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Re: Saturday's games - 31 March
Posted: 31 Mar 2012, 19:34
by Gullscorer
Just got back home, checked the results and the table, and couldn't be more pleased. To be realistic, the results of today's matches have been better than any of us could have expected.
The pressure is on all the teams around us, and, if we're honest, on the Gulls too. But, although my initial thoughts on the game last night were that the manner of our win suggested the team is getting nervy, I now suggest the opposite is true: that we are holding our nerve and grinding out results even when we're playing badly.
We are soaking up the pressure, no problem. Can we do the same in the remaining six games? Five more points and we're guaranteed a play-off place. Or will we achieve automatic promotion? Will we overtake Swindon and claim the top spot? Can I avoid becoming a nervous wreck..?
Re: Saturday's games - 31 March
Posted: 31 Mar 2012, 20:30
by ferrarilover
I went to Plymouth again today and a couple of things jump out at me.
The longer this season goes, the better and better our results against the Greens look. With the additions Fletcher has made (albeit a large proportion of them are loanees unlikely to stay beyond the end of the season), Plymouth now look a decent side, capable, with a bit of time and stability, of mounting a serious challenge next year. It would be foolish to suggest that ANY team is too good to go down, and utter madness to make that statement of Plymouth this season, but I feel that their relegation worries are over. They can and do on occasion play some extremely tidy football. I've seen them twice against us and on three other occasions this year and they have got progressively better and are certainly the best of the lowly teams this season.
They have signed a guy on loan from Burnley called McDonald, and he stands out for them like an on song O' Kane does for us. Bradford resorted in the end to simply kicking him up in the air whenever they got close enough. He is a stocky kid, like someone has put Billy Kee in a photocopier and selected a copy ratio of 3:4, but my oh my isn't he balanced. Honestly, it was like watching Gianfranco Zola at times today, effortlessly skipping past people in tight spaces until the inevitable foul came.
Bradford on the other hand must have played out of their skins to that day at Plainmoor. They really didn't do anything to hurt Plymouth at all. Even when the Janners conceded the midfield by sitting far too deep, the best the managed was some speculative 30 yarders (some of which, in fairness, did come close). Fagan barely had a touch all afternoon, looks like he had the game of his life against us.
Other results almost unbelievably good. Shrewsbury dropping points at home is key for us, since they have still to lose there all year, so draws are a welcome bonus. Rovers did us a turn at home to Creepy, who were always going to be out of sorts after The Battle of Bradford City. After last night's demolition at the hands of Southend, Cheltenham seem to have compelted their customary later season implosion. To be honest, this'll sound twattish, but I'm really not looking any further down than 4th at the moment, since we are guaranteed a playoff place (we really aren't going to drop the requisite points to finish 8th or below), so my only concern is whether we can hang on to our auto spot.
Matt.
Re: Saturday's games - 31 March
Posted: 31 Mar 2012, 20:33
by Southampton Gull
You mean Burton. Rovers were away to Swindon.
Re: Saturday's games - 31 March
Posted: 31 Mar 2012, 21:39
by ferrarilover
I do, thanks Dave, been doing that all day and I'm not sure why.
Matt.