Just Back  (merged)

Much as I dislike green , I fail to see what he had to do with the eventual result. I doubt he even touched the ball.
Having calmed down I take on board what others have said.there was the header and then that incredible miss ,so the writing was on the wall before waterfall came on
Well done to the players for showing that they do have some potential and fight.

OK, plenty of positives from that to be honest and I was getting quite a bit of hope back up until injury time.

No arguments with the starting line-up. 2 up top, Lamy on the wing.

Decent performance too for a team at the bottom.

Defence mopped up everything for 90 minutes, Hendrie was good at right-back. Hewitt (who I don't rate in other positions) had a good game at centre-back.

Lamy really gave us a new dimension. Something we've lacked since Edwards went back to Bristol City in terms of someone who can hold onto the ball and carry it up the pitch, evade a tackle and draw players to him. Need him to stay fit as he gives us something no-one else can give us.

Matete and Coke battled well in the middle. Matete seemed to get stronger as the second half wore on as he started to make a few surges forward and dominant runs in the last 25 minutes.

Hanson and LJL put a real shift in and were a real handful. Both worked hard to close down and not allow Carlisle defenders too much time to pick their passes. Both were a strong physical presence in and around the box, able to hold players off. They just helped the ball stay in the opposition half for longer, even if it wasn't through silky touches and lay-offs.

So then, the substitutions.

IMO the subs made in injury time cost us the win. Having got the starting line-up spot-on and clearly said the right things in the dressing room before the game, PH got it wrong with the late subs.

Lamy was looking like he was gassing a bit so didn't have a problem with bringing him off, even though I thought he did well. Clifton didn't do too bad on the right either really. It probably nullified the attributes that Morais has by putting him on the left though, he's a touchline-hugger who likes to get it, make half a yard and cross it. Bit difficult for him to do that on the left.

It was the last two subs that killed us and cost us 2 points.
Carlisle weren't playing through us and weren't creating chances. They wanted to pump balls into our box to push for an equaliser, but still being 442 they couldn't do that so easily because we were there in front of them not allowing too many crosses. Going to 5 at the back with Waterfall in there just invited pressure un-necessarily. It then allowed them loads of time just inside our half to be able to come forward and chuck balls into our box. Just like our 5-3-2 set up at Harrogate the other week, we allowed a team to do exactly what they wanted to do, hoping to just defend against once they'd done it.

Several are saying - yeah but loads of other managers would bring on an extra CB to see out injury time. Yes, some might, but I think it's lazy to just think throwing another defender on will work.
Bring an extra CB if you're playing against a team that are trying to play through you and don't particularly just sling the ball in the box (in the Prem, for example). But in L2, it played into the oppositions hands, especially with us being a team that must have conceded umpteen goals from crosses this season so shouldn't be content to encourage a team to come at us and back our ability to defend crosses.

Woke up, the dust has settled and I've reflected on last night
Whilst I think most will agree the performance was certainly a lot more like we would have expected I'm still not convinced we are creating anywhere enough chances to put teams to the sword.
Carlisle were woeful, even their commentators said as much, but we still only had one shot from open play on target
I'm not saying we should be peppering their goal but we should at least be putting 3/4 good attempts in and making the opposition keeper earn his corn.
One thing I will say, Hurst has stumbled across our best back 4, though Hewitt stood out and him and Maneyese look a solid pairing
So in summary, I think we've shored the back line up, but will still concede a goal but our lack of attacking precision will cost us this season.

There’s still a lot to be chuffed about from last night absolutely no doubt.

We look to have improved, but Hursts decision making at times has cost us dearly. You could say sometimes we’d get away with it, let’s face it, we’ve been punished for any mistake and then had two terrible decisions go against us. I just wish we could have one game in which Hurst doesn’t chuck away a decent start with a bad decision.

I’ve woken up still thinking we can stay up based on the performance but very concerned at how many times we can set fire to vital points.

Our run in is horrendous. Whilst last nights performance was good, we still didnt pick up 3 points. All eyes on barrow friday night at a walsall side in poor form.

Quoted from Tommy

OK, plenty of positives from that to be honest and I was getting quite a bit of hope back up until injury time.

No arguments with the starting line-up. 2 up top, Lamy on the wing.

Decent performance too for a team at the bottom.

Defence mopped up everything for 90 minutes, Hendrie was good at right-back. Hewitt (who I don't rate in other positions) had a good game at centre-back.

Lamy really gave us a new dimension. Something we've lacked since Edwards went back to Bristol City in terms of someone who can hold onto the ball and carry it up the pitch, evade a tackle and draw players to him. Need him to stay fit as he gives us something no-one else can give us.

Matete and Coke battled well in the middle. Matete seemed to get stronger as the second half wore on as he started to make a few surges forward and dominant runs in the last 25 minutes.

