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Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

We still have the January window, but that will be very very important. We need pace, guile and a finisher and/ or a hold-up man or Fenty will finish up with a legacy of non-league football and next to no fans.

If we had the budget to bring in a decent striker wouldn't he or they already be here, the budget is the issue and wages on offer, we are were we are and Lincoln are were they are for the same reason. They invest and we don't, what makes you think January will be any different. We need two wingers and a hairs on the back of your neck standing up striker signing, we've got more chance of sighting a squadron of flying pigs than that happening.

Quoted from Marinerz93

If we had the budget to bring in a decent striker wouldn't he or they already be here, the budget is the issue and wages on offer, we are were we are and Lincoln are were they are for the same reason. They invest and we don't, what makes you think January will be any different. We need two wingers and a hairs on the back of your neck standing up striker signing, we've got more chance of sighting a squadron of flying pigs than that happening.

I don't! I was just pointing out what we need, or Fenty will have an even worse legacy to look back on in old age.

Missed you yoda! Not been seen in a while. However you are correct we are woeful

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I don't! I was just pointing out what we need, or Fenty will have an even worse legacy to look back on in old age.

Legacy, I don't think he really cares about his legacy, our league position so far and over previous years somewhat prove that.

Based upon today we just need to hope that there is another team as bad as Macclesfield to prevent us from the drop.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Based upon today we just need to hope that there is another team as bad as Macclesfield to prevent us from the drop.

It is these sentiments we are all feeling, no faith in this team doing enough on their own to avoid the drop we are relying on teams being worse than us is an absolute excrement state of affairs. The boardroom should be hanging their heads in shame, it's getting to the point were I have had my fill with limpet Fenty and his benign loan and the lack of drive in the boardroom, shut the intercourse up Marley you boring old fart.

Win three out of four and we’re gonna make the top half. Lose the next two and we’re definitely down.

The truth is we’re somewhere in between which isn’t where any of us want to be but that’s the way it is atm without getting drawn in to the whys. Let’s hope the inconsistency continues next game and we come away with a win.

My point here isn’t that people are incorrectly pointing out that we aren’t the best side in the division, more that patchy form is to be expected so the knee jerk reaction is pointless whether the result has been positive or negative.

Thomas can score lots of the goals we need as his excellent finish the other week showed. However, he so rarely gets the ball at his feet in the box with the way we're playing that he just doesn't get the chances at present.

I think we either need to play him off another striker (what has happened to Cardwell?) or find some way to get the wide players up in support around him so he gets more of a chance to get into the box.

How feasible this is with the players we have available I'm not so sure.

If the floodlights required repairing would the club hire someone with a very average reputation, e.g. Cannot climb ladders, and is colour blind, or would they get someone with a good track record of being competent and had done the job before. So why do we not use the same criteria when signing players.

The whole Pringle saga demonstrates that we are shopping in the damaged goods area of footballs IKEA. OOOH thats a nice sideboard but it's got a few scratches and a wobbly leg. After a few months in the garage, a bit of polish and some superglue, good as new!

Quoted from Yoda

I hate to say it but we are heading down again if we lose on Tuesday which we will can you see us winning 10 from 29 to stay up.
If it means going down to get rid of the moron in charge of this fiasco i would take that.

Trouble is for all the red crosses Yoda got for this post..... I personally find it hard to disagree with it.

Quoted from Gaffer58

If the floodlights required repairing would the club hire someone with a very average reputation, e.g. Cannot climb ladders, and is colour blind, or would they get someone with a good track record of being competent and had done the job before. So why do we not use the same criteria when signing players.

hahaha....unfortunately your analogy is floored.....if the floodlights need repairing at BP JF would be up there like a shot in his red overalls !!

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

We still have the January window, but that will be very very important. We need pace, guile and a finisher and/ or a hold-up man or Fenty will finish up with a legacy of non-league football and next to no fans.

As I posted last week 21 year old Kevin Nisbet of Raith Rovers must be worth a look at and he banged in 2 more today. :)

Massive over reaction Yoda. I think we've improved since 6 weeks ago and the only thing missing the last 2 games has been goals. Both Crewe and Cambridge could have gone either way.
I personally think that we will be ok.
We need a period of stability and although Michael Jolley is working with several restrictions, i have faith in him and we all need to get behind the team.
As we left the ground i heard some Cambridge fans saying that we were the better team today and they had got lucky. So we are not as bad as you think.
UTM and stay positive.

