Have we flattered to deceive? My opinion is that we are far from a playoff team because we have no midfield apart from Labadie ( the only one there who tackles ) Dolan and Wilmott largely non-combatant and Tozer inconsistent. This puts a lot of pressure on the defence and has done all season when we have so often been in retreat mode when trying to hang on to a lead, now we have lost Bennett for a couple of months too. In addition imho we pose very little threat at the front, only Amond looks like a finisher in the team that usually starts. McCoulsky knows where the goal is but doesn’t appear to be a 90 minuter and thus seldom starts.

I like Flynny but many are doubtful about the lack of rotation and the wisdom of the recent signings. He’s learning on the job but like most of us I think after the miracle he pulled off last year, he deserves a bit of slack.

To sum up, we’re a mid-table side at best imho and have been found out. I know we have a lot of home fixtures left but I don’t see us winning enough of them to mount a playoff challenge as we just don’t score enough goals and let’s face it , the recent evidence doesn’t point to a run of clean sheets!
How do you see it?

Have never thought we were a play off side. We've been punching and we're going to level out to our place in mid table. Still a world away from the last two seasons.

I think we are 5 players away from having a really top league 2 side. At present if we don't get our main 6-8 players on the pitch at the same time then we struggle. We win some and we lose some just like any mid table team up and down the country does. season ends today it would be a fantastic season.

I think we're a playoff contender for as long as we're getting regular home wins.

Last 8 games home form (inc Cup): W4 D4 L0
Last 8 games away form (inc Cup): W2 D1 L5

Clearly much better home form than away, but we have 9 homes and 5 aways left - most of the homes are against sides above or around us, so some "six-pointers" in the Play-Off battle.

If we win them we're very much still in the mix. If we don't get at least two wins from Notts Co, Port Vale (away) and Accrington we can forget any chance of play-offs though. Time to step up.

SJG99 wrote:I think we're a playoff contender for as long as we're getting regular home wins.

Last 8 games home form (inc Cup): W4 D4 L0
Last 8 games away form (inc Cup): W2 D1 L5

Clearly much better home form than away, but we have 9 homes and 5 aways left - most of the homes are against sides above or around us, so some "six-pointers" in the Play-Off battle.

If we win them we're very much still in the mix. If we don't get at least two wins from Notts Co, Port Vale (away) and Accrington we can forget any chance of play-offs though. Time to step up.

Well we do have to turn things around sooner rather than later if you think we’re still in with a chance. Two wins from those three games is a big ask imho which is one reason why I don’t think we’ll manage it.

lowandhard wrote:

SJG99 wrote:I think we're a playoff contender for as long as we're getting regular home wins.

Last 8 games home form (inc Cup): W4 D4 L0
Last 8 games away form (inc Cup): W2 D1 L5

Clearly much better home form than away, but we have 9 homes and 5 aways left - most of the homes are against sides above or around us, so some "six-pointers" in the Play-Off battle.

If we win them we're very much still in the mix. If we don't get at least two wins from Notts Co, Port Vale (away) and Accrington we can forget any chance of play-offs though. Time to step up.

Well we do have to turn things around sooner rather than later if you think we’re still in with a chance. Two wins from those three games is a big ask imho which is one reason why I don’t think we’ll manage it.

And it's fair to say if we don't manage it then we're not making the play-offs. But we still have the opportunity to do that at the moment, with our home record.

We've basically got lots of tricky homes where we have a good record, and fewer easier aways where we don't. It's up to the players to prove that the reason we've got a good home record isn't just because we've played the easier sides at home.

Being 7 points off the playoffs after 3 straight league defeats isn't the end of the world.

I may have an idea

We need lots more goals than the opposition

In order to achieve this we need to keep attacking the opposite team with verve and zest and and a tad of skill

think weve been punching above our weight all season,weve had our highs now time to get used to the lows,dont think we be in trouble relegation wise but prepare for some poor performances.theyll prove me wrong hopefully

Most sides go through a dip in form during a season but this lack of performance from all over the pitch is worrying. As many posters have said conceding 9 goals and only scoring 1 in the last 3 League games is a concern. When a team only concede 3 goals and score 1 against a top Premiership side like Tottenham over two games you have to question the players or Flynny's team selection.
How our defence have imploded is more baffling I think our midfield have contributed to the implosion as they are not quick enough both in pace and mind. They are not a unit and do not compliment each other. It is a very fragile part of the team and has been for a number of seasons. When Labadie is not firing the players around him do not roll their sleeves up and go into battle. Many go missing and not only wander around the pitch looking for their markers they jog back to help the defence when the damage has already been done.
When Byrne was our midfield star he was often doing the job of 2 sometimes 3 players, Labadie has had this at times and something has to give when others are not stepping up to the mark and to his level.
Agree with many posters the team cannot handle teams with pace and power especially on the counter attack when our midfield is still up field in attacking mode.
Pipe has been immense as right back but lately has been off the pace and the other defenders have been exposed and found out mainly due to the reasons above. Without quality brought in The January Window the squad is not good enough and our normal first eleven are being picked and favoured even after inept performances what message does that send out.
Should have brought in 3 experienced seasoned pro's in midfield and left or right back and striker.
Nouble and Jackson give me Lennel Lewis and Bird any time or Zebroski or Bodin.
Just some of the reasons why the play off push has gone pear shaped but I could go on including Wilmott or Willnot tackle etc. but I won't.

My own view is that the side came off the back of last season on a high and carried that into the start of this season thankfully. I think the draw at Stevenage and the Coventry result also gave the boost but unfortunately it looks like the grind of the season has got to the players. Players keen to impress appear to have lost that drive, talk of falling out, some players losing interest in the game, players in the last year of their contract, washing machine fires. These are bound to have an effect (I was joking about the last one). Reality is, we are lower end Div 2 side with a wage budget to match. We do not have the support to match the bigger teams in the league unless we have a Premier league team visiting or we are in a Promotion playoff. We cannot attract the players to Newport and those players that are of the standard we either have to sell to balance the books or they run down their contracts and leave.
For what its worth, I think Flynn is doing the best he can - we simply haven't got the quality that other teams have and we have to accept that. Apart from Day, White (albeit in loan), Labidie and maybe Amond realistically how many of our players would get into the Luton side or Notts County side? We'll see the standard today of the both sides, usually the teams at the top of the league simply have better quality players.

Mickey and maybe Dan.
Good comments though.

Harps62 wrote:Mickey and maybe Dan.
Good comments though.

That being the case six Newport players could make the Notts starting 1X. Which would put us on a par with Notts County. I am not sure I agree.

Slightly different to Mr Figo Stan.
Doubt if Padraig would get in with Stead etc in their line up.
Would say 4 - Day, Ben W, Mickey, Labs.
2 on the bench Dan & Padraig and possibly like us Super Sub for last 20 minutes.

3 players 100% would get in every team in the league. White, Mickey D and labadie.