Crawling back into woodwork

Quoted from Maringer

Actually, how often have we been terrible this season?

We were poor in the first half against Torquay but much better in the second until we were screwed by injuries. No chance after that. We were disappointing in the games against Nuneaton and Dover, albeit with a badly weakened attack and didn't do much against Bristol Rovers but we were not terrible in any of those games. The two away games we lost narrowly were down to a red card against Aldershot and a combination of missed chances and poor defending against Lincoln. We weren't terrible in either of those games either.

The past 3 games? 7 points won with a team down to the bare bones in attack (and even less than the bare bones in the creditable draw against Halifax).

All in all, terrible in perhaps one half of one game so far this season. A little disappointing in a number of others.

To be fair, I wouldn't say we've ever looked like world beaters either this season. The result against Gateshead was excellent but, as has been pointed out, the scoreline could easily have been 6-5. Alfreton looked very poor indeed though we finished our chances well.

I think we are undoubtedly a better team than last season and I'm disappointed we don't have at least a couple more wins so far, but you would have to say that we've been unlucky with injuries - two separate injury crises which have put us down to the bare bones and undoubtedly have cost us some points.

This doesn't detract from the fact that we are light up front and this is Hurst's responsibility, but things really aren't as bad as some on here seem to think.

I'm surprised how much angst some people seem to have when we're not disastrously placed, are on a good run of form at present and are beginning to get some of the injured players back fit. Let's hope the good run continues.

Good, balanced post mate.

Quoted from Maringer

Actually, how often have we been terrible this season?

We were poor in the first half against Torquay but much better in the second until we were screwed by injuries. No chance after that. We were disappointing in the games against Nuneaton and Dover, albeit with a badly weakened attack and didn't do much against Bristol Rovers but we were not terrible in any of those games. The two away games we lost narrowly were down to a red card against Aldershot and a combination of missed chances and poor defending against Lincoln. We weren't terrible in either of those games either.

The past 3 games? 7 points won with a team down to the bare bones in attack (and even less than the bare bones in the creditable draw against Halifax).

All in all, terrible in perhaps one half of one game so far this season. A little disappointing in a number of others.

To be fair, I wouldn't say we've ever looked like world beaters either this season. The result against Gateshead was excellent but, as has been pointed out, the scoreline could easily have been 6-5. Alfreton looked very poor indeed though we finished our chances well.

I think we are undoubtedly a better team than last season and I'm disappointed we don't have at least a couple more wins so far, but you would have to say that we've been unlucky with injuries - two separate injury crises which have put us down to the bare bones and undoubtedly have cost us some points.

This doesn't detract from the fact that we are light up front and this is Hurst's responsibility, but things really aren't as bad as some on here seem to think.

I'm surprised how much angst some people seem to have when we're not disastrously placed, are on a good run of form at present and are beginning to get some of the injured players back fit. Let's hope the good run continues.

Good post. There's truth there.

Reading many posts on this thread there seems to be an obsession about criticism as if it will somehow spoil things for a team doing well. This misses the whole point of criticism which is actually to support the team in the future based on what has happened in the past. If we turn round like that we can see the criticism is really trying to forestall problems before they happen. It might be pessimism but optimism without planning is plain barmy.

For instance several posters talk about injury problems and their effect, which is true. The point so many miss though is that at least one of those was predictable (Pittman) and the squad strength in strikers has been very low all season. Both elements are down to the manager aren't they? So instead of performances improving as the injured players return, they could actually go downhill because there will continue to be more injuries.

Oates is a good loan signing it seems. Being our main striker is a big ask though, plus there is the recall to Barnsley factor. Pressure therefore on LJL, Hannah and Arnold increases (we can forget Pittman altogether for now), with likelihood of injuries and suspension increased. Nobody needs a crystal ball to see that a quality striker signing is a huge priority and the art of management is anticipation of problems.

The same applies to player performances across the team. Clay and Brown are doing pretty well. What happens if one or both go off the boil or get injured? Disley doesn't seem to be flavour of the month with some fans does he? Paddy doesn't seem to have the manager's confidence. The goalkeeper could be hurt, or he could have a drop in form. What is the contingency if this happened the night before we play an away game in February? We might ask if it is at all sensible for a promotion seeking side to have no back up to its goalkeeper.

