Planet Swans ArchivesA glance at the league table shows that the worst position we can end up after Friday’s game at Plainmoor is 9th place whilst a point will virtually guarantee us (barring a very free scoring York City) a place in a play off position at the halfway stage. Not bad for a team that scraped relegation on the last day of the season lat time around?
However, although the league table shows one thing – the reality is that anything less than a win will see us start to lose some serious ground on the top five clubs. Already 6 points separates us from the side in 5th place, Hull City and we are eleven points off the top spot held by Doncaster. Putting that somewhat into perspective, eleven points behind us are Northampton Town in 19th place. The 6 points gap between us and Hull is mirrored between us and Bury in 14th place – the sides are bunching behind us.
Putting all of this into perspective as most will know we have three vital league games coming up in succession in Torquay, Yeovil and Oxford which could quite possibly see us slip into mid table position or push closer to those above us. Without a doubt vital games. Recent form suggests that we may struggle to get results on these matches but we have to remember last season when our backs were against the wall and hope that we can reproduce the same kind of form.
Positively we are seeing players return from injury – both Brad Maylett and Karl Connolly featured in last Friday’s game – and of course Lee Trundle returns from his three match suspension against Yeovil on Sunday. These factors should only aid the performance of the team – we have certainly looked a better side when Trundle and Maylett are in it than when they aren’t. We haven’t seen too much of Connolly this season but it is easily suggested that he can aid the balance of the side by filling in on the left hand side of midfield. With captain Roberto Martinez also due back in the New Year there is the possibility that Brian Flynn may have a full strength squad to choose from soon.
Of course his choices will be lessened with the return of Alan Tate to Man Utd after the Yeovil game and it is for this reason I would be tempted to bring Kris O’Leary back into the side now and allow things to become settled rather than changing them when we need to. Two more games as a settled side could aid us no end as the season progresses? Yeovil should also give us the chance to see Lee Trundle and James Thomas as a partnership and this is something that I believe could work especially as Nuge is looking very tired at the moment.
Another one not proving his worth to the side is Leon Britton at the moment and maybe it could also be time for him to be rested and re charge his batteries – giving us the chance to see the best of him in the New Year?
At this moment in time I do not believe that we are a side that is heading for promotion – more that we may just edge the play offs. Had you asked me the same question three months ago I would have said auto promotion was within our range. I still believe that it could be but we have to change the way that we are performing and certainly start beating sides like Southend at home. Taking nothing away from them – they deserved their win on the day – but these are sides that should be beaten if we want to achieve the gaol talked by people at the club by the end of May.
We have to look now at the Vetch as a fortress and need to ensure that we pick up three points virtually every game. If we fail to do that then we need to win the next fixture and go back to the Flynn mentality of not losing two on the trot. We have just done that for the first time this season – I just hope that the run doesn’t turn into three, four or even five.
To me, it’s all very well saying that this will be an improvement on last season whatever happens but I look at what we have thrown at trying to win promotion this season with the players in and re-inforcements when required and I honestly believe that although 10th would be good – a play off place at the bare minimum is what we should accept.
One thing is for certain, by the time we have played another 24 games we will know exactly how good we are. Let’s hope it’s good enough? We have come a long way in the last twelve months – we can go a lot further in the next six if we want to? Let’s not settle for second best?
