Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: mushRTID on March 22, 2025, 05:29:08 pm
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All still to come to us.
Has there ever been an end to a season with so many massive games?
Honestly think we need to try and get Billy on the pitch for longer in the run in. His experience will be massive and they are likely to be tight games. 10/15 minutes is no good now.
I wish I was feeling more optimistic but at least we have a say in our own destiny. Bring them on, it’s now or never!
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But billy has had plenty of time on the pitch and missed so many chances lately. What makes us think he will be key now
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But billy has had plenty of time on the pitch and missed so many chances lately. What makes us think he will be key now
Fair comments, I just have a gut feeling he still has a big part to play in getting us up.
I’m not calling for him to start, just to come on earlier.
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Yes. He’s got the nous to make things happen
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But not as a lone striker
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I hope Grant decides to go more offensive now, I’d like us to start going for it from the off, just like when he’s chasing a game, after all we are chasing a promotion !
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But billy has had plenty of time on the pitch and missed so many chances lately. What makes us think he will be key now
Fair comments, I just have a gut feeling he still has a big part to play in getting us up.
I’m not calling for him to start, just to come on earlier.
I hope he does. Would like nothing more than both him and ironside to find the net next week and kick start a run just at the right time.
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I would be just happy if we could get shots on target instead of only having 10-20% that way.
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Walsall are on a horrendous run, but us being us we’ll give them a leg up
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Can't see Walsall finishing in the top 3. Bradford will win it, with us Wimbledon and Vale playing it out for the remaining two places.
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Should we have some offers on to fill the ground ala Bradford
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Should we have some offers on to fill the ground ala Bradford
No, it won't need any offers.
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This game has the potential to be the equivalent of Barrow at home last season. Can see 11k home fans in for this one.
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Maybe reduce Bradfords away fans allocation, it would be a tactical advantage for us.
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I think GM should follow through on his suggestion that we give Bradford just 1500 tickets, as they did for us at their place.
Then put 1500 Rovers fans in the North Stand. Let's make it hard for them, not easy.
We all saw what happened when Chesterfield and Grimsby filled the away end.
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I think GM should follow through on his suggestion that we give Bradford just 1500 tickets, as they did for us at their place.
Then put 1500 Rovers fans in the North Stand. Let's make it hard for them, not easy.
We all saw what happened when Chesterfield and Grimsby filled the away end.
If the Bradford game is as big as it potentially looks to be then we should try every trick in the book to give our team the advantage.
Fewer Bradford fans would be a big one.
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We need all three of our strikers on the pitch with Street playing the wide role. We need a consistent run of wins, you only do that if you’re brave and go for it.
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Not in current top three but we could do with Barrow doing us a favour with a result against port Vale on Tuesday
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No easy run in for any of the teams above us, we’re still in the race to be promoted as champions
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That’s the spirit.
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We need all three of our strikers on the pitch with Street playing the wide role. We need a consistent run of wins, you only do that if you’re brave and go for it.
no we really don’t. Street was very poor wide left when playing there and is loads better up front. Also if we were to play all 3 of our strikers with street wide left what formation could we possibly play? Ironside wide right? It just wouldn’t work would it.
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Maybe a return to the 1930’s with GMcC becoming the new Pep in his adaptation of a modern 2-3-5 formation :)
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We need all three of our strikers on the pitch with Street playing the wide role. We need a consistent run of wins, you only do that if you’re brave and go for it.
You have to have balance. Can’t score without creativity. Neither Ironside, Sharp or Street are creative. Neither is our midfield. Add to that Street looked poor on the wing.. it’s a no from me.
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3-4-1-2
TSL
Olowu
Anderson
McGrath
Sterry
Bailey
Broadbent
Maxwell
Molyneux
Ironside
Street
This can offer good flexibility with personnel in that congested run too.
