Automatic Promotion

[Deacster]

I've been fortunate to see 4 promotions.

In each of those campaigns there is something intangible which you feel early on. It's players and management in perfect harmony. It's excellence in a number of departments from physio through to manager through to a strong spine down the middle of the team. There's something (I can't quite explain it) that gives you the feeling you're going to have a good season. It starts pre-season.

I don't feel that about this campaign I'm afraid. Feels a bit amateurish. Random signings. A manager that seems to have proceeded where he left off last campaign. Inexplicable formations. Inexplicable selections and for me it doesn't feel that Sheridan is immersed in everything Argyle (living detached and commuting).

I truly hope I'm wrong but I fear a mid table finish. This is frustrating as one or two players and a good field marshall could get us to the playoffs.

A lucky signing (in his numerous signings he made last year - and you will get lucky if you keep making signing after signing) in Lavery saved us from oblivion and his earlier departure which I think would have been a blessing .... But there you are ..

Exactly where I am. I think we might have the players but it just doesn't feel quite there. That said a successful loan signing might just tip the balance but still feel we will be handicapped by a lack of tactical nous, team selection and motivation.

 

[Wagga Wagga]

Don't think we ever had a realistic shot at automatic promotion this season, Sheridan or not.

No other team has a seven figure debt to service with a looming deadline.

That has absolutely nothing to do with the players and the way the team performs though.

 

[Tugboat]

Don't think we ever had a realistic shot at automatic promotion this season, Sheridan or not.

No other team has a seven figure debt to service with a looming deadline.

That has absolutely nothing to do with the players and the way the team performs though.

And the playing budget is still likely to be well in the top 3rd of teams in league 2 (probably one of the top 4 teams) after the debt has been calculated into the overall figures.

Another excuse maybe?

 

[clokey84]

I still feel we have a great chance of going up this season, I think we will at least end up in the playoffs, as I have said before we have a very decent team for this division, once JS sorts a couple of flaws out we'll be up and running! Why do people keep saying about this defeatist attitude from the players before we even started against bury! They would have gone into that game believing they would win, a couple of early goals knocked the stuffing out of them but still spent the whole of the second half trying to salvage something and nearly did, that's not a team that rolled over and thought the games lost!!

It is the defeatist fans in my opinion that had us to lose before we had kicked a ball on Saturday and to be honest seemed rather smug when we did go two down so early on! The same type of fans that keep mentioning how we have only beaten Exeter who don't count because they are so poor, even though they have drawn two of their other three games (Portsmouth and York I believe).

Once again I am no fan of JS but please guys to say were doomed after only four games is a tad over the top! Think back to when JS took over where we were then, I think we'll all agree we would have taken this current position a season and a half down the line, we were doomed for non league!! Well I for sure would anyway.

Try and look on the bright side of life!

COYG..

 

[Ollieargyle9]

Don't think we ever had a realistic shot at automatic promotion this season, Sheridan or not.

No other team has a seven figure debt to service with a looming deadline.

That's a terrible excuse X Isle, even with the debt looming over the club our budget is one of the biggest in the league.

Look at who we've brought in; we fought off Portsmouth and Bristol City for Reuben's signature, you can't do that with memories of last season and his youth experience here alone. We've brought in players like Mellor, McHugh, Hartley and Cox this summer all of whom with L1 experience who dropped a division to play for us, they don't come down without a good wage on the table for them. Banton; former Palace highflyer, signed with us after a hugely successful loan spell, Palace may not have wanted him but they knew there was talent there, he wouldn't have been cheap. We also turned down an initial approach for Hourihane, money wasn't an issue but the player's desire to play here. Morgan despite his poor showing to date also attracted L1 interest of which we fought off for him.

This team was not built on a shoestring and there is still talk of more players JS can afford to add to it. There honestly is no excuse not to achieve great things with our budget, JS has assembled what looks to be a strong team of players on paper, if he cannot succeed with them then there isn't a team he can build for us that'll get us out of this division IMO. We shouldn't write off promotion just yet as there is still plenty of football to be played but we should very much expect promotion or playoffs as a minimum this year with the time and money we've given JS to achieve it.

 

[PlymOdi]

We'll be lucky to make playoffs. Automatic out of reach in my eyes.

 

[hometown5]

Automatic promotion would be very hard... But we can make playoffs imo. Additionally, it's too early to be pessimistic. Though we just got 4 points during 4 games, who knows? Argyle could win all the games from now on.
Perhaps not.. :lol:

 

[pafcstafford]

Probably play offs but I wouldn't write automatic off we've lost away from home by one goal to the favourites and probably biggest spenders and to a promoted side on the first day of the season. We had a very credible draw at home to orient a side who were a penalty away from the Championship and also one of the favourites to be a championship side next season. Then we've beaten exeter who although everybody now says are very poor have had credible results against everyone else and will always be a difficult game due to it being a derby and if anything the player's showed they are comfortable with pressure playing infront of a large expectant crowd.

 

[Dan Ellard]

Don't think we ever had a realistic shot at automatic promotion this season, Sheridan or not.

No other team has a seven figure debt to service with a looming deadline.

And yet Stevenage, who were the league above us last year, came down to Home Park and could only name 4 subs.

Pathetic excuse.

 

[Qoo3939L]

Not a cat in hells chance

 

[samjones]

I don't think we will get RELEGATED if that's any consolation

 

[Ollieargyle9]

I don't think we will get RELEGATED if that's any consolation

Things must be looking up then, eh? :greensmile:

 

[jerryatricjanner]

Don't think we ever had a realistic shot at automatic promotion this season, Sheridan or not.

No other team has a seven figure debt to service with a looming deadline.

The mother of all the excuses you have ever made for our deficiencies. What about the 4,000 extra home fans we get at our games compared to half the teams in this league? That's over a million a season straight away. It's early days but a top ten team that has unquestionably been further strengthened during the close season should be looking at the play offs minimum this season. The new signings were made early and had a full pre season to bed in and anyway all teams in this division have seen numerous players coming and going in the summer. Dress it up how you want but it is a disappointing start but still very early days. I find it unthinkable that this squad cannot make the top 7 this season but we cannot afford to get cast too far adrift. Most seasons most of the top 7 will have been there or thereabouts from early in the season.

 

[Monkey Nuts]

I did up until we lost Hourihane.

And then didn't bother replacing him.

 

[clokey84]

I did up until we lost Hourihane.

And then didn't bother replacing him.

I don't think it was a case of let's no bother to replace him JS had two players that fell through last minute due to wages/location and then said he doesn't want to sign someone just for the sake of it who won't be any better than we already have!