Cheltenham (H) Match Thread

Unbeaten in 8 - didn’t fancy line up today to win - but they didn’t lose.
I think Town now capable of beating the divisions leading sides - Dev has highlighted players not playing - who can be match winners.
Brinksmanship by Paul maybe - but 46 games will decide outcome.

He cant really win can he? If hed slung William's etc on earlier and we had got beat everyone would be up in arms. If green had stuck that chance away we'd be saying what a great substitution

Ps did any of the critics actually watch the game, coz we didbloody well to battle through a battering to get a point?

Quoted from forza ivano

He cant really win can he?

Certainly not enough times to keep us up!

Quoted from forza ivano

He cant really win can he? If hed slung William's etc on earlier and we had got beat everyone would be up in arms. If green had stuck that chance away we'd be saying what a great substitution

Ps did any of the critics actually watch the game, coz we didbloody well to battle through a battering to get a point?

I genuinely don’t think anybody would’ve cared if we’d lost trying to go for the win

Quoted from forza ivano

He cant really win can he? If hed slung William's etc on earlier and we had got beat everyone would be up in arms. If green had stuck that chance away we'd be saying what a great substitution

Ps did any of the critics actually watch the game, coz we didbloody well to battle through a battering to get a point?

Every manager's dilemma, to sub or not? Do it and your wrong, don't do it, and your wrong, get a winning goal, and what a fantastic decision that was.

In any other circumstance, I would have said it was a good result against a top of the league side, but we're bottom and it's another 2 points lost.

Quoted from DB

Every manager's dilemma, to sub or not? Do it and your wrong, don't do it, and your wrong, get a winning goal, and what a fantastic decision that was.

In any other circumstance, I would have said it was a good result against a top of the league side, but we're bottom and it's another 2 points lost.

that's probably the sanest thing you've ever posted

Quoted from forza ivano

He cant really win can he? If hed slung William's etc on earlier and we had got beat everyone would be up in arms. If green had stuck that chance away we'd be saying what a great substitution

Ps did any of the critics actually watch the game, coz we didbloody well to battle through a battering to get a point?

I’m with you Forza, if that had been a boxing match the ref would’ve stopped it 10 mins in to the 2nd half, but  we hung in there, and actually had two very good chances to score.
Regarding the subs, I would’ve liked more attacking intent but was equally worried that they could grab a couple of goals at anytime, I also thought we did look a little more threatening after Coke came on as he managed to hold the ball to help join up play from back to front (something we didn’t see much of from Harry or Jay today)

Isn't it funny how we all see the games differently?

Going into the game I was naturally disappointed that we tweaked the formation and side to basically counter the opposition, it doesn't matter if we're playing Southend, Cheltenham or Chelsea, I'm always disappointed to see this.
However we have to be realistic and accept that Cheltenham are a far better sides than us, they're incredibly direct and effective with it plus it was terrible conditions.  There's no way on earth that the ball was going to spend much time at all on the deck yesterday, in my view Hurst got it right in putting his big lads in and hoping to nullify what they came with.   Even with a formation that tried to counter them, we still deserved to lose by a distance.  Taking the game to them would have resulted in an absolute drubbing, no doubt denting confidence too.

The problem is that our situation dictates that we need wins, even against sides at the pointy end of the stick we can't afford draws.  This was and always should have been a game to grind a point of from.  It was the Colchester, the Barrow, the Stevenage type games where we should have taken maximum points and that's what has cost us.

No issue at all with the way Hurst set-up.  Thought he got it right and with all the improvements in the world, we're not going to be at the level of a Cheltenham this season.    Did he he get his subs wrong?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  For all the calling for Williams to come on, he's spent 7 months doing absolute jaff all and bottling anything physical - so after one very decent free-kick against Mansfield, I'm not sure why he's suddenly suited to coming on and changing the game against a side of very physical lads.  Times in recent weeks when I've felt he should have come on but yesterday wasn't one of them at all.  

