Massìve Massive over reaction? (or not?)

Insider

Insider

Well-known member
I get it, I really do, I was as mad and frustrated as anyone at the final whistle blaming Norburn, Connolly, the ref and even the cat.
First thing to say is I wasn't there. Massive respect to those that were and well done for doing your best trying to raise the team's performance.
Team selection.
One change from a very dominant performance last Saturday. Bad decision? Difficult to argue against that when the team was announced at 2pm.
The big surprise was the absence of Kenny, but conspiracy theories aside, should replacing him with Norburn have been a game-changer?
Not really, Kenny maybe needed a rest and Norburn should be fresh. He's started 14 matches this season and of those our results are W5 D4 L5.
For me the continuing absence of Casey is the biggest surprise.
Formation.
Unlike Critch Mk1 we can't accuse him of tinkering. We've stuck with 3-5-2 all season. (The Academy teams also now). It's good to have consistency throughout the club but the criticism from the fans appears to be we are too negative and don't have a plan B.
On the negative criticism we do actually play with wingers as wing backs, we seem to have ditched 2 defensive mid-fieldrs for one (plus Carey) and we have 2 strikers (+Dembele). On paper that doesn't look defensive.
Overall (all competitions) the seasons stats are P29 W15 D6 L8 F52 A36. Do those represent a negative formation?
On the other major point of criticism I can't find any defense for the absence of a plan B?
The Manager.
Before I get the bumspider responses I have, on more than one occasion, described Critch as risk averse.
What I've just described under "formation" makes us predictable and gives the opposition easy counter strategies so should Critch go back to tinkering?
He certainly tried to be positive with his substitutions yesterday but he's not for bringing 3 on at HT (risk averse).
Ditch the Critch?
What we are getting is becoming a mirror image of 20/21 season. Good days against good teams, bad days against bad teams
Inconsistent (and yesterday was inconsistency personified) but last time just consistent enough to get us over the line so hopefully so again.
There are lots of posters on here that can only see a negative and seem to revel in a poor performance.
I don't know why everything went so spectacularly wrong yesterday after the Cambridge scored but shit happens.
If you don't like Critch, his team and his tactics that's your perogative.
Realistically sacking Critchley now, IMO, wouldn't be a sensible solution.
 
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Massive over reaction as always happens after every defeat.

Performance wise, we were the better team, and both of their goals should have been disallowed for more than one reason in both cases.

Bolton have just lost two on the bounce yet are still seen as title contenders. Why are we out of it with over half the season to go?
 
We were better than Cambridge? If anything they were better. The defending was an embarrassment to professional football.
 
Wizaard said:
Massive over reaction as always happens after every defeat.

Performance wise, we were the better team, and both of their goals should have been disallowed for more than one reason in both cases.

Bolton have just lost two on the bounce yet are still seen as title contenders. Why are we out of it with over half the season to go?
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Agreed. I’m never that concerned when the defeats are only ‘narrow’. We’ve been here with Critchley before. Albeit somethings have changed.

We’ve certainly come a long way since Wycombe away. IMO.
 
A_Tense_Grin said:
We were better than Cambridge? If anything they were better. The defending was an embarrassment to professional football.
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In what way were they better? We had more possession, more shots on and off target, and their goals shouldn't have stood.

Their man of the match was the referee.
 
We’ve got a very good squad of players who can compete with anyone in L1 as has been proven probably better than anyone else in this league and l am no Critch lover or hater l just want what’s best for the club and fans however, l am really struggling as to why we are so badly inconsistent in a poor league. I knew Connolly was going to start and l even posted this earlier in the week but he makes that many mistakes and yesterday was no different, it just seems to send the rest of the defenders into panic mode and consequently the midfield become ineffective and you can't afford this to happen in a back 3, Eki is exactly the same. Why Casey didn’t start was just unbelievable as he steadies the back 3 and can play the ball out. If the back 3 is jittery and the midfield are being dragged down because of it then this where Critch needs to change things but his insistence and stubbornness in not being capable or willing to move away from a system that doesn’t always suit us is costing us points against some very poor teams l have to say.
 
