Can We Stop Making Excuses For Critchley?

TwelveAngryMen said:
I know CJ isn’t a wing back, Lyons can play a bit, Casey is our best defender, Connolly was never a left back, Dembele needs to start, Lavery should start ahead of Kouassi, that hoofing the ball today was not a good game plan and the crap possession stats doesn't win games
Click to expand...

I agree CJ needs a rest but what has Lyons done this season? Hes not been great either.

Dembele did nothing when he came on and obviously he was left out as he would have gotten flattened constantly.

Kouassi had a good first half and looked lively, Lavery did nothing when he came on.

Would Casey starting have changed the result? I’m not so sure.

Connolly should be second choice at best, that I can agree with.
 
Festerlegs said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again. At this level you show other teams no respect whatsoever. We do things our way, doing what we do best, right from the off. No elaborate game plans or tactics. The players aren't that good.
The only respect should be when the players shake hands at the end, having trounced the opposition by playing the game like we want it played.
Click to expand...
Best post of the day
 
Eternaloptimist said:
So the man who stepped in to to rescue us after the debacle that was the Oystons is an idiot
Try looking in the mirror.
Click to expand...
He didn’t rescue us. He looked at the books, weighed the risk/reward and bought a business. He’s not an idiot but he has made poor decisions and seemingly learns somethings the hard way because he’s repeated the same mistakes. We all do that it’s part of being human.
 
69skin said:
He's been playing 3-4-3 for weeks. Today Joseph, Kouassi and Hamilton were the front 3. Gabriel and Coulson the wide players in a 4 with Morgan and Norburn in the middle.
Click to expand...
I am glad someone has at last spotted this! TBH I thought Jordan Gabriel was poor especially when he got near their box he produced very little but let's blame CJ. I thought we were a man light in midfield and should have changed it at half-time, Virtue for either CJ or Gabriel.

Kouassi gave us a physical presence but he is still very raw and had little support. We lacked that cutting edge that Jordan Rhodes gives us especially in a tight game like this. Disappointed with Norburn yet again he needs to be the one who dictates the play and drives the team forward. His default position is to play in front of the CH's and just move the ball sideways. Hopefully, Byers can make a difference and gets us playing again there are some huge games coming up this month.
 
Wizzerboy said:
A ** pub side, team of cloggers and we couldn't even get a point at theirs.
No worry 16 games to go and we can do it.
NO WE CAN'T
Bookmark it, do what you ** want with it, we will not make the playoffs
Click to expand...
Look at last season. 19 games to make up 3 points and Mc dyno couldn't do it. This season is a much tougher ask in my opinion. Another loss over the next 3 weeks and it's another borefest next season.
 
No idea why Norburn gets hammered. If we had another 10 players of his calibre we would certainly make the playoffs.
 
Last edited:
GazMadinesChickenCurry said:
Ta dah, because your statement is the true meaning of believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.
Click to expand...
Does it?
Does it really?
What an absolute load of old horsechite
A statement of frustration, a statement of anger, yes.
Entitlement, give your head a wobble sunshine
 
Hoppo said:
Out of interest @Theoneandonly - which strengths are they and in what way did Critch not play to them?
Click to expand...
First off you don't try and play a team well versed at their own game in the same style. You let them worry about what you can do and play to your strengths. We're not a big team or a strong team and that was underlined again on Saturday with the ease with which we were knocked off the ball.

We should have played a high press game keeping the ball in their final third, not letting them play out from the back and harassing them giving them no time to think. We needed to play the ball fast, and do give-and-go's. No long balls, as we don't have the height and no patiently building from the back. The SAS are well drilled and because of their need for speed and adaptability, they have to know where their team members are. Usually, they form triangles so any man knows where his team is. We should be doing a passing equivalent. No Rhodes but frankly well organized we should still prevail.

