2022/2023 Promotion Thread

[EricSabin]

Think it’s about time we had this considering the relegation thread has been up and running for a while.

So who do we reckon is going up then? Personally think playoffs at a minimum for us.

 

[shoddycollins]

The top three currently look a level above the rest and I expect all three to make the playoffs minimum with at least two of them to get automatic promotion.

Anyone down as far as Crewe could still realistically be aiming for a playoff push

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Depends how far off we are come January

 

[Soup Ladle]

We have a bit of catching up to do but think we'll be around the autos by the middle or end of April

 

[RiftHouseLad]

We have a bit of catching up to do but think we'll be around the autos by the middle or end of April

Fair assesment that, As long as we are above County at the death.

 

[The Terminator]

I'm already working out when the wheels will fall off.

 

[BarraMatt]

Despite our good start, suspect we will be leaving this thread around March time. I think injuries will take their toll come the busy festive period, our first choice 13/14 have been doing well but our depth underneath that isn't any better than mid table.

 

[BlackHaddock]

Don't write us off just yet, hoping for an improvement although heavy pitches have ruined our style of free flowing attacking football in the past.

 

[Son of Cod]

The top three currently look a level above the rest and I expect all three to make the playoffs minimum with at least two of them to get automatic promotion.

Anyone down as far as Crewe could still realistically be aiming for a playoff push

Orient are a cut above everyone else from what I've seen. Stevenage and Northampton both lucky to come away from BP with a point. I think Bradford will pip one of those two to a top three spot personally, I think we'll see Swindon stay up there in the playoff spots too. Then beyond those five I'm yet to make my mind up on most of the sides in this division. Doesn't seem to be a right lot between 5/6th all the way down to like 17th/18th and I think those last few playoff spots will still be up for grabs for about half the table going into late March(ish).

 

[FiRTHYY]

I think we’ll finish play-offs minimum. We need to sort our home form out to stand a chance of competing for automatic slots.

I think we’ll flex our financial muscle in January, too.

 

[RiftHouseLad]

I think we’ll finish play-offs minimum. We need to sort our home form out to stand a chance of competing for automatic slots.

I think we’ll flex our financial muscle in January, too.

We,ll have your cast offs then, Thank you very much.

 

[BogDaddyO]

Objectively, you have to expect us to be in the top 3 come the end of the season given our start, our squad and our ability to spend in January if we need to. That said, if Ipswich recall El Mizouni, we get hit by injuries and someone comes in for Smyth or Wellens himself then we could easily go into free-fall, so I'm taking nothing for granted.
Of the other sides, I would put Northampton in the top 3 as they prepare for yet more yo-yoing between leagues 1 & 2.
The final spot is trickier to call - fully expecting Stevenage to fall away and get brushed aside in the play offs, on paper I would have said Mansfield but they keep dropping points and the refs obviously have it in for them so they may just miss out. Swindon can't be written off but I'm not convinced they're top 3 so Bradford could well swoop in to steal the last auto place.

Play offs harder to predict but I would assume sides like Mansfield and salford would have enough in their squads to break the top 7.

From what I've seen I don't think Carlisle, Doncaster, Dons, Tranmere, Barrow etc have enough about them to trouble but who longs, plenty of season left to go.


Tough to call, but I think the final top 7 might look something like this:

1. Orient
2. Northampton
3. Bradford

4. Swindon
5. Stevenage
6. Mansfield (W)
7. salford

 

[Conker]

Mansfield need to spend in January to achieve top seven, our defence just is not good enough too old and not enough pace. I’m not confident we will get January right because we never do.

Oates is back and expected to start in the pizza cup this week which is a huge positive.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

We will be getting players in January who hopefully can make the system DS is trying to implement. Expecting 2 midfielders and a striker, if we can get them we have a chance

 

[FiRTHYY]

We,ll have your cast offs then, Thank you very much.

There’s not many this season, thankfully. Plenty of players who are capable but cannot make the bench - simple because there isn’t any room.

Jake Young is the only player that might potentially go out on loan, but even then, I can’t see it.

 

[LS Bantam]

I hope we do have something left in the bank given how swollen the squad is, for me whether or not we challenge depends entirely on signing a proper centre mid to partner Smallwood.

 

[EricSabin]

Fingers crossed we’ve had our wobble after injuries and suspension, and we’ve managed to come out of it still 4 points clear of 4th. Think we also finally stuck together a couple of good performances (second of which was thumping Bradford) which has reinforced our confidence.

Christmas and January is gonna be massive with the games we’ve got as we play all of the contenders and Stockport.

