Starting side showed softness

A

Adams Kebab

Well-known member
Connolly and Virtue should not be starting in a semi-final with a place at Wembley at stake, I knew he wouldn’t start Byers cos in his head he’d not played in earlier rounds and it was about looking after “Matty and Callum & the rest of the guys in the squad” who’d got this far.

Basically like when you’re at a kids football weekend tournament and you share out the minutes or it’s Wyre away and you give everyone some game time cos they’ve had a trek to get there. It’s all so friendly and nice and soft.

Except we had Wembley on the line. Weak as piss. Pick your best team.

Follow that by watching a left wing back not go forward with the ball till the 90th minute and show little interest in wanting the ball. (He isn’t actually our player so we’re wasting our own time and his playing him, makes Luke Garbutt look like Roberto Carlos). Weak as piss.

Matty Virtue stays on and we take Albie Morgan off the one midfielder who goes forward with the ball with an eye for goal. Matty fuckin Virtue?! Was it his fuckin testimonial or something? Weak as piss.

Then we’ve had Peterborough pass it around us expertly with the two centre halves class especially Edwards. Back that up with their quality left back taking the piss infront of the North after his pen and none of our players thought we’ve go through a few of theirs or at least take a booking and not let them act like Real Madrid.

There’s levels to the game and their pass and movement was streets ahead of ours, which involved Hubby’s long diagonals, O’Donnell’s snap hooks and Callum fooking Connolly who was playing in Timberland’s hitting his Mike Davies esque chipped floater down the line to nobody.

Weak as piss which is how I’d describe our Head Coach who probably made the ref a brew after the match and gave him a 7/10.

Work to do Saturday or that crowd won’t take much to turn on the weakness from the sideline.

On the plus side, wasn’t it nice to see fringe 1st team players get some minutes…

So fuckin soft it’s untrue 👎🏼
 
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We tried not to lose the game and that is very different from trying to win it…hard to defend that line up..especially Connolly and Virtue…Byers must be delighted he has wasted his time coming here….we sign him just in time for our biggest games of the season and he gets one start paired with Norburn..which we win. So bad it’s laughable. Lavery plays well on Saturday and grabs a goal so we all know that’s him dropped next game…comical and great confidence boost again…Lyons fall from grace is just a mystery that Poirot couldn’t solve
 
A_Tense_Grin said:
On the flip side, you aren’t going to change a game bringing Kouassi on. It was a disorganised mess from start to finish.
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Agree, we're in February, and these players still don't look like they have a clue what they're doing. That's not on them, it's on Critchley. We looked more organised at times under Appleton than we ahve done for most of this season.
 
No way of getting there tonight despite the sensible start time for a change. We'll probably be on complete dead rubbers for two months with Jimmy Husband doing diving header OG's as he knows he's off by the time I can at the moment looking at the fixture list. But from what I got to hear the crowd came across as being at their loudest when they were singing the names of players who weren't on the pitch and for a good 15-20 minutes. In the hope the subs would finally be given the green light by Mike iPad on the touchline. And when they were made it soon went quiet when everyone realised not much was changing and the game was probably up before that anyway having more than met our match.

Like you say, this Bolton league game now. They've just gone and motored on at Cambridge tonight. They'll be up for it after that. Will ours after this. I know we won the use of a car for a day or something off a penalty shoot out against them in this comp a few weeks ago and everyone was beaming afterwards. But it still looked like we'd have shit the bed if Evatt had sent Dion Charles on any earlier in the 90 than he did.
 
Good post and hard to argue with any of it.
We saw some fringe players who we know are shite get completely schooled.
Great
 
poolfc said:
No way of getting there tonight despite the sensible start time for a change. We'll probably be on complete dead rubbers for two months with Jimmy Husband doing diving header OG's as he knows he's off by the time I can at the moment looking at the fixture list. But from what I got to hear the crowd came across as being at their loudest when they were singing the names of players who weren't on the pitch and for a good 15-20 minutes. In the hope the subs would finally be given the green light by Mike iPad on the touchline. And when they were made it soon went quiet when everyone realised not much was changing and the game was probably up before that anyway having more than met our match.

