Who do you think will be the runners in the title race (League 1)

[Jubbs]

47 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

Nathan Baxter who had a fairly torrid time at Hull last season (21 goals conceded in 12 games, 1 clean sheet) binned after that spell of games

TBF he had an injury that ruled him out. His goals prevented wasn't that bad last season, he conceded about on par with what the average keeper would. The season before he was one of the best shot stoppers in the league.

[Woodley Ram]

Bolton

Derby

Oxford

Blackpool

Charlton

Portsmouth

Barnsley

Peterbrough

at least one other that no one expects

And I dont fancy Wigan and Reading due to their issues, but who knows, this league is a lottery

[May Contain Nuts]

6 hours ago, Alty_Ram said:

Other than with Rams tinted glasses I don't see how folk can see this side as head and shoulders better than last year and a shot at he title when we were 22 points short of even the 2nd automatic places last year, never mind the title.

It feels like playoffs at best IMHO and I think we'll do well to get that so would need to consider it a decent effort. I'm worried that some folks expectations of what this squad can or should achieve does not reflect the severe limitations that we continue to operate under. I really don't want to see anyone baying for Warne's head because we're in 7th at Christmas when they expected us to walk the league for some reason. Hoping for automatics is one thing. Expecting/predicting it is quite another.

I don't think you can base the number of points we'll need this year on last year. It was a bit of an oddity having 3 teams at the top with such dominance, it's the only season out of the last 10 where 3 teams got above 90 points.

I think there'll be more teams taking points off each other within the top 6 / top 10, lots more draws - meaning a lower points tally all-round? We need to be the team who manages to turn the most of draws into wins and having such a solid defence should help with that.

Over the past 10 seasons, 2nd place has been achieved with points totals of:
81 (via ppg), 85, 86, 87, 90, 91, 91, 94, 96 & 98 points.

If I'm right and the league ends up being one where the overall tallies are on the lower side, automatics could be achievable with us eeking out an additional 10-12 points over last season's 76. It all depends on how it plays out though - I don't see us being able to get an additional 15-18+ if I'm as wrong!

...that's for automatics anyway, putting aside that unlikely possibility, our points total last season would have seen us in the playoffs in 7 of the past 10 seasons.

 

As for the second point, take it up with David Clowes & Paul Warne!

Both of them expect us to be able to achieve a play-off place if not more. They're not expecting us to walk the league but they've both set the target for the season as promotion, or very very close to it. They're aware that nothing is guaranteed, of course they are. We all are. It doesn't mean they expect or are happy for us to fall by the wayside though.

Why should I set my own expectations at any level lower than the club itself? That feels massively defeatist and like excuse making. The play-offs really should not be beyond us, and it will represent a rather large failure if again we don't make them.

Edited August 3, 2023 by Kokosnuss

[kevinhectoring]

On 02/08/2023 at 04:08, Ambitious said:

Really not sure why Portsmouth are in consideration, but we aren’t? 

as a club they’re on the rise, and there are pundits saying how much potential their manager has  They could be very dangerous 

[Jimbo Ram]

Bolton

Charlton

Barnsley

Reading

Posh

Rams