So sick of negativity

Okay, so we get done by a team in a division lower than ourselves and the fishy goes into meltdown overdrive.
When will people get a grip and see the bigger picture.?
We have an extremely experienced manager who's currently trying to get a squad of players, who are still getting to know each other and adapt to a style of play they've never played before and will need time and patience before we see the benefits.
This season was always about transition, it's been hectic with a compressed time table and games coming thick n fast.
I for one am truly confident Holloway is getting it right in his methodology and in time we will be a force to be reckoned with in this league and will be one if the better "footballing" teams,!...
So get off the negativity horse and try to see the bigger picture...

Results business and we’re not getting them often enough

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

Results business and we’re not getting them often enough

Absolute tosh...like so many you expect us to be smashing every other team 10-0 week in, week out... does my nut in!..

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Absolute tosh...like so many you expect us to be smashing every other team 10-0 week in, week out... does my nut in!..

Funnily enough I thought we should have enough to beat the bottom team in the conference .... we couldn’t manage it , to me that’s absolute tosh

Calming down now, gutted about today's result and lack of goals again barring a penalty

but  

I still think Ollie will do a job for us given time, we're all aloud a bit of a rant over a poor result aren't we  

When we play well I'm the first to praise the team.

Today was not good enough and the management and players need telling that.
Let’s see if we get a reaction.

Its every next window   or every next season  , but it never happens.. . am afraid that this squad just does not have it apart from the odd moment,  they are not even average . I dont expect us to be smashing the league a new one ,, but christ on a bike we are very poor very poor

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Absolute tosh...like so many you expect us to be smashing every other team 10-0 week in, week out... does my nut in!..

Absolute tosh is what you are blabbing on about.

Just show one statement on here that someone said we should have won 10-0 week in week out.

What I didn't expect was to be spanked by the team bottom of the National League.

Quoted from denni266

Its every next window   or every next season  , but it never happens.. . am afraid that this squad just does not have it apart from the odd moment,  they are not even average . I dont expect us to be smashing the league a new one ,, but christ on a bike we are very poor very poor

Sadly you're right

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Okay, so we get done by a team in a division lower than ourselves and the fishy goes into meltdown overdrive.
When will people get a grip and see the bigger picture.?
We have an extremely experienced manager who's currently trying to get a squad of players, who are still getting to know each other and adapt to a style of play they've never played before and will need time and patience before we see the benefits.
This season was always about transition, it's been hectic with a compressed time table and games coming thick n fast.
I for one am truly confident Holloway is getting it right in his methodology and in time we will be a force to be reckoned with in this league and will be one if the better "footballing" teams,!...
So get off the negativity horse and try to see the bigger picture...

So sick of negativity? I’m sick of Grimsby Town talking the talk but not walking the walk. I want to see us winning football matches not debating whether our keeper should be impersonating Manuel Neuer. Are we really supposed to just sit here and accept the season is effectively over?

It’s bad enough paying for season tickets and not getting to watch the games without being told to ‘look at the bigger picture’ when your team capitulate against the team at the bottom of the league below.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

So sick of negativity? I’m sick of Grimsby Town talking the talk but not walking the walk. I want to see us winning football matches not debating whether our keeper should be impersonating Manuel Neuer. Are we really supposed to just sit here and accept the season is effectively over?

It’s bad enough paying for season tickets and not getting to watch the games without being told to ‘look at the bigger picture’ when your team capitulate against the team at the bottom of the league below.

So, when we beat Orient, Cheltenham, Barrow, got 7 points from 3 games you didn't see an improvement?...it's going to be 2 steps forward and a step backward, but that's still progress...but as always, town fans want over night success and have zero patience...it's about time to realise we have a manager who WILL finally move us forwards, they'll be bumps in the road but I'm convinced and stay positive we will get there...

We are a league 2 team on herd times. I’m sure if we was up and running as normal ollie would have a vastly different squad.
As said we are cutting our cloth to suit what happening at the moment in the world.
While doing so we have signed some young rough diamonds that in time will come good.

Seriously was anyone expecting promotion? Think most people were ready to settle for mid table and having a club in the league next season.
Give your heads a wobble and have a think about it rather than blasting the team at every opportunity.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

So, when we beat Orient, Cheltenham, Barrow, got 7 points from 3 games you didn't see an improvement?...it's going to be 2 steps forward and a step backward, but that's still progress...but as always, town fans want over night success and have zero patience...it's about time to realise we have a manager who WILL finally move us forwards, they'll be bumps in the road but I'm convinced and stay positive we will get there...

You obviously don't watch the games, both Cheltenham and Orient we played some fast paced football getting the ball forward, now players look like they have been told not to pass forwards. How many free kicks do we have in the opposition's half or near the half way line that end up back with McKeown?

It's not just the ball going backwards but the tactics.

Quoted from arryarryarry

You obviously don't watch the games, both Cheltenham and Orient we played some fast paced football getting the ball forward, now players look like they have been told not to pass forwards. How many free kicks do we have in the opposition's half or near the half way line that end up back with McKeown?

It's not just the ball going backwards but the tactics.

Excuse me?..I've watched every game...we have missed the direct approach that Edwards gives us, but how many times have we tried to take the ball forward through passing, moving, long diagonals...why we are doing is attempting to not give possession away, it that means going backwards to go forwards then so be it...my only really gripe is Morton....every game I've seen him in he's been garbage...no other player has really looked poor, let's see now we've finally got a break from relentless Saturday-Tuesday games what impact Holloway can have on the attacking side of our game in the final third where I'll admit we've been lacking...

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

So, when we beat Orient, Cheltenham, Barrow, got 7 points from 3 games you didn't see an improvement?...it's going to be 2 steps forward and a step backward, but that's still progress...but as always, town fans want over night success and have zero patience...it's about time to realise we have a manager who WILL finally move us forwards, they'll be bumps in the road but I'm convinced and stay positive we will get there...

I watched the Harrogate and Carlisle games in between your selected performances too. Time to be honest, we’re ok defensively apart from a selection of keeper errors but we’re toothless up front and our potentially most potent players (Williams, Rose, Scannell, Bennett, Hanson, Tilley, Edwards) are either injured or weren’t fit when they were signed. The problem is that the back ups (Sisay, Jackson, Spokes, Gibson) aren’t very good.

