Left early when their second went in as I knew there was no way back for us. We were even worse than last home game which I didn't think possible.

Not really much else to say as it's the same old story...........…....

Quoted from ginnywings

Left early when their second went in as I knew there was no way back for us. We were even worse than last home game which I didn't think possible.

Not really much else to say as it's the same old story...........…....

If ever a club needed a change of ideas from top to bottom its Grimsby town.

this predictable shite from being done on the counter attack to not being able to take a corner has been boring fans to death for too long now.

And to top it off you have paul hurst to try to motivate you.

oh excrement.

Fed up totally now, the first half wasn't too bad to be honest, once we got level we pushed them back for the remainder of the half and should have got another.
But the second half, oh dear, what a load of doo doo.
It was almost like a totally different team, and not a shot on target that i can recall.
You just sensed that when it got to the 80th minute that they were going to score, and lo and behold !!
The manager just has to go, there is no defence for him now.

UTM

Quoted from mariner tommy

Fed up totally now, the first half wasn't too bad to be honest, once we got level we pushed them back for the remainder of the half and should have got another.
But the second half, oh dear, what a load of doo doo.
It was almost like a totally different team, and not a shot on target that i can recall.
You just sensed that when it got to the 80th minute that they were going to score, and lo and behold !!
The manager just has to go, there is no defence for him now.

UTM

Totally agree with this Tommy, I left before the game finished and I very rarely do that, very poor!

Not good enough in both boxes today, defence looks really shaky at the moment. Need a couple of good signings.

We are now 15 points behind Barnet. I think even the most optimistic of fans will be hard pressed to suggest we have a chance of automatic promotion!

I've said before about a lack of evidence during games that we work on any patterns of play and look clueless against a defensively organised team. But what has become just as concerning is the amount of goals we concede on the break when teams seemingly stroll 3/4 of the length of the pitch before the ball ends up in our net.

Another one today sounds like it went that way although I haven't been today so cannot comment specifically on today's game.

Do we not have the players with the mental capacity to realise someone needs to be in position to protect the back 4 in case we lose the ball?
Do we not work on this or at least speak about it to ensure we attack with balance and we don't get all our players ahead of the ball.
Do the players not know what their jobs are as soon as we lose the ball

A concern. However as I said I wasn't there today so will read others' reports.

Fenty says we're in 'striking distance' of the leaders. In reality, of course, everyone knows that the race for the title is over because of our appalling home form.

We've certainly missed Toto's pace at the back the last 2 games!

With these players a decent manager who can understand how important tactics are or just understand tactics would have us top of the league...I don't know who that manager is but i know who it isn't.

Quoted from RexFannies

With these players a decent manager who can understand how important tactics are or just understand tactics would have us top of the league...I don't know who that manager is but i know who it isn't.

Would they? I'm starting to be of the opinion that a great deal of our players are over rated by many of our fans.

Quoted from mariner91

Would they? I'm starting to be of the opinion that a great deal of our players are over rated by many of our fans.

Id agree with that but who brought these players in

Quoted from mariner91

Would they? I'm starting to be of the opinion that a great deal of our players are over rated by many of our fans.

We are very guilty of this and have always done it but this happens at other clubs too.  I think we have used a bit of frustration to maybe boost that because we are desperate to get of out the Bananananarama League.

Disappointed by certain players lack of application and tendency to hide, Nathan Arnold was the main culprit. Makes me question why I bother.

BBC Sport showed that we had 2 shots on target out of 10.  They had 5 on target out of 7.   Not a good stat for a starter, besides the other deep-routed problems.  

They are conference players for a reason. That reason being that those who know the game best (Not us fans mostly) don't rate them good enough for the league. Tactics at this level are as important as tactics in the top divisions. Play to your strengths and exploit your opponents weaknesses. But to do that you have to be able to figure out what they are. It's not all about Messi and Wenger, sometimes it's about Vinnie Jones and Dave Bassett. Hurst has run his races and he comes 4th or 5th usually.

The best part of today for me, was getting home from that dross and turning on the TV and finding that Estuary TV were showing a re run of the Liverpool V Town League Cup game from 2007. I know many of us were there and have probably seen it over and over but this was THE Mariners, not the so called second rate bunch that now assume the name. I know we were in a higher division then, and obviously had better players but, what was most apparent for me was the never give up, do or die, play for one another attitude that has completely disappeared over the last few seasons. Shouldn't ALL professional players have this attitude, wether they play in the Premier League or at our level?
Of course motivation is a key essence and this is what's completely lacking under Hurst. If he gives his team talks in the same laid back monotone way that he gives his interviews, no doubt most of the players are still half asleep when they walk on the pitch.

Substitutions were poor and we should have changed it in midfield rather than change two strikers when we weren't getting anyone close to the strikers we had on. Macclesfield were there for the taking and weren't particularly outstanding. Even Hurst said we weren't outplayed, so why did we lose? Poor tactics and poor substitutions. Hurst just doesn't know how to affect a game positively in order to go on and grab a winner.

Thought the reaction of the crowd today was really telling. No venom or hurt when Macc scored but more just quiet, apathetic resignation until the full time whistle. Never looked like winning it at 1-1 and we certainly didn't look like equalising at 2-1.

