Match Thread Home v Oldham Athletic 3pm Saturday 20th March

I'm more concerned about how these recent performances bode for next season. We won't go up or down this season so its a perfect time for us to let the shackles off and go into next season with some momentum. We've still got the "do not lose" mentality of a side in a relegation battle when we're in anything but. Performances like this next season will not see us in the top 3 and will not be tolerated by the fans, especially when we're back in VP.

Its time for T&S to demonstrate their ability at coaching a side in an attacking sense. Because right now, I'm yet to see anything in that regard.

 

I've challenged you on this before and you're coming back again with the "they're really poor" argument.

They aren't.

They've conceded 5 goals in 4 games before today and 4 of those came in a weird game where they were 2 up early against Cambridge.

They've been a much tougher team since Curle took over.

 

Tbf we didnt really trouble them all that much all game. rowe had a shot from distance. vernham had a shot or two. that was about it. ive noticed we’re too reliant recently on teams making a mistake for us to score. examples being : Mansfield, Newport, Leyton Orient. our defensive work is solid but it seems we cant create chances or dont know how to

 

They're a team you could always rely on to score and concede. Worrying thing today was they looked far more likely to score and we showed little in terms of creativity. I've just listened to Truemans interview and it's the first time he wasn't watching the same game as me.

 

Why o why do we not play to the obvious channel runs and positioning of Danny Rowe.
Crankshaw,Vernon and Evans all guilty of ignoring Rowe pointing were he wanted the ball playing today.
It was so blatantly obvious my swearing at the television was in overdrive.
If your not going to use Rowe properly in a ridiculous one up front at home formation then the expected result becomes a forgone conclusion.
NIL

 

A sequence of performances and results they have had since they took over was always going to be difficult to maintain, they have done well, and I can understand them being a little cautious after two defeats although at Newport we were mugged and even the 3 - 1 scoreline at Carlisle was not a true reflection of the overall game it was closer than the scoreline suggest's so we weren't hammered in either game.
Scunthorpe could only draw today at home to Southend so for me we need to be looking at getting all three point at Glanford Park and if we do lose I'd rather be it because we were positive rather than making sure we did not lose with our formation.
As fans we will always expect better "to coin a phrase from Fordy" and although I don't want us to lose I do want to see a more positive mindset going forward.

 

Oldham have a new manager who tightened them up defensively and gave them a structure, how Crawley fans must have lost their S**t several months ago when a basket case of a club namely us took a point off them a home!
We’ve lost out talisman to injury, we don’t have a replacement, T&S have this reputation for studying the opposition and setting the players up accordingly, however went into today blind......just like Crawley did agains City!!
No negatives needed today, just a reality check and a resetting of our expectations. The team is light years better than when we were relying on Guthrie to score, but we’re still work in progress. Let’s judge how far we’ve got after the next transfer window!

 

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.

 

If they are to continue with this ponderous football it will mean fewer season tickets being sold. A lot fans will not want to trail to VP to watch that type of football being served up. Playing away the set up is fine but for the majority of home games it's a no no.

 

Thoughts ? Season over now. Absolutely no chance of picking up 22/ 23 points from 12 games without callum Cooke.

Rowe is a luxury, great close control but long term how does he fit into the side ?

4/2/3/1 did a job but its been sussed by most teams and doesn't allow us to exerts any control on a game.

Defensively we are sound. Poc and caravan are a good pair, aoc solid Defensively but nothing going forward. More Darby than McMahon.

One up front will not get us out of this division. Ever.

Vernham, crankshaft and Stevens offer very little creativity (in this formation).

Evans is shot.

T&S lack the desire and knowledge to read a game and change it. Get one nil up and they are excellent at holding it, but go one down, or need that spark.of inspiration to flick a switch on a game and they struggle.

They've done a great job, a really great job, but do they have what it takes to build a team that can win this league next year. Sod second third or playoffs, we need to be aiming for the summit.

Answer to that is no.

You do realise they have won three games in the last sixteen dont you and thats why they sacked kewell.

 

I'm not sure what you're challenging, but my point is, they're an average side, with poor form. I'm not saying that makes it an easy game at all, but the circumstances going into that game are simply not a justification for going into the game with the primary mindset of 'important not to lose this'. I can imagine that being part of the pre match team talk because it came through in our approach. It makes no sense to me. If we're not going to set up to play on the front foot in this sort of game, when are we?

 

And still lost

 

So what your saying is that to move forward we need a proven, league 1/ Championship manager........

NOOoooow.........
Happy with T&S thank you very much!!

 

Get real. We haven't played well since Cheltenham. Best run in our history ? Not even close. Best since 2004 yes but that says enough about our position since then.

I don't think we should sack anyone, but I honestly don't think we will progress much until we dare to dream

 

last weeks interview at Carlisle was the same.

 

In January we signed enough average League 2 players to make us an average side, which we've become. To get promotion next season we need to improve on every single player in front of the back four, and, for me, adopt a much more attacking style of play. Whether our managers view it like that remains to be seen.

 

Exactly right. Its not that a point is a disgrace, or that we should have smashed these, because we're going to play poorly some weeks. Its the mindset that's a worry, IF the mindset before the game matched the post match comments.

 

I don't have a problem with possession football if it's used in the correct manner, yes there will be times when we have to hold onto the ball for the sake of it but it was poor viewing at times today, to make possession football work the players off the ball have to work and do their jobs and the players on the ball look for those runs, today it was too easy to hold possession and go backwards which is certainly something we don't want to get used to at Valley Parade if as you say it's a means to an end at away games then fine it's up to the home team to dictate play.

 

No no no and no. Charlatan. Fraud. Egotistical twT.