Any optimism has gone

Collins Back as Captain might steady things

I don't think anyone expected many points in January but the manner of defeat against Macclesfield and, more notably, last night was shades of Slade.

I wasn`t at the game but seeing the goals this morning I am far from impressed. Macca would not have saved all 3 and I don`t know what the keeper played like overall but he should have done better with 2 of 3 the goals for a start. No I am not scapegoating him that`s unfair and of course he has played virtually no proper football to get him upto speed but he needs to up his game or Town need to get a body in for a Month. The rest of the team perhaps a bit battle weary and tired due to the run of hard games played BUT 23 other team`s in the same boat Town need to pick it up with another hard game Saturday. I like many others would love to see a striker come in and again like many others would like to see us be far more positive at home BUT again have to ask the question what service will the other player`s provide for any striker? No coincidence either Clifton has been out he seems to make the team tick and has the ability to drag the team along with him through sheer effort. I hope Dave Moore and his magic sponge are on OT. A work in progress and midtable will do me for this Season UTM

Quoted from Cayman_mariner

True, but we also had most of our defence out injured and suspended for those two games.  

Seems a tad strange to play 4 or 5 at the back when you are short of defenders then switch to only 3 at the back when you get those defenders back.

It was mainly centre-backs we were missing though at that time, not full-backs.

So when we got more centre backs available, we switched from a system with 2 CB's to a system with 3 CB's.

Quoted from essexexile

For two games now Ring has been 'overloaded' to quote JT
Why has he been played when he's obviously not up to speed yet

I suppose Fox's red bollocksed up any plans to phase him in.

Quoted from Abdul19

I suppose Fox's red bollocksed up any plans to phase him in.

Hendrie could have played left and RHJ right?

Also Woolford played well at left back at Palace

The speed from which Town fans go from one extreme to the other never fails to amaze me.

Less than two weeks ago we had that clean sweep with the Manager, Player and Goal of the month.  All was rosy, Jolley was building something special, the players loved each other and were a proper team, we were probably going to sneak into the play-offs.

A Lord Mayor's Show against Macclesfield, a disappointing and flat derby-day defeat and then a very poor performance last night and it's gone to the other extreme that Jolley's out his depth and we're going down, worse than last season I've read!

What happened to this as a season of transition?  There are some real concerns that we need to address sharpish.  Our two starting look strikers look as tired as they do short of confidence, we only have on real and genuine creative outlet and he's finding himself marked out of games.  For those alone I can see (although personally do disagree with) the logic to switch the system.  You add an extra striker to lessen the burden on one man up top, you introduce wingbacks to stretch sides across the pitch and have the option of peppering crosses in but you also put more men in central positions to overload sides and potentially free up someone like Embleton in space.  

What hasn't helped is injury to your best midfielder (Clifton), add to that Embleton getting injured before the FGR game.  Those two coming back could make the world of difference.  You can argue that the game was already over but Clifton sounded like he had an impact as a sub yesterday.

Personally, I think it's relatively needless changing to a 3-5-2 mid-season, especially at it feels in response to a couple of defeats with a thread-bare side to better sides (and an off-day against Macclesfield).  But changes are needed.  Thomas and Cardwell aren't a pairing, they look on a completely different planet to each other never mind the same page.  It's just one of those things, it isn't helped when neither looks fully fit or of any confidence.  

Whatever happens, we need a settled side.  Our form in December coincided with as few changes as could be avoided.

Quoted from scott_gtfc_89

Am sorry but December was a great month for us and that is proven by the monthly awards the club got can we also add that was with a lot more injuries especially defensively than we have now.

To change the formation and the team that was winning and grinding games back to a formation that has proven to be a failure for us is unforgivable.

All that hard work at Exeter and Palace when we thought we was on the up to this.

1 step forward 2 steps back.

Back to 442 please M.J

We weren't even playing 4-4-2

Quoted from diehardmariner

The speed from which Town fans go from one extreme to the other never fails to amaze me.

Less than two weeks ago we had that clean sweep with the Manager, Player and Goal of the month.  All was rosy, Jolley was building something special, the players loved each other and were a proper team, we were probably going to sneak into the play-offs.

A Lord Mayor's Show against Macclesfield, a disappointing and flat derby-day defeat and then a very poor performance last night and it's gone to the other extreme that Jolley's out his depth and we're going down, worse than last season I've read!

What happened to this as a season of transition?  There are some real concerns that we need to address sharpish.  Our two starting look strikers look as tired as they do short of confidence, we only have on real and genuine creative outlet and he's finding himself marked out of games.  For those alone I can see (although personally do disagree with) the logic to switch the system.  You add an extra striker to lessen the burden on one man up top, you introduce wingbacks to stretch sides across the pitch and have the option of peppering crosses in but you also put more men in central positions to overload sides and potentially free up someone like Embleton in space.  

What hasn't helped is injury to your best midfielder (Clifton), add to that Embleton getting injured before the FGR game.  Those two coming back could make the world of difference.  You can argue that the game was already over but Clifton sounded like he had an impact as a sub yesterday.

Personally, I think it's relatively needless changing to a 3-5-2 mid-season, especially at it feels in response to a couple of defeats with a thread-bare side to better sides (and an off-day against Macclesfield).  But changes are needed.  Thomas and Cardwell aren't a pairing, they look on a completely different planet to each other never mind the same page.  It's just one of those things, it isn't helped when neither looks fully fit or of any confidence.  

Whatever happens, we need a settled side.  Our form in December coincided with as few changes as could be avoided.

This!!

Macc defeat wasn't great, but they have hit a good run since the new manager

Apart from that, we've lost away from home against 1st, and 6th....

Like i said after the Macc defeat, ifyou thought we could get in the play-offs, you was deluded, if you think these defeats make us on the same level as that slade team, you're deluded.

Let's not forget we've had to throw 2 Swedish players in at the deep end, along with losing out 2 main midfielders in Embo & Clifton....

Calm down, take a step back, and realise we've lost against 2 top top teams in the league!

Our next game doesn't get any easier, but we are at home, and have a chance of getting a result!