League 1 so far

[Redalert1970]

4 games in and currently 4 points from 12

We have competed in every game

Once we get a settled side we should be OK... massive week coming up with possibly 5000 crowds for both games

In Robbo we trust

[redrobo]

Really am down at the moment about this result.

Not sure how SR will know his best 11 with such a huge squad. For me it's too big but the BoD have obviously backed him which is excellent.

[Redalert1970]

Don't be down Neil ..we are in a higher league so it was always going to be tough

We need a big squad especially with the injuries we have picked up already

Teams like Charlton, Ipswich and Lincoln have started really poorly so just proving how hard this league is going to be

[BerlinWaller]

Really am down at the moment about this result.

Not sure how SR will know his best 11 with such a huge squad. For me it's too big but the BoD have obviously backed him which is excellent.

How many players should be in a League 1 squad Neil? SR has said they want 2 in every position and he has had to cover long term injuries.

I feel we are lacking a bit of creativity and just need the wide men and midfield to start chipping in with goals like last season. It will come, no need to be hitting any panic buttons or to be taking Neil's advice just yet.

[ianmcm]

A former colleague of mine who coached a load in Southern non-league and a bit with Spurs youth teams used to say that they would have a fair idea of where they were heading in the season after 10 games - by then they'd played roughly half the opposition sides and could gauge the standard pretty well. Sheff Wed look good so next Saturday will probably provide the stiffest test so far but the games against Crewe and AFC will likely be a better overall indication. So far so good though, to be fair. The players certainly don't look out of their depth and the two defeats have been by a single goal obviously. If they can create more chances and convert even one of those per game, that will be enough, though someone other than Cole needs to start contributing.

[redrobo]

We desperately need Wildig back in the starting 11 and hope that he can continue in the goal scoring fform of last season.

Our midfielders are not getting into goal scoring positions soon enough. which is where Aaron excelled last season but different managers have different ideas.

[CityShrimp]

League 1 has been a real mixed bag so far.

The results against Shrewsbury, Ipswich, and to a lesser extent, Gillingham today, have filled me with confidence that we are more than capable of competing at this level, although the Rotherham game concerned me as they looked miles fitter and more efficient than us.

I wonder if there is a bigger gulf in League 1 between the top and bottom sides, as opposed to League 2 which is typically a tight league where everybody is capable of beating each other. Just look at Shrewsbury compared to Rotherham.

It still feels a bit soon to make a judgment but after 10 games I think we’ll have a good idea of where we stand.

[Redalert1970]

Personally think we need to have at least 10 to 12 points after 10 games

That's maybe 2 wins from next 6 games

[mrpotatohead]

Anyone who thinks this is less than a great start wants their bumps feeling , we could be sat with a practically new team in a higher league with no points , the squad will obviously take time to bed in but the manager is instilling his methods and ideas quickly, the board are also coping well with the challenges they face off the pitch.

[Relapsed_Shrimp]

Anyone who thinks this is less than a great start wants their bumps feeling , we could be sat with a practically new team in a higher league with no points , the squad will obviously take time to bed in but the manager is instilling his methods and ideas quickly, the board are also coping well with the challenges they face off the pitch.

Exactly. This is our first stab at this level and to be honest, I'm not concerned in the slightest. Seen more than enough to see that we have what it takes. We will have a good season by making the Mazuma a fortress, next L1 game at home is a small one to get that going .... some very odd opinions on here. I'd understand if we were yo-yoing up and down between L1 and L2 season in season out and knew what to expect. This is our first go at something. See the positives!

However I more than agree we need a cover role for Toums. Possibly someone who can break forward and hit the thing. Midfield goals will be crucial here as Stockton as good as he is will soon be figured out in certain games. Phillips chips in but apart from that we are reliant on Cole. The other front line need to start to chip in and we have returning injured players to boost us.

Just be happy, we've only dipped our toes in.

[Andy D]

off the ball we look class, and like SR as pointed out we can be better with the ball, its going to take time building partnerships.

[Gone_Shrimping]

We have lost 2 games by the narrowest of margins. We haven't been thrashed or outplayed. A couple of minutes from winning at Ipswich. Rotherham , the best team we have played so far are only 2 points above us.

As soon as Stephen has a full or nearly full squad I think we will start putting points on the board.

September's fixtures look on the whole pretty winnable so lets see where we are after 10 games played.

Just look at Bristol Rovers and thank the Lord we don't have Joey Barton in charge

[black morse]

I wholeheartedly agree with the positive comments above. It's great to se that the majority accept that we are not expecting to win every game and are keeping the faith.

[P/T Indie]

Once we get the final ball sorted we will be fine. How did Arthur play yesterday I'm not convinced by him and he reminds me of Jordan Slew.

It's just a massive shame the rwo strikers gkt injured which could have given us plenty of options.

