Right...I'm not trying to mitigate or sugarcoat what was a complete shitshow today, nor the fact that we're in big trouble.

But, now the red mist has lifted after being unfortunate enough to have watched that utter shambles, a number of points, pretty obvious ones admittedly, have dawned on me.

Mainly, despite a humiliating defeat in the local derby, we're not down and out, yet. Southend and Crawley both lost.

We were terrible today but thankfully Hurst recognises and admits as much, so will do his damnedest to address this in what's left of the window. Would I have liked to have seen more activity? Without a shadow of a doubt, but only the right players and not new players for players sake.

I believe Hurst will have read the players the riot act tonight and they'll be under no illusions of what's expected of them. One or two might see their bottom, but that's hard luck. This is a monumental challenge which will separate the men from the boys. Any player whose skin isn't thick enough to take criticism where it's deserved won't be up for the fight so should be invited to walk.

I'm confident Hurst is up for the challenge and that he can secure a couple of game changing players, funds allowing, with one last throw of the dice in the final week of the window.

Key players are coming back, which is also a boon. Ok, Scannell, Wright and Hanson didn't tear up any trees but that was their first starts in how long?

It was a promising debut from Matete (just what we've been missing) although he admittedly faded somewhat second half. Hopefully the other two new signings will get better with improved fitness and knowledge of teammates.

Results haven't improved under Hurst, you could say they're worse, but...he inherited this team. Yes, he's made some signings but they don't know their teammates strengths and weakness and some are not match sharp yet, as mentioned above.

In the heat of the moment some on here are questioning whether Hurst is the man for the job. Whatever your view, he's here until the end of the season, so let's back him to get us out of this mess, which isn't of his making.

If we get a result on Tuesday night against Barrow, then put a run together over the next few games and we climb out of the relegation places, and if our relegation rivals flounder, we could build a cushion.

It's all about confidence and momentum though so rather than bitching with each other and attacking the players and Hurst - when we all know the blame lies at someone else's door - let's back the team and hopefully... hopefully...we might escape the drop and kick on next season.

UTM

Quoted from Withnail

Right...I'm not trying to mitigate or sugarcoat what was a complete shitshow today, nor the fact that we're in big trouble.

But, now the red mist has lifted after being unfortunate enough to have watched that utter shambles, a number of points, pretty obvious ones admittedly, have dawned on me.

Mainly, despite a humiliating defeat in the local derby, we're not down and out, yet. Southend and Crawley both lost.

We were terrible today but thankfully Hurst recognises and admits as much, so will do his damnedest to address this in what's left of the window. Would I have liked to have seen more activity? Without a shadow of a doubt, but only the right players and not new players for players sake.

I believe Hurst will have read the players the riot act tonight and they'll be under no illusions of what's expected of them. One or two might see their bottom, but that's hard luck. This is a monumental challenge which will separate the men from the boys. Any player whose skin isn't thick enough to take criticism where it's deserved won't be up for the fight so should be invited to walk.

I'm confident Hurst is up for the challenge and that he can secure a couple of game changing players, funds allowing, with one last throw of the dice in the final week of the window.

Key players are coming back, which is also a boon. Ok, Scannell, Wright and Hanson didn't tear up any trees but that was their first starts in how long?

It was a promising debut from Matete (just what we've been missing) although he admittedly faded somewhat second half. Hopefully the other two new signings will get better with improved fitness and knowledge of teammates.

Results haven't improved under Hurst, you could say they're worse, but...he inherited this team. Yes, he's made some signings but they don't know their teammates strengths and weakness and some are not match sharp yet, as mentioned above.

In the heat of the moment some on here are questioning whether Hurst is the man for the job. Whatever your view, he's here until the end of the season, so let's back him to get us out of this mess, which isn't of his making.

If we get a result on Tuesday night against Barrow, then put a run together over the next few games and we climb out of the relegation places, and if our relegation rivals flounder, we could build a cushion.

It's all about confidence and momentum though so rather than bitching with each other and attacking the players and Hurst - when we all know the blame lies at someone else's door - let's back the team and hopefully... hopefully...we might escape the drop and kick on next season.

UTM

Erm..................we've been terrible most games this season

No it's not, it's about having some quality players, it's about players with the attitude for a fight, it's about players who can create chances, it's about players who can score goals and keep them out at the other end and it's about a manager who can get his team to win games.

