Northampton match thread

Macca and Vernam dropped

Discuss

Interesting for sure. Pollock rested too

Feck that is a brave move...!

Balls

On the Macca situation, wonder if it's down to his inability to come for crosses and Ollie thinks Russell is more commanding in his area...another theory could be dropping Macca is the only way to out the captain's armband on an outfield player....
All that said I reckon Ollie's just looking at how others play before the seasons out...

Ollie knows the strengths and weaknesses of all three. Time to see what others can do.

Maybe they were 5 minutes late!

Always rated Russell, so if he is anywhere near what he used to be, then we are in capable hands. Vernam probably just needs a rest. Expect he will get on at some point.

All for dropping Macca, last few games too many errors for me, as for Vernam, not sure, ollie might think he needs a rest

Vernam rested is understandable

Macca must surely be on form

Doubt crossing ability is to do with it but maybe as northampton are a big team. More likely to be to do with playing with the ball at feet and distribution which are real weaknesses in Maccas game despite being a sensational shot stopper and super at 1 on 1s. But these are necessities for how ollie wants to play.
I hope Macca can come back stronger.

I like Macca but he has looked at fault for one or two goals recently. Think it’s Ollies way of maybe shaking him up and to let everybody know that no player is going to be automatically in the starting line up.

Any transfer requests in?

Quoted from MarinerRob

Any transfer requests in?

Just McKeown atm.

Quoted from toontown

Doubt crossing ability is to do with it but maybe as northampton are a big team. More likely to be to do with playing with the ball at feet and distribution which are real weaknesses in Maccas game despite being a sensational shot stopper and super at 1 on 1s. But these are necessities for how ollie wants to play.
I hope Macca can come back stronger.

Very likely this. Ability to play from the back. Ollie probably wants to avoid a heart attack every time Macca has to deal with a back pass as well.

Wouldn't read too much into it personally. Maybe looking if Sam is worth keeping as back up, feel like Macca has been poor last few games but nowhere near as bad as some make out.

Anyone know what the team is?

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

On the Macca situation, wonder if it's down to his inability to come for crosses and Ollie thinks Russell is more commanding in his area...another theory could be dropping Macca is the only way to out the captain's armband on an outfield player....
All that said I reckon Ollie's just looking at how others play before the seasons out...

I don’t get this inability to come for crosses thing as much as I used to, this year he’s actually looked better at that, what has returned to his game is the inability to kill the ball when he saves it with his body which was a bit of an issue when we where in tin pot but Andy Warrington appeared to have coached that out.

I reckon Macca has been a bit off it but more than anything I just think IH is being true to his word in that it’s a squad game and nobody is safe.

When Macca was dropped for Henderson he spit his dummy out a bit, this is a really good test of his captaincy IMHO.

Overall still one of the best in L2.

According to flashscores

20Benson J.     
16Clarke B.     
15Clifton H.     
33Driscoll-Glennon A.     
12Grandin E.     
9Hanson J.     
2Hendrie L.     
5Ohman L.     
23Russell S. (G)     
21Tilley J.     
6Waterfall L

Grimsby

    23 Russell
    2  Hendrie
    6  Waterfall
    5  Öhman
    33 Driscoll-Glennon
    15 Clifton
    20 Benson
    12 Grandin
    16 Clarke
    9  Hanson
    21 Tilley

Substitutes:
    1  McKeown
    3  Garmston
    7   Green
    10 Whitehouse
    14 Rose
    18 Vernam
    22 Hewitt

Fact of the day: gambling's Bradley Wood scored his one GTFC goal against their keeper.

Not the game to not play your best 11, drop him for Plymouth where we wont be surprised to get beaten.

The pitch looks a bit muddy in places but well done to the ground staff for getting it on.

When I’ve seen Russel he’s always done very well so I imagine IH will have seen the same. I still think that Macca should of claimed the ball for Newport’s 1st goal and I imagine IH did. Vernam will govern the chance to have a rest and it makes our bench wry strong. U TMM!!

Maybe Macca is carrying an injury or has been unwell.  Could be any number of reasons.

Probably seeing if Russell cuts it

Absolute excrement defending.

0-1
Poor defending again.

excrement from clarke and clifton

Everyone else had been given game time. It isn't like he is throwing in Battersby. See how Macca responds.

What the intercourse was Clarke doing
FFS get rid ye twit

Hope Ollie is'nt turning into a tinkerman. Too many changes at once.

