Feel sorry for some of the players there

[BFC_53]

I don't normally say anything until the next day (when I've calmed down), but they put a real shift in to that game. It was absolutely gutting to lose in the manner we did and you could tell how demoralised they were at the end. They should hold their heads up after that, playing in a difficult situation and although it's concerning that we lost again, they have nothing to be ashamed of in terms of how they applied themselves tonight.

The really, incredibly, frustrating thing for me is that it isn't the technical ability that's costing us - our players are good enough. But what is costing us is some absolutely appalling individual errors. Gabriel on boxing day, Mitchell today. What the hell was he doing? The other thing that's costing us is how naive we're being. Once their lad gets past Mitchell, you bring him down and take a yellow. There isn't a single team in this league that, if the roles were reversed, wouldn't have committed a foul in that situation. Stoke did it to us five times in the first half a few weeks ago and picked up five bookings before half time. They won. So they won't care. We need to wise up, and fast. We are consistently allowing very mediocre/poor teams to come to Bloomfield Rd and take all the points, not because they're better than us in a footballing sense, but because they're more savvy on what gets you results - and it isn't always skill. It's the "dark arts". Middlesbrough were yet another of these teams. They just aren't that good and yet have gone away with the points. We had 52% possession with only one recognised midfielder in the team (Connolly isn't a midfielder!).

There's not much else to say tbh. It's a sad end to a pretty successful year, but thank god we're allowed to sign players again in three days time!

 

[Northstandsinger]

Good well balanced post, agree with pretty much all of it I actually thought Connolly played pretty well, hopefully we get some fresh faces in.

 

[Lytham_fy8]

Just no luck and individual mistakes costing us, it's there, we'll be fine, we're nearly much better than fine. Play that game again and 99 times out of 100 we'll win. Anyone having a go at that performance or the tactics is an idiot.

The luck will turn, we're going on a run soon.

 

[BFC_BFC_BFC]

Connolly had a decent game…

 

[Martonmosser]

Very good post. Said in the first half twice that we would have been awarded free kicks if our player had fallen on the ball and grabbed hold of it when he went down like you tend to see more and more nowadays. How many times does that usually end in a booking…… hardly ever

 

[BFC_53]

Good well balanced post, agree with pretty much all of it I actually thought Connolly played pretty well, hopefully we get some fresh faces in.

Yes sorry that wasn't meant as a dig at all at Connolly who as you say played well and battled superbly, just that I think his qualities are better suited to defending. We need an actual midfielder who can score the odd goal and pick a pass. Which Connolly can't. Carey can but yet again we get no luck with injuries.

 

[TangerineBayern]

Can’t really fault the commitment of the team tonight they played very well given the injuries and absentees

 

[FLATBACKFOR]

Deserved a point tonight, all the players gave everything, just a bit more quality in the final third IMO.

 

[BFC_53]

Just no luck and individual mistakes costing us, it's there, we'll be fine, we're nearly much better than fine. Play that game again and 99 times out of 100 we'll win. Anyone having a go at that performance or the tactics is an idiot.

The luck will turn, we're going on a run soon.

I do agree Lytham. We are 100% good enough, we just need to learn these lessons. We've played well for the last three games, and yet we've lost two of them. We need to find a way to tip the balance of very tight games in our favour, and the 'dark arts' is the way to do it, I'm afraid to say. That means committing more 'good' fouls in dangerous positions, and it also means going to ground when we tend to stay on our feet.

I will add something else too - other sides would think twice about fouling us so often if we were any good at set pieces...

 

[Lytham_fy8]

I do agree Lytham. We are 100% good enough, we just need to learn these lessons. We've played well for the last three games, and yet we've lost two of them. We need to find a way to tip the balance of very tight games in our favour, and the 'dark arts' is the way to do it, I'm afraid to say. That means committing more 'good' fouls in dangerous positions, and it also means going to ground when we tend to stay on our feet.

I will add something else too - other sides would think twice about fouling us so often if we were any good at set pieces...

