Just Back

Another point:  Conteh was at fault in the build up to their first goal.  He also lost possession on the halfway line when Bradford scored.  He is good, young and inexperienced.  He needs help rather than others expecting too much from him.  He gets through a lot of unfashionable work.

I quipped on here in the week that the only thing worse than a Town defeat would have been a 0-1 defeat with Orsi the goalscorer - somehow we managed to pull an even more frustrating scenario out of the bag. Credit goes to Orsi for not celebrating his goal - not an easy thing to do when it’s a 96th minute winner.

The biggest concern for me right now is that our vulnerabilities are very uncharacteristic of what we know about Paul Hurst sides. Shipping poor, basic goals for fun. 9 points dropped from winning positions but 0 gained after going behind or conceding an equaliser. Where’s the fight gone?

The latter part of that stat is almost the most concerning for me. We appear to have all the mental resilience of a bowl of custard, and that’s not what I’ve come to expect from Town sides over the past couple of seasons. Offensively predictable? Yes. Late and uninspiring substitutions? Absolutely. But those inadequacies have generally been overcome by a relentless work rate, never say day attitude and an ability to grind out the odd clean sheet or two.

Without those qualities on display, we are badly exposed. Probably a little early to properly wet the bed just yet, but my expectations for the season have taken a big hit after that this afternoon.

Quoted from HerveJosse

Conteh won’t be the first player we have brought in who has looked like A Rolls Royce and 15 games later we have turned into a Morris Minor.

That is so, so true. Players come with glowing reputations and many often do start well, but after several weeks seem shackled and start to go backwards. To me we just keep swapping one set of players for another set, hoping for the best. I cannot see what the process is, what really we are trying to achieve and it is certainly not incremental progress.

We are just, average I suppose. Blundell Park could be rocking with an attacking team full of intent but we are short of firepower, lack genuine pace and not creative enough and set pieces are rubbish. A big problem is the keeper who looks very weak with very poor distribution.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

That is so, so true. Players come with glowing reputations and many often do start well, but after several weeks seem shackled and start to go backwards. To me we just keep swapping one set of players for another set, hoping for the best. I cannot see what the process is, what really we are trying to achieve and it is certainly not incremental progress.

We are just, average I suppose. Blundell Park could be rocking with an attacking team full of intent but we are short of firepower, lack genuine pace and not creative enough and set pieces are rubbish. A big problem is the keeper who looks very weak with very poor distribution.

Pretty perfect and succinct summary.

Waited till after the rugby on Tv done to try and post a less hotheaded assessment.

Fact remains we are in for a long season again at home for us season ticket holders!

Lloyd and Orsi were more of a goal threat last year than Rose and Pyke

Our wide players look ok and Wilson still to come in.

But Clifton, oh ffs. If he wasn’t local, he wouldn’t be in. Runs but no technical quality at all.

Full backs that can’t actually defend and a keeper that looks like a downgrade on last season.

Maher, Rodgers, Conteh, Eisa, Khan and Rose look ok.

Rest of the squad look poor after initial 20 mins when technique is key as players get a bit tired.

There is a reason we are top 3 on first half results and bottom in 2nd half.

Frustrated tonight as always have high hopes every year and know this is going to be a struggle to finish higher than last season.

Quoted from Wiley2405

Not sure why Hurst mixed the defence up and didn’t just put Waterfall in for Maher. Cruising at 2-0 could have been 3/4 just looked so lackluster from their first fluke of a goal. Not good enough.

It would have surely been better to make one like for like change but (And I'm not saying you were involved) the verdict on here on Waterfall last week was that he was a busted flush. Perhaps Hurst shared that view.

Quoted from 140381

I missed today because of norovirus. 3 days of vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, aches and fever. Looks like I got a result!

Any chance you could tell us where you ate so I can go there before the next home game?

Quoted from davmariner

Any chance you could tell us where you ate so I can go there before the next home game?

Deliveroo from Barrow Wetherspoons by the smell of it

Quoted from barralad

It would have surely been better to make one like for like change but (And I'm not saying you were involved) the verdict on here on Waterfall last week was that he was a busted flush. Perhaps Hurst shared that view.

The only question I have on the starting line up was why Glennon over Amos. It seems Amos has made the position his own and without him, we're a bit exposed.

Hurst knows who he can count on, and who he cannot. It seems, right now, Waterfall, and Hunt seem to be in that latter category. For both to previously be favoured, and are now not, there isn't something right there. In Waterfall's case, if we want to be aggressive, we need pace at the back and imho that could be the issue.

Holohan went from being hated last week to people speaking highly of him. People have bad games, and it's clear no matter who we bring in, Holohan works his balderdash off and forces his way in the team.

I'm getting a bit annoyed with the comparisons of Lloyd versus Rose. Lloyd is not our player and we have no choice. It's easy to blame Hurst for not having Lloyd, but that argument isn't based in fact.

The debate of Orsi vs Pyke is fair, but we don't know what the wage demands are etc. I still feel come the end of the season, the Orsi decision will be justified. Obviously he scores against us, but that doesn't mean he'll be consistent for a season.

Either way, Hurst likes a solid team, and he won't be happy with shipping 3 goals. He'll be as angry as most fans and wanting to fix that.

We are getting in front, and blowing the lead. I'd rather this problem than going behind first. It's a reasonable platform to build from.

Quoted from aldi_01

flipping comedy gold when we lose game though, listening to folk around me, it’s like they can’t wait for it to be excrement. They barely take any notice of what’s actually happening and then it’s ramble absolute nonsense…that in itself is entertaining.

Ah well, see ya next week.

Most people seem happier when we are losing because they get to moan.  

Some fans you never see or hear from when things are going well and as soon as it isn't they are salivating at the thought of being able to whinge. Boring second half where it looked like we gave up after their first fluke goal started a comeback where they dominated the remainder of the first half. In the second they didn't look particularly like finishing the game off we just didn't really try either and they managed to get a last gasp winner from Orsi, who I was never particularly convinced by but looked much better than Pyke today. I'm confused how Pyke, who has played much of his career as a winger and wing-back was handed the #9 shirt and paraded as a striker. His skills are clearly not in finishing at all as he missed two easy looking chances and one half chance. Had he finished the easy ones you'd look at the half chance like "yeah, that happens" but he never looked like scoring even once.

It's amazing how injuries can throw all the plans at the wall and we seem to get at least a couple long term from pre season, Hurst still doesn't look like he knows what his best team is. There was much fanfare for Glennon signing but perhaps all of this could have been predicted if we wasn't stuck on him producing his form on loan in a terrible side that barely scraped staying up. His woeful performances at Barrow and the fact Burnley released him would be a sign of what is to come. The sad thing is I don't think Amos is that much better either so we are kind of stuck.