First off, if you're expecting posts about tapes self destructing in ten seconds, gagging orders or the club being on the front page of the papers, look elsewhere. I can't be bothered with any of that stuff, I don't do politics (aside from saying that we should reconsider on Ivor not presenting the Man of the Match award. That was a dog's arse of a decision in my opinion). Sorry but I don't know the full facts so I don't really have anything to add to all the stuff on social media.
Anyway, the football (we do play football you know).
We're around 20% of the way through the season now, things are starting to sort themselves out. A few things are fairly clear, Notts County, Stockport, Mansfield and Wrexham look like the top four. Louis Barry (Stockport) & Davis Keilor-Dunne (Mansfield) look early candidates to be the league's best player, Salford are rubbish so far and the league is uber competitive.
And what of us? Well we are obviously a good team and on our day can be a match for anyone in the league. I don't think that our squad is quite so strong as the top four, but we shouldn't have any worries about anyone else. Further, and here's the thing, we are a better team than the vast majority of other clubs in the league. So what? I hear you ask. Well my point is, we should start acting like it, start believing it, because it's 100% true.
See for me it's an attitude thing. Tranmere won last week and have a new manager (their first win in eight). We play them on Saturday and we are comfortably a better team than them. If we draw 0-0, it's not a "good point", it's not a "good clean sheet" and it isn't "nice to keep our run going". If we don't win, it is an AWFUL result, simply because we are MILES better than them. We should strut onto the pitch like we know it (because we do, they know it too). We should look to boss the game from minute one, get on the front foot and get that front foot on the throat. If it's 0-0 after ten minutes, we want them looking at each other going "Sheesh we'll never be able to hold out here". It's an attitude thing.
Same at Harrogate Tuesday. We go, we get off the bus, we kick their arse, take the points, we come home. None of this "tricky place to go" stuff, we're an extremely tricky team to host. Again, if our attitude is right the draw doesn't even come into the equation. We ought to win with plenty to spare.
And the players. Joe Lewis & Ryan Johnson must be among the best centre half pairings in the league, I man love both of em. But one goal from a set piece between em? Not good enough lads, come on let's double that tally either on Saturday or Tuesday. Armani & Jake, a brilliant centre mid pairing and we are lucky to have em. But we need a goal lads, top teams (of which we are one) have central midfielders who score, it's about time our engine room chopped in. And Ali? We waited for the best striker in the league to come good, and now it's happened. He's got one as of today, by NEXT Wednesday morning I went and expect him to have scored AT LEAST three goals.
See that's how good we are. If we keep working, we can stay humble but get nicely arrogant, that's what good teams are. If they concede first they don't panic, they KNOW they are the better team and they know that they'll have chances to win in the end. If it's 1-1 with ten minutes left, they go for it. Top teams hate to draw against lesser teams.
Nice arrogance. It's time for us to realise that we are a good team and to show it by winning every week. Less of this "Let's see where it takes us" stuff, good teams (of which we are one) control their OWN destiny.
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