First 25 we were all over them. After that they found us out and defended pretty well and hit well on break. Wanted it more than us. Add that in with ref giving them everything and the fact we can’t defend and it was obvious in first half it was going to be of them afternoons. Completely missed KD in middle of park. No bite without him.

We did still have chances tho and their lad did a brilliant block on KJ and their guy miskicking it let JR in but he missed a sitter. Can’t blame him cos without his goals we’d be mid table at best. I think we’re underachieving and anything under playoffs isn’t good enough IMO.
 
Wizaard said:
In what way were they better? We had more possession, more shots on and off target, and their goals shouldn't have stood.

Their man of the match was the referee.
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None of that matters when you have a back three playing a high line with no idea how to play the offside trap. It was schoolboy stuff.
 
People are understandably looking for reasons we lost but the worst take is that Kenny being dropped is the sole reason we lost. As you've shown with the match stats he's not that irreplaceable just on a good run of form.
 
Ultimately its the manager who gets the blame but the players need to have a good look at themselves after that performance yesterday, not one of them came out of it with any credit.It was like Northampton all over again so frustrating
 
Insider said:
I get it, I really do, I was as mad and frustrated as anyone at the final whistle blaming Norburn, Connolly, the ref and even the cat.
First thing to say is I wasn't there. Massive respect to those that were and well done for doing your best trying to raise the team's performance.
Team selection.
One change from a very dominant performance last Saturday. Bad decision? Difficult to argue against that when the team was announced at 2pm.
The big surprise was the absence of Kenny, but conspiracy theories aside, should replacing him with Norburn have been a game-changer?
Not really, Kenny maybe needed a rest and Norburn should be fresh. He's started 14 matches this season and of those our results are W5 D4 L5.
For me the continuing absence of Casey is the biggest surprise.
Formation.
Unlike Critch Mk1 we can't accuse him of tinkering. We've stuck with 3-5-2 all season. (The Academy teams also now). It's good to have consistency throughout the club but the criticism from the fans appears to be we are too negative and don't have a plan B.
On the negative criticism we do actually play with wingers as wing backs, we seem to have ditched 2 defensive mid-fieldrs for one (plus Carey) and we have 2 strikers (+Dembele). On paper that doesn't look defensive.
Overall (all competitions) the seasons stats are P29 W15 D6 L8 F52 A36. Do those represent a negative formation?
On the other major point of criticism I can't find any defense for the absence of a plan B?
The Manager.
Before I get the bumspider responses I have, on more than one occasion, described Critch as risk averse.
What I've just described under "formation" makes us predictable and gives the opposition easy counter strategies so should Critch go back to tinkering?
He certainly tried to be positive with his substitutions yesterday but he's not for bringing 3 on at HT (risk averse).
Ditch the Critch?
What we are getting is becoming a mirror image of 20/21 season. Good days against good teams, bad days against bad teams
Inconsistent (and yesterday was inconsistency personified) but last time just consistent enough to get us over the line so hopefully so again.
There are lots of posters on here that can only see a negative and seem to revel in a poor performance.
I don't know why everything went so spectacularly wrong yesterday after the Cambridge scored but shit happens.
If you don't like Critch, his team and his tactics that's your perogative.
Realistically sacking Critchley now, IMO, wouldn't be a sensible solution.
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Problem stems from possibly being the easiest team to score against in the league.
He is not addressing that, 3 at the back can work if you regularly play the same three and they are switched on and midfield snuff out the danger in the middle of the park.
Until we become hard to score against, the best we can hope for is inconsistent, and confidence drains away.
I would hope that a, well qualified coach could see that
 
Casey on the bench and Connolly centre of a back 3. Connolly has a shocker, brings others down with him, yet he played 90 minutes.

NC has the strongest squad in L1 in my opinion, we have a lot of quality and pace. Yesterday, I thought we’d win by 3 or 4 after we went ahead. We look a different class to most teams, but you cannot have Connolly marshalling the back 3.

The inconsistency will go on all season. His team selections are often baffling and he is unable to cope tactically with teams that want to sit in. He does not make tactical changes in-game, when we can all see what is needed. As a manager, I’d never be afraid of him out-thinking me tactically.

I do think we’ll reach the play-offs, if we don’t lose players in January. However, it will be despite NC.
 