Myself and others have had enough of this boring, negative football to the point of apathy now. Anyone who thinks we're even close to challenging for the title - let alone winning it still - needs their head checking. No tempo, no creativity, no idea.

Time to change. Hurst out.

You cant expect to win a game when only a couple of players play anything like a professional footballer.
You cant expect to win the league with a small unbalanced squad.
You cant expect to enhance the above with a manager who appears to be unable to motivate players or react to in game developments.

A real lack of quality when in possession, struggle to recall any passage of play where we retained the ball for more than three passes, players unable to complete 5 or 10 yd passes, no anticipation, basic body shape of players (Parslow in particular) when addressing the ball... all fundamentals i would expect any professional footballer to have but no evidence of it today.

Not being able to take a throw in with any ease, FFS, a basic skill of football, corners.....no further coment needed on corners.

Aimless... just kicking of the ball without looking up, not pre meditated channel balls for the strikers.. just aimless kicks where no team mates are within 30 yds, woeful.

Scott Brown was shocked to be dropped for the Lincoln game apparently...well i hope he is prepared for another shock soon as i thought he was fking awful today, as was Arnold, Parslow, Thomas, Makreth, Mckeown, Hannah (limited time admittedly but still poor).....unfortunately the non performing players were not helped by a non performing manager who failed to recognise/acknowledge our own failings soon enough and that Macc had the better of the midfield with a very fluid formation and the ever impressive Whitaker making the game look easy.

LJL and Pitman had very little to work with apart from two early chances but both should have scored with them and no doubt it would have been a completely different outcome if they had....probably what Hurst will say as well at some point.

I can only imagine that the transfer window will now bring extra defensive cover as we have looked awful without Magnay and Toto, i cant see Hamish being retained (looked bright for a few minutes but faded and not fit)  and Hannah may as well leave as he aint getting a good go at it and looks so frustrated he isnt playing relaxed and natural so we will need an elusive 30th time of asking striker to come in and one if not two support wide men.

Recent history shows we have gone downhill after Xmas....true to form then.
  

Come on Fenty! if you are reading this do the right thing! The season is over let's not kid ourselves hust is the nearly man, restart for next season NOW!!

Apathy , but still turned up expecting Grimsby Town to put on a display to put the Lincoln game down to a one off . Same tired players putting in a lack luster performance , thanks Hurst .
Aswad  like Sunday shows he's  not fit or carrying an injury , midfield creates  very little although busy . Pitman Lewis and Arnold appear to have never played together before . What our keeper was playing at I don't know . Just no understanding whatever . 4 5 1 ,  4 4 3  perm any number you want . Macclesfield  weren't  much but played the ball on the floor and looked ok .

Some  complain about no atmosphere  , well Mr Hurst come and sit with us . I don't  know what your looking at , but your glasses must be better than mine . Another 2 hours of my life I won't get back .

Been at work all day, so missed things. Can anyone explain why Disley was dropped? This squad rotation balderdash is a massive part of why we are struggling for consistency imo.

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

Been at work all day, so missed things. Can anyone explain why Disley was dropped? This squad rotation balderdash is a massive part of why we are struggling for consistency imo.

Upset tummy this morning

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

Been at work all day, so missed things. Can anyone explain why Disley was dropped? This squad rotation balderdash is a massive part of why we are struggling for consistency imo.

Was told he didn't  pass a fitness  test . Your lucky to have been at work . Best thing to see was the fireworks behind the Osmond  . Always happens after a Lincoln game .

Didn't play particularly well in the 1st half but we had enough chances to be in a decent lead. Not sure how LJL failed to get anything on his golden chance in the first half and Pitmann too should have scored from the Shops cut back.

How many times in recent years have we conceded goals like their first one? Parslow backed off and backed off allowing their guy to run from 45/50 yards out without any semblance of a challenge. That wasn't experience just gross incompetence. Get savvy, take one for the team but foul him whilst out on the touch line if you have too and take a yellow. Naive in the extreme.

I expected us to kick on in the second half but frankly it was the most inept 45 mins I have seen for a long time. I walked from near the college to the game today. I am convinced I put far more into that walk than Nathan Arnold did in the 2nd half. He strolled his way through it, was never available, didn't attempt to close his opponent down when they had the ball and offered Thomas nothing by way of support.

Many on here campaigned for 4-4-2 yet it is so easy to play against and that is why so few teams line up like that today. As Lincoln did, they had someone between our defence and midfield and we couldn't cope.

The winner? Thomas was pulled to the ground on the refs blind side but I am surprised not to read any criticism of McKeown. I thought he should have done better with both goals.

Pearson is the one shining light. Another very good display. Some have been critical of Toto but god how we have missed him in the last 2 games ( +Magany of course)

IMO Thomas had a better game than of late but our wide players brought nothing to the game. Scott Brown re tweeted loads of stuff from his followers about why he was left out v Lincoln. Again in my view he hardly proved he should be a guaranteed  selection. Wrong choices time and time again.

Strikers missed chances but Hannah struggled to control the ball once he came on.

Very disappointed. The squad needs a shake up, do we trust the manager to do it?

It is the shocking home form that worries me and many others most. I do go to most away games and we look a well drilled organised outfit.
But where it really matters, in front of our fans/paying public we are shambolic, toothless and devoid of attacking flair.