Like you say, this Bolton league game now. They've just gone and motored on at Cambridge tonight. They'll be up for it after that. Will ours after this. I know we won the use of a car for a day or something off a penalty shoot out against them in this comp a few weeks ago and everyone was beaming afterwards. But it still looked like we'd have shit the bed if Evatt had sent Dion Charles on any earlier in the 90 than he did.
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The way Peterborough move the ball is excellent, but it’s off the ball, creating space and angles that does it.

I’m absolutely cured of watching James Husband’s long diagonals but in fairness to him he’s got the square root of fuck all on 9/10 so it’s his only option.

NC talks about possession based football, with Connolly and Marv back there.
Marv is our best defender by a mile, but his pass out of play sums his game up. Kick it, head it, tackle. Leicester won the Prem with Morgan and Huth doing just that.

Still can’t get over Virtue played 90 mins and George Byers 0.

What a fuckin wetwipe we’ve got in the dugout.
 
Adams Kebab said:
The way Peterborough move the ball is excellent, but it’s off the ball, creating space and angles that does it.

I’m absolutely cured of watching James Husband’s long diagonals but in fairness to him he’s got the square root of fuck all on 9/10 so it’s his only option.

NC talks about possession based football, with Connolly and Marv back there.
Marv is our best defender by a mile, but his pass out of play sums his game up. Kick it, head it, tackle. Leicester won the Prem with Morgan and Huth doing just that.

Still can’t get over Virtue played 90 mins and George Byers 0.

What a fuckin wetwipe we’ve got in the dugout.
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Yeah they're really good. I went to the home league game and I think you can be thankful that Olly Casey wasn't given another crack at ending up the wrong side of his man and seeing red again off one simple forward pass to a mobile big lad. We're going to have a full year of that to look forward to next year when Big Marv and his last ditch rescue legs have gone.

I can understand the reserve keeper playing in this cup as it'll be a contractual thing as a trade off for a low wage and sitting on the bench in the league. But the other changes looked like keeping everyone happy and involved. Critchley's obvious ideal would have been to get through it and keep everyone motivated but it's gone tits up.
 
Sounds about right to me, i'd love to hear the rationale behind the whole debacle but you don't really get that from Critchley.
 
poolfc said:
But the other changes looked like keeping everyone happy and involved. Critchley's obvious ideal would have been to get through it and keep everyone motivated but it's gone tits up.
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It was exactly this, weak as piss and soft.

Summed himself up, bet he told “Matty” he had a good game and deserved the game time.

To be fair I’m probably being overly harsh on Virtue but when George Byers is getting zero minutes and Alfie Morgan is being hooked it’s a joke.
 
I put this in Joe's post but probably more fitting here and yours is an excellent O/P.

Tonight was all the reasons why I was seriously thinking of not wasting my time going to Wembley as it's a big effort to travel that far.
Out thought out fought and coached once again and he hasn't got a tactical clue in his head.
We are getting done in midfield on the wings and everywhere and anywhere at the back. Does he address it at half time? does he address it at the coaching manual timing page 60 minutes?

How the fuck has that idiot got where he is is beyond me now and to cap it off he takes the worst of his love children off only to put the other one on.

I said small mercies when I saw the team that only one was in but it turns out CJ might have been the lesser of the two evils.
 
To start the game with Virtue, Connolly and Beesley (who’s not played in months) was an absolute joke.

1 game away from Wembley which would have gave him a bit more pull.

Nope Neil knows best 🤢
 
Adams Kebab said:
Connolly and Virtue should not be starting in a semi-final with a place at Wembley at stake, I knew he wouldn’t start Byers cos in his head he’d not played in earlier rounds and it was about looking after “Matty and Callum & the rest of the guys in the squad” who’d got this far.

