Lets be honest, do any of us really believe we are good enough to get into play-offs and get promoted? Just get this season over, Gallen, Adkins and TS get a good squad together for next season and go for automatic promotion
I still believe that we can get to the play offs and from there get promotion .. AND I am sure that the players feel the same .. If any of them don't then they have no right to consider themselves professional footballers. The thing is .. IT IS IN OUR OWN HANDS .. three wins and we are DEFINITELY in the play offs where it looks like it could be us v Lincoln .. and we are well capable of beating them OR ANYBOBY .. folks, you got to believe otherwise crawl away and die
Cant be bothered for the rest of the season now. Will look at score updates on my phone over the final 3 matches but otherwise will be dedicating my weekends and evenings to more important and interesting things like gardening and going for a walk.
Like just about everybody I was pissed off with the performance, although not the team selection, it's surprising how few on here are on Valley Pass as it was pretty clear that Inniss, Aneke and Wash were not candidates to start. We didnt deserve 3 points, and we probably don't deserve play-offs, even if fans of other clubs in the top 10 will have been doing their nuts too in the last few weeks. So please nobody tell me I'm hiding behind the following as an excuse.
For years I've been arguing that the way time is added on is totally untransparent and cheats the fans, and is easily fixable too. As soon as 5 minutes came up I had the dread feeling, because I couldn't see where it came from. Can anyone remember a significant stoppage in the second half? Certainly nothing like Matthews in the first half which rightly accounted for 3 mins. Subs were made. But before anyone goes "30 secs per sub", ask yourself where, and by whom, that was written down as a rule? Certainly not at UEFA as that doesn't apply on the Continent, trust me on that. Right. And when did Crewe score? 95.12. So over the 5. Kettle added those 12 seconds. On what grounds? Probably so he could see what happened in that spell of Crewe pressure, thereby delivering on his personal ego driven mission to add his own touch of drama to games (you know, like sending a player off in the 1st minute). Don't believe some refs are like that? Then what to make of Matt Holland's story that when he latched on to the ball before his wonder goal at Leeds he heard somebody shout "shoot.". So he did. And who shouted at him to shoot? The ref. I mean, WTAF???
How to fix it? Extra time entirely in the hands of the 4th official, using an instrument which is wired to the stadium clock. Whenever he stops the clock, so does the stadium clock. When that clock reaches 90.00 (having been stopped several times during the game), a siren goes off regardless of where the action is. As in ice hockey. That leaves Kettle to dish out his card collection, and improve his decision making (he made some decent calls last night in terms of advantage and a tricky handball, to be fair to him).
This is something that I have been banging on about for a while. Take Saturday where Posh were managing the game like crazy. I can't see how there were 4 minutes added in that game and 5 yesterday. Not making excuses, but I think the system is too much finger in the air.
My main gripe is that game management/time wasting is not great for spectators and by definition the game. The fact that all teams do it, including ourselves is simply because it works. If it works you need to do something about it. We didn't see any yesterday however, and the ref deemed there was more time to play than when we saw loads a few days earlier.
I worry that someday many fans will get as tired of the "always looking on the bright side" statements by Nigel as they did of Lee's "blaming the players" statements. Positivity is good. Always being positive when we lose matches we should not might wear out quicker than some think.
I can't believe Bowyer had us play so negatively. We never took it to them and I was surprised he subbed Millar, who looked our biggest threat. Aneke should have played down the middle as he was running through them with ease, but instead of having great goal scoring opportunities, he arrived at the goal at an angle each time.
Then, having taken the lead, we sat back and let them equalise. I could see both of their goals coming. I think Bowyer needs replacing.
Oh hang on I forgot for a moment that he went to Birmingham and kept them up with an unbeaten run including games against many of the top sides. Turning their results from relegation to automatic promotion.
So now I've remembered I'm thinking maybe it's the the players that aren't good enough? Having said that Sunderland, Pompey & Oxford aren't either (Lincoln maybe are). So it's possible that a team that aren't good enough will be promoted.
Bowyer or Adkins... either one should be grafeful there were no crowds in this season because they and the eleven they put out this season are pathetic at the Valley and would of got dogs.
I know we have a rep for wrestling defeat from the jaws of victory but this season is not good enough...