Maybe our injuries are unfortunate, maybe it’s because we were at the back of the queue. Either way, we need to be better than losing to Daggers and accepting it.

Quoted from arryarryarry

You obviously don't watch the games, both Cheltenham and Orient we played some fast paced football getting the ball forward, now players look like they have been told not to pass forwards. How many free kicks do we have in the opposition's half or near the half way line that end up back with McKeown?

It's not just the ball going backwards but the tactics.

If you listen to Ollie’s interviews, COVID & Lockdown comments aside, he has frequently stated his frustration at the players not passing and running forward saying he is fed up with shouting telling them what to do. Thus not sure the tactics per se are wrong but presently the eleven taking the field are not good enough to play this way consistently. My big frustration is how many of the players are still not fully fit. Even though some signed late in the day the majority have been with town since early September and whilst we lost two weeks surely they should be fit by now. Most of the youngsters who signed later came from other clubs so should be fit.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

I watched the Harrogate and Carlisle games in between your selected performances too. Time to be honest, we’re ok defensively apart from a selection of keeper errors but we’re toothless up front and our potentially most potent players (Williams, Rose, Scannell, Bennett, Hanson, Tilley, Edwards) are either injured or weren’t fit when they were signed. The problem is that the back ups (Sisay, Jackson, Spokes, Gibson) aren’t very good.

Maybe our injuries are unfortunate, maybe it’s because we were at the back of the queue. Either way, we need to be better than losing to Daggers and accepting it.

Oh I don't accept losing to Dagenham, not one little bit, but I won't get all narrow minded and think we are bottom feeders all of a sudden..I agree, our problem is definitely up top, Gibson has shown he has something as about him and we are yet to see Jackson and our better players (the players you list) have been out injured. It's just frustrating that we have a chance to build something and people are on the managers back already...if we are still shite by the end of the season I'll eat my sweaty socks,...I'm that convinced we are building for a better future.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Excuse me?..I've watched every game...we have missed the direct approach that Edwards gives us, but how many times have we tried to take the ball forward through passing, moving, long diagonals...why we are doing is attempting to not give possession away, it that means going backwards to go forwards then so be it...my only really gripe is Morton....every game I've seen him in he's been garbage...no other player has really looked poor, let's see now we've finally got a break from relentless Saturday-Tuesday games what impact Holloway can have on the attacking side of our game in the final third where I'll admit we've been lacking...

If that means going backwards to go forwads not to give possession away........

You definitely can't have watched today's game or had you popped for a cup of tea for their goals?

Must admit I sat this one out so can't comment on the match itself.

But judging by the match thread and post match comments it would seem we were largely in control of the game and - despite our lack of killer instinct - would on balance, have been very likely to have gone on to win in extra time. Except that is for one moment of madness late on, which makes the result an even more bitter pill to swallow.

Like everyone else I'm drunk off by the result. It hurts like fook to lose to opposition from a lower league, particularly a team who are the current whipping boys.

But...I do question what worth there is in attacking a mostly young and inexperienced team who are no doubt short of confidence right now. Whatever your views on the squad, pre season, Holloway, Fenty, etc... what will sticking the boot into the players actually achieve, other than making their heads drop further?

I get that we created very little today, ditto against Stevenage...but for FFS... let's get to Christmas before we're calling for a Poojar rant... I'd question the sanity of anyone who'd compare the likes of Macca, Waterfall, Pollock, Hendrie, Clifton, Edwards, Wright and Rose to those shithouses who inspired his original (and we'll deserved) rant.

Those calling for Holloway's head on a stick... Please! Do you really think sacking him is the answer? Do you really think we could attract a superior manager? Bignot anyone? Rob Scott? Slade? Even if we could, do you really want us to be one of those dreadful club's who permanently appoints and sacks their manager every other season? Personally, I'd rather have some form of permanence, a manager who knows the club inside out and what makes it tick - summat not to be sniffed at in today's game. The examples of Ferguson and Klopp have previously been mentioned.

So to conclude, some need to put their big boy pants on. Take it in the chin. Dust yourself down and stop squealing.

Quoted from arryarryarry

If that means going backwards to go forwads not to give possession away........

You definitely can't have watched today's game or had you popped for a cup of tea for their goals?

All 3 goals caused by individual errors, look at the possession stats...recently we've been circa 65%, what we are failing to do is score enough but given we are changing and adapting to this style of play I'm sure they will come....as long as Holloway dumps Morton, my god for as positive as I can be, he's frigging useless!

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

All 3 goals caused by individual errors, look at the possession stats...recently we've been circa 65%, what we are failing to do is score enough but given we are changing and adapting to this style of play I'm sure they will come....as long as Holloway dumps Morton, my god for as positive as I can be, he's frigging useless!

Doh, individual errors by pissing about with the ball around our area, just what the intercourse don't you understand about that.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Doh, individual errors by pissing about with the ball around our area, just what the intercourse don't you understand about that.

Chill the intercourse out...they're not always caused by pissing about with the ball around our area .. I'll take the way we are starting to play over anything Slade, Jolley or Bignot dishes up .

Quoted from Withnail

Must admit I sat this one out so can't comment on the match itself.

But judging by the match thread and post match comments it would seem we were largely in control of the game and - despite our lack of killer instinct - would on balance, have been very likely to have gone on to win in extra time. Except that is for one moment of madness late on, which makes the result an even more bitter pill to swallow.

Like everyone else I'm drunk off by the result. It hurts like fook to lose to opposition from a lower league, particularly a team who are the current whipping boys.

But...I do question what worth there is in attacking a mostly young and inexperienced team who are no doubt short of confidence right now. Whatever your views on the squad, pre season, Holloway, Fenty, etc... what will sticking the boot into the players actually achieve, other than making their heads drop further?

I get that we created very little today, ditto against Stevenage...but for FFS... let's get to Christmas before we're calling for a Poojar rant... I'd question the sanity of anyone who'd compare the likes of Macca, Waterfall, Pollock, Hendrie, Clifton, Edwards, Wright and Rose to those shithouses who inspired his original (and we'll deserved) rant.

