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Wizaard

Wizaard

Well-known member
Once again we go out of the Cup early. First half we scored early, took the steam out of the home fans and were comfortable. A goal disallowed and an absolute sitter from Lavery should have seen the game done and dusted, but as always, we never capitalise on opportunities. Bowler was looking promising, running at their fullback and creating chances but we got a little casual and maybe over confident. Passing was done with no real purpose and we let them back in. Keshi and Husband going off didn't help.

The start of the second half began lethargically, with us failing to pick up anything in midfield. They grew in confidence and we backed off. A run right across the pitch stretched us and we allowed a shot to come in. A large deflection wrongfooted the keeper and the game was level. Suddenly they were looking like a decent side and were picking up everything, and our distribution went to pieces.

One too many backpasses to the keeper saw a hurried poor clearance that was returned with interest, and slotted past Grimshaw.

We got back into the game then and started to play with some urgency, getting balls into the box and chances were coming. Within a couple of minutes, CJ first shot wide when well placed and then put it wide from a yard out when it looked easier to score. He simply had to hit the target. At that point you just knew it wasn't our day. We huffed and puffed, but a glancing header from Lavery wide, a few scrambles and blocks and a final air shot six yards out summed up the day.

Hartlepool were neat and tidy but we absolutely gifted them a great opportunity to progress.

We really need to be more ruthless, but I'm not sure the players we have can do that. They need four or five chances to take one.

Tough decisions need to be taken and a couple of midfielders is the minimum this window. Keshi went off and all creativity went with him.

This side needs strengthening as there can be no excuses after that.
 
Wizaard said:
Once again we go out of the Cup early. First half we scored early, took the steam out of the home fans and were comfortable. A goal disallowed and an absolute sitter from Lavery should have seen the game done and dusted, but as always, we never capitalise on opportunities. Bowler was looking promising, running at their fullback and creating chances but we got a little casual and maybe over confident. Passing was done with no real purpose and we let them back in. Keshi and Husband going off didn't help.

The start of the second half began lethargically, with us failing to pick up anything in midfield. They grew in confidence and we backed off. A run right across the pitch stretched us and we allowed a shot to come in. A large deflection wrongfooted the keeper and the game was level. Suddenly they were looking like a decent side and were picking up everything, and our distribution went to pieces.

One too many backpasses to the keeper saw a hurried poor clearance that was returned with interest, and slotted past Grimshaw.

We got back into the game then and started to play with some urgency, getting balls into the box and chances were coming. Within a couple of minutes, CJ first shot wide when well placed and then put it wide from a yard out when it looked easier to score. He simply had to hit the target. At that point you just knew it wasn't our day. We huffed and puffed, but a glancing header from Lavery wide, a few scrambles and blocks and a final air shot six yards out summed up the day.

Hartlepool were neat and tidy but we absolutely gifted them a great opportunity to progress.

We really need to be more ruthless, but I'm not sure the players we have can do that. They need four or five chances to take one.

Tough decisions need to be taken and a couple of midfielders is the minimum this window. Keshi went off and all creativity went with him.

This side needs strengthening as there can be no excuses after that.
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Why let Critchley off? The coaching needs strengthening. On his own he's looking lost. What on Earth does Mike Garrity actually contribute?
 
1966_and_all_that said:
Why let Critchley off? The coaching needs strengthening. On his own he's looking lost. What on Earth does Mike Garrity actually contribute?
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I'm not letting him off. But when the players on the pitch miss chances like that, it's not at his door. If we'd won by 4 it wouldn't have been unjustified. We lost because we failed to take golden chances.

You do wonder what Garrity does btw.
 
Wizaard said:
I'm not letting him off. But when the players on the pitch miss chances like that, it's not at his door. If we'd won by 4 it wouldn't have been unjustified. We lost because we failed to take golden chances.

You do wonder what Garrity does btw.
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Wasn't digging at you Wiz. And I agree - albeit via Chisnallvision - that had we taken our chances these posts wouldn't be happening.
 
Garrity will take a lot of the training. He's a coach. One man can't coach a squad alone, and do all the other stuff.

But we obviously need a more experienced head. It works well when we have Critch, Garrity and an old head helping out part time. Critch is still new at this game, relatively speaking. Sadler said this week we will bring someone in. I'm wondering if he's given Critch some time with the stabilisers off to see how he goes. Not ready, I think, is the conclusion. Getting there, but not quite, some game management issues.

And we do need player reinforcements. We can't put out a midfield now. Just Dougall. Lavery has lost the super confidence he had. Madine rarely scores. Jerry has gone walkabout. I really hope Simms comes. We don't use the flanks well enough. Keshi will be missed big time.

But we will sort these things. We have good people and injuries will heal and we have 33 points. Just need some steadying and strengthening this month.
 
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Wizaard said:
I'm not letting him off. But when the players on the pitch miss chances like that, it's not at his door. If we'd won by 4 it wouldn't have been unjustified. We lost because we failed to take golden chances.

