Views from the Sieve

Including New Year's Day, we have 6 more games of this calendar year and it's been mentioned on here a few times that we have a challenging festive period ahead.

Halifax H Dec 8
Ebbsfleet A Dec 15 (FA TROPHY)
Salford A Dec 22
Orient H Dec 26
Barnet H Dec 29
Orient A Jan 1

On our current form we could give anyone in this league a go. The greater challenge in my opinion is that during this period we will complete 4 games in 10 days towards the end of the month. Given that we have played 4 unchanged lineups, squad rotation will probably take place.

Personally I can see us going with the same 11 against Halifax but when it comes to the cup game - would it be a good idea to hand some of the likes of Adeloye, Kandi, Clark, Harfield et al a start in anticipation of needing to call on them later in the month?

Smith and Bellamy are both still out injured, if they are close to a return it might also be a good opportunity for them to get some match fitness back.

Finally and most importantly... how many points would you be happy with and how interested are we about the FA Trophy at this point in time?
In my opinion a return of 7 points from those 5 league games would be pretty good. Winning the cup game would be a bonus but I think it's main purpose should be to strengthen our match day squad for the tougher games ahead of it.

I think we'll beat Halifax and Barnet possibly nick a draw with one of the Orient games and lose against Salford and the other Orient game.

I think 7 points from 15 won't be too sad. Anything more will be a great return.

I don't think we'll take the cup game seriously and we'll be knocked out by ebbsfleet.

If we get more than 6 I'll be pleasantly surprised. Can't win every week and that's a tough run.

Halifax and Barnet are the games to target. Anything out of the others will be a bonus. Saying all that, I doubt any of the teams will be looking forward to playing us either.

If we get 6 points it will be a good month. Any more and it'll be a great month.

Wins againsr Halifax and Ebbsfleet will should make the festive programme more interesting. Salford, O's and Barnet will not go into those games thinking there tougher than the league position suggests.
We might that way receive a little more respect and I hope that will give us some chance of gaining something out of those games.

Hopefully Barnet get a plum FA Cup 3rd draw and couple that with Uncle Johns sides at Xmas are awful it should be 3 points. Anything at all from the others is a bonus. Hope we take the trophy seriously as we could do it.

Would set our target for the next 5 games as 9 points. But realistically I’d struggle to be annoyed at anything above 6. Especially if 3 of them come from Barnet.

Would rest players as suggested for Ebbsfleet. I think even with us full strength they are still more likely to win. FA Trophy doesn’t have much money attached, and isn’t even a decent day out at Wembley imo when you’re sharing it with another football match. Honestly don’t care if we win.

Mark wrote: ↑Mon Dec 03, 2018 7:15 am If we get more than 6 I'll be pleasantly surprised. Can't win every week and that's a tough run.

Me too, but I bet some dickhead will be baying for Taylor to go if we don't.

A hard sequence of form but bear in mind that we've beaten Fylde and Harrogate, plus taken a point off Salford as well, we certainly won't be an easy three points for any side. If we can go into the game at Salford on a five game winning streak then who knows what could happen? - if Braintree can nick a point there then it's certainly not beyond the realms of possibility. Should definitely be targeting six points as others have said, and maybe nick one or two more if we're very lucky.

Halifax (h) .... The form we are in at the moment, especially at the fortress, viccy road, id be dissapointed with anything other than 3pts against The Shaymen.
(3pts)

Ebbsfleet cup (a) Obviously a win would be nice but I’d be happy to rest the entire starting 11 that have played the previous 4 games & go with the fringe players... (yes the same ones who couldn’t beat Heybridge swifts in the ESC :eye: )

Salford (a) .... not holding out much hope in this one, even with 10 men they outplayed us for most of the game in the home fixture a few months ago, the way they are scoring goals for fun at the moment, I can’t see us coming away with anything I’m afraid.
(0 pts)

Orient (h) .....derby game, big crowd, good atmosphere, I think the lads will be up for this one, we have beaten Fylde & Harrogate at home already and don’t think Orient will be looking to coming to our place especially with the kind of form we are in.
3pts would be a fantastic early Xmas present but I wouldn’t grumble at a point after the way they have steam rolled sides of late... Got to make sure Manny & Ben do a job on their star men Bonne & Koroma
(1pt)

Barnet (h) Another game where the atmosphere will be rocking and the players will know how important this game is for us fans, I think they knew that from there performance at the hive back in September! Incredibly unlucky not to come away with anything from that game.
Barnet are nothing special and if they do have one eye on the FA Cup then no reason we cannot all the spoils
(3pts)

Oreint (a) .... Past few games away to orient we have struggled to even turn up, don’t think we have even scored there for a good few matches, Realistically can’t see us getting anything, I’d take a point right NOW but think Orient will have to much at home.
(0 pts)

Total 7 pts ... but I’d take 15

If we can turn over Judas and Barnet and get some points off of orient I will be happy but I hope for 10 or 12 points before years end