Those calling for Holloway's head on a stick... Please! Do you really think sacking him is the answer? Do you really think we could attract a superior manager? Bignot anyone? Rob Scott? Slade? Even if we could, do you really want us to be one of those dreadful club's who permanently appoints and sacks their manager every other season? Personally, I'd rather have some form of permanence, a manager who knows the club inside out and what makes it tick - summat not to be sniffed at in today's game. The examples of Ferguson and Klopp have previously been mentioned.

So to conclude, some need to put their big boy pants on. Take it in the chin. Dust yourself down and stop squealing.

Fantastic post,  agree 100%.

I sometimes think why don't I read and post on the fishy more often than I do.  Then I read everything following today's game and I remember why.

Yes we lost to a non league team.  Yes it's disappointing. But to compare this team to the one that got us relegated is comical. What an overreaction.

One week ago everyone was saying Clifton is one of our best players, he has improved so much this season. Now he isn't good enough to be a footballer.

One week ago Waterfall and Pollock was our best center back partnership for years. Now they are clueless and need dropping.

Players can and do have bad games. That doesn't mean they suddenly are no longer professionals. I thought we played well today. I genuinely believe we are one good striker short of being a good team.  How we solve that im not sure. Maybe we have them already, maybe we need one in January.

Unlike some,  I continue to see many positives and I think this will all end well. And importantly I will keep supporting this squad because they do try,  they do care. And to say they don't is ridiculous.

Quoted from HarrogateMariner

Fantastic post,  agree 100%.

I sometimes think why don't I read and post on the fishy more often than I do.  Then I read everything following today's game and I remember why.

Yes we lost to a non league team.  Yes it's disappointing. But to compare this team to the one that got us relegated is comical. What an overreaction.

One week ago everyone was saying Clifton is one of our best players, he has improved so much this season. Now he isn't good enough to be a footballer.

One week ago Waterfall and Pollock was our best center back partnership for years. Now they are clueless and need dropping.

Players can and do have bad games. That doesn't mean they suddenly are no longer professionals. I thought we played well today. I genuinely believe we are one good striker short of being a good team.  How we solve that im not sure. Maybe we have them already, maybe we need one in January.

Unlike some,  I continue to see many positives and I think this will all end well. And importantly I will keep supporting this squad because they do try,  they do care. And to say they don't is ridiculous.

One good striker? Maybe you’re right. Maybe Theo Robinson was that man but, as we put our Covid clause in we lost him and decided to go quantity over quality. Time will tell.

To put it bluntly, we’re a shite team made up of young players and loan players. Clearly the objective is to make sure we stay afloat and cut costs, which is fair enough given the times we’re in. But don’t try and bullsh1t fans by saying we put in a good performance when clearly we were sh1t.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Absolute tosh is what you are blabbing on about.

Just show one statement on here that someone said we should have won 10-0 week in week out.

What I didn't expect was to be spanked by the team bottom of the National League.

I wouldn't have called it a spanking. They finished their chances when we made a few silly mistakes.

Quoted from arryarryarry

You obviously don't watch the games, both Cheltenham and Orient we played some fast paced football getting the ball forward, now players look like they have been told not to pass forwards. How many free kicks do we have in the opposition's half or near the half way line that end up back with McKeown?

It's not just the ball going backwards but the tactics.

Today was not half as bad as most other games in that respect. Just need to get inside Preston's brain and re-educate him.

It's not just losing it's the fact that we never look like scoring.  If you're having shots on goal, some are gonna go in but we don't.  To rub salt into the wounds, we hand other teams opportunities to score on a plate with school boy errors.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Today was not half as bad as most other games in that respect. Just need to get inside Preston's brain and re-educate him.

Erm, all the pointless passing across the field, short free kicks that end up back with McKeown, McKeown playing pointless short balls to defenders just outside the area and the excrement defending all round today is Preston's fault?

Losing interest in town rapidly, not just because of this season but over the many seasons of our decline and poor effort to climb back up the leagues, the poor effort of wanting to get a new ground, the poor effort bringing in new business to help push the club forward, the poor PR and so on. Nothing ever changes, we've blitzed thru manager after manager, zero ambition from the board to thrive and move it on to the next level, everything done on a shoestring, the beloved fans having to do bail outs. Holloways possibly the biggest thing thats happened for us in moons, it banged a smile on all our faces, made happiness in communities but on the pitch I'm as baffled as the next person. The squad, the style, the tactics are all head scratchers, serge makofo would look good with this lot, the passing alright at times but thats as far I can compliment it, not good to watch and frustrating. Trying to keep the faith and all that but the old romance looks like its failing for me.

Result to one side I really enjoyed the game yesterday. Its the best I've seen Grimsby play. I'm one of these people who'd rather see us get the ball down and move it around at pace. The commentators where very complimentary of us. If you gett chance watch the game back and try to be a neutral.
We worked hard, zipped the ball around, the speed and movement at times was brilliant.
We created a few chances and on another day a few of the over hit balls would have played the likes of Green in. I'm more inclined and tempted to pay for more games because of the way we aree trying to play than if we'd gone their and played sladee hoof ball and won 1-0.

Let’s be honest, we were flipping shite, absolute male masturbation. To be soundly beaten by a non league Is embarrassing. Wish people would stop defending the indefensible,

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Okay, so we get done by a team in a division lower than ourselves and the fishy goes into meltdown overdrive.
When will people get a grip and see the bigger picture.?
We have an extremely experienced manager who's currently trying to get a squad of players, who are still getting to know each other and adapt to a style of play they've never played before and will need time and patience before we see the benefits.
This season was always about transition, it's been hectic with a compressed time table and games coming thick n fast.
I for one am truly confident Holloway is getting it right in his methodology and in time we will be a force to be reckoned with in this league and will be one if the better "footballing" teams,!...
So get off the negativity horse and try to see the bigger picture...

A manager losing it, is past it, signed a load of absolute excrement players and lied to the fans about putting in 100k, turns out it’s on £5
There I’ve corrected it for you.

I may be completely wrong but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make a complete U turn at the end of the season and walk .

This is always funny though isn’t it. People get overly excited, they’re told to calm down, people get frustrated and they’re told they’re too negative.

