Just Back

Quoted from diehardmariner

Does he not get the credit for changing the style then?  Or that he's brought in better players?

Last night summed up exactly why we're sat in this position, our squad lacks quality and balance.  Our main striker was out and we had nothing up there, it was static.  Obikwu is too raw to lead the line and Wilson showed the inconsistent side of his game that means he'll probably never lead a front line effectively and consistently.  

The midfield was, to quote Artell, "meh".  Nothing in it.  Lots of hard work and tidy play but nothing potent.  Option wise we've nothing and the season couldn't come to an end sooner if we hoped. He brought Wood on, who actually gave us something different but needs a good Sunday Dinner or fifty before he's ready for this level, along with Eisa who couldn't look less interested if he tried.  His only other attacking option is a lad who missed most of the season with cancer.  What else did he have?  Andrews who wouldn't make a jot of difference in the midfield as he's just the same and two defenders.  We're at the bare bones.

I absolutely won't be celebrating this season as a success, but when you look at Colchester's side and see they had players like Cameron McGeehan in their midfield and the two lads out wide who carried the ball with intent and at pace with every opportunity, it gives you an indication of what we lack and how limited this squad is.

My understanding is that the change of style was forced upon him by the players, it wasn't his choice to change style and who are all these better players, we are still as excrement as before he became manager, in fact I would say we are worse.

He has to go whether we stay up or go down.

Quoted from Mappers

I am in no doubt without Newports season being over and Crewe having their first team out we would have been relegated .

Luckily Swindon by all accounts are dreadful as their form since their 2 loan players went has been terrible . So a decent chance of another 3 points .

We have to be thankful Sutton & FGR gave us such a head start aswell.

Well without Sutton inexplicably winning 4 in a row this would’ve been wrapped up weeks ago, works both ways.

I don’t think you can attribute it to ‘luck’ when all teams play the same teams twice, I don’t buy into ‘tough run ins’ being bad luck either. Sutton & FGR have had to play the top sides at the end which just demonstrates just how excrement they’ve been all season, they both deserve to go down.

We’ll end up being the 3rd or 4th worst side in the league this year and wherever we finish, we’ve deserved it.

Shouldnt really be surprised anymore, 1 good performance shouldn't blinker us to just how excrement we have been,

Last night another case in point, so many basic errors, inability to defend, put a tackle in, beat the first man with a cross.

Time and time and time again.

Quoted from ivanosandwich

Was Artell watching a different game to the one I saw?

He said we were the better team, had a clear penalty turned down and Akinde was trying to put a cross in. None of that is true from my perspective.

The general consensus seems to be give him a chance next season because he has improved us since the Donny debacle. Yes he has but only because he changed his way of playing and I am led to believe that he will be reverting to the possession based, play it out from the back style of football next season.

Unless he gets the players in that can do that, we will be back to the dark days of Donny and Walsall. Not many league 2 players can play that way.

PH and DA did/do watch different games, I find it infuriating.
He never sees our corners being too short, so the first man heads it out or too long so it just goes out. Ditto with free kicks. Nor that Tharme throws in long and the opposition heads it out 99.9% of the time.  
Or that our down-the-line passes are either way too long, or so telegraphed that they are cut out, or that our passing man-to-man is so poor you would have thought our team was colour-blind and think the opposition in light blue was actually in red. And Obikwu should have his backside tanned for losing the ball a damn lot and that he tries to power through 4 or 5 opposition and just loses the ball. Might look good for the people on this site wearing the same DA Glasses he seems to look through when watching our matches, but honestly which team was professional and which was naive amateur out there yesterday?
The fact was when we spent all that time looking for the best fit and future manager we got DA and Colchester got Cowley.

Quoted from pontoonlew

Well without Sutton inexplicably winning 4 in a row this would’ve been wrapped up weeks ago, works both ways.

Let's not forget the Sutton penalty that never was. Brought about by 2 amateur officials having a playground spat. Incredible to think of the potential domino effect of such weird officiating.

Quoted from SpiritOf98

Let's not forget the Sutton penalty that never was. Brought about by 2 amateur officials having a playground spat. Incredible to think of the potential domino effect of such weird officiating.

Or the Bradford penalty with Hume defending like a complete numptie.

Quoted from arryarryarry

My understanding is that the change of style was forced upon him by the players, it wasn't his choice to change style and who are all these better players, we are still as excrement as before he became manager, in fact I would say we are worse.

He has to go whether we stay up or go down.

So where is your proof that the change was forced on him by the players? The meeting was a collective between DA , players, coaching staff and quite possibly the owners. These " barnstorming " meetings bring out all sorts of issues and a realisation that if something is wrong then what can we , as a group, do to correct it. You, apparently, don't want DA as our manager and you are taking a biased view on what was said in a meeting that you did not attend or have a transcript on what was said.

Quoted from arryarryarry

My understanding is that the change of style was forced upon him by the players, it wasn't his choice to change style and who are all these better players, we are still as excrement as before he became manager, in fact I would say we are worse.

He has to go whether we stay up or go down.

So what you mean is you've took the fact they had a meeting after Doncaster and came up with a balderdash rumour? And the better players are the two standouts in the side... Thompson and Tharme. The problems consistently are the players Hurst brought to the football club not being good enough to string two decent performances together. You're quick enough to slag him off after a poor performance but yet we've been on a good run but don't want to give him any credit for it? Laughable

I’m struggling to take any positives if I’m honest. Even Doug Tharme was poor last night. Both goals were really poor defensively. I’m not sure why our defender didn’t go towards Akinde last night.  

Our midfield worked hard but bar Thompson there really is a lack of ability. Harry is a case in point, he worked his socks off but consistently played poor balls, took the wrong option and when he was in a position to play a final ball in he fluffed it.

Obikwu can be described in one word - raw. He clearly has potential but at 19 he shouldn’t be really starting in a league 2 side. Too many bad decisions and a lack of compose when he had a gilt edge chance. Wilson again has flashes where you think he’s half decent but he’s to inconsistent.

The subs didn’t do anything, particularly Eisa who was really poor.

Our set pieces were a war crime. From our corners, I’m genuinely more worried that they’ll score than we will. At best it will be floaty corner to the far post which is easy to deal with, most of time it doesn’t get past the first man. I feel Tharme’s throw could be used more sparingly. It’s greatest effect is to relieve pressure from our half. It’s not Croppers throw but I think it could be used more tactically.

I’m not 100% convinced we’re safe. We should get something against Swindon and Crawly should get something against Sutton  but if we lose and Sutton win we’re in for a nervy final day. With MK resting players for the play offs and Crawley desperately needing a win.

We lack pace throughout the team.  The midfield cannot support attacks quickly enough.  The defence gets left trailing by Akinde.  Wrexham’s showed how well pace can destroy on the counter.

We are that bad that we need another good clear-out.   Stevenage and Crawley got this right after being in a similar dire position. If we can get the recruitment right then we could have some success.