we don't deserve promotion because so many of our fans are complete *****.

[onceknownasrab]

Agreed.
The team is truly, truly appalling at home. The most boring ever...by far!

There is an alternative thought though. As boring as it is, it would have some more interest, however limited, if the players, regardless of tactics, could consistently perform basic skills. Whatever PS has told them to do, it should not prevent a professional footballer from being able to pass, read the game, and in particular register an effort on target to at least trouble the opposing goalkeeper. Lads in the park on a sunday, you know, sweaters for goalposts, would be embarrassed to be as poor as our team purport to be at the basics.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

There is an alternative thought though. As boring as it is, it would have some more interest, however limited, if the players, regardless of tactics, could consistently perform basic skills. Whatever PS has told them to do, it should not prevent a professional footballer from being able to pass, read the game, and in particular register an effort on target to at least trouble the opposing goalkeeper. Lads in the park on a sunday, you know, sweaters for goalposts, would be embarrassed to be as poor as our team purport to be at the basics.

I totally agree Mr Arab Man. The fact is though, it IS boring and NO they cannot appear to read the game, pass or give opposing defenders anything to cause them to worry.
I am not blaming any individual, it is a team effort ....but the play IS like park football. The team must be capable of better.

In most seasons I would have no real idea how we would perform at home. Perhaps we would be fantastic? Perhaps Good? Perhaps OK? Perhaps Mediocre? Perhaps poor? Perhaps absolutely awful?
Now I am fairly sure we will be poor and incredibly boring to watch!

Sad.

 

[Jam_Man]

I totally agree Mr Arab Man. The fact is though, it IS boring and NO they cannot appear to read the game, pass or give opposing defenders anything to cause them to worry.
I am not blaming any individual, it is a team effort ....but the play IS like park football. The team must be capable of better.

In most seasons I would have no real idea how we would perform at home. Perhaps we would be fantastic? Perhaps Good? Perhaps OK? Perhaps Mediocre? Perhaps poor? Perhaps absolutely awful?
Now I am fairly sure we will be poor and incredibly boring to watch!

Sad.

Which is why I predicted yesterday that it would be a frustrating night and a 1-0 defeat.

Added to the fact that we are poor at home is that Aldershot are a decent team, they are difficult to beat as our rivals have found out.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Which is why I predicted yesterday that it would be a frustrating night and a 1-0 defeat.

Added to the fact that we are poor at home is that Aldershot are a decent team, they are difficult to beat as our rivals have found out.

How frustrating that prior to the match we stood 3rd in the league. The game was absolutely vital and on paper one we could and perhaps should win.

Yet you went to the match thinking we would lose 0-1 and the performance would be poor.

It shows that the team really must show some desire to attack and win at Roots Hall.

 

[Jam_Man]

How frustrating that prior to the match we stood 3rd in the league. The game was absolutely vital and on paper one we could and perhaps should win.

Yet you went to the match thinking we would lose 0-1 and the performance would be poor.

It shows that the team really must show some desire to attack and win at Roots Hall.

Indeed I thought we would struggle last night.

I said in another thread how its put down to passion and desire too often and think its the same here, if the team had neither they wouldnt be able to win away from home.

We seem to have a massive issue at home where our style of play isnt suite to a team that plays more defensively. Away from home the opposition are more attacking but at Roots Hall they are happy to soak up the pressure and nick a goal if they get the chance.

Being more psoitive at home would be a breath of fresh air though.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

We have to become positive at home. results depend on it and attendances will more and more depend on it. Few will continue to pay to watch matches that are excitement-free.

 

[ldnfatso]

I dunno why people are saying "last night apart", we have played pretty crap all season long. I was criticised at the Q&A session with PS for saying we are average at best and at other times bl00dy appalling. We have just seemed to grind out results mainly away. Lets, face it, without our away points we would be struggling in this poor league. I suspect some would now agree with me. As much as i'd love us to get promoted, i think we'd get a good pasting in most games next season. Anyone who disagrees should get real.