I agree, although I don't really want us to go down that route, it's costing us too much not doing, this is where the manager needs a bit of an experienced head as a number 2, there's one in the pipeline I'm sure.

We'll survive easily this season which was the plan at the start, we can build from this as we gain more experience, January should be interesting as well, maybe a couple of wise old heads in?

Oh and yeah, we really really need to put some work in set pieces, attacking and defending.

We're head and shoulders above where we were in 2007/2008.

 

[Geestar]

I don't normally say anything until the next day (when I've calmed down), but they put a real shift in to that game. It was absolutely gutting to lose in the manner we did and you could tell how demoralised they were at the end. They should hold their heads up after that, playing in a difficult situation and although it's concerning that we lost again, they have nothing to be ashamed of in terms of how they applied themselves tonight.

The really, incredibly, frustrating thing for me is that it isn't the technical ability that's costing us - our players are good enough. But what is costing us is some absolutely appalling individual errors. Gabriel on boxing day, Mitchell today. What the hell was he doing? The other thing that's costing us is how naive we're being. Once their lad gets past Mitchell, you bring him down and take a yellow. There isn't a single team in this league that, if the roles were reversed, wouldn't have committed a foul in that situation. Stoke did it to us five times in the first half a few weeks ago and picked up five bookings before half time. They won. So they won't care. We need to wise up, and fast. We are consistently allowing very mediocre/poor teams to come to Bloomfield Rd and take all the points, not because they're better than us in a footballing sense, but because they're more savvy on what gets you results - and it isn't always skill. It's the "dark arts". Middlesbrough were yet another of these teams. They just aren't that good and yet have gone away with the points. We had 52% possession with only one recognised midfielder in the team (Connolly isn't a midfielder!).

There's not much else to say tbh. It's a sad end to a pretty successful year, but thank god we're allowed to sign players again in three days time!

I was thinking exactly the same. Playing fair in this division doesn’t work. You cannot fault the boys commitment, but they seem to be a bit soft and naive at times.

 

[tangysider]

Yes sorry that wasn't meant as a dig at all at Connolly who as you say played well and battled superbly, just that I think his qualities are better suited to defending. We need an actual midfielder who can score the odd goal and pick a pass. Which Connolly can't. Carey can but yet again we get no luck with injuries.

Agree Connolly is a good squad player and at 24year old can still improve. I have not seen him at centre back, but think he covers defence and holding midfielder pretty well. He is bound to get game time with injuries and suspensions, and I feel he is pretty competent.

 

[Martondriver]

Very good post. Said in the first half twice that we would have been awarded free kicks if our player had fallen on the ball and grabbed hold of it when he went down like you tend to see more and more nowadays. How many times does that usually end in a booking…… hardly ever

I normally like what you say. But I do not like cheating, especially from my side. I can only think you are saying that from the pain I am feeling from watching that. Next season , when we are not the 'new comers' we will get the decisions we deserve. It is the name of the game. WRONG .But the way that referees see the game. I really wish that the standard of referring was better but hey....

 

[Martonmosser]

I do agree Lytham. We are 100% good enough, we just need to learn these lessons. We've played well for the last three games, and yet we've lost two of them. We need to find a way to tip the balance of very tight games in our favour, and the 'dark arts' is the way to do it, I'm afraid to say. That means committing more 'good' fouls in dangerous positions, and it also means going to ground when we tend to stay on our feet.

I will add something else too - other sides would think twice about fouling us so often if we were any good at set pieces...

Set pieces Why are we so bad at them?

 

[TangerineBayern]

Agree Connolly is a good squad player and at 24year old can still improve. I have not seen him at centre back, but think he covers defence and holding midfielder pretty well. He is bound to get game time with injuries and suspensions, and I feel he is pretty competent.

I think he played once at CB in the Carabao Cup which is his natural position, but thought he had his best game tonight

 

[BFC_53]

I agree, although I don't really want us to go down that route, it's costing us too much not doing, this is where the manager needs a bit of an experienced head as a number 2, there's one in the pipeline I'm sure.