The fact is, we’ll before Covid the club has shown little attempt at progressing, they’ve shown no intent to invest and now, even fans have been happy to accept standing on the apex of nothing. Let’s face it, if this was a normal season we’d still have the same rhetoric. We’d still have the same people saying it’s a work in progress and we need to be realistic...but we’ve had that every year since we came up. We learned nothing during those years on the conference and we’ve learned nothing since coming up.

We’re happy to exist, the board are happy to turn a small profit whilst there’s little investment and fans are swallowing it. Now Covid has come along it works even better.

Holloway could be a decent manager for us, but even before Covid, we didn’t look great, albeit with a squad that wasn’t really his players which does give him some leeway.

We’ve clearly gone for quantity over quality regarding the squad and we’ve almost become a little arrogant at the fact we’ve got Covid contracts (do we actually know if others have similar things but just didn’t go about it publicly), arrogant in that we think we’ve done the right thing again. Let’s face it, there’s a club just down the road who were in a worse position than us, now they’re miles in front and even our fans make snide comments...it has to be jealousy.

The negativity isn’t because we’ve lost to a side that can barely snatch a shot in the division below but because once again, even through the excuses, what the manager is saying never seems to be fully addressed or worked on. It’s not just a reaction to one game but several, over a period of time going back before this season even started.

Holloway getting the job at town suites both parties and let’s face it, in someways, once news got out that Fenty and Holloway had met, Fenty had his arm twisted but knew it would get people off his back potentially. Holloway wanted a job, we needed a manager that was either known or different. In reality though, whilst many will point the finger at Covid being an excuse, we’re no better than we were under those previous managers. As I said, Covid will be the excuse but other teams have done alright, other teams, with their backs to the walls have done alright and assembled decent squads.

Hopefully the difficulties in being our manager and all that comes with that, uninspiring board, questionable facilities, lack of progress, geographical position and so on will make Holloway realise he should be more guarded with his comments...I’d imagine his phone did most certainly not melt with players wanting to join...

Time will tell I suppose but moaning about people moaning is ironic don’t you think? Everyone has an opinion and they’re entitled to that. Makes you think though, if many are happy to simply exist and be financially sound; whatever that means, what’s the point? What’s the point in trying to win games? We’ve proven as a club that just ticking over with little investment still turns profit and means we’re allegedly well run...

We all love the club, we are happy even euphoric when we win, mardy or down right depressed when we lose...this has always been the way since the club existed and is mirrored across every other professional and amateur football team supporters.

Trouble is nowadays those emotions are available to be captured forever on platforms such as these and social media. In the past these emotions were played out on the walk or drive home, maybe at work come Monday morning and then gone....until the next game.

I feel slightly less p!ssed off than I did yesterday during and after the game and while trying to remain objective about the budget / covid impacts on the squad that wont stop me being realistic about what I see.

The following is not negativity , it's what I see ..

Playing from the back handed them the win yesterday and has cost us goals in other games.

Our lack of quality in the final third is telling. Not just yesterday but over the last 3 or 4 games we have hardly mustered more than a couple efforts on goal despite having upwards of 65% possession.

We can pass the ball one dimensionally really well when not under pressure. When pressed hard we tend to capitulate and the passing collapses.

We are awful at set pieces and throw ins.

Now while I will say i would prefer to see the team playing some passing football it has to be with purpose and has to be productive, our current / plan approach just isnt.

It has been noticeable that we havnt pressed the opposition as hard in the last few weeks as we were earlier in the season, Orient/Cheltenham we were all over them high up the pitch, we have now dropped off, therefore our possession generally starts deeper in our half and combined with the slower passing play the opposition have plenty of time to reset.

Surely the club can go back through the games and click up everytime we gift the opposition a chance on goal from playing at the back, then note how many times it has created a chance for us.....assess then is it worth it ??

Quoted from moosey_club

We all love the club, we are happy even euphoric when we win, mardy or down right depressed when we lose...this has always been the way since the club existed and is mirrored across every other professional and amateur football team supporters.

Trouble is nowadays those emotions are available to be captured forever on platforms such as these and social media. In the past these emotions were played out on the walk or drive home, maybe at work come Monday morning and then gone....until the next game.

I feel slightly less p!ssed off than I did yesterday during and after the game and while trying to remain objective about the budget / covid impacts on the squad that wont stop me being realistic about what I see.

The following is not negativity , it's what I see ..

Playing from the back handed them the win yesterday and has cost us goals in other games.

Our lack of quality in the final third is telling. Not just yesterday but over the last 3 or 4 games we have hardly mustered more than a couple efforts on goal despite having upwards of 65% possession.

We can pass the ball one dimensionally really well when not under pressure. When pressed hard we tend to capitulate and the passing collapses.

We are awful at set pieces and throw ins.

Now while I will say i would prefer to see the team playing some passing football it has to be with purpose and has to be productive, our current / plan approach just isnt.

It has been noticeable that we havnt pressed the opposition as hard in the last few weeks as we were earlier in the season, Orient/Cheltenham we were all over them high up the pitch, we have now dropped off, therefore our possession generally starts deeper in our half and combined with the slower passing play the opposition have plenty of time to reset.

Surely the club can go back through the games and click up everytime we gift the opposition a chance on goal from playing at the back, then note how many times it has created a chance for us.....assess then is it worth it ??

Not one for making excuses but it’s pretty clear that Tilley and Edwards are sorely missed. The pressing seems far less effective without those two.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Not one for making excuses but it’s pretty clear that Tilley and Edwards are sorely missed. The pressing seems far less effective without those two.

Couldn't agree more, for me Edwards is our best player, big miss at the moment.

Edwards is a massive miss imo but the back up options for him aren’t even Non League level for me.

After COVID is over it’s time we started to invest some of the money we’ve seemingly saved over the years because we’ve been stagnant for years now. Watching Town is an utterly joyless experience at the minute and there’s no excuse for it.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Okay, so we get done by a team in a division lower than ourselves and the fishy goes into meltdown overdrive.
When will people get a grip and see the bigger picture.?
We have an extremely experienced manager who's currently trying to get a squad of players, who are still getting to know each other and adapt to a style of play they've never played before and will need time and patience before we see the benefits.
This season was always about transition, it's been hectic with a compressed time table and games coming thick n fast.
I for one am truly confident Holloway is getting it right in his methodology and in time we will be a force to be reckoned with in this league and will be one if the better "footballing" teams,!...
So get off the negativity horse and try to see the bigger picture...

