alpine_saint

There are 12 points to play for in August. Will you still feel that way if we fail to get most of them because the first team is stretched to thin because of injuries ?

Of course. I will be the first to admit it.

Not exactly a bannable offence though.

Hmmmmm. I think the game of "Chicken" has gone on long enough, to be frank...

You're gonna regret that post, mate.

Well, we shall find out in less than a week. Fingers crossed.

Then that XI will not win, and may even lose. My opinion, for what its worth.

Rubbish. You havent heard me bang on about the players we've released. I agreed with almost all of them. I am banging on about Antonio and Papa (who I dont feel were bit players), and lack of cover for Morgan. You need to read what I write a bit more carefully and stop misrepresenting my opinion.

Indeed, arent chat sites for spouting opinionated crap ?

Well written. Its what I think, but without all the antagonism.

I thought we were only talking about giving them a bit of experience ? Look, I have no problem with, for example, AOC playing today if AP thinks hes done enough to get a start or at least a bench place next Saturday. Otherwise, TODAY it was a waste of time, imo. Todays team should have looked as much like the team for next Saturday as possible. If Lallana aint fit now, then whoever played his role today (Mills ?) should start next Saturday and given the chance to keep his place, giving Adam more fitness time. I do not see the point in playing a team today with tactics that does not mirror that which will play in the first game. As someone else has already said, there is a good chance that the team that is fielded against Plymouth will not only not have played together yet, but most of the players wont have played 90mins yet. That for me, intuitively, is wrong..

A couple of times. But it is not my opinion that counts. AP was clearly not convinced last season either.

Perfectly happy for the team to shut me up, and I will come on here and eat humble pie if they do so. Four of the first team carrying injuries is not coming out of the starting blocks on fire, imo.

In the earlier pre-season games. The whole idea of pre-season is to get ready for the season, especially the first game. And if you cannot see the psychological boost that the first win gives, and the best time therefore to get it is the first game, I dont know what else to say to you.

Thought we lost to Leeds and Bristol Rovers ? I notice you coveniently left out Swindon...

And I never said that either. Bit silly, that question. If one were to assume there is a very real possibility of AP being sacked at Xmas if we are not there or thereabouts, his job becomes a helluvalot more difficult if we dont start making progress until October.

Playoffs.

Strange, I would have expected being in the top 6 to mean results between those teams being close and able to go either way...

For what, exactly ?

Dont see the point in using them then. We should be preparing for Plymouth.

Yes. Considering the hype, especially from a good many on here, I would be entitled to expect that we win with a bit of panache... But then I dont believe all the spin on here anyway

Totally disingenuous. I made that prediction very early, before we started putting winning runs in October together. Of course that changed expectation - for many people. I keep reading people like NickG banging on about 2 points per game. It would have been more if it wasnt for places like Wycombe. And we would have got into the playoffs then, where I am sure we would have blown the other teams away.

Or getting injured.

Yes, because everything is just suddenly going to "click" over the next 7 days, isnt it ? And you dare to judge who knows something about football or not...

It was synonomous with how our season played out. So much promise, so little delivery.