Hurst has very little to fix the many serious problems and bad attitudes.

We are not an attractive option for getting new players.  Even worse with our league position and non-performances.

Even in the FAC we lost by 2 goals to a team at the bottom of the league below.

We are in the grips of systematic long term failure. ??)

Quoted from Withnail

Right...I'm not trying to mitigate or sugarcoat what was a complete shitshow today, nor the fact that we're in big trouble.

But, now the red mist has lifted after being unfortunate enough to have watched that utter shambles, a number of points, pretty obvious ones admittedly, have dawned on me.

Mainly, despite a humiliating defeat in the local derby, we're not down and out, yet. Southend and Crawley[b][/b] both lost.

We were terrible today but thankfully Hurst recognises and admits as much, so will do his damnedest to address this in what's left of the window. Would I have liked to have seen more activity? Without a shadow of a doubt, but only the right players and not new players for players sake.

I believe Hurst will have read the players the riot act tonight and they'll be under no illusions of what's expected of them. One or two might see their bottom, but that's hard luck. This is a monumental challenge which will separate the men from the boys. Any player whose skin isn't thick enough to take criticism where it's deserved won't be up for the fight so should be invited to walk.

I'm confident Hurst is up for the challenge and that he can secure a couple of game changing players, funds allowing, with one last throw of the dice in the final week of the window.

Key players are coming back, which is also a boon. Ok, Scannell, Wright and Hanson didn't tear up any trees but that was their first starts in how long?

It was a promising debut from Matete (just what we've been missing) although he admittedly faded somewhat second half. Hopefully the other two new signings will get better with improved fitness and knowledge of teammates.

Results haven't improved under Hurst, you could say they're worse, but...he inherited this team. Yes, he's made some signings but they don't know their teammates strengths and weakness and some are not match sharp yet, as mentioned above.

In the heat of the moment some on here are questioning whether Hurst is the man for the job. Whatever your view, he's here until the end of the season, so let's back him to get us out of this mess, which isn't of his making.

If we get a result on Tuesday night against Barrow, then put a run together over the next few games and we climb out of the relegation places, and if our relegation rivals flounder, we could build a cushion.

It's all about confidence and momentum though so rather than bitching with each other and attacking the players and Hurst - when we all know the blame lies at someone else's door - let's back the team and hopefully... hopefully...we might escape the drop and kick on next season.

UTM

I take it you mean Stevenage?

You could be forgiven for that as both Town's are sh1t holes.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

I take it you mean Stevenage?

You could be forgiven for that as both Town's are sh1t holes.

Apologies, Herts, yes, you're absolutely right. I did mean Stevenage.

I've never had the pleasure of visiting Stevenage so couldn't possibly comment on the town 😎

Quoted from Withnail

Apologies, Herts, yes, you're absolutely right. I did mean Stevenage.

I've never had the pleasure of visiting Stevenage so couldn't possibly comment on the town 😎

I’ve lived in both and stand by my original post 😉

Quoted from arryarryarry

Erm..................we've been terrible most games this season

No it's not, it's about having some quality players, it's about players with the attitude for a fight, it's about players who can create chances, it's about players who can score goals and keep them out at the other end and it's about a manager who can get his team to win games.

I wouldn't disagree with your first point.

I think we're singing from the same hymn sheet in relation to your second point as well. I said bin the players who aren't prepared to roll up their sleeves and scrap. That has to be a bear minimum. Surely quality players can create chances, score goals and keep them out at the other end?

Can Hurst get the best out of the players? I think the jury is still out. I do hope so though as he's the only person who can save us between now and the end of the season, bar non league being canned.

Quoted from Withnail

If we get a result on ****** night against ******, then put a run together over the next few games and we climb out of the relegation places, and if our relegation rivals flounder, we could build a cushion.

But how many more times is that scenario going to be hoped for?

We had 5 games against lower placed teams in December.........and failed miserably.

And then the same 5 reverse fixtures in January for which we have sadly failed to get enough points to make any difference.

They were our best realistic chances to pick up some of the easier points of the season and yet we have failed miserably to do so.

Unless Hursty performs a miracle in the next week in signing players who 'want' to play football then any hope of even finding the next win seems a long way away

Quoted from Withnail

Apologies, Herts, yes, you're absolutely right. I did mean Stevenage.

