On the beach ?

Listened to Jolly earlier in the week and he was talking of Summer targets and plans. ....looks like the plans included starting the holidays early....no real drive today...no real passion on the pitch, in the stands or on the sidelines.....over 70 mins at home without a shot on target or any real chances before he chooses to make a sub.

If we have given up on this season now then at least start giving Rose a good blooding and Pollock and maybe step up other members of the youth squad to the first team squad

IMHO they don’t look like they’re on the beach. They battled today until the end, in horrendous conditions.

Working hard and getting stuck in through those conditions doesn't suggest so to me.

Weather was ugly, Northampton were uglier and we dug out an ugly draw, clean sheet and stopped the bad run.

MJ had a right paddy on the touch line so I don’t think there was a lack of passion there either.

I thought that was one of our better home performances in recent weeks - playing an ugly team in ugly conditions with incompetent officials.

In those conditions it was never going to be memorable but every one stuck to their task and we’re good for a point.
Scrappy from start to finish but I enjoyed it to be honest.
Can’t fault anyone for effort today.
My stand out players today, Collins, Öhman and Hess. They never put a foot wrong all game.
UTM

I thought Collins answered his critics superbly today. Commanding performance from him. First half especially, Öhman missed a few headers but he won the important battles.  Ring appeared a bit rattled from the early challenge (which I didn't see so can't comment on) but certainly grew into the game.

We put a few good balls into the box but against another big, physical team I thought we lacked someone up front to compete with that physicality.

I thought the last 20-30 minutes was crying out for the pace of Akheem today and Dennis seemed to spend most of his 10 minutes on the pitch tying his laces.  Just as Embleton was starting to have an effect on the game, we brought him off so for me, the substitutions were wrong today.

Still, it stopped the rot in conditions that favoured the more physical team.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

I thought Collins answered his critics superbly today. Commanding performance from him. First half especially, Öhman missed a few headers but he won the important battles.  Ring appeared a bit rattled from the early challenge (which I didn't see so can't comment on) but certainly grew into the game.

We put a few good balls into the box but against another big, physical team I thought we lacked someone up front to compete with that physicality.

I thought the last 20-30 minutes was crying out for the pace of Akheem today and Dennis seemed to spend most of his 10 minutes on the pitch tying his laces.  Just as Embleton was starting to have an effect on the game, we brought him off so for me, the substitutions were wrong today.

Still, it stopped the rot in conditions that favoured the more physical team.

If there was a MOM for Town I think Collins would have been a good candidate, I thought he played well today.

I don’t get Jolley’s changes sometimes putting Dennis with less than 10 mins to go meant he could have little impact in reality. The game needed some pace to open it up and Rose on for the last 20 would have made sense.

What also grinds my gears is before a sub comes on they have to spend 5 f&@ing minutes looking at a plan in a file with Limbrick. If he needs a diagram to explain what he wants a player to do it makes me wonder how good a coach he actually is.

What is the story with Welsh? This hamstring seems to be taking a very long time to get over. I know they can be difficult but the bloke hasn’t figured much even before this. Is he still part of Jolley’s long term picture?

Ring wasn't at all hurt by the challenge. It was obvious he was going to get body checked and he knew it so he went down without any great injury. I don't think the challenge was anywhere near his face, though he was holding his head. A booking the correct decision, I reckon.

The defenders played well in general and dealt with the dozens of long throws into the box very well. However, it was very much a 5-3-2 rather than a 3-5-2 much of the time and this showed in our lack of attacking threat. They were bigger and stronger throughout the team and found much too much easy possession in midfield in the second half. Luckily, they were as toothless up front as we were.

I can't really see the point in playing 3-5-2 the way  we're doing it at present as we're effectively ending up with 5 defenders yet still finding ourselves short in midfield. If we're going to ultra defensive, might as well pack the midfield with a 4-5-1 to keep possession in that area (or have a 4-1-4-1). My concern is that you'd expect Hendrie and Ring to be our wing-backs next year and neither has exactly revelled in the role yet. Perhaps some different players in the back 3 might make a difference, but I'm not convinced.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

What is the story with Welsh? This hamstring seems to be taking a very long time to get over. I know they can be difficult but the bloke hasn’t figured much even before this. Is he still part of Jolley’s long term picture?

Legs have gone. Can see him leaving come the end of the season.

Quoted from Maringer

Ring wasn't at all hurt by the challenge. It was obvious he was going to get body checked and he knew it so he went down without any great injury. I don't think the challenge was anywhere near his face, though he was holding his head. A booking the correct decision, I reckon.

The defenders played well in general and dealt with the dozens of long throws into the box very well. However, it was very much a 5-3-2 rather than a 3-5-2 much of the time and this showed in our lack of attacking threat. They were bigger and stronger throughout the team and found much too much easy possession in midfield in the second half. Luckily, they were as toothless up front as we were.

I can't really see the point in playing 3-5-2 the way  we're doing it at present as we're effectively ending up with 5 defenders yet still finding ourselves short in midfield. If we're going to ultra defensive, might as well pack the midfield with a 4-5-1 to keep possession in that area (or have a 4-1-4-1). My concern is that you'd expect Hendrie and Ring to be our wing-backs next year and neither has exactly revelled in the role yet. Perhaps some different players in the back 3 might make a difference, but I'm not convinced.