You do wonder what Garrity does btw.
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How do you know what any assistant does unless your at training every day and around the club. It's impossible to access. Bit strange to give Critch a free pass today but have a go at Garrity?
 
PNENIL said:
How do you know what any assistant does unless your at training every day and around the club. It's impossible to access. Bit strange to give Critch a free pass today but have a go at Garrity?
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Im not having a go. I have no idea what he does, nor have I ever heard him speak.
 
Think the tactics are right hence number of chances being created. It’s about the skill and ability of individuals to convert these
 
straightatthewall said:
Looking beyond one game and across the course of Critchley’s tenure, we’ve consistently been poor when he hasn’t had an experienced head next to him and significantly better when he has. Those are just facts now.
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Agree, but I think often some use it as a sign that Critchley isn't that good. I'd look at it the other way in that I think most managers of successful teams have a good assistant. The sooner it's sorted the better, it didn't take too long last time and clearly it's something the club knows it needs otherwise McCall wouldn't have been asked to come in.
 
3 definite facts and 1 question
We all on this forum are passionate about our new regime ,team and new supporters ,it,s great so that,s fact 1
Fact 2 we Do have some average players in our team who no doubt won’t progress.
Do we have 5 championship standard players in our squad in our first season back? We could be punching about our weight with bright tactics etc.
Fact 3 We don’t have a big budget and will have to balance our books prudently ,we help by supporting and no doubt sales will be made . Most of us are realistic enough to realise we have to balance the books
The 1 Question. Why do our coaches have what seems like a 10 minute discussion,complete with planners ,before they make a substitution ? I ,ve never seen it to such an extent in all my years of supporting the Mighty. Is it normal now in the modern game ?
 
We need to play the subs much much earlier when games are slipping away...unless we have injuries we wait way too long ad it is a really bad trait.
 
We were so comfortable first half, the second half was inexplicable. I can only think the players dropped the reigns and there is no excuse for that.
 
Wizaard said:
Our hand was somewhat forced by making two in the first 30 minutes.
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Today maybe but in general our subs have been way too late...I still think Jerry should have come on earlier to be fair...he must be getting pretty pissed off at the lack of game time for a 20 goal striker
 
Just got back, from pub & plucked up the courage to watch the highlights on MOTD. I was ok until I saw them. Jesus wept, how did professional strikers miss so many opportunity's. Perhaps we could use them as defenders.
 
Wizaard said:
They didn't show the disallowed goal. Why was it chalked off?
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They showed the replays on the live stream on hesgoal.com

It looked like Madine got too close to the keeper but also showed the Lino with his flag, arm outstretched for offside.

So it could have been a combination of foul on the goalkeeper (ref) offside (Lino)

It didn’t look offside in the replays or that Madine actually made a foul on keeper but that’s just our luck at the moment
 
Only saw the second half and I‘ve not seen us play as badly as that since NC came in, we did not put in a tackle in midfield which is so unlike us, we backed off and gave them space, the pace of the game was so slow and we did not show any urgency until the last 10, note to NC please buy some players that can deliver a better final ball particularly from wide areas, CJ couldn't gross for toffee. I‘m never critical after a defeat as we have usually played well and given everything, but I could not say that about this performance.
 
re the disallowed goal, my live stream was jumping about all over the place and was playing catch up so it didn't actually show the "goal" being scored. It simply showed the lino's flag. But it was discussed in the commentary.
 
20togo said:
re the disallowed goal, my live stream was jumping about all over the place and was playing catch up so it didn't actually show the "goal" being scored. It simply showed the lino's flag. But it was discussed in the commentary.
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That might explain it then. Was starting to think we'd had a phantom disallowed goal.
 
Sooty59 said:
Just got back, from pub & plucked up the courage to watch the highlights on MOTD. I was ok until I saw them. Jesus wept, how did professional strikers miss so many opportunity's. Perhaps we could use them as defenders.
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You would have put some of those chances away.
 
PNENIL said:
Hard to tell because he's been 3rd choice a lot anyway. I'd be amazed if the club let that go when they've seen it and also amazed at people patting him on the back for it on here.
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It is hardly a shock that professional footballers drink after a game, perhaps it should have been more discreet. Based on his attitude on the pitch, where he closes down and harries in a manner that both Lavery and Madine could only dream of, we may be cutting off our nose to spite our face.
 
basilexile said:
It is hardly a shock that professional footballers drink after a game, perhaps it should have been more discreet. Based on his attitude on the pitch, where he closes down and harries in a manner that both Lavery and Madine could only dream of, we may be cutting off our nose to spite our face.
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Or that might not have anything to do with it.
 
Wizaard said:
Who knows. There's something strange when you don't regularly pick the main goalscorer in the squad.
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Yes. I know Lavery has been a positive signing, but Jerry still looks the best all-round striker we have. He's a goalscorer and a footballer too and has to make us better on the counter as he can use the ball better than pretty much everyone else.

Injuries aside, it's baffling that he hasn't played more and makes you wonder why.
 
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