Just Back

Quoted from golfer

You need guts and players who will give their all for the team. To me we only seem to have Hollohan Clifton Waterfall and Green who fit the requirements

I would suggest when fit we need to get them all in the team  , along with the others who were the core of the last couple of seasons - we are going into the trenches ; not bothered about pretty football now for me it's survival first - get to 50 points and then see where we are . We cannot drop out of the league again -  going to Braintree , Weymouth and Bromley might have been a bit of a laugh but I don't want to go back .

I couldn't believe, yet of course I could, that we went with a back five against a side second bottom of the table, at home.

That decision was even more bizarre when you saw just how rapid their wingers were (their number 42 was exceptionally quick and direct).   If ever there was a game where you just want your fullbacks to be solid and let the wingers do the attacking it was against those two opposition widemen.

All at sorts for most of the game. Eastwood, Mullarkey and Rodgers look nothing like the players that started the season.  It's staggering how quickly they've tailed off.   Eastwood's rightly taking pelters for their second goal but intercourse me, if Rodgers wanted to fart on their attacker it would have been more physical than just watching them brush past him.  Collectively there's no responsibility taken.  

Green comes on and we improve.  This is no slight on the lad but just like how we shouldn't be relying on Clifton to come on and improve us just through sheer workrate, we shouldn't be relying on Green to significantly improve us just because he'll get stuck in.

I thought Conteh looked a lot better when he was further forward and for a 20 minute spell in the second half when we started to pass it about, using the slickness of the pitch and in little triangles we looked half decent.  Then we just reverted to booting it long for Danny Rose to hopefully do something.

Andrews clearly at fault for the third.  Tried to be too clever when flicking it round their guy and got caught, but I don't want to knock the lad for at least trying something different.  Already on a booking so couldn't touch their guy but six players backed off and off.  Again, someone take responsibility.  I don't want to turn every single thread into a Alex Hunt rant, but if it was Hunt who made that mistake he would be in the stands for the next 3 games.  

Eisa was utterly ineffective in the No 10 slot first half.  We tried him there for the first few games of the season and he was woeful, I'm not sure what Hurst thought would have changed.  Much better when deployed out wide.

Again, as per Saturday, chasing the game in the final 20 minutes and it was like a pre-season friendly.  88 minutes before Hurst makes another change.  He had a striker (Pyke) and a winger (Gnahoua) on the bench, yet both are sat watching as we just toil about.

That all said, their 'keeper makes some really smart saves and if he doesn't we're probably thinking Hurst has kept the wolf at bay for a bit.  Alas, he does make those saves.  You can't concede 3 goals at home to a side 91st in the whole league and think you're gonna get away with it.

Post game Hurst just sounds lost and almost in acceptance of his fate.  I feel sorry for him but even that was tested when he goes down the path of the law of averages is that it'll come good eventually.  Sorry Paul but that's deluded.  We're in the position we are because our approach to games is wrong, our players don't have any confidence, they don't look like they know what the plan is or as if they've ever played together before, we don't have a creative midfielder, we're absolutely devoid of any pace at all, our goalkeeper is a nervous wreck, the gap between midfield and attack is huge and we hoof it up at every opportunity despite not really having a physical presence in the side.   Yet you think it's a case of the coin falling on the right side.  It's not.

Less than 5000 home fans in the ground.  Yes Champs League was on, yes it wasn't amazing weather and all that. But it was half-term and you could see that as more young kids there.  If we're playing well that gate is 6500 upwards.  Less than 2000 sold for Donny isn't it?  Absolutely unheard of.  

Hate to think it, hate even more to say it but it's time for Hurst to go.  I don't think you've lost the players but either they don't know what you want them to do or you don't know what you want them to do, maybe a combination of both.  I think there's the bones of a decent League Two side in there.  It should be defensively solid (we know it can and has proved to be so), the midfield has a good blend of options if the right people are played and up top we've actually got a good No 9 type in Rose and clearly someone in Wilson who knows where the goal is.  I also think we've got a decent 'keeper in Eastwood, he's just absolutely devoid of any confidence at all.  The biggest task for whoever comes in isn't wholesale change, it's installing a bit of belief and an approach that the players can buy into.