Basically like when you’re at a kids football weekend tournament and you share out the minutes or it’s Wyre away and you give everyone some game time cos they’ve had a trek to get there. It’s all so friendly and nice and soft.

Except we had Wembley on the line. Weak as piss. Pick your best team.

Follow that by watching a left wing back not go forward with the ball till the 90th minute and show little interest in wanting the ball. (He isn’t actually our player so we’re wasting our own time and his playing him, makes Luke Garbutt look like Roberto Carlos). Weak as piss.

Matty Virtue stays on and we take Albie Morgan off the one midfielder who goes forward with the ball with an eye for goal. Matty fuckin Virtue?! Was it his fuckin testimonial or something? Weak as piss.

Then we’ve had Peterborough pass it around us expertly with the two centre halves class especially Edwards. Back that up with their quality left back taking the piss infront of the North after his pen and none of our players thought we’ve go through a few of theirs or at least take a booking and not let them act like Real Madrid.

There’s levels to the game and their pass and movement was streets ahead of ours, which involved Hubby’s long diagonals, O’Donnell’s snap hooks and Callum fooking Connolly who was playing in Timberland’s hitting his Mike Davies esque chipped floater down the line to nobody.

Weak as piss which is how I’d describe our Head Coach who probably made the ref a brew after the match and gave him a 7/10.

Work to do Saturday or that crowd won’t take much to turn on the weakness from the sideline.

On the plus side, wasn’t it nice to see fringe 1st team players get some minutes…

So fuckin soft it’s
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Adams Kebab said:
Connolly and Virtue should not be starting in a semi-final with a place at Wembley at stake, I knew he wouldn’t start Byers cos in his head he’d not played in earlier rounds and it was about looking after “Matty and Callum & the rest of the guys in the squad” who’d got this far.

Basically like when you’re at a kids football weekend tournament and you share out the minutes or it’s Wyre away and you give everyone some game time cos they’ve had a trek to get there. It’s all so friendly and nice and soft.

Except we had Wembley on the line. Weak as piss. Pick your best team.

Follow that by watching a left wing back not go forward with the ball till the 90th minute and show little interest in wanting the ball. (He isn’t actually our player so we’re wasting our own time and his playing him, makes Luke Garbutt look like Roberto Carlos). Weak as piss.

Matty Virtue stays on and we take Albie Morgan off the one midfielder who goes forward with the ball with an eye for goal. Matty fuckin Virtue?! Was it his fuckin testimonial or something? Weak as piss.

Then we’ve had Peterborough pass it around us expertly with the two centre halves class especially Edwards. Back that up with their quality left back taking the piss infront of the North after his pen and none of our players thought we’ve go through a few of theirs or at least take a booking and not let them act like Real Madrid.

There’s levels to the game and their pass and movement was streets ahead of ours, which involved Hubby’s long diagonals, O’Donnell’s snap hooks and Callum fooking Connolly who was playing in Timberland’s hitting his Mike Davies esque chipped floater down the line to nobody.

Weak as piss which is how I’d describe our Head Coach who probably made the ref a brew after the match and gave him a 7/10.

Work to do Saturday or that crowd won’t take much to turn on the weakness from the sideline.

On the plus side, wasn’t it nice to see fringe 1st team players get some minutes…

So fuckin soft it’s untrue 👎🏼
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Well said AK.

A semi-final at home and I can't remember their keeper having a save to make.

Unbelievable team selection, formation and tactics once again from the multi-badged head coach.

Let's face it, we are nowhere near at top six place with nearly two thirds of the season gone.

Never a penalty but P'boro were light years ahead of us in every facet of the game; good luck to them in the final. Just one question; how the feck did we beat them on Saturday?

Connelly, Virtue and Beesely nowhere near good enough for this level of football.