We'll survive easily this season which was the plan at the start, we can build from this as we gain more experience, January should be interesting as well, maybe a couple of wise old heads in?

Oh and yeah, we really really need to put some work in set pieces, attacking and defending.

We're head and shoulders above where we were in 2007/2008.

Good point about an assistant for Critchley. We didn't wait too long when Calderwood left before Mccall came in, so hopefully we'll hear something soon.

 

[SEASIDE2020]

I don't normally say anything until the next day (when I've calmed down), but they put a real shift in to that game. It was absolutely gutting to lose in the manner we did and you could tell how demoralised they were at the end. They should hold their heads up after that, playing in a difficult situation and although it's concerning that we lost again, they have nothing to be ashamed of in terms of how they applied themselves tonight.

The really, incredibly, frustrating thing for me is that it isn't the technical ability that's costing us - our players are good enough. But what is costing us is some absolutely appalling individual errors. Gabriel on boxing day, Mitchell today. What the hell was he doing? The other thing that's costing us is how naive we're being. Once their lad gets past Mitchell, you bring him down and take a yellow. There isn't a single team in this league that, if the roles were reversed, wouldn't have committed a foul in that situation. Stoke did it to us five times in the first half a few weeks ago and picked up five bookings before half time. They won. So they won't care. We need to wise up, and fast. We are consistently allowing very mediocre/poor teams to come to Bloomfield Rd and take all the points, not because they're better than us in a footballing sense, but because they're more savvy on what gets you results - and it isn't always skill. It's the "dark arts". Middlesbrough were yet another of these teams. They just aren't that good and yet have gone away with the points. We had 52% possession with only one recognised midfielder in the team (Connolly isn't a midfielder!).

There's not much else to say tbh. It's a sad end to a pretty successful year, but thank god we're allowed to sign players again in three days time!

Yes, they certainly gave everything.

Midway through the second half, I was thinking to myself that they just deserved it but towards the end of the game I'd moved to thinking we deserved an equaliser and I was gutted that we hadn't managed to find one.

Then when we scored I thought to myself that nobody can say that we/they didn't deserved that point only for disaster to strike.

I'm not saying it would have made a difference and I have no facts to back up what I'm suggesting but should the ref not have played longer ?

We must have equalised about bang on 90 and originally 4 minutes were to be added on but how long did it take to restart after their Hampton number 2 non caucasian player decided to hold on to the ball after one of our players and then the ref tried to get it back from him.

Maybe it was just me but I thought the ref should have added on longer.

On a completely different note, I don't know exactly how bad we are effected with Covid but personally I feel that we should make a decision on whether to play based on the best interests of the club and being nice doesn't come into it.

I was perfectly happy for the club/Critch/whoever to decide to go ahead and play, I don't know if they did have any other option and I'm not after timing because I'm not considering the eventual result of the game but what the feck is Critch moaning about cancellations after the game ?

IF - AVFTT caveat, that says IF - Critch felt that it was in our best interests to get the game called off and play it another time then he should do whatever he can to try and get that to happen and it's no good complaining after the game when you've lost a point in added time.

I have no problem employing the same chithousery - I don't even know if it should be classed as chithousery to be honest - as some of our competitors in our division but either get on with the chithousery or go down the straight route, no good going down the straight route and then complain because we didn't get a result.

AVFTT caveat, I am not suggesting that Critch should be sacked and I appreciate that he got us promoted in his first full season etc etc etc.

 

[Shiggy]

Connolly had a decent game…

Agreed but there were a number of times where he didn’t really anticipate second balls off Madine and it frustrated me a bit.

Other than that thiught he was good and always looking to create something.

 

[Wizaard]

Very good post. Said in the first half twice that we would have been awarded free kicks if our player had fallen on the ball and grabbed hold of it when he went down like you tend to see more and more nowadays. How many times does that usually end in a booking…… hardly ever

There was one in the second half when Bowler was walloped at thigh height and the ref played a non existent advantage. Why not go back and book the thug? Meanwhile Connolly picks up a yellow for challenging for the ball.

