Just Back

Failed to beat a team who looked like they couldnt be arsed

Couldnt fault the effort from the team today, took the lead, looked in control, didnt really create much else bar Obikwu going through.

Midfield was dead on its feet with 75 gone and somehow out manager doesnt see fit to change something up, I dont know why, but everyone in the ground could see it.

We could have had a pen for Rose having his shirt ripped off but theres was as clear as day and we threw away 3 points. Again.

If you cant beat them, then i dont know where the next win comes from. Feels like a loss, and Ive got a horrible feeling these late penalities, today and at Sutton, are going to be so costly

4 wins in 22 under Artell. Horrific

Think Artell has to take some blame for that. Our players were out on their feet for the last 15-20 minutes but we made one change. Not saying it would have changed the game, but our players were clearly struggling to track runs towards the end.

Same sh1t, different day.

It looked like we didn’t know whether to stick or twist. Hate to call it, but this has a real look of inevitability to it.

Whether it would be Khouri or Ainley in the middle, or Eisa or Vernam to run at their back 4 who were all on bookings, he just had to do something. flipping gutted.

I’ve seen this film before a couple of times and it’s got a horrible ending.

Today and the penalty at Sutton will be the defining moments. It’s been an abomination of a season. Yet again. The club is fúcking cursed.

Even bottom placed FGR can score two goals, in fact 3 against bloody Crewe.

We’re definitely going down and to be honest we deserve to . I’d be surprised if we don’t finish bottom . If that’s the best we can do against a team , who for 70 mins were just going through the motions then I can’t see another win coming . I think we’ll get 3 more points tops

ONE shot on target...AGAIN...at home...against a very poor team...that look like they weren't bothered either way.

Can't fault the effort but how have we not managed more than one shot on target? Makes it unbelievably hard to win games of football.

Could be a massive two points dropped there, especially with the way the 3pm games have started.

Can't fault the effort but we're excrement aren't we, Bradford were rubbish and only turned up for 10 minutes at the end but they created just as much in that time than we did during the first 80 minutes. Just don't have enough quality.

In all of my 55 yrs of watching the Mariners I don't think I have ever seen a team relinquish more points against crap opposition than this one !

If we are to be relegated,(again), it will be our own fault, not refereeing decisions or any other outside influences, we are just not good enough.

Bradford like many others this season were total crap and should have been dispatched with ease, its down to us that we failed to do so.

Sooooooo frustrated today !!!!!!!!!!

FGT three up after 28 mins! The writing seems to be in the wall. One of the most depressing seasons I can remember. Always the fall guys. No more emotional and nervous energy available in my body.

Wonder if we’ll be accused of revelling in dropped points or having it in for Artell by a poster on here as it was on Friday

This really feels like the beginning of the end. The 3PM games are going as bad as it could possibly be

Got in the car feeling we were really unlucky got out of the car just knowing the players we now have aren’t good enough to keep us in this league.

Combined Hurst undid his great work in the previous 2 seasons over the summer & and Artell’s “principles” will finish the job.

Regardless of where we finish Artell must go, if what feels inevitable happens we’ll need someone who understands the NL.

Despite what feels like a defeat a word for Thompson & Andrews who I thought did really well.

There are so many parallels with the lockdown relegation.

We’re done. And we deserve to go.

We are totally screwed (again!) Anything Hurst has achieved has been wiped away for me. Twice he’s been involved in relegating us and Artell has to be up there as one of the worst managers we’ve ever had

If we do go down, which seems likely, I hope the board don't make the same mistake the old board did in 2010, i.e. keeping a manger who was clearly not up to. Woods lead us to 11th place in the NL.

We need a top to bottom clear out of players, coaches, and manager, even if by some miracle we stay up. Because the current set up is not fit for purpose. We are shockingly bad. We need to rip it up and start afresh.  

Quoted from Hagrid

Wonder if we’ll be accused of revelling in dropped points or having it in for Artell by a poster on here as it was on Friday

This really feels like the beginning of the end. The 3PM games are going as bad as it could possibly be

Certainly seems that way when the first thing you do after the whistle blows is come on here and start whinging about Artell 👍🏻

Quoted from hampshiremariner

FGT three up after 28 mins! The writing seems to be in the wall. One of the most depressing seasons I can remember. Always the fall guys. No more emotional and nervous energy available in my body.

