I think we have to quit using the phrase “We Didn’t Deserve To Lose”.

We lost, and using this phrase actually really means “We Didn’t Know How To Win”.

If you don’t learn how to win games, especially against tough opponents, then you aren’t getting out of the rut, and then it’s not long before the phrase changes to “We Didn’t Deserve To Win”, when the below par performances continue.

We’ve looked decent in the last two games, without demonstrating any real cutting edge, or know how to turn difficult games with fine margins into victory. That’s the crux of the matter really.

In my view we have a manager of a team that has a great opportunity to at least to make the play offs, in a league where more teams than ever can qualify for them. So I’d give him January and as as long as it then takes to then not make those play offs. It’s at that stage Id decide it’s time for a managerial change.

But in the meantime we need to stop hanging onto the phrase that we didn’t deserve to lose, as there are many losers that didn’t deserve to do so, but lacked what it takes to win. That still makes them losers

Could not agree more...  These excuses (did not deserve to lose) are just giving them free get out of jail cards..
Its time to toughen up...  

There are so many debates going on here and although I imagine all those magnificent supporters who travelled to Halifax will be more devastated than I am, as usual my spirits are very low after a Town defeat.

At the end of the day and despite all the rules and technicalities, football is a very simple game and the idea is to score more goals than the opposition. And if we didn't do that, despite often outplaying the opposition, can we say we didn't deserve to lose?   :-/

Yeah its pretty much nonsense.

I feel the same way about when Stockwood keeps bringing up 'it's the only business where you can be the better team but still not get the result' he's said it a few times and it's not, same applys to most sports, seen it happen loads of times in boxing as an example over the years.

Excuses are like bottom-holes

The people who went may say otherwise but the only "chances" of note I remember from last night on the radio are speculative and somewhat wayward efforts from McAtee and a weak shot from JMD.

Since 18th December we've played 180 minutes of football against the team currently top of the league, scoring 1 and conceding 2. Most people were absolutely delighted we managed to get a last minute equaliser against Halifax yet losing to a penalty shows we are in freefall.

I actually thought Halifax managed the first game well. Our possession and dominance was on their terms and it was going to take something special to score; which it did. That said, we didn't disgrace ourselves and I do think we played well in that game but can't comment on last night as I wasn't there.

The run we are on is concerning but the last 2 games (our only games since 18th December) have been against a very good and organised Halifax team. On Saturday we are up against 16th place Altrincham so all pressure is back on us to get a win and end this dreadful run.

Halifax 'managed' the first game well, with the assistance of some inept refereeing and wayward shooting.

That said, it was the same case as we've seen lately where we defend well throughout the game, make 1 mistake and are duly punished.

I think this is a really good point.

I often come away from games saying how well we played and didn’t deserve to lose or should have taken all 3 points. Notts Co, Chesterfield and Halifax last week pop in to my head straight away. But that’s 3 games where we’ve taken a total of 1 point from 9.

Add that to the games we lose where we deserved to but should have gone in to them expecting a win - Wealdstone and Aldershot, the list goes on… and all of a sudden you’re not getting points from anywhere.

I believe we actually have one of the strongest sides in the division. Granted, it could do with 1 or 2 more additions but at what point do you say the manager should be doing better?

We are now 6 points from the playoffs. No games in hand so it’s not even a case of well if we win our games in hand we’ll be back amongst it in 4th or whatever.

There are 9 sides above us in the league now. Some just have a better squad - the likes of Stockport, Chesterfield. Some are probably more similar in ability but obviously coached much better - Halifax (top), BW, Bromley and Notts Co. And then there are the D&Rs and SMs who aren’t as good on paper but are more efficient than us when it comes to picking up points.

I have been all over defending Hurst and HATE seeing the manager get sacked. I don’t think it helps one bit. But at what point do you say enough is enough?

At the start of the season I thought we have to be making the playoffs as a minimum or Hurst goes. Fair enough we are still only halfway through the season now but we are only get further from the playoffs each week. Halifax, Chesterfield, BW, Wrexham, Stockport, Notts Co and Bromley are all sides that aren’t going to weaken over the second half of the season and drop away from the playoffs. We’re not getting in there without a change in some way, I’m afraid.

It’s not good enough.

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

Yeah its pretty much nonsense.

I feel the same way about when Stockwood keeps bringing up 'it's the only business where you can be the better team but still not get the result' he's said it a few times and it's not, same applys to most sports, seen it happen loads of times in boxing as an example over the years.

Excuses are like bottom-holes

Tesla v Edison.  The latter was a tea leaf who knew how to market stuff.  The former died penniless.

Hurst might get a couple of players in that start really well and we have a bit of an upturn, but like many players who seem to arrive, look really good for a couple of months will suddenly look  mediocre as all their flair/attacking intent is coached out of them. ;)

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Hurst might get a couple of players in that start really well and we have a bit of an upturn, but like many players who seem to arrive, look really good for a couple of months will suddenly look  mediocre as all their flair/attacking intent is coached out of them. ;)

I agree. He did exactly the same with Bogle, Amond, Nolan, and Arnold to name a but a few.

Having been one of the many who went last night both phrases "we didn't deserve to lose" and "we didn't deserve to win" were applicable in equal measure. True we failed to put any real pressure on their goalie but the same could be said of the team we were playing (and they are top of the league).

The penalty decision looked harsh as the player seemed to be stumbling but obviously felt so contact and went down like a lead balloon. So the difference over the last two games against Halifax are a goalkeeper error (not being able to deflect the ball to safety) and a harsh penalty decision. Does this mean that we are in "freefall" ? I don't think so but the manager is aware of the weaknesses currently and needs to be given sometime to correct this.

How long? This is down to the board and not us and I don't hold any allegiance to the current manager or agree always with his decisions but he is the manager and that's his job. I want to see town consistently play well and win so I am accepting that I need to let the manager do his job and see what develops. Having supported the mariners for over 40 years I am patient to a degree and improvement is needed and also have learnt over the years supporting town is like a rollercoaster.

However, I don't agree with things such as booing the players off the pitch as what happened last night as this just reduces morale and confidence further and potentially adds to poor performances.

I'm struggling to understand why fans felt the need to boo the players off. We lost 1-0 to the team at the top of the league. The performances at any of the previous four away games were significantly worse

We lost. That’s it. Like just about every other flipping game recently. Always an excuse

Quoted from Mrbump53

Having been one of the many who went last night both phrases "we didn't deserve to lose" and "we didn't deserve to win" were applicable in equal measure. True we failed to put any real pressure on their goalie but the same could be said of the team we were playing (and they are top of the league).

The penalty decision looked harsh as the player seemed to be stumbling but obviously felt so contact and went down like a lead balloon. So the difference over the last two games against Halifax are a goalkeeper error (not being able to deflect the ball to safety) and a harsh penalty decision. Does this mean that we are in "freefall" ? I don't think so but the manager is aware of the weaknesses currently and needs to be given sometime to correct this.

How long? This is down to the board and not us and I don't hold any allegiance to the current manager or agree always with his decisions but he is the manager and that's his job. I want to see town consistently play well and win so I am accepting that I need to let the manager do his job and see what develops. Having supported the mariners for over 40 years I am patient to a degree and improvement is needed and also have learnt over the years supporting town is like a rollercoaster.

However, I don't agree with things such as booing the players off the pitch as what happened last night as this just reduces morale and confidence further and potentially adds to poor performances.

What would you call being 14 points behind the League leaders after being top?