Thanks for the memories Paul, please go now before it gets really toxic.

Looking at the continuing deterioration over the season, an outsider looking in would probably conclude that the manager and most of the players were doing their best (or worst) to get things wrong.

Of course we are trying to the opposite by playing well and winning matches. using the right players in their best positions in the right formation  Taking the game to the opposition, with confidence and courage.

Sadly this is not happening in many games.  The basics are not being done.  We are playing with a lack of individual and collective confidence.  This stems from the manager.  The momentum for a change has probably gone too far.  We need a fresh start. A new manager should be able to get more from the players that we have.    

Quoted from Hagrid

What rumours?

GTFCJacko on twitter was spouting that Doig and Glennon have had a huge bust up, which is why he is now frozen out the squads completely [/quote]

GTFCJacko.... end of rumour/

Quoted from diehardmariner

I couldn't believe, yet of course I could, that we went with a back five against a side second bottom of the table, at home.

That decision was even more bizarre when you saw just how rapid their wingers were (their number 42 was exceptionally quick and direct).   If ever there was a game where you just want your fullbacks to be solid and let the wingers do the attacking it was against those two opposition widemen.

All at sorts for most of the game. Eastwood, Mullarkey and Rodgers look nothing like the players that started the season.  It's staggering how quickly they've tailed off.   Eastwood's rightly taking pelters for their second goal but intercourse me, if Rodgers wanted to fart on their attacker it would have been more physical than just watching them brush past him.  Collectively there's no responsibility taken.  

Green comes on and we improve.  This is no slight on the lad but just like how we shouldn't be relying on Clifton to come on and improve us just through sheer workrate, we shouldn't be relying on Green to significantly improve us just because he'll get stuck in.

I thought Conteh looked a lot better when he was further forward and for a 20 minute spell in the second half when we started to pass it about, using the slickness of the pitch and in little triangles we looked half decent.  Then we just reverted to booting it long for Danny Rose to hopefully do something.

Andrews clearly at fault for the third.  Tried to be too clever when flicking it round their guy and got caught, but I don't want to knock the lad for at least trying something different.  Already on a booking so couldn't touch their guy but six players backed off and off.  Again, someone take responsibility.  I don't want to turn every single thread into a Alex Hunt rant, but if it was Hunt who made that mistake he would be in the stands for the next 3 games.  

Eisa was utterly ineffective in the No 10 slot first half.  We tried him there for the first few games of the season and he was woeful, I'm not sure what Hurst thought would have changed.  Much better when deployed out wide.

Again, as per Saturday, chasing the game in the final 20 minutes and it was like a pre-season friendly.  88 minutes before Hurst makes another change.  He had a striker (Pyke) and a winger (Gnahoua) on the bench, yet both are sat watching as we just toil about.

That all said, their 'keeper makes some really smart saves and if he doesn't we're probably thinking Hurst has kept the wolf at bay for a bit.  Alas, he does make those saves.  You can't concede 3 goals at home to a side 91st in the whole league and think you're gonna get away with it.

Post game Hurst just sounds lost and almost in acceptance of his fate.  I feel sorry for him but even that was tested when he goes down the path of the law of averages is that it'll come good eventually.  Sorry Paul but that's deluded.  We're in the position we are because our approach to games is wrong, our players don't have any confidence, they don't look like they know what the plan is or as if they've ever played together before, we don't have a creative midfielder, we're absolutely devoid of any pace at all, our goalkeeper is a nervous wreck, the gap between midfield and attack is huge and we hoof it up at every opportunity despite not really having a physical presence in the side.   Yet you think it's a case of the coin falling on the right side.  It's not.

Less than 5000 home fans in the ground.  Yes Champs League was on, yes it wasn't amazing weather and all that. But it was half-term and you could see that as more young kids there.  If we're playing well that gate is 6500 upwards.  Less than 2000 sold for Donny isn't it?  Absolutely unheard of.  