You don't start with Kouassi, you save him for later when their team is tired. No CJ as he's no confidence, has not improved his skills all season so no point at present. You move the ball fast as you know the third-tier ref will be crap and that the other team will want to intimidate you so pass before they even get to you. I'd want the ball in their final third within 30 seconds from any part of the pitch. I want my players shooting from outside the box early on. Statistically not as effective in achieving the objective of a goal but I'd start with Lavery who is the nearest we have to a poacher to get the rebounds. I'd start with Dembele and tell him to take his man on when near the box because he's fast and skillful and odds on he'd win us a penalty. Lavery might as well as they will be pushing and shoving him any chance they get. I want us to be 2 or three up by halftime. I want Marv up for set pieces as he's our best chance for actually winning a dual in the air and a goal from him would add to his confidence which isn't high at the moment. I'd play Lyons at right back and tell him that I'm giving him a run of four games as I want him to be the player I know he can be. Thus I've shown confidence and given him an incentive to shine.

I know they are bigger than my team and stronger than my team and I know my lot will get tired in the last quarter so I'm going to change formations at 50 minutes and use my substitutes. Off comes Dembele and on comes Kouassi who will have been instructed to make a nuisance of himself. I want to save Dembele from injury and allow Kouassi to harass their tired defenders and who knows one of their players might get sent off which would stretch them more. I want Norburn to be more verbal in keeping his team focused and energized. He essentially plays our Barry Ferguson role but we need more from him. I'd also have kept O'Donnell in goal. Grimshaw has had a lot of time to organize his defense and they are still sloppy. That's mainly on Critchley being lazy but the goalie is also partially responsible. We have shipped some very soft goals this year against very mediocre opposition. That has to be eliminated this season.

Last I don't blame the referee. Be a man. Own your mistakes and move on.
 
Last edited:
We do think our team/squad is better than it is. If we were promoted only JordonG, would be a certainty to be good enough. Others may be but I’m not sure they are. Would Dembele cut it, or Norburn dominate, I really have doubts on their ability to get us up even if Pep were in charge. I do disagree that Critchley has suffered from dogma this season. Overall I think the team is really lacking.
 
Festerlegs said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again. At this level you show other teams no respect whatsoever. We do things our way, doing what we do best, right from the off. No elaborate game plans or tactics. The players aren't that good.
The only respect should be when the players shake hands at the end, having trounced the opposition by playing the game like we want it played.
Click to expand...
Critch has come with a Prem mentality and clearly watches way too much football at a higher level.
Steve Evans has proved that League One is easy if you stick to your plan.
 
Wizzerboy said:
Does it?
Does it really?
What an absolute load of old horsechite
A statement of frustration, a statement of anger, yes.
Entitlement, give your head a wobble sunshine
Click to expand...
Yes it does. It literally is the definition of entitlement, or perhaps you didn't realise that "sunshine". Patronising prick.
 
GazMadinesChickenCurry said:
Yes it does. It literally is the definition of entitlement, or perhaps you didn't realise that "sunshine". Patronising prick.
Click to expand...
Yet again I'll say that not ONCE in my post that you are critical of has ANY traits of entitlement.
I suggest you get a stronger grasp of the English language before trying to lambast other posters.😘
 
Simonized said:
My 3 wishes updated.......

1. Don't Play CJ at all.

2. Stop shagging around as CJ your other love child is not very good.

3. Is the same but in bold,
Ditch the manual that says subs are only allowed after 60 minutes and do them at HT after the first half shitshow we witness now and then.
Click to expand...
4 when opposition have a corner leave Dembele up front wide on the flanks with one other
 
Critchley's pre-match tactical discussion

main-qimg-e8cfa9688bbf7aa1742e93892eb3a4a8-pjlq
 
Wizzerboy said:
Yet again I'll say that not ONCE in my post that you are critical of has ANY traits of entitlement.
I suggest you get a stronger grasp of the English language before trying to lambast other posters.😘
Click to expand...
I suggest you go back and read your own comment then. Must be great to live in your little deluded world.

