Another blog... are we now properly decent?

Wonder what disgrace the lad perpetrated. Great blog as usual but it's the unanswered questions that always get me
 
Wonder what disgrace the lad perpetrated. Great blog as usual but it's the unanswered questions that always get me
Oh, nowt - he's just mithering to go on the playstation and refusing to do anything else and I told him to bugger off upstairs if all he could do was moan. Now he's reappeared being all nice.
 
"I sail with the winds (those who don't are weird people)"

100% agree. There are a lot of people on here that don't.
 
"I sail with the winds (those who don't are weird people)"

100% agree. There are a lot of people on here that don't.
I think most people do really, I think it's just a weird thing about message boards that you can pull out quotes from ages ago and say you were right/wrong and people get into entrenched positions.

I think come 2.55pm on a Saturday, in the ground, most people are mixture of hope/nerves no matter what has happened last week.
 
Your stuff is always a pleasure to read td53. It is invariably balanced and thoughtful, which sets it apart from much of what passes for football debate these days.
 
What a well written piece, thanks td. I've yet to be convinced that continuous rotation is the optimum. At top level the data spewed out by the analysts are given such importance by the sports scientists that players are chopped and changed seemingly at the drop of the proverbial hat. Having a settled team as much as possible has definitely worked in our favour. As a crap amateur footballer, having the same 10 players around you as much as possible for a run of games invariably leads to more fluid performances and better football.
 
What i like about Critch has been his adaptability in the face of constant games with no real time to work with the players. Despite all that, there's a real sense of shape and structure, something we don't often have in recent years.

Happy days. Despite not being there, the season still has so much interest and enjoyment.
 
A very good read. 👍

I still think early season though it was more about the players no being used to each other, not gelled and taking time to adjust to actually having to get the results when teams really wanted them themselves.

The style was good we created chances and got into positions like first game against Plymouth. Just didn't put the ball in the net.

The CJ who we had just before his injury had learned to work on his final ball and was improved and that CJ and others in the side, if we had played a similar game against Plymouth like the first one I think we would have put a few away.

Also Critch didn't really know his players or the best ones to play or who was staying.

So unfortunately it was kind of a necessary period to decide who he wanted to keep (we were playing Nottingham) and who he could trust.

We brough so many players in its no real surprise it didn't quite click for a bit.

Obviously we also did pointless passing a bit too much and have now learned to mix it up and honed our craft somewhat and improved the squad with a few additions we didn't have then.

All in all if we started the season now with a settled squad with the knowledge they have picked up, I think we'd be near the top.

I think regardless of if we go up this season or not its looking bright.

Just imagine the team with a lift from the vocal backing of pool fans in games spurring them on.
 
I think most people do really, I think it's just a weird thing about message boards that you can pull out quotes from ages ago and say you were right/wrong and people get into entrenched positions.

I think come 2.55pm on a Saturday, in the ground, most people are mixture of hope/nerves no matter what has happened last week.
It’s a great read as always!
I think it’s funny looking back on old posts and then teasing.

So far I’ve been consistent on Critch, but in Grayson I genuinely thought it was a shrewd move to get him in and was totally behind the decision. Then I saw a team that looked devoid of ideas and even when winning was basically creating little and was one dimensional. I felt it wouldn’t be long before we got found out.

I then wanted a replacement and was thinking someone like Karl Robinson or Evatt. I’ve had more faith in Critch than I did Grayson purely because even in the poor result periods, we’ve always tried to attack on the ground in the main and it just felt like at some stage it would click and we’d batter someone.
 
It’s a great read as always!
I think it’s funny looking back on old posts and then teasing.

So far I’ve been consistent on Critch, but in Grayson I genuinely thought it was a shrewd move to get him in and was totally behind the decision. Then I saw a team that looked devoid of ideas and even when winning was basically creating little and was one dimensional. I felt it wouldn’t be long before we got found out.

I then wanted a replacement and was thinking someone like Karl Robinson or Evatt. I’ve had more faith in Critch than I did Grayson purely because even in the poor result periods, we’ve always tried to attack on the ground in the main and it just felt like at some stage it would click and we’d batter someone.
I was really all in for Evatt - I just thought the romance of it all would great, he'd served a bit of an apprenticeship and seemed to fit the bill and had the character to command respect and the reputation that would buy time/support from the fans.