Can’t see any reason to be critical of Hendrie who has been as good as anyone for me this season. Regards Ring, he doesn’t seem very strong and probably needs a preseason at an English club. All in all, we were okay today but we could have been a bit more adventurous/earlier with the subs.

Just don’t think it’s a system that suits L2 players mainly for the reason that it is hard to find players at this level who are really comfortable on the ball and can play it out from the back. We are the perfect example of that especially when RHJ is not one of the three.

Personally don’t like the system as it has two full backs who should spend 50% of the time defending and 50% being wingers who ideally can get beyond the opposing full back and sending in quality crosses (50% is not based on how we play it by the way).

Much rather have 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 as currently we seem to have players isolated in possession all over the pitch and Thomas is given a pretty impossible task on his own up top.

Also need some physically stronger players as we lose pretty much every challenge in midfield and up front and thus struggle to retain possession.

Moving forward but still visits to BP are tests of endurance rather than a pleasure 😩😩

I do think Hendrie is a good player. Just think he's a better full-back than wing-back from what I've seen.

To say that he must be on top money and is club captain, Welsh has been a total disappointment.
Not sure if he's not physically fit or what, but he's played about an hour all season and now can't  apparently get in the team. Promised so much, but a waste.....

I don't think we lacked passion or effort, but did lack quality in the wide areas. Forwards (particularly one's like Dennis need decent service, but that's just not happening at the moment.

Some decent play on the right, but can't recall much threat at all from our left hand side today.

Let us call a spade a spade.

Ignore today - the wind made it a farce, but did their keeper touch the ball with his hands all afternoon??

In general, we don't attack enough, we don't create chances, we cannot win a ball in the air nor hold it up well enough up front, we don't get around the back or hardly get into the opposition box. There is just not enough forward momentum in our play. I love to see good football, a passing game on the grass and players comfortable on the ball, but there is precious little end product at all.

Pretty triangles in midfield will just not cut it in league 2. I know the manager is hamstrung with the lack of investment but we need a big target man who will be able to hold it up and bring the midfield further up, and two strikers playing off him to give defences something to worry about.

Every two weeks we are sat in the Pontoon and we hardly see any opposition keeper having to break into a sweat. If you don't get the ball into the box you will not score very often.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Let us call a spade a spade.

Ignore today - the wind made it a farce, but did their keeper touch the ball with his hands all afternoon??

In general, we don't attack enough, we don't create chances, we cannot win a ball in the air nor hold it up well enough up front, we don't get around the back or hardly get into the opposition box. There is just not enough forward momentum in our play. I love to see good football, a passing game on the grass and players comfortable on the ball, but there is precious little end product at all.

Pretty triangles in midfield will just not cut it in league 2. I know the manager is hamstrung with the lack of investment but we need a big target man who will be able to hold it up and bring the midfield further up, and two strikers playing off him to give defences something to worry about.

Every two weeks we are sat in the Pontoon and we hardly see any opposition keeper having to break into a sweat. If you don't get the ball into the box you will not score very often.

Sums it up for me. We’re better than we were but not as good as we want to be. But if our budget is 18th to 20th in this league then that’s what we’ll get.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

What is the story with Welsh? This hamstring seems to be taking a very long time to get over. I know they can be difficult but the bloke hasn’t figured much even before this. Is he still part of Jolley’s long term picture?

I would be very surprised if he was anything more than a benchwarmer.  Arrived unfit and we already have a lack of pace at the back. Time to concentrate on the badges or scouting for Preston.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Let us call a spade a spade.

Ignore today - the wind made it a farce, but did their keeper touch the ball with his hands all afternoon??

In general, we don't attack enough, we don't create chances, we cannot win a ball in the air nor hold it up well enough up front, we don't get around the back or hardly get into the opposition box. There is just not enough forward momentum in our play. I love to see good football, a passing game on the grass and players comfortable on the ball, but there is precious little end product at all.

Pretty triangles in midfield will just not cut it in league 2. I know the manager is hamstrung with the lack of investment but we need a big target man who will be able to hold it up and bring the midfield further up, and two strikers playing off him to give defences something to worry about.

Every two weeks we are sat in the Pontoon and we hardly see any opposition keeper having to break into a sweat. If you don't get the ball into the box you will not score very often.

That problem will not go away. You cannot play millionaires’ football with workhouse players. Jolley hinted as much in his GT assessment of where we are compared to the top 2 or 3 sides. I think Jolley will sign some more suitable players (not necessarily better players) in the summer and will change the system to one that fits with the ability level of the players he can afford. If he doesn’t then it will just be more of the same.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Let us call a spade a spade.

Ignore today - the wind made it a farce, but did their keeper touch the ball with his hands all afternoon??

In general, we don't attack enough, we don't create chances, we cannot win a ball in the air nor hold it up well enough up front, we don't get around the back or hardly get into the opposition box. There is just not enough forward momentum in our play. I love to see good football, a passing game on the grass and players comfortable on the ball, but there is precious little end product at all.