I can stomach a home defeat. That happens in football. It's the manner of the defeats that concern me most

Something needs to change and change quickly.

Quoted from ackomariner

Upset tummy this morning

He was on the bench ?.

UTM

I could've shat with rage at the first goal.

About 35 yards from goal, out on the left touchline, their centre forward is going absolutely nowhere unless we let him. Parslow backs off and backs off until he allows him into the box, from there he's struggling unless he makes great challenge.

That's 4 goals in 2 games that have come down our left with the ball played across the middle. Four. You couldn't make it up.

Quoted from mariner tommy

He was on the bench ?.

UTM

What Hurst said on the radio

The players just stand there like statues waiting for things to happen, instead of making things happen.

When we have a throw in their is no movement, and when the opposition are on the ball they hardly stick a foot in especially today.

We never seem to spring a few passes together, and the booting down the channels does naff all, when in attack their doesn't seem enough support, or urgency to move forward either the majority of the time, and when their is we just get hit on the break, like the Lincoln game!

Is this what Paul Hurst instills into the players?  Do we have any specific tactics, because the last two games we didn't seem to have any, and we don't change anything, well from what I see with my own eyes.

Never said anything after the Lincoln game, but I think Hurst must of been watching a totally different game to say we played alright, people in the lower smiths around me all said the same thing today.

For me the away and home performances all boil down to the type of manager is..

example away from home we can be cautious ,sit back and let the home team do the work and we defend well then nick goals and because the pressure is not on us we can get results by being patient and quite negative but it seems to work as teams come on to us..

at home this is were paul hurst as a manager is let down badly, he cant seem to understand when we are at home we should be the team pressing and attacking not letting teams dictate to us..

paul is a very cautious manager and not what a big team in our league like us need..

Big Chris .

You put it the way 99.9 % see it

Unfortunately, I've come to the conclusion that I don't think that the squad is nearly good enough, regardless of the manager. Of course, it's now the manager's squad so if (or most likely when) they don't do it this season, I think he should be on his way.

As it stands, we're still light up front and in attacking areas. Arnold was hopeless today but we simply didn't have any other options on the bench. Our midfield was so far off the play for most of the game that it's amazing we didn't concede more goals. What has happened to Brown? He looked so lively at the start of the season, but his main trick recently seems to be just passing the ball to the opposition or losing possession in midfield!

Defensively, I've come to the conclusion that Thomas just isn't good enough. Too many errors too often and, though his crossing may be decent, his general level of ball retention and passing is just rubbish. That's 4 goals conceded in the past two games down his side of the pitch when he was caught out of position (though it looked a clear foul for their winner today). Pearson a good defender for this level but we're never going to achieve anything as long as we're reliant on him passing the ball from the back.

LJL fluffed his one chance today - needed to go for it with either foot and probably would have scored, but Pittman's first miss was very poor before he did the right thing with the chance gifted to him. Hannah did absolutely nowt as usual and, though Watson showed a couple of decent touches, it remains to be seen how effective he can be in professional football. Not sure he has the nouse just yet as he was bumped away from the ball on several occasions despite being a big bloke. Needs to learn how to lever himself in there perhaps?

At the back, McKeown seems to be making too many errors at the moment. For their winner today, if he'd left that cross-shot alone, it would have ended up as a goal kick. Instead, he again palmed the ball straight to one of their players. A bit weak for their first goal as well.

All in all, the performance was similar to that against Lincoln. Some decent chances missed. Some bad defending giving the opposition goals. General level of play inadequate with dreadful passing and a lack of pace in all areas of the field.

I'd be amazed if we were to get through the play-offs with this bunch. Perhaps we'll sign a couple of really good players to turn things around, but I doubt it.

Hard to disagree with this or BC's view.

Very disappointed tonight. I left the Lincoln game thinking that we've played a lot worse this season and won. I can only think of the Southport performance that was worse than todays. For me it was the inability to do the basic things that one should expect from professional footballers-mainly pass the ball consistently to someone else wearing the same colour shirt. Their winner started when Arnold couldn't find Thomas stood 2 yards away from him.
On today's showing the "fringe" players have done nothing to further their case for regular inclusion. Hannah's contribution (although he didn't get the service he could reasonably have expected) was nothing short of woeful-capped by berating Clay for having a shot whilst he (Hannah) was clearly stood in an off-side position. Brown put in the effort but was let down time and again by poor pass selection/decision making.
Pitman, Pearson (and to a lesser extent Arnold) apart ball control throughout the side was non-existent.
Mackreth made one or two decent runs/crosses in the first half but simply disappeared in the second.
The substitution of Pitman saw any realistic chance of a result disappear. Hurst got some stick for it at the time but Pitman clearly was feeling his thigh/hamstring.
I would have to disagree with the poster who said Arnold,LJL and Pitman looked like they'd never played together but sooner rather than later they HAVE to take the chances they are creating for each other.
We now have a break from league action for over a fortnight. Hopefully this will give Magnay a chance to get fit and can be seen as a chance for the squad to regroup ready for some very difficult looking games in the rest of January/early February.
Shaun Pearson stood out like a beacon in a sea of dross today. Gave 110% and rarely wasted the ball when playing it out of defence-a great example...