I felt similar to you about Grayson, though I really did think he'd eventually turn it around right up to one of the last games before he went. I remember writing a blog about how I just couldn't work out what he was trying to do any more. I think he had lost his way quite badly, but I also think he was essentially doomed by one bad (terrible) run in a season where he'd not really been able to make the squad his own.

It's weird how he's remembered for 'terrible football' (and at times it was utterly dire) but he also got the best from Sullay, signed Ronan and KDH and had Fonz playing like a dream early in the season and made Feeney look a million dollars.

I think that gutless display at Bolton did him a lot of damage in the long run sadly.
 
I was really all in for Evatt - I just thought the romance of it all would great, he'd served a bit of an apprenticeship and seemed to fit the bill and had the character to command respect and the reputation that would buy time/support from the fans.

I felt similar to you about Grayson, though I really did think he'd eventually turn it around right up to one of the last games before he went. I remember writing a blog about how I just couldn't work out what he was trying to do any more. I think he had lost his way quite badly, but I also think he was essentially doomed by one bad (terrible) run in a season where he'd not really been able to make the squad his own.

It's weird how he's remembered for 'terrible football' (and at times it was utterly dire) but he also got the best from Sullay, signed Ronan and KDH and had Fonz playing like a dream early in the season and made Feeney look a million dollars.

I think that gutless display at Bolton did him a lot of damage in the long run sadly.
TV game, big following in the ground, an opportunity to show what we were all about and we basically settled for a 0 0 at a doomed team.
 
A very good read. 👍

I still think early season though it was more about the players no being used to each other, not gelled and taking time to adjust to actually having to get the results when teams really wanted them themselves.

The style was good we created chances and got into positions like first game against Plymouth. Just didn't put the ball in the net.

The CJ who we had just before his injury had learned to work on his final ball and was improved and that CJ and others in the side, if we had played a similar game against Plymouth like the first one I think we would have put a few away.

Also Critch didn't really know his players or the best ones to play or who was staying.

So unfortunately it was kind of a necessary period to decide who he wanted to keep (we were playing Nottingham) and who he could trust.

We brough so many players in its no real surprise it didn't quite click for a bit.

Obviously we also did pointless passing a bit too much and have now learned to mix it up and honed our craft somewhat and improved the squad with a few additions we didn't have then.

All in all if we started the season now with a settled squad with the knowledge they have picked up, I think we'd be near the top.

I think regardless of if we go up this season or not its looking bright.

Just imagine the team with a lift from the vocal backing of pool fans in games spurring them on.
Just adding to my own comments here but also Jerry started slow putting pressure on himself to score and the longer it went on the more pressure built.

If we had started with the Jerry who is now settled its a different story.

Again not just him but Ekpiteta as another example. An absolute rock recently bit at the start looked shaky until he was settled and drilled and confidence had grown.

Its a shame as an average start and were right up but it was what it was, a product of the influx of players all at once, plus a new manager to league 1 and pros football.
 

Was bored. She's watching masterchef on iplayer, lad's upstairs in disgrace so I'm sat on my own. What else to do but write this? I need a life. Hope it passes the time for some.
Pleasure to read - as always. Thank you.
 
A very good read. 👍

I still think early season though it was more about the players no being used to each other, not gelled and taking time to adjust to actually having to get the results when teams really wanted them themselves.

The style was good we created chances and got into positions like first game against Plymouth. Just didn't put the ball in the net.

The CJ who we had just before his injury had learned to work on his final ball and was improved and that CJ and others in the side, if we had played a similar game against Plymouth like the first one I think we would have put a few away.

Also Critch didn't really know his players or the best ones to play or who was staying.

So unfortunately it was kind of a necessary period to decide who he wanted to keep (we were playing Nottingham) and who he could trust.

We brough so many players in its no real surprise it didn't quite click for a bit.

Obviously we also did pointless passing a bit too much and have now learned to mix it up and honed our craft somewhat and improved the squad with a few additions we didn't have then.

All in all if we started the season now with a settled squad with the knowledge they have picked up, I think we'd be near the top.

I think regardless of if we go up this season or not its looking bright.

