Doom and gloom,but this is league 1

[jjmanky]

The thought of "doom and gloom" is embarrassing, we are 8th in League One. We're a newly promoted team (Don't know if you've missed that), just because of the past 3 matches have been poor, doesn't mean you all start getting on the backs of the players and management staff.

 

[jjmanky]

The thought of "doom and gloom" is embarrassing, we are 8th in League One. We're a newly promoted team (Don't know if you've missed that), just because of the past 3 matches have been poor, doesn't mean you all start getting on the backs of the players and management staff.

If we lose next game, we're going down.......:winking::winking::winking::winking::winking::winking::winking::winking::winking:

 

[Lincoln Shrimper]

I have a lot of time for PB and I'm sure we wouldn't be where we are necessarily under another manager.

However, something that has always surprised me is that he never seems to be sure of his best side/formation and so on.

I know injuries play a part, but I've always thought keeping a settled system is a must.

Looking back over the years, the successful managers here have tended to stick to their philosophy.

I think it over-complicates things, worrying about the opposition and tinkering too much.

Spot on Andy. Couldn't agree more.

 

[mrsblue]

We won 4-1 previous to the last three games, so it wasn't as if we was battling to 1-0 wins and looking out of our depth.
The lads have looked a little tired, but that doesn't mean they aren't league 1 standard.

When in league 2 we often took off at the start of the season and went through a bad patch later on in the season....Were they not league 2 standard then? Were the players conference standard? No they were not. Get a grip.

We had one bad game, the players started to look a bit tired (let's not forget the busy fixture period). Brown tried to make changes but they haven't worked.

This time last season we kept 11 clean sheets,this season that is down to 6,we are playing against fitter better players who punish the errors we make.

Being 8th in this league is outstanding yet people want more and more from the very same players who just about gained promotion.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I hope Phil Brown also ups his game as he can't just blame the players. As I've said before, he's the best Manager I've ever seen on the training ground. I hope he's the Manager here for a long time as long term he is our best chance for promotion again. But he has to take the blame for picking a clearly not fit Coker for the last 3 games. For never dropping Lenny, meaning Lenny is never on guard about having a bad game. For playing this diamond formation lately, or no wingers against Doncaster, that allows the opposition acres of space to bomb down the wings, even their full backs. And the ridiculous substitutions, the last one was beyond belief, bringing on a player that needs some sort of stomach operation, who happens to be the most backward and sideways passing player in the squad, when we needed a goal. It just gave them another goal instead. Also for not resting certain players in busy periods, when we could all see they were slow and knackered. They just needed to be left out of one game, that's all.

 

[tommy tucker]

At the start of the season nearly every fan was saying mid table will do .Then we went on a blinding run 8 games un beaten giving Bury A thrashing may have sounded brill as it gave us supporters a thought we was better than we was . Now we have had 3 bad beatings on the trot the fans that were singing the famous ei ei ei o have now turned against these players .Well mid table is a real possibility .So in stead of moaning support the team towards that end .

 

[rhrussell]

I feel one of the issues with our team and managements is we do not manage the whole squad, we tend to work mainly with the 11 out on the pitch, we need to do more rotation of players, to expect player who are on the bench or out of the squad to come in after several weeks n the side lines and expect them to perform at 100% is clearly an issue, and I feel sorry for the likes of O'Neil, Prosser, and the rest of yesterdays reinstated players because the fans and management will point the finger at them, but its a squad game and PB does not do that, he never changes Leonard or Coker both in recent weeks have been below par.

 

[mrsblue]

Teams we have beaten this season and their current league position.

Posh......6th
Millwall...7th
Scunthorpe...15th
Crewe....24th
Vale.......10th
Barnsley...18th
Blackpool...21st
Oldham.....22nd
Bury........14th
Colchester ..23rd

One can argue the wins over Millwall and Posh were when both were adjusting to the new manager??

We beat the entire bottom 4 and lower mid table teams,I suggest we are where we are probably due to the fact that we are mid table team ourselves.