Wizaard said:
Massive over reaction as always happens after every defeat.

Performance wise, we were the better team, and both of their goals should have been disallowed for more than one reason in both cases.

Bolton have just lost two on the bounce yet are still seen as title contenders. Why are we out of it with over half the season to go?
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Wiz, I concur with that mate
.
I was working so couldn’t get to the game and didn’t even get to listen to any commentary and only had the goal alerts on my phone, however, an old friend of mine who lives in, and supports, Cambridge, rang me after the gam
I was expecting a load of gloating but no such thing and his version of the game was:-
When Blackpool scored the first goal I thought we would capitulate because they were definitely the better team playing good possession football. I thought our equaliser was offside but not seen the replay yet, and also
was fortunate because it looked like 2 defenders and the goalie were all going for the same ball and got in each other’s way. The second was a penalty and I have seen goalkeepers get sent off for less. What was funny though was when your keeper was setting up for the pen and he kept pointing to his right as if to tell Ahadme to place it there, which he obligingly did and your goalie dived to his left.
That said I still thought Blackpool would claw it back and win but it was good to see our team show some resolve.
Just shows the effect a new manager can have. I’ll be happy if the U’s survive in League 1 but Blackpool will play worse than that and win.

I’ve only just come on the forum so (expectedly) I’ve read all the negative comments.
I saw the comment about if Dougal had kept his place instead of Norburn we would have won but that is ridiculous
I am no fan of Norburn as I have said many times but a lot of people were calling for him to return to steady the ship in midfield but when he does come back it’s the wrong option by Critch.
 
Insider said:
I get it, I really do, I was as mad and frustrated as anyone at the final whistle blaming Norburn, Connolly, the ref and even the cat.
First thing to say is I wasn't there. Massive respect to those that were and well done for doing your best trying to raise the team's performance.
Team selection.
One change from a very dominant performance last Saturday. Bad decision? Difficult to argue against that when the team was announced at 2pm.
The big surprise was the absence of Kenny, but conspiracy theories aside, should replacing him with Norburn have been a game-changer?
Not really, Kenny maybe needed a rest and Norburn should be fresh. He's started 14 matches this season and of those our results are W5 D4 L5.
For me the continuing absence of Casey is the biggest surprise.
Formation.
Unlike Critch Mk1 we can't accuse him of tinkering. We've stuck with 3-5-2 all season. (The Academy teams also now). It's good to have consistency throughout the club but the criticism from the fans appears to be we are too negative and don't have a plan B.
On the negative criticism we do actually play with wingers as wing backs, we seem to have ditched 2 defensive mid-fieldrs for one (plus Carey) and we have 2 strikers (+Dembele). On paper that doesn't look defensive.
Overall (all competitions) the seasons stats are P29 W15 D6 L8 F52 A36. Do those represent a negative formation?
On the other major point of criticism I can't find any defense for the absence of a plan B?
The Manager.
Before I get the bumspider responses I have, on more than one occasion, described Critch as risk averse.
What I've just described under "formation" makes us predictable and gives the opposition easy counter strategies so should Critch go back to tinkering?
He certainly tried to be positive with his substitutions yesterday but he's not for bringing 3 on at HT (risk averse).
Ditch the Critch?
What we are getting is becoming a mirror image of 20/21 season. Good days against good teams, bad days against bad teams
Inconsistent (and yesterday was inconsistency personified) but last time just consistent enough to get us over the line so hopefully so again.
There are lots of posters on here that can only see a negative and seem to revel in a poor performance.
I don't know why everything went so spectacularly wrong yesterday after the Cambridge scored but shit happens.
If you don't like Critch, his team and his tactics that's your perogative.
Realistically sacking Critchley now, IMO, wouldn't be a sensible solution.
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End of the day it’s a forum full of man children who think we should be winning every game and have a divine right to beat teams lower than us in the table.

That’s not to say people shouldn’t be angry. As you said yesterday was enraging.

But unfortunately a lot of the posters can’t control their emotions and their own internal biases meaning that every time we lose it has to be a gargantuan overreaction.

