London Irish
Well-known member
After watching our first two games?
Having watched a few of our pre-season games, I reckoned we would finish about 10th. Having watched our games against Rotherham and the Gills, I still think that's where we will finish if we do not add some more quality to this squad of players.
Thing is, being someone who rates McGhee, I'd already factored in that he would do things that would give us a soft landing in this league - and he has done two significant things:
1) He has organised well a new line-up in defence that blends young legs and experience well, particularly creditworthy given the bad luck with Hinshelwood and Butters.
2) His gamble with the 4-3-3 formation has paid off, he correctly judged that it would get the best of Revell and nippier youngsters like Cox and Robinson, and he also correctly judged that the workrate of his forwards would not leave his 3 in midfield outnumbered and exposed.
Now I know there were some who were predicting we would have a relegation battle this season, if they have any sense they will be backtracking toot sweet, obviously. But I'm more interested in those who thought, like me, we would have a mid-table-ish finish. Have you seen enough that would now make you confident of a play-off challenge rather than mid-table?
I think what we have acheived is to beat probably a bottom 8 team away and probably a fellow mid-table team at home. Much sterner tests await where player class will be the determinant of results rather than clever tactical mixing and matching of players by McGhee. For me, we still lack that class.
I am hoping that McGhee slightly overacheiving with those players in these initial games will not take the pressure off the board in chasing new transfer targets. It would be easy now to sit back and say things are going smoothly.
Without an experienced targetman, I don't think we will be able to maintain the consistency that will deliver you a play-off place. It is pleasing we are at least targeting Parkin even if it doesn't end up coming off, Dick Knight and co must keep up the drive and ambition to deliver such a player to McGhee and the fans.
Having watched a few of our pre-season games, I reckoned we would finish about 10th. Having watched our games against Rotherham and the Gills, I still think that's where we will finish if we do not add some more quality to this squad of players.
Thing is, being someone who rates McGhee, I'd already factored in that he would do things that would give us a soft landing in this league - and he has done two significant things:
1) He has organised well a new line-up in defence that blends young legs and experience well, particularly creditworthy given the bad luck with Hinshelwood and Butters.
2) His gamble with the 4-3-3 formation has paid off, he correctly judged that it would get the best of Revell and nippier youngsters like Cox and Robinson, and he also correctly judged that the workrate of his forwards would not leave his 3 in midfield outnumbered and exposed.
Now I know there were some who were predicting we would have a relegation battle this season, if they have any sense they will be backtracking toot sweet, obviously. But I'm more interested in those who thought, like me, we would have a mid-table-ish finish. Have you seen enough that would now make you confident of a play-off challenge rather than mid-table?
I think what we have acheived is to beat probably a bottom 8 team away and probably a fellow mid-table team at home. Much sterner tests await where player class will be the determinant of results rather than clever tactical mixing and matching of players by McGhee. For me, we still lack that class.
I am hoping that McGhee slightly overacheiving with those players in these initial games will not take the pressure off the board in chasing new transfer targets. It would be easy now to sit back and say things are going smoothly.
Without an experienced targetman, I don't think we will be able to maintain the consistency that will deliver you a play-off place. It is pleasing we are at least targeting Parkin even if it doesn't end up coming off, Dick Knight and co must keep up the drive and ambition to deliver such a player to McGhee and the fans.
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