Hurst post match Mansfied

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

He never knows his best team, does he? That is what pre season is supposed to be about. All the excited comments on here and elsewhere about how good our signings were and how much pace we've added look in tatters already.

Add to that we are woefully light up front.

Is there such a thing as a " best team"? It's easy to say set your team up and let the opposition worry but you still have to consider the opposition and set up with their dangers in mind.

Quoted from Son of Cod

I don't think that 6(?) pre-season games, 1 league match and a League Cup game is really adequate for Hurst to 100% know exactly who is best XI are. I agree that we're a big man short though or at least a different sort of striker to Rose. Pyke could provide that once he's properly up and running.



So would you say the bigger selection error was midfield as opposed to attack? I also assumed Eisa was in the middle of that three and Gnahoua was on the right, was that not the case?

You had me doubting my varifocals there! I checked the extended highlights and Gnahoua was central wearing 14.  The second goal was classic 'after you Claud' from Eisa and Gav giving Waterfall little chance.

Quoted from rancido

Is there such a thing as a " best team"? It's easy to say set your team up and let the opposition worry but you still have to consider the opposition and set up with their dangers in mind.

It's a good question but I would hope so. Much better teams than us have very strong squads, but the manager generally knows his best team.

It's also interesting to what extent we should be worried about the opposition, although that clearly wasn't the rationale last night which we seemed to approach as a glorified pre season friendly.

A lot of team changes in the cup have sometimes worked in the past, but you have to choose your battles carefully and against a well oiled and full strength Mansfield it was the wrong call. Perhaps Clough surprised us with his team selection and we thought they might make a lot of changes as well.

I would rest players one for one as things go on; some of our players can be rotated for example Amos for Glennon,  and Khan (when fit) for Vernam and several other examples but I am not a fan of constant swapping and changing in personnel and formation but would be pleasantly surprised if we go a couple of games unchanged.

Anyway it's gone now and luckily for everyone involved I'm not the manager.

I’m almost happy to be out the Carabao cup. Couldn’t give a stuff about it. There are too many games these days so rather have the rest time. League results are what I care about. Some players were given a chance to stake a claim in league games. They didn’t take it, almost to a man.
2 games without a goal is hard to hide from, but let’s see what the next month brings.

Hurst had to take the blame. His team, his tactics, and still useless. The poor fitness levels are very worrying for a professional football team.
HURST OUT

Quoted from gtfc_chris

Eisa, Vernam, Gnahoua, Wilson, Pyke > The wingers we didn't have last season

Clifton is probably better than these on the left. Can help out Glennon and get into the box 🙂

Quoted from BrMarin

Clifton is probably better than these on the left. Can help out Glennon and get into the box 🙂

Have to say, again as mentioned it in Just Back on Saturday, that I think playing on the left suits Clifton and the team and he is more likely to get in the box more often than Vernam. Don’t want to write Vernam off after just two matches but if he is to stay in the side he needs to up his performances significantly.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Have to say, again as mentioned it in Just Back on Saturday, that I think playing on the left suits Clifton and the team and he is more likely to get in the box more often than Vernam. Don’t want to write Vernam off after just two matches but if he is to stay in the side he needs to up his performances significantly.

I don’t think it’s writing Vernam off, and I wouldn’t worry anyway, some have already written the season off judging by the comments.

For me, Vernam has shown nothing since his return and all the fanfare that goes with that. As I said then, not doubting his ability but standing out in some of the most dreadful town sides means he’s remembered much more fondly than he should be.

I’m not a fan of Clifton wide but if Glennon has someone in front of him that he can trust he’s a much better player. Ironically, with Khan in front, who you’d argue isn’t as good as Vernam, Glennon has a better game.

This thing about managers knowing their best 11 and all that jazz is a fan thing, I know old Big nose Neville talks about it but in truth, the game isn’t played like that anymore, at any level. Very rarely do you see successful teams at the top keep the same 11 or shape, if they do it’s never more than a couple of games.

I think, rightly or wrongly, Hurst used Tuesday as an opportunity to play some players and a system that he thought may work but also to see if those players were up to the challenge and he’s admitted some were not, whilst taking responsibility. That said, would be nice from time to time to hear a player admit they had a stainker…

It’s done now, off to County we go who’ve had a real stinker to the start of their season…

Quoted from Mappers

Agree with all that Lew .

On Holahan & Green I think many including me are been a touch harsh .

They don't work as a combination but to write them off is probably a touch unfair - they really did not let us down last season and are good lads .

Them 'being not good enough ' is probably a more nuanced conversation than that just being fact - they are in reality at best mid to lower end league 2 players who's main strengths are badly exposed when playing the sides with the better technical players , but who when it's a typical mid to lower end league 2 game and there is no need to get on the ball ,because it's scrappy and in the air a lot  the majority of us think are half decent .

Roll on Saturday and hopefully a first win .

I'd agree with this. There is a strong case that Holohan offers more of a goal threat than Hunt. And there will still be games (like Stockport away last season) when we're under the cosh away from home and we need someone like Green in defensive midfield with height to help out with a bombardment of crosses.

Agree neither are probably starters in the first eleven, but to completely write them off as being rubbish is a bit daft.

Can’t believe what I’m reading at times, we lost about 10 in a row and still got promoted. It’s a marathon not a sprint.