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Everybody seem to think we should pour forward which I agree with to an extent but is more about creating and taking chances, but, we need to know how to keep the back door closed as any side with offensive pace give us trouble, more so if Olowu misses games, which if he is leaving becomes more and more possible as he will not want to pick up an injury.
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All still to come to us.
Has there ever been an end to a season with so many massive games?
Honestly think we need to try and get Billy on the pitch for longer in the run in. His experience will be massive and they are likely to be tight games. 10/15 minutes is no good now.
I wish I was feeling more optimistic but at least we have a say in our own destiny. Bring them on, it’s now or never!
Keeping everyone fit and up for each game , we are not front heavy where goal scores are concerned and without Molyneux we’d would t even be in this position without his goals but our midfield needs be forward minded and keep the passes going to our best front players . Sharp Is itchin to play every game but Grant has to set the team for 90 plus minutes and it could all rest on either getting a lead early and keeping it or fighting to the last to get something from each game .
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I'd like to see our midfielders arrive in the box more like Clifton did at Accrington, we don't do it anywhere near enough.
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I can see us going 352 if Maxwell and Sterry stay fit and Molyneux playing central.
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To be in the top 3 at the end of the season, we will have to achieve something we haven't managed so far!!!
We have yet to beat any team in the top 7.
So far, if we concede the first goal, we might as well go home, as we have yet to win a game after conceding first.
Is anyone confident that we can manage that?
I'm not.
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Sure we’ve beat Port Vale
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Sure we’ve beat Port Vale
And Bradford.
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And Grimsby. However, were all those 3 teams in the top 7 at the time we played them? I'm not sure.
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Sure we’ve beat Port Vale
At the time of playing them Bradford were in the highest position at 7th.
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And Grimsby. However, were all those 3 teams in the top 7 at the time we played them? I'm not sure.
There was no mention of teams being in the top seven when we played them, only that we hadn’t beaten anyone in the top seven.
In which case, we have beaten three of them.
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And Grimsby. However, were all those 3 teams in the top 7 at the time we played them? I'm not sure.
There was no mention of teams being in the top seven when we played them, only that we hadn’t beaten anyone in the top seven.
In which case, we have beaten three of them.
Let me put it another way then. Whenever we have played a team above us we have failed to beat them.
Whichever way you look at it, we struggle against good teams.
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And when we win the title, you'll still be saying that we didn't beat anyone above us....
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And when we win the title, you'll still be saying that we didn't beat anyone above us....
Pretty impossible to do that now
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And Grimsby. However, were all those 3 teams in the top 7 at the time we played them? I'm not sure.
There was no mention of teams being in the top seven when we played them, only that we hadn’t beaten anyone in the top seven.
In which case, we have beaten three of them.
Let me put it another way then. Whenever we have played a team above us we have failed to beat them.
Whichever way you look at it, we struggle against good teams.
Most teams struggle against good teams.
However, we have been in the top five (and also top,three) for most of the season so there won’t have been too many times that we have actually played a team above us.
Having checked, we have only played against teams who were above us at the time on three occasions so far this season.
Gillingham who we beat 1-0.
Notts County who we drew 1-1 with.
Walsall who we lost 2-0 to.
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Whichever way you define it, EfD has it bang on. Our record against good sides is dreadful.
Record against sides currently in the top half:
P16 W4 D4 L8 GF17 GA25 Pts16 PPG1.00(*)
Against sides in the top half on the day we played them, we've won 2 points in the past 5 months.
That record has to change dramatically if we are even going to make the playoffs.
(*) compare against our record Vs sides currently in the bottom half.
P21 W14 D5 L2 GF37 GA19 Pts47 PPG 2.24
There's no escaping it. We are the ultimate flat track bullies this season. And we have to massively improve on that over the last 6 weeks.
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Picking the last five months is cherry picking though to suit your argument.
I noticed you didn’t apply the five month rule to the second part of your stats.
In the sixth month back (October) we picked up ten points against teams who were in the top half when we played them with three wins and a draw.
By then we were into ten games (plus) played so,that is a fair reflection of teams capabilities.
