Popular Post striker Posted December 31, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted December 31, 2021 Half way through the season, a good time to take stock and reflect. As we stand a mid table team, 5 points off the top 6, 10 points off the top 2. While not mathematically unachievable, we couldn't make 6 points up on teams at the bottom of the league, losing most games last season over the whole of last. season, so unlikely to make up sufficient points against teams at the top of a league who are winning most weeks over the remaining games. I've seen every one of our games, league 1 is not complex and the difference between us and the top 6 is that those teams play to their strengths. By and large that involves closing down, getting the ball forward quickly and utliilising what pace they have. We still don't look comfortable, offer nowhere near enough up front, don't score enough goals and defensively look confused and always likely to concede. We have shown we are at our best playing with a high tempo, closing down and attacking. Still, consistently we do not do this, favouring possession between defenders, always looking for a backwards pass than looking forwards. We don't play to our strengths, have pacey wingers playing as wing backs, meaning they are often in no man's land, ineffective and despite having an extra man in midfield still leave gaps the size of the grand canyon for the opposition to run through unopposed. That said, we have shown the capacity to roll over teams at will when we want, such is the poor quality of this league, but just don't do it with any consistency or confidence. Our wins seem to be a sense of relief and surprise to the team, draws our comfort zone and losses brushed off as 'one of those days'. Moore by nature is pragmatic, nothing is ever urgent, not even last season as we drifted towards this situation when games were never must win despite our dire predicament. That culture follows through onto the pitch, there doesn't seem any urgency or desire, it's always a case of 'oh, ok we'll work on it for the next game' but soon games will be running out. We look a.mid table team and suspect that's how we'll finish the season. That will only change with a change of manager or approach from the current one. There is literally nothing to lose now this season. It's time to go balls to the wall, attack with a high tempo, high press and try to outscore the opposition. My opinion, a change of manager gives us the best chance of doing that because I don't think Moore can evolve beyond this boring, pragmatic ideology. That said, don't have anyone in mind or any confidence that the owner is competent enough to appoint the right manager. I expect we could finish the season now and we'd end up in the same league position. Just happens we have to sit through 23 more games to stand still 15 2 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleSeven Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 Fair assessment. I think we might do a bit better second half of the season than first which might see us scrape into the top six. The biggest challenge is without Windass and Luongo we look a far worse side and if we are going to be relying on them being fit (or even here in Windass’ case) then the wheels could easily fall off and we could end up mid table. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beswetherick Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 25 minutes ago, striker said: Half way through the season, a good time to take stock and reflect. As we stand a mid table team, 5 points off the top 6, 10 points off the top 2. While not mathematically unachievable, we couldn't make 6 points up on teams at the bottom of the league, losing most games last season over the whole of last. season, so unlikely to make up sufficient points against teams at the top of a league who are winning most weeks over the remaining games. I've seen every one of our games, league 1 is not complex and the difference between us and the top 6 is that those teams play to their strengths. By and large that involves closing down, getting the ball forward quickly and utliilising what pace they have. We still don't look comfortable, offer nowhere near enough up front, don't score enough goals and defensively look confused and always likely to concede. We have shown we are at our best playing with a high tempo, closing down and attacking. Still, consistently we do not do this, favouring possession between defenders, always looking for a backwards pass than looking forwards. We don't play to our strengths, have pacey wingers playing as wing backs, meaning they are often in no man's land, ineffective and despite having an extra man in midfield still leave gaps the size of the grand canyon for the opposition to run through unopposed. That said, we have shown the capacity to roll over teams at will when we want, such is the poor quality of this league, but just don't do it with any consistency or confidence. Our wins seem to be a sense of relief and surprise to the team, draws our comfort zone and losses brushed off as 'one of those days'. Moore by nature is pragmatic, nothing is ever urgent, not even last season as we drifted towards this situation when games were never must win despite our dire predicament. That culture follows through onto the pitch, there doesn't seem any urgency or desire, it's always a case of 'oh, ok we'll work on it for the next game' but soon games will be running out. We look a.mid table team and suspect that's how we'll finish the season. That will only change with a change of manager or approach from the current one. There is literally nothing to lose now this season. It's time to go balls to the wall, attack with a high tempo, high press and try to outscore the opposition. My opinion, a change of manager gives us the best chance of doing that because I don't think Moore can evolve beyond this boring, pragmatic ideology. That said, don't have anyone in mind or any confidence that the owner is competent enough to appoint the right manager. I expect we could finish the season now and we'd end up in the same league position. Just happens we have to sit through 23 more games to stand still Sums up our season so far perfectly 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