I’m with you mate . I used to feel sick to the stomach but now it’s just par for the course . I’m just astounded that we let all the buzz from the previous 2 seasons just evaporate so fast . It’s now sadly obvious that Artell was the wrong choice and it’s also sadly obvious that he should of been sacked . The owners and The Grimsby Way bs was always going to come back and haunt them and it has in bucket fulls
I appreciate the mess fenty left the club in but the playing side has just remained the same  and because of that we are going from having one of the worst grounds in the EFL to having one of the better grounds in non league ,

Agreed with Thompson and Andrews but IMHO Rose was also very good today too. Gets his body in tirelessly to close down and challenge or cleverly wins free kicks if his back was to goal. Shame we couldn't do a damn thing with all those free kicks.

Quoted from MaccasBoots

Certainly seems that way when the first thing you do after the whistle blows is come on here and start whinging about Artell 👍🏻

Wtf do you expect from a manager who has won 4!!!!!!!! I’LL REPEAT THAT. 4. In 22 games.

We're just a poor, poor team. Plenty of endeavour, but that's pretty much it. No pace, strength and little ability. The less said about our ability at set pieces, the better. They fouled us in midfield knowing that it would take a miracle for us to do anything with the free-kicks and so it proved. The fact that referees ignore wrestling and shirt-pulling at set pieces is irritating, but it's the same for both teams, I suppose. I don't think many of our players would get near their team - and they are a mid-table side with nothing to play for.

The deflected cross which led to their goal was slightly fortunate, but I was never convinced we were going to hold out even before that happened as they had started to get in behind us by actually passing and moving, something which is apparently beyond our players. If we'd managed to hold on for the win, it would have been as much by luck as judgement.

If you set up with 5 defenders and three defensive midfielders you aren't going to create too many chances but you've go to be able to defend well enough to keep a clean sheet. We managed it in a couple of games, but have failed since then. I can't really see what else we can do, though. We're not good enough to try and play some football, it seems.

Only plus point, I suppose, is that Eastwood didn't do anything wrong. Good handling, decent kicking and a couple of saves.

Until today, I was pretty confident we would scrape enough points to stay up, but that's gone out of the window now. Our Plan A is poor and we aren't capable of a Plan B. A few flukey wins might do it, but I don't think we're going to be that lucky.

Quoted from grassbandits

Agreed with Thompson and Andrews but IMHO Rose was also very good today too. Gets his body in tirelessly to close down and challenge or cleverly wins free kicks if his back was to goal. Shame we couldn't do a damn thing with all those free kicks.

Thought they all had good games today except Hume who stunk the place out.
Think DA should have had some fresh legs in midfield 75/80 minutes.
We just haven't got any creative players to make things happen.

Gutting. Similar to the game at their place....better side in general but just not enough quality in the final third. Bradford woke up when they brought Walker on in midfield but otherwise poor.
I thought they were lucky to stay at 11 men when 36(? )Went in late not long after he had been booked but the ref definitely wanted to avoid sending him off as he hardly acknowledged it...
So many set pieces with no threat....Tharm long throws also .....failing to score more than 1 goal has cost us so many points thise season....under both managers.

I thought we had turned the corner. But, I forgot -this is Grimsby. We don’t do corners, we just go up and down.

Quoted from 140381

There are so many parallels with the lockdown relegation.

We’re done. And we deserve to go.

But no Covid and with crowds and buckets of money!!

Cmon😒 nowt like

Blundell park looks like a holding pen for the Jeremy Kyle show.

More about what’s going on the pitch. The inability to see a game out, the seemingly endless late equalisers, new manager inheriting a poor squad and signing anyone to fill a gap.

We have learned nothing since 2016.

Quoted from JK47

We have learned nothing since 2016.

A vivid memory of what was said after our win at the London Stadium is ringing in my head. Phrases such as ‘never again’. This just feels so horrible.