Who's got the captain's armband?

Hendrie

No way Ludvig should have got a yellow there.

Town should have had a penalty, another crap ref.

or am I just biased. 😀

Pollock on their bench

Stonewall penalty.

Hanson going off due to injury.

They’re wasting time at every opportunity, hopefully the officials get a grip on it.

0-2  😓

2-0

Matt Hanson off. Green on. The Cobblers are shaking in their boots now!

Greens first thing to do will be giving away a free kick and leading with his elbow

This is awful. Come on Town what are you doing?

excrement defending yet again, mainly Ohman.

Beginning to look like a intercourse up by IH.

Sh1te from our mid field they need to track their runners

Poor from Town as soon as Hanson comes off we shrink.

Something not quite right so far today. maby too many changes

Quoted from lee65

Hendrie

Cheers, Lee.

Absolutely woeful currently.

This is awful

This must be the worst performance by a mile under Ollie but heyho I suppose he is now looking who can cut the mustard for next season.

Things would be different it we got that peno.
I cant see any reason why the ref didnt give it the male masturbator

Midfield is nowhere

And the big bubble bursts, lots of moans tonight, as usual.

Quoted from dicko995

And the big bubble bursts, lots of moans tonight, as usual.

Not everyone's so fickle.

Ollie's here for the long haul (like us fans)...a home defeat is what it is.

But we haven't lost it yet ffs....

Quoted from dicko995

And the big bubble bursts, lots of moans tonight, as usual.

Rightfully so the way we're defending....

3 big chances. None taken.

Someone needs to give the French lad a talking to greedy so and so...

GRANDIN is a greedy girl private, costing us big time

Anyway theres something still in this for us. They’re excrement.

Poor from our mid field overall, to be fair at half time they’re probably 2 goals better then us

Well I’ve not given up yet. The amount of chances we’ve had I can still see us getting all 3 points. If we can put in a poor performance like that and still have so many good chances I think we’ll come good second half.....and I’m normally a pessimist!! 😆

Ref has to clamp down on this time wasting tho.

Looking at the stats we're doing better than them in all areas except the most important one. We're trying to play football the right way going forward but just can't finish whereas Northampton break quickly and finish with 2 of their 3 shots on target

Getting overrun by the land of the giants. I hate teams like Northampton, with their anti football but they are first to everything and taking their chances. We needed to get one back in the half but have spurned plenty of opportunities. So frustrating but if we can get the next goal...

A member up by Grandin which wasted the 2 on 1 but his other efforts have been OK. Just a pity the keeper got his knee to that best effort.

An odd game in some ways as they have caused us problems with their shape and play but the two goals conceded have been very soft defensively (yet again). However, we've had enough chances to score 2 or 3 easily and we've passed it through their midfield lots of times. Missing chances to put players through too often, however.

The referee is absolutely awful. Even worse than most of them we've seen this season. No attempt to stop their time wasting, penalising us for the slightest thing then ignoring things like the Tilley penalty claim. Ohman's booking was ridiculous.

Despite the moaning of those around me, I think Green has done well in general since he came on and the shape is working better since Hanson went off.

I mean this half just screems you don't change a winning side now doesn't it.

It doesn't help its been 11 vs 12 pitch and with Hanson going off injured its now 10 vs 12. Our midfield looks lost to none existant, we were sat far too deep for both their goals. Grandins the only one to come close for us, should of probably had what looked a clear penalty, Ohmans none existant yellow card foul and they are just bullying us all over the pitch.

Its not that we're playing badly, we're just being outmatched and now they have a 2 goal lead they're sitting back and making it near impossible for us to break them down. Heres hoping for a bit of luck and the ref to slip in the tunnel and have to be subbed out.

UTM

Vernam and garmston coming on

Goal 1 yet again, all our players stood in 6 yard box allowing player on  the edge of area loads of time and space to pick his spot, when will we learn to get a couple of players stopping on the edge when corners etc are coming in. Goal 2 outpaced by 3 quick forward passes straight through the middle, it was like Moses paarting the Red Sea. We are neat and tidy and dec ent with nice movement till we get to the area then other than one chance for Grandin we have not had a clear sight of goal  despite lots of shots being blocked, looked like a penalty on Tilley as he bundled his way through as well. Despite b3 great breaks all broke down due to poor decision making or passes. Ref is giving us nothing, Ohman gets booked for holding a player who was back to goal in midfield and tried to role him (his 1st foul) yet out of 3 late tackles on our players dont even result in freekicks never mind yellows, think it will take a miracle to come back from this but heres hoping as we've done it before. (PS Green better than usual but still stopped 2 really good attacks with terrible 10 yard passes straight to opposing players when it was easier to hit ours)

Missed the first half.  Town looking disjointed.  Northampton don't look that good.   just a bunch of bruisers with a lot of gamesmanship   Ref letting them get away with murder.  Can't see us scoring

Talk about time wasting, get a grip ref.