 

[SEASIDE2020]

I was thinking exactly the same. Playing fair in this division doesn’t work. You cannot fault the boys commitment, but they seem to be a bit soft and naive at times.

Playing fair doesn't work in any division, you do whatever it takes to get a result.

It's football not ballet dancing.

 

[Macseasider]

I don't normally say anything until the next day (when I've calmed down), but they put a real shift in to that game. It was absolutely gutting to lose in the manner we did and you could tell how demoralised they were at the end. They should hold their heads up after that, playing in a difficult situation and although it's concerning that we lost again, they have nothing to be ashamed of in terms of how they applied themselves tonight.

The really, incredibly, frustrating thing for me is that it isn't the technical ability that's costing us - our players are good enough. But what is costing us is some absolutely appalling individual errors. Gabriel on boxing day, Mitchell today. What the hell was he doing? The other thing that's costing us is how naive we're being. Once their lad gets past Mitchell, you bring him down and take a yellow. There isn't a single team in this league that, if the roles were reversed, wouldn't have committed a foul in that situation. Stoke did it to us five times in the first half a few weeks ago and picked up five bookings before half time. They won. So they won't care. We need to wise up, and fast. We are consistently allowing very mediocre/poor teams to come to Bloomfield Rd and take all the points, not because they're better than us in a footballing sense, but because they're more savvy on what gets you results - and it isn't always skill. It's the "dark arts". Middlesbrough were yet another of these teams. They just aren't that good and yet have gone away with the points. We had 52% possession with only one recognised midfielder in the team (Connolly isn't a midfielder!).

There's not much else to say tbh. It's a sad end to a pretty successful year, but thank god we're allowed to sign players again in three days time!

Superb post. Post of the night.

 

[TangeinBurnley]

I don't normally say anything until the next day (when I've calmed down), but they put a real shift in to that game. It was absolutely gutting to lose in the manner we did and you could tell how demoralised they were at the end. They should hold their heads up after that, playing in a difficult situation and although it's concerning that we lost again, they have nothing to be ashamed of in terms of how they applied themselves tonight.

The really, incredibly, frustrating thing for me is that it isn't the technical ability that's costing us - our players are good enough. But what is costing us is some absolutely appalling individual errors. Gabriel on boxing day, Mitchell today. What the hell was he doing? The other thing that's costing us is how naive we're being. Once their lad gets past Mitchell, you bring him down and take a yellow. There isn't a single team in this league that, if the roles were reversed, wouldn't have committed a foul in that situation. Stoke did it to us five times in the first half a few weeks ago and picked up five bookings before half time. They won. So they won't care. We need to wise up, and fast. We are consistently allowing very mediocre/poor teams to come to Bloomfield Rd and take all the points, not because they're better than us in a footballing sense, but because they're more savvy on what gets you results - and it isn't always skill. It's the "dark arts". Middlesbrough were yet another of these teams. They just aren't that good and yet have gone away with the points. We had 52% possession with only one recognised midfielder in the team (Connolly isn't a midfielder!).

There's not much else to say tbh. It's a sad end to a pretty successful year, but thank god we're allowed to sign players again in three days time!

Can’t disagree with that. I enjoyed every minute of that game. The whole team should be proud.
As ever though! Pantomime villain for a referee, I’m right in saying that’s not the first game at Bloomfield road this season for that ref is it?
The crowd should take a bow also loud as ever
Same again Saturday please.
Hope Madine didn’t burn himself out he was a proper nuisance tonight.

 

[Sooty59]

Good well balanced post, agree with pretty much all of it I actually thought Connolly played pretty well, hopefully we get some fresh faces in.

He did the ugly stuff well. We need Stewart back & preferably a creative midfielder, in January. Along with the return some of our walking wounded.