All I ask is we give a good account of ourselves on Saturday against those barstewards from up the M61.

We are going nowhere with NC and the Chuckle Bros at the helm.

Genuinely gutted. 😟
 
Adams Kebab said:
Connolly and Virtue should not be starting in a semi-final with a place at Wembley at stake, I knew he wouldn’t start Byers cos in his head he’d not played in earlier rounds and it was about looking after “Matty and Callum & the rest of the guys in the squad” who’d got this far.

Basically like when you’re at a kids football weekend tournament and you share out the minutes or it’s Wyre away and you give everyone some game time cos they’ve had a trek to get there. It’s all so friendly and nice and soft.

Except we had Wembley on the line. Weak as piss. Pick your best team.

Follow that by watching a left wing back not go forward with the ball till the 90th minute and show little interest in wanting the ball. (He isn’t actually our player so we’re wasting our own time and his playing him, makes Luke Garbutt look like Roberto Carlos). Weak as piss.

Matty Virtue stays on and we take Albie Morgan off the one midfielder who goes forward with the ball with an eye for goal. Matty fuckin Virtue?! Was it his fuckin testimonial or something? Weak as piss.

Then we’ve had Peterborough pass it around us expertly with the two centre halves class especially Edwards. Back that up with their quality left back taking the piss infront of the North after his pen and none of our players thought we’ve go through a few of theirs or at least take a booking and not let them act like Real Madrid.

There’s levels to the game and their pass and movement was streets ahead of ours, which involved Hubby’s long diagonals, O’Donnell’s snap hooks and Callum fooking Connolly who was playing in Timberland’s hitting his Mike Davies esque chipped floater down the line to nobody.

Weak as piss which is how I’d describe our Head Coach who probably made the ref a brew after the match and gave him a 7/10.

Work to do Saturday or that crowd won’t take much to turn on the weakness from the sideline.

On the plus side, wasn’t it nice to see fringe 1st team players get some minutes…

So fuckin soft it’s untrue 👎🏼
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Connolly was poor as per, that time 1st half when they were clean through and he tried to take out the player without the ball, WTF.

He seems to have to do that sort of thing every game he plays, because he's slow and always caught out.

All he can do is go long too.

Still, I didnt like the cheering when he was subbed, not what you want to hear about your own players really.

Husband has gone downhill fast, a contender for player of the season early on, he's still pretty solid at times but just aimlessly hoofs to no-one.

You can only presume its an instruction, to them all, pass along the back and if all marked go long.

Peterborough didn't do that often, they actually set uo to play and knew how to, NC doesn't seem to know how to set us up to do that over his 2 spells now.
 
TANGERINETOWERPOWER said:
We tried not to lose the game and that is very different from trying to win it…hard to defend that line up..especially Connolly and Virtue…Byers must be delighted he has wasted his time coming here….we sign him just in time for our biggest games of the season and he gets one start paired with Norburn..which we win. So bad it’s laughable. Lavery plays well on Saturday and grabs a goal so we all know that’s him dropped next game…comical and great confidence boost again…Lyons fall from grace is just a mystery that Poirot couldn’t solve
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We're not trying not to lose, it's just that trying to win in that style isn't working or very effective.
 
Slept on it, even more fuming we picked that team in a semi-final at home, 90 minutes away from Wembley.

Critchley is actually a dumb fucker because picking his strongest team or our better players would’ve either got us there or us just face up to the fact their passing and movement is far superior.

Instead everyone is on his case for picking a weak starting team.

Blind faith in those fringe players or suicide with the fanbase?

It’s drawn me to the conclusion that we can put ourselves in positions in the league and cups, but when push comes to shove we’ll not do anything because we’re happier being nice than what’s needed and that’s on NC.

Imagine picking players who don’t play in a semi-final 🤢🤯 at least “Matty and Callum” and their mums will still help do the hot dogs and tombola at the end of season event.