100% agree!

On reflection the manager, club and numerous people talk about building an identity, the bigger picture, long term plan blah.. blah ...blah

The blockers to this look like the recruitment and salary policies which I understand in the COVID world.

I just can’t see how you can build on...

- Heavy reliance on season long loans.

- A COVID wage policy that could see many leave at the first opportunity.

- Gambles from non league.

- The indication that due to fitness, ability or age the players we have don’t appear to be as interchangeable and adaptable as the manager and current program requires.

- Poor execution of basics like clearing your lines, beating the first man at corners and getting free Kicks in the right areas.

Also I’m no tac-tics expect but the current shape is not helping IMHO as the 3 up front are split too thin and we’re not getting enough numbers in the box.

It just wasn't our day yesterday was it, we simply didn't take our chances and they scored just at the right times.

Once they scored they had something to hang on to and then sat deep and played on the counter.

Fair play to them but that's football.

I can see what Ollie is trying to do and I think it will come good in the end but when your playing out from the back you need a keeper that is up to it. Macca is contracted until May 2022 so something has to give.

Quoted from lukeo

Result to one side I really enjoyed the game yesterday. Its the best I've seen Grimsby play. I'm one of these people who'd rather see us get the ball down and move it around at pace. The commentators where very complimentary of us. If you gett chance watch the game back and try to be a neutral.
We worked hard, zipped the ball around, the speed and movement at times was brilliant.
We created a few chances and on another day a few of the over hit balls would have played the likes of Green in. I'm more inclined and tempted to pay for more games because of the way we aree trying to play than if we'd gone their and played sladee hoof ball and won 1-0.

Looking at it from a Town supporter- we were shite - looking at it from a neutral supporter - we were shite. And the simple reason is that WE ARE SHITE.

Quoted from promotion plaice

It just wasn't our day yesterday was it, we simply didn't take our chances and they scored just at the right times.

Once they scored they had something to hang on to and then sat deep and played on the counter.

Fair play to them but that's football.

I can see what Ollie is trying to do and I think it will come good in the end but when your playing out from the back you need a keeper that is up to it. Macca is contracted until May 2022 so something has to give.

I can’t remember us having too many chances, I’ve not seen the stats but would suspect they had as many or if not more shots on goal than we did.

You're sick of the negativity?

I'm sick of the platitudinous press statements every week.

I'm. sick of the utter dross we play every Saturday.

I'm sick of the predictable way we struggle to score.

I'm sick of the management of this club failing to realise they are in the entertainment business,at the end of a
season a balance sheet is credit is worth little if you  have failed to entertain your fans for a whole season.

I'm sick of us starting every season with 3-4 players short of a team

.Even more sick that none of the above ever get addressed.
I

The problems are three fold as I see it
1) We have a defence that is basically solid but repeatedly makes errors playing out
2) Our midfield can keep the ball but is not creating anywhere near enough good quality chances
3) When we do create chances our strikers are not good enough to convert them regularly enough

The injuries don't help and getting Edwards back is a massive priority, but it's depressing listening to the same discussions most weeks. Nobody like negativity and it doesn't do any good but gracious me we are a long way away from a decent league two team

Is Hewitt still injured ?  If so when is he likely to return ?

I'm sick of being told to be patient, it will come good, Next manager, next transfer window, next season, next blue moon, next solar eclipse.

Been patient- watched us struggle for years before finally dropping into non league, struggle to get out, struggle to push on when we finally limped out of there. Struggle to score goals, struggle to keep managers and our better players etc etc....

Still believe (hope) that Ollie will come good, but all we have is hope, and you know what that does.

Quoted from moosey_club

We all love the club, we are happy even euphoric when we win, mardy or down right depressed when we lose...this has always been the way since the club existed and is mirrored across every other professional and amateur football team supporters.

Trouble is nowadays those emotions are available to be captured forever on platforms such as these and social media. In the past these emotions were played out on the walk or drive home, maybe at work come Monday morning and then gone....until the next game.

I feel slightly less p!ssed off than I did yesterday during and after the game and while trying to remain objective about the budget / covid impacts on the squad that wont stop me being realistic about what I see.

The following is not negativity , it's what I see ..

Playing from the back handed them the win yesterday and has cost us goals in other games.

Our lack of quality in the final third is telling. Not just yesterday but over the last 3 or 4 games we have hardly mustered more than a couple efforts on goal despite having upwards of 65% possession.

We can pass the ball one dimensionally really well when not under pressure. When pressed hard we tend to capitulate and the passing collapses.

We are awful at set pieces and throw ins.

Now while I will say i would prefer to see the team playing some passing football it has to be with purpose and has to be productive, our current / plan approach just isnt.

It has been noticeable that we havnt pressed the opposition as hard in the last few weeks as we were earlier in the season, Orient/Cheltenham we were all over them high up the pitch, we have now dropped off, therefore our possession generally starts deeper in our half and combined with the slower passing play the opposition have plenty of time to reset.

Surely the club can go back through the games and click up everytime we gift the opposition a chance on goal from playing at the back, then note how many times it has created a chance for us.....assess then is it worth it ??

Excellent summary in my opnion.

I see the way IH is wanting us to play but in my opinion it may well work at Premiership or Championship clubs but isn't currently working here. Whether it is the players not doing exactly what they are being asked to do or because the players just aren't good enough. I think the second is more likely.

I just cannot understand his comments that we played really well when we basically gifted them 3 goals through our own poor play. Just what is the point in tip tapping the ball about going no where, not creating that many chances when we just aren't good enough to see games out.

Quoted from ginnywings

I'm sick of being told to be patient, it will come good, Next manager, next transfer window, next season, next blue moon, next solar eclipse.

Been patient- watched us struggle for years before finally dropping into non league, struggle to get out, struggle to push on when we finally limped out of there. Struggle to score goals, struggle to keep managers and our better players etc etc....