Not great tonight but a point. We have to be better Saturday. We will give our all until the end. 3 To go.
As sure as night follows day, a template Jason Pearce tweet after a loss
I like Pearce, always gives 100% and never hides. He is past his best and has not had a great season but some of the vitriol towards him is not very becoming.
So Chuks and Washington couldn't have started then. Let's put that to bed.
I think anyone with even half a brain knew that. We are trying to pick a side whilst many are carrying knocks and need to try to manage them as best we can. No way could either Chuks or Wash start, even half an hour was a risk, and if we’d brought them on earlier we could have lost either, or both, for the last three games. However, we are nearly now in the last chance saloon and we will have to start taking risks with some of them. I’d start Stockley and Wash on Saturday and leave Aneke to come on if needed, starting Wash and Aneke would be too risky in my opinion.
Redrobo didn't and even when he did he still insisted they should have started :-)
We should have a rule for the post match thread....only allowed 1 post! That will definitely keeps things less negative. But it comes at a cost of curtailing our artistic nagging.
I look at Bowyer going in the same way I do Roland . It may get worse but it WILL, eventually, get better because we were only going downhill with both of them and they had to go .
Lets be honest, do any of us really believe we are good enough to get into play-offs and get promoted? Just get this season over, Gallen, Adkins and TS get a good squad together for next season and go for automatic promotion
I still believe that we can get to the play offs and from there get promotion .. AND I am sure that the players feel the same .. If any of them don't then they have no right to consider themselves professional footballers. The thing is .. IT IS IN OUR OWN HANDS .. three wins and we are DEFINITELY in the play offs where it looks like it could be us v Lincoln .. and we are well capable of beating them OR ANYBOBY .. folks, you got to believe otherwise crawl away and die
So Chuks and Washington couldn't have started then. Let's put that to bed.
I think anyone with even half a brain knew that. We are trying to pick a side whilst many are carrying knocks and need to try to manage them as best we can. No way could either Chuks or Wash start, even half an hour was a risk, and if we’d brought them on earlier we could have lost either, or both, for the last three games. However, we are nearly now in the last chance saloon and we will have to start taking risks with some of them. I’d start Stockley and Wash on Saturday and leave Aneke to come on if needed, starting Wash and Aneke would be too risky in my opinion.
Redrobo didn't and even when he did he still insisted they should have started :-)
Well he started Maatsen who was also said to be not fit enough to play a full game so why was it OK to risk him but not the others? Why didn’t Schwartz play? I would have preferred a striker than a left back up front. He was pants and may as well not played at all as he was so poor. It is not as if he was the only choice either. Shinnie, Morgan and Smyth all available. He could have played any of those and pushed Gilbey up front if he wanted a two and added Millar for a three. At least Gilbey is fit and has a good scoring record. Poor performance, poor tactics, poor team selection.
What is this mysterious underlying problem with Chucks anyway?
Got to beat a woeful Lincoln side who havent won in weeks......oh wait, that was a month ago before they mugged us off.
Nobody seemed to care then but I said it would come back & bite us on the arse.
Hope they beat us now as we deserve it. Should have never postponed that match.
You are golfaddick. Every single thing that happens is the end of the world. You don't get points when one of them turns out right, that's just the law of averages!
I’m sick and tired of all this bollocks about we’ve got to be careful with this player, we’ve got to nurse this player etc etc. If your fit you play or your on the bench if not your left out of the squad altogether.There are only 3 games left we’re very much still in it so let’s go for it play Aneke with Washington get Shinnie in there, play innis and Famewo together,if there going to break down and it’s a big if at least we’ve gone for it you won’t get in the playoffs without a creative midfielder like Shinnie opening defences and carving out chances for the front two Also playing a left back on the right wing and millar down the left isolating stockley with that formation you can kiss the playoffs goodbye.
crewe tactics was to overcrowd the mid and out number our three .. and it worked our wingers spent to much time going the wrong way to influence the game and Stockley become a lone man .... 352 and Crewe looked very ordinary but it’s all good learning curve for NA ... pity he did not have another 6/8 games in charge because we would have made the play offs easily
I’m sick and tired of all this bollocks about we’ve got to be careful with this player, we’ve got to nurse this player etc etc. If your fit you play or your on the bench if not your left out of the squad altogether.There are only 3 games left we’re very much still in it so let’s go for it play Aneke with Washington get Shinnie in there, play innis and Famewo together,if there going to break down and it’s a big if at least we’ve gone for it you won’t get in the playoffs without a creative midfielder like Shinnie opening defences and carving out chances for the front two Also playing a left back on the right wing and millar down the left isolating stockley with that formation you can kiss the playoffs goodbye.
