Have we made sufficient progress?

[andyh]

At the start of the season a lot of fans were in agreement that it was always going to be a big challenge to get back up in one season.
I think the most pragmatic thought that we could make a solid start and then make a push in the second half of the season.

It's been said that to make a push then we really need to be in 'touching distance' of the play off positions.

So, at the turn of the year and with the reverse fixtures kicking in we are 7 points off the playoffs.

Is this close enough?
Are we happy with our position (especially considering where we came from) ?
Or is there concern that we are already too far off the pace?

[itbrvilla]

Considering the outlay and resources thrown at the team, I'd say we've been appalling. I can't can't believe the lack of structure and planning  at the club. I hope this changes with the appointment of 'proper football men's, but I can't help feeling that no matter who we've appointed over the last decade, it never seems to make a difference. Hopefully the Doc has seen this and will get it sorted.

[Tony Erdington]

FGS sort the midfield  and it will happen!! it cant be more obvious.....

[Steve67]

Ask me after the window has closed.

[saunders_heroes]

FGS sort the midfield  and it will happen!! it cant be more obvious.....

Agreed. It's staggering that we still have the likes of Westwood playing for us when he's been the main weak link in the team for years and we still haven't sorted it even though we were finally relegated! It's absolute incompetence really.

[West Derby Villan]

FGS sort the midfield  and it will happen!! it cant be more obvious.....

When the midfield is sorted by the end of January, I expect us to progress and make the playoffs

[Chipsticks]

Actually getting us to win games this season, and drastically improving our home form has been a colossal turn around. Sure, performances haven't been great but don't forget how deep the rot had gotten into the club.

I really think that we were that bad last season, this has been good progress. We should be aiming for the play-offs, but I still expect next season to be our promotion season.

[tomd2103]

FGS sort the midfield  and it will happen!! it cant be more obvious.....

When the midfield is sorted by the end of January, I expect us to progress and make the playoffs

I agree.  If we get the right purchases in January then I think we are close enough to be able to make the play offs.  It will take a good run though and I have a sneaking suspicion that Bruce might bide his time in January with the view to getting it right over the summer and having a real go at it next season. 

We shall see.

[oswald funkletrumpet]

We have made progress but not enough, 18 odd points off top spot is shit whichever way you look at it, especially when you consider how rubbish the league is

yes we are winning games but when you look at the likes of rotherham, wigan, burton, blackburn you should be winning

sb is doing a decent job in some areas and you have to give him a transfer window

biggest worry is we seem to lack a definitive way of playing, constant changes of players and a really shit balance

[German James]

I don't think we're where we should be given the players, but, unfortunately, we're about where I expected we would be. I've come to the conclusion that the rebuilding is going to take longer than one season, and that going up only to come back down, or just managing to avoid relegation would be counter-productive.

[brian green]

I too concluded some time ago that Bruce will get us back up some day but it won't be via the scenic route.  It is going to be thud and blunder, bump and grind for every point.  I am satisfied that he will do it.  Pleasure from it would be a hope too far.

[Chipsticks]

We have made progress but not enough, 18 odd points off top spot is shit whichever way you look at it, especially when you consider how rubbish the league is

This league is not 'rubbish' and being far from the top of the table is not 'shit' considering how far we have fallen. We do not have a god-given right to come straight back up - we are doing quite well considering we were the laughing stock of English Football for a solid year.

[clash city rocker]

I really don't think we have made any progress. We have thrown millions at it and as we stand we are a mid table championship team. One day very soon the money is going to dry up and we have to tighten our belts in the championship then we really are doomed . A plan regards player recruitment is a must and something that we stick to as previous years we have used the tombola approach to recruiting players.

[Pete3206]

If Bruce has started the season, I think we'd already be a play off spot. I still think we'll be in there come May. I'd like us to get promotion this season, but I'm not going to be too gutted if we don't go up as we are playing some major catch up after the RDM debacle.

League is rubbish? No, don't agree with that. It's not pretty, but it's an extremely tough league to compete in. With the inevitable squad turnaround thats going to happen in January and the summer, I think we'll be OK long term.

[oldhill_avfc]

Catching up after shooting ourselves in the foot with the appointment of RDM and £50m of misdirected sending.