Match Thread Most liked posts in thread: Mansfield Town (H) @ 15:00 26 Feb

It won't be a disappointment as long as people don't expect miracles. Hughes and Hodges have inherited a mediocre squad and have only taken one training session so far. It should be a good day weather wise and atmosphere wise and I'm just looking forward to that. Anything other than a loss will be a bonus.

 

Server issues, apparently demand from Tenerife is causing issues.

 

I believe the the early substitutions bringing Cooke on for the lad Daly who offered little during his 60 minutes on the pitch, then a couple of old heads we looked a different side, unfortunately the damage had been done with a descent finish just before half time then the killer early goal second half, Mansfield aren't where they are because their mugs far from it but IMO there was little between the teams certainly the stats suggest that, the difference being a good finish (accompanied by equally poor defending) and Mansfield getting the break in the box for their second.
So for me (and this isn't using him as a scape goat) but Songo struggles as a CD we cant continue playing him there, Cooke, Lavery and Evans made a difference and if not for a great save from Bishop it would have been even closer, unfortunately once again we got nothing from the game and we need to be going forward.

 

Firstly, fair play Mansfield. Best team we’ve played and best fans that have visited. Good luck rest of the season.

RE City, we have some disgraceful footballers. Songoo is a poor CB, Daly offers nothing (Cooke should start EVERY TIME) and Theo Robinson, wow. That looked like a Trueman-picked side today but I hope we never see Hughes start Theo again. Horrific performance - the bloke is a complete waste of space.

Gillead did well. Foulds a bit iffy today. Hendrie got forward well. Watt very quiet.

thought we shaded first half before their goal (their first shot on goal I think) but that deflected second soon after the break killed it. We never looked like getting back into the game. Cook was very poor again.

Eyeopener for the new boss.

We need to aspire to be at Mansfield’s level…..we are miles off.

 

I think one of the few bits of positivity going forward is when the injured players return it will make a different to the starting line up, the likes of Walker, Vernham, Ridehalgh, Angol, would all be starters, we've seen nothing of either Eisa or Pereira to comment.

 

If you're lumping Luke Hendrie in with Stephen Darby and Wayne Jacobs, then its you who's having a laugh m8

 

We need the injured players back that’s for sure no team can carry the amount we have having said that central defence is a worry. The plus points Hendrie played well again and the deeper role for Gillead seems to suit he was our best player today. Cook was dreadful

 

Is that our new sales pitch in the summer?I don't think it's gonna catch on.

 

They are spending serious money . Loanees from Man U, Newcastle , Hibs, Birmingham,….etc These Prem and C C squad members are on serious money, which clearly Mansfield invested in the transfer / loan window. Compared to what we picked up…… other than Walker, all are journeymen loaned in the cheap.

What is clearly evident… Bass, Songo, O’Connor dont make a like a defensive spine, Slow, lacking technique and poor quality made us suffer. They need to go! Daley shocking , whereas Cook was easily pulled and pushed about by a journey man centre back . Robinson……meh.

Who came out with credit and showed the new boss passion, Cooke, Watt, and to a lesser extent Gilly.

I’ll credit Hughes …he brought a number of players on “ Just to have a look” Lavery being one.

Were Mansfield much better? They had a lucky break with the second for sure, the first excellent finishing but really only Longstaff, Oates and Bishop 2/3 expensive loanees actually stood out.

It shows the crowd potential of the club big style and must give Hughes optomism. Probably the owner needs to learn a serious lesson. You don’t invest properly you don’t progress.

 

Why the surprise. I said yesterday different manager but the deckchairs are the same, plus injuries. We should not have expected anything different?

 

It was a good battle him and Cook I thought at times the lad got away with a few dodgy challenges but the referee to be fair tried to let the game flow to his credit.

 

Think we can sell the tickets without a deal to be fair

 

Sorry but no. A new high profile manager is just Sparks obvious attempts at deflecting criticism and papering over the cracks, we still need to remove the two at the top to really get my interest back.

 

Put it this way I’m gonna listen to Hughes’ words more in the press over the coming days than Sparks Brent style sound bites.
Adams as much as I despised him had it right with the club in his post match interviews. If Hughes starts making the same noises before the summer we know nothings changed

 

The thing is, we’ve all accepted this season is over. Players are out of contract. Now instead of the players not giving a toss because their being managed by a deluded scot or a youth coach, They now know that they are playing for the best experienced manager in the league (technically a fact, nobody has as much experience as Hughes, as a player or as a manager)

That may give them the boost needed to actually pull their socks up an put a shift in, like we saw against Harrogate in the first half but with a bit more quality

As we know; this league aint all that. its fine margins. the good teams are the ones well drilled and organised. As long as Hughes gets the team organised, which he will, im sure we’l be okay

hopefully we also get rid of that ideology of sitting back on one goal leads. Thats the sole reason for dropping points throughout this season. We score a goal, an seem to be cruising but then decide to switch tactics an sit back an invite pressure for the rest of the game. at this level, the result is inevitable

 

Yeah I did think this would be a blow, obviously, but I was pleased as it'll make for an even better spectacle. I was already looking forward to it as I know our fans are going to be excellent, but this is good news. There was a poll on here asking who was going and who was staying away. I think that question is redundant now.

This has to be the friendliest forum I've posted on! Most boards they tell you to f-off!

Thanks, best of luck to you too after Saturday.

Here's what I expect from our fans. Watch from about 14 mins...

 

This exactly. This ship is still effectively sinking. Hughes first job is to stop it sinking any further. I hope he knows just how low this club has actually sunk, it will probably become clear to him when he sees the squad in action. This time a manager has to be given time to turn it around.

 

P

Pre game drinks already paid for with the Sky boost of Kane +1 shot on target