Season enquiry

There’s been a massive care and connection with the players this season.

 

I agree, and I think it's the first season in a long time when the majority of the squad seem to 'get' what it means to play for our club.

 

Season enquiry doesn't need to start with the connection between players and fans at all, in fact its probably the best its been in years.

Mentality is what seems to kill us. Does anyone know if we have any kind of sports psychologist on staff? I know there's always the "these things average themselves out" argument, but in our case it just doesn't. That's 6 times we've lost points in 90+ minutes this season, 3 times we've gained points. For 9 of your 45 games to go down to the wire either way is ridiculous, it's not something promotion sides do.

We're 17th in late goals conceded (81mins onwards) with only Wimbledon, Barrow, Crawley, Crewe, Doncaster, Swindon & Walsall conceding more than us late in games, that's again not something a promotion side does.

By contrast, we are the only team in the league to not conceded a goal in the opening 10 minutes, we've conceded just 2 in the opening 15 minutes all season long which not only is the best record in our league, its the second best record in the entire EFL only behind Ipswich. Getting out the gates we are golden in defence and only Salford & Swindon have scored more than us in the opening 15 minutes of games. But second half comes along and our defence just wobbles, with 20 of our 42 goals conceded coming in the last 30 minutes of games. Also, 20 of our 42 goals against have come from set pieces, which seems a very high percentage.

I don't know if it's clock watching, poor game management, poor substitutions, a combo of all or something else, but the defensive mindset just completely alters.

 

Only two words needed for our season enquiry
TACTICALLY INEPT !!!
No points for guessing who that's down to

 

Those stats match with what we've seen with our eyes this season. Start games well, go a goal up, fail to build on it and inevitably concede when the opposition have their spell in the second half because our in game management is diabolical. This is what really angers me about this team - I cannot remember one game this season where we've even attempted to wind the clock down, dive and cheat our way to points like every single other side in this division does. We are so naive towards the importance of that side of the game at this level it is embarrassing.

 

Thought the same watching it last night. We hadn't created anything for a while, the game just became head tennis. I cant recall us having many meaningful touches in or around their box for added on time. For me, he should have brought on Clayton and accepted the point. He's a smart player, I'm guessing if he came on for Banks for example and we sured up the middle, he would have taken out that player who grabbed the ball on half way, taken the yellow before the ball was played out to the winger, probably stop the clock by standing infront of the ball for a bit too.

Someone needed to take out the guy on half way, or even Halliday close down the crosser and just clatter him, stop the play and take the foul. We weren't winning that game but a point drops all nerves for Sunday, instead of us having to get something from the champions whilst also hoping 20th place does us a favour against Mansfield.

 

If you want to know why our season went to shit, its down to the following reasons :
• We lost Walker an Osadebe right at the start. Meant that Chapman was forced out of his natural position an was instructed to play behind Cook, rather than on the wing, which had a knock on effect with his confidence as he didnt get up to full speed till April. Walker didn't get back till February
• The full backs arent good enough. And our system relies on good dynamic players in that position. Neither Foulds, Ridehalgh or Halliday fit the bill. An I dont care what people say about Halliday an his assists, the guys a liability once every 5 games
• Smallwood's set pieces were dog shit up until this last month. No surprise we didn't score many from corners or free kicks
• Lost Wright in January, the only other person in this team that can score
• Eisa, Perriera, Nevers, Costelloe, Oliver, Harratt have all been massive dissapointments this season
• A midfield of Gillead an Smallwood gets overrun 9 times out of 10
• We do stupid shit the back which results in giving the opposition golden chances
• Hughes instructs the team to sit back on 1-goal leads. It invites pressure from the opposition, which in result leads to more chances on our goal. It also displays Hughes insight on this team, as it shows he doesnt trust his defence, hence why he tries to get everyone behind the ball, but the opposition end up scoring anyway
• An over reliance on players who are old an cannot match the intensity of a League Two schedule. Clayton comes to mind
• A lack of leaders on the pitch if Clayton and/or Stubbs arent playing
• Poor home form. A team that is scared to play in front of their own support

 

This special connection thing is absolute BS and type of guff that, most, people would have no time for in their normal day to day lives but, for some reason, when it comes to football get taken in by it.

Whenever we have a good start to the season - this even happened last year under Adams - there will be posters claiming a special connection with this group,etc etc. This "connection" will suddenly disappear once we hit bad form.

We shouldn't care less about any imagined special connection, we should just want footballers who go out and give their all for their pay packet, ultimately that is why they do it.

 

The big issues this season have been tactics game management and questionable recruitment. All that belongs at the feet of Hughes. He came in with almost a third of last season to go had a good look at what was needed, showed us the type of football he was looking at playing and the green shoots were there. Fast forward to this season and he has ballsed it up and we're looking at yet another season of failure. Oliver, Periera, Nevers, Costelloe, Walker, Hendrie, Harratt, Odusina, Young, Derbyshire, Kelly, East have all failed to have a significant impact. Smallwood, Chapman Gilliead Clayton Ridehalgh have had decent spells of form but over a season it's not been good enough. There's only Cook, Lewis Halliday and Banks who have been consistent through the season and to be successful you need another 3 or 4.

Hughes has had enough time to see the issues and fix them, failure to go up this season is his fault and yet another managerial season for him of doing nothing.

 

Too early for an enquiry. Let's see how the season ends first

 

Whatever the outcome on Saturday I'll go against the grain (either it's been a really good season or a disaster) and say its been bang average. A flat 5/10. It's not been bad but it's not been anything to write home about either.

 

Walker?

 

I think you mean Monday, Mr Bumblebee

 

Aye. Force of habit.

 

Can't stay match fit and has 5 poor games to each decent game, very overrated.

 

One bad injury but for the main he has done well poor last night though

 

Yep.

Regardless of what we think will happen, if we win the play offs and beat someone at Wembley, we won't be looking back thinking "that was a poor season", we'll be thinking "right, let's get set for League One".