OK, I admit defeat, we're definitely going down, in fact I will be surprised if we don't finish bottom. We are doing exactly what we did when we first got relegated to non league with Woods. Not loads of defeats  but I think 16 draws. So 10 more points if we had just won around a 1/3  of them. Why on earth did we not put Vernam on to stretch them and make them worry about conceding again instead of letting them constantly come at us. Unbelievable scores from today's game make relegation very likely I'm afraid.

Looks like we will be playing Scunny next season then.

Both Sutton and FGR 3 goals up.   When did we last score 3 and won?

...

Quoted from Mayaman

Both Sutton and FGR 3 goals up.   When did we last score 3 and won?

Last year against Salford.

Not scored more than one goal in a game this year so far have we?.

Quoted from 140381

Today and the penalty at Sutton will be the defining moments. It’s been an abomination of a season. Yet again. The club is fúcking cursed.

I have followed the club now probably for the better part of 15 years and it staggers me how many times we have made something for ourselves, and given ourselves a tremendous opportunity and then simply thrown it away. I can't believe th amount of disappointment we have endured as supporters at least in that time. To be staring down the very real prospect of non-league again is almost enough to make me feel sick.

Our inability at game management has cost us.  We have lost 16 which is the same as Crawley in 7th and only 3 more than MK Dons in 4th.  Throwing away our leads will lead to our demise.

Eisa and Vernam should have been brought on - bad management again. This was a game we could and should have won if the manager was upto it. We ran our guts out and it was obvious to everyone except the one who counts that we were knackered. What does he do for his money ? Don't his sidekicks suggest anything to him or is he too pig headed  to listen.             How long is his contract for ?

Quoted from golfer

Eisa and Vernam should have been brought on - bad management again. This was a game we could and should have won if the manager was upto it. We ran our guts out and it was obvious to everyone except the one who counts that we were knackered. What does he do for his money ? Don't his sidekicks suggest anything to him or is he too pig headed  to listen.             How long is his contract for ?

Given his personal situation, I’d suggest his thoughts might have been elsewhere.

Quoted from RonMariner

Last year against Salford.

Not scored more than one goal in a game this year so far have we?.

Apart from the time we scored 5. But yeah, that's very much the exception rather than the rule (and it still didn't earn us 3 points).

Quoted from Poojah

Apart from the time we scored 5. But yeah, that's very much the exception rather than the rule (and it still didn't earn us 3 points).

Have you got another rant in you ?

Because I'm struggling to comprehend or put into words how badly wrong things have gone or what's happened to us .

Shellshocked

…home. The end of a terrible weekend for us. We are the least in form out of the bottom 4 and just looking at the results today gives me nausea. As well as Sutton, Harrogate smash 5 past Gills, Crawley score 4. Draws against Newport and Swindon won’t cut it. We need 7 points from somewhere.

Quoted from Poojah

Apart from the time we scored 5. But yeah, that's very much the exception rather than the rule (and it still didn't earn us 3 points).

Yes, sorry. The hypno therapy blocks out that period when we routinely conceded five goals a game at home.

God, we are awful.    

That was a real kick in the teeth.

Lack of fresh legs and a ruthless streak cost us.  

We are lucky the games are running out for Sutton.

A few key wins will keep us up but we are right in the excrement.

Pleased Khouri got some minutes in, wish it had been a bit sooner. Aside from that, just felt today was like watching the ship finally sinking. There was a distinct lack of guile or a plan, we were just hoofing it forward with little effect. We're already playing like a non league club so we should hit the ground running.

Quoted from Phil the cod

Blundell park looks like a holding pen for the Jeremy Kyle show.

Careful young man, remember  the "windowlicker" comment.

That guy is best ignored.

God im depressed.
I only get home to watch them a couple of times a year , I’ve not seen them win for about 5 years 😩

Suppose- with a few hours to calm down- it is still in our hands. We do our own job and we stay up

Quoted from Hagrid

Suppose- with a few hours to calm down- it is still in our hands. We do our own job and we stay up

Only problem is that we've been saying that for the past couple of months.

Quoted from Hagrid

Suppose- with a few hours to calm down- it is still in our hands. We do our own job and we stay up

If I’m honest I’m clinging to that too.

Fight 8 out of 10 quality 3 out 10 just about deserved to edge the game but for the last ten minutes when Bradfords second round of substitutes gave them the energy to finish stronger arguably making a draw a fair result Another step closer to the abyss given other results .