All I can say is gutted - my wife went to all the trouble of paying to have my birthday message put on the screen - bought extra tickets so she could come and watch the game (it's her first game she's been to saying previously she would never come to a game)- bought me a home shirt with 40 on the back - bought me a coat at nearly £50 - and my lad bought me a signed football! So annoyed with that performance it's a shame the players can't reimburse her

A nervy start from town with Macc pushing forward. A goal for Macc created by a player who should have been shown the touchline or the by line. We were having some joy down the left side and few good balls were put into the danger area which should have been converted. A Smart Pittman goal from a defensive error. Another weak headed attempt from Parslow (can he not head the ball properly?). Half time, looked like the game was there for the taking. Second half what rubbish from both teams, yes the windy conditions did not help but at school you are taught in those circumstances play it on the ground. Hoof after hoof from the back as Macc pushed forward and we panicked. The effort drained away, some players looked tired. Only one effort on goal in second half from LJL . A few hopeful long shots high and wide. Macc looked stronger and got the winner in a carbon copy of Lincoln's third. How we did not cut the cross out is any bodies guess. The best player by a mile was Macc's Whittaker a real example of a proper midfielder, the type desperately needed and I am afraid we have too many across the midfield who are too lightweight against hard working if not special teams. Macc were not great but worked for their 3 points.

Quoted from BIGChris

Didn't play particularly well in the 1st half but we had enough chances to be in a decent lead. Not sure how LJL failed to get anything on his golden chance in the first half and Pitmann too should have scored from the Shops cut back.

How many times in recent years have we conceded goals like their first one? Parslow backed off and backed off allowing their guy to run from 45/50 yards out without any semblance of a challenge. That wasn't experience just gross incompetence. Get savvy, take one for the team but foul him whilst out on the touch line if you have too and take a yellow. Naive in the extreme.

I expected us to kick on in the second half but frankly it was the most inept 45 mins I have seen for a long time. I walked from near the college to the game today. I am convinced I put far more into that walk than Nathan Arnold did in the 2nd half. He strolled his way through it, was never available, didn't attempt to close his opponent down when they had the ball and offered Thomas nothing by way of support.

Many on here campaigned for 4-4-2 yet it is so easy to play against and that is why so few teams line up like that today. As Lincoln did, they had someone between our defence and midfield and we couldn't cope.

The winner? Thomas was pulled to the ground on the refs blind side but I am surprised not to read any criticism of McKeown. I thought he should have done better with both goals.

Pearson is the one shining light. Another very good display. Some have been critical of Toto but god how we have missed him in the last 2 games ( +Magany of course)

IMO Thomas had a better game than of late but our wide players brought nothing to the game. Scott Brown re tweeted loads of stuff from his followers about why he was left out v Lincoln. Again in my view he hardly proved he should be a guaranteed  selection. Wrong choices time and time again.

Strikers missed chances but Hannah struggled to control the ball once he came on.

Very disappointed. The squad needs a shake up, do we trust the manager to do it?

It is the shocking home form that worries me and many others most. I do go to most away games and we look a well drilled organised outfit.
But where it really matters, in front of our fans/paying public we are shambolic, toothless and devoid of attacking flair.

I can stomach a home defeat. That happens in football. It's the manner of the defeats that concern me most

Something needs to change and change quickly.

Spot on Chris.

Don't you feel the signs have been there for a long time though? What you are saying has been happening for weeks/months but disguised by a bit of luck and the old 'sign of a good team if it can win while playing badly' mantra. Seems to me that people have been clutching at straws trying to find good bits to emphasise when the truth has been staring us in the face even in games we have won.

There are some reasonable players in this squad but all of them only seem comfortable in a tight formation away from home where they don't have to make decisions. Is that their natural game, was that what the manager bought them for, or is it the coaching and tactics?

When faced with the need to play a more expansive and perhaps risky game at home or even against lower opposition away, they seem predictable, incapable, lacking in ideas and confidence - almost as though they are afraid and waiting for some Subbuteo move from the manager. If Plan A isn't working they react in the only way players will always react, they just go through the motions.

Absolutely.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Spot on Chris.

Don't you feel the signs have been there for a long time though? What you are saying has been happening for weeks/months but disguised by a bit of luck and the old 'sign of a good team if it can win while playing badly' mantra. Seems to me that people have been clutching at straws trying to find good bits to emphasise when the truth has been staring us in the face even in games we have won.

There are some reasonable players in this squad but all of them only seem comfortable in a tight formation away from home where they don't have to make decisions. Is that their natural game, was that what the manager bought them for, or is it the coaching and tactics?

When faced with the need to play a more expansive and perhaps risky game at home or even against lower opposition away, they seem predictable, incapable, lacking in ideas and confidence - almost as though they are afraid and waiting for some Subbuteo move from the manager. If Plan A isn't working they react in the only way players will always react, they just go through the motions.

I don't think they can handle the weight of expectation that our club brings to them. Big crowds scare them.

It's ok being a big fish in a small pond as Brown was at Southport, but like many other players we sign, he has wilted before our eyes as the season has progressed. He's not the only one either. Probably why they end up in the conference because they don't have the mental toughness required.

They don't have the same expectations away from BP.

