Pre-season matches are glorified training sessions and nothing can be judged until 10 games into the season - everyone knows this. A Cowley team thrive as the underdog and when under pressure. They play at a high tempo, with aggression and will to win vital to the game-plan. This makes up a high percentage of how they play and win. These traits disappeared after the Macclesfield game in the Conference, and again after the Cheltenham game last season and are hard to replicate in friendlies.
Forget budgets, duff training pitches, lack of players or any other diversion. Once the competition starts the Cowleys will have it right.
 
In the predict the final league table thread I went for us finishing 6th as heart over-ruled head. If that comes to pass it would be a magnificent season. If we finish 20th come May the 1st it would still be a great achievement
Pre-season means very little. No point in peaking before the proper games start.
Anyway it's only a mere 3 years ago that we were planning for DC's first competitive match as our manager away at Woking.
Now some fans seem to be moaning that we'll clearly struggle in our LEAGUE games against Sunderland, Ipswich, Portsmouth etc.....
I'm going to enjoy the season either way it goes
 
Higher than 8th, I will be surprised and delighted.
Lower than 18th, I will be shocked and disappointed.
Anywhere in between, would do me. Be nice to turn some of the pesky home draws in to wins.
 
MaineRoad_96 said:
Not sure it’s even that EB, it’s just a massive sense of entitlement has pervaded some of our fanbase, based on hardly seeing us lose for the last three years. A few are going to come back to Earth with a bump this season.
Click to expand...
One below average season will free up some off street parking, and I'll be able to spend an extra hour with my old pa on a Saturday morning!
 
WellingtonImp said:
Higher than 8th, I will be surprised and delighted.
Lower than 18th, I will be shocked and disappointed.
Anywhere in between, would do me. Be nice to turn some of the pesky home draws in to wins.
Click to expand...

Last season it seemed nearly the whole division was battling relegation right up to near the end, with about 1 point separating everyone (about!).
So we can certainly expect to be in the mix for most of the season.

And let's be clear, staying up is just the same as being promoted from Lge2 again!
We are in Lge1. Enjoy.
 
buckielugger said:
Last season it seemed nearly the whole division was battling relegation right up to near the end, with about 1 point separating everyone (about!).
So we can certainly expect to be in the mix for most of the season.

And let's be clear, staying up is just the same as being promoted from Lge2 again!
We are in Lge1. Enjoy.
Click to expand...

And when I say enjoy, that includes some enjoyable moaning too ?
 
elkimp said:
No worries about pre-season or the upcoming season from me. Looking forward to a mid table finish with a few upsets along the way. Pre-season matches are glorified training sessions and nothing can be judged until 10 games into the season - everyone knows this. A Cowley team thrive as the underdog and when under pressure. They play at a high tempo, with aggression and will to win vital to the game-plan. This makes up a high percentage of how they play and win. These traits disappeared after the Macclesfield game in the Conference, and again after the Cheltenham game last season and are hard to replicate in friendlies.
Forget budgets, duff training pitches, lack of players or any other diversion. Once the competition starts the Cowleys will have it right.
Click to expand...

Danny himself admitted before the home game with Colchester that he's never managed a team that's won a dead rubber. His teams step up a gear when the pressure is on, but that vital ingredient is always absent when there is nothing at stake.

Expect a vastly better Lincoln team to turn up on Saturday.
 
What was the seasonw when we smashed Villa's first team (almost exactly the same side that played in their Europa League game shortly after)? We were pretty rubbish the following season, iirc.
 
Just checked, it was 2008, the "magnificent 7" season. Even Stefan Oakes looked good in pre-season. Needless to say, we achieved nothing of note that year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.