Didn’t know we could afford to waste a semi-final 👎🏼
 
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I can understand the O/P, but personally I’m fine with Critchley giving other players an opportunity in this game.

It’s disappointing not to be going to Wembley of course, but it’s hardly the be all and end call… I mean it’s hard to demand that your Manager treats it like “The most important game of the season” (as someone described it) when only 50% of your fans can be bothered turning up to watch the game.

The League results are what matters… This competition was a bit of fun and an opportunity to give players who aren’t featuring regularly an opportunity to play competitive football and to that extent it’s served it’s purpose.

As for Wembley, I have to admit to being relieved to not have to travel there and spunk a load of dough in a competition I really genuinely couldn’t give a fuck whether we win or not…
 
Irrespective of whether the competition was a "bit of fun"...it totally epitomises the current situation with Critchley, the squad and the club.....

Not good enough or strong enough in every department.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I can understand the O/P, but personally I’m fine with Critchley giving other players an opportunity in this game.

It’s disappointing not to be going to Wembley of course, but it’s hardly the be all and end call… I mean it’s hard to demand that your Manager treats it like “The most important game of the season” (as someone described it) when only 50% of your fans can be bothered turning up to watch the game.

The League results are what matters… This competition was a bit of fun and an opportunity to give players who aren’t featuring regularly an opportunity to play competitive football and to that extent it’s served it’s purpose.

As for Wembley, I have to admit to being relieved to not have to travel there and spunk a load of dough in a competition I really genuinely couldn’t give a fuck whether we win or not…
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What’s the benefits of playing Matty Virtue and Callum Connolly at this stage of the season?

We fully know what they can do & their limitations but have just missed out on a trip to Wembley to have some fun and give them competitive football.

Pathetic, we’re a professional football team not Foxhall under 8’s.

It’s probably saved me a fortune on the weekend with my kids but sometimes those memories are worth every penny.

It’s probably why NC fucked it off after his wife had been on Booking.Com and priced it up.

There’s no doubts that the League is the bread and butter but self sabotage is now in play as he’s put a lot more pressure on Saturday’s game for himself and the team.

When you’re 90 mins from a day at Wembley you don’t sacrifice it to give some players some minutes. They’ll both probably leave in the summer anyway.
 
Schalke_FY4 said:
Irrespective of whether the competition was a "bit of fun"...it totally epitomises the current situation with Critchley, the squad and the club.....

Not good enough or strong enough in every department.
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It doesn’t ’epitomise’ anything at all… Apart from the fact that our primary focus is on League performances, which is precisely as it should be.

We’ve got a crucial game on Saturday and some of you think we should be focusing all our resources on a ** Mickey Mouse game !!

Get Real ffs …

We got beat… In a game like that you might as well go down 3-0 as 1-0… Peterborough were the better side on the night.


Adams Kebab said:
What’s the benefits of playing Matty Virtue and Callum Connolly at this stage of the season?

We fully know what they can do & their limitations but have just missed out on a trip to Wembley to have some fun and give them competitive football.

Pathetic, we’re a professional football team not Foxhall under 8’s.

It’s probably saved me a fortune on the weekend with my kids but sometimes those memories are worth every penny.

It’s probably why NC fucked it off after his wife had been on Booking.Com and priced it up.

There’s no doubts that the League is the bread and butter but self sabotage is now in play as he’s put a lot more pressure on Saturday’s game for himself and the team.

When you’re 90 mins from a day at Wembley you don’t sacrifice it to give some players some minutes. They’ll both probably leave in the summer anyway.
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The benefit is that we’re not sucking the legs out of players that we want to be fully on it for a game that actually matters.

Wembley … Are you serious??

I mean it’s literally like going to Wembley to watch Foxhall Under 8’s… Pointless!!
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
It doesn’t ’epitomise’ anything at all… Apart from the fact that our primary focus is on League performances, which is precisely as it should be.