Quoted from Maringer

Only problem is that we've been saying that for the past couple of months.

This - we have to forget about us , we are not good enough to  do the job ourselves but will churn out 46 points i think . We need the heavy hitters to do the job for us and beat our rivals - Stockport to beat Sutton next week is vital for us as is Franchise beating FGR .

Hopefully next week results will go our way.
I cannot see us beating Newport.

Quoted from Sir Matt Tease

In all of my 55 yrs of watching the Mariners I don't think I have ever seen a team relinquish more points against crap opposition than this one !

If we are to be relegated,(again), it will be our own fault, not refereeing decisions or any other outside influences, we are just not good enough.

Bradford like many others this season were total crap and should have been dispatched with ease, its down to us that we failed to do so.

Sooooooo frustrated today !!!!!!!!!!

We have manged to drop a massive 34 points from winning positions.

Quoted from grimps

God im depressed.
I only get home to watch them a couple of times a year , I’ve not seen them win for about 5 years 😩

I feel for you. I saw Town win at Ipswich in early 1999 and my next victory was at home to QPR in November 2003. I did go one season without seeing a game after giving up drinking and gradually upped my games after that but did wonder where the next win would come from.

I've thought we had that smell of relegation about us since October and while we played better than last Friday I still don't think we have enough about us to get the points required. Happy to be proved otherwise.

As some here know, I follow Brentford too having lived in that area of west London. On Saturday I got into conversation with someone who overheard me talking about Town with other Bees fans on a bus. He has a BFC season ticket but was taken with our away support many years ago and regularly goes to our games in the SE. As someone who has watched the Bees through thin and thinner over many years he still intends to get to Town games.

Quoted from HerveJosse

Fight 8 out of 10 quality 3 out 10 just about deserved to edge the game but for the last ten minutes when Bradfords second round of substitutes gave them the energy to finish stronger arguably making a draw a fair result Another step closer to the abyss given other results .

I think we deserved to win just for effort, but ironically they had the best 2 chances.

Had we held on the forum would have been a much happier place, but at least we did battle, although it is a mystery how such an imbalanced and slow squad was allowed to be assembled.

Despite appearing not to want to go on the pitch Eastwood did well.

I think today is a lot worse given the results around us, the only solace I can take at the minute is thank god we went 6 unbeaten when we did or we’d be buried now.

Controversial but I still don’t think we’re anywhere near as bad as our previous sides that got relegated from this division. We were decent again today and I’m certain Bradford wouldn’t have scored from open play.

Regardless though, we’re in a proper dog fight now.

Quoted from thornemariner

I feel for you. I saw Town win at Ipswich in early 1999 and my next victory was at home to QPR in November 2003. I did go one season without seeing a game after giving up drinking and gradually upped my games after that but did wonder where the next win would come from.

I've thought we had that smell of relegation about us since October and while we played better than last Friday I still don't think we have enough about us to get the points required. Happy to be proved otherwise.

As some here know, I follow Brentford too having lived in that area of west London. On Saturday I got into conversation with someone who overheard me talking about Town with other Bees fans on a bus. He has a BFC season ticket but was taken with our away support many years ago and regularly goes to our games in the SE. As someone who has watched the Bees through thin and thinner over many years he still intends to get to Town games.

Yeah it makes you think that it’s you that’s the jinx , mind you they’re not exactly winning every week without me to be fair .

I went to Brentford a couple of times in the 90s and we seemed to pretty much fill their small away end , I think one time was a cup game and we won 3-1

Quoted from pontoonlew

I think today is a lot worse given the results around us, the only solace I can take at the minute is thank god we went 6 unbeaten when we did or we’d be buried now.

Controversial but I still don’t think we’re anywhere near as bad as our previous sides that got relegated from this division. We were decent again today and I’m certain Bradford wouldn’t have scored from open play.

Regardless though, we’re in a proper dog fight now.

Come on Lew today wasnt decent. 1 shot on target against a desperately poor side is not decent. I cannot fault the effort from the players today, but quality wise we are so poor. They were there for the taking

I like Eastwood i think he’s a better keeper than Cartwright

I think our future will be guaranteed either way on the 16th against Colchester.

