Finishing Position
 

I think that Stanley can go up this season with a bit of luck and some better decisions made by the officials therefore less suspentions we have an excellent chance of promotion. The signings which coley has made seem to be good from what i have seen, and i think McEvilly will be excellent providing the bite from the bench or starting which we didnt seem to have last year.......So hears to a good season

Come on Yoooooooooouuuuuuuuu REDS

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Last season, we exceeded expectations, and I think we can build on this.
I think we can have a good season, and that it will be an exciting one.
There is no reason, provided we don't become complaceant, that we cant go up - certainly get in to the play-off's.
:)

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luck is on our side for the last 2 leagues we have had one season of 'settling in' the next we were up :)

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Top half.... around 8th position.

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Looking at the squad we've got, I can see no reason at all why we shouldn't win the league. I cannot see a weak area, and we have plenty of strength in depth.

Coley will have the nice dilema of choosing his best 11. Look at the midfield for example, who do you pick out of the likes of Brannan, Jagielka, Proctor, Flitcroft, Prendergast, Craney, & Cook. Up front we now have the added power of McEvilly. A tall task ahead, but I think we will be there or thereabouts come next Easter.

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I think we should definately be in the play offs this season - we've done well in the pre-season games & the lads'll be fired up after the success of last season & having just gone full-time.

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Probably lucky if we reach the play offs with the squad that we have and the defenders that we haven't. I have said it before - if we had a defence we would be dangerous.

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There's nothing like optimism is there!!!!!

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Christ - change the record will ya?

Jimbo T :horn8: blower

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Jeff is right though! No point fooling ourselves into thinking differently!

I am very excited about the forthcoming season - but as I havent been able to see any pre-season games I am going to reserve judgement - although the lack of signings in the defence does worry me.

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[QUOTE=Ceejache]Jeff is right though! No point fooling ourselves into thinking differently! [QUOTE]

Is he?? I dont think its anywhere near as bad as his postings make it out to be - we arent a Northwich or a Horwich RMI - there has to be SOME sort of organisation there otherwise we'd be conceding 8 every game but we're not and judging by Jeffs comments might there might as well not be a defence - I appreciate everyone has their own opinion - its just I disagree...

Jimbo T :horn8: blower

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I am somewhat unaware as to the extent of Jeffs observations regarding the defence. Whilst I agree that it isn't as bad as he may or may not be making out I still believe that two or three decent signings at the back would shore up a defence that was often penetrated rather too often by below average strikeforces last season. Shipping goals to the good teams is no disgrace, but not conceding against the poor teams is what brings you glory (amongst other things). Quite correctly we are not Northwich or 'Horwich' RMI but they are hardly the yardsticks against which we should be measuring ourselves.

I agree it isnt a major, major problem Jimbo, its just that whilst we have been filling other areas over the post/pre-season there has been no-one brought in for the defence, not even as cover (as far as I can tell). We should be striving to aim for the best in every position and I feel that the back has possibly been neglected. Far be it from me to say that this IS the case, and also I would never cast any doubts over the wisdom of the management, but this is just what I feel and it does worry me slightly.

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Jimmy - I have not said that our defence is absolute rubbish, just that I am not confident of us winning anything until we organise it, and, if it was organised I would be confident of us winning the league. As for us not being a Northwich - remember - last season Northwich scored 30 goals in 42 league games. Which works out at 25 goals in 40 games, plus 5 in 2 games against us.

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we have just signed a new left back for some un known reason as we already have howson an haworth but it is good to have back up

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Did we not draw 0-0 against the Shrews away & 0-0 against Barnet away? With a season under their belts in the conference & with a defence that led us to 10th in our first season.....we'll be reet!

Cheer up ya buggers

Jase:cool:

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Nobody is miserable - I'm just not gonna bury my head in the sand concerning what I perceive to be a lack of cover.

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I agree with Jase.. If this defence took us to 10th and where involved in cup runs.. then we go and add more quality to it... How is that anyhting other than bloomin positive and great! :)

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Jeff/Ceejache, ok fair comment - its just the way people are going on about it gives me the impression that we have the worst defence in the league and this is not true... Perhaps its been subconciously neglected coz Coley was a striker in his playing days??? Anyway back to the topic - Eric wants top spot this time round so thats good enough for me too :) Lets show em what we can do...