Hate to think it, hate even more to say it but it's time for Hurst to go.  I don't think you've lost the players but either they don't know what you want them to do or you don't know what you want them to do, maybe a combination of both.  I think there's the bones of a decent League Two side in there.  It should be defensively solid (we know it can and has proved to be so), the midfield has a good blend of options if the right people are played and up top we've actually got a good No 9 type in Rose and clearly someone in Wilson who knows where the goal is.  I also think we've got a decent 'keeper in Eastwood, he's just absolutely devoid of any confidence at all.  The biggest task for whoever comes in isn't wholesale change, it's installing a bit of belief and an approach that the players can buy into.

Thanks for the memories Paul, please go now before it gets really toxic.

I agree but not about Eastwood. It was obvious from quite early on he is not good enough. His distribution is shocking. Last night there was a lengthy stoppage and when he eventually took the free kick or goal kick it just sailed straight out of play. Basic common sense tells you to keep it on the pitch when things are going badly.

As for his keeping he just looks so weak. Rochdale fans were bemused how he got another league club so it is a mystery.

Fair enough Lew.  I thought early doors he was fine, to the point I thought he looked an upgrade and I seem to recall a fair amount of people waxing lyrical about him too.  

You don't become a good/bad goalkeeper overnight.  

Just like how I don't think Mullarkey and Rodgers, to an extent Conteh too, have gone from looking like Rolls Royce players in the opening weeks to Lada Riva's over the course of a few games.  

I don't know what it is and probably never will do.  But as a whole they're playing within themselves and show a lack of belief.  I think for the outfield players it's probably a bit easier to hide when you're low on confidence, as a 'keeper everything is magnified and exposed.

Cartwright deserves a chance in goal. People are writing him off already, but he's only played in the pizza trophy...a competition we play a second string in (how bad must that be considering how our first team is performing), that no one cares about. Even then i'm not sure he's ever played as bad as Eastwood has in recent times.

I've been a huge Hurst supporter right up until the last few weeks. And i'm not sure we actually have this good squad that a lot of people are talking about...we played some good football in the early stages of the season where it looked like we were just missing Wilson as the last piece of the puzzle to get more goals. Now we look the opposite.

Full backs arent good enough.

Centre mid is the worst position for us...few decent players but cant seem to get the right combo.

Wingers are ok but our best on paper is out long term. Eisa flatters to deceive for me...amazing goals aside, i don't think he's great at crossing or taking people on...in terms of all round play, he doesnt contribute too much IMO. Arthur i really rate to be honest, he seems to have good control and can beat a man but he's always the first one that gets dropped.

Striker wise, Rose and Wilson know where the goal is but we're light on numbers and i'm yet to see them actually have any decent link up play on a consistent basis, though they've still barely played together so i'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Worrying times...here's hoping it is just low confidence and a new manager can get them playing again. Or Hursty can turn it around but thats looking unlikely now, which is a huge shame.

  Despite losing 3-0 at home to Salford last night Donney had 20 shots at goal. Would a similar number of shots trouble our poor defence and keeper?  

Quoted from diehardmariner

Fair enough Lew.  I thought early doors he was fine, to the point I thought he looked an upgrade and I seem to recall a fair amount of people waxing lyrical about him too.  

You don't become a good/bad goalkeeper overnight.  

Just like how I don't think Mullarkey and Rodgers, to an extent Conteh too, have gone from looking like Rolls Royce players in the opening weeks to Lada Riva's over the course of a few games.  

I don't know what it is and probably never will do.  But as a whole they're playing within themselves and show a lack of belief.  I think for the outfield players it's probably a bit easier to hide when you're low on confidence, as a 'keeper everything is magnified and exposed.

I think Maringer on another thread has the answer to Eastwood. Maybe we thought Cartwright would be number 1 with him being highly rated at Hull, but it hasn't materialised.

Perhaps.  

Either way, they're what we've got for the next 2 months at least.  Personally I would be trying Cartwright out, starting on Saturday.  Eastwood definitely needs taking out the firing line.