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We need to start with Ironside, Street centrally and with moly roaming across the front line. If we do this then we will be less predictable, and of course we will have billy in reserve, but not just for the last 10-15 mins.
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And Bradford, oh and Grimsby.
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And Bradford, oh and Grimsby.
You're a bit late with that, Andy.
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And Bradford, oh and Grimsby.
Yep. Both superb performances. Ones that made me think we had the measure of the better sides in this division.
But since we won at Bradford 5 months ago, we've played (I think, too late to check every match) 8 games against teams in the top 10 on that day(*). We've drawn against Notts C and Crewe and lost to Port Vale, Walsall, Chesterfield, Bromley, Grimsby and Wimbledon.
In most of those matches, we've certainly been competitive but frequently looked blunt against a side with a low block, and very vulnerable at the back (GF6 GA15).
(*) My mistake earlier. Top 10, not top half. We also beat MK Dons when they were in 11th. So our record against top half sides in the last 5 months is
P9 W1 D2 L6 GF8 GA16 Pts5. PPG 0.56.
We need a big improvement on that from here on, given that 6 of our last 9 opponents are currently in the top half and 5 of those in the top 10.
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Past is past. Whatever the previous results or performances matters not.
It's cup tie football from here on. On the day it's generally the team who makes fewest mistakes and capitalises on those given.
We've had a reset. There should be no doubt in the players minds about what's required and maybe, recent sad events off the field might galvanise them even more.
Nothing to fear. Everything to gain. Let's go do it.
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Past is past. Whatever the previous results or performances matters not.
It's cup tie football from here on. On the day it's generally the team who makes fewest mistakes and capitalises on those given.
We've had a reset. There should be no doubt in the players minds about what's required and maybe, recent sad events off the field might galvanise them even more.
Nothing to fear. Everything to gain. Let's go do it.
Well said Baz. Nice to see that some of us can have a positive attitude.
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Yep 9 cup finals cmon Rovers
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I wish I had the same confidence that some of you have but Im afraid nothing I have seen over the last few months has me thinking we will get automatic promotion this season.
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Swindon game we'd have won that with our first choice back 4.
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Being pedantic Gillingham were top when we beat them at home.
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Port Vale could and probably will be top 3 tonight. Come on Barrow! Same again as Saturday please
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Winning the games you should win or putting it another way not dropping (many) points against weaker teams is also important when wanting promotion.
Not denying we need to improve against the better teams but if you win enough you will go up.
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We need all three of our strikers on the pitch with Street playing the wide role. We need a consistent run of wins, you only do that if you’re brave and go for it.
You have to have balance. Can’t score without creativity. Neither Ironside, Sharp or Street are creative. Neither is our midfield. Add to that Street looked poor on the wing.. it’s a no from me.
Totally agree. Street has to be played as a number 9. Not sure who else i’d play up fron tbh, ive been really disappointed with both Sharp & Ironside so far this season.
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Just viewed the remaining L2 fixtures where in addition to us playing the top 3, they have tasty fixtures, and looking through the match-days to the end, it clear we have to concentrate on winning our games, we can’t afford to drop points from our home games and need to limit any away losses if we want a top 3 finish.
All the fun starts on Saturday
Accrington v Bradford
Crewe v Port Vale
Newport v Notts County
Walsall v AFC Wimbledon
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Port Vale could and probably will be top 3 tonight. Come on Barrow! Same again as Saturday please
Barrow take the lead.
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Port Vale could and probably will be top 3 tonight. Come on Barrow! Same again as Saturday please
Barrow take the lead.
Barrow been the better team by a mile!
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Never doubted them
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Darren Moore should really be doing better with that squad.
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Darren Moore should really be doing better with that squad.
Leave him alone. He's doing a fine job :)
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Port vale lose
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FT. 0-1
:)
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Amazingly, we now have roles reversed and we have a game in hand.