[RapidShrimp]

Ipswich - 3 minutes away from 3 points
Shrewsbury - deserved 3 points and could’ve scored more
Rotherham - tough test but only lost due to a screamer from 30 yards
Gillingham - lost to a wonder goal from a free kick that might not have been given on another day, and a penalty that was never a foul

On having a big squad, BW is spot on. We aimed for 2 per position, just like Derek, and then we were hit with Obika’s 5 month injury, Ayunga’s 2 month injury and Delaney’s injury that looked long-term, hence we brought extra bodies in.

When you look at the squad, we don’t have any ‘hangers-on’ like we sometimes have had in recent memory. All the players who’ve been signed by SR, DoC and JM fit our style and work-ethic. Under Derek we had around 24 players, under SR we have 27 in a much more demanding league.

[Keith]

If we lose the next two games, it will still be a decent start.

As for having 'too big a squad', it's a good job we have such a large squad, with the injury crisis we already have! How many players out? Two keepers, a left back, with the other one still not fully fit, two forwards, Wildig... am I missing some?

If we were in Shrewsbury's position, I'd be worried. As it is, I think we are doing fine.

League One football. A start to the season that involves Ipswich, Blackburn Rovers, Preston, Sheffield Wednesday... I'm still smiling!

[BerlinWaller]

It is a great start to league 1 as a club and as supporters. How can you be negative when we are playing L1 and having almost two 4000 gates with two more in the next week? We are going to lose games like every other club will but there is zero need for over reactions when we do. We are competing, going toe to toe every game and that is all we can we ask. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the events and enjoy being part of this club. We have never lived anything like this before.

[RapidShrimp]

It is a great start to league 1 as a club and as supporters. How can you be negative when we are playing L1 and having almost two 4000 gates with two more in the next week? We are going to lose games like every other club will but there is zero need for over reactions when we do. We are competing, going toe to toe every game and that is all we can we ask. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the events and enjoy being part of this club. We have never lived anything like this before.

I think last season’s heroics have set some people’s expectations too high. We don’t need to win every game to finish above the drop-zone. Granted there are double the amount of relegation places in L1 than in L2, but if we average 1.2 ppg, i.e. 2 wins from 5, then we’ll be fine. I believe we’ll do better than just scrape survival this season from what we have to go off so far.

[Little Shrimp]

It's a bit of a daft claim to say that the squad is too big as it's completely ignoring the context of why we've had to sign extra players.

Ideally, we wouldn't have had to sign all the extra forwards. However, when two of them get long term injuries then we haven't really got much choice. Should we have just relied on Stockton to be our only centre forward and absolutely flogged him for the next two months before Ayunga is hopefully back? And also have no way of changing our approach up top?

[black morse]

We desperately need Wildig back in the starting 11 and hope that he can continue in the goal scoring fform of last season.

Our midfielders are not getting into goal scoring positions soon enough. which is where Aaron excelled last season but different managers have different ideas.

We could do with Wildig back agreed but 'desperately'? You make such a drama out of everything RR

[redrobo]

We desperately need Wildig back in the starting 11 and hope that he can continue in the goal scoring fform of last season.

Our midfielders are not getting into goal scoring positions soon enough. which is where Aaron excelled last season but different managers have different ideas.

We could do with Wildig back agreed but 'desperately'? You make such a drama out of everything RR

Who else is going to chip in with goals other than Aaron.....get real....

[Ego Tripping]

Not sure he’s the man to get us goals. Wildig averages 1 goal every 11 games throughout his career. To be fair last season he scored 9 goals but no history of scoring consistently.

[redrobo]

Not sure he’s the man to get us goals. Wildig averages 1 goal every 11 games throughout his career. To be fair last season he scored 9 goals but no history of scoring consistently.

So come on tell us who will get goals other than Cole .....hence why for me the new lad has to play with Cole to take a lot of the pressure off him with Aaron making runs from midfield in support of both of them and chipping in with goals at every opportunity.

[BerlinWaller]

Not sure he’s the man to get us goals. Wildig averages 1 goal every 11 games throughout his career. To be fair last season he scored 9 goals but no history of scoring consistently.

So come on tell us who will get goals other than Cole .....hence why for me the new lad has to play with Cole to take a lot of the pressure off him with Aaron making runs from midfield in support of both of them and chipping in with goals at every opportunity.

Who do you take out to put a second striker on the pitch? Massive sense of deja vu with you are posts.

[redrobo]

The winger we signed from Bolton.....for me he's done nothing to convince me to date he's up to EFL1..

Interestingly SR has said that Cole needs support and the one time he had it was in the last 45 at Blackburn and what a difference it made.

Only my thoughts but doubt some would agree.

Would be interested in your thinking how Cole gets the support SR has said he needs.

Can't find the link but there is a YouTube of new boy Duffus playing for Bromley and on a couple of occasions he comes in from a centre right position and scores a couple of well worked goals. Maybe he could play the same role in support of Cole for ourselves. He should be given a chance v PNE to show what he can do.