 

[Costero Poderoso]

Salty tears were not a good addition to my post game dry martini but given an hour or so I think we can say we were very unlucky. Hit the post I think three times, two on the line blocks. Middlesbrough really rode their luck. An individual error maybe by Mitchell and to be honest a weird last minute substitution. Those kinds of games are a hard pill to swallow but we matched, and more for a lot of the game, what many are considered to be the divisions form team. Couple of times we could have maybe nailed that last ball or taken a shot when the opportunity rose. If we keep playing like that there's at least half this division worse than us.

 

[Seasider3610]

At least Connolly shoots from range, edge of the box. He had 3 shots any of which could have gone in directly or been deflected in rather than out of play.

I thought he did OK.

 

[BFC_BFC_BFC]

At least Connolly shoots from range, edge of the box. He had 3 shots any of which could have gone in directly or been deflected in rather than out of play.

I thought he did OK.

There’s nothing wrong with Connolly at all IMO… He just seems to get singled out because he’s not Ryan Wintle or Kenny Dougall by the usual armchair critics.

His performances have improved each time he plays. He actually offers a bit more bite in Midfield, has a good passing range and had luck fallen our way he could have scored last night.

 

[20togo]

There was one in the second half when Bowler was walloped at thigh height and the ref played a non existent advantage. Why not go back and book the thug? Meanwhile Connolly picks up a yellow for challenging for the ball.

Yep, we got a corner from it but that isn't as advantageous as a free kick on the edge of the box. Have to say it though, we are so ineffective at set pieces. We rarely win a header from our corners, they are all cleared by the opposition. Wouldn't mind it if we just won one header from a corner even if it went a mile wide or high.

 

[LeedsSeasider]

Yep, we got a corner from it but that isn't as advantageous as a free kick on the edge of the box. Have to say it though, we are so ineffective at set pieces. We rarely win a header from our corners, they are all cleared by the opposition. Wouldn't mind it if we just won one header from a corner even if it went a mile wide or high.

I actually thought our corners from Bowler looked good last night. Especially the one that went to the back post and we hit the post from. Was whipped in quick and dangerously.

 

[BFC_53]

I actually thought our corners from Bowler looked good last night. Especially the one that went to the back post and we hit the post from. Was whipped in quick and dangerously.

With Keogh, Ekpiteta and Madine on the pitch we should look much more dangerous from them than we do. We did put one or two decent corners in last night but we don't do it often enough. And maybe those three players aren't aggressive enough in attacking set pieces. I don't know.
What I do know is that for the most part this season our set piece delivery has been woeful, no matter who's taking them.

 

[LeedsSeasider]

With Keogh, Ekpiteta and Madine on the pitch we should look much more dangerous from them than we do. We did put one or two decent corners in last night but we don't do it often enough. And maybe those three players aren't aggressive enough in attacking set pieces. I don't know.
What I do know is that for the most part this season our set piece delivery has been woeful, no matter who's taking them.

Aye, that’s why I singled last night out but you’re right, could be a number of factors to it.

 

[Dark_Side_of_the_Lune]

I feel sorry for all the players

 

[parker14]

Just no luck and individual mistakes costing us, it's there, we'll be fine, we're nearly much better than fine. Play that game again and 99 times out of 100 we'll win. Anyone having a go at that performance or the tactics is an idiot.

The luck will turn, we're going on a run soon.

Play that game again and 100 times out of 100 we'll lose, unless we wise up to what the OP is saying.

 

[Jakeyr]

I don't normally say anything until the next day (when I've calmed down), but they put a real shift in to that game. It was absolutely gutting to lose in the manner we did and you could tell how demoralised they were at the end. They should hold their heads up after that, playing in a difficult situation and although it's concerning that we lost again, they have nothing to be ashamed of in terms of how they applied themselves tonight.