When we win it’s because the manager has apparently listened to the anonymous experts on here and when we lose he’s the worst appointment we’ve ever made, is clueless without an “experienced” number 2, and isn’t capable of getting the best out of the squad.

It’s so predictable and yet mind boggling at the same time how grown men can only think in black and white.

A lot of our fans on here deserve absolutely nothing.
 
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Eternaloptimist said:
Herts, is “worser” a word?
Strange how different people view a game though, if you read my post above it certainly appears we were the better side and that’s from a Cambridge supporter.
Stats wise we dominated the game though.
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We were the better team first half and they were better than us in the 2nd half. I was positioned around the half way line and you could see that the wind was a big factor.
It favoured us 1st half and that’s why we were better- although we hoofed it long too many times throughout the match.
 
Bend it like Suddick said:
Why, because their opinion is different to yours?
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Not at all. And you know that. I enjoy debating with people on here and often agree to disagree.

It just gets to a point where this spoilt, entitled attitude becomes unbearable.

They’re not spoilt because they want us to do well. they’re not spoilt because they’re angry at our inconsistency. They’re spoilt because the club hired a manager they didn’t want and since that decision they have been absolutely desperate to get on the managers back wherever possible. They’re spoilt because if the manager doesn’t pick the exact lineup they would’ve picked it means he’s clueless and not getting the best out of the squad. It’s all me me me I want this I want that and if they don’t get it the toys are out of the pram.

Every time we lose I see a striking lack of criticism towards the players, it’s always toward the manager (unless it’s a player such as Connolly who has been labelled the manager’s love child for no particular reason). It’s childish.

And whenever I post something like this I’m branded as someone who can’t accept people disagreeing with me or a happy clapper. Simply because I don’t call for the manager’s head after every defeat.

I enjoy the debate. I’m not right on everything. I’ve been wrong plenty of times. But I do think there’s a difference between reasoned debate and the painstaking tantrum throwing that erupts on this forum because the manager didn’t play the centre back you wanted or he didn’t play the formation you wanted or he didn’t make the subs you wanted at the time you wanted. Im not going to apologise for calling that out for what it is. Absolute brain dead immaturity.
 
Insider said:
I get it, I really do, I was as mad and frustrated as anyone at the final whistle blaming Norburn, Connolly, the ref and even the cat.
First thing to say is I wasn't there. Massive respect to those that were and well done for doing your best trying to raise the team's performance.
Team selection.
One change from a very dominant performance last Saturday. Bad decision? Difficult to argue against that when the team was announced at 2pm.
The big surprise was the absence of Kenny, but conspiracy theories aside, should replacing him with Norburn have been a game-changer?
Not really, Kenny maybe needed a rest and Norburn should be fresh. He's started 14 matches this season and of those our results are W5 D4 L5.
For me the continuing absence of Casey is the biggest surprise.
Formation.
Unlike Critch Mk1 we can't accuse him of tinkering. We've stuck with 3-5-2 all season. (The Academy teams also now). It's good to have consistency throughout the club but the criticism from the fans appears to be we are too negative and don't have a plan B.
On the negative criticism we do actually play with wingers as wing backs, we seem to have ditched 2 defensive mid-fieldrs for one (plus Carey) and we have 2 strikers (+Dembele). On paper that doesn't look defensive.
Overall (all competitions) the seasons stats are P29 W15 D6 L8 F52 A36. Do those represent a negative formation?
On the other major point of criticism I can't find any defense for the absence of a plan B?
The Manager.
Before I get the bumspider responses I have, on more than one occasion, described Critch as risk averse.
What I've just described under "formation" makes us predictable and gives the opposition easy counter strategies so should Critch go back to tinkering?
He certainly tried to be positive with his substitutions yesterday but he's not for bringing 3 on at HT (risk averse).
Ditch the Critch?
What we are getting is becoming a mirror image of 20/21 season. Good days against good teams, bad days against bad teams
Inconsistent (and yesterday was inconsistency personified) but last time just consistent enough to get us over the line so hopefully so again.
There are lots of posters on here that can only see a negative and seem to revel in a poor performance.
I don't know why everything went so spectacularly wrong yesterday after the Cambridge scored but shit happens.
If you don't like Critch, his team and his tactics that's your perogative.
Realistically sacking Critchley now, IMO, wouldn't be a sensible solution.
Click to expand...
i am sorry if Kenny needs a rest, and I don't believe he does, then surely Carey does. A midfield three containing two non- tacklers, in Carey and Dembele, is always going to be easy to run through, especially away from home.
Kenny has been our main man in midfield this season, including Norburn, who just slows play down. Our best midfield this season was against Reading where Kenny, Virtue and Norburn were great
 
