Realistic expectations kicking in

[smithie]

Tranmere in 7th place have 34 points, and we're 8 points behind them on 26.

 

It's reasonable to assume that 70 points would be the minimum needed to make that 7th spot. To achieve that embarrassingly-modest goal, realistically we'd need to win 13/14 wins and some draws. Anything north of 70 points would surely be too much for any team currently mid-table.

 

So the question is, do we have a chance of getting those wins or not?

[darren1810]

I'd have to be the pessimist/ negative , and say no Smithie.

Saturday was the perfect example , we are just too inconsistent.

 

You don't envisage us going to the likes of Lincoln or MK and getting anything. Most of the top 7 have beaten us.

We are quite a bit short. 8 points at this moment in time isn't huge, but can we win 5 out of 7 for example.

It is possible but our inconsistency makes me think we'll beat Cheltenham but are then easily as likely to lose at Macc.

 

Would be nice come April to be say 5 or 6 points behind and even have a glimmer of hope rather than just fading into obscurity.

Also would be reflected in attendances.

[onestepatatime]

Tranmere in 7th place have 34 points, and we're 8 points behind them on 26.

 

It's reasonable to assume that 70 points would be the minimum needed to make that 7th spot. To achieve that embarrassingly-modest goal, realistically we'd need to win 13/14 wins and some draws. Anything north of 70 points would surely be too much for any team currently mid-table.

 

So the question is, do we have a chance of getting those wins or not?

 

Smithie, I'm a Libran and usually have a balanced view of things but on this one I sit on the fence(coward I know). I agree with Darren 1810 in so much that we, alongside many other Division 2 teams are very inconsistent. On our day yes we are capable of beating anyone but on another day we can be the worst team of the League.

 

 

Tactics and selections haven't helped either but we can't knock Aspin too much as he appears to have at least steadied the boat somewhat after the past couple of dreadful years. My gut reaction is that Aspin's failure to impose flair upon the squad , due to his well know dour, solid years as a player, are holding us back from being the team most fans want to see.

 

I want more, of course, don't we all? Being realistic mid table would be OK as long as the management accept that from there we need to kick on next season and give the fans something to cheer and support, home and away.

[Paul6754]

I think Vale will end up mid-table..ish, we are inconsistent and can beat any one in this league but at the same time in some positions Vale are just not good enough to be a promotion winning team.

 

For example, we don't have enough quality up front and hence don't make enough clear cut chances, also we rely on Popey too much. Miller in the first few games of the season looked to be exciting and would do the business but that's not turned out to be the case.

[Santa]

As things stand, there aren't enough goals in the side. We'd have to land on our feet massively in the window to add enough to get us anywhere near.

 

It's a two steps forward, one step back sort of season, which let's be honest is progress compared to what went on before.

[Biddulph_PV]

Absolutely no chance

[cheshirevaliant]

Tranmere in 7th place have 34 points, and we're 8 points behind them on 26.

 

It's reasonable to assume that 70 points would be the minimum needed to make that 7th spot. To achieve that embarrassingly-modest goal, realistically we'd need to win 13/14 wins and some draws. Anything north of 70 points would surely be too much for any team currently mid-table.

 

So the question is, do we have a chance of getting those wins or not?

 

No. As Darren1810 says, I'd take us taking it into the last month of the season with an outside chance, then have a proper go next year. That said, Tranmere weren't impressive at all when we played them, just marginally more impressive than us!

[mbycars]

Think most fans thought mid table to 10th position would have been seen as progress. When we get a couple of results that see us play well and closing towards the playoffs expectations increase. We then play below those expectations and some fans think we are not progressing. I don't feel we will finish any higher than 10th but I do think we will have a decent points haul that shows we have progressed. Its about building on that progress and adding the right players to get a promotion push next season.

[smithie]

I feel next season we must be promoted automatically, as we're otherwise looking at 4 years as a minimum in Division Four as the price paid for that foolish, foolish foreign experiment and subsequent disaster.

 

Plus, the play-offs means a 1-in-4 chance of actually going up so it's still a long shot.

 

I don't know how much more Yeovil, Crawley and Morecambe I can take.

[pjg1876]

Don’t think that there is much chance of us making the play-offs as we are too inconsistent compared with several teams above us. We’ve lost to 6 of the top 7 teams and I’m still not sure how we beat the other one in Bury. I think it will take at least 72, maybe 74, to get 7th place so 46-48 points from 25 games is almost top of the table form. Be nice though to improve on the first half of the season and produce some sort of challenge to build some momentum for next season.

[toyahw]

Anyone who has watched all the games will know, that with the players available anything above half way will be over achieving. Play offs, no chance. Don't forget where we are coming from. Avoiding the drop by the skin of our teeth.

[valefan16]

We are where i expected, currently ten clear of the drop and regularly picking up points in the main (2 losses in 8 league games, 2 away defeats in nearly four months)

 

We are gelling and starting to see improvements, we’ve scored 9 goals in 3 games essentially 7 from open play and the signs are positive.

 

It is a case of rebuilding and that will take some time, we will likely finish around 58-60 points based on our current trajectory and that would be 10-12 points better than a year ago, if we keep the good base then this summer and build on that hopefully we can make up another 10-12 points improvement again and be around the play offs.

 

Defensively we look good, a decent summer tweaking rather than overhauling and the gelled squad from this season with a couple of decent additions will surely then fair even better next year.

 

I will be honest and maybe this is the hurt of the past two years... i look at how Notts County are doing or whoever is 23rd and look at that gap rather than how far we are of 7th. It’s damaged the club and fans and will take time but if we can hit 50 points by March and experiment with different things for the last few games with a view to next season I will take that

 

Said all along 19/20 is the one where we should target success and where mid table in league would become less tolerable.