Not sure calling Stevenage a pub team is correct either, but as i elude to, you do have some sense of delusional grandeur it seems.
 
gjr said:
Read the first 5 or 6 responses, glad none of them are managing the team. He pretty much called it right today, we probably needed to score in that first half hour, unfortunately it didn't happen. Stevenage have a game plan and a style of football that is ugly but effective it takes a combination of quality and physicality to overcome that, we fell a bit short with what we have.
Starting Dembele against Stevenage would have been futile with your average league 1 ref, Rhodes and Beesley injured, Byers just arrived what is the better team that could be selected today against that opposition?
Maybe Casey could've started but apart from that what could Critchley do differently?
Click to expand...
I don't think you are allowed to post well-reasoned opinions on here. However, you have it spot on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gjr
GazMadinesChickenCurry said:
I suggest you go back and read your own comment then. Must be great to live in your little deluded world.

Not sure calling Stevenage a pub team is correct either, but as i elude to, you do have some sense of delusional grandeur it seems.
Click to expand...
Christ my Nan was right when she told me never to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed person.
Ask your English teacher what that means tomorrow 😉👍🏻
 
Wizzerboy said:
Christ my Nan was right when she told me never to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed person.
Ask your English teacher what that means tomorrow 😉👍🏻
Click to expand...
Has nothing to do with the topic. Focus and if you need to play I'm right you're wrong message each other.
 
The problem with Saturday is we only really had a midfield 2, Morgan & Norburn, they had a mass of players in the centre so we should have had 3 in Midfield, probably Byers, we ended up launching everything long because we didn't have an out. CJ was a mistake for me, 3 52 would have worked with a midfield 3 of Norburn behind Morgan and Byers with Kouassi and Joseph up top. It was all a bit all over the place, Joseph and CJ were just running around like headless chickens and din't seem to be in a "proper" position, it was like we had 2 wing backs with 2 other players in front of them and that was crazy.
 
WIZARD OF TANGERINE said:
Why would we need to make excuses for someone who has got us to the semi final of a cup and still have the play offs in sight . Or do we have some right to win all our games
Click to expand...
We have a right, even an obligation, to play our players in their best positions, learn from past mistakes, and implement tactics that the players we have can execute. The only wiggle room is if injuries or suspensions force an unplanned change.
 
He often gets our set up in away games completely wrong. When we need to go tall at the back he rarely picks Marv and Casey together and when we need to go hard in midfield he leaves out the tacklers. An example picking CJ in there against Stevenage.
 
Theoneandonly said:
First off you don't try and play a team well versed at their own game in the same style. You let them worry about what you can do and play to your strengths. We're not a big team or a strong team and that was underlined again on Saturday with the ease with which we were knocked off the ball.

We should have played a high press game keeping the ball in their final third, not letting them play out from the back and harassing them giving them no time to think. We needed to play the ball fast, and do give-and-go's. No long balls, as we don't have the height and no patiently building from the back. The SAS are well drilled and because of their need for speed and adaptability, they have to know where their team members are. Usually, they form triangles so any man knows where his team is. We should be doing a passing equivalent. No Rhodes but frankly well organized we should still prevail.

You don't start with Kouassi, you save him for later when their team is tired. No CJ as he's no confidence, has not improved his skills all season so no point at present. You move the ball fast as you know the third-tier ref will be crap and that the other team will want to intimidate you so pass before they even get to you. I'd want the ball in their final third within 30 seconds from any part of the pitch. I want my players shooting from outside the box early on. Statistically not as effective in achieving the objective of a goal but I'd start with Lavery who is the nearest we have to a poacher to get the rebounds. I'd start with Dembele and tell him to take his man on when near the box because he's fast and skillful and odds on he'd win us a penalty. Lavery might as well as they will be pushing and shoving him any chance they get. I want us to be 2 or three up by halftime. I want Marv up for set pieces as he's our best chance for actually winning a dual in the air and a goal from him would add to his confidence which isn't high at the moment. I'd play Lyons at right back and tell him that I'm giving him a run of four games as I want him to be the player I know he can be. Thus I've shown confidence and given him an incentive to shine.

