just back

Vernam is right-footed. Did some good work with his left foot today, however.

As for the game itself, another where we did pretty well in spells but didn't make enough of the chances which we created. I've seen us play much worse yet win comfortably, but that's just the way it is going at the moment. Crawley had some good players so not too surprised they had a spell on top during the game, but typical that they scored from the first real chance they created - very clever throughball by their No.12, however. Not sure why some on this board seem to think they were rubbish as they looked to have some decent players today. They won 4-0 on Boxing Day against a team above them in the table, let's not forget.

Overall, I do think there has been a marked improvement in the performances I've seen since Jolley's departure, but the results haven't improved to the same degree. Thought we would be sure to win when Hessenthaler scored!

Bringing on Rose for Green was certainly a poor choice for me, but I'm not sure that the young lad deserves all the criticism I've seen heaped on him today. It was a truly bizarre situation with him when we were trying to get a work permit because he wasn't allowed to play in the games where you would expect a youngster to get the experience of playing. He still looks like he's got some ability, but he's years behind his actual age development-wise. As long as he's being chucked into an ever-changing and always-struggling team, it will be difficult to see him improve. Asking him to lead the line in the second half was just daft though it should also be noted that our 3 forwards at that point had less than 10 League career goals between them! That shows the paucity of quality/experience in our squad.

Overall, I'd guess that Limbrick will probably be kept on as assistant of an unspecified future manager. This being the case, the new man needs to come in very soon so he can hopefully bring in a couple of players to strengthen the squad to help to pull us up into a comfortable mid-table position.

My MotM was Robson, incidentally. Had the odd quiet spell but really got stuck in and had one of his better games, winning a lot of tackles against opponents who were in general bigger, quicker and more skilful than us in the midfield area. A better range of passing at times from him today as well. It can make such a difference when a crossfield pass is fizzed across to a player instead of just chipped over.

Unpopular opinion: Rose is no better than Cardwell.

Quoted from itsnotcoditshaddock

Unpopular opinion: Rose is no better than Cardwell.

Well I'd agree that neither are very inspiring currently, but I also see them as different types of player.  As far as holding the ball up then Cardwell is probably 3rd in our current squad behind Hanson and Ogbu, while Rose is more of a wide player I feel

A performance in 3 parts, when we moved the ball quickly to Vernam and Wright we looked dangerous at the start, when the ball wasn't moved on as quickly we couldn't compete with a very physical Crawley team and a ref applying a different standard to their challenges. At the end Cook and Ogbu showed that we have been missing them and we finished strongly.

IF we can get Holloway, then he's probably worth the gamble, else I'm happy for AL to carry on as he seems to be getting a performance out of the players and I like the way he sets the team up.

Big problems for me.

Started off well with Vernam absolutely ripping their fullback apart.  The lad is playing his best stuff in a Town shirt and in fairness to Limbrick, that's got to be down to him. He's given him the confidence and run in the side, in a set position and he's delivering.  

Wright on the other flank looks a threat but we have to remember how relatively inexperienced he is still. If we're pinning hopes on him this early in his career, we're really doomed!

Green was totally isolated.  But he was poor, so poor in fact.  Yeah he may have had an injury going into the game but he's been poor for most of the season.  I don't see what he offers.  It doesn't stick, he's not quick, he's not aggressive, he hasn't got a great touch, he doesn't read the game well, he doesn't put in a shift (definitely not like he did in his first few games).  Ultimately he goes down as a poor signing.  

But the options were limited.  Ogbu isn't fit so he wouldn't have lasted the game.  Rose is, well we'll get to Rose later and then you're down to Cardwell....I get why Limbrick would have gambled with Green, it's just a shame it's a relatively poor player to have to gamble with and shows our lack of quality.

Midfield is still wrong for me.  Clifton and Hessenthaler are both less effective in their newer roles.  Robson by far the better of the three and now he seems to have stopped fancying about, he's far better.  He's clearly got some footballing ability so it's a shame he doesn't get chance to show it with so many poor players around him.

Defence is a big problem.  Waterfall isn't good enough, I'm sorry but that's just how it is.  He's too slow, too clumsy and his reading of the game is atrocious.  What he was doing for their goal I don't know and the laboured attempt at redeeming himself was embarrassing.  Alongside him Davis doesn't look the same player as the one from earlier in the season, all the while we've got our best centre back sat on the bench...

Change wise, Limbrick did what he could.  Green off at half-time (injury or not it was the right move).  Rose doesn't have a clue though.  He hasn't developed at all, take away his pace and there's not a single football club in the league, Conference, Conference North/South....who would even consider him.   I don't think I've seen us have a footballer with so little understanding of the game.  Yesterday I genuinely thought if we pulled a fan out of the crowd, they would have known how to play the game better.  It does beg the question what the hell has been going on in training for the last two years with the lad!