Quoted from grimps

Yeah it makes you think that it’s you that’s the jinx , mind you they’re not exactly winning every week without me to be fair .

I went to Brentford a couple of times in the 90s and we seemed to pretty much fill their small away end , I think one time was a cup game and we won 3-1

I have two contrasting memories of going to Brentford. One was in 1987 when we were getting relegated from the third division. I think we lost. Very depressing, but that summer we appointed one Mr A Buckley esquire!

The next memory I have of there is when Dave Beasant was in goal and we were a Championship side on a good unbeaten run. I think we drew 1-1. .  

Quoted from mike_d

I think our future will be guaranteed either way on the 16th against Colchester.

We’ll face a route one onslaught that’s one thing for certain.

Quoted from Hagrid

Come on Lew today wasnt decent. 1 shot on target against a desperately poor side is not decent. I cannot fault the effort from the players today, but quality wise we are so poor. They were there for the taking

If that penalty doesn’t go in we come away saying it’s a deserved victory, it’s fine margins but one moment affects peoples view of an entire 90 mins. I’m not saying Artell wasn’t at fault for subs etc, but there’s no doubt in my mind we were by far the better side today.

I think it’s fair to say that we were marginally better than them but that both sides are essentially terrible.

After sticking up for Gav a few games back I would say today it’s time for him to be put out to grass. He’s so off the pace we would surely be better with Wood or Khouri just charging around even if they don’t create anything. Alternatively sit Vernam behind the front two and drop Thompson and Andrew deeper.

Quoted from Yoda

I like Eastwood i think he’s a better keeper than Cartwright

He's a cowboy !

3 x winnable games in our last six , we'll urine it .  U.T.M.

Quoted from Limerick Mariner

After sticking up for Gav a few games back I would say today it’s time for him to be put out to grass. He’s so off the pace we would surely be better with Wood or Khouri just charging around even if they don’t create anything. Alternatively sit Vernam behind the front two and drop Thompson and Andrew deeper.

I concur on everything you say here.

Quoted from ancientmariner54

3 x winnable games in our last six , we'll urine it .  U.T.M.

Winnable, you mean like Sutton away and Bradford at home?

I think notable mentions today for Thompson (who was a class above everyone on the pitch), Andrews (who I thought had his best game) and Eastwood for coming on cold (albeit taking half an hour to get ready!) Also Danny Rose for being Danny Rose.

Thought Andrews was as shite as usual

Which 3 are winnable? I see us getting 2 points. Now given Sutton’s next four games that might be enough. But also given our luck, Sutton could beat Arsenal at the moment.

Quoted from golfer

Thought Andrews was as shite as usual

Thought you was in Bradford  

Spirit of the blitz on here as usual I see. I still think we'll stay up and if we don't life will go on in same way it did the last two times.

Quoted from golfer

Thought Andrews was as shite as usual

Did you watch with a blindfold on?

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

Spirit of the blitz on here as usual I see. I still think we'll stay up and if we don't life will go on in same way it did the last two times.

Not sure Hurst would want to come back for a 3rd spell.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Not sure Hurst would want to come back for a 3rd time.

I have to admit being a little aggrieved that he’s spaffed all our money, left us in the shít and got himself a league one job.

Quoted from golfer

Thought Andrews was as shite as usual

I've been his biggest critic, but I thought he had a good game today. He was dogged and hardworking, fair play to him for having a go.

Thought the lads gave their absolute all today and just ran out of steam for the last 10 mins, which Bradford sensed and managed to apply enough pressure to force an equaliser, as gutting as it was.

We had one decent effort all afternoon, which ended up in the net, and Thompson was double man of the match for me as he was at least twice as good as any other payer in a Town shirt, apart from maybe Rose, who ran himself to a standstill without ever looking like scoring.

If we are going to save ourselves, it will be with battling performances like today, because we have absolutely no skill or guile to create chances.

Easter is often a defining weekend in football, and we have had the worst one of the bottom four, so got it all to do now. Still hopeful but not optimistic given our inability to create anything of note most games.

