Fans Panel 2016: lowpoint – chairman’s remarks, highpoint – the youngsters
We’ve asked six members of our forum for their thoughts on a number of issues – next up are the highs and lows of the season so far…
Take it away panel…
Your rating for the season?
Taking all the marks into consideration, the average rating is:
5.5 out of 10
Jacko51: Up to the end of September, 7. Since then, 5
mr.hobblesworth: We started off about 8 and it is currently around 4 so I’ll meet in the middle and give a 6.
PV1973: 6.5. I expected us to have struggled with such a huge clear-out and back room changes. So, to be within touching distance of the play-offs is a bonus. Whether we get there is another thing though. There’s been some very poor performances and there’s obviously a lot of room for improvement, but I think we’ve got a solid base to build on.
Stupers: 4. I was in favour of a reshuffle at the club and I actually think a few of the players brought in have been excellent moves that should bear fruit in years to come. But the manager gets it wrong from the start a lot of the time. Some of the football has been hard to watch.
Family Stand Terrier: 5. The start of the season was a surprise to many, so it would have been around the 8 mark. The last two months has been a huge disappointment though, so to find ourselves in 17th it would be hard to justify anything over 5.
Robbie Earle’s Perm: It’s really tough as I’m pretty much split between the outstanding start and the current awful run. I would rate up to October as 9/10 and since then as 3/10 so being fair I would say 6/10 to date (5.5 if you accept half marks!). The next month really is a critical period in the season. We will either find ourselves back on the cusp of the play-offs and entertaining a big gun in the fourth round of the cup (glass half-full) or facing a full on scrap for survival and a spanking at Huddersfield (slightly less-full!).
Low point of the season so far?
The chairman boasting about how he drove Rob Page and some of the previous players out of the club was pretty unedifying…
Jacko51: That game at Bramall Lane where the Blunts had the ball in our net eight times. Embarrassing. Failing to beat the bottom two, Oldham and Shrewsbury, was very disappointing.
mr.hobblesworth: Bury away, both on and off the pitch. The chairman boasting about how he drove Rob Page and some of the previous players out of the club was pretty unedifying too.
PV1973: Pre-season was a terrible time with the amount of changes, not helped by our chairman’s comments. Coupled with that was the worrying recruitment policy, luckily some have worked out, but there are a few who either aren’t up to it or need more time. We can’t afford that type of recruitment policy in my opinion. I thought we were steadily building something under Page so to see us go back to square one again was disappointing.
Bruno’s defensive team selections (look no further than playing 3 left backs at the same time) and his reluctance to change tactics at times has made us predictable. Some of the performances we’ve seen have been dire, especially away, but also a large chunk of the home matches for the first 45 mins or so. Lets try to start the games on the front foot. Why do we start games slowly?
Stupers: Hmmm, the abject performances in too many games. Our forward play has been poor most weeks and Paterson has been a horrendous signing. The sheer amount of great chances we give the opposition. The feeling of apathy in the fanbase is the biggest one for me though. Here was a great opportunity to reinvigorate the fanbase with new players, new manager and a new direction for the club. It feels like we’ve blown it.
Family Stand Terrier: Away form, culminating in Wimbledon on Saturday which just epitomised how poor we’ve been for some time now. Hats off to the 261 fans that travelled down for it. I was expecting about 100 all things considered.
Robbie Earle’s Perm: The away form in its entirety. Even when we won at MK Dons we barely deserved to. Most of what I have seen is down to our lack of intensity and desire to be on the front foot and the isolation of the front man.
High point of the season so far?
Whatever doubts I have about Bruno, he’s been keen to blood the youngsters in important positions which will surely benefit the club in the long run…
Jacko51: Beating leaders Scunthorpe and an excellent performance against Millwall.
mr.hobblesworth: Pre-season, the influx of new players was exciting. On the pitch, the home games against Scunthorpe and Millwall were good. Cicilia coming good has been quite pleasing too.
PV1973: The early part of the season seeing us in the top six and initially dispelling fans’ concerns, the Scunthorpe victory, Bruno giving younger players a chance bodes well for our youth development system and the partnership of Smith and Streete. Our comebacks in some games have showed team spirit and commitment that fans love (can we have that for ninety minutes please).
Stupers: The play of some of the younger players. Whatever doubts I have about Bruno, he’s been keen to blood the youngsters in important positions which will surely benefit the club in the long run. We’ve picked up points when we haven’t deserved to as well, which is usually the sign of a good team!
Family Stand Terrier: Nathan Smith emerging from the youth system. We don’t get many young local lads coming through these days, so to see Nathan become a first team regular is great for him, and the club.
Robbie Earle’s Perm: The start to the season. Riding high in the play-off positions, playing teams off the park at home, two free-scoring centre-halves and the emergence of Alex Jones who arrived to less than a fanfare but has proven a great asset.