Blackpool v AFC Wimbledon Official Matchday Thread 06.03.21

BlackpoolsFinest said:
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.
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It's not pathetic at all. My criticisms were clear. Critchley is, and has been all season, a slow, round the back, keep possession developer and it's poor. We win games by 1-0, often with a late hit. These are facts. Today has shown that at this late stage - March - we are not firing on all four. I've said in other posts that I've supported him this season against doommongers and I actually think we've got a great squad. But Critchley, no it's not working. I'll bear my bottom, eat my hat etc, etc if we do well and yes, I want us to but this man has just made me flip today.
 
td53 said:
Bit pissed off with that tbh... Have a match report.

mclfoot.blogspot.com

Same mistake twice? - the Mighty vs AFC Wimbledon

'Silky' I think I've got blog fatigue. I'm really looking forward to the game today, but not really looking forward to describing it. I've ...
mclfoot.blogspot.com mclfoot.blogspot.com
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Sorry, skim read it 53, not in the mood. However, I'll pick up on one thing. Until CJ came back everything was about building up down the left. Now hey presto, it's about building up down the right.
Balance between the two would be good.
PS. Critchley out.
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
You need to watch the game again.
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Factually Stewart had 65 touches, 53 passes, 40 accurate, 16 in his own half and 24 in their half.
1 accurate cross, 7 long balls, 4 accurate.
For the sake of the discussion I would have rested him today and played Dougall instead.
 
However people think we have or haven’t did or didn’t we’ve been on a great run and still remain mid table drawing two games in a week against 2 teams around and below us and made to look average simply ain’t good enough . To get playoffs we’ve got to go on a run even better than we have just been on and I cannot see it myself
 
It’s been a season of intermittent promise and disappointment and will probably stay that way barring another run of wins. Too soon for us to look really dangerous as a side, yet we’ve made strides to being an above average team in the division.

We just have to play out this wretched season and start again next year with fans. I do think the lack of fans has an effect as that instant feedback to manager and team just isn’t there and affects decision making.
 
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Sooty59 said:
Well you must have been watching a different game to me, he looks composed & made some decent moves without loosing the ball
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I was watching the same game and wishing Stewart would be taken off. He gives it away way too much and too often looks to pass backwards when he should be looking forwards, losing us any forward momentum.
 
Atletico_Seasider said:
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)...
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I like the comment about vampires and crosses 😂😂😂 But when the opposition is allowed to put so much pressure on the defence what do you think is going to happen?
 
EagleDay said:
I like the comment about vampires and crosses 😂😂😂 But when the opposition is allowed to put so much pressure on the defence what do you think is going to happen?
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Yes, that's a fair point Eagle. Hardly anyone covered themselves in glory today. It was like they we were playing with a time bomb that was about to explode at any point. I think only Stewart showed any real composure on the ball. Turton and others were guilty on a number of occasions of not putting any pressure on the wide Wimbledon players, allowing them unchallenged to cross it and that clearly didn't help Maxwell...
 
With the lack of attacking options we have, if we take Simms or Yates off we have to change formation.
Lubala seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Would someone like Holmes who is banging in goals for the youth team, be any worse than the changes we made today ?
 
clappers said:
It’s been a season of intermittent promise and disappointment and will probably stay that way barring another run of wins. Too soon for us to look really dangerous as a side, yet we’ve made strides to being an above average team in the division.

We just have to play out this wretched season and start again next year with fans. I do think the lack of fans has an effect as that instant feedback to manager and team just isn’t there and affects decision making.
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I agree fans make a difference, but in this strange season it’s the same for everyone isn’t it?
 
Since74 said:
I was watching the same game and wishing Stewart would be taken off. He gives it away way too much and too often looks to pass backwards when he should be looking forwards, losing us any forward momentum.
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Must have been when I was sent round to our next door neighbours twice as our dog has discovered a way through the hedge. 😂 Anyway I’ve calmed down now, it’s only a game. I wonder what tomorrow’s job for me could possibly be. 🙄
 
Since74 said:
I agree. I don't get the love-in for Stewart either. Awful today. Terrible passes. And is literally taking us backwards...
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I'm undecided on Stewart still (and Mitchell).
I see plenty of positives with Stewart particularly his positional play that allows his team mates to make an easy pass to him.
The problem then is his inability to make a "killer" pass but maybe that should be the job of the player he moves it on to.
He can be careless in his distribution.
Again on the plus side he does work hard, he covers alot of ground, he breaks up play well.
However today I would have rested him for Dougall.
 
Insider said:
I'm undecided on Stewart still (and Mitchell).
I see plenty of positives with Stewart particularly his positional play that allows his team mates to make an easy pass to him.
The problem then is his inability to make a "killer" pass but maybe that should be the job of the player he moves it on to.
He can be careless in his distribution.
Again on the plus side he does work hard, he covers alot of ground, he breaks up play well.
However today I would have rested him for Dougall.
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I would have played Stewart with Dougall and I still say that if all 3 of Husband Turton and Virtue play then we are not going anywhere fast. At the moment we look what we are..... a mid table League 1 outfit and we are not unlucky to be where we are. Two points for the season against Crewe and one point against Wimbledon speaks volumes and we are not really playing any better than we did under Simon Grayson.
 