I remember telling my York supporting mate that we'd signed Brown and that he looked ace in pre-season and he scoffed, laughing and saying that we should wait a while. Evidently they thought him well below par for their promotion seeking team and offloaded him quick sticks. He added that he had come on as a sub at Wembley and just froze, before running around a lot like a scared rabbit, generally hiding.
I told him that I thought he had looked very accomplished for Southport against us and superb in the summer and early part of the season.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Spot on Chris.

Don't you feel the signs have been there for a long time though? What you are saying has been happening for weeks/months but disguised by a bit of luck and the old 'sign of a good team if it can win while playing badly' mantra. Seems to me that people have been clutching at straws trying to find good bits to emphasise when the truth has been staring us in the face even in games we have won.

There are some reasonable players in this squad but all of them only seem comfortable in a tight formation away from home where they don't have to make decisions. Is that their natural game, was that what the manager bought them for, or is it the coaching and tactics?

When faced with the need to play a more expansive and perhaps risky game at home or even against lower opposition away, they seem predictable, incapable, lacking in ideas and confidence - almost as though they are afraid and waiting for some Subbuteo move from the manager. If Plan A isn't working they react in the only way players will always react, they just go through the motions.

Agreed.

it is much easier to play in a 'tight' formation, to close down, to cover one another and we are able to break when away from home.

At home when the onus is on us we dont have players with nous and guile. Vitally, in my opinion, we  are crying out for a central midfielder who consistently supports and at times runs beyond the strikers. Clay and Brown play with the game in front of them and Disley has also become more similar. Whether that is instruction or not i dont know.

I appreciate wide players by their nature are often inconsistent but i arent convinced any of them are good enough. Nielson is too indisciplined to play in a 4-4-2 but i do like him behind the striker(s) in a free role.

Not sure if we have the personnel to go 4-2-3-1 but that is a formation that allows you to be solid but equally attack minded if full backs join in.

I expect a flurry of activity with 3 or so ins and outs to fresh things up but equally to give us more impetus and creativity going forward. If we get it right that will help but we must set up to really go out and win games and win them well. PH says he sends them out with the emphasis on tempo and momentum but for whatever reasons that isnt being transferred onto the pitch

This thread contains more sense than every other one put together....but will anyone listen?!

We are only the plebeians making a noise what do we know.

I was originally of the opinion that it was a good sign when the results were coming in OK, even though we weren't playing too well. Surely, I thought, things would improve when we actually began to play better?

However, the number of dreadful performances we have seen from a variety of players over the past month now makes me think we just don't have enough ability in the squad to play well enough most of the time. Our (previously) strong defence has masked the glaring weaknesses in midfield and attacking positions but a couple of injuries/suspensions has meant that we've not even been able to rely on the backline over the past two games and the performances have duly flopped miserably.

You can't win games when only one or two players out of the eleven are putting in a decent shift and the rest of them are playing inadequately and we have seen this much too often this season, especially at home.

I still put most of the blame for these failings on the players themselves but it is certainly Hurst's squad and he's now admitted there are weaknesses there so we need to strengthen. The past couple of years, the unfortunate injuries to Hearn gave Hurst an excuse for not being able to sort out the attack properly as that would have been much of his budget tied up there. No similar excuse this year and, though LJL and Pittman are doing OK, the back-up options up front are pretty much non-existent at the moment. Hannah doesn't look like he'll ever be a threat again and Watson is extremely inexperienced at this level. When you add to this the poor form of Arnold and indifferent form of Mackreth and Neilson, it's amazing we're creating any chances at all but we still seem to miss too many of the ones we do!

Most important is to get Magnay and Toto back to steady the ship at the back. On current form, I'd drop Thomas and play Magnay on the left because Bignot has looked much more solid of the two full-backs over the past game and a half and I think he's less likely to make the errors. 4 out of 5 goals came directly down our left over the past 2 games and it doesn't take a genius to work out there is a reason for this.

If Hurst can sign a powerful, athletic central midfielder to play alongside (and do the legwork and running for) our other lightweight midfielders, we might be able salvage something from the season, but I think at least 2 or 3 decent players are probably required and I simply can't see us finding them.

Quoted from Maringer

I was originally of the opinion that it was a good sign when the results were coming in OK, even though we weren't playing too well. Surely, I thought, things would improve when we actually began to play better?

However, the number of dreadful performances we have seen from a variety of players over the past month now makes me think we just don't have enough ability in the squad to play well enough most of the time. Our (previously) strong defence has masked the glaring weaknesses in midfield and attacking positions but a couple of injuries/suspensions has meant that we've not even been able to rely on the backline over the past two games and the performances have duly flopped miserably.

You can't win games when only one or two players out of the eleven are putting in a decent shift and the rest of them are playing inadequately and we have seen this much too often this season, especially at home.

I still put most of the blame for these failings on the players themselves but it is certainly Hurst's squad and he's now admitted there are weaknesses there so we need to strengthen. The past couple of years, the unfortunate injuries to Hearn gave Hurst an excuse for not being able to sort out the attack properly as that would have been much of his budget tied up there. No similar excuse this year and, though LJL and Pittman are doing OK, the back-up options up front are pretty much non-existent at the moment. Hannah doesn't look like he'll ever be a threat again and Watson is extremely inexperienced at this level. When you add to this the poor form of Arnold and indifferent form of Mackreth and Neilson, it's amazing we're creating any chances at all but we still seem to miss too many of the ones we do!

