Match Thread Most liked posts in thread: Away v Crawley Tue 15 December 7:45pm

A touch of time wasting, snide and shit house about us tonight. Good. About time we realised this is League 2.

 

Tonight wasn't a great performance. But it was decent. A standard league 2, away performance. And we've had nowhere near enough League 2 performances this season. The bits that involve doing the ugly stuff well and being pragmatic when needed. The fracas at the end of the game - i loved it. We've been crying out for a bit of that. We've been too nice and soft all season. This is League 2, we need to act accordingly. Not to the exclusion of playing football, or playing ugly by design like Bowyer. But being able to mix it and be streetwise when needed.

 

No BRE or DMH in the squad and Donaldson benched. Trueman already played a blinder.

 

Three good chances for us second half. Pritchard slipped in - great ball from (i think) Sutton. Tried to dink over GK.

Samuels created a shot for himself inside area he flashed across goal.

Sutton broke from halfway and almost slipped in Scales (think it was him) late on too.

Could argue we created enough to win it tonighr tbf. Much bettter.

Paudie was a warrior at back. Commentators said he might have even damaged a tooth first half! Dunno if he did.

We look a threat again with Novak back.

Sutton was MOM. Not been a fan but he busted a gut tonight.

Wood’s confidence looks knocked. Need to see better deliveries and confidence from him again, though.

 

Crazy! Was Stuart guilty of overcomplicating and overthinking things?

 

They were, they just didn't know what they were supposed to do after Stuarts baffling tactics every week. This same group of players looked shocking under McCall yet the youth team manager has them looking like a team. Of course the no nothings will be claiming why couldn't they do this for Stuart, arguably because his poor tactics had them baffled.

 

Just seen off the EFL Stats Twitter Crawley had most passes of any team in L2 tonight. Yet they didnt have one shot on goal. They also bossed possession.

it shows we had discipline and some shape tonight, as well as the guts to dig in - all things which we’ve lacked lately.

Well done Trueman and Sellars.

 

First and foremost there was positional discipline. Max Watters didn't have a shot on goal and O'Donnell hardly had a save to make. Why? Because we didn't have centre backs all over the pitch and right wing backs popping up at left back, two midfielders actually holding so no one just runs through us. As I've said before in this season the players had gone out in a lot of games and were beaten before the game had kicked off, how many times on this board did we hear players didn't look like they knew what they were doing. Small steps but the players looked up for a fight, something were gonna need in the next few months.

 

I also think his little puppet Raynor is equally as detestable with his arms constantly out stretched in mock dismay at every decision they don’t get.I don’t hate much in football but make an exception for them two.

 

2 days of prep.

 

Tonight’s the first game all season I’ve felt a connection with this squad - the battling and fighting, together as a unit. Bodies flying in when it all kicked off, that togetherness needs to be embraced with 4/5 new bodies and we’ll be okay.

 

Where’s that desire, organisation and discipline been this season. Wasn’t pretty but it was a glimmer of hope there’s something in some of those players.

Unlucky (should have) had a second from Pritchard.

 

Wasn’t expecting much when I paid a tenner but pleasantly surprised. That was so much better than recent performances. Defended pretty well, unlucky with their goal, 2 great opportunities to take the lead. Happier tonight but a long way to go.

Could they have been fed up with McCall and Blacks tactics? Keep it pretty simple and we’ll grind out results to keep us in this division.

 

Another punch up with Crawley, good memories from the last one lol

 

Sutton and Paudie O'connor were our two best players tonight.

 

Everybody is right to be pleased with a point, I am too, but as much as I love the guy it shows that McCall was incapable of managing the side efficiently, suggests that players had lost faith in his methods, and could even be hinted that they couldn’t play to their 100% because they didn’t understand / believe in what he was doing.

To immediately end a run of 6 defeats upon change of manager speaks volumes IMO, so it bodes well for the new manager coming in, IF we get the appointment right. The next appointment is huge because it not only gives the team a fighting chance but it’s a massive opportunity to regain that unity within the club from top to bottom and, convince the Sparks sceptics like myself, otherwise.

 

Some of our team actually beginning to look like footballers tonight

 

Well played city showed grit tonight and played some good stuff