Effort from all the players but can't agree about Andrews - thought he and Holohan were weak, leaving us with only one effective midfielder. Time and again Andrews was static (first half in particular), offering nothing to the man on the ball. He didn't play one decisive pass in the entire game. A bit of battling just isn't good enough to keep us up.

Thompson was good, but if that was Andrews at his best then we are gone because we were so urine poor in the middle today. No runners beyond the ball, no creative edge, no speed of thought.

Also thought Obikwu was poor today. He was weak in the press/challenge, failed to hold up the ball and horrifically fluffed his one sight on goal. Should have been off earlier.

As others have said, we really needed fresh legs earlier and an intent to take the game to Bradford once one up. Vernam would have given them something different to think about and may have relieved the late pressure a bit.

Despite the general effort we were absolute dross today against a really crap team. I've been hopeful up until today but I just can't see how we are going to score enough goals to keep us up playing with this set up.

Quoted from cardiffmariner

Effort from all the players but can't agree about Andrews - thought he and Holohan were weak, leaving us with only one effective midfielder. Time and again Andrews was static (first half in particular), offering nothing to the man on the ball. He didn't play one decisive pass in the entire game. A bit of battling just isn't good enough to keep us up.

Thompson was good, but if that was Andrews at his best then we are gone because we were so urine poor in the middle today. No runners beyond the ball, no creative edge, no speed of thought.

Also thought Obikwu was poor today. He was weak in the press/challenge, failed to hold up the ball and horrifically fluffed his one sight on goal. Should have been off earlier.

As others have said, we really needed fresh legs earlier and an intent to take the game to Bradford once one up. Vernam would have given them something different to think about and may have relieved the late pressure a bit.
Despite the general effort we were absolute dross today against a really crap team. I've been hopeful up until today but I just can't see how we are going to score enough goals to keep us up playing with this set up.

This. After witnessing Vernam's cameo at Barrow I can't understand why he was not a starter. Also can't believe that Obikwu stayed on so long. Shaun felt that they had no defensive options on the bench. How naive. Fresh legs running at Bradford would have given more opportunities for corners, throw ins, free kicks etc. Out managed in the last 30 mins and guilty of blinkered out of date tactics.
Hume was knackered and should not have been expected to get up and down the line in the second half when he was on a booking. Hope Shaun was only loyally covering for his boss and does not actually believe they had no other cards to play.

Quoted from grimps

Yeah it makes you think that it’s you that’s the jinx , mind you they’re not exactly winning every week without me to be fair .

I went to Brentford a couple of times in the 90s and we seemed to pretty much fill their small away end , I think one time was a cup game and we won 3-1

Yes, we won 3 1 there in January 1993 in the cup having won 2 0 at GP in the league a few months before. The away end, known as the Wendy House, reverted to home fans years later. Brilliant for acoustics.

I thought I was the jinx at home games this season but the real issue is that our home record is pitiful.

The week after that FA Cup win we went to Brentford and won!

Quoted from RonMariner

I have two contrasting memories of going to Brentford. One was in 1987 when we were getting relegated from the third division. I think we lost. Very depressing, but that summer we appointed one Mr A Buckley esquire!

The next memory I have of there is when Dave Beasant was in goal and we were a Championship side on a good unbeaten run. I think we drew 1-1. .  

We won 2 0 at Brentford in 1992-93. We also won 2 0 there in 1987-88, the season we were relegated. I remember it because I could get to very few Town games at the time as I managed a bookies and Saturdays off were a rarity so I could make this with it being a midweek game.

I think we went unbeaten for eight league games but only won two of them in that run.

I've seen Town win on five of the six occasions I've been at GP. Only one other club has won more times than Grimsby at Brentford.

Quoted from Croxton

This. After witnessing Vernam's cameo at Barrow I can't understand why he was not a starter. Also can't believe that Obikwu stayed on so long. Shaun felt that they had no defensive options on the bench. How naive. Fresh legs running at Bradford would have given more opportunities for corners, throw ins, free kicks etc. Out managed in the last 30 mins and guilty of blinkered out of date tactics.
Hume was knackered and should not have been expected to get up and down the line in the second half when he was on a booking. Hope Shaun was only loyally covering for his boss and does not actually believe they had no other cards to play.