 

[DTS]

We have been banging on for weeks about getting the North Bank open so the passionate noisy fans can really make some noise. Credit due that they made a lot of noise last night but the sight of so many of them walking out before the end is a sad sad one.

Do you blame them. Does anyone have the slightest bit if pride left having watched us at home since the season started.

We are so boring to watch at Roots Hall it's untrue. Week after week we turn up at Roots Hall go through the motions only to be blunt and lifeless going forward. It's solely our away form that leaves us 4th in the table and the fact a few other sides have fallen apart too.

I can name the home games I have actually enjoyed this season I suspect on one hand. Were not Man United we don't win every game and I don't expect that but I do expect the players to show some fight and create a few chances.

Southend United have my money again next season and probably will for the rest of my natural life but they are ****ing lucky to have it as if it wasn't for the fact I see my Dad, mates and the banter I wouldn't renew as the football and entertainment value has been almost nil this year I'm my humble opinion for a side that sits 4th.

 

[ldnfatso]

Do you blame them. Does anyone have the slightest bit if pride left having watched us at home since the season started.

We are so boring to watch at Roots Hall it's untrue. Week after week we turn up at Roots Hall go through the motions only to be blunt and lifeless going forward. It's solely our away form that leaves us 4th in the table and the fact a few other sides have fallen apart too.

I can name the home games I have actually enjoyed this season I suspect on one hand. Were not Man United we don't win every game and I don't expect that but I do expect the players to show some fight and create a few chances.

Southend United have my money again next season and probably will for the rest of my natural life but they are ****ing lucky to have it as if it wasn't for the fact I see my Dad, mates and the banter I wouldn't renew as the football and entertainment value has been almost nil this year I'm my humble opinion for a side that sits 4th.

Quite agree Dave and we had much the same conversation last night.

 

[united we stand]

Regardless of our position in the league or last nights performance what annoys me most is the attitude of too many of our supporters at roots hall. It has been the same for several years not just since tilson left. I much prefer away games these days.

please explain, and add in which part of the stadium you sit ?

In the North bank, and in W the team is cheered on, no abuse is levelled at individual players, as soon as the oppposition scores we dont moan, we dont stay silent we start singing. If there is absue I honestly don't hear it

We have one of the higgest atttendences in the league, and , based on posts on here many of us are not 'enjoying' the football we see , but 4000+ are still coming to watch it.


We are no worse than anyone else, it would be interesting to look on a Leeds forum today :winking:

 

[Smiffy]

Do you blame them. Does anyone have the slightest bit if pride left having watched us at home since the season started.

We are so boring to watch at Roots Hall it's untrue. Week after week we turn up at Roots Hall go through the motions only to be blunt and lifeless going forward. It's solely our away form that leaves us 4th in the table and the fact a few other sides have fallen apart too.

I can name the home games I have actually enjoyed this season I suspect on one hand. Were not Man United we don't win every game and I don't expect that but I do expect the players to show some fight and create a few chances.

Southend United have my money again next season and probably will for the rest of my natural life but they are ****ing lucky to have it as if it wasn't for the fact I see my Dad, mates and the banter I wouldn't renew as the football and entertainment value has been almost nil this year I'm my humble opinion for a side that sits 4th.

Bang on the money my friend.

For a side that is 4th in the league and with a slim chance of going up, this is the most soul destroying promotion challenging side I have ever seen.

It's hard enough for us hardcore regulars to sit through the total dog **** that gets served up at RH every week. Let alone the floaters. No wonder we only pulled 4,500 last night. If we were playing decent football, we would of pulled over 6,000 last night. It goes to show that a team high in the table doesn't necessarily bring the fans in. Entertainment is the name of the game for peoples hard earned wedge these days. And we aint being entertained. Not by a bloody long shot. I enjoy watching my group of 7 year olds play more than the tripe we are witnessing at present.

Cue the "would you rather be entertained, than be successful" mob...