 

[rigsby]

I hope Phil Brown also ups his game as he can't just blame the players. As I've said before, he's the best Manager I've ever seen on the training ground. I hope he's the Manager here for a long time as long term he is our best chance for promotion again. But he has to take the blame for picking a clearly not fit Coker for the last 3 games. For never dropping Lenny, meaning Lenny is never on guard about having a bad game. For playing this diamond formation lately, or no wingers against Doncaster, that allows the opposition acres of space to bomb down the wings, even their full backs. And the ridiculous substitutions, the last one was beyond belief, bringing on a player that needs some sort of stomach operation, who happens to be the most backward and sideways passing player in the squad, when we needed a goal. It just gave them another goal instead. Also for not resting certain players in busy periods, when we could all see they were slow and knackered. They just needed to be left out of one game, that's all.

Clearly you weren't at the game yesterday. I've tried to explain why that happened on the other thread, but Atkinson is the perfect scape goat for most fans.

 

[LennySUFC]

I have a lot of time for PB and I'm sure we wouldn't be where we are necessarily under another manager.

However, something that has always surprised me is that he never seems to be sure of his best side/formation and so on.

I know injuries play a part, but I've always thought keeping a settled system is a must.

Looking back over the years, the successful managers here have tended to stick to their philosophy.

I think it over-complicates things, worrying about the opposition and tinkering too much.

Couldn't agree more on not knowing his best 11, but could this be a hidden compliment to the strength of our squad?
Tilly knew his 11 because the rest were not good enough!

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Clearly you weren't at the game yesterday. I've tried to explain why that happened on the other thread, but Atkinson is the perfect scape goat for most fans.

Nothing against Atkinson as a person, but surely being only one goal down, you don't think it's the right call to bring on a player who passes backwards more than any other for fear of losing the ball. He's hardly likely to score and hardly ever makes an assist. He's more in the team for his stamina rather than his football ability.
On the other hand you have the perfect player to bring on when a goal down. Jack Payne is probably the most positive player we have. He's all about attacking the opposition goal. He's able to score from inside or outside the box. He's able to get a goal or win a penalty with one of his Messi type runs into the box. He would have had the bit between his teeth having just been dropped from the starting line up. He makes things happen.
Bringing on the unfit Atkinson, can't be the correct call.

 

[turkishm]

I often agree with you but not on this one,the team have IMO had the life drawn out of them at this level,they look as though they are wearing concrete boots,they have played above their own level but now tiredness and fatigue is kicking in.

Dont see the games, so have to be a bit careful about my opinions. I believe PB likes to play a high tempo pressing game. Thats fine when everyone is fit, but i believe there might be to many players struggling with fitness levels at the moment, hence i agree with Mrs Blue.

 

[AndyT]

Jack Payne is probably the most positive player we have. He's all about attacking the opposition goal. He's able to score from inside or outside the box. He's able to get a goal or win a penalty with one of his Messi type runs into the box.

Couldn't agree more.

Makes you wonder what he's doing on the bench in the first place.

 

[Shrimper in India]

Mid table is fine with me....the lads will get form back eventually. If we can aim to just get 1 or 2 points from the next two games then that would be a great start to regaining form....against tough opposition though I could easily see us losing both...that would still not be a disaster as Peterbrough and coventry are very good outfits.

Don't say that, they are the two games I'm seeing on my short holiday back from India!! I'm hopeful we might grind out some positive results.

As has been said, this is the time we really need to get behind the boys to arrest this drop in form.

 

[rigsby]

[/B]


Nothing against Atkinson as a person, but surely being only one goal down, you don't think it's the right call to bring on a player who passes backwards more than any other for fear of losing the ball. He's hardly likely to score and hardly ever makes an assist. He's more in the team for his stamina rather than his football ability.
On the other hand you have the perfect player to bring on when a goal down. Jack Payne is probably the most positive player we have. He's all about attacking the opposition goal. He's able to score from inside or outside the box. He's able to get a goal or win a penalty with one of his Messi type runs into the box. He would have had the bit between his teeth having just been dropped from the starting line up. He makes things happen.
Bringing on the unfit Atkinson, can't be the correct call.