Isn't it more the reality that both teams are, on evidence thus far, bottom six entrenched and relegation battle bound?

Look at us - 10 goals in 16 games. That is pathetic.

Quoted from Mallyner

As I posted last week 21 year old Kevin Nisbet of Raith Rovers must be worth a look at and he banged in 2 more today. :)

Even at our low level it would be a big ask to move up from the 3rd tier of Scottish football but at the moment we should be looking at anyone who is scoring goals even if it's tomorrow morning in Sunday league.

Quoted from A.l.f.

Massive over reaction Yoda. I think we've improved since 6 weeks ago and the only thing missing the last 2 games has been goals. Both Crewe and Cambridge could have gone either way.
I personally think that we will be ok.
We need a period of stability and although Michael Jolley is working with several restrictions, i have faith in him and we all need to get behind the team.
As we left the ground i heard some Cambridge fans saying that we were the better team today and they had got lucky. So we are not as bad as you think.
UTM and stay positive.

Bud, I live your positivity but the reality is we may have improved in certain areas but the the elephant in the room still exists...we.havve nothing going forward, MJ has changed many things but he still hasn't affected our forward attack. ..

We need a good window and hope someone has a 20-goals a season striker who is surplus to requirements and wants to come to Grimsby.

Quoted from GrimRob

We need a good window and hope someone has a 20-goals a season striker who is surplus to requirements and wants to come to Grimsby.

Good luck with that...2 hopes and ones Bob!!

Quoted from GrimRob

We need a good window and hope someone has a 20-goals a season striker who is surplus to requirements and wants to come to Grimsby.

We had one in fact his 30+ goals brought us up but the tight bar stewards who currently "run" the club wouldn't get their hands in their pockets to keep him.

I think you possibly need to find the phone number of Mr R Race and add the dialing code for Melchester.

Quoted from GrimRob

We need a good window and hope someone has a 20-goals a season striker who is surplus to requirements and wants to come to Grimsby.

Bloke called Amond would come for an 18 month, 30 month, indefinite contract

Quoted from GrimRob

We need a good window and hope someone has a 20-goals a season striker who is surplus to requirements and wants to come to Grimsby.

You are a betting man Rob so what do you think the odds are on that happening. ?

Quoted from moosey_club

hahaha....unfortunately your analogy is floored.....if the floodlights need repairing at BP JF would be up there like a shot in his red overalls !!

And that in a nutshell is why we're are where we are.

Quoted from A.l.f.

Massive over reaction Yoda. I think we've improved since 6 weeks ago and the only thing missing the last 2 games has been goals. Both Crewe and Cambridge could have gone either way.
I personally think that we will be ok.
We need a period of stability and although Michael Jolley is working with several restrictions, i have faith in him and we all need to get behind the team.
As we left the ground i heard some Cambridge fans saying that we were the better team today and they had got lucky. So we are not as bad as you think.
UTM and stay positive.

I don't know if you actually get to many games but the Crewe and Cambridge games went only one way and that was because at the moment we are not scoring enough goals and we cannot prevent the opposition scoring when we make defensive mistakes.

I felt we deserved to not lose today but we did and just think we lack the quality in both players and managerial decisions which has to be improved as soon as possible otherwise I fear we are in for a long struggle which may ultimately lead to our dropping out of the EFL.

Quoted from grimsby pete

You are a betting man Rob so what do you think the odds are on that happening. ?

Try in the league below, then the one below that, and so on. You'll eventually find someone who'll come and has scored 20 goals in a season recently and who is within our means

Quoted from chaos33

Isn't it more the reality that both teams are, on evidence thus far, bottom six entrenched and relegation battle bound?

Look at us - 10 goals in 16 games. That is pathetic.

Totally agree chaos.i said at half time that it was a game that truly showed that league positions don't lie and both teams demonstrated just why they are where they are

Quoted from GrimRob

We need a good window and hope someone has a 20-goals a season striker who is surplus to requirements and wants to come to Grimsby.

Even if we get a decent striker will jolley have the bottle to play TWO STRIKERS up front???

We spend too much time firefighting instead of being proactive.

We make chances but sorry Vernam. JJ you just have to chip in with goals.