Most important is to get Magnay and Toto back to steady the ship at the back. On current form, I'd drop Thomas and play Magnay on the left because Bignot has looked much more solid of the two full-backs over the past game and a half and I think he's less likely to make the errors. 4 out of 5 goals came directly down our left over the past 2 games and it doesn't take a genius to work out there is a reason for this.

If Hurst can sign a powerful, athletic central midfielder to play alongside (and do the legwork and running for) our other lightweight midfielders, we might be able salvage something from the season, but I think at least 2 or 3 decent players are probably required and I simply can't see us finding them.

well that will go one of two ways ..

1. He will sign him and then never play him.

2. He wont sign anyone.

Quoted from chaos33

I remember telling my York supporting mate that we'd signed Brown and that he looked ace in pre-season and he scoffed, laughing and saying that we should wait a while. Evidently they thought him well below par for their promotion seeking team and offloaded him quick sticks. He added that he had come on as a sub at Wembley and just froze, before running around a lot like a scared rabbit, generally hiding.
I told him that I thought he had looked very accomplished for Southport against us and superb in the summer and early part of the season.

There are far too many on here who see a good performance against us and then say "let's sign him" then when we do they pleasure themselves.

Unfortunately playing well against us doesn't make someone a great player, Mackreth immediately springs to mind, I cannot remember if he has had one outstanding game for us and to me offers no more than Joe Colbeck did.

I didn't f@cking sign him did I?!

Summed up for me by the fact I couldn't think of a genuine candidate for Man of the Match.  In the end I thought probably Mackreth on the basis he wasn't as bad as the rest of them and at least had a go at running at them a couple of times.  Next up was Bignot!

From the back to the front, we don't look good enough.  A left hand side with an uninterested Arnold and a off form Aswad is up there with the worst I've seen in 25 years supporting Town.  Brown has done a Kerr and gone backwards after a great start, Clay looks half the player he was earlier in the summer, Pittman doesn't seem anywhere near as dynamic, Pearson looks more like the donkey we first signed than the dominant centre-half of the last two years.

I don't mind losing, I don't mind having crap players.  What I can't stomach is players putting in half arsed displays and a manager on the sideline who doesn't have a clue tactically.    It doesn't matter who we're playing, if we're home/away or what the conditions are, our tactics are the same every game.  Hurst says he doesn't send his teams out to play long ball and he wants them to play high tempo......if the players aren't playing as per his instructions why does he still pick them?  Be that the fault of the player hoofing it or the players in front of them who aren't giving options, MAKE A CHANGE!!!!  Drop one of your favourites for a player who will benefit the team.  Hell, even change the formation away from the most rigid 4-4-2 known to mankind.  

For the whole of the second half, we created absolutely nothing.  The strikers didn't get a sniff.  Hurst's response, throw on two guys from the bench who have barely kicked a ball in anger for the last two months and have played together once (?) in a friendly game against Boston's kids team.  How many opportunities has Hurst had in recent weeks to give Watson (to a lesser extent Hannah too) 20 minutes at the end of games?  Instead he chucks them both in when the chips are down, service is crap and we're struggling.  One on maybe, maybe both alongside a match-fit striker if we're really pushing for it.  Not both together as a pairing.    The fact they're rusty didn't half show.  Watson looks useful and a handful but he was a bit like a rabbit in headlights at times.  Hannah on the other hand looked like he had never played the game before.

For me we've got 3 genuinely explosive players who can create something from nothing.  Neilson through his sheer craft and guile, Pittman through his physical attributes and Arnold as a combination of both technical and physical attributes.  This season Hurst has stifled Neilson beyond belief, even more frustrating when he was actually given a licence to roam earlier in the season.  Pittman made the error of showing he can head  the ball as he's now become a target-man to lump the ball up to, occasionally getting the opportunity to use his pace when a hoof is over hit into the channels.  Arnold has gone off the boil badly and may need a bollocking or an arm round the shoulder, I don't see Hurst delivering either.  

Those three players should be what our system is based around.  Everyone else compliments them.  Not building it round a utility man on loan from York who can play multiple positions (some better than others), not a 5'10" striker to not win headers, not around a lightweight winger who doesn't have quite enough pace to go past a man but has enough to cut in and cause the odd problem with direct running.

Lincoln game - Not enough tempo.  Awkward yet pretty average striker causes us too much problems at the back, especially Parslow.  Advanced midfielder sits off the frontman/men and completely controls play.  Left wing exposed too often.

Bad enough we did sod all to counter any of the above factors during the game, but to then be undone by the exact same thing four days later.  That's either lazy, stupid or just down right arrogant.  If Hurst is that easily undone, he's not going to get us out the league.  Even if he does perform a miracle and get us up, then what?  Does anyone actually think he has the potential to mastermind victories at a higher level?


The same thing will happen again, we'll go unbeaten for five before bottling the chances we have to make up ground on the leaders.  We'll finish fourth/fifth before falling at the first play-off hurdle which is simply not good enough with the sheer quality of players in this squad.    Any other side in this league (indeed a fair few in the one above) would build their team around a Scott Neilson.  We've had him on the bench for the last two months.

Quoted from jonnyboy82

well that will go one of two ways ..