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If loads don't turn up Saturday now then when will they. Huge huge game
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Hopefully by our game on Saturday we know that 3 points will move us back Infront of port vale we could also do with a Walsall draw Vs AFC Wimbledon
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Is it written we go up against Vale at Wembley ?
By way I still believe we will be in top 3 :rtid:
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Current top 3 - next 3 games
Walsall:
Home Wimbledon
Away Donny
Home Port Vale
Bradford:
Away Accrington
Away Port Vale
Home Crewe
Wimbledon:
Away Walsall
Away Swindon
Home Harrogate
Us:
Home Carlisle
Home Walsall
Away Cheltenham
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Barrow have done us a huge favour now it's up to us to take advantage starting on Saturday. This is going to be some run in. Come on lads. Your time is now. RTID.
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Walsall’s next 3 games are very tough, they could get zero points.
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It’s bonkers, it seems we have as much chance of going up as 6 or 7 other teams, all as unpredictable as each other, and we can only hope we have a chair when the music stops.
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If we win all our remaining games we will be promoted, probably as champions as we would beat both Wallsall and Bradford along the way.
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Walsall’s next 3 games are very tough, they could get zero points.
Walsall will be a tough game for us
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And Bradford, oh and Grimsby.
Yep. Both superb performances. Ones that made me think we had the measure of the better sides in this division.
But since we won at Bradford 5 months ago, we've played (I think, too late to check every match) 8 games against teams in the top 10 on that day(*). We've drawn against Notts C and Crewe and lost to Port Vale, Walsall, Chesterfield, Bromley, Grimsby and Wimbledon.
In most of those matches, we've certainly been competitive but frequently looked blunt against a side with a low block, and very vulnerable at the back (GF6 GA15).
(*) My mistake earlier. Top 10, not top half. We also beat MK Dons when they were in 11th. So our record against top half sides in the last 5 months is
P9 W1 D2 L6 GF8 GA16 Pts5. PPG 0.56.
We need a big improvement on that from here on, given that 6 of our last 9 opponents are currently in the top half and 5 of those in the top 10.
That's now 3 points from the last 9 games against top 10 sides.
Last night was a perfect example of our limitations. Slow and ponderous in the build up against a side playing deep. Then when they counted, they did so at pace and with physical presence.
We are just not good enough to consistently hurt the better sides in a really poor division.
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And Bradford, oh and Grimsby.
Yep. Both superb performances. Ones that made me think we had the measure of the better sides in this division.
But since we won at Bradford 5 months ago, we've played (I think, too late to check every match) 8 games against teams in the top 10 on that day(*). We've drawn against Notts C and Crewe and lost to Port Vale, Walsall, Chesterfield, Bromley, Grimsby and Wimbledon.
In most of those matches, we've certainly been competitive but frequently looked blunt against a side with a low block, and very vulnerable at the back (GF6 GA15).
(*) My mistake earlier. Top 10, not top half. We also beat MK Dons when they were in 11th. So our record against top half sides in the last 5 months is
P9 W1 D2 L6 GF8 GA16 Pts5. PPG 0.56.
We need a big improvement on that from here on, given that 6 of our last 9 opponents are currently in the top half and 5 of those in the top 10.
That's now 3 points from the last 9 games against top 10 sides.
Last night was a perfect example of our limitations. Slow and ponderous in the build up against a side playing deep. Then when they counted, they did so at pace and with physical presence.
We are just not good enough to consistently hurt the better sides in a really poor division.
This is the big concern for play offs for me. Everyone’s stumbling but would I fancy us to beat a Notts County, Wimbledon, Walsall or (gulp) Chesterfield over 2 legs? Even if we did, would I fancy us to beat one in the final? Not with how we’re playing/have played I’m afraid.
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And Bradford, oh and Grimsby.
Yep. Both superb performances. Ones that made me think we had the measure of the better sides in this division.