It's that bad our goalie coach nearly put it in his own net.

This is flipping garbage.

Potential clearout in the summer?

Quoted from tashee69

Well I’ve not given up yet. The amount of chances we’ve had I can still see us getting all 3 points. If we can put in a poor performance like that and still have so many good chances I think we’ll come good second half.....and I’m normally a pessimist!! 😆

After seeing the start to the second half........
Think I’m talking out my backside 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ollie put 3 at the back but we’re not using any width at all

What a load of Cobblers.

Is Greens contract up at the end of the season??

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

Potential clearout in the summer?

Other than Hendrie I’m not convinced we’ve got any contracted defenders good enough

We are looking flipping clueless at times.

How the intercourse did Clarke miss that.

Quoted from Morris Minor

Hope Ollie is'nt turning into a tinkerman. Too many changes at once.

Game Over

Let's hope Ollie has learned something useful from that.

Play off fantasy killed within Feb (thanks to the extra day).

That was excrement play by Waterfall, flipping clear it you knob don't try to be clever.

There will be no ice creams after the game after this shower of crap

Worst performance in a long long time.

Well at least we know our reserves are not good enough... back to our usual starting 11 next week please ollie

You might as well have me playing up front instead of Green.

Holloway has to accept responsibility for that pile of crap, too many changes and bringing on Green and Garmston what was the flipping point.

What can I say, Ollie aint God, but u all think he is, enjoy

Was Hanson not injured and taken off with Green replacing him? I’m at work so not there.

Golden rule.. dont change a winning side unless you have to,, you would have  thought after 900 odd gtames he would know this

Quoted from dicko995

What can I say, Ollie aint God, but u all think he is, enjoy

He ain't Shankly but he is certainly an upgrade on Slade, Hurst, Bignot and Jolley.

Made changes recently and still won but it certainly didn't work today. Second best for pretty much all the game, bar that little spell before half time when we should have scored. Offered little in the second, although Clarke managed to miss an open goal. Highlight was the ref not carding their number 5 after he committed 3 bookable offences in the space of 5 seconds.

Very disappointing second half. At least we gave it a go in the first half but didn't have the guts to try and play through them in the second half and there was too much pointless side to side passing.

Have to say, I'm not overly surprised with the result as it is one we've been threatening with the soft goals we continue to concede. We've got away with it in recent games by scoring enough at the other end, but today was one of those games where we just couldn't put the ball in the net. Clarke's two misses in the second half (one a completely open goal) were as bad as those in the first half. A comedy of errors for their third goal as well.

Too much tinkering by Holloway by far of late. Let's try and build some partnerships so we're not playing like a bunch of strangers so often.

Quoted from dicko995

What can I say, Ollie aint God, but u all think he is, enjoy

Nobody thinks he's God. But he has had a far better career than all the other managers we've had this century and given the situation we found ourselves in in December, we're blooming lucky to have him. Not sure why you're so bitterly against him, has he slept with your wife?

What do you expect with 6 changes from a winning team - c'mon Olly you know you dun wrong     -   but for the life of me I can't think why you did - you being such an experienced manager. We all know the team needs confidence so this was a chance for them to get it. I think it's done more harm than good big time. Keep this up and gates are gonna fall

Quoted from denni266

Golden rule.. dont change a winning side unless you have to,, you would have  thought after 900 odd gtames he would know this

There were 5 changes after Colchester for the Morecambe game.

Not too fussed with all the changes myself. We're not going up this year so might as well give everyone a chance to stake a claim. Think today showed many are not good enough and a good few will be on their bike.

Still think Ollie is having a good look at all this squad so that he can decide on next years, yes, play them against Northampton who are doing well and a big team, that way he knows what he’s got. Honestly this season is over so he needs to experiment, especially like today when Hanson goes off, he needs to see who is good enough or willing enough to fill in.