I know they are bigger than my team and stronger than my team and I know my lot will get tired in the last quarter so I'm going to change formations at 50 minutes and use my substitutes. Off comes Dembele and on comes Kouassi who will have been instructed to make a nuisance of himself. I want to save Dembele from injury and allow Kouassi to harass their tired defenders and who knows one of their players might get sent off which would stretch them more. I want Norburn to be more verbal in keeping his team focused and energized. He essentially plays our Barry Ferguson role but we need more from him. I'd also have kept O'Donnell in goal. Grimshaw has had a lot of time to organize his defense and they are still sloppy. That's mainly on Critchley being lazy but the goalie is also partially responsible. We have shipped some very soft goals this year against very mediocre opposition. That has to be eliminated this season.

Last I don't blame the referee. Be a man. Own your mistakes and move on.
Click to expand...
I've been a Pool fan all my life, and for 40 odd years, went to most away matches.
The best managers get the most out of players in their squad.
What a pleasure it was to watch Stan Mortensen's team home and away in the 60s.
Les Shannon took us back up to Division 1 playing some great football, culminating with the Fred Pickering hat-trick in the 3-0 Deepdale demolition.
Before his sacking, Allan Brown had us playing like 2nd Division champions, and the season ending with relegation to Division 3 for the first time in our history was devastating.
Billy Ayre was a superb boss, and the team played with passion, constantly playing to our strengths for a few seasons.
Then Sam Allardyce came. I couldn't believe we never got promoted back to Division 2 under him.
Simon Grayson's first stint was great. I noticed about halfway through the first half of matches, we suddenly overpowered the opposition, and what a great promotion, and he also did a feat keeping us in The Championship the following season.
Simon Grayson, then Ian Holloway each took us up a division without much help from our owner, and what superb playoff matches, both promotions were.
We hit the Premier League, and for most games, Holloway took the games to the opposition. The two main cock-ups were the away matches at Aston Villa and Everton.
Villa were bottom of the league and were there for the taking. We made ELEVEN changes, and lost 3-2 in the last couple of minutes.
At Goodison, we went 3-2 up with 20 minutes left and he substituted three forwards with defenders. This invited Everton onto us and we lost 5-3.
Them six thrown away points ultimately contributed to our relegation. I think we would've gone back up the following season if Gary Taylor-Fletcher hadn't injured his ankle in the last training session before the playoff final v West Ham.
Basically though, we should always play to our strengths and make opposition scared of us.
Neil Critchley must learn to do that, and quickly, if he wants us to get promotion.
🧡UTMP🧡
 
Henshman said:
I've been a Pool fan all my life, and for 40 odd years, went to most away matches.
The best managers get the most out of players in their squad.
What a pleasure it was to watch Stan Mortensen's team home and away in the 60s.
Les Shannon took us back up to Division 1 playing some great football, culminating with the Fred Pickering hat-trick in the 3-0 Deepdale demolition.
Before his sacking, Allan Brown had us playing like 2nd Division champions, and the season ending with relegation to Division 3 for the first time in our history was devastating.
Billy Ayre was a superb boss, and the team played with passion, constantly playing to our strengths for a few seasons.
Then Sam Allardyce came. I couldn't believe we never got promoted back to Division 2 under him.
Simon Grayson's first stint was great. I noticed about halfway through the first half of matches, we suddenly overpowered the opposition, and what a great promotion, and he also did a feat keeping us in The Championship the following season.
Simon Grayson, then Ian Holloway each took us up a division without much help from our owner, and what superb playoff matches, both promotions were.
We hit the Premier League, and for most games, Holloway took the games to the opposition. The two main cock-ups were the away matches at Aston Villa and Everton.
Villa were bottom of the league and were there for the taking. We made ELEVEN changes, and lost 3-2 in the last couple of minutes.
At Goodison, we went 3-2 up with 20 minutes left and he substituted three forwards with defenders. This invited Everton onto us and we lost 5-3.
Them six thrown away points ultimately contributed to our relegation. I think we would've gone back up the following season if Gary Taylor-Fletcher hadn't injured his ankle in the last training session before the playoff final v West Ham.
Basically though, we should always play to our strengths and make opposition scared of us.
Neil Critchley must learn to do that, and quickly, if he wants us to get promotion.
🧡UTMP🧡
Click to expand...
Great memory Henshman (I’m envious)
I think there were a few occasions that cost us relegation from the Premiership.
One that clearly sticks in mind is the home game against Man Utd
2 - 0 up with 20 minutes to go and a stonewall penalty not given and then we lose 2 - 3.
I’m sure there were lots more as well.
Good post though.
 