Why cant we have both?...I'm not asking for Barca football. Just a bit of passion and a few decent shots at goal would be nice.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

The sad thing is...this thread will just run into a string of agreement.
The football is so, so poor.

I would accept boring 1-0 wins to take the title or even just get promoted.

But we are not getting boring 1-0 wins regularly. 0-2 Rotherham, 0-0 Crawley (yes excitement but it was Crawley that provided the excitement by attempting to actually score), 0-1 last night.
No excitement. Almost no goal attempts.

There is no way that any home supporter got even £2 worth of value last night...so why would a "floater" return to pay next time???

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

In the first half I thought we played some of the best passing football we have this season. Just no clear cut chances.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

In the first half I thought we played some of the best passing football we have this season. Just no clear cut chances.

Bloody hell! We now seem to accept 45 (90) minutes with "no clear cut chances".

Is laughable..honestly!!!

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

Bloody hell! We now seem to accept 45 (90) minutes with "no clear cut chances".

Is laughable..honestly!!!

Well no, that's not what I said Kevin my main man. LOL. I said I thought the general football we played was quite entertaining.

 

[CC51DAS]

If we hadnt spent so much money and had so many new and individually decent players in this season, following 2 years of fighting for our financial survival fans expectations would have been much lower. I expected mid-table preseason. With the amount of tinkering Sturrock had been able to do in comparison to at least 18 teams in the division (possibly more) it is clear that the board either expect (or more likely have rashly gambled on) promotion.

That activity has raised fans expectations. Compare that to life under Alan Little where we really did have journeymen, no ambition and definitely no funds. Fans did not EXPECT promotion or were as critical as we currently are. Vocal, passionate and whingeing after a defeat with a large slice of realism.

At least with Alan Little in charge he signed quite a few players from York which gave rise to a raesonably amusing ditty:

The Grand Old Duke of York,
He had 10,000 men,
Not one of them could kick a ball,
So he sold them to Southend :stunned:

Cue Firestorm for verse two ......

 

[Jai]

Entertainment for me is not pretty passes. It's goalscoring chances. I witnessed two halves of football last night, one in which we passed the ball around neatly, the other in which we lumped the ball up to our front men incessantly.

Both were boring, because there was absolutely no goal-mouth action.

I have always said the hoofball debate is a myth. People don't care how we get into goalscoring positions, they just want us to get in them.

I have defended us for a long time but after the last few home games, it is pretty clear that the formula is all wrong, back to front. We have to go for the jugular and attack teams. We have the players to hurt teams. But setting up with a diamond midfield against a solid unit was just asking for trouble. We need width to stretch teams out and create gaps.

I am not in the Sturrock out camp. I think he has done, and still is doing, a great job. But he does need to change his approach at home because people are simply not enjoying themselves, myself included. Basically, we cannot afford to get gates like we have been doing, because if those sort of figures continue PS will pay with his job, which I think would be a great shame.

 

[DTS]

Jai spot on for my mind.

At home I think both Marin and Hall should start and on the wings. I just don't see the point in sticking central players out wide. Timlin has shown time and time again that he isn't a good crossed and he does not really have much attacking instinct. Sawyer is more creative but again wants to come inside again.

Last night have two CM's out wide and a winger and a central defender in the CM roles just didn't look right.

Blair takes so much **** but he was no better or worse than Harris or Benyon but as PS is his Dad then he gets loadsbof stick of course.

I think PS is as good as it's gets at this level. He has done superbly to get us to 4th and he seems to have cracked playing away from the Hall but at home he is so negative it's no wonder the fans aren't happy.

Personally I think were screaming out for a right winger and I don't rate any of the current forwards with the exception of Dicko whom like Sturrock is as good as it's gets at this level and maybe Benyon who I can't really judge yet. Sampson may be good in time but he need to be in a winning side to be blooded, Blair is technically good but never going to score, Harris is a yesterday man and Patterson, Crawford and Asante I don't think are up to standard.