Still believe (hope) that Ollie will come good, but all we have is hope, and you know what that does.

Echo your thoughts mate. I'm slipping into the dangerous ground of apathy, which then leads to cutting emotional ties for good like thousands have done before me over the past couple of decades. And I'd have called myself a passionate diehard not so long back. I've seen most games this season to watch a game of football. Can't say I've been overly down or up whether we win, lose or draw, mainly frustrated and numb I guess. Only thing that keeps me relatively interested is finding out what IH can do with our zombie of a football club. Where the hell would we be if we didn't have him?

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

If you listen to Ollie’s interviews, COVID & Lockdown comments aside, he has frequently stated his frustration at the players not passing and running forward saying he is fed up with shouting telling them what to do. Thus not sure the tactics per se are wrong but presently the eleven taking the field are not good enough to play this way consistently. My big frustration is how many of the players are still not fully fit. Even though some signed late in the day the majority have been with town since early September and whilst we lost two weeks surely they should be fit by now. Most of the youngsters who signed later came from other clubs so should be fit.

Where does this stand in all-time worst results Lincoln Mariner? I missed all those woeful Imps defeats at places like Carshalton & North Ferriby in my 5 season sabbatical, but losing to a side bottom of Division 5 must be up there for you?

Quoted from NorfolkImp

Where does this stand in all-time worst results Lincoln Mariner? I missed all those woeful Imps defeats at places like Carshalton & North Ferriby in my 5 season sabbatical, but losing to a side bottom of Division 5 must be up there for you?

Smug! Clearly you’ve proven yourself plastic by not supporting you team when they needed you most ....... “sabbatical” my backside.

Quoted from NorfolkImp

Where does this stand in all-time worst results Lincoln Mariner? I missed all those woeful Imps defeats at places like Carshalton & North Ferriby in my 5 season sabbatical, but losing to a side bottom of Division 5 must be up there for you?

It isnt up there at all IMO, we all know what we are watching at this moment , a cheaply built side , that is constantly chopped and changed, key players injured and playing a system that doesnt work.  
Its not a shock that we lost but it was certainly disappointing as i think a majority would have thought we would still have enough to see off a bottom side in the League below, not batter them but still have enough to beat them.

Chasetown, Bath, Salisbury all way bigger shocks for me.

Quoted from Bigdog

Echo your thoughts mate. I'm slipping into the dangerous ground of apathy, which then leads to cutting emotional ties for good like thousands have done before me over the past couple of decades. And I'd have called myself a passionate diehard not so long back. I've seen most games this season to watch a game of football. Can't say I've been overly down or up whether we win, lose or draw, mainly frustrated and numb I guess. Only thing that keeps me relatively interested is finding out what IH can do with our zombie of a football club. Where the hell would we be if we didn't have him?

Hoofing it up field and possibly up the league table? Though I want us to get the ball down we look a side constricted within a system and a process.

In all seriousness though where would we be? When he came in I don’t recall a flood of credible applicants.

We’ve just got to trust that we have some good fortune and some of the better players all get a run in the side at the same time.

The squad in reality is o.k. apart from the lack of credible goal scorers and I include the injury dogged Hanson in that category.

When I say “credible” ones that get in the right places and can hit the target.

I’m in a place where I don’t expect us to beat opponents anymore and if we do it’s a bonus.

Quoted from Bigdog

Echo your thoughts mate. I'm slipping into the dangerous ground of apathy, which then leads to cutting emotional ties for good like thousands have done before me over the past couple of decades. And I'd have called myself a passionate diehard not so long back. I've seen most games this season to watch a game of football. Can't say I've been overly down or up whether we win, lose or draw, mainly frustrated and numb I guess. Only thing that keeps me relatively interested is finding out what IH can do with our zombie of a football club. Where the hell would we be if we didn't have him?

Wish I could be apathetic to be honest, both my boys are passionate Town fans who are only just started to get used to being disappointed. New manager, new players, new hope - eat, sleep, repeat.

The way we handled Covid with the fund raising from the fans all seems a distant memory now as we've signed a shed load of players no one can watch or identify with. Maybe circumstances dictated but we seem to be on the same 'one step forward, two steps back' process that has encapsulated GTFC in the 21st century.

Quoted from NorfolkImp

Where does this stand in all-time worst results Lincoln Mariner? I missed all those woeful Imps defeats at places like Carshalton & North Ferriby in my 5 season sabbatical, but losing to a side bottom of Division 5 must be up there for you?

Not big on all time worst results as it’s bloody annoying at the time but in reality we lost to a club one division lower who may be bottom of their league now but may not stay in that position. Yesterday, it also happened to Sunderland with worse defeats for Port Vale and Colchester today it’s Sunny. Three seasons ago Lincoln won at Burnley, these results happen and unfortunately it’s our turn but we’ve been the winners before at Liverpool, Everton etc so it’s part and parcel of supporting a club.

More worrying is our inability to create and score goals, the fact that we have 7 loan players at the club and Ollie’s obsession with COVID. IMO clubs are not built by getting in that many loan players who have a very short term commitment to the club but hey ho what do I know.

Good result for the Imps so lockdown has saved me an uncomfortable night in the local 😀😀

Quoted from Bigdog

Echo your thoughts mate. I'm slipping into the dangerous ground of apathy, which then leads to cutting emotional ties for good like thousands have done before me over the past couple of decades. And I'd have called myself a passionate diehard not so long back. I've seen most games this season to watch a game of football. Can't say I've been overly down or up whether we win, lose or draw, mainly frustrated and numb I guess. Only thing that keeps me relatively interested is finding out what IH can do with our zombie of a football club. Where the hell would we be if we didn't have him?

2nd Round of the FA Cup?

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Smug! Clearly you’ve proven yourself plastic by not supporting you team when they needed you most ....... “sabbatical” my backside.

Plastic eh? .... hmmm, well I did go to Fisher Athletic on Easter Monday back in 88’ surrounded by menacing looking Millwall lunatics, but took my chances regardless celebrating Bobby Cumming’s late equaliser 😉

Quoted from realist

Let’s be honest, we were flipping shite, absolute male masturbation. To be soundly beaten by a non league Is embarrassing. Wish people would stop defending the indefensible,

Did you actually watch the game? we played well got let down by individual errors that they finished and its was 1-1 till the 90th minute so hardly call it soundly beaten when they score 2 right at the death, one being a penalty.