We’ve got a crucial game on Saturday and some of you think we should be focusing all our resources on a ** Mickey Mouse game !!

Get Real ffs …

We got beat… In a game like that you might as well go down 3-0 as 1-0… Peterborough were the better side on the night.



The benefit is that we’re not sucking the legs out of players that we want to be fully on it for a game that actually matters.

Wembley … Are you serious??

I mean it’s literally like going to Wembley to watch Foxhall Under 8’s… Pointless!!
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By that logic then we should just not enter the competition and just play some games behind closed doors.

The League? Well he’s not sorted it yet, so hopefully seeing Virtue snd your boy Callum Connolly play might mean we’ve saved some legs and they never play again this season 🤣

Hopefully Neil’s kept everyone happy by giving some players some minutes…

Reality is they are all probably thinking we’ve just fucked up a chance of playing there. But maybe the players didn’t want to play there ha ha, it’s only Wembley!

Don’t worry though you’ll be right eh zzzz
 
Adams Kebab said:
By that logic then we should just not enter the competition and just play some games behind closed doors.

The League? Well he’s not sorted it yet, so hopefully seeing Virtue snd your boy Callum Connolly play might mean we’ve saved some legs and they never play again this season 🤣

Hopefully Neil’s kept everyone happy by giving some players some minutes…

Reality is they are all probably thinking we’ve just fucked up a chance of playing there.

Don’t worry though you’re be right eh zzzz
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The ‘competition’ is fine, so long as you use it in exactly the way that Critchley has done this season.

As things stand our season (in the League) is finely balanced right now and we have a massive game on Saturday…. Do you genuinely think we should be committing Byers & Dembele to a Mickey Mouse game after a hard fought win on Saturday?

In my view it would be plain idiotic to have done so…

For Dembele it’s his first season of even playing consistent competitive football for 90 mins and Byers has just started to feature …

We want our best players in peak condition and ready for Saturday.

Let’s assume we win Saturday… So we’ve taken 6 Piints from P’Boro Awsy and Bolton at Home… Are you still arsed about your day out at a 1/4 full Wembley with your rattle and scarf ?
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
The ‘competition’ is fine, so long as you use it in exactly the way that Critchley has done this season.

As things stand our season (in the League) is finely balanced right now and we have a massive game on Saturday…. Do you genuinely think we should be committing Byers & Dembele to a Mickey Mouse game after a hard fought win on Saturday?

In my view it would be plain idiotic to have done so…

For Dembele it’s his first season of even playing consistent competitive football for 90 mins and Byers has just started to feature …

We want our best players in peak condition and ready for Saturday.

Let’s assume we win Saturday… So we’ve taken 6 Piints from P’Boro Awsy and Bolton at Home… Are you still arsed about your day out at a 1/4 full Wembley with your rattle and scarf ?
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The league campaign is finished has been for a long time you are fooling yourself if you think we are going to be anywhere near that top six come the end of the season. With Neil in charge next season I can see us finishing even lower it just isn't going to work out the way your heart is telling you it's a shame I was willing him to do well obviously but it just isn't you surely can't be happy with the football on offer?
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
The ‘competition’ is fine, so long as you use it in exactly the way that Critchley has done this season.

As things stand our season (in the League) is finely balanced right now and we have a massive game on Saturday…. Do you genuinely think we should be committing Byers & Dembele to a Mickey Mouse game after a hard fought win on Saturday?

In my view it would be plain idiotic to have done so…

For Dembele it’s his first season of even playing consistent competitive football for 90 mins and Byers has just started to feature …

We want our best players in peak condition and ready for Saturday.

Let’s assume we win Saturday… So we’ve taken 6 Piints from P’Boro Awsy and Bolton at Home… Are you still arsed about your day out at a 1/4 full Wembley with your rattle and scarf ?
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I think you should pick your best team for a semi-final at home.

Let’s see how Saturday goes… best hope get a result or he’s just fