... Turning on hurst that is.  Lost three points today and three on Tuesday, not because of the players but because this bloke thinks he can tinker with the team, when clearly for the last few seasons his tinkering hasn't bloody worked!

Not happy!

C'mon Wickers. Really! ;)

last chance saloon at Halifax on Tuesday, 10 behind top, and it will be probably more by Tuesday....

enough is enough

Did anyone really believe we had turned the corner after those 2 big wins. With Hurst in charge we will never have a settled side. He is always banging on about games coming quickly and changes formations as he feels players need a rest etc. 9 games in and barring a miracle this afternoon we have lost a third of them. Absolute rubbish. Nothing is tempting me back to the park at present with not only Hurst in charge but Fenty also. When will this misery end. I feel for the young supporters as they have never seen what a proper football team looks like.

Barnet take lead, we're now 12 points behind the pace

We should have got Mad Dog in when we had the chance. Shocking today, only Carl Magnay came out of the game with any credit at all. One paced, predictable and gave in far too easily. I was very disappointed to see LJL go off injured and leaving us with ten men when he could still have contributed even by being present on the pitch on the half way line. May have been PH's decision but I wasn't happy, I'd never do that on a Sunday and let me teammates down.

Very disillusioned once more, miles behind the pace setters, already 3 defeats and not yet out of September when title challengers can only really afford to lose a maximum of 5-6 all season.

Hockaday anybody ?

Hurst needs to go if we're going to get anything out of this season

Quoted from grimsby pete

Hockaday anybody ?

  ;D

First time I have ever said this but I think it is time for Hurst to go.

The following comments used recently are not allowed....we were due to lose one...Its Lewis's fault...its the refs fault....injuries...simply put they were much better than us

We have the players to do well in this league,

We need another 2 to get us promoted,

BUT

It's the mangers job to get the players in the right frame of mind,

Agree to what system we are going to play,

Then make the players play the right way each match and just be consistent in what they do,

I now feel Hurst does not have that ability,

So the question is how long do we give him to prove us wrong,

I say no more than the next 4 games,

That will give the new man 33 games to get us up,

What do you say ?

It's time to turn on the manager? How does this work exactly?

It's time for me to turn.  I've backed him, but I'm starting to turn against him.

How does that work in practicality? Stop going to games or starting 'Hurst out' chants?

Or do you just mean in terms of your opinion?

i have never liked him as a manager , should have gone  at the end of last season, i wont go into the usuall comments,, just let the league standings speak for them selves , we are where i said we would be .. mid table wanna bees

Quoted from wycombemariner

It's time for me to turn.  I've backed him, but I'm starting to turn against him.

I have backed him but he keeps letting me down,

So I am turning on him,

Hurst out now,

Unless we win at Halifax and Kidderminster then the two home games, :)

Nothing less than 4 wins out of 4 Paul or bye bye.

Pete - that's a tough task - but I'd be delighted if we win them - and why not?

We're good - I've seen us being good.

Are there even any managers out there worth going for?

I feel a bit sorry for Hurst, really.

In the past 2 games, our players have squandered half a dozen great chances to score, have conceded 2 stupid penalties and a few other really soft and easily avoidable goals and we have now suffered two injuries to strikers.

Now, Hurst picked the team and signed the players, so the buck stops with him, but you'd have to say we would be looking at a couple of decent results if a few of the players had done their jobs properly!

The lack of forward signings looks like it will be coming around to bite us in the bottom as we're likely to be left with the non-firing Hannah as our only available striker on Tuesday night!

Quoted from immariner

How does that work in practicality? Stop going to games or starting 'Hurst out' chants?

Or do you just mean in terms of your opinion?

Crowd was 400 down on the last home game and today my brother left early and said he won't be back 'ti Hurst has gone. Heard one or two others around me saying the same thing. He has never won over the fans and i believe he never will.

Can't remember the last time i heard the crowd shouting for the managers head during a game?

Quoted from Teestogreen

Pete - that's a tough task - but I'd be delighted if we win them - and why not?

We're good - I've seen us being good.

OK 2 wins and 2 draws minimum then. :)

Think the people who waliked out after their second goal had the right idea . Fans will and are going to vote with their feet . Good squad assembled , he just hasn't a clue what to do with them .

Dave Moore with Hurst on the touch ljne with Doig sat down ?

All is not well .

Quoted from DocTower

Think the people who waliked out after their second goal had the right idea . Fans will and are going to vote with their feet . Good squad assembled , he just hasn't a clue what to do with them .

Dave Moore with Hurst on the touch ljne with Doig sat down ?

All is not well .

Maybe Doig is telling Hurst where he is going wrong,

BUT

Hurst is not listening .

Quoted from Maringer

I feel a bit sorry for Hurst, really.

In the past 2 games, our players have squandered half a dozen great chances to score, have conceded 2 stupid penalties and a few other really soft and easily avoidable goals and we have now suffered two injuries to strikers.

Now, Hurst picked the team and signed the players, so the buck stops with him, but you'd have to say we would be looking at a couple of decent results if a few of the players had done their jobs properly!

The lack of forward signings looks like it will be coming around to bite us in the bottom as we're likely to be left with the non-firing Hannah as our only available striker on Tuesday night!

I agree that at times we have been unlucky but PH doesn't help himself with some of his team selections. It would have been far better playing Paddy and Brown in the centre with Mackreth and Neilson playing out wide. Why PH persists in playing Paddy wide left is beyond me as Paddy himself says that he prefers playing in the middle. I think Dis's best role now is to be used as a steadying sub for the last third of the game if we are winning. It , to me anyway, was noticeable how the balance of the team looked better once Dis went off and Clay came on. We also had a good attacking option with Mackreth on the right.
If we are still in the same position, league wise, come the end of September then I think the Board will have to seriously look into replacing PH. At least that will give a new manager time to assess the squad and look at how he wants to go forward before the transfer window in January. I have supported PH since he went solo but I feel that although he can put a good squad together I don't think he knows how to get the best out of them or get them playing as an effective unit.

Quoted from grimsby pete

Maybe Doig is telling Hurst where he is going wrong,

BUT

Hurst is not listening .

We will find out what he can do when Hurst gets the boot and he inevitably gets the job..

Quoted from ginnywings

Crowd was 400 down on the last home game and today my brother left early and said he won't be back 'ti Hurst has gone. Heard one or two others around me saying the same thing. He has never won over the fans and i believe he never will.

Can't remember the last time i heard the crowd shouting for the managers head during a game?

Buckleys last stint I think!

Quoted from 75

We should have got Mad Dog in when we had the chance. Shocking today, only Carl Magnay came out of the game with any credit at all. One paced, predictable and gave in far too easily. I was very disappointed to see LJL go off injured and leaving us with ten men when he could still have contributed even by being present on the pitch on the half way line. May have been PH's decision but I wasn't happy, I'd never do that on a Sunday and let me teammates down.

Very disillusioned once more, miles behind the pace setters, already 3 defeats and not yet out of September when title challengers can only really afford to lose a maximum of 5-6 all season.

Don't be ridiculous, the man could barely walk.

UTM

Quoted from DocTower

Think the people who waliked out after their second goal had the right idea . Fans will and are going to vote with their feet . Good squad assembled , he just hasn't a clue what to do with them .

Dave Moore with Hurst on the touch ljne with Doig sat down ?

All is not well .

Just a question.....what could Hurst have done to stop their second goal being scored? ::)

We had possession in the centre of the park, Brown lost the ball ( too easily imho), they broke into our area and ended  up scoring.

Poor play all round by us...

Our tactics and formation at that time had nothing to do with Hurst but more to do with being caught flat-footed and not being able to deal with it

Just so you know I do have my doubts about his "tinkering" with the midfield in the last two games but to me today's defeat was more about our defensive errors than anything else

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

Just a question.....what could Hurst have done to stop their second goal being scored? ::)

We had possession in the centre of the park, Brown lost the ball ( too easily imho), they broke into our area and ended  up scoring.

Poor play all round by us...

Our tactics and formation at that time had nothing to do with Hurst but more to do with being caught flat-footed and not being able to deal with it

Just so you know I do have my doubts about his "tinkering" with the midfield in the last two games but to me today's defeat was more about our defensive errors than anything else

Not to mention the poor free kick by Neilson immediately before the ball ended up in our midfield at Browns feet.

He's got 2 games to convince me that he can turn this around, I really want him to succeed but I'm not feeling it. Having said that, what's the alternative???

Am on the cusp of turning to be honest.

If on Tues night against Halifax we perform like we did against them almost exactly a year ago or end up with a similar 4-0 score against them, then this worm would definatly have turned.

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

Just a question.....what could Hurst have done to stop their second goal being scored? ::)

We had possession in the centre of the park, Brown lost the ball ( too easily imho), they broke into our area and ended  up scoring.

Poor play all round by us...

Our tactics and formation at that time had nothing to do with Hurst but more to do with being caught flat-footed and not being able to deal with it

Just so you know I do have my doubts about his "tinkering" with the midfield in the last two games but to me today's defeat was more about our defensive errors than anything else

Not been mentioned but is it only me who thinks that Jimmy Mac should have done better for the two goals, especially the near post one and not coming out to claim the ball from Bignot at Lincoln, he also staid silent in the first half when a shout to Pearson would have relieved the threat, gone off his game since being coached at Hull IMO

He's engineered his own downfall for me, inexplicable tactics after such a superb pair of results 2 weeks ago. He's a seriously inept manager and he'll not last as long as Xmas unless he changes his stubborn ways.

I'm not turning, just like I didn't eat humble pie. And I have no intention of saying I told you so those who had a go at me for negativity about the manager a week or two back. No need is there?

The problems that were clear in the first few games are still there, just disguised by a couple of good performances and outstanding results. Of course the manager is the hostage of his players. He cannot prevent individual mistakes and he cannot put the ball in the net for them. But he signed them. He  picks them and he dictates the formation and style. He subs them or doesn't. He changes the tactics in mid-game or doesn't. Their attitudes are his attitudes. The way the team performs reflects him and the way he performs.

Good managers can have bad runs, bad referees and bad luck, but I have never seen a successful team with a bad manager. PH may not be bad but he sure ain't successful when you consider the opportunities he has had to sort out glaring deficiencies in his team and his inability to get consistent performances from players as individuals and as a team.

What will happen now? Predictably he will be excused a defeat on Tuesday at Halifax because of the "injuries to key players" or if he gets a loanee it will be "you can't expect miracles when he only joined the side yesterday". Or if we get a point or a miraculous 3 he will be a hero again. Then we will have a run of mixed results that will keep us just within touching distance of the play-offs or the relegation zone depending on your point of view. Certainly we will not be challenging for any titles will we?

Cue the usual posts about budgets and "being realistic" and "we are where we are". By the time JF decides we are going nowhere this season it will be too late.

There will be people who think it would be grossly unfair to sack PH now. They will say he should be given more time. Wait until the end of September/October/November/2014 ........ then if we are not within X points of the play offs ........ forgetting that it will take JF an age to "find the right man" who will have to "take time to assess the squad" and what do you know ...... it's May and we are watching yet another two sides escape the dungeons.

We are not in the proverbial ....... yet. But the odd loanee is not going to fix things. I don't know what you think but to me a play off spot is not success. A play off final is not success. Promotion is the only measure of success for this club.

Can anyone truthfully see that happening? Even the most rose tinted customers from Specsavers must surely have big doubts.

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

hat could Hurst have done to stop their second goal being scored? ::)

We had possession in the centre of the park, Brown lost the ball ( too easily imho), they broke into our area and ended  up scoring.

Poor play all round by us...

Our tactics and formation at that time had nothing to do with Hurst but more to do with


Just so you know I do have my doubts about his "tinkering" with the midfield in the last two games but to me today's defeat was more about our defensive errors than anything else

Appears nobody is really sure who lost possession first or where .
Tactics and game plan are Hursts .  We pay to watch professional footballers , at times we appeared to be eleven individuals .
Questions must be asked when we can't even do the simple things right .
Very frustrated now and just can't see any light at the end of this very long tunnel .

Quoted from DocTower

Appears nobody is really sure who lost possession first or where .
Tactics and game plan are Hursts .  We pay to watch professional footballers , at times we appeared to be eleven individuals .
Questions must be asked when we can't even do the simple things right .
Very frustrated now and just can't see any light at the end of this very long tunnel .

Do you honestly think that the defensive errors in the first half were part of the game plan/tactics?

Quoted from pontoonlew

He's engineered his own downfall for me, inexplicable tactics after such a superb pair of results 2 weeks ago. He's a seriously inept manager and he'll not last as long as Xmas unless he changes his stubborn ways.

I may be a bit behind when it comes to understanding the finer points of football-having never made it past Sunday League Division 9 but could you expand on the stubborn nature of his ways involving today's team selection and tactics?

I didn't see/hear any pre match build up but was at Lincoln and thought Clay had got a knock which was why he was substituted. If that was the case then perhaps Hurst didn't think it was a good idea to play someone from the off who might not last. I think the problem is for us fans that we don't always understand the level to which players have to be prepared to play for 90 minutes. It could be that Clay would have managed the whole game but had he started and aggravated the knock Hurst would have got stick for that. Sometimes he appears to be in a lose/lose situation. That being the case there was little option other than to play the latest scapegoat Disley. Other than that were there any surprises? Paddy played which was one of the things Hurst was castigated for not doing against Lincoln. LJL got a chance to build on his blossoming partnership with The Pope (well for 30 minutes...) Pearson had recovered from what I expected would have been an injury that would have kept him out for at least a week or two (see what I mean about not understanding what goes on behind the scenes?)

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I'm not turning, just like I didn't eat humble pie. And I have no intention of saying I told you so those who had a go at me for negativity about the manager a week or two back. No need is there?

The problems that were clear in the first few games are still there, just disguised by a couple of good performances and outstanding results. Of course the manager is the hostage of his players. He cannot prevent individual mistakes and he cannot put the ball in the net for them. But he signed them. He  picks them and he dictates the formation and style. He subs them or doesn't. He changes the tactics in mid-game or doesn't. Their attitudes are his attitudes. The way the team performs reflects him and the way he performs.

Good managers can have bad runs, bad referees and bad luck, but I have never seen a successful team with a bad manager. PH may not be bad but he sure ain't successful when you consider the opportunities he has had to sort out glaring deficiencies in his team and his inability to get consistent performances from players as individuals and as a team.

What will happen now? Predictably he will be excused a defeat on Tuesday at Halifax because of the "injuries to key players" or if he gets a loanee it will be "you can't expect miracles when he only joined the side yesterday". Or if we get a point or a miraculous 3 he will be a hero again. Then we will have a run of mixed results that will keep us just within touching distance of the play-offs or the relegation zone depending on your point of view. Certainly we will not be challenging for any titles will we?

Cue the usual posts about budgets and "being realistic" and "we are where we are". By the time JF decides we are going nowhere this season it will be too late.

There will be people who think it would be grossly unfair to sack PH now. They will say he should be given more time. Wait until the end of September/October/November/2014 ........ then if we are not within X points of the play offs ........ forgetting that it will take JF an age to "find the right man" who will have to "take time to assess the squad" and what do you know ...... it's May and we are watching yet another two sides escape the dungeons.

We are not in the proverbial ....... yet. But the odd loanee is not going to fix things. I don't know what you think but to me a play off spot is not success. A play off final is not success. Promotion is the only measure of success for this club.

Can anyone truthfully see that happening? Even the most rose tinted customers from Specsavers must surely have big doubts.

I have to say that sadly i agree with most of RRFC's post, the worries and demons in PH's mind about the opposition stifle the way we are capable of playing, the results against Gateshead and
Alfreton (although they were a bit freakish tbh) prove that we can destroy teams, so long as the insecurities of the manager do not restrict us, Town fans would turn up in numbers if we 'went
for it' with gusto - even if it wasn't successful, this sometimes optimism,shortly followed by despair
is dragging everyone who cares about GTFC down.
Whether PH is the man to take us forward is a matter of opinion and everyones is valid, but i am old
enough to remember the 'feel' of potential success at GTFC and tbh that isn't there now, or IMHO
hasn't been for a few seasons now, despite the play off appearances.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I'm not turning, just like I didn't eat humble pie. And I have no intention of saying I told you so those who had a go at me for negativity about the manager a week or two back. No need is there?

The problems that were clear in the first few games are still there, just disguised by a couple of good performances and outstanding results. Of course the manager is the hostage of his players. He cannot prevent individual mistakes and he cannot put the ball in the net for them. But he signed them. He  picks them and he dictates the formation and style. He subs them or doesn't. He changes the tactics in mid-game or doesn't. Their attitudes are his attitudes. The way the team performs reflects him and the way he performs.

Good managers can have bad runs, bad referees and bad luck, but I have never seen a successful team with a bad manager. PH may not be bad but he sure ain't successful when you consider the opportunities he has had to sort out glaring deficiencies in his team and his inability to get consistent performances from players as individuals and as a team.

What will happen now? Predictably he will be excused a defeat on Tuesday at Halifax because of the "injuries to key players" or if he gets a loanee it will be "you can't expect miracles when he only joined the side yesterday". Or if we get a point or a miraculous 3 he will be a hero again. Then we will have a run of mixed results that will keep us just within touching distance of the play-offs or the relegation zone depending on your point of view. Certainly we will not be challenging for any titles will we?

Cue the usual posts about budgets and "being realistic" and "we are where we are". By the time JF decides we are going nowhere this season it will be too late.

There will be people who think it would be grossly unfair to sack PH now. They will say he should be given more time. Wait until the end of September/October/November/2014 ........ then if we are not within X points of the play offs ........ forgetting that it will take JF an age to "find the right man" who will have to "take time to assess the squad" and what do you know ...... it's May and we are watching yet another two sides escape the dungeons.

We are not in the proverbial ....... yet. But the odd loanee is not going to fix things. I don't know what you think but to me a play off spot is not success. A play off final is not success. Promotion is the only measure of success for this club.

Can anyone truthfully see that happening? Even the most rose tinted customers from Specsavers must surely have big doubts.

Very good post Ron R - currently (rose tints removed, I can not see Grimsby Town being promoted to the Second Division of the main football league - this season).

May be the plan is to keep us here - who knows?

Same negative attitude, same 'bad luck', same old poor start, we won't get out of this godforsaken league with Paul 'blame the fans' Hurst as manager and I won't stop saying it till he's gone.

Quoted from Maringer

I feel a bit sorry for Hurst, really.

In the past 2 games, our players have squandered half a dozen great chances to score, have conceded 2 stupid penalties and a few other really soft and easily avoidable goals and we have now suffered two injuries to strikers.

Now, Hurst picked the team and signed the players, so the buck stops with him, but you'd have to say we would be looking at a couple of decent results if a few of the players had done their jobs properly!

The lack of forward signings looks like it will be coming around to bite us in the bottom as we're likely to be left with the non-firing Hannah as our only available striker on Tuesday night!

That keeps happening every now and again. With different mixes of players. Over the past few seasons. The one common factor?

Quoted from KingstonMariner

That keeps happening every now and again. With different mixes of players. Over the past few seasons. The one common factor?

The players aren't good enough, I suppose.

Defensive mistakes can't be coached out!

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I'm not turning, just like I didn't eat humble pie. And I have no intention of saying I told you so those who had a go at me for negativity about the manager a week or two back. No need is there?

The problems that were clear in the first few games are still there, just disguised by a couple of good performances and outstanding results. Of course the manager is the hostage of his players. He cannot prevent individual mistakes and he cannot put the ball in the net for them. But he signed them. He  picks them and he dictates the formation and style. He subs them or doesn't. He changes the tactics in mid-game or doesn't. Their attitudes are his attitudes. The way the team performs reflects him and the way he performs.

Good managers can have bad runs, bad referees and bad luck, but I have never seen a successful team with a bad manager. PH may not be bad but he sure ain't successful when you consider the opportunities he has had to sort out glaring deficiencies in his team and his inability to get consistent performances from players as individuals and as a team.

What will happen now? Predictably he will be excused a defeat on Tuesday at Halifax because of the "injuries to key players" or if he gets a loanee it will be "you can't expect miracles when he only joined the side yesterday". Or if we get a point or a miraculous 3 he will be a hero again. Then we will have a run of mixed results that will keep us just within touching distance of the play-offs or the relegation zone depending on your point of view. Certainly we will not be challenging for any titles will we?

Cue the usual posts about budgets and "being realistic" and "we are where we are". By the time JF decides we are going nowhere this season it will be too late.

There will be people who think it would be grossly unfair to sack PH now. They will say he should be given more time. Wait until the end of September/October/November/2014 ........ then if we are not within X points of the play offs ........ forgetting that it will take JF an age to "find the right man" who will have to "take time to assess the squad" and what do you know ...... it's May and we are watching yet another two sides escape the dungeons.

We are not in the proverbial ....... yet. But the odd loanee is not going to fix things. I don't know what you think but to me a play off spot is not success. A play off final is not success. Promotion is the only measure of success for this club.

Can anyone truthfully see that happening? Even the most rose tinted customers from Specsavers must surely have big doubts.

Totally.

Have thought well of PH up to now, but like a few more am starting to have a few doubts. Can he motivate? Thinking about
the number of players who've said they like him...but can't recall any ManU ones saying they liked Sir Alex. Is PH too
'nice' and (dare I say it) needs a Rob Scott type? Thinking about some of Town's best performances: Huddersfield and Scunny
last season, and Gateshead this - you could say these were games where you'd expect the players to be 'up for it' without
the manager having to say or do much. Perhaps he's too loyal also (LJL/Disley)?

These are admirable qualities (niceness & loyalty) we're happy to find in our friends...but not necessarily in a football manager!

Bottom line is - if he can't get us out of this league (for whatever reason) he's not the guy we need. Think it's too soon to
call for his head, not least because there's no obvious better candidate who's likely to come here. But if I were JF I'd make it
clear that if we don't go up this year we'll be looking for a managerial change for the next one.

Quoted from barralad

I may be a bit behind when it comes to understanding the finer points of football-having never made it past Sunday League Division 9 but could you expand on the stubborn nature of his ways involving today's team selection and tactics?

I didn't see/hear any pre match build up but was at Lincoln and thought Clay had got a knock which was why he was substituted. If that was the case then perhaps Hurst didn't think it was a good idea to play someone from the off who might not last. I think the problem is for us fans that we don't always understand the level to which players have to be prepared to play for 90 minutes. It could be that Clay would have managed the whole game but had he started and aggravated the knock Hurst would have got stick for that. Sometimes he appears to be in a lose/lose situation. That being the case there was little option other than to play the latest scapegoat Disley. Other than that were there any surprises? Paddy played which was one of the things Hurst was castigated for not doing against Lincoln. LJL got a chance to build on his blossoming partnership with The Pope (well for 30 minutes...) Pearson had recovered from what I expected would have been an injury that would have kept him out for at least a week or two (see what I mean about not understanding what goes on behind the scenes?)

I see what you mean yes, but Paddy was played out of position yet again, and Disley is hardly being made the scapegoat. He's the captain and what has he contributed today?

I don't think I've read a single positive post tonight regarding Hurst . The knives are out I'm afraid this is the beginning of the end for him .

Today, though, what did Hurst actually do wrong? The knives may well be out for him but the only 'controversial' selection he made today was dropping Clay to the bench. In the post-match interview he mentioned that this was because of an ankle problem so hardly a poor decision. Otherwise, it was just the case that a number of individual errors that cost us today. Again, unfortunately.

I realise that Disley has become a scapegoat recently and I've usually found myself defending him against unwarranted criticism, but I have to say that today was one of his worst performances for us that I can remember. Just not involved at all in a way I've rarely seen from him in the past. Perhaps he's just not up to the speed of play because he's not been playing regularly in recent weeks? Disappointing, regardless, and it didn't help that Brown was poor as well. I actually think that McLaughlin was unlucky to be subbed (though I understand the change was required), because he was far from our weakest midfielder today.

Sad to say it as I've been a pretty staunch supporter of PH and I genuinely believe he only wants the best for the club. But I agree it must be time for the board to give some serious thought to the position of manager at Blundell Park. I think the 13 goal 'fest' we had a few weeks back was nothing more than an anomaly and the reality is back to what we're used to seeing. Stupid mistakes, stupid defeats. I believe we have the players / talent - I just don't think they have the direction they need.

Only a week ago I felt really positive about this season but changing the team has made me doubt Hurst for the first time. In a way his good signings might be his downfall as I'm starting to think that someone else could get them to perform better than he can.

Quoted from Maringer

Today, though, what did Hurst actually do wrong? The knives may well be out for him but the only 'controversial' selection he made today was dropping Clay to the bench. In the post-match interview he mentioned that this was because of an ankle problem so hardly a poor decision. Otherwise, it was just the case that a number of individual errors that cost us today. Again, unfortunately.

I realise that Disley has become a scapegoat recently and I've usually found myself defending him against unwarranted criticism, but I have to say that today was one of his worst performances for us that I can remember. Just not involved at all in a way I've rarely seen from him in the past. Perhaps he's just not up to the speed of play because he's not been playing regularly in recent weeks? Disappointing, regardless, and it didn't help that Brown was poor as well. I actually think that McLaughlin was unlucky to be subbed (though I understand the change was required), because he was far from our weakest midfielder today.

No doubt there is someone in Newcastle saying the same about Alan Pardew.

Managers carry the can because they are responsible for results in this industry. Losing 6 points in a week is what PH actually did wrong. How it happened is his business and it's his business to sort it out or go. Fast.

Correct, and I hate to think what it's going to be like if we are defeated again on Tuesday (especially if there's another non performance), and then, God forbid, if we follow that with yet another loss away to Kiddy next Saturday.

Quoted from barralad

I may be a bit behind when it comes to understanding the finer points of football-having never made it past Sunday League Division 9 but could you expand on the stubborn nature of his ways involving today's team selection and tactics?

I didn't see/hear any pre match build up but was at Lincoln and thought Clay had got a knock which was why he was substituted. If that was the case then perhaps Hurst didn't think it was a good idea to play someone from the off who might not last. I think the problem is for us fans that we don't always understand the level to which players have to be prepared to play for 90 minutes. It could be that Clay would have managed the whole game but had he started and aggravated the knock Hurst would have got stick for that. Sometimes he appears to be in a lose/lose situation. That being the case there was little option other than to play the latest scapegoat Disley. Other than that were there any surprises? Paddy played which was one of the things Hurst was castigated for not doing against Lincoln. LJL got a chance to build on his blossoming partnership with The Pope (well for 30 minutes...) Pearson had recovered from what I expected would have been an injury that would have kept him out for at least a week or two (see what I mean about not understanding what goes on behind the scenes?)

And therein lies your problem Barra, had you reached the dizzy heights of Division 5 you would have a far far greater understanding of the game. Thus giving you chance to post a more informed/balanced view   ;)

But on a more serious note, I fail to see how you can defend Dizza the way you do. You say he's the scapegoat, but when things go wrong people look for explanations. He certainly hasn't done anything to warrant being in the first 11 (IMO), and from what I can see from the stands, shows no qualities of a captain on the pitch. Nobody should enjoy having to post negative comments about ANY player of their team.  But neither should we have to just bury our heads in the sand about our current predicament.

Quoted from Civvy at last

And therein lies your problem Barra, had you reached the dizzy heights of Division 5 you would have a far far greater understanding of the game. Thus giving you chance to post a more informed/balanced view   ;)

But on a more serious note, I fail to see how you can defend Dizza the way you do. You say he's the scapegoat, but when things go wrong people look for explanations. He certainly hasn't done anything to warrant being in the first 11 (IMO), and from what I can see from the stands, shows no qualities of a captain on the pitch. Nobody should enjoy having to post negative comments about ANY player of their team.  But neither should we have to just bury our heads in the sand about our current predicament.

Well, I'd argue that had the players been fully fit Disley wouldn't have made the starting XI yesterday. The choice for Hurst appeared to have been play Clay who might not have been fully fit or Disley, who for all his alleged shortcomings was fit. When I talk about scapegoating it's aimed at those who cannot see past Disley for the blame for yesterday's defeat. We conceded two dreadful goals defensively and I'm not sure if we'd have had the entire German national midfield (not the one who played v Argentina the other week obviously!) playing they could have averted them.
I don't think he is captain material anymore and feel sure that he will be on the bench more often than not but it is far too simplistic to pin a defeat on the actions of one player-certainly in this case.

But it doesn't seem to me that he is being made the scapegoat.  People are citing the fact that he started as a case against Hurst (rightly or wrongly).
Many are also saying that we are too lightweight up front and the defence is struggling without Boyce. Neither of which reflect on Dizza.
Lets be honest, it was never going to be pleasant reading on here given the last two performances, but Disley has not been slated anything like
LJL has !!  A poor performance like his on Saturday was always going to give rise to negative comments.

Quoted from Maringer

The players aren't good enough, I suppose.

Defensive mistakes can't be coached out!

If you are right there are 2 possibilities:
(1) they're either as good as we're going to get with our budget/position etc (in which case it'll take a miracle to get us out of this division) or
(2) it's the manager's fault.

If you look at the managers in this league that have/or done well they have that fire in their belly if they didnt get a good performance people like Mills, Edinburgh, Cox, Mellon, Allen they are the type of managers you wouldn't want to cross.  However PH I dont think has that that was RS job, sometimes players need a rollocking a kick up the backside so they are reminded on the standards to expect.  And unfortunately PH doesn't have this.

I also believe that I dont think PH had  alot of striking targets Jennings and Bogle.  Jennings opted for Wrexham being closer and Bogle remained at Solihull because of location or im led to believe.

Nope I give a few more games for Paul to get this team hungry again otherwise I like someone who wont take any shite performances.

If you all think it's bad now you should wait until the annual tinkerfest starts when the FA trophy games kick in , He's  started flipping about already with his daft squad rotation , he needs at least 3 loans and it's not even half way through September.
Lose on Tuesday and it's season over , we will not win the title and he is not good enough to guide us through the play offs