The system can be very fluid but we should switch wingers for false number nines .. the Liverpool way at the moment we don’t have the right personnel but i am sure that will change over the summer .....
So Chuks and Washington couldn't have started then. Let's put that to bed.
I think anyone with even half a brain knew that. We are trying to pick a side whilst many are carrying knocks and need to try to manage them as best we can. No way could either Chuks or Wash start, even half an hour was a risk, and if we’d brought them on earlier we could have lost either, or both, for the last three games. However, we are nearly now in the last chance saloon and we will have to start taking risks with some of them. I’d start Stockley and Wash on Saturday and leave Aneke to come on if needed, starting Wash and Aneke would be too risky in my opinion.
Redrobo didn't and even when he did he still insisted they should have started :-)
Washington, I understand, he could only have so many minutes; not enough unfortunately to have any effect on the result after hammy issue.
Question: how many games has Chuks Aneke been on the field for Cafc this season.
Answer: a whopping 35 matches; surprised, I was. 13 goals in 35 matches is just under 1 in 3 but if we break that down to minutes on the field, Chuks scores a goal every 1.5 matches, which would explain why we are in 8th place and not 4th and cruising into the play offs. This is not a Lewis Page situation with Aneke. Chuks is fit, to play a part but only small segment of matches. Going forward this needs to be resolved.
Giving a dozen gift goals away this season we were never going to trouble the top 2 and missing 3 vital penalties, plus having a home record which would normally see you relegated.
Lee Bowyer really did need to leave sadly, as the nonsense off the pitch(pre Sandgaard) had caught up with him and he needed different players to work with and a fresh challenge. Really did feel mutual even those it was Lee's call to go before the season's end.
I'm still gutted about the 96th minute goal, just like Pompey are with Accrington's 92nd minute equaliser.
Nigel, Steve, Thomas and Jed have massive calls to make for next season which ever division we are in but League 1 is looking a strong favourite.
Good morning Ronnie Moore ,I agree with your comment about being over run in midfield that is why in my previous comments the 4 midfielders should be pratley to man mark and win the ball,Shinnie and jfc to play them killer passes into the front two and gilbey to get himself beyond the strikers and assist the front two and with his supreme engine he’s still got the energy to get back and make challenges in midfield.then on the hour look to rest chucks and Washington and bring on a fresh stockley and millar ,but put millar on the RIGHT to plant some decent crosses in to stockley.
Does anyone have a list of players we’ve played against who look above our level and worth signing? Crewe had a couple in midfield for starters.
Players with energy and pace who can spot a pass as well as tackle.
Been impressed with Scott Fraser (MK) | Jephcott and Camara (Plymouth) | Wintle, Kirk and Dale (Crewe)
They're the ones in particular that have impressed me this season
Lowery for Crewe looked excellent, reminded me in his style of Cullen.
A Cullen type is definitely something that we should prioritise, along with making sure we keep hold of JFC.
I honestly think there's the nucleus of a good squad somewhere in the dreck but the balance/alchemy isn't quite right. A midfield that has a Adkins-ified Gilbey and JFC in it needs the right fit to make it really sing but could be decent. Up front a lot depends on whether Stockley and/or Aneke stay or go but either of those two with Washington and DJ as a three could be pretty effective.
The defence is definitely somewhere that needs an overhaul but frankly that's been the case for a long time and Adkins has had no real chance to put a stamp on it save chancing an academy graduate, which is risky in the current situation.
There's definitely a lot of work to be done but I will say in Adkins' favour that he's clearly someone who likes to have a system and more importantly the players also seem happier to have that in place.
Does anyone have a list of players we’ve played against who look above our level and worth signing? Crewe had a couple in midfield for starters.
Players with energy and pace who can spot a pass as well as tackle.
I sense another rumours thread here,..... I liked the look of Dale on Tuesday, composed and took his chances well.