The really, incredibly, frustrating thing for me is that it isn't the technical ability that's costing us - our players are good enough. But what is costing us is some absolutely appalling individual errors. Gabriel on boxing day, Mitchell today. What the hell was he doing? The other thing that's costing us is how naive we're being. Once their lad gets past Mitchell, you bring him down and take a yellow. There isn't a single team in this league that, if the roles were reversed, wouldn't have committed a foul in that situation. Stoke did it to us five times in the first half a few weeks ago and picked up five bookings before half time. They won. So they won't care. We need to wise up, and fast. We are consistently allowing very mediocre/poor teams to come to Bloomfield Rd and take all the points, not because they're better than us in a footballing sense, but because they're more savvy on what gets you results - and it isn't always skill. It's the "dark arts". Middlesbrough were yet another of these teams. They just aren't that good and yet have gone away with the points. We had 52% possession with only one recognised midfielder in the team (Connolly isn't a midfielder!).

There's not much else to say tbh. It's a sad end to a pretty successful year, but thank god we're allowed to sign players again in three days time!

Madine and lavery probably the only 2 who are savvy at going down and frustrating the opposition

 

[parker14]

This is where a bit of "coaching" comes in handy.

 

[Atletico_Seasider]

Maybe Critch needs to spend a week in the close season shadowing the master of the dark arts - Diego Simeone. Obviously we don't want to go anywhere near as extreme as Atletico, but if we do need to wise up and get more street wise in this league. Being naive has probably cost us at least 10 points this season. An example being the lack of reaction by our players when Gabriel got hacked down by Fletcher against Stoke, versus the reaction of the Huddersfield players to get Gabriel sent off on boxing Day. Our players ambled over v Stoke, Huddersfield players were all charging over with arms raised. Officials are swayed by players reactions...

 

[Lytham_fy8]

Play that game again and 100 times out of 100 we'll lose, unless we wise up to what the OP is saying.

You're honestly suggesting that we played that badly we'd lose every time?

Bollocks.

 

[parker14]

You're honestly suggesting that we played that badly we'd lose every time?

Bollocks.

Same to you

 

[Lytham_fy8]

Same to you

No, honestly though, you really think we were that bad?

 

[Wizaard]

Yep, we got a corner from it but that isn't as advantageous as a free kick on the edge of the box. Have to say it though, we are so ineffective at set pieces. We rarely win a header from our corners, they are all cleared by the opposition. Wouldn't mind it if we just won one header from a corner even if it went a mile wide or high.

We hit the post from one last night in the second half. Connolly maybe with a header.

 

[Wizaard]

Play that game again and 100 times out of 100 we'll lose, unless we wise up to what the OP is saying.

Will we really?

 

[parker14]

No, honestly though, you really think we were that bad?

I'm talking about the errors, not the overall performance, that's what's killing us every time. It's what the OP was saying.

 

[Chunkylad]

On the dark arts. When Gabriel brought the player down for the second yellow, their keeper ran all the way from his box to the sideline to push Gabriel as if it was a hatchet man job.
I immediately knew it would go red purely because the keeper was 100% shithousing It wasn’t that bad a challenge and without the dramatics the ref probably would have done nothing.
Faced with all the drama he really had no choice. As you say, if Bowler had done the same and we had big handbag pushing session it’s likely a min of a yellow, maybe more?

 

[AngelBFC]

We outplayed Middlesbrough when we have a depleted squad

Very proud of what we did last night

We didn’t deserve an equaliser we deserved to win

O/p makes some very good points

These players will learn you will not see a more hardworking genuine set of lads playing for our club

 

[Supersub]

I normally like what you say. But I do not like cheating, especially from my side. I can only think you are saying that from the pain I am feeling from watching that. Next season , when we are not the 'new comers' we will get the decisions we deserve. It is the name of the game. WRONG .But the way that referees see the game. I really wish that the standard of referring was better but hey....

Bit rich from a poster called Martondiver !!

 

[rockontommy]

No such thing as luck. We keep losing games in the same way (when being the better team) for a reason. There's a complacency creeping in - 'it'll come good', 'if we play like that next week' etc that needs knocking on its head. We lack a ruthlessness in all areas eg. are weak in tackles, don't win headers and don't get shots off quick enough (or at all!).