1. He will sign him and then never play him.

2. He wont sign anyone.

There is a number 3 -

PH will sign someone, he will look the part for a game, then the runs into the box will stop and he will become the same as the others and play behind the ball.

Pearson looks like a donkey ?????

Not quite what I said....

I thought Pearson was the pick of the players yesterday. Not saying much, I know, but he didn't make too many errors despite having to cover for Parslow a bit and for Thomas a lot. Bignot did OK as well, considering he's not played much this season. Mackreth OK-ish but disappeared for much of the second half, much like the rest of his midfield colleagues.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Pearson looks more like the donkey we first signed than the dominant centre-half of the last two years.



.

Can't agree with that. For me Pearson was head and shoulders above anyone else in a Town shirt yesterday. He didnt start the season at his best but i don thtink he can be criticised for his performance yesterday.
His one on one tackle was 'Bobby Moore esque' and he was rarely beaten on the ground or the air.

i havent seen a better centre back in this league this season

For me he hasn't looked anywhere near as good as he has previous seasons.  I'm not sure if that's a result of his own form or having a lesser partner with him this time around.  For me we haven't looked anywhere near as good at the back this year since Boyce went back to Scunny.  

Pearson has been far from our worst player and his performances have been ok but last few games I've seen he's looked a bit shaky, that could be (as above) about the players around him but it doesn't change that I don't feel he's performing as he has previously.  I'm told he was immense on Boxing Day, I didn't see that game so can't comment.  

I forgot about his Moore tackle.  Credit where credit is due, that was superb.  

Well I feel this is the pivotal period of our season how does the manager and players address this slump. He needs some new faces in and at least one pacey winger. He as to go for it feck been conservative fortune favours the brave we can not,nay MUST NOT amble along satisfied by mediocre performances still a long way to go but allowing that gap to become bigger is not an option.

[quote=43]I thought Pearson was the pick of the players yesterday. Not saying much, I know, but he didn't make too many errors despite having to cover for Parslow a bit and for Thomas a lot. Bignot did OK as well, considering he's not played much this season. /quote]


Perhaps I've been a bit harsh on Pearson.  As you've said he's got a right bag of shite around him at present.  

I disagree with Pearson. The standard of his play is expected of him now and he doesn't recieve the credit he deserves due to him playing at such a high standard each week. For me he would be in my top 3 players of the season and is our most consistent player. Our defensive record speaks for itself, sadly over the past few seasons we have had a top centre half along side him (Miller, Pond, Clayton, Boyce). Also this season it is a bit different for him with him being our most experienced defender if Doig and Parslow are not playing.

Quoted from 1739

I disagree with Pearson. The standard of his play is expected of him now and he doesn't recieve the credit he deserves due to him playing at such a high standard each week. For me he would be in my top 3 players of the season and is our most consistent player. Our defensive record speaks for itself, sadly over the past few seasons we have had a top centre half along side him (Miller, Pond, Clayton, Boyce). Also this season it is a bit different for him with him being our most experienced defender if Doig and Parslow are not playing.

I don't think his performances this season have reached that of other seasons but has generally still done ok, that's testament to how well he's played in previous years.    Last few games I've seen he's looked below his standard.  As many have said before, his job is made harder by those playing around him.  

Quoted from diehardmariner

I don't think his performances this season have reached that of other seasons but has generally still done ok, that's testament to how well he's played in previous years.    Last few games I've seen he's looked below his standard.  As many have said before, his job is made harder by those playing around him.  

Agree, the same could be said for poor Aswad who did the running for two people yesterday as the person in front of him just couldn't be bothered.

Pearson has been one of the best players we have had for the past three seasons, my problem with him is he too often gets tangled up with opposition forwards at corners and free kicks, now I know this isn't helped by forwards tugging at his shirt but he is just as guilty at that as they are and it was his foul yesterday well off the ball that was the reason that Parslow goal was disallowed.

Arnold and Thomas are a terrible combination attacking and defending as noticed by other teams most of the attacks come down that side. :-/

Quoted from arryarryarry

Pearson has been one of the best players we have had for the past three seasons, my problem with him is he too often gets tangled up with opposition forwards at corners and free kicks, now I know this isn't helped by forwards tugging at his shirt but he is just as guilty at that as they are and it was his foul yesterday well off the ball that was the reason that Parslow goal was disallowed.

Ref should have had us retake the corner as the pair of them were at it before he blew the first time .  Think the reason Pearson shines is he probably sees more of the ball than most of the others .  

Worrying times for all concerned  . So Dover on Sunday  , I don't  know , a win will mask what's really happening  , a draw would be seen as stopped the rot , a loss would add fuel to the fire .

Quoted from DocTower

Ref should have had us retake the corner as the pair of them were at it before he blew the first time .  Think the reason Pearson shines is he probably sees more of the ball than most of the others .  

Worrying times for all concerned  . So Dover on Sunday , I don't  know , a win will mask what's really happening  , a draw would be seen as stopped the rot , a loss would add fuel to the fire .

They're playing Palace!

Just as well as Dover are in very good form at the moment

Quoted from MuddyWaters

They're playing Palace!

I was informed wrong , so it's  a free weekend , then Gateshead on Saturday next . .

I'd be happier to see Pearson playing as the 'stopper' with a more cultured player alongside him to play it out from the back.