Goalscorers so far including cup games.

Thomas 2.
Cook 2.
Rose 2.
Embleton, Hendrie, Hessenthaler, Vernam, Woolford, Hooper just ONE goal each.

In fact, in the league, we have only scored ten times. For crying out loud our goal difference is -11.

That is simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Look at last season, first game away at Chesterfield, a 4-1 win and we all believed we would walk the league, little did we know that Chesterfield were the dogs dinner and we weren't much better in reality.

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

Even if we get a decent striker will jolley have the bottle to play TWO STRIKERS up front???

We spend too much time firefighting instead of being proactive.

We make chances but sorry Vernam. JJ you just have to chip in with goals.

Goalscorers so far including cup games.

Thomas 2.
Cook 2.
Rose 2.
Embleton, Hendrie, Hessenthaler, Vernam, Woolford, Hooper just ONE goal each.

In fact, in the league, we have only scored ten times. For crying out loud our goal difference is -11.

That is simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Strange comment.

He played Vernam and Thomas as a front two for 5 games before yesterday.

Has he ever started a game with Thomas Cook up front though. If ever a solution was starting at him in the face. The footballing gods have given him a massive clue.

Cook just doesn't look like a striker to me. Not big, strong, quick or particularly skilful. I can see why his previous teams haven't tended to play him up front.

The lack of size and strength among our available strikers is a big problem because teams are finding it much too easy to bully us up front. Playing Thomas as the 'target' seems to be wasting his abilities to some degree.

Quoted from GrimRob

Try in the league below, then the one below that, and so on. You'll eventually find someone who'll come and has scored 20 goals in a season recently and who is within our means

The top goalscorer in Scottish division 1? ;)
15 up to now.

Name a manager that has managed to sign a "proven goalscorer" since we have been back in the league?

If you have blocked them out your mind already here are your choices:

HURST
BIGNOT
SLADE
JOLLEY

Just to add to that mix prior to relegation name a manager that completed a decent striker signing:

WOODS
NEWELL
BUCKLEY

ANSWERS????

I'd say none. Why? Budget, location, Fenty. Not always in that order.

With that in mind MJ is facing the same issues of any recent manager because the club is constantly in the same position.

At least the guy is trying to improve things, players try, and we just might given more than one transfer window see some genuine long term planning and improvement in the squad.

Its a shame after nigh on 15 years of misery no one has the patience for this to happen but again, you reap what you sow Shelton.

We are a mid to lower end 4th division side trying to build a squad without financial backing.

Maybe people should adjust the direction of their attention towards a man specialising in football failure that runs the club not towards the manager and players doing their best with what they have.

FENTY OUT

UTM.

Quoted from arryarryarry

I don't know if you actually get to many games but the Crewe and Cambridge games went only one way and that was because at the moment we are not scoring enough goals and we cannot prevent the opposition scoring when we make defensive mistakes.

I felt we deserved to not lose today but we did and just think we lack the quality in both players and managerial decisions which has to be improved as soon as possible otherwise I fear we are in for a long struggle which may ultimately lead to our dropping out of the EFL.

I get to about 75% of matches each season so feel i have a reasonable idea of whats happening, but even though its clear to us all that we need a goalscorer, our general play is much better than last season. I wasn't saying we are worldbeaters but if we'd taken some of our chances at Crewe and Cambridge, this board would be very different. We didn't and i get that, but all is not lost especially so early in the season.
We all hope that MJ can bring in a winger & goalscorer in Jan and we start scoring more goals, but i'd be more concerned if we hadn't created any chances in the last two games.

What about Lawrence Shankland from Ayr

Quoted from A.l.f.

Massive over reaction Yoda. I think we've improved since 6 weeks ago and the only thing missing the last 2 games has been goals. Both Crewe and Cambridge could have gone either way.
I personally think that we will be ok.
We need a period of stability and although Michael Jolley is working with several restrictions, i have faith in him and we all need to get behind the team.
As we left the ground i heard some Cambridge fans saying that we were the better team today and they had got lucky. So we are not as bad as you think.
UTM and stay positive.

I agree with this

The majority of fans yesterday applauded the team - largely cos they know the only thing missing is goals and our general play, effort, commitment cannot be questioned
Admittedly, not scoring is a bloody big thing... and needs sorting fast (somehow)

Far harder though to suddenly become free scoring than shoring up a leaky defence - decent central defenders are two a penny at this standard and can be brought in on loan no problem; getting a decent striker is much harder - what L1/L2 club lets a goalscorer go in January??

For me Macca is a good L2 keeper
The back four are gelling well and are no worse than most in this league
The midfield has energy, pace, athleticism - lacks creativity and final ball often poor
Forward line - that's the issue (obviously)

I feel we have 4/5 number 10s in the team - all decent footballers but just no natural predatory instinct

No-one takes a risk, has a shot, take responsibility, gambles on a near post run etc etc - I hate singling people out but Hooper's two crosses when in acres in their box second half were woeful. He seemed to panic and just aimlessly hit the ball at their keeper - how hard can it be to look up and find a GTFC player?

There's not a huge amount wrong IMO.. other than the most important thing in footy...which actually means there's a lot wrong cos you don't get marks for artistic impression and effort.

Whichever combo MJ plays we will have the same set of problems up top with this squad

Ply 3 5 2? RHJ and Hendrie bombing on; same midfield three; Thomas and Vernam up top???

I'd go all out in Jan for a top scoring non league player or Scottish Div 1/2 striker whose banging goals in - once a goalscorer always a goalscorer IMO

Quoted from promotion plaice

Trouble is for all the red crosses Yoda got for this post..... I personally find it hard to disagree with it.

Just remind me how many points from how many games did we get in October with this squad?

Quoted from rancido

Just remind me how many points from how many games did we get in October with this squad?

And how many did we get in September. We've got 10 points from the last 12 games - those are relegation stats.

Even though we're in a worse league position than this time last year, I'm nowhere near as worried about getting relegated as I was then. A bit more bravery and composure on the ball, a couple of tweaks to the starting line up and formation plus a couple of signings in January and we'll be ok. Not that I'd be particularly happy with yet another season in League Two resigned to being relieved with not getting relegated..

I wish I shared that optimistic view Bigdog but I don't. Unless something radical happens I think relegation or an exceptionally near miss looms. Again. Too many players below par and of a relatively poor quality compared to our L2 rivals.
I have no faith that January is going to bring about a proper investment in quality. That hasn't happened since we were promoted.
Crying shame or a screaming disgrace. Take your pick. To suffer the misery of relegation to the conference and finally get back, and then to accept this perpetual bumping about at the bottom, hoping for survival is appalling, and we will be found out.

We are only a couple of decent players away from being a good team,

If we sign them at the start of the window it would make me feel we have the right men,

Sign them last minute would mean we got the 2 nobody else wanted.

I hope Jolley knows who he wants and gets in there first.

Would be fun to dig up the pre season prediction thread!

Quoted from Bigdog

Even though we're in a worse league position than this time last year, I'm nowhere near as worried about getting relegated as I was then. A bit more bravery and composure on the ball, a couple of tweaks to the starting line up and formation plus a couple of signings in January and we'll be ok. Not that I'd be particularly happy with yet another season in League Two resigned to being relieved in not getting relegated..

How would you tweak the starting line up? I reckon the 4-3-3 we played in recent games is arguably the best we’ll get with who’s match fit and available.

We haven’t or at least so we’re told got the money for players who have composure on the ball, if we have would a player with that skill sign for a club 69thin the EFL?

Looking at the clubs above us, their resources/ownership, how established they are in L2, their ambitions compared to ours I think to expect anything better than a “low in the division” finish is not realistic I’m afraid.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

How would you tweak the starting line up? I reckon the 4-3-3 we played in recent games is arguably the best we’ll get with who’s match fit and available.

Although we are conceding less goals, we seem to be doing so by protecting the back four too much and stifling our central midfield players from being more expansive and getting beyond our forward(s). I'd be tempted to play Famewo at the back to add a little pace and physicality as a bit more of an insurance against teams breaking against us and release the midfield shackles a bit. I'd try and sign a natural left back on loan in the window and play Hendrie at right back. I would share Clifton's game time with Hessenthaler a bit more to give us a larger percentage of composure on the ball and make sure that Embleton and Vernam are both in the same starting line up more and play closer together. I'd give Pringle a run of games on the left, look to find a goalscorer in the window from somewhere and give Akheem Rose more minutes if we're chasing games just to see if his raw pace can unsettle defences, it's what defenders fear most. A mix of 4-4-1-1 or 4-3-3..

We haven’t or at least so we’re told got the money for players who have composure on the ball, if we have would a player with that skill sign for a club 69thin the EFL?

Players a lot lower than League Two have got composure on the ball. I think it's a mental thing with some of our players who are too scared to get caught in possession. They get rid of the ball too quickly rather than drawing an opponent out of the game and give up possession anyway with panicky passing at times. It's not only that though, our movement off the ball isn't great and I'm not sure whether they're playing to rigid instructions or just lack confidence in wanting the ball. We need to be braver in possession in tight areas.

Looking at the clubs above us, their resources/ownership, how established they are in L2, their ambitions compared to ours I think to expect anything better than a “low in the division” finish is not realistic I’m afraid.

Know what you mean about expectation, but I've not been impressed with too many teams we've played this season. There's fine margins between being a lower mid-table side and one that sneaks into the play-offs imo. I don't have anything but vain hope and a mountain of frustration for us really. Didn't see the Port Vale and Colchester games and have only really been excited watching about three games this season. Us hanging on against MK Dons and Carlisle and the Lincoln game at home. Only a third of the season in and already questioning whether I'd renew i-Follow next season. Sad state of affairs after supporting GTFC for 45 years but I'm really bored to tears with the standard of football and amount of mind-numbingly boring games I've watched since getting back into the league. Can't see it changing unless there's a wholesale change at the club and I can't see that changing either. Supporting and watching Town is a chore like habit rather than entertainment nowadays. Fully realistic about where we are and the limitations holding the club back, but no harm in hoping or demanding for better.. probably..

Quoted from Croxton

The whole Pringle saga demonstrates that we are shopping in the damaged goods area of footballs IKEA. OOOH thats a nice sideboard but it's got a few scratches and a wobbly leg. After a few months in the garage, a bit of polish and some superglue, good as new!

I’ve missed something here. What’s the whole Pringle saga?

Quoted from Henryscat

I’ve missed something here. What’s the whole Pringle saga?

Just that it has taken an age to get him fit and integrated in the squad when our need for a wide player to feed our forwards with quality crosses has been obvious for months. Perhaps he has had injuries and Preston want rid, I don't know but each team we play seem to have pacy athletic wingers and more on the bench if required.

It's not as bad as some we've had. I am down with this team.

I suspect that you are right, as we are the lowest scoring team in the football league. If entertainment is measured by goals then the least entertaining. I aspire to average and we are nowhere near Utm

Quoted from grimsby pete

We are only a couple of decent players away from being a good team,

If we sign them at the start of the window it would make me feel we have the right men,

Sign them last minute would mean we got the 2 nobody else wanted.

I hope Jolley knows who he wants and gets in there first.

I can't get my head round this January window. Very few players end their contracts at this time so the only players available are those that their parent club don't want. If they were any good their club would keep hold of them-unless a fee was involved. But we don't seemingly want to pay a fee. We don't have a lot of spare cash but there has to be a kitty available in case our "scouts" do spot someone from the lower leagues. We have to get in there first ie -sowing the seeds now,and make a sensible offer or else any up and coming player will be gone. Most of the decent signings are more or less done before the windows open. We all knew Nolan was going to Chesterfield while he was still playing for us.

Fine margins in so many games but goals desperately needed.
I hoped we woukd push on after tge earlier terrible run was broken but it seems such a roller coaster.
Think most woukd take survival now, in Nov if offeted

Quoted from Cloudy

Fine margins in so many games but goals desperately needed.
I hoped we woukd push on after tge earlier terrible run was broken but it seems such a roller coaster.
Think most woukd take survival now, in Nov if offeted

Welcome back wain! Wer the fuk ave u bin?

Quoted from golfer

I can't get my head round this January window. Very few players end their contracts at this time so the only players available are those that their parent club don't want. If they were any good their club would keep hold of them-unless a fee was involved. But we don't seemingly want to pay a fee. We don't have a lot of spare cash but there has to be a kitty available in case our "scouts" do spot someone from the lower leagues. We have to get in there first ie -sowing the seeds now,and make a sensible offer or else any up and coming player will be gone. Most of the decent signings are more or less done before the windows open. We all knew Nolan was going to Chesterfield while he was still playing for us.

Who, ironically, we signed for nowt in January.