Henshman said:
I've been a Pool fan all my life, and for 40 odd years, went to most away matches.
The best managers get the most out of players in their squad.
What a pleasure it was to watch Stan Mortensen's team home and away in the 60s.
Les Shannon took us back up to Division 1 playing some great football, culminating with the Fred Pickering hat-trick in the 3-0 Deepdale demolition.
Before his sacking, Allan Brown had us playing like 2nd Division champions, and the season ending with relegation to Division 3 for the first time in our history was devastating.
Billy Ayre was a superb boss, and the team played with passion, constantly playing to our strengths for a few seasons.
Then Sam Allardyce came. I couldn't believe we never got promoted back to Division 2 under him.
Simon Grayson's first stint was great. I noticed about halfway through the first half of matches, we suddenly overpowered the opposition, and what a great promotion, and he also did a feat keeping us in The Championship the following season.
Simon Grayson, then Ian Holloway each took us up a division without much help from our owner, and what superb playoff matches, both promotions were.
We hit the Premier League, and for most games, Holloway took the games to the opposition. The two main cock-ups were the away matches at Aston Villa and Everton.
Villa were bottom of the league and were there for the taking. We made ELEVEN changes, and lost 3-2 in the last couple of minutes.
At Goodison, we went 3-2 up with 20 minutes left and he substituted three forwards with defenders. This invited Everton onto us and we lost 5-3.
Them six thrown away points ultimately contributed to our relegation. I think we would've gone back up the following season if Gary Taylor-Fletcher hadn't injured his ankle in the last training session before the playoff final v West Ham.
Basically though, we should always play to our strengths and make opposition scared of us.
Neil Critchley must learn to do that, and quickly, if he wants us to get promotion.
🧡UTMP🧡
Click to expand...
What a fantastic post. Best I’ve seen on here in a long time. Well written, smart and what wonderful memories you have. You defined perfectly why it is the best game and what it means to be a fan.
 
Theoneandonly said:
We have a right, even an obligation, to play our players in their best positions, learn from past mistakes, and implement tactics that the players we have can execute. The only wiggle room is if injuries or suspensions force an unplanned change.
Click to expand...
I am not saying he has the perfect tactics and I believe sometimes they should be changed , but I never come on this website and try and tell people that a player should be changed or a formation or a substitution . The reason why is because I don't have the knowledge of niggles, ,attitudes ,what the players feel comfortable with , what the opposition are going to be like ,etc . So I won't complain if we win a cup and make the play offs ,no matter how we do it. The main reason for this is because I know the same amount of knowledge as everyone else on this website.
 
Actually you do know how comfortable a player is in a position and you do know what our team can do tactically as we are over halfway through a season, You also know what works and doesn’t work in this division and where we are losing matches as we live in an unprecedented age of video comprehension and data points.

We like the cup it’s fun but ultimately apart from a modest increase in revenues its pointless As for playoffs: Those are important and are a major point of contention because our manager is under performing with the resources at his disposal in getting us there. Knowledge on the board as demonstrated by the quality of writing is wide and I don’t presume to know and am smart enough to not judge where perspectives originate from. What I can tell you are that some posters actually work for the club.
 
no9 said:
No idea why Norburn gets hammered. If we had another 10 players of his calibre we would certainly make the playoffs.
Click to expand...
'No idea why Norburn gets hammered ...'

Maybe the level of criticism he feels he's unfairly been receiving has caused him to 'hit the bottle'? Who knows ...
 
  • Haha
Reactions: no9
It's not a black and white issue this, is it? Critch might not have got the best out of the players this season, but would anybody have done? Post relegation. Do I agree with all his selections and formations? No. Is he doing better than Appleton and Big Mick? Yes. Would Dobbie have done better? Dunno. Would getting rid enable us to get the best out of the squad? Who knows, depends who came in I guess, but I suspect it wouldn't improve us much, if at all. It might do initially, and then tail off and provide yet more friustration and demands for another manager change.

