After making the long trip to Carlisle I hoped we could do the unthinkable and win but sadly it wasn’t to be.
The first 15 minutes was like the saddlers of a couple of months ago and it seemed as though we were set for an emphatic three points but from around the quarter hour mark we seemed to drop off.
I honestly think it wasn’t because Carlisle improved more we fell away. The whole team look absolutely shattered.
I don’t buy into the Barrett can’t be bothered view I just think he’s knackered like a lot of the players
( sorry but that’s my honest opinion).
One thing I can’t make my mind up about is MS, I can’t decide if he’s naive or just plain stubborn because to me last night he started with Albert as a striker which he isn’t and replaced him with someone who after a few minutes looked buggered, Jamma was done for and finally DJ comes on in the dying minutes. To me I’m thinking what the heck do you expect Johnson to do in that short space of time.
The other concern for me is regardless of who we are playing when we have to defend I expect the opposition to score. Yes we tried our best and I’m not going to start having a go at our players but I am concerned when after watching that game last night I hear MS using words like “brilliant “ ? I would have preferred “tired “ .
Agreed, but that is where the manager has to take responsibility. You can’t absolve him because of our lack of finishing quality, when he left our best finisher on the bench for 88 minutes. Reap what you sow.
I don’t buy this that we were shattered. We did much better in the second half. Carlisle had a couple of chances because we were pushing men forward but, otherwise we dominated that period. In fact, I felt that we were back near to where we were but the chances were not taken. Taylor Allen could have had a hat trick, though one of his efforts was well saved, as could Lakin who was unlucky to hit the woodwork…
Where we do look poor is defending set pieces. Their goal had a man unmarked; Jamma picked him up after that but I do not know if it was him who lost the scorer in the first place. We ourselves look dangerous from set pieces: League 2 is a bit like that.
Pretty much my take on things, I drove back in a significantly better mood than Saturday! Sadler’s selections and substitutions can be questioned, but I thought on balance we were much the better team last night and if not for poor finishing and some good goal keeping would have won by several goal margin.
Watching on the TV I agree with your view. The non playing of DJ was the biggest puzzle for me but we could have and should have won comfortably with the chances created.
Simply because he doesn’t have the changes to make (in his mind anyway). We had Comley on the bench alongside the lesser spotted Chang. We were in the ascendency at that point, Comley wouldn’t have helped that and Sadler clearly doesn’t fancy his January midfield additions which is bizarre given we were crying out for reinforcements there.
Just feels a bit of a mess.
I think match by match promotion this season is gradually slipping beyond our control .it seems regardless of our result the primary factor that will decide our destiny is the results of other teams .apart from Bradford our Rivals are doing the business for us in keeping us top three .we still have to play 4 of these and some tough games also against midtable decent teams who on our present form are performing as good or better than us .Jamma for me looks spent has done for a couple of games .Sadlers playing of Albert up front is because we simply have a real lack of quality up front .Lowe was more than a goal scorer he gave us so much more team wise with his running and movement .its said we have no creativity ability in midfield but you need players with movement and nouse upfront (Lowe ) .we have a player with nouse who sits on the bench every game why he doesn’t get more minutes is beyond me at this present moment ,earlier in the season yes I can understand that .it also seems we now have a number of DJ type signings that beg the questions why have we signed them .Amanchi for me is a six foot three Josh Gordon who really has little impact I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so tall but so poor in the air , Harrison to early to judge but he walks straight into this present forward line .so many problems at the moment.
I asked a question in our WhatsApp group this morning, and I wondered what folk on here thought.
Who, in the current squad, would be able to perform at league one level next season?
I can think of just 6.
Williams
Gordon
Barrett
Stirk
Jellis
Allen
That is a bit concerning for me - if, hypothetically we go up. Major investment needed.
If we don’t go up… then it’s the other side of the coin. We will most likely lose those key players.
It is an issue but I think I might add a couple to the list in McEntee and Weir. There might also be a couple of the younger ones coming through too but your point is well made.
I think Weir is a bit of a bolter tbh. Think he’s got the technical ability and left sided centre halfs are a bit of a commodity still.
As it currently stands, we are potentially around 7 games away from a possible automatic promotion.
The end is in sight.
I agree on all of those.
I would add and I appreciate all of his faults but I wouldn’t rule out Okagbue making improvements to become a league 1 player. He looked ok in the cups against league 1 teams.
He is never going to be a championship player but can see him growing in to a steady league 1 man. He is very young for a defender
If we do go up then we may keep Simkin for another year. Again not the best keeper at the moment but his ceiling is probably higher than we imagine now.
Simkin possibly had his best game for us last night. Generally solid and some outstanding saves.
Have to bear in mind the differences in the leagues which makes it a difficult call on which players will do well.
League 1 is hardly La Liga but it will be less of a war of attrition than league 2 is. This may suit other players than we currently asume.
The worrying thing for me is that we don’t look like winning a game. We aren’t scoring many goals and we always look like conceding at least one per game because we can’t do the basics right, like marking your man from a set piece! I can’t see where the improvement is going to come from - we don’t have anyone decent to bring in to change things. If only we had an experienced, quality striker who knows how to finish!
I find that surprising. He did well for us when he was given a chance.
I think Weir and Dave are improving and could make the step up. A few weeks back i would have said McCentee as a rcb should be ok but he needs to refind that level pretty quickly. Then Lakin as someone coming off the bench with 20/30 minutes to go should also be able to do a job.
For me the other issue is Comley, Gordon and Levi are all under contract next year and i dont think any are near good enough for league 1, or a team looking for promtion out of league 2, should the worse happen
I would probably agree on those, I do think Harrison could also be serviceable with the right partner if they decide to sign, and Evan Weir still has absolutely bags of potential for me too.
The other side to this though, should we actually have more concerns regarding the management and either the lack of ability to change or just plain refusal to do it. Not calling for his head by any means it’s obviously still very early days in his managerial career, just highlighting that we are persisting with things that are clearly not working and being outthought by some of the bigger coaching names in this league, that’s only going to get exposed more in the next division.
Yes but the danger is even though they maybe able to play at that level eventually it may take time for them to adjust, and promotion and relegation comes round every season .we would also need quite a few quality seasoned pros and more flexibility than we have at present .but good point .the cheque book will definitely need to come out .
Could be a definite possibility considering if the current malaise continues till the end of the season:-
a) MS’s current team selections and annoyingly unwilling to change things around
b) Yet anotherJanuary transfer window disaster when knowing we could & eventually did lose Lowe they bring in inexperienced kids and doubtful desperate punts on other players
c) Players are weary leading to lagging performances and lacking motivation and are off the previous pace
d) MS’s obstinacy to change things in game time echoed by his stupid 90th minute DJ substitution ( when he could have done it 10-20-30 minutes earlier )
e) The following pack behind are defintely smelling blood
f) We’ve done it all before, god knows how many other times, wim Warsull 'ay we
