Blackpool v AFC Wimbledon Official Matchday Thread 06.03.21

EagleDay said:
The only mistake he made today and it cost us. But why aren't we scoring more than 1 goal, that always gives the opposition a chance no matter how well or bad they are. The lack of possession in the second half was horrendous.
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It wasn’t the only mistake, he came out for the ball a couple of times and got nowhere near it, hw just got away with them.
 
Scaramanga said:
Two games a week even with the rotation (of which I don’t like) is just too much I’m afraid. I think it’s time to except we won’t make the play offs. There’s always a turning point in a season and this game might just be ours. Yep + far too many matches to catch up on
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Goforgoal said:
We can’t get a second because we don’t try to. One will do as far as our super coach is concerned.
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It certainly seems that way, we have only scored more than 1 goal in 9 of 29 league fixtures. How do we challenge for the playoffs, never mind automatic with a record like that? and only won about half of those games.
 
Even if we are trying to close out a match we don’t seem to have a credible counterattack threat. You can’t just lump it up to a single player up front, their defenders see it coming from a mile away and close it down, intercept etc and snuff out any threat before coming right back at us. I thought we had learned that lesson many years ago as BBB long toiled on his own with balls played up to him 8 feet off the ground.
 
TANGERINETOWERPOWER said:
I think Stewart has been ok but not world beating...Virtue has been slow and off the pace...he can score goals but needs to get more involved...CJ nowhere near fit...time to swap him now...we have 5 subs and NEED to change it up...Maxwell is our man of the match for me
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Funny how opinions can differ from watching the same game (I didn’t get on for the first 10 mins and understand Maxwell made a great save) however I personally though Maxwell was awful today....flapping at deep crosses that could and should of ended with at least 2 goals conceded. Also his kick straight out of play in the 92 minute didn’t exactly help. Surely a long distance kick rather than out on the full on half way would of sufficed.
 
Well at least you’ve all now taken your positions snd not sat on the fence....

Substitutions were poor. Agreed. For me CJ needed to come off for his fitness and comeback.
Beyond that Dougall for Virtue would have been enough until last 5 mins.

Still 5 games unbeaten and Madine back soon to give a rotation for Simms which we are lacking on the bench.
Bad result in the end but not worth having a full middle aged breakdown over
 
Scaramanga said:
Strangely CJ returning doesn’t seem to have helped, too often we look to just lump it long for him and give possession away too easy. NC fucked up today with his selection and substitutions and I hope he learns from that as it was two points dropped. They deserved a draw minimum.
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CJ should be coming on for the last 20 when the opposition is tiring. Gabriel should be starting and KaiKai should be brewing half time tea.
 
That was a game made for Madine. Those giants at the back for them would have had more to think about. He can kill time at the end of a tight game and we badly missed the outlet he provides, nothing stuck up front.
 
2 games a week until the end of the season is too many - some players burning out now - we haven’t got any players that would challenge any Championship teams nor any of the top teams in this Division - it’s frustrating but understandable - maybe a big home vocal support would have been enough to carry us today but we’re doing about as well as we can do I think
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
As others have said, negative substitutions that invited pressure for 10 minutes. That’s poor from NC. Gabriel was the sub needed for Virtue to give us pace and an outlet.

Trying to be positive, that’s 8 from the last 12 and only one of those 4 games was against a team below us. We are more than good enough to be in the top 6, so at this stage anything less will be a failure. It’s disappointing today, more the way we played and the lack of confidence, rather than the result.
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Good shout, The game passed Virtue by in the last ten minutes because he was out for the count. The substitutions totally fucked us.
 
If you were a neutral watching that you would have thought we were the bottom 4 side. Critchley seems to be more worried about the opposition than sorting out our attacking play. He's gone down in my estimation on these last 2 games.
 
Tangerinemoss said:
12th. This league is so poor that we are still in with a shout. However, if we cannot learn to impose our game on those coming to BR, we might as well take up netball. 1 - 0 is the most dangerous score in football.

I totally get giving CJ 60 minutes. However, with hindsight, if he had been fresh to come on in the second half, and we could have kept pressure on them, different ball game. It has been said many times today, but unless you have a world class defence, the best form of defence is attack.

I expect NC to hold his hand up at the presser.
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He won’t, as usual he will say we played very well against good opponents.
 
That was dire, down to an inept, negative coach and bunch of players whose fitness levels leave much to be desired. Disjointed, couldn't retain possession, one of the worst midfields in the league devoid of legs and creativity. Like Crewe, Wimbledon deserved their point.
 
BlackpoolsFinest said:
It's painful and petulant.
I've found myself reading the board less and less of late because the toxic nonsense is all encompassing on here.
So the opposition scores a late equaliser, let's haul everyone over the coals and demand a lynching.