But since we won at Bradford 5 months ago, we've played (I think, too late to check every match) 8 games against teams in the top 10 on that day(*). We've drawn against Notts C and Crewe and lost to Port Vale, Walsall, Chesterfield, Bromley, Grimsby and Wimbledon.
In most of those matches, we've certainly been competitive but frequently looked blunt against a side with a low block, and very vulnerable at the back (GF6 GA15).
(*) My mistake earlier. Top 10, not top half. We also beat MK Dons when they were in 11th. So our record against top half sides in the last 5 months is
P9 W1 D2 L6 GF8 GA16 Pts5. PPG 0.56.
We need a big improvement on that from here on, given that 6 of our last 9 opponents are currently in the top half and 5 of those in the top 10.
That's now 3 points from the last 9 games against top 10 sides.
Last night was a perfect example of our limitations. Slow and ponderous in the build up against a side playing deep. Then when they counted, they did so at pace and with physical presence.
We are just not good enough to consistently hurt the better sides in a really poor division.
Maybe if any of our midfielders who could actually pick an incisive forward pass (Westbrooke, Crew), or carry the ball (Kelly) could actually get a sniff of some game time, we might have some more joy solving this clear issue that has been going on for most of the season. All three of these players have been signed or had their contracts extended in the last 12 months so why are they never playing?
Bailey is great and a hard-worker, Broadbent has improved and does some good defensive work, Sbarra gets in some good positions but struggles to impose himself on the game, and Clifton is... well, pretty hopeless. But we still persist with the same combinations which just don't seem to work.
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And Bradford, oh and Grimsby.
Yep. Both superb performances. Ones that made me think we had the measure of the better sides in this division.
But since we won at Bradford 5 months ago, we've played (I think, too late to check every match) 8 games against teams in the top 10 on that day(*). We've drawn against Notts C and Crewe and lost to Port Vale, Walsall, Chesterfield, Bromley, Grimsby and Wimbledon.
In most of those matches, we've certainly been competitive but frequently looked blunt against a side with a low block, and very vulnerable at the back (GF6 GA15).
(*) My mistake earlier. Top 10, not top half. We also beat MK Dons when they were in 11th. So our record against top half sides in the last 5 months is
P9 W1 D2 L6 GF8 GA16 Pts5. PPG 0.56.
We need a big improvement on that from here on, given that 6 of our last 9 opponents are currently in the top half and 5 of those in the top 10.
That's now 3 points from the last 9 games against top 10 sides.
Last night was a perfect example of our limitations. Slow and ponderous in the build up against a side playing deep. Then when they counted, they did so at pace and with physical presence.
We are just not good enough to consistently hurt the better sides in a really poor division.
The mental approach after we scored, in both instances, bothered we. As soon as they upped the pressure we don’t have the ability to control the game with or without the ball.
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And Bradford, oh and Grimsby.
Yep. Both superb performances. Ones that made me think we had the measure of the better sides in this division.
But since we won at Bradford 5 months ago, we've played (I think, too late to check every match) 8 games against teams in the top 10 on that day(*). We've drawn against Notts C and Crewe and lost to Port Vale, Walsall, Chesterfield, Bromley, Grimsby and Wimbledon.
In most of those matches, we've certainly been competitive but frequently looked blunt against a side with a low block, and very vulnerable at the back (GF6 GA15).
(*) My mistake earlier. Top 10, not top half. We also beat MK Dons when they were in 11th. So our record against top half sides in the last 5 months is
P9 W1 D2 L6 GF8 GA16 Pts5. PPG 0.56.
We need a big improvement on that from here on, given that 6 of our last 9 opponents are currently in the top half and 5 of those in the top 10.
That's now 3 points from the last 9 games against top 10 sides.
Last night was a perfect example of our limitations. Slow and ponderous in the build up against a side playing deep. Then when they counted, they did so at pace and with physical presence.
We are just not good enough to consistently hurt the better sides in a really poor division.