Carlisle, Mansfield, Swindon, Orient, Salford, Stockport, Mansfield is our run from December 17th onwards.
Although our record so far is decent having beaten Swindon, Stevenage and Bradford away and drawn with Orient with 10 men.

 

[The Terminator]

Objectively, you have to expect us to be in the top 3 come the end of the season given our start, our squad and our ability to spend in January if we need to. That said, if Ipswich recall El Mizouni, we get hit by injuries and someone comes in for Smyth or Wellens himself then we could easily go into free-fall, so I'm taking nothing for granted.

Pretty much how I see it, the squad has shown me we have enough to be thereabouts come the end of the season.

The big thing will be if someone basically takes Wellens from us - He says he's agreed a new contract with the club, but theres been nothing official yet. Of course injuries as well, which we've been quite lucky with so far, we have two players for each position but of course some positions backup players arent as strong as the first choice - particularly in our midfield with Moncur and El-Mizouni both players who should be playing a league higher.

I think if we can we will try and bring a striker in a striker January if we decide to do any business. Aaron Drinan and Charlie Kelman both only have three goals each and despite both fitting into Wellens style of play well, neither are clinical in front of goal.

Edit: Wellens has now signed a contract extension.

 

[Kauto Star]

Of all the teams I've seen this season, Northampton have been streets ahead of anyone else we've faced, might change my mind at the weekend after our visit to Leyton Orient though.

I keep expecting Stevensge to drop off, and I think they will in the new year. Barrow probably in the same category, have they got a deep enough squad to overcome injuries and loss of form?

Of the teams currently challenging Mansfield were the most underwhelming.

As for ourselves, maintain our good form on the road and turn home draws into wins and we could join Northampton and Orient in the top 3 by next spring.

I think we will tweak our squad to improve us in January and the return of Jamie Walker after being injured since beginning of August, will instantly make us better for sure.

There is always a late runner to the pack, and I reckon that could be Stockport after their slow start

 

[AR27]

All down to if we sort out our home form or not as you would expect our fantastic away form to drop off a bit. Sort it out at VP and we can make autos. Don't sort it and I can see us out the top 7 altogether.

 

[Boz]

Of the current top 7, I've only seen 2 teams live; Stevenage and Carlisle. Both look capable of staying up there. I'd expect maybe Stockport if they recruit well in January to be up and around there and possibly Doncaster too. However, unless Salford make some totally stellar signings in the window, can't see them troubling the promotion contenders.

Nothing has changed my pre-season prediction of a lower mid-table finish for Rovers.

 

[Indian Dan]

Don’t think we’ll make top 3 unless something dramatic happens in the Jan window. The ‘style’ is still my main gripe. All fine and dandy if it leads to goalscoring opportunities but more often than not it all fizzles out. Not making the POs would not be acceptable. The purchase of the ground goes ahead next month with a legal timescale for works to be completed is part of the contract. No point if we’re still farting about in L2.

 

[Conker]

Last night may have just been the pizza cup but it’s backed up my reasoning for why I think we are going to struggle, completely buckled against Everton u21 and conceded twice in extra time despite being in control for the entire game, similar to the Sheffield Wednesday game. Defensively we are a bit of a joke.

 

[Sestonpoolie]

We,ll have your cast offs then, Thank you very much.

I remember before the season started,quite a few Bradford fans saying they wouldn’t be surprised to see Andy Cook at Pools.
I wish.

 

[PuB]

Кто то может помочь ??
Как создать свое первое сообщение.
С уважением.

Couldn’t have said it better myself

 

[Conker]

Must be a lull of fighting in the Donbas.

 

[Indian Dan]

Кто то может помочь ??
Как создать свое первое сообщение.
С уважением.

У тебя уже есть

 

[hellogregory]

We are being mentioned in this understandably, but we’ll end up mid table. And to be honest I’d have snapped your hand off for that at the start of the season. It would still be a fantastic finish for a club like us.

For two reasons we won’t be involved in this. Firstly I fully expect us to flog players in January. It’s what the club do when there’s a sniff of a chance of top 7, they weaken the squad. Then there’s the injuries, they are really mounting up now. Our first choice right back now out for 4 months. All 3 of our right sided centre backs are now out. For every injured player we get back, another two drop.

Big january needed, to keep our better players and to sign some players who aren’t made of brittle glass to replace the treatment table regulars.

 

[EricSabin]

Mansfield looked pretty poor today for the most part, not too concerned about them catching us.

Not a lot of change in the top 7 today, although it seems like Walsall and Stockport are coming up on the rails.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

I can’t see us bothering this thread