Jimbo T :horn8: blower

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Spot on Jimmy, I think you have hit the nail on the head, John and Jimmy were both strikers so maybe they do concentrate more on scoring goals. I don't think we have the worst defence in the league by far, but all I am saying is that I think we would have a better chance than we have now if we sorted the defence out. O.K. we finished 10th last season, but look at the games we threw away with desperate defending in the last 10 minutes, we also had a centre half on loan from Preston last season - Darren Kempson - he has now left and not replaced so the centre of the defence has not been strengthened. I am happy with the positions we have strengthened, I am happy with Cavannagh and Howson, I am happy with Williams, quite happy with Hacker, but I think with an experienced centre half along side of Rocky or Hacker to organise it would improve our chances of getting promoted. Whatever the team picked, whatever the performance and whatever the results I will be there and I will give the team and management 100% support, but I do have my opinion. We are all the best managers in the world at picking a team but Coley gets paid to do it for Stanley and must be supported 100% by everybody at every game.

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well said JEFF

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I agree - Kempson was quality and will be missed. I am just hoping that the desperate defending and throwing of games in injury time/last 10 mins (Woking away Daggers at home come immediately to mind) was more due to a lack of fitness throughout the whole side (with an odd exception maybe) - thus inviting more pressure onto the back 4 - and not a lack of talent/skill - if Im right, it wont happen too often or as often this season... If it does then maybe questions can be asked. At this stage its all ifs and buts anyway....

Jimbo T :horn8: blower

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we are reet god some people pick on anything

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No S4L mate - its a potential weakness at the moment. Blind optimism gets you nowhere, as does ignoring minor problems in the team and hoping they go away or aren't exploited. How many times in our lives have we said "it's reet" only for situations to go tits up (in life, not just football)?

Its not picking - we want the team to do well but I'm just not gonna take the 'ostrich' approach.

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No S4L mate - its a potential weakness at the moment. Blind optimism gets you nowhere, as does ignoring minor problems in the team and hoping they go away or aren't exploited. How many times in our lives have we said "it's reet" only for situations to go tits up (in life, not just football)?

Its not picking - we want the team to do as well as the next man. Constructive criticism is a term I'd prefer to use.

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No S4L mate - its a potential weakness at the moment. Blind optimism gets you nowhere, as does ignoring minor problems in the team and hoping they go away or aren't exploited. How many times in our lives have we said "it's reet" only for situations to go tits up (in life, not just football)?

Its not picking - we want the team to do as well as the next man. Constructive criticism is a term I'd prefer to use. ;- )

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did you send that three times just to get your point arcoss or what

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Nah, the server was fecked, didn't even realise that I'd sent it at all to be honest. Why on earth would I post three times to make a lucid and intelligible point - I need only post once for that to occur! :-) Some people manage to post many times without making a single interesting point!

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If you doubt the worthiness of a team built on a very strong defence I have one word for you.... Chester.

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Is anyone paying attention? ;-) No one is doubting the worthiness of the team, just that our defence needs strengthening and it is a concern that we have no out and out back up in centre defence as of yet. Our defence is only slightly above average in Conference terms and it needs to be better if we are going to deliver what we are all dreaming of this season. One resolute defensive display against the champions doesn't mean we have a mean defence as against some other class sides (and some not so class ones) we were getting penetrated frighteningly often and only some poor finishing spared us - we conceded five to Northwich over the two fixtures. Another sign that we struggled at the back was the amount of yellows and reds that we picked up - now I know that we were the victims of **** poor reffing at times yet some were the result of the back four struggling to deal with the step up in attacking class, no doubt this year will see a better drilled back four in that respect and the years experience will have done some good. I have seen some good defensive displays by us over the last year, but these obviously weren't often enough hence our 10th place (which, of course, was an excellent placing in our first season). Our defence isn't bad by a long way, it is certainly not in the bottom 8/10 teams, BUT can you honestly rank our defence in the top 5 (thats were we need to be this season).

I'm not trying to be negative or contrary just for the sake of it - I am just trying to be candid and objective (which of course is difficult when your footy team is the subject I agree!).

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How about waiting to see what they start like before assuming there will be no difference in quality this time around? And yes I reckon we can finish in the top 5 but lets see...

Jimbo T :horn8: blower

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Hmmmm.... I was questioning you Ceejache. In fact I was probably agreeing with you.

What I meant was that Chester were a team built around a very strong defence. They clocked up a number of 1-0 victories last season and I believe that is what you have to do to win promotion in the Conference.

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Aaargh! I see...sorry! I concur wholeheartedly then!