First 8 Games

[Deleted]

When the fixtures came out those 8 games looked difficult to build a platform for the season so we should have no complaints to be only 5 points off the top and only 1 defeat which defies logic as Woking were outplayed. Overall the league looks wide open and unless a team goes on a big winning run it is looking quite possible the title could be won with under 90 points if my maths is right there has been 30 drawn matches out of 92 played so virtually 33%. I believe RH is aiming for a top three spot as if we don't win it, the PO advantage is clearly to finish 2nd or 3rd if possible. At this moment I think promotion could be on, especially now we have a run of slightly easier fixtures coming up and hopefully can rack some points up. It looks like coming along under the radar so to speak has suited the squad, less pressure and just getting on with the job quietly. The football could be more exciting I agree but as that old saying keeps coming up....Rome wasn't built in a day........so far so good.....happy days.

[martfergie]

Baring in mind this team is still settling in together, plus we have injuries to Hoyle, Cresswell, Taylor, McCallum and Williamson. Taking this into account I am very very excited for this season. We have also had injuries to Stack and Reda. With a fully fit and gelled squad all fighting for RH and AH I totally believe we have a team capable of winning the league. Top 7 would be my aim baring in mind last season, but I believe with a little bit of luck we could win the league.

Very positive signs so far, a couple of players still coming back to fitness, and some great youth prospects coming through to play with the vast experience we have. It's the perfect mix for promotion in my opinion. Turning the draws into wins will come with time.

One thing is for sure though, this team are fighting for each other more than I've seen before. For that reason alone I feel this could be a special season for us.

[westendspitfire]

Agree that it is a good start, especially given the games that we have had, however I'm not quite as optimistic as you SOE.
With 4 of the big boys in the top 5 already I think it is going to be very tough for us to get in the top 5 let alone the top 3. Goals are very important in this league and D&R/LO & Aldershot are all up around 2 a game at the moment, if they maintain this then they are all capable of hitting the 90 point mark.
Given all the draws in the league we are actually closer to the relegation zone then the top and if you are right about the title being won with less then 90 it will also mean that the points required to avoid 21st spot will also be higher.
With the make up of the team I think we are where I expected us to be, a strong mid table team who are very difficult to beat and if we find someone to score us goals we will be challenging for a play off spot, if we don't then it will be a season in the middle as long as we don't suffer a lot of injuries.
Overall assessment a good start with cracking results against Tranmere and Leyton Orient along with a striker who has 4 already - less draws please :-)

[glenfish]

We've got a solid base to build on for sure. We're going to need to start winning though. So much competition for the top spots must include Aldershot and Dover? Yes we've had to improve massively with almost an entire new team, let's all hope we keep improving coz if we do then I feel that we'll be in the mix. Also Constabke starting to look good again, good luck to him!!

[bomber]

My concern is we desperately need someone up front who guarantees goals. With what we have at the moment, I never feel a win in my bones.

[Deleted]

Sept 4, 2017 18:19:43 GMT bomber said:

My concern is we desperately need someone up front who guarantees goals. With what we have at the moment, I never feel a win in my bones.

Such a player is gold dust and difficult to find. We will never find out I guess if we made enquiries about Dave Tarpey or Michael Cheek for example...maybe the price was too high, or they didn't want to come, but that is the sort we need to find. The thing is almost every striker who leaves EFC then goes and starts scoring elsewhere and that is a real puzzle. We've got to take a look at those scoring regularly at lower levels and take a chance. We seem to have a train of thought that players coming to EFC must have plenty of Football League experience to play at our level, so a young goal scorer at say step 3 or 4 would not be considered as he would be deemed not good enough to step up. Peterborough have never been afraid of taking an uncut diamond from lower league and bringing them through, there are players who made the step from League Two to Championship teams, though admittedly not many jump to Premier League, only Vardy and Deli spring to mind and they are now also International players as well. He's out there somewhere, there will be strikers who score 30+ league goals up and down the country as the season progresses...we ought to at least invite one or two for a weeks trial...but then maybe we do.....secretly!!!!

[nobadspitfire]

Agree with that, SOE. I've watched the Billericay v Didcot FA Cup game on BBC i player and I have to say it was very entertaining from both sides. OK, we know about what Ricay are up to, but they have some useful players there, not least Jake Robinson. Now he's approaching 32, which is probably too old to have a go at our level, but he scored a hatful at Hemel Hempstead last season & has now dropped down one step to play for Ricay. Callum McNish also impressed in midfield for Diddy in that game. I know he spent a short time with us on loan from Braintree a few years ago, can't recall if he played or not,  and since Braintree he has dropped down 3 levels, but there could be a few teams higher up the pyramid checking him out.

Yes, there are plenty of good players lower down out there who could make the grade with us, & SD assures us we have a scouting network in place to try to pick them up, but it is strange that we fans are rarely ware of us being interested in any. Jamie Cureton last season can't be counted as he was too well known anyway.Cav Miley is a rare exception to this & does look a promising player, but I agree with others who say our attack could do with pepping up a tad and I think we'd all get a bit excited to see someone in their mid 20s who have a good record 1,2, or 3 steps below us come and be given a chance.


Later...........I forgot one player who did fill the criteria.......Scott Wilson. Think it was his decision to leave, plying his trade at Macclesfield now.

[back4more]

I agree it would be great to pick up a golden nugget from the Southern League or similar level. I suspect what limits the practicality of that might be that we are not really running a full blown second string which would provide the opportunity to take players on based purely on their perceived potential at National League level and give them games. As long as the club is happy to fund the recruitment of players with higher league credentials, whether they be younger loan players like Sam Matthews or older players with regular playing experience at a higher level, then that's where most of our signings are likely to come from at this stage I would guess.
If we do achieve league status and get that magic generous youth development grant from the league, then we will be better placed to try to bring some of the promising lower league youngsters in. Posh, as referred to by Keith, obviously get that funding and perhaps also, as one of the less rich league clubs, probably have to depend on youth to a great extent to keep their budget down in fairness.

[baconroll]

I luv the way we think the club / Mr Donald should spend it's/ his money.Its great spending somebody else's cash.
The team is fine at this time and I am sure any positive signings are being considered if deemed it is necessary.

[westendspitfire]

That's sort of the point of a forum Bacon! Not much point this place being here if we are not going to give our opinions and all we can say is "everything is fine and I'm sure it will be sorted if not!"

As for Strikers we do have a young striker, who we have taken a punt on in this league (even though he did come in the opposite direction to the suggestions above), in Paul McCallum, fingers crossed he is fit long enough to show us just what he can do in the goal scoring dept at this level

[nobadspitfire]

Sept 5, 2017 12:19:57 GMT baconroll said:

I luv the way we think the club / Mr Donald should spend it's/ his money.Its great spending somebody else's cash.
The team is fine at this time and I am sure any positive signings are being considered if deemed it is necessary.

Agree with westendspitfire's comments re the forum being the place to discuss such matters. Also, baconroll, SD did say in the programme v Aldershot he/we were hopeful of signing one, maybe two players before the end of the summer transfer window.  OK,nothing happened, but we're not constrained by the transfer window & can therefore sign players at any time. It's just that we normally sign players from clubs in Leagues above us & they're usually not so keen to release players outside transfer window periods. As far as we know there could be a continuous stream of players from lower teams or who have been released by clubs higher, training with us, but that don't fit into RH's vision of who/what he wants in the team. 

[thelake]

Let's not forget ben Williamson in all of this, has scored goals and could get a good number this season. Also constable could go on a run. Think the team could have goals in it