A 3-1 defeat is soundly beaten however it happened. This was a rubbish non league team. No excuses will hide the fact of how bad we are. Can’t believe how many of you wear rose tinted specs.
I survived for years watching town by being happy with a middle of the table finish and a cup run now and then. This would be a pipe dream now. Manager shite, players shite, board shite.

Where would we be without IH? Roughly where we were before he was here in terms of PPG

Bignot 1.26 PPG
Slade 1.05
Jolley 1.30
Holloway 1.30

Bignot, Jolley and Holloway have all achieved what is roughly our "par" of around 14th position. Slade dipped below that par and was sacked for poor results.

Many will shout Covid regarding the progress or lack of made under Holloway and they’re not entirely wrong.

Before Covid it wasn’t much better, if a little more positive but it wasn’t players here necessarily have purchased.

Now we’ve assembled a squad of players on peanuts from clubs I don’t believe we’d have even thought about looking at unless we were lent offering these cheap rate contracts (it’ll remain to be seen if they’re a good thing or not). Can we truly judge the manager and the squad during these times? Many will say no...but had we had a good start, we’re near the top and winning more often than we lose I’d imagine nobody would be blaming Covid or the amount of games. Always easy to look for an excuse when you don’t win very often.

Undoubtedly the club have made mistakes, we’ve had players making costly mistakes, the manager, however proud he claims to be, has made mistakes. It’s as simple as that.

I don’t believe, Covid or not that Holloway will be gone (I wouldn’t have an issue if he was but plenty would disagree) but it’s impossible for people not to be frustrated, even the rose tinted brigade must be frustrated?

People claim it’s about survival but in all fairness, that’s been churned out as a justification for a lack of progress for a while now.

Quoted from aldi_01

Many will shout Covid regarding the progress or lack of made under Holloway and they’re not entirely wrong.

Before Covid it wasn’t much better, if a little more positive but it wasn’t players here necessarily have purchased.

Now we’ve assembled a squad of players on peanuts from clubs I don’t believe we’d have even thought about looking at unless we were lent offering these cheap rate contracts (it’ll remain to be seen if they’re a good thing or not). Can we truly judge the manager and the squad during these times? Many will say no...but had we had a good start, we’re near the top and winning more often than we lose I’d imagine nobody would be blaming Covid or the amount of games. Always easy to look for an excuse when you don’t win very often.

Undoubtedly the club have made mistakes, we’ve had players making costly mistakes, the manager, however proud he claims to be, has made mistakes. It’s as simple as that.

I don’t believe, Covid or not that Holloway will be gone (I wouldn’t have an issue if he was but plenty would disagree) but it’s impossible for people not to be frustrated, even the rose tinted brigade must be frustrated?

People claim it’s about survival but in all fairness, that’s been churned out as a justification for a lack of progress for a while now.

I think without Covid we’d have seen a completely different squad. I suppose you could call me “rose tinted” because I can see that we’re one or two things “clicking” away from being a very good side.

Yes I’m frustrated at some of the things that are happening, I said on here the other week if we got a penalty we’d probably play it back to McKeown, but I also appreciate that there might not be 92 clubs finish this season (and possibly less clubs survive if the season itself doesn’t finish)

I appreciate that lots of people are frustrated, I dare say the majority of posters on here are, but we have to remember the fishy is only a small proportion of people who follow Town.

Nobody likes seeing us lose but we all want a club to follow in the 21/22 season.

I think the worse thing is the posters who are nowhere to be seen when we win and come on here spouting venomous bile the second we lose. I assume the management and players read this board and when they’re low on confidence (evidenced by some of the play) being slagged off isn’t constructive. There are a couple of players in the squad I don’t think are anywhere near league 2 standard but I wouldn’t name and shame them.

I made some harsh comments on saturday after the match, I was very upset at the way we lost for that I apologise to IH and his team.

Unfortunately, the style of play does not rock my boat ( im old fashioned) , I don't want the lump it style just an abridged version of what we are trying to do. Pull the opposition about, open them, create a space and advance into it preferably into the box.

Anyway, I'm sure IH will get it right just do it soon.

Do you know what depresses me the most?  Is it Macca more and more becoming a liability, is it the lack of a proven goalscorer, is it because we don't create enough chances?  No, it's coming on the Fishy and reading all the sh!te you whinging, moaning, feckers spout every time we lose a match.  If you feel that strongly about our club, feck off and watch Scunthorpe every Saturday.

Quoted from 123614

Do you know what depresses me the most?  Is it Macca more and more becoming a liability, is it the lack of a proven goalscorer, is it because we don't create enough chances?  No, it's coming on the Fishy and reading all the sh!te you whinging, moaning, feckers spout every time we lose a match.  If you feel that strongly about our club, feck off and watch Scunthorpe every Saturday.

I think 17 years of depressing mediocrity would drive even the most optimistic fan to despair .

Quoted from 123614

Do you know what depresses me the most?  Is it Macca more and more becoming a liability, is it the lack of a proven goalscorer, is it because we don't create enough chances?  No, it's coming on the Fishy and reading all the sh!te you whinging, moaning, feckers spout every time we lose a match.  If you feel that strongly about our club, feck off and watch Scunthorpe every Saturday.

Why go there, they lose too .... how about all those small town inhabitants of Market Rasen & Caistor etc, pop down the A46 to the LNER/Sincil Bank?

A new SW Stand being built to allow more fans in, positive atmosphere abound, forward thinking Board, slick Buckley-esque football at its finest, 2nd Tier football on the horizon, what's not to like?

Quoted from 123614

Do you know what depresses me the most?  Is it Macca more and more becoming a liability, is it the lack of a proven goalscorer, is it because we don't create enough chances?  No, it's coming on the Fishy and reading all the sh!te you whinging, moaning, feckers spout every time we lose a match.  If you feel that strongly about our club, feck off and watch Scunthorpe every Saturday.

Do you know what depresses me the most? It's the people who utter sanctimonious crap as an apology for our continued inability to put together a decent football team. Yes, times are difficult but they're no more difficult for Grimsby Town than any other lower league club. Why can't we aspire to be better than we have been for the last 17 years?