Unfortunately, Toto isn't that player, so Pearson has to do much of the passing/distribution and it's not his strongpoint. He's still better than most of the others, mind!

Quoted from diehardmariner

Summed up for me by the fact I couldn't think of a genuine candidate for Man of the Match.  In the end I thought probably Mackreth on the basis he wasn't as bad as the rest of them and at least had a go at running at them a couple of times.  Next up was Bignot!

From the back to the front, we don't look good enough.  A left hand side with an uninterested Arnold and a off form Aswad is up there with the worst I've seen in 25 years supporting Town.  Brown has done a Kerr and gone backwards after a great start, Clay looks half the player he was earlier in the summer, Pittman doesn't seem anywhere near as dynamic, Pearson looks more like the donkey we first signed than the dominant centre-half of the last two years.

I don't mind losing, I don't mind having crap players.  What I can't stomach is players putting in half arsed displays and a manager on the sideline who doesn't have a clue tactically.    It doesn't matter who we're playing, if we're home/away or what the conditions are, our tactics are the same every game.  Hurst says he doesn't send his teams out to play long ball and he wants them to play high tempo......if the players aren't playing as per his instructions why does he still pick them?  Be that the fault of the player hoofing it or the players in front of them who aren't giving options, MAKE A CHANGE!!!!  Drop one of your favourites for a player who will benefit the team.  Hell, even change the formation away from the most rigid 4-4-2 known to mankind.  

For the whole of the second half, we created absolutely nothing.  The strikers didn't get a sniff.  Hurst's response, throw on two guys from the bench who have barely kicked a ball in anger for the last two months and have played together once (?) in a friendly game against Boston's kids team.  How many opportunities has Hurst had in recent weeks to give Watson (to a lesser extent Hannah too) 20 minutes at the end of games?  Instead he chucks them both in when the chips are down, service is crap and we're struggling.  One on maybe, maybe both alongside a match-fit striker if we're really pushing for it.  Not both together as a pairing.    The fact they're rusty didn't half show.  Watson looks useful and a handful but he was a bit like a rabbit in headlights at times.  Hannah on the other hand looked like he had never played the game before.

For me we've got 3 genuinely explosive players who can create something from nothing.  Neilson through his sheer craft and guile, Pittman through his physical attributes and Arnold as a combination of both technical and physical attributes.  This season Hurst has stifled Neilson beyond belief, even more frustrating when he was actually given a licence to roam earlier in the season.  Pittman made the error of showing he can head  the ball as he's now become a target-man to lump the ball up to, occasionally getting the opportunity to use his pace when a hoof is over hit into the channels.  Arnold has gone off the boil badly and may need a bollocking or an arm round the shoulder, I don't see Hurst delivering either.  

Those three players should be what our system is based around.  Everyone else compliments them.  Not building it round a utility man on loan from York who can play multiple positions (some better than others), not a 5'10" striker to not win headers, not around a lightweight winger who doesn't have quite enough pace to go past a man but has enough to cut in and cause the odd problem with direct running.

Lincoln game - Not enough tempo.  Awkward yet pretty average striker causes us too much problems at the back, especially Parslow.  Advanced midfielder sits off the frontman/men and completely controls play.  Left wing exposed too often.

Bad enough we did sod all to counter any of the above factors during the game, but to then be undone by the exact same thing four days later.  That's either lazy, stupid or just down right arrogant.  If Hurst is that easily undone, he's not going to get us out the league.  Even if he does perform a miracle and get us up, then what?  Does anyone actually think he has the potential to mastermind victories at a higher level?


The same thing will happen again, we'll go unbeaten for five before bottling the chances we have to make up ground on the leaders.  We'll finish fourth/fifth before falling at the first play-off hurdle which is simply not good enough with the sheer quality of players in this squad.    Any other side in this league (indeed a fair few in the one above) would build their team around a Scott Neilson.  We've had him on the bench for the last two months.

Spot on DHM!

Well thought out I'd say and calls it just as it is!

Maybe not so much on the Pearson front as stated by others but otherwise you've nailed it

Quoted from samg

All I can say is gutted - my wife went to all the trouble of paying to have my birthday message put on the screen - bought extra tickets so she could come and watch the game (it's her first game she's been to saying previously she would never come to a game)- bought me a home shirt with 40 on the back - bought me a coat at nearly £50 - and my lad bought me a signed football! So annoyed with that performance it's a shame the players can't reimburse her

If Fenty/Hurst/Players read this post this what you are doing to the fans SHAME ON YOU!

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Spot on Chris.

Don't you feel the signs have been there for a long time though? What you are saying has been happening for weeks/months but disguised by a bit of luck and the old 'sign of a good team if it can win while playing badly' mantra. Seems to me that people have been clutching at straws trying to find good bits to emphasise when the truth has been staring us in the face even in games we have won.

There are some reasonable players in this squad but all of them only seem comfortable in a tight formation away from home where they don't have to make decisions. Is that their natural game, was that what the manager bought them for, or is it the coaching and tactics?

When faced with the need to play a more expansive and perhaps risky game at home or even against lower opposition away, they seem predictable, incapable, lacking in ideas and confidence - almost as though they are afraid and waiting for some Subbuteo move from the manager. If Plan A isn't working they react in the only way players will always react, they just go through the motions.

Exactly.