City in flux at the moment but do get the point.

I don’t really understand the flak the Imps received after Friday nights draw with Shrewsbury. I thought some of the early play was, if anything something of an improvement on that previously. It didn’t last, you don’t need me to tell you that but in terms of what Michael Appleton is trying to achieve and the incremental way he is implementing his plans, I say keep going. At least there’s a plan and it’s well worth sticking to.

Of course there are squad deficiencies or at least deficiencies in the make up of the squad that Appleton will need to address. City have been operating with a very small squad. I expect that to change. The practice of playing one up front is also frustrating. Teams like Shrewsbury, as we saw frequently last season, will come to Sincil Bank to stymie the Imps. It’s not rocket science and it’s not limited to league one, teams will come set up not to lose, it’s up to the home team to get round that conundrum. For that reason Christmas can’t come soon enough, presumably, for the manager and with it the possibility of shaping the roster more to his liking.

In the meantime City must continue to rack up the points. After the barren spell which was the result of the upheavals at the club (or was that going to happen in any event?) City are now averaging four points per three games. It’s not promotion form but neither is it relegation. Personally I’d be more than happy with a mid table finish for this season and subsequent ones for that matter as long as we are progressing.

If you look at Peterborough (told you I had something of an obsession there) which is, for my money a club we could look to emulate, they have had several seasons in league one but seem to be significantly wealthier. It does help when you’ve got a rich backer but they are now able to speculate with players for the future and a couple of big sales a season does offset the limitations a club must overcome in terms of spectators through the gate and investment in general.

Of course, Lincoln City, in an ideal world could attract significant financial backing in the future. I think the club were rather hoping that would arrive in time to tempt the previous management to stay but it didn’t and it’s no use crying over spilt milk but, as long as the club can continue to progress and retain its enthusiastic support you would think, if a club like Wycombe can be on an investors radar a well run outfit like City might be too even if we are some way off the beaten track. That doesn’t do Norwich City much harm does it?

So we go on with another big game on the near horizon. As stated earlier they’re all big but, as we saw with Sunderland previously, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that City could upset the league one applecart and give another big name a red face, we’ve been doing that for some time after all.