behindthegoal Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 A fair assessment, I am not writing us off to reach the play-offs. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striker Posted December 31, 2021 Author Share Posted December 31, 2021 3 minutes ago, behindthegoal said: A fair assessment, I am not writing us off to reach the play-offs. No, neither am I. But really I know it's unlikely. I'll still hold on to the hope while mathematically possible, but without any sincere expectation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buck Rogers Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 Spot on that. This bit in particular hit a chord for me: 'Our wins seem to be a sense of relief and surprise to the team, draws our comfort zone...' I've never felt yet this season that we were completely in control of a game. That really needs to change. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philb125 Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 My thoughts are: League One is poor. Like really poor and I’ve not seen anything to think that the way out of it is to simply outclass your opposition. By and large, teams are physical, lack quality, competitive in midfield with power and pace causing problems from out side or upfront. There isn’t much time for sophistication or creative players to shine. Dunkley looks great at this level despite his reviews on here. Wins almost everything in the air, chips in with goals too. I’ve watched just as many goals scored by nothing balls as a moment of magic. Just an aimless ball into the box, win the second ball and score. Or a simple ball over the top for speedy forward to run onto. Some good goals from out wide though. Having creativity and speed out wide seems great idea. Now, I’m not sure having our creativity shackled as wingbacks or trying to play Bannan or Wing or both and expecting them to have the freedom to dictate play has worked. You just put some clogger earning 500 quid a week to man mark Bannan and all of a sudden you’re up against it and wondering how you’re struggling to a team you have only seen on your betting slips with players you’ve never heard of. For me I’d just want a 4231 or a 433 with 2/3 all round, competitive CM’s with all out threat and creativity coming from out wide. I think players like Bannan and Wing are a luxury our team can’t afford both in £££ and how it leaves us overrun without any defensive cover. I’d like to see the young lad in our U23 get a chance before we ship him out on loan, looks to have good movement and pace unlike Berahino or Paterson. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfsmith Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 Have we had enough ‘time to gel’ yet? 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 Our track record in that first season after relegation from the championship is poor. Our first half of the season given the amount of changes, issues etc. is decent but we’re not at the Top of the Table so the OT experts want Moore Out and the OT experts always get what they want 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanharper Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 Top 3 squad on paper, hampered by injuries but shackled by a manager who shoehorns half the team into unnatural positions to stubbornly accommodate a 3 CB system that largely yields neither positive results nor cohesive performances. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieman Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 All to play for. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devonstrix Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 1 minute ago, Pieman said: All to play for. ……….but sadly the players don’t seem to think so 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graz gp Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 Sorry we are going nowhere. Wrong manager, its a big job and he is not the guy to do it. Uto 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mad Mik Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 11 minutes ago, graz gp said: Sorry we are going nowhere. Wrong manager, its a big job and he is not the guy to do it. Uto Who is then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manwë Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 10 points behind Rotherham, who are now our biggest footballing rivals, we've drawn more games than any other team in the league but 9 teams have won more games than us. Clinging onto the playoffs, whilst forgetting that the playoffs themselves are not promotion. Bizarre team lineups, lack of tactical substitutions, no desire to win games. We've had an unbeaten spell but it didn't count for anything because others may have lost in the same period, but they also won. Happy with the draws though. We hired a league One manager and got a league one team. 52nd placed in England. Couldn't ask for more than that really. . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Django Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 Sh*te 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJMortimer Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 1 hour ago, Manwë said: 52nd placed in England. Couldn't ask for more than that really. Bit of a cheap shot that, given that even if we'd won every game by double figures we'd only be 45th. And the reasons we are in the third tier to begin with rest largely at a higher level of the club than the team manager. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A47Owl Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Mad Mik said: Who is then? There are many who would be right BUT they are all employed and by clubs with a better chairman (that doesn't take much) than us. Nobody in their right mind would work for DC with what is widely known about him in the football world. DC is the problem in every aspect of the club. As sole owner and decision maker there is no one else to change his ideas. Edited December 31, 2021 by A47Owl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey_wells Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 I get that feeling the players collectively know promotion is going to be unlikely. The realisation of the situation has started to kick in to a few heads... and the continued uncertainty of what the January window will bring, combined with a number of key injuries to important players, and a general soft underbelly has seen some of them put their head down and lose any belief they had. Some will be far more positive and insist it can or will still happen. But we haven't got enough of those, and we haven't got enough real quality either considering the injuries. That's why players and manager alike (plus fans) know how important someone like Windass, Luongo or now Dunkley can be... without them we do struggle. All fit, we're got a really decent spine there alongside Bannan, Gregory and the keeper on his good days. Without any significant changes I expect the 2nd half of the season to be pretty similar - some good, some bad, some indifferent performances and results - and we'll finish mid table. ... which definitely isnt what the owner wanted after choosing to keep players, pay them plenty money and trust his manager to do the job - and that's about the only thing that really matters here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetland Owl Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 report says could do better We have never had a settled side, missing our key players like Windass and Luongo Players like Wing, Byers, Sow, Shipedo &, Berihino should be a lot better than they have showed and have let us down. We never control games & don't score enough goals. Defensively, we have ;lots of problems with no CH due to injuries. We seem to pick up far too many injuries and this has been going on for a few years. We don't play to our strengths, teams should fear us , DM should be playing Theo much more. Into 2022 hope to see players going like Wing, Sow, Berahino, Byers and Shipedo leave the club Bring in a LB, CH, defensive midfielder, another CF (tall) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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