No club, even promotion candidates, ever gets through a season without some sort of crisis on the playing side. What I think most of the critics of PH feel uneasy about is his ability to deal with those situations and not let them become excuses for failing to get out of this league.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Good post. There's truth there.

Reading many posts on this thread there seems to be an obsession about criticism as if it will somehow spoil things for a team doing well. This misses the whole point of criticism which is actually to support the team in the future based on what has happened in the past. If we turn round like that we can see the criticism is really trying to forestall problems before they happen. It might be pessimism but optimism without planning is plain barmy.

For instance several posters talk about injury problems and their effect, which is true. The point so many miss though is that at least one of those was predictable (Pittman) and the squad strength in strikers has been very low all season. Both elements are down to the manager aren't they? So instead of performances improving as the injured players return, they could actually go downhill because there will continue to be more injuries.

Oates is a good loan signing it seems. Being our main striker is a big ask though, plus there is the recall to Barnsley factor. Pressure therefore on LJL, Hannah and Arnold increases (we can forget Pittman altogether for now), with likelihood of injuries and suspension increased. Nobody needs a crystal ball to see that a quality striker signing is a huge priority and the art of management is anticipation of problems.

The same applies to player performances across the team. Clay and Brown are doing pretty well. What happens if one or both go off the boil or get injured? Disley doesn't seem to be flavour of the month with some fans does he? Paddy doesn't seem to have the manager's confidence. The goalkeeper could be hurt, or he could have a drop in form. What is the contingency if this happened the night before we play an away game in February? We might ask if it is at all sensible for a promotion seeking side to have no back up to its goalkeeper.

No club, even promotion candidates, ever gets through a season without some sort of crisis on the playing side. What I think most of the critics of PH feel uneasy about is his ability to deal with those situations and not let them become excuses for failing to get out of this league.

Good Post Chips,

I am still sitting on the fence about whether Hurst has it in him to get us promotion,

He has a lot of good points and he has got us a decent squad together,

BUT

A decent squad never got anybody promoted,

We are still lacking that striker that will make the difference,

Let's hope one comes available if not it will be the lottery of the play offs again,

A lot on here will say the play offs is success,

You and I with a few others will say,

Only getting promoted is success.

Decided to leave this thread alone till now as the OP was clearly excrement-stirring.

I think there are three camps here - those with the rose-tinted specs who believe that Hurst is the man to take us up, those that hope he's the man to take us up and those that don't think he's got a cat in hell's chance.

From what I saw last season I'm in the latter but as I have only seen the televised game this season, I'm clearly not in a position to justify my opinion- clearly I'll have a better idea when I've been tomorrow!

Final thought. No-one is right or wrong (apart from 80s who's right about everything including the spelling of hypocrite) on this. Forums are a platform for differing opinion. My opinion is my thoughts on the situation in hand, it doesn't matter to me if you agree or don't, it doesn't offend me if it's the latter. What it doesn't do is give anyone the reason or excuse to be offensive or disrespectful as some posters have been.

Really wish we could just talk about the team / manager / games rather than talking about the people who have different opinions on those things!

Personally I'm really glad the team seem to be finding their feet again now and hopefully we can go into a good run

Quoted from chicaneuk

Really wish we could just talk about the team / manager / games rather than talking about the people who have different opinions on those things!

Personally I'm really glad the team seem to be finding their feet again now and hopefully we can go into a good run

Amen to that, from being weak up front we now have Hannah,Oates,LJL, and Arnold fit and ready, but what combination?

really enjoyed reading this thread during my lunch hour

Quoted from Hagrid

really enjoyed reading this thread during my lunch hour

well I will make a quick appearance then to ruin it  

Quoted from jonnyboy82

well I will make a quick appearance then to ruin it  

finished at 1 jonny! you've made my afternoon by commenting!

Quoted from Hagrid

finished at 1 jonny! you've made my afternoon by commenting!