Pretty triangles in midfield will just not cut it in league 2. I know the manager is hamstrung with the lack of investment but we need a big target man who will be able to hold it up and bring the midfield further up, and two strikers playing off him to give defences something to worry about.

Every two weeks we are sat in the Pontoon and we hardly see any opposition keeper having to break into a sweat. If you don't get the ball into the box you will not score very often.

Add to that, we are very static as a team and our movement off the ball is fairly poor and predictable when we've got it and we're very wasteful with our passing. I thought the players worked fairly hard today but there's been a dropping off in the intensity of our play over the past few weeks. Not by much, but enough to notice..

Quoted from Bigdog

Add to that, we are very static as a team and our movement off the ball is fairly poor and predictable when we've got it and we're very wasteful with our passing. I thought the players worked fairly hard today but there's been a dropping off in the intensity of our play over the past few weeks. Not by much, but enough to notice..

We need to keep the ball much better, today we coughed up possession far too much.

Thought their defence had a lot easier day than ours at times we seemed under the cosh and gave away loads of free kicks, corners,throw in's and possession in general. It's a lot to ask to give so much play to the opposition and overwork your defenders.

The stats will back this up I bet our players were twice as knackered though neither keeper had anything to do.

I more thing on a day like yesterday why oh why did Macca insist of on kicking it HIGH into that wind??? We don't have big players up front???

Their keeper kept his goal kicks low and flat it was much more effective.

A lot of work needed for next season if we are to mount a serious challenge we do seem to have run out of steam/ideas in midfield and poor old Thomas works his backside off with little support we really need a big man up front that can bully defenders and make them work.

To me, it's our lack of midfield that keeps doing us damage, the amount of times the opposition seems to have all the middle third to play or run with the ball without a single solid challenge is staggering..we drop deep and invite pressure, allow them far too much time and space to pump the ball into our box time and time again...and in league 2 which is generally full of big, strong aggressive players our keeper (who's not the best at crosses or commanding his area) will always be under too much pressure..
Think maybe MJ needs to rethink his tactics for the league we are in and if next season we go up, then maybe the style he wants to play would be more suited to a higher league .

The score would still be 0-0 if we were still playing now!  

Shocker of a game due to conditions but we do seem to have hit a bit of a rut.

Embleton is our creative force but he's off form and looks ready for a long rest.  

We definitely lack a killer edge but with a largely settled side plus what I'd guess would be a decent bit of budget to play with following the departures of Hooper plus potentially Collins, Thomas and maybe even Welsh I'm sorta confident Jolley can use that to good effect to address the balance. He's gone about it right in my eyes, make us solid and then add the match winners.

I still like the wingback system but it needs RHJ in that back 3 for it to be anything other than just another mundane back 5 that a lot of sides deploy.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Sums it up for me. We’re better than we were but not as good as we want to be. But if our budget is 18th to 20th in this league then that’s what we’ll get.

Is this correct codger? Not having a go or doubting you but can you tell us more?

Quoted from forza ivano

Is this correct codger? Not having a go or doubting you but can you tell us more?

Just putting two & two together based on MJ's midweek interview and John Tondeur's tweet about it.

I have heard from another source with a connection to the club that our budget is, in his words, nearer the bottom than the top.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Just putting two & two together based on MJ's midweek interview and John Tondeur's tweet about it.

I have heard from another source with a connection to the club that our budget is, in his words, nearer the bottom than the top.

Must be bad if fent y admits it might be on the low side!

Quoted from diehardmariner

Shocker of a game due to conditions but we do seem to have hit a bit of a rut.

Embleton is our creative force but he's off form and looks ready for a long rest.  

We definitely lack a killer edge but with a largely settled side plus what I'd guess would be a decent bit of budget to play with following the departures of Hooper plus potentially Collins, Thomas and maybe even Welsh I'm sorta confident Jolley can use that to good effect to address the balance. He's gone about it right in my eyes, make us solid and then add the match winners.

I still like the wingback system but it needs RHJ in that back 3 for it to be anything other than just another mundane back 5 that a lot of sides deploy.

I like the wingback system as well but like you say, you need at least two mobile centre-backs. I also don't think Hendrie or Ring are the right players for this system - not quick enough IMO. Decent enough full-backs but not wingbacks.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Let us call a spade a spade.

Ignore today - the wind made it a farce, but did their keeper touch the ball with his hands all afternoon??

In general, we don't attack enough, we don't create chances, we cannot win a ball in the air nor hold it up well enough up front, we don't get around the back or hardly get into the opposition box. There is just not enough forward momentum in our play. I love to see good football, a passing game on the grass and players comfortable on the ball, but there is precious little end product at all.

Pretty triangles in midfield will just not cut it in league 2. I know the manager is hamstrung with the lack of investment but we need a big target man who will be able to hold it up and bring the midfield further up, and two strikers playing off him to give defences something to worry about.

Every two weeks we are sat in the Pontoon and we hardly see any opposition keeper having to break into a sweat. If you don't get the ball into the box you will not score very often.

I would agree.

I also think we don't half fanny about before we try to get a decent cross in which there weren't many yesterday..