‘It is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.‘ Published 400 years ago. The guy had precognition or more likely he heard this stuff down the pub. Seems just as relevant today, especially with social media.
Billy Shakespeare (aka Bardy), north stand, A block, row m.
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
Casey on the bench and Connolly centre of a back 3. Connolly has a shocker, brings others down with him, yet he played 90 minutes.

NC has the strongest squad in L1 in my opinion, we have a lot of quality and pace. Yesterday, I thought we’d win by 3 or 4 after we went ahead. We look a different class to most teams, but you cannot have Connolly marshalling the back 3.

The inconsistency will go on all season. His team selections are often baffling and he is unable to cope tactically with teams that want to sit in. He does not make tactical changes in-game, when we can all see what is needed. As a manager, I’d never be afraid of him out-thinking me tactically.

I do think we’ll reach the play-offs, if we don’t lose players in January. However, it will be despite NC.
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I don't see why Connolley is the fall guy? Our last 3 league victories have been 4-0 away at Pompey, 4-0 against Shrewsbury and 3-0 against Carlisle. Connolley played in all 3, (sub v Pompey). 11 goals for 0 against. Norburn didn't feature.

Yesterday Norburn, the master of chaos, had the defence in disarray as usual. He had the defence putting their hands up for offside whilst stood like musical statues. I do not rate him at all. We missed Kenny big time. Norburn for me is the common denominator. He is supposed to be the extra line of defence and yet poor and mediocre teams bypass him with ease. 🤷
 
Notathome said:
i am sorry if Kenny needs a rest, and I don't believe he does, then surely Carey does. A midfield three containing two non- tacklers, in Carey and Dembele, is always going to be easy to run through, especially away from home.
Kenny has been our main man in midfield this season, including Norburn, who just slows play down. Our best midfield this season was against Reading where Kenny, Virtue and Norburn were great
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A midfield including two non tackling midfielders of Dembele and Carey put 4 past Portsmouth without concession, but that doesn't make your point, does it.
 
Wizaard said:
Massive over reaction as always happens after every defeat.

Performance wise, we were the better team, and both of their goals should have been disallowed for more than one reason in both cases.

Bolton have just lost two on the bounce yet are still seen as title contenders. Why are we out of it with over half the season to go?
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Excellent post but not too sure we were the better team. Better footballing team, yes. But perhaps the best equipped team for the day won it?
 
Of course it’s an overreaction.

Last week I had several posters telling me off for daring to say we weren’t going up automatically.

That’s the issue when the majority of the fan base doesn’t have a single brain cell between them.
 
Cuthbert said:
Excellent post but not too sure we were the better team. Better footballing team, yes. But perhaps the best equipped team for the day won it?
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Something in that, but apart from two goals that should have never counted, did they do much? Their keeper made a number of saves, and everyone was astounded when Rhodes actually missed the target when clear, plus the great tackle that denied Carey...
 
Wizaard said:
A midfield including two non tackling midfielders of Dembele and Carey put 4 past Portsmouth without concession, but that doesn't make your point, does it.
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It clearly makes my point. We were all on our game that day, as we we were against Carlisle, but our inconsistency is due to our inability to dig in, in those ugly games against physical sides, especially in away games where we have lost many points from winning positions.
Peterborough United are stacked with pretty, skillful players, but they can all put a shift in and importantly make a tackle, that is why they will outperform us this season!
 
Wizaard said:
Something in that, but apart from two goals that should have never counted, did they do much? Their keeper made a number of saves, and everyone was astounded when Rhodes actually missed the target when clear, plus the great tackle that denied Carey...
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They hit the post after carving a way through the Norburn/Connolly non-existent defence
 
Fylde Seasider said:
I don't see why Connolley is the fall guy? Our last 3 league victories have been 4-0 away at Pompey, 4-0 against Shrewsbury and 3-0 against Carlisle. Connolley played in all 3, (sub v Pompey). 11 goals for 0 against. Norburn didn't feature.