I can't wait for us all to be back in the ground where we can scream a load of bollocks whilst everyone around us wishes we'd shut up, sit down and stop making a tit of ourselves because of a mis-placed pass.

It's tiresome.
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That's the best news I've heard for a while
 
Hankey2009 said:
Easily one of the most stupid comments I’ve ever read, well done
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I try and compartmentalise comments like these as the sort of thing I would laugh out loud about and make sure the person who had made the comment would know about it, should I hear it in a 'real world' setting.
These people are cretins, who are unfortunately given oxygen to spout their bollocks through the medium of message boards and social media.
 
Defensively we’ve been good, so credit for that.

In contrast, we’ve scored 14 fewer goals than the lowest scoring team in the top 6. Now, we have the pace and quality, so it’s how we set up, to be difficult to beat. Away from home that’s ok, but at home we don’t look threatening.

Thinking back, I remember Kaikai, Fonz, Feeney and Gnando ripping teams to pieces at times, breaking with pace. Now, we look to go long instead of playing and moving through the middle. It’s one dimensional and easy to play against. We look like we lack flair, but we have it, so players need the confidence to express themselves.
 
Lytham_fy8 said:
Why isn't Calderwood having a say? Is he? It's his ** defence by all accounts. What does Garrity do?
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I don't think you can blame the defence. The substitutions today invited the opposition on and we were punished. This defence have let in two goals in the last eight games. At 1-0 and playing our best football of the match he then started to dismantle the team...madness!
 
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Phil_bfc deux said:
That's the best news I've heard for a while
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Phil_bfc deux said:
That's the best news I've heard for a while
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What part of it; the bit where cretins are spouting so much nonsense it is driving others away from the board, or where when we're back in the ground so said cretins will be told to shut up and sit down?

It'll be hilarious to see fans such fawning over performances one week then calling for the managers head the next.
 
Lytham_fy8 said:
But when Critchley starts bottling it on the hour why are his assistants not stepping in? That's what Calderwood came in for, or is Calderwood leading the bottle?
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Hopefully Critch will listen to his own inner voice and determine that attempting to close up the shop on one nil at home is not working for us and that we need to go for the jugular after we score in future.
 
EagleDay said:
The only mistake he made today and it cost us. But why aren't we scoring more than 1 goal, that always gives the opposition a chance no matter how well or bad they are. The lack of possession in the second half was horrendous.
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I disagree Eagle, Maxwell was flapping more (on crosses) than a pigeon on speed. Not once but twice in the space of five minutes in H2, he came for crosses, didn't make it and was left floundering nowhere near his goal. Very lucky to get away with both of those. I reckon vampires deal with crosses better than him. And, if he is in the team for his distribution, pumping it into touch direct from a goal kick is simply not good enough. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I believe he is a weak link in the team and instills no confidence in the defence (although that doesn't say a lot on the defensive display today)...
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
Defensively we’ve been good, so credit for that.

In contrast, we’ve scored 14 fewer goals than the lowest scoring team in the top 6. Now, we have the pace and quality, so it’s how we set up, to be difficult to beat. Away from home that’s ok, but at home we don’t look threatening.

Thinking back, I remember Kaikai, Fonz, Feeney and Gnando ripping teams to pieces at times, breaking with pace. Now, we look to go long instead of playing and moving through the middle. It’s one dimensional and easy to play against. We look like we lack flair, but we have it, so players need the confidence to express themselves.
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We have flair players, but we struggle to get it to them effectively. Our problem is still in the centre of midfield. We have too many midfielders who are good at doing the same things, so it's imbalanced.
 
Rektseasider said:
I must have seen a different game to you. Gave the ball away 3 or 4 times allowing them to threaten our box.

laying off 5 yard balls sideways is the basics you expect from a footballer.

Literally no one was outstanding today. Thorniley and Ballard were the only ones that did there jobs fairly well. But there were numerous errors in their games.
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I don’t get this love in with Stewart, he makes as many bad passes as good ones and loses the ball an awful lot.
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
He broke down their moves, was always in the right position, picked the ball up and carried it forward and generally found a teammate. No player at any level completes 100% of passes.
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You claimed he was outstanding. None of our players were outstanding today. Many were abject.

He’s got a good touch and lays the ball off well and I agree defensively he is usually quiet good. But he was caught on the ball 3 or 4 times today, all of his own making hanging on the the ball and not being aware of his surroundings. Each time he gave it away it was in really bad spots on the pitch. It wasn’t all his fault. We seemed to be overrun all of the pitch. They seemed fitter than us and had a bit more desire.