Football is alchemy and sometimes it happens for a manager and sometimes it doesn't. History suggests that stability and patience work better than chopping and changing, for any football club. Sometimes a manager has to move on for everybody's sake. We are nowhere near that point, when NC is up for manager of the month and we've lost one of our last 9 in all comps. And that defeat was to a late deflected goal.

I'd like to see some tweaks, though, like trying a back 4 in away games, and using CJ off the bench. I think Byers might make a difference, we don't have that kind of character on the pitch - Norburn seems a nervous type to me, from his interviews, and that nervy penalty against bolton. Morgan seems a shy type too. We need a confident, forceful character. We've so many nice polite non goose booing types. Grimmy, Marv, Pennington, Gabriel, Carey, CJ, Lyons, Rhodes, Lavery, Virtue, Kouassi. Who are the voices and the driving forces?
 
Theoneandonly said:
What a fantastic post. Best I’ve seen on here in a long time. Well written, smart and what wonderful memories you have. You defined perfectly why it is the best game and what it means to be a fan.
Click to expand...
I think the one that got me was not getting Shay Given in January when we could have, the fact that the scum were already digging their filthy hands into the promotion payment and fuck the club. Holloway, Thommo and the players were absolute heroes.
 
hertfordseasider said:
I think the one that got me was not getting Shay Given in January when we could have, the fact that the scum were already digging their filthy hands into the promotion payment and fuck the club. Holloway, Thommo and the players were absolute heroes.
Click to expand...
I was in the South Stand for the Premiership season, and I'm saying all this through Tangerine eyes.
The 'bigger clubs' always got most of the decisions with referees, and to an extent, still do, even with VAR.
The 'not a penalty' v Man Utd at 2-0 up was disgraceful.
Arsenal away, 1-0 down and a player runs into Ian Evatt standing 3 or 4 feet outside the box, falls over, red card and penalty. Wasn't even a foul, just a block tackle. Lost 6-0 but a great chant at 5-0. "FIVE NIL, BUT WE'LL WIN 6-5."
Man City 1-1 with 10 minutes left. Marlon Harewood scores in the Kop-end, disallowed, I still don't know why. City score twice in 2 minutes, first a blatant foul and second, offside. Pool score near the end but lose 3-2.
Harewood scores one away at West Ham but disallowed, FOR WHAT? 0-0 result.
Blackburn Rovers away, winning 2-1 going into injury time. Gary Taylor-Fletcher dribbling the ball down the byline towards goal, gets clattered. Penalty or corner? No, a goalkick given. GTF won the ball back on the halfway line. Freekick to T'rovers. GTF ends up getting booked for dissent. From the freekick, Kingson pats the ball forward off Evatt's head and T'rovers make it 2-2 with a simple header.
Southampton away, 1-0 down into the last 2 minutes. A cross and Pool level, only for the referee to award Blackpool a freekick for a foul. What about advantage. Lost 1-0. I had to watch Match of the day on Sunday morning to see that the ref blew for a freekick just before we put the ball in the net.
Spurs away. Defoe elbowed Evatt earlier in the match, no red card shown.Pool leading 1-0 in injury time. Yes, you guessed it, Defoe equalised.
There must be more but I can't bring them to mind
I don't like to criticise referees, but they made a lot of bloomers in our only Premiership season.
🧡UTMP🧡
 
Last edited:
Another Saturday another two points dropped and we were fortunate it wasn’t three as Oxford were the better team.

Any coachable thing changed?

1. We are still crap at defending. We are not close enough, afraid to tackle and give the opposition all the time in the world to decide where the ball is going next. It is also a primary reason we were relegated from the Championship.

2. What’s our identity. What is our best team? Over halfway through the season and I imagine the players are as lost as the fans at answering that.

3. We have eleven on the pitch same as our opponents but where are our goals coming from? Certainly not from playing long balls to a short forward line.

All avoidable. All eliminated with good coaching. Sadler get off your arse and get Critchley the help he needs be that Bowyer, Pulis or ????

We are wasting time, money and dropping points.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top