We never lost because of what will Atkinson did in the 90th minute when we had both CB's in the penalty area. Or because of Dan Bentley as you claimed in another post. Last week we had people slagging Barrett after we had gone three at the back and were already 3-0 down against Millwall.

I think the second half was less than ten minutes old when we had one of our predictable long throws flicked on and Deegan won the lose ball and shot wide of the post. From then on we managed just one attempt at goal when Barnett, in the same sort of position he scored from, shot wide of the left post only this time it was on his left foot.

We had enough players on the pitch who should be able to create or score but what we couldn't do was win the ball enough. Attacking is not just about having Jack Payne type players. Deegan was key in keeping Swindon stuck in their own half. Nobody was crying out for JP then. We bought a so called more attacking player on in Hurst. Timlin went in the middle which meant we had our width that everyone claims is a much better formation. Truth is that midfield was just not good or fit enough. With Timlin going off Jack would have found himself chasing the ball in his own half

As I said Atkinson had done his job and won the lose ball as we had gone two at the back. Worrall who has not produced all season should have put more on that cross and at least got to the far post as Swindon were one of the smallest teams we have played this season.

For those that believe in the attack policy we conceded three goals from having the ball in Swindon's penalty box.

 

[leeblue]

An odd sequence of results no doubt very unlike what we are used to in the Phil Brown era. Let's back the boys and hope we can return to our defensively solid selves. I can't put my finger on it tbh. Same defenders/players have taken us to the play off spots.....very odd

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

We never lost because of what will Atkinson did in the 90th minute when we had both CB's in the penalty area. Or because of Dan Bentley as you claimed in another post. Last week we had people slagging Barrett after we had gone three at the back and were already 3-0 down against Millwall.

I think the second half was less than ten minutes old when we had one of our predictable long throws flicked on and Deegan won the lose ball and shot wide of the post. From then on we managed just one attempt at goal when Barnett, in the same sort of position he scored from, shot wide of the left post only this time it was on his left foot.

We had enough players on the pitch who should be able to create or score but what we couldn't do was win the ball enough. Attacking is not just about having Jack Payne type players. Deegan was key in keeping Swindon stuck in their own half. Nobody was crying out for JP then. We bought a so called more attacking player on in Hurst. Timlin went in the middle which meant we had our width that everyone claims is a much better formation. Truth is that midfield was just not good or fit enough. With Timlin going off Jack would have found himself chasing the ball in his own half

As I said Atkinson had done his job and won the lose ball as we had gone two at the back. Worrall who has not produced all season should have put more on that cross and at least got to the far post as Swindon were one of the smallest teams we have played this season.

For those that believe in the attack policy we conceded three goals from having the ball in Swindon's penalty box.

Dear oh dear. You've now gone on to say where things went wrong, and mention other players. And I never said we lost because of Will Atkinson. We would still probably have lost, but that's not the point.
My main point was when a goal down, is it best to bring on an injured Atkinson, or a hungry Jack Payne?
We all know that Phil Brown likes to bring on negative or defensive players when a goal up, which is understandable, and then sit on a lead, which is not so good with these players, as they tend to then invite wave after wave of attacks.

 

[monkwell]

People are being far too negative (especially those who weren't there). I went there with a bunch of mates who support other teams including season ticket holders at Bristol City and Cardiff. They thought we were outstanding in the first half hour. We were rubbish later on, but it's small margins and if we had gone in at the break at 1-2 we would have won it.

 

[CyrilSneer]

It is interesting that these three thumpings have come against teams we have now played twice. Is our way of playing that easy to figure out that teams now know how to open us up. Just speculating as I dont know the answer. All I do know is that something has changed in the last 3 games. Is it us, due to players playing who are tired and unfit and lacking confidence. Or is the opposition exploiting our weaknesses.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

People are being far too negative (especially those who weren't there). I went there with a bunch of mates who support other teams including season ticket holders at Bristol City and Cardiff. They thought we were outstanding in the first half hour. We were rubbish later on, but it's small margins and if we had gone in at the break at 1-2 we would have won it.

Is that a fact? Did it happen in a parallel universe that you visited?