I thought it was the right move when Limbrick took Clifton off and brought another attacker on in Cook but the quality just isn't there across the team.  If you take Vernam out of the side yesterday, we had nothing remotely capable of unlocking their defence.  

Whoever comes in has a hard job.  Hanson back in as the centre forward would make a world of difference, providing it's not aimless punts up to him.  I think a front three of Hanson, Vernam and Wright (Ogbu as the back up/alternative) would be ok and have enough about it to get goals.  But the biggest problem is that the three becomes a one. Too often yesterday we retreated to five across the middle and all we do is invite pressure.  We're not good enough at the back to invite pressure.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Big problems for me.

Started off well with Vernam absolutely ripping their fullback apart.  The lad is playing his best stuff in a Town shirt and in fairness to Limbrick, that's got to be down to him. He's given him the confidence and run in the side, in a set position and he's delivering.  

Wright on the other flank looks a threat but we have to remember how relatively inexperienced he is still. If we're pinning hopes on him this early in his career, we're really doomed!

Green was totally isolated.  But he was poor, so poor in fact.  Yeah he may have had an injury going into the game but he's been poor for most of the season.  I don't see what he offers.  It doesn't stick, he's not quick, he's not aggressive, he hasn't got a great touch, he doesn't read the game well, he doesn't put in a shift (definitely not like he did in his first few games).  Ultimately he goes down as a poor signing.  

But the options were limited.  Ogbu isn't fit so he wouldn't have lasted the game.  Rose is, well we'll get to Rose later and then you're down to Cardwell....I get why Limbrick would have gambled with Green, it's just a shame it's a relatively poor player to have to gamble with and shows our lack of quality.

Midfield is still wrong for me.  Clifton and Hessenthaler are both less effective in their newer roles.  Robson by far the better of the three and now he seems to have stopped fancying about, he's far better.  He's clearly got some footballing ability so it's a shame he doesn't get chance to show it with so many poor players around him.

Defence is a big problem.  Waterfall isn't good enough, I'm sorry but that's just how it is.  He's too slow, too clumsy and his reading of the game is atrocious.  What he was doing for their goal I don't know and the laboured attempt at redeeming himself was embarrassing.  Alongside him Davis doesn't look the same player as the one from earlier in the season, all the while we've got our best centre back sat on the bench...

Change wise, Limbrick did what he could.  Green off at half-time (injury or not it was the right move).  Rose doesn't have a clue though.  He hasn't developed at all, take away his pace and there's not a single football club in the league, Conference, Conference North/South....who would even consider him.   I don't think I've seen us have a footballer with so little understanding of the game.  Yesterday I genuinely thought if we pulled a fan out of the crowd, they would have known how to play the game better.  It does beg the question what the hell has been going on in training for the last two years with the lad!

I thought it was the right move when Limbrick took Clifton off and brought another attacker on in Cook but the quality just isn't there across the team.  If you take Vernam out of the side yesterday, we had nothing remotely capable of unlocking their defence.  

Whoever comes in has a hard job.  Hanson back in as the centre forward would make a world of difference, providing it's not aimless punts up to him.  I think a front three of Hanson, Vernam and Wright (Ogbu as the back up/alternative) would be ok and have enough about it to get goals.  But the biggest problem is that the three becomes a one. Too often yesterday we retreated to five across the middle and all we do is invite pressure.  We're not good enough at the back to invite pressure.

Good summing up.

I've highlighted the main problem we have. We just can't seem to get out of this habit of retreating, defending our box and not having an outlet up front to relieve the pressure. Is it lack of confidence or are they told to play like this?

In Limbrick's defence, he did seem to be urging his players to push forward and not retreat as much.  

The frustration for me was the continued insistence on bringing everyone back at set-pieces.  Crawley didn't and I lost count how many times they nearly did us on the counter.  Every time we cleared a corner or free-kick it came straight back in, simply because we had no-one to pick up the clearance.

Quoted from itsnotcoditshaddock

Unpopular opinion: Rose is no better than Cardwell.

He is. It's just that that is an exceptionally low bar. Rose might develop into a conference level player, Caldwell is a regional football semi-pro level player, in my opinion.

Quoted from toontown

He is. It's just that that is an exceptionally low bar. Rose might develop into a conference level player, Caldwell is a regional football semi-pro level player, in my opinion.

Oh and as mentioned above by someone, roses football understanding is the worst I've ever seen in a town player. However his physical attributes mean if he does ever learn some understanding of the game he could be a useful conference striker I think. At the moment he should only be used off the sub bench late against tiring defenders, his pace and physicality might work something then.

Why am I the only person who seems to think Holloway is a bad idea. His management success record is poor to say the least! Blackpool being his only successful spell. Surely we can find a more successful manager from the lower leagues on his way up than one on his way down.