To be fair we had sufficient corners and free kicks to create at least one goal scoring opportunity without any changes, but Hume’s delivery was absolutely awful with 90% of them getting nowhere near the danger area. Long throws a plenty but we rarely win one header in the opposition’s box so there pretty much a waste of time as well.

Think our players gave their all but to win matches you need to score goals or at least not concede any. We were slightly unfortunate to concede today given Bradford hardly ever looked like a goal threat but we never looked like scoring either other than the great strike from Thompson. I know why some believe Andrews had his best game and in the second half in particular he got through a lot of graft. However, he hardly ever wins a challenge and is too slow in possession and has never looked like he may contribute a goal or even an assist in open play. Gav was so far off the pace it left very short in midfield.

Would bringing on Vernam and Eisa have won us the game? We will never know but had they come on and Bradford equalised DA would have been pilloried for changing things and not hanging on. I thought we needed fresh legs but would probably have looked at Ainley for Andrews, he should have been up to playing the last fifteen minutes and his experience would, I believe, have been a great benefit to holding on.

I still think we have just enough to stay up but we do need the rub of the green occasionally like we had under Jolley. appears penalties kept us up that season and the two penalties awarded against us in the last three weeks May send us down.

Times like these where I wish I went fishing and hated football instead. I hate how it ruins so many weekends, Tuesday nights and countless nights sleep so like many others I will not be renewing my season ticket, even if we stay up, and if in non league will just not bother and be an armchair supporter getting my football fix from watching Lincoln United, no pressure, no stress and save a few quid as well.

I told my wife on the way back to the car today that if we go down again I will not be returning to BP as I cannot do non-league once more. Her reply; yes you will.

FFS

Could not read this thread until now.  Too depressing.  

Thompson excellent and great goal. Rose is so quick and chases down everything.  We did not concede until added time.  But, we made 4 very bad passes in front of our own goal.  Usually without looking,  we would have conceded against a better team.

Subs!!  Criminal not to freshen things up.  Plenty of effort, and some players completely knackered.  
Obikwi also poor.  

If we cannot defend successfully with a defensive formation, then survival might depend on a more attacking outlook.  Using Vernam and Wilson with Rose.  The midfield is weak anyway (bar Thompson).  We need wins,  

Some very unexpected results from our rivals in recent weeks.  We might get unexpected wins.

I suppose to add, we were a little unlucky with how the cross deflected and spun the ball up but Hume not sharp enough to get in front of his man.

it’s going to the last game of the season we all know if Town like making us sweat.

To add:  the players did as well as they could, 95% of the time.  Bar their goal the biggest downside was more subs not coming on.  What the hell was Artell thinking of?

Just been reading the Bradford City forums, reading through the pages most said they were absolute dire like us.  Sounds like most want Graham Alexander gone.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Times like these where I wish I went fishing and hated football instead. I hate how it ruins so many weekends, Tuesday nights and countless nights sleep so like many others I will not be renewing my season ticket, even if we stay up, and if in non league will just not bother and be an armchair supporter getting my football fix from watching Lincoln United, no pressure, no stress and save a few quid as well.

Are you going to the 2nd Leg of the FA Vase semi-final against Romford at Ashby Ave, nicely poised at 2-2 isn’t it?

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

To add:  the players did as well as they could, 95% of the time.  Bar their goal the biggest downside was more subs not coming on.  What the hell was Artell thinking of?

His Dad.

Massively disappointing to drop two points and I think Artell should have taken the opportunity to throw Vernam on to run at a pretty dogshit defence, not so sure about Eisa as I think he's too risky that he won't track back enough and end up costing you.

I can understand why people are saying about freshening up the midfield but I'm also not sure how much Ainley and Khouri would have in their tanks.   It's a matter of days since we heard that Khouri was struggling with a lengthy illness that had seen him drop a considerable amount of weight and Ainley has very recently come back from cancer treatment.  It's easy enough saying they only have to run about for 20-25 minutes but if they're that rusty then they've probably literally got 5 minutes max in them.  We're down to the bare bones and I can't think of anyone available for selection who didn't make the 18.  The other one you could throw on is Wood but would it be his game, especially as the game got a bit spicier and fiery?   If I was bringing him on it would be further forward.  Thompson was bossing the midfield so even when he started to tire I wouldn't have taken him off and I thought Holohan and Andrews both grew into the game, especially second half.  Hindsight is fantastic but it wasn't a leggy midfield that cost us.  