Just imagine the team with a lift from the vocal backing of pool fans in games spurring them on.
Agree JJ
Apart from the first 15 minutes yesterday where we looked slightly “not at the races” we went on to completely dominate.
You would expect to come up against a bit of pressure when playing away from home but the bit we came up against we managed well.
Could have been different if Pitman had netted that early opportunity but at the end of they day it was a comfortable win.
I thought they were very one dimensional with most of the play going down the right hand side and Pitman all alone up front simply epitomised why a lone striker is always a bad decision.
Your point about players getting to know each other is valid because there were a few occasions yesterday where our players were passing the ball without actually looking but knowing there would be someone there to intercept the pass.
Possession and passing of the ball was a pleasure to watch and Swindon couldn’t get anywhere near the ball.
And to make 4 substitutions in one go speaks volumes that Sheridan has lost the plot.
His pre-match interview was interesting because at one point he said that during the week he prefers to be friends with his players but in the knowledge that on match days he has to be ruthless and knows that players will be upset at being dropped.
Totally wrong approach Mr Sheridan; familiarity breeds contempt”
Anyway it was a great day, confidence was oozing in bucket loads , especially Yates who threatens every time he gets the ball.
Roll on Monday. 👍
 
All very well observed and not much to argue about.
Each game throws up different challenges. We played a bit like MK Don's did against us in the first half yesterday but I'm more confident now that we'll keep that clean sheet and score that goal.
It will be completely different on Monday and I no longer know what to expect from Critch. If that's the same for opposition Managers then all well and good. It wouldn't surprise me to see Simms back on the bench along with Turts and Mitchell and Ballard may start. There aren't many options tbh.
But Critch is a real student of the game. He'll know exactly how to beat Gillingham. He just needs his players to do their jobs without mistakes, and those are getting fewer and fewer, and hopefully we all still be happy Easter bunnies by Monday teatime. UTMP.
 
Bob on assessment that @td53 but it put it entirely down to the fact that Critch's plans have been thrown in to disarray because of Madine's injury.

Since the end of October, we've been hard to beat most of the time, but for a lot of that spell we've not been especially good at winning games, especially against sides who set up quite simply and play in a physical, direct manner.
 
There is a bit of romanticism with the Evatt appointment, but that's a good thing. I think it could actually work out for us that he is cutting his teeth with Bolton. As well as he's doing managers don't stick around forever and the same goes for us with Critchley - I think our paths will align at some point!

Good stuff on the blog. As you say with the changing of the winds it is certainly true, especially for me with Maxwell and you touched on his captaincy. I could easily go and find a quote of mine at the start of the season where I say I dislike having goalkeepers as captains, but he is doing superbly. It has certainly been a particularly strange season of highs and lows, I think my opinion of whether we'll make the play-offs has switched at least twice, maybe three times but it is certainly staying now!
 
An excellent read, as always. I'm glad you do these occasional think pieces to allow a calmer reflection after the cut and thrust of a match.

I particularly liked your analysis of the contribution from Elliot "The Butterfly" Embleton. I'd never thought of him in that way before, but when you said it, it all seemed so obvious. (That's the mark of a great writer, that is. 🙂)

Finally, "Several times in recent weeks, I've looked at what he's done, whether in picking the team or making in game subs and thought 'what are you doing Critch?' only to be proven wrong." Me too! 😄
 
Lovely stuff. It's strange but true that Critch has become more demonstrative lately during matches, whilst remaining easily our most balanced, personable and well mannered manager in a generation. Twinkling away, but with confidence a bit of steel behind it all. Slowly but surely we're reshaping the personality of our team and club.
 
Great Blog. As usual you always bring at least one line that has me chuckling.

I never agreed with the “Tinkerman” jibe; I saw his changes as bedding in and getting to know the squads real strengths and weaknesses and crucially, knowing the season was going to be crammed into a shorter period than usual, getting players familiar with different roles playing different styles with different team mates.
Very much like Holloway did, only more thorough.
NC needed a disciplined and flexible squad and I believe we are seeing the results of that now.
It was a bit grim to start with and I began to have doubts ... now dispelled.

My only concern now is, can we actually maintain this roll we are on?
The teams trajectory suggests, with injured players returning, that we can ... but I can’t help but feel we will lose some games during the run in ... just typing this sets off my pre-match nerves 😬
 
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