Hanson and LJL put a real shift in and were a real handful. Both worked hard to close down and not allow Carlisle defenders too much time to pick their passes. Both were a strong physical presence in and around the box, able to hold players off. They just helped the ball stay in the opposition half for longer, even if it wasn't through silky touches and lay-offs.

So then, the substitutions.

IMO the subs made in injury time cost us the win. Having got the starting line-up spot-on and clearly said the right things in the dressing room before the game, PH got it wrong with the late subs.

Lamy was looking like he was gassing a bit so didn't have a problem with bringing him off, even though I thought he did well. Clifton didn't do too bad on the right either really. It probably nullified the attributes that Morais has by putting him on the left though, he's a touchline-hugger who likes to get it, make half a yard and cross it. Bit difficult for him to do that on the left.

It was the last two subs that killed us and cost us 2 points.
Carlisle weren't playing through us and weren't creating chances. They wanted to pump balls into our box to push for an equaliser, but still being 442 they couldn't do that so easily because we were there in front of them not allowing too many crosses. Going to 5 at the back with Waterfall in there just invited pressure un-necessarily. It then allowed them loads of time just inside our half to be able to come forward and chuck balls into our box. Just like our 5-3-2 set up at Harrogate the other week, we allowed a team to do exactly what they wanted to do, hoping to just defend against once they'd done it.

Several are saying - yeah but loads of other managers would bring on an extra CB to see out injury time. Yes, some might, but I think it's lazy to just think throwing another defender on will work.
Bring an extra CB if you're playing against a team that are trying to play through you and don't particularly just sling the ball in the box (in the Prem, for example). But in L2, it played into the oppositions hands, especially with us being a team that must have conceded umpteen goals from crosses this season so shouldn't be content to encourage a team to come at us and back our ability to defend crosses.

Brilliant summary Tommy.  Especially about the inviting pressure.  It cost us.  

Don't think there's anything more to add from what everyone else has said.  Just absolutely gutted!

Hewitt was awesome at the back, that looks far and away his best position.  In fact that back four was the most comfortable I've seen us for a long time.  

Anyone know what's happened with Payne?  Gone from a potential saviour to behind Matt Green in the pecking order.

Before the game I think most of us would have taken a point.  Yes we need wins but on the road a point is always good.  Just the manner of the late goal makes it feel like a defeat.  

Woke up this morning just as gutted as when I went to bed however loads of positives to be taken.

Centre back pairing were great finally found our best centre back in Hewitt.

First time this season our left flank looked threatening and in lamy we have a player who can deliver a killer through ball, habergham pin point deliveries from set pieces too.

Centre midfield were excellent , won everything Coke’s tenacity has been lacking in that position all season. First time in 5 games we have seen matete driving forward on so many occasions.

The problem we have going forward is can our ageing team play 3 games in 8 days or are we going to see a weakened midfield and forward line due to resting coke , Hanson , the shop.

Also listening to Hurst our injury list is mounting , scannell and wright injured again ?!?!? Mizouni potentially out for season . Biggest concern is loss of habergham as I don’t want bunney as our first choice left back ever again.

Good summary Tommy,

As ever, I guess we dust ourselves down and look forward while there is still a smidgeon of hope.

We need to keep that starting 11 for the next few games, or minimal changes at least.  My concern is that with games coming thick and fast will players stamina allow that?, particularly as some have played so few games recently.


Edit:  Only saw the previous post after posting

Would of taken a point before the game.
But the way it happened was the killer.
Hurst IMO, got it spot on.

LJL played well, and as i've previously mentioned, Hanson when fit, is our best striker, he gets about, and is so clever at what he does.
Lamy was a breath of fresh air, and played well, but come off due to match fitness, again, no problem with that.
Hewitt has given Hurst another headache, as he actually played very well, and will be utterly gutted with the way it ended. Albeit, no fault of his own.
Matete is great

If he didn't bring Waterfall on, and we conceded, Hurst would of been slated.... He brought him on. The player made an individual error, and cost us. Nothing on Hurst at all.
I see numerous people screaming on here and twitter for Hurst to change it... so it seems that for a lot of fans, he's getting the blame no matter what happens.

Take away the fact it was a killer in the last minute, there was plenty of positives.
We have 14 games - 42 points to play for, so far from over.
Having said that, i'm resigned to going down, and the only thing that is keeping me from feeling the way i did in 2010, is the potential for new owners, and the old '1 step back, 2 steps forward'

Quoted from Hagrid

Our run in is horrendous. Whilst last nights performance was good, we still didnt pick up 3 points. All eyes on barrow friday night at a walsall side in poor form.

Not even looked at that until now.  I've said before that I think there's very little in this division that's outstanding, but April onwards looks very daunting.