3 reasons

[Campsall rover]

The best we can hope for if the team continues to not be able to keep clean sheets, is the play offs. We are more likely be in mid table at the end, if the manager doesn’t notice that we need a top centre half. The team as a whole needs to work harder off the ball.

I think we do work very hard off the ball.
Don’t think that’s the problem.

Set pieces and lack of concentration, switching off and a keeper who is far too quiet & not commanding his six yard box are the problems SCK imo.

I don't agree with this. Jones is very vocal and he's done well for me this year.  If he was better at claiming cross after cross he wouldn't be in league 2 as his distribution and shot stopping are now very good.  I'd rather we persevered with Jones and allowed him to develop this season given promotion is probably unlikely.

Opinions hey BFYP

There are plenty of goalkeepers in League 2 who are vocal, commanding & good on crosses.

I give you 1 who played against us recently. Salford City’s Doncaster born keeper Cairns.
Stockport County’s keeper ( his name gone,  I have had a senior moment on his name.) He is excellent.
There are a few others also who are much more commanding than Louie Jones and also Lawlor.
But imo Lawlor is the better and more experienced Keeper.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

The best we can hope for if the team continues to not be able to keep clean sheets, is the play offs. We are more likely be in mid table at the end, if the manager doesn’t notice that we need a top centre half. The team as a whole needs to work harder off the ball.

I think we do work very hard off the ball.
Don’t think that’s the problem.

Set pieces and lack of concentration, switching off and a keeper who is far too quiet & not commanding his six yard box are the problems SCK imo.

I don't agree with this. Jones is very vocal and he's done well for me this year.  If he was better at claiming cross after cross he wouldn't be in league 2 as his distribution and shot stopping are now very good.  I'd rather we persevered with Jones and allowed him to develop this season given promotion is probably unlikely.

Opinions hey BFYP

There are plenty of goalkeepers in League 2 who are vocal, commanding & good on crosses.

I give you 1 who played against us recently. Salford City’s Doncaster born keeper Cairns.
Stockport County’s keeper ( his name gone,  I have had a senior moment on his name.) He is excellent.
There are a few others also who are much more commanding than Louie Jones and also Lawlor.
But imo Lawlor is the better and more experienced Keeper.

We all know there's more things expected of keepers in the modern game, with kicking (passing) being more and more important however, we are discussing our defence against balls into the box.

I would agree with Cairns, just going on what I saw in that one game, his starting position was so much better, anticipating the possibility of the ball coming into his zone, then attacking the ball for the catch or punch, fully 100% committed.

Of course, mistakes will be made but you judge over time.

In my mind, a keeper worth his salt should want to catch the ball however our two, whilst they have good shot stopping capabilities, don't have the desire to come out for crosses which is a big factor in why we're having this discussion.

Pre season with TBs extra commitment, I recall saying the spine of the team is where you invest in quality, so when McCann made Lawlor his first acquisition, I nearly choked.  That said, he performed better than I expected in the first few games, but his natural reluctance to come for crosses, started to creep back in.

Rob Jones (and McCoombe to a point) was such a commanding centre half, we still managed to succeed with Gary Woods in goal, although Sullivan was brought back for the decisive match, but having such dominance at centre half these days is such a rarity.

[scawsby steve]

Many on here need a reality check about the standards you can reasonably expect from League 2 defenders and goalkeepers.

I am sure most of the detractors would be delighted if we swapped any of our centre backs for Aden Flint and either keeper for Christie Pym ??

Well check out their flapping yesterday against Matt Smith - he tore them a new one all game.

The notion that somehow,somewhere there are players out there without a mistake all game in them is simply barmy, but carry on..........

That was one game, BR, and yes, all players make mistakes. However, is 4 clean sheets in 23 games in all comps acceptable for a team whose remit from the board is promotion?

SS the remit was to give it our best shot at promotion as far as I am aware.
I haven’t heard any board member or GM himself say that not getting promotion this season is not acceptable.

Realistically I am quite sure the hope was and still is we can make the play offs. If that was achieved it gives us a 1 in 4 chance.
Of course the Board are going to say Promotion is the aim.  Supporters don’t want to hear that mid table mediocrity is the aim in League 2.  Season ticket sales are at stake.
Yes of course it was the aim but if we fall short I guarantee GM will not be sacked.

Next season will be a different ball game. Less than top 7 will be considered failure and the goal will definately be top 3.
GM will be aiming for the title next season. Unlike Fergie he won’t let what happened in the last 5 games of 2016/17 happen.

First of all, Camps, I've always admired your positive attitude, and wished I could be the same, but I just don't have that kind of mindset, unfortunately.

However, in this thread you're putting personal opinion before facts. The board DID say that Terry would be funding a promotion drive this season, because I read those words with my own eyes. Of course, the implications of that statement could be interpreted differently, but there's no doubt that ST sales were boosted considerably because of it.

Regarding GM, no-one, including myself, has suggested that he may be sacked, but some of us have said there's always the possibility he could walk. We don't know yet what kind of budget he will be given next season.

We've got to stop assuming that Terry will always be there for us, because he won't. What happens then none of us know.

[dickos1]

4 clean sheets in 23. Playing in League Two. It’s not great.

Or 2 clean sheets in 7 games!
Not like you to look for a massive negative spin

You think two clean sheets in seven games is something to write home about?  Christ on a bike!

Well it’s not as bad as 4 in 23 and 2 in 7 is comparable to most teams in this league

[dickos1]

Many on here need a reality check about the standards you can reasonably expect from League 2 defenders and goalkeepers.

I am sure most of the detractors would be delighted if we swapped any of our centre backs for Aden Flint and either keeper for Christie Pym ??

Well check out their flapping yesterday against Matt Smith - he tore them a new one all game.

The notion that somehow,somewhere there are players out there without a mistake all game in them is simply barmy, but carry on..........

That was one game, BR, and yes, all players make mistakes. However, is 4 clean sheets in 23 games in all comps acceptable for a team whose remit from the board is promotion?

We’ve conceded the same number of league goals as Wrexham, they were tha favourites to win the league and now sit 2nd in the table.
How many you concede isn’t the be all
And end all of a successful side