Maybe if any of our midfielders who could actually pick an incisive forward pass (Westbrooke, Crew), or carry the ball (Kelly) could actually get a sniff of some game time, we might have some more joy solving this clear issue that has been going on for most of the season. All three of these players have been signed or had their contracts extended in the last 12 months so why are they never playing?
Bailey is great and a hard-worker, Broadbent has improved and does some good defensive work, Sbarra gets in some good positions but struggles to impose himself on the game, and Clifton is... well, pretty hopeless. But we still persist with the same combinations which just don't seem to work.
Pib, for most of this season the main complaint of fans has been the constant changing of personnel and not having a settled side. Now McCann seems to be trying the settled side alternative and still we grumble.
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And Bradford, oh and Grimsby.
Yep. Both superb performances. Ones that made me think we had the measure of the better sides in this division.
But since we won at Bradford 5 months ago, we've played (I think, too late to check every match) 8 games against teams in the top 10 on that day(*). We've drawn against Notts C and Crewe and lost to Port Vale, Walsall, Chesterfield, Bromley, Grimsby and Wimbledon.
In most of those matches, we've certainly been competitive but frequently looked blunt against a side with a low block, and very vulnerable at the back (GF6 GA15).
(*) My mistake earlier. Top 10, not top half. We also beat MK Dons when they were in 11th. So our record against top half sides in the last 5 months is
P9 W1 D2 L6 GF8 GA16 Pts5. PPG 0.56.
We need a big improvement on that from here on, given that 6 of our last 9 opponents are currently in the top half and 5 of those in the top 10.
That's now 3 points from the last 9 games against top 10 sides.
Last night was a perfect example of our limitations. Slow and ponderous in the build up against a side playing deep. Then when they counted, they did so at pace and with physical presence.
We are just not good enough to consistently hurt the better sides in a really poor division.
What would you suggest the alternative be against a side that sat with 8 men behind the ball.
The passing wasn’t slow either in my opinion, it was quick passing but much of it sidewards but if a side sits with 8 players behind the ball there’s not much you can do about that!
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And Bradford, oh and Grimsby.
Yep. Both superb performances. Ones that made me think we had the measure of the better sides in this division.
But since we won at Bradford 5 months ago, we've played (I think, too late to check every match) 8 games against teams in the top 10 on that day(*). We've drawn against Notts C and Crewe and lost to Port Vale, Walsall, Chesterfield, Bromley, Grimsby and Wimbledon.
In most of those matches, we've certainly been competitive but frequently looked blunt against a side with a low block, and very vulnerable at the back (GF6 GA15).
(*) My mistake earlier. Top 10, not top half. We also beat MK Dons when they were in 11th. So our record against top half sides in the last 5 months is
P9 W1 D2 L6 GF8 GA16 Pts5. PPG 0.56.
We need a big improvement on that from here on, given that 6 of our last 9 opponents are currently in the top half and 5 of those in the top 10.
That's now 3 points from the last 9 games against top 10 sides.
Last night was a perfect example of our limitations. Slow and ponderous in the build up against a side playing deep. Then when they counted, they did so at pace and with physical presence.
We are just not good enough to consistently hurt the better sides in a really poor division.
Maybe if any of our midfielders who could actually pick an incisive forward pass (Westbrooke, Crew), or carry the ball (Kelly) could actually get a sniff of some game time, we might have some more joy solving this clear issue that has been going on for most of the season. All three of these players have been signed or had their contracts extended in the last 12 months so why are they never playing?
Bailey is great and a hard-worker, Broadbent has improved and does some good defensive work, Sbarra gets in some good positions but struggles to impose himself on the game, and Clifton is... well, pretty hopeless. But we still persist with the same combinations which just don't seem to work.
Pib, for most of this season the main complaint of fans has been the constant changing of personnel and not having a settled side. Now McCann seems to be trying the settled side alternative and still we grumble.
I’m all for a settled side, but not just for the sake of it. Our midfield hasn’t been able to pass wind for most of the season.