Green?  Yeah, maybe go with Jackson over him.  But Jackson too is one of those who has seemingly got better the less he's played.  After that who do you bring on?  Saw quite a lot of moaning about taking LJL off for Coke.  Personally would have kept LJL on, especially when Hanson looked dead on his feet, but Cheltenham were running riot at that point, by bringing Coke on it gave us an extra barrier and helped stop the barrage a bit.  

Despite the fact we took a battering and escaped with a point.  We could and probably should have snatched all 3.  Hanson's chance was bloody glorious, Green's was even better.  

I don't want to dig Green out for the sake of it but after missing a golden chance like that, a chance to prove he's done something/anything this season, especially right at the death.  I wanted to see him at the final whistle (which was literally seconds after his miss) with his head in his hands and punching the floor.  Instead he was straight over to one of their players to shake their hand and have a hug.  It might not be the case at all but if he's trying to give the impression that he cares....he's not doing a very good job of it.  

Back to Hurst.  He's made us difficult to beat, he's made the midfield competitive, we're creating enough gilt-edged chances.  Other than take those chances himself, I'm not sure what else he can do?    For all the argument that he's negative and playing out draws, if our strikers had taken half their chances we would be home and dry by now.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Isn't it funny how we all see the games differently?

Going into the game I was naturally disappointed that we tweaked the formation and side to basically counter the opposition, it doesn't matter if we're playing Southend, Cheltenham or Chelsea, I'm always disappointed to see this.
However we have to be realistic and accept that Cheltenham are a far better sides than us, they're incredibly direct and effective with it plus it was terrible conditions.  There's no way on earth that the ball was going to spend much time at all on the deck yesterday, in my view Hurst got it right in putting his big lads in and hoping to nullify what they came with.   Even with a formation that tried to counter them, we still deserved to lose by a distance.  Taking the game to them would have resulted in an absolute drubbing, no doubt denting confidence too.

The problem is that our situation dictates that we need wins, even against sides at the pointy end of the stick we can't afford draws.  This was and always should have been a game to grind a point of from.  It was the Colchester, the Barrow, the Stevenage type games where we should have taken maximum points and that's what has cost us.

No issue at all with the way Hurst set-up.  Thought he got it right and with all the improvements in the world, we're not going to be at the level of a Cheltenham this season.    Did he he get his subs wrong?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  For all the calling for Williams to come on, he's spent 7 months doing absolute jaff all and bottling anything physical - so after one very decent free-kick against Mansfield, I'm not sure why he's suddenly suited to coming on and changing the game against a side of very physical lads.  Times in recent weeks when I've felt he should have come on but yesterday wasn't one of them at all.  

Green?  Yeah, maybe go with Jackson over him.  But Jackson too is one of those who has seemingly got better the less he's played.  After that who do you bring on?  Saw quite a lot of moaning about taking LJL off for Coke.  Personally would have kept LJL on, especially when Hanson looked dead on his feet, but Cheltenham were running riot at that point, by bringing Coke on it gave us an extra barrier and helped stop the barrage a bit.  

Despite the fact we took a battering and escaped with a point.  We could and probably should have snatched all 3.  Hanson's chance was bloody glorious, Green's was even better.  

I don't want to dig Green out for the sake of it but after missing a golden chance like that, a chance to prove he's done something/anything this season, especially right at the death.  I wanted to see him at the final whistle (which was literally seconds after his miss) with his head in his hands and punching the floor.  Instead he was straight over to one of their players to shake their hand and have a hug.  It might not be the case at all but if he's trying to give the impression that he cares....he's not doing a very good job of it.  

Back to Hurst.  He's made us difficult to beat, he's made the midfield competitive, we're creating enough gilt-edged chances.  Other than take those chances himself, I'm not sure what else he can do?    For all the argument that he's negative and playing out draws, if our strikers had taken half their chances we would be home and dry by now.

Excellent post.gold star from me