To be honest Rekt I admired your optimism and hoped you were right but I did have doubts about taking out both full backs and the supply line going forward was always going to be interrupted without Garbutt and Gabriel...we can play one of Turton Husband and Virtue and maybe two at a push but all 3 is going to weaken us too much.
 
I think Critch, like the majority of the messageboard, doesn't have a clue what our best eleven is.
The fullbacks have been the subject of a fierce debate all season.
I don't think Turts did anything wrong today but ultimately Gabriel is just a little bit better.
We can't change the CBs at the moment because we only have 2 fit.
Hubby is Mr Comittment and tough guy defender whereas Garbs is less sound defensively but better offensively and can (occasionally) deliver a great set-piece.
Midfield is unfathomable.
Stewart/Dougall/Ward/Virtue/Hamilton/Robson are probably the choice mid-fielders but they are difficult to fit into a mid-field quartet.
Yates and Madine need to start as the front 2 and we need to finish with 2 up front so that brings Simms into the equation.
 
Insider said:
I think Critch, like the majority of the messageboard, doesn't have a clue what our best eleven is.
The fullbacks have been the subject of a fierce debate all season.
I don't think Turts did anything wrong today but ultimately Gabriel is just a little bit better.
We can't change the CBs at the moment because we only have 2 fit.
Hubby is Mr Comittment and tough guy defender whereas Garbs is less sound defensively but better offensively and can (occasionally) deliver a great set-piece.
Midfield is unfathomable.
Stewart/Dougall/Ward/Virtue/Hamilton/Robson are probably the choice mid-fielders but they are difficult to fit into a mid-field quartet.
Yates and Madine need to start as the front 2 and we need to finish with 2 up front so that brings Simms into the equation.
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I think you've got the same barrier that we all have. That's why I'm leaving the players out of my criticism- because I think they're good - and laying it vitally at the coach's door. These players, between themselves could sort out at worthwhile approach to a game. But, they are being held back by a coach's methodology that is too insular. They don't feel able to open up and express themselves.
 
TANGERINETOWERPOWER said:
To be honest Rekt I admired your optimism and hoped you were right but I did have doubts about taking out both full backs and the supply line going forward was always going to be interrupted without Garbutt and Gabriel...we can play one of Turton Husband and Virtue and maybe two at a push but all 3 is going to weaken us too much.
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Like I said when I saw Dimi and CJ in the side my eyes lit up. I thought we’d have too much for Wimbledon and we’d go on a bit of a rampage. Neither got into the game unfortunately.

Husband and Virtue had been playing ok in the last few games so I wasn’t too worried.

I agree I don’t know how you can drop Gabriel, he’s just on another level.

The partnership with Stewart and Virtue really didn’t work today, and as has been mentioned, in hindsight, why are we employing such a defensive posture? Really not sure. It hasn’t worked in two games now I hope we didn’t see that at home again.

It’s interesting to me that we have never really employed a link between midfield and the strikers, we have the players but it’s not something Critch ever seems to try.

In terms of promotion, I’ve written it off in my head, we’re no where near that standard. So it’s a free hit for Critch to try things as frustrating as that can be.

Right time to stop going over this game 😂
 
clappers said:
It’s been a season of intermittent promise and disappointment and will probably stay that way barring another run of wins. Too soon for us to look really dangerous as a side, yet we’ve made strides to being an above average team in the division.

We just have to play out this wretched season and start again next year with fans. I do think the lack of fans has an effect as that instant feedback to manager and team just isn’t there and affects decision making.
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I agree with this and conceding in injury time is alway a kick in the nuts. Wimbledon were difficult opponents and belied their lowly position in League One. Pigott is a handful and when I saw that Heneghan was on the bench and Sam Walker in goal I had a feeling this was not going to be an easy afternoon. Again we started slowly and could easily have been 0-2 down but for some luck and a great save by Maxwell.

We improved as the half went on but we do lack a midfielder who can knit it all altogether. Stewart (Dougall) and Virtue provide a good platform but we need a player who can push us forward and do the unexpected. League One routinely throws up some bizarre results today it was Northampton and Wigan. Although this result was a big disappointment a quick glance at the league table shows we are 7 points behind 6th with 3 games in hand.
 
Teams with promotion aspirations dominate teams, we rarely do. Not good enough i'm afraid, one more season after this for NC and then a change if progress not made, our failure to beat teams below is a hard one to take.
 
If you think Stewart was awful today. I would absolutely dread to think what you thought of Virtue Husband and Turton. The love in Neil has for them, is absolutely disgusting. There are two substantially better centre mids on the bench than Virtue. A better left back and a better right back. All of them bring better everything to the team.
He’s holding the entire team back by persisting with players that just simply aren’t any good.
He also doesn’t have a clue how to make subs and impact the game positively. Not sure I see a reason to keep with Neil next season. As he’s not learning at all and doesn’t know his best formations or 11.
 
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