Funny a player does well against us and everyone says buy him .. Fraser of MK Dons not heard of him since they played us .. the young striker at Plymouth not scored for 18 games ....
Does anyone have a list of players we’ve played against who look above our level and worth signing? Crewe had a couple in midfield for starters.
Players with energy and pace who can spot a pass as well as tackle.
I sense another rumours thread here,..... I liked the look of Dale on Tuesday, composed and took his chances well.
Funny a player does well against us and everyone says buy him .. Fraser of MK Dons not heard of him since they played us .. the young striker at Plymouth not scored for 18 games ....
Fraser was linked with us last January when he was @ Burton...
Was surprised we didnt sign him ourselves in the summer, although guess a certain embargo stopped us
Comments
The thing is .. IT IS IN OUR OWN HANDS .. three wins and we are DEFINITELY in the play offs where it looks like it could be us v Lincoln .. and we are well capable of beating them OR ANYBOBY .. folks, you got to believe otherwise crawl away and die
Charlton can do one.
My main gripe is that game management/time wasting is not great for spectators and by definition the game. The fact that all teams do it, including ourselves is simply because it works. If it works you need to do something about it. We didn't see any yesterday however, and the ref deemed there was more time to play than when we saw loads a few days earlier.
We never took it to them and I was surprised he subbed Millar, who looked our biggest threat.
Aneke should have played down the middle as he was running through them with ease, but instead of having great goal scoring opportunities, he arrived at the goal at an angle each time.
Then, having taken the lead, we sat back and let them equalise.
I could see both of their goals coming.
I think Bowyer needs replacing.
Oh hang on I forgot for a moment that he went to Birmingham and kept them up with an unbeaten run including games against many of the top sides.
Turning their results from relegation to automatic promotion.
So now I've remembered I'm thinking maybe it's the the players that aren't good enough?
Having said that Sunderland, Pompey & Oxford aren't either (Lincoln maybe are).
So it's possible that a team that aren't good enough will be promoted.
I know we have a rep for wrestling defeat from the jaws of victory but this season is not good enough...
We didn't lose.
It may get worse but it WILL, eventually, get better because we were only going downhill with both of them and they had to go .
Poor performance, poor tactics, poor team selection.
What is this mysterious underlying problem with Chucks anyway?
Washington, I understand, he could only have so many minutes; not enough unfortunately to have any effect on the result after hammy issue.
Question: how many games has Chuks Aneke been on the field for Cafc this season.
Answer: a whopping 35 matches; surprised,
I was. 13 goals in 35 matches is just under 1 in 3 but if we break that down to minutes on the field, Chuks scores a goal every 1.5 matches, which would explain why we are in 8th place and not 4th and cruising into the play offs. This is not a Lewis Page situation with Aneke. Chuks is fit, to play a part but only small segment of matches. Going forward this needs to be resolved.
Giving a dozen gift goals away this season we were never going to trouble the top 2 and missing 3 vital penalties, plus having a home record which would normally see you relegated.
Lee Bowyer really did need to leave sadly, as the nonsense off the pitch(pre Sandgaard) had caught up with him and he needed different players to work with and a fresh challenge. Really did feel mutual even those it was Lee's call to go before the season's end.
I'm still gutted about the 96th minute goal, just like Pompey are with Accrington's 92nd minute equaliser.
Nigel, Steve, Thomas and Jed have massive calls to make for next season which ever division we are in but League 1 is looking a strong favourite.
They're the ones in particular that have impressed me this season
I liked the look of Dale on Tuesday, composed and took his chances well.
I honestly think there's the nucleus of a good squad somewhere in the dreck but the balance/alchemy isn't quite right. A midfield that has a Adkins-ified Gilbey and JFC in it needs the right fit to make it really sing but could be decent. Up front a lot depends on whether Stockley and/or Aneke stay or go but either of those two with Washington and DJ as a three could be pretty effective.
The defence is definitely somewhere that needs an overhaul but frankly that's been the case for a long time and Adkins has had no real chance to put a stamp on it save chancing an academy graduate, which is risky in the current situation.
There's definitely a lot of work to be done but I will say in Adkins' favour that he's clearly someone who likes to have a system and more importantly the players also seem happier to have that in place.
Was surprised we didnt sign him ourselves in the summer, although guess a certain embargo stopped us