Yesterday Norburn, the master of chaos, had the defence in disarray as usual. He had the defence putting their hands up for offside whilst stood like musical statues. I do not rate him at all. We missed Kenny big time. Norburn for me is the common denominator. He is supposed to be the extra line of defence and yet poor and mediocre teams bypass him with ease. 🤷
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I agree about Norburn / Kenny, but Norburn isn’t marshalling the back 3. That job is the centre of the 3. They got it badly wrong, including second half when they should have scored again.

Connolly has his qualities, just not in the middle of a 3. It’s always do or die with him, little composure and no pace, just not what we need when Casey and Marv are available. We may have recovered the first goal with more pace in there.

However, I take your point, Norburn was very poor and Kenny is different class on his day.
 
Bottom line is there were several (11+) poor performers yesterday for about 60 minutes.
Critch didn't say at 2.50 go out there and be shit and he didn't say that again at HT.
It was virtually the same team that were so comfortable against Carlisle. I certainly can't explain why we didn't perform equally well but that never happens (even at Citeh this season).
Should we make 11 changes after each game so that nobody gets complacent?
I wouldn't say this season we've an absolutely nailed on 1st eleven like we did in the PL (other than Rhodes).
It would give the opposition food for thought.
 
Wizaard said:
In what way were they better? We had more possession, more shots on and off target, and their goals shouldn't have stood.

Their man of the match was the referee.
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In what way were they better? This morning the result in the paper reads Cambridge 2 Blackpool 1. You can’t change or twist facts to suit your agenda all the time Wiz
 
Insider said:
Bottom line is there were several (11+) poor performers yesterday for about 60 minutes.
Critch didn't say at 2.50 go out there and be shit and he didn't say that again at HT.
It was virtually the same team that were so comfortable against Carlisle. I certainly can't explain why we didn't perform equally well but that never happens (even at Citeh this season).
Should we make 11 changes after each game so that nobody gets complacent?
I wouldn't say this season we've an absolutely nailed on 1st eleven like we did in the PL (other than Rhodes).
It would give the opposition food for thought.
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Whatever the problem is, the responsibility rests with Critchley, He inherited several players who had two you championship experience, he must have been involved in transfers this summer, he had a full pre season, we’re now approaching the half way point, and we flatter to deceive. Obviously we can’t win every game, but we should be more consistent by this stage.

He‘s fixated on a system which seems hard for the players he has to adapt to on a regular basis, he selects players In unfamiliar positions, and he stubbornly sticks to his classroom 3-5-2. It’s time he admitted to himself he has to change, if not, just leave.
 
Insider said:
Bottom line is there were several (11+) poor performers yesterday for about 60 minutes.
Critch didn't say at 2.50 go out there and be shit and he didn't say that again at HT.
It was virtually the same team that were so comfortable against Carlisle. I certainly can't explain why we didn't perform equally well but that never happens (even at Citeh this season).
Should we make 11 changes after each game so that nobody gets complacent?
I wouldn't say this season we've an absolutely nailed on 1st eleven like we did in the PL (other than Rhodes).
It would give the opposition food for thought.
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We seemed to let the ref get to us. Norburn was constantly moaning rather than just getting on with it. Our bench were just as bad. The ref was very poor, but they had no answer to our passing football other than fouls. The ref would have to turn our way eventually, but we psyched ourselves out of that game and fell into the Cambridge trap. Someone was always getting sent off, I was quite surprised it was one of theirs.
 
Wizaard said:
From an offside position which was then bizarrely given as a corner. Maybe the linesman thought the post was one of our stationary players.
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Cannot afford to have several players having off days. Dembele playing too deep at times. The defence looking pressured particularly down the left hand side; Grimshaws distribution; lacking bite in midfield. Cambridge were definitely more up for it and probably aggressive. Just trying to get down to the bye line and pull it back. Their two centres halves were massively uncomfortable on the floor; it was their vulnerability but we didn’t really test it often enough
 
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