It's a tough one the thing about playing out from the back.

Personally I've missed having a culture at the club, a style, a thing that separates us from the rest.  In 20 years we haven't had a style really.   I like the idea of my club having something that stands it out, a Grimsby Way if you like.

Holloway clearly wants his sides to play out from the back and I don't have any objections to that.  I think you need a balance and that you need to understand when to play it and when to just hoof it.  Even the very best teams and players will put it out of play when they have no other option.  The difference is that the likes of Van Dijk are quicker with their brain and feet than defenders at this level, therefore they won't be under as much pressure as often.  I think the problem is when players at this level try to be like Van Dijk and don't realise their limitations.  

If we're going to play out from the back we have to accept that we will, by default, face sides who will play a high press on us.  With all the respect in the world, if you're a relatively quick forward you're going to fancy your chances of catching either Waterfall or Pollock on the hop and do them for pace.  That, again just for me, is about creating other options when playing it out from the back.   That might be the fullbacks going wide/deep to create an angle, it could be a midfielder dropping real deep to create another angle.  The most pointless thing in the world is the goalkeeper playing it out to a centre-back when he has no angles to work with.  His options there are a) hoof it or b) try and take a  quicker and more mobile striker on.  Option a is pointless as you might as well get your 'keeper to do that in the first place and remove any risk.  Option b is just really risky.

It's not just about the defence messing about and buggering up.  It's the whole system isn't working (at the minute).  The team aren't offering the angles and options which leaves the centre backs very vulnerable.  It also seems to me that there's a lack of communication throughout.  

I can't help but think a lot of it is down to the constant changes in the starting eleven.  You get used to playing with certain players and over time you compliment each other with your styles and you'll adapt.  We've not had a settled side, especially in midfield, all season so it's no wonder they don't know who is playing with who or where they're standing.  I fully understand that the nature of this season means it fast and furious.  But even in a 'normal' season you would be faced with 3 games in 8 days at various points, you wouldn't change your side for the midweek game and then revert back to the original side for the final game would you?   If we've genuinely got players in the squad who can't handle Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday then they shouldn't be in our squad, that's the harsh reality.  

Yes, we will need to freshen things up at various points of the season and people will need resting.  But we need a settled side otherwise we're not going to get anywhere at all.  Holloway needs to pick his best XI, stick with it and tweak it as needed, be it to freshen tired legs or subtly depending on what we're up against.  I've never liked the idea of changing your system because what's in front of you.  It's too much on the back foot.  Go at teams and let them worry about you rather than the other way round.

For Saturday itself, I only watched it and actually thought we looked half decent.  Two bad mistakes at the end aside, which are significant to say the least, we were the best side and knocked it about really nicely.  We do lack a cutting edge up front but I can't help think that, again, that's down to a lack of understanding between whoever is selected.  

Negativity?  I think the biggest concern at the minute is the general apathy rather than negativity.  For sure it's because games are different when watching on a TV screen but I'm personally struggling to get too excited or upset over any results or games at the minute.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Do you know what depresses me the most? It's the people who utter sanctimonious crap as an apology for our continued inability to put together a decent football team. Yes, times are difficult but they're no more difficult for Grimsby Town than any other lower league club. Why can't we aspire to be better than we have been for the last 17 years?

Because there are loads of sycophantic Fenty supporters on here,well very soon they will be the only ones following Town,

Would love to see Graham Alexander take over..

Don’t think we would be seeing these clowns much longet

Why go there, they lose too .... how about all those small town inhabitants of Market Rasen & Caistor etc, pop down the A46 to the LNER/Sincil Bank?

A new SW Stand being built to allow more fans in, positive atmosphere abound, forward thinking Board, slick Buckley-esque football at its finest, 2nd Tier football on the horizon, what's not to like?



For once Norfolk ImpI am actually jealous of you Imps. Great young forward thinking manager, a board that's constantly investing, I hear of a new investment from Cadbury's in new stand to increase your capacity and won't be at all surprised to see you get into the championship. What pisses me off is that for the last few seasons, lads I know have been going down the A15 from Brigg and also Castor to follow the imps. Although I despise the two brothers, but they really did get your city bouncing from no where. It pains me to say but good luck to you.

As for us, we are in deep trouble. A young manager who could become good but some average players and limited budget so I just hope we can re group and string some results together. Grimsby are similar but an old manager who is let's be honest passed it. Just talks a lot but can't back it up whatsoever and will end up fleeing back down to the south west. Grimsby have a team of bog standard players similar to us with no investment and will struggle all season. Just look at both of our FA Cup games against lower league opposition at the weekend. How bloody embarrassing.
I just hope it's not just Lincoln Who are the only league club in Lincolnshire by the end of the season

Is there a funny smell in here? It was OK before but there’s that horrible smell that we had a few weeks ago that disappeared when we started winning and Scunthorpe dropped into the bottom two. Funny because Scunny are still in the bottom two.

Quoted from Henryscat

I think without Covid we’d have seen a completely different squad. I suppose you could call me “rose tinted” because I can see that we’re one or two things “clicking” away from being a very good side.

Yes I’m frustrated at some of the things that are happening, I said on here the other week if we got a penalty we’d probably play it back to McKeown, but I also appreciate that there might not be 92 clubs finish this season (and possibly less clubs survive if the season itself doesn’t finish)

I appreciate that lots of people are frustrated, I dare say the majority of posters on here are, but we have to remember the fishy is only a small proportion of people who follow Town.

Nobody likes seeing us lose but we all want a club to follow in the 21/22 season.

I think the worse thing is the posters who are nowhere to be seen when we win and come on here spouting venomous bile the second we lose. I assume the management and players read this board and when they’re low on confidence (evidenced by some of the play) being slagged off isn’t constructive. There are a couple of players in the squad I don’t think are anywhere near league 2 standard but I wouldn’t name and shame them.

I agree with most of the post, but I would not worry one jot about any player being affected by comments on the Fishy. It is only a small percentage of Towns following that post on here, and the very fact people post at all tends to mean they have strong views about things, including me obviously, but it is not at all representative of the overall fan base.