Are we any further forward ?

Without getting into the whole Sheridan in or out thing, as that's being done on other threads, I'd like to think possible new recruits will see us as a better proposition then recent years seeing as we flirted with the playoffs. Yes we stumbled our way into them & balls'd them up once we got there but we look like a far healthy club then we did a couple of years ago. It may appear gloomy on here but I don't realistically think footballers read too much into a fans forum.

No John that just about sums it up. Now all you need to do is get on the phone & either resign or pull your socks up & get on with getting better players in and think up a plan B & C just in case LOL

i don't think we can really tell this until we step onto the field in August.


The progression over the last 2 years has been built upon a core set of players supplemented by loan players.
Now the loanees return to their parent club and a number of the core set of players are out of contract.

There is some serious work to be done this summer to get the squad to the same standard as last season. Hopefully then, the manager can get the most out of them which will see us finish in the top 3. I think the squad we had this year was capable, just not used in the right way.

To continue progressing, there are three scenarios:
1. a better overall squad strength with the same effectiveness as last season;
2. the same strength squad with more effectiveness than last season; or
3. a lesser overall squad strength with a much higher effectiveness that last season.

I suppose it could. E said that there was only one really weak link throughout the team and JS did try to amend that with AOC and Talbot. Unfortunately, as we saw with Hourihane the midfield we hope will push forward ends up sitting in front of the CBS whether he needs to or not.

We have a defence which is pretty much insitu for next season and apart from any long term injuries needs no additions to it.This defence did reasonably well over the course of the season and apart from a few games towards the end of the season was put forward as one of the best defences in the division . With some decent coaching ( defending well taken corners and free kicks for example ) and fitness training there is no reason why it should be any less good next season ?? With some good one to one coaching the likes of Purrington and Bentley will either develop into the sort of player who could be a fixture in the side for years to come or prove to be not good enough .
At the other end of the pitch we still have Reuben Reid . Ryan Brunt , Dean Smalley and Tyler Harvey . Hopefully whoever is in charge will realise that Harvey will never be a midfield player .
Therefore the real emphasis can be on signing the right midfield and wide players who can turn a just above mid table team who scraped into the play offs because the other teams around us screwed it up worse than we did into a team that will be able to challenge at the top end of the table. We need to get our strikers playing facing the opposition goal and not facing ours .The other position which it is clear needs to be filled is taking set pieces that threaten the opposition defence . Something we haven't done all that well for a couple of seasons . This is definitely something which should be and hopefully is worked on on the training pitches .

jazzrat":2257yzl3 said:

Taking progress on the field alone, do we enter the summer much further forward than last year?

I depress myself when I think that we are just as likely / unlikely to get promoted next year as this. The way I see it :
- a fair chunk of our success was driven by some strong loan signings that are no longer with us eg : Talbot
- we're likely to lose some talent to other clubs over the summer. Alessandra being one. I know there's a thread on this, but in my view he won't be easy to replace.

That's it really! I'm not saying promotion can't happen next year, instead, it feels just as likely or unlikely as ever. We're at the mercy of 're-building' a strong team over the summer and getting more good loanees in.

Am I missing something?

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Finally someone that says Lewi is a quality player..

Won't move forward until Sheridan decides whether to stay or go.

We've progressed massively since the dark days and continue to do so.

I think out expectations are that high that we are so easily disappointed when we don't achieve.

Year on year improvement. blah blah blah. A massively disappointing end to the season. I wanted automatic promotion this season I was OK with a play off place but totally hacked off with the next to useless first half performances.

Have we improved? Yes of course BUT not nearly enough.

Must try harder as it used to say on my school reports :greensmile:

Tugboat":54uzoojf said:

We've progressed massively since the dark days and continue to do so.

I think out expectations are that high that we are so easily disappointed when we don't achieve.

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Yes, a club like Argyle hoping to get promoted from Division 4 after 4 seasons is a rather high expectation.

Still as long as we aren't in administration anymore and we manage to beat Exeter at least once next season, we should all be very grateful for our lot.

Nope....Still in this dog poo division and we can only hope that next year will be our year(however the Portsmouths, Bristol Rovers. Leyton Orients, Stevenages, Lutons,Oxfords may have a say in that).The playing squad needs some quality additions,but if the club aint got any money, and the owner and his fellow directors aint prepared to invest their money ,then its as you were.

demportdave":w2nt0qlv said:

Tugboat":w2nt0qlv said:

We've progressed massively since the dark days and continue to do so.

I think out expectations are that high that we are so easily disappointed when we don't achieve.

Click to expand...

Yes, a club like Argyle hoping to get promoted from Division 4 after 4 seasons is a rather high expectation.

Still as long as we aren't in administration anymore and we manage to beat Exeter at least once next season, we should all be very grateful for our lot.

Click to expand...

Don't forget the Gas and Yeovil Town.

The only real weakening of the squad will be Allessandra and possibly O'Conner. Reid has another 12 months which will either guarantee us 15 goals or a 300k transfer fee. Morgan, Blizzard and Banton coming off the wage bill will free up wages which if used wisely will certainly provide us with a stronger squad. I think we are in a much stronger position than last summer. Mellor is settled in now. McHue and Hartley have proven themselves as decent L2 players. Brunt has ahown that he can be an asset next season.

The important thing for me will be to sort out the managers position asap - either back JS or boot him (if we can afford it). Also, decide on a formation and stick with it, plus early decisions on Bentley, Purrington, Harvey, Rooney and Hall. Are they going to put pressure on the first team and if not get them oit early doors on loans till Xmas.

I'm confident for next season, with or without JS at the helm.