What cost us was stupidity from both full-backs.  Smith let that cross come in so bloody easy.  It wasn't even a particularly good bit of play that saw the winger create a bit of space.  If Smith holds him up properly then he stops that cross coming in, instead he's slow on his heels and has to stretch to try and block.  That results in the cruel deflection with Hume unforgivably the wrong side as the final defender.  It's basics, he gets and stays goalside then that threat (which should have been cut out much earlier by Smith) is dealt with.  

I think the one sub Artell definitely needed to make earlier was Wilson for Obikwu.  We're seeing the absolute contrasts with the young lad and yesterday was the downside to an inexperienced lad learning his trade.  Six consecutive starts and he looked lost, leggy and out of his depth all game.  He just couldn't get going.  Rose was rusty after a few weeks off and we couldn't make anything stick up top.  Crying out for Wilson from the off.  Soon as he comes on he hustles, rolls his man and produces a really smart finish (ruled offside), minutes before Obikwu went off he was played in and just looked copulated as he dragged a really tame effort wide from a half decent position.

Artell's getting blamed for everything but I think he's got a bloody impossible position.  We absolutely need to take the game to teams a bit more but as soon as we do that there's a huge risk our braindead defence switch off and get punished.   We can't continue to just hope that we'll create wins from nothing though, especially since we can't trust our backline to shut teams out.  Somehow I think Artell needs to roll the dice a bit and get Vernam involved in games more to be the one who has the remit to just cause problems.    He's probably not got a full game in him so use him sparingly with Eisa, Ainley or Wood.  But we're not going to win games with 8 men behind the ball and two isolated strikers feeding off scraps.  

Quoted from thornemariner

Yes, we won 3 1 there in January 1993 in the cup having won 2 0 at GP in the league a few months before. The away end, known as the Wendy House, reverted to home fans years later. Brilliant for acoustics.

I thought I was the jinx at home games this season but the real issue is that our home record is pitiful.

The week after that FA Cup win we went to Brentford and won!

I used to watch the Bees when I lived in High Wycombe.  I enjoyed going there.  Went there to see Town once and was in the home end.  Black 'n' White scarf in a sea of red.  No worries there.  Real fans.  We were all over them.   The Brentford fans were talking about how good we were. Felt good.  Rees played a blinder.

OK so slept on this and Head a bit clearer and objective:

FGR - still effectively 5 points behind us with 5 to play and tough run in. One win for us should be enough to steer clear of them. May not even need that.

Colchester - should claw enough points with home games although tough games coming up. I think they will be fine.

Which leaves a straight contest between ourselves and Sutton. Assuming we get that 1 win, that would mean Sutton would need 4 points from their remaining 4 games and to turn around the goal difference. Tough run in but there is a chance they could get that. Let's not forget though, we have 6 games left so a couple of draws would hopefully see us home too. Think 45 points may just do it. 1 win sooner rather than later is crucial.

Quoted from diehardmariner

What cost us was stupidity from both full-backs.  Smith let that cross come in so bloody easy.  It wasn't even a particularly good bit of play that saw the winger create a bit of space.  If Smith holds him up properly then he stops that cross coming in, instead he's slow on his heels and has to stretch to try and block.  That results in the cruel deflection with Hume unforgivably the wrong side as the final defender.  It's basics, he gets and stays goalside then that threat (which should have been cut out much earlier by Smith) is dealt with.  

I'd disagree regarding putting blame on Smith for their goal. He attempted to block the cross and got a decent bit on it, but it was just unfortunate that it ballooned up over all the defenders in the middle and landed perfectly at the far post for the onrushing attacker. Bear in mind it was Smith's first start in 6 weeks (he got a few minutes at the end of the Gillingham game) and he was up against a winger who had only been on the pitch for 30 minutes or so. He did pretty well to get anything on it, considering he must have been knackered.

I've not watched it back, but Hume was pretty crap all afternoon, so I'd imagine some blame fell on him. However, it was still very unfortunate that the deflection took the ball to the perfect position for them.