It was a tough watch. Probably made tougher by our recent up turn in results and performances.
 
Rektseasider said:
You claimed he was outstanding. None of our players were outstanding today. Many were abject.

He’s got a good touch and lays the ball off well and I agree defensively he is usually quiet good. But he was caught on the ball 3 or 4 times today, all of his own making hanging on the the ball and not being aware of his surroundings. Each time he gave it away it was in really bad spots on the pitch. It wasn’t all his fault. We seemed to be overrun all of the pitch. They seemed fitter than us and had a bit more desire.

It was a tough watch. Probably made tougher by our recent up turn in results and performances.
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All about opinions, but I do agree it was a tough watch.
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
Defensively we’ve been good, so credit for that.

In contrast, we’ve scored 14 fewer goals than the lowest scoring team in the top 6. Now, we have the pace and quality, so it’s how we set up, to be difficult to beat. Away from home that’s ok, but at home we don’t look threatening.

Thinking back, I remember Kaikai, Fonz, Feeney and Gnando ripping teams to pieces at times, breaking with pace. Now, we look to go long instead of playing and moving through the middle. It’s one dimensional and easy to play against. We look like we lack flair, but we have it, so players need the confidence to express themselves.
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Don't be coming in here with your constructive, well thought out comments.
We only deal in dummies and toys out around here.
 
BlackpoolsFinest said:
We literally have posters who will swing from "hard fought 3 points" to "Critchley out" because of a deflected goal.

Utter, utter wet wipes.
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I've supported Critchley all the way through - check all my posts if you want. I believe in Sandler's long term scenario as a new idea in football.
But, something's got to give. It's March and we look as if we don't know each other. I think we've got a great squad but I've now flipped about Critchley.
 
1966_and_all_that said:
I've supported Critchley all the way through - check all my posts if you want. I believe in Sandler's long term scenario as a new idea in football.
But, something's got to give. It's March and we look as if we don't know each other. I think we've got a great squad but I've now flipped about Critchley.
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What do you mean "somethings got to give'?
Check the form table. We've drawn 2 games at home after winning 4 or 5 on the bounce.
What on earth do you think is going to happen after that run of form at this point in the season?

2 weeks ago we were sitting atop of all of the current form tables. We draw 2 games and all hell breaks loose. We haven't even lost a game.

Get a grip. It's pathetic.
 
1966_and_all_that said:
I've supported Critchley all the way through - check all my posts if you want. I believe in Sandler's long term scenario as a new idea in football.
But, something's got to give. It's March and we look as if we don't know each other. I think we've got a great squad but I've now flipped about Critchley.
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In his defence, he's lost four of his best players who would normally start games from the off. His reading of the game is another mater. When we get on top like today, he'll start to change things just to keep everyone happy. It's like he's already made his mind up about subs without looking at what's happening on the pitch in real time.
 
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Chunkylad said:
Well at least you’ve all now taken your positions snd not sat on the fence....

Substitutions were poor. Agreed. For me CJ needed to come off for his fitness and comeback.
Beyond that Dougall for Virtue would have been enough until last 5 mins.

Still 5 games unbeaten and Madine back soon to give a rotation for Simms which we are lacking on the bench.
Bad result in the end but not worth having a full middle aged breakdown over
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Sorry, I've been super supportive - and still am of Sandler's long term project - but not Critchley any more. There are good players waiting to break out of this stifling conservatism.
 
I can't wrap my head around the decision-making made today in regards to substitutions. We've been winning 1-0 away at the top of the league and not gone to 5 at the back to close out the game, why did we decide we should do this today, home against a bottom four side? Where's the logic? We just invited them to attack us for the last 10 minutes and when you're 1-0 up that's asking for trouble - especially as this isn't something we've done much this season, you can't expect the defense to be as organised as it would be in a normal 4. Also we had 2 defensive minded midfielders in Stuart and Dougal on the pitch, I don't think the 5th man in defence would have made a jot of difference.

I don't think Wimbledon will go down if they play like this every week, they did well, but I think we had plenty of good chances which we didn't convert, it felt like one of those games where we keep knocking on the door and won't get a goal, we did but in the end but because of the defensive mindset in the last 10 mins it didn't count for anything.

Disappointed today, we need to brush this week off and get our rhythm going again but if we don't make the playoffs games like these will be the reason why - regardless of the poor start to the season.
 
Lytham_fy8 said:
But when Critchley starts bottling it on the hour why are his assistants not stepping in? That's what Calderwood came in for, or is Calderwood leading the bottle?
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Maybe Calderwood the former defender, said to Critch put some defenders on, I've coached them to perfection. Just an alternative interpretation.
 
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