I was expecting Sturrock to be a tactical genius but to be honest the home tactics seems to have no pattern or structure and I feel he dosent have a plan B. It's like the dark days of Wignall all again.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

We have been banging on for weeks about getting the North Bank open so the passionate noisy fans can really make some noise. Credit due that they made a lot of noise last night but the sight of so many of them walking out before the end is a sad sad one.

It was eerily quiet in the stands last night. More like a reserve game.

You could hear everything the players said on the pitch.

I suppose usually that's drowned out by the groans.

If we hadnt spent so much money and had so many new and individually decent players in this season, following 2 years of fighting for our financial survival fans expectations would have been much lower. I expected mid-table preseason. With the amount of tinkering Sturrock had been able to do in comparison to at least 18 teams in the division (possibly more) it is clear that the board either expect (or more likely have rashly gambled on) promotion.

That activity has raised fans expectations. Compare that to life under Alan Little where we really did have journeymen, no ambition and definitely no funds. Fans did not EXPECT promotion or were as critical as we currently are. Vocal, passionate and whingeing after a defeat with a large slice of realism.

Alan Little spent lots of money on journeymen. He might not have burnt it on transfer fees, but he did on wages. Webb came in and assembled a better team on cheaper wages.

Do you blame them. Does anyone have the slightest bit if pride left having watched us at home since the season started.

We are so boring to watch at Roots Hall it's untrue. Week after week we turn up at Roots Hall go through the motions only to be blunt and lifeless going forward. It's solely our away form that leaves us 4th in the table and the fact a few other sides have fallen apart too.

I can name the home games I have actually enjoyed this season I suspect on one hand. Were not Man United we don't win every game and I don't expect that but I do expect the players to show some fight and create a few chances.

Southend United have my money again next season and probably will for the rest of my natural life but they are ****ing lucky to have it as if it wasn't for the fact I see my Dad, mates and the banter I wouldn't renew as the football and entertainment value has been almost nil this year I'm my humble opinion for a side that sits 4th.

Quite agree Dave and we had much the same conversation last night.

Ah, the reason why Dave gets so bored at home games becomes clear......

Jai spot on for my mind.

At home I think both Marin and Hall should start and on the wings. I just don't see the point in sticking central players out wide. Timlin has shown time and time again that he isn't a good crossed and he does not really have much attacking instinct. Sawyer is more creative but again wants to come inside again.

Last night have two CM's out wide and a winger and a central defender in the CM roles just didn't look right.

Blair takes so much **** but he was no better or worse than Harris or Benyon but as PS is his Dad then he gets loadsbof stick of course.

I think PS is as good as it's gets at this level. He has done superbly to get us to 4th and he seems to have cracked playing away from the Hall but at home he is so negative it's no wonder the fans aren't happy.

Personally I think were screaming out for a right winger and I don't rate any of the current forwards with the exception of Dicko whom like Sturrock is as good as it's gets at this level and maybe Benyon who I can't really judge yet. Sampson may be good in time but he need to be in a winning side to be blooded, Blair is technically good but never going to score, Harris is a yesterday man and Patterson, Crawford and Asante I don't think are up to standard.

I was expecting Sturrock to be a tactical genius but to be honest the home tactics seems to have no pattern or structure and I feel he dosent have a plan B. It's like the dark days of Wignall all again.

Last nights tactics were pretty inventive. Put two central midfielders outwide and a winger in the centre. I can't see them being repeated in a hurry though.

People won't like to admit it, but Sturrock's opinion on Sawyer - no end product and can't shoot - looks pretty spot on. Hall in the middle just looked too greedy and even the dumbest of defenders will have twigged that he was just looking to cut onto his left foot and shoot. It looked a game too far for Dailly. This all left our forwards feeding off crumbs - and this was before the ref would intervene. We never really got a platform from which to play and never got to grips with the ref. The one time we opened them up was when Sturrock touched on a cross for Timlin but the ref called it back for some imaginery foul when Timlin was about to score.

 

[Napster]

I think Webby had the best idea, sticking forwards on the wings rather than centre-midfielders. Bit more attacking. But of course this left us massively vulnerable.