Match Thread Most liked posts in thread: Home v Oldham Athletic 3pm Saturday 20th March

It was the right approach for the position and squad they inherited. But their big task now is showing whether they can oversee a more attack minded, cohesive way of playing. Because next season has to be about promotion and they need to show whether they're worth backing, to that aim in the summer.

 

It was a must win game today, a draw makes no difference whatsoever. If we've gone out with the mindset to not lose then that's worrying.

 

Actually I disagree. Performance wise it was very little different to Carlisle, but we managed to stop the shots Oldham had. 20 of them. Oldham controlled this game just as much as Carlisle did last week

 

Agree Bronco. I wonder, was that the message in the dressing room before the game? If it was, it's nonsensical. The message should have been, 'if we want to stay in contention for the Play Offs, we have to win this'.

 

A result today meant nothing either way, a win would keep our play off place bubbling nicely, a draw meant nothing and if we got beat then it should have been a matter of how we got beaten not the fact we got beat, that's how managers learn, as you say I cant believe for one minute that comment about not getting beaten was the message from the dressing room as they entered the pitch, or at least I hope not.
Lets see what Tuesday night brings, there'll be not bitching from me if we get beaten by a better side trying to play football.

 

If you read the thread instead of just rolling out your usual pro club agenda you'd know that people are suggesting a change in system because of injuries to key personnel and not because of "a couple of bad games".

 

I was always concerned after the transfer window, when we came out of it with two wide midfielders (Crankshaw & Vernam) and no central midfield workhouse. It was if T&S thought that we're going to be weak in the middle, so lets sign players who are attacking and can take the game wider. Cooke, in my opinion, has suprised them with his form, and now he's crocked, they haven't got anyone for this "new" system they have adopted around him. Hindsight is a good thing, but i don't think we'd be having the problems we've got now, if we'd have signed back up for Cooke.

Danny Rowe - unless we find a system he can play in, and the rest of the team are comfortable are with it - is just going to be a luxury impact sub, and I'm not sure he's going to be happy doing that. I can see him getting mentally deflated the way Vaughan and Doyle did. Shame, as he looks a player, but at the same time, perhaps it's becoming apparent why he's never progressed up the leagues.

Tactically challenging for the managers on Tuesday! Now they know they are in a job for real.

 

I've been wondering why Rowe took so long to make the jump into FL football. He'd been scoring shitloads for Fylde for several years so he must have had plenty of interest and offers from FL clubs.
He's a talented player with clever feet, an eye for a pass and a thunderbolt shot. On the face of it, he should be first name on any lower league team sheet. But he's lazy - he strolls about, doesn't close down and basically expects others to do all his work for him. He will have been *@?$ of the walk at Fylde and could get away with murder because of the sheer number of goals he scored. But that doesn't wash at FL level. He's not very good in the air and not mobile enough to be a lone target man or a 10. I don't see how he's a viable long term option in a 4231 system. We either have to start him alongside a target man or he'll end up being just an impact sub to bring on when we are throwing extra forwards on to claw back a deficit.

 

Are we playing Oldham, again??

I feel like we've played them about five times already this season!!

But then this season feels like it's been going on for years!

 

we need to channel the spirit of edinho

 

Big test for T&S, They failed the first one not signing another midfield player in Jan when most supporters were crying out for one realising we were in trouble if injuries, The second test is how they react to Cooke missing and how they set the team up, Hopefully not trying to play 3 wingers against a good midfield in Oldham like they did at Carlisle where they were overrun and were clueless until changes were made

 

Makes Boundary Park feel almost tropical

 

Probably because we've got no one to replace them with.

 

Oldham pass to men,we pass and hope

 

We look very poor today. Its a trend thats continuing in terms of performance quality.

 

How many more times is Watt going to give the ball away/hit it out of the field?

 

We need more quality in a couple of positions but I think we also need to look at playing style and coaching. We're far too safe when we're in possession. I've just seen it again, ball comes to Wood on the left, no one within ten yards of him but instead of looking to go forward he immediately goes square and back to canavan.

Its poor. But worryingly, its becoming common.

 

And we've had a clear week with no games so no excuses for fatigue, Evans poor offering very little, it wont happen at half time but for me Cook & Cousin-Dawson on for Evans & Crankshaw pushing Vernam out wider.

 

Changes are needed its not working here, switch to a 4-4-2 with cook on for evans.