[/b]I've never had the pleasure of visiting Stevenage[b] so couldn't possibly comment on the town 😎

Believe me,it's not a pleasure. ;)

Quoted from WayneBurnettsJockstrap

But how many more times is that scenario going to be hoped for?

We had 5 games against lower placed teams in December.........and failed miserably.

And then the same 5 reverse fixtures in January for which we have sadly failed to get enough points to make any difference.

They were our best realistic chances to pick up some of the easier points of the season and yet we have failed miserably to do so.

Unless Hursty performs a miracle in the next week in signing players who 'want' to play football then any hope of even finding the next win seems a long way away

Completely agreed. The stats don't lie. They make for eye wincing reading. We need a miracle.

But... remember Jolley saved our bacon when we looked doomed, as did Groves in the 01/02 season when we were written off by most.

Not guaranteed we'll stay up, obviously, but trying to stay positive.

The red mist is far from lifted.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

I’ve lived in both and stand by my original post 😉

I Know Stevenage pretty well, would take it over Creepy anyday

Quoted from arryarryarry

Erm..................we've been terrible most games this season

No it's not, it's about having some quality players, it's about players with the attitude for a fight, it's about players who can create chances, it's about players who can score goals and keep them out at the other end and it's about a manager who can get his team to win games.

I agree arry. You would think they had all got new contracts for 2 years. Who's going to sign a bunch of losers in the summer. They know they will not be here in the summer but you would have thought that they would want to make an impression. No personal motivation or enthusiasm from any of them.

Hurst is not daft but I don't think he realised how bad the squad is until he came. It also looks like the people he wants in don't want to come, after any semi decent players do not want relegation on their cv.

We can’t score for toffee, don’t create chances, don’t have shots on target and concede goals willy nilly. That’s my perspective.

Hurst is good at building teams. Sadly, I don't think he's an 'impact' manager, as his focus is usually on morale and togetherness, which takes time.

He talks a lot about his baseline being teamwork and running yourself into the ground. At the moment, he doesn't have a team that works hard for each other. I don't detect any togetherness, or anything of what Hurst expects as a minimum. And he's got very little time — and very little funds — to change that. He's going to have to adapt his philosophies and approaches to get us out of this mess.

This ain't a dig at him. I'm right behind Hurst and I still think it's a sensible appointment. If we can get ourselves over the line here I think we can look forward to a more positive future.

He had 31 games to turn Shrewsbury's fortunes around. He dragged them to safety by winning 41 points in that time. There were probably some home truths said back then as well.

You look at players like McKeown, Hendrie, Waterfall, Rose, Clifton, Morais, Wright, Scannell, Hanson, etc — there's no real doubt in my mind that they have enough skill to retain a place in L2, so if they can ALL work as hard as Hurst expects them to work (one or two might be already) then we will be okay.

If Hurst fixes the attitude thing, and gets them fighting for each other, we might not have to rely on new signings totally.

Quoted from RichMariner

Hurst is good at building teams. Sadly, I don't think he's an 'impact' manager, as his focus is usually on morale and togetherness, which takes time.

He talks a lot about his baseline being teamwork and running yourself into the ground. At the moment, he doesn't have a team that works hard for each other. I don't detect any togetherness, or anything of what Hurst expects as a minimum. And he's got very little time — and very little funds — to change that. He's going to have to adapt his philosophies and approaches to get us out of this mess.

This ain't a dig at him. I'm right behind Hurst and I still think it's a sensible appointment. If we can get ourselves over the line here I think we can look forward to a more positive future.

He had 31 games to turn Shrewsbury's fortunes around. He dragged them to safety by winning 41 points in that time. There were probably some home truths said back then as well.

You look at players like McKeown, Hendrie, Waterfall, Rose, Clifton, Morais, Wright, Scannell, Hanson, etc — there's no real doubt in my mind that they have enough skill to retain a place in L2, so if they can ALL work as hard as Hurst expects them to work (one or two might be already) then we will be okay.

If Hurst fixes the attitude thing, and gets them fighting for each other, we might not have to rely on new signings totally.

That's a very big IF. 6 games in Jan, 18 points available. 1 point in 4 games and 6 points to play for. After Jan it's 19 games left and they are running down fast. Those with skills, as you suggest, have had time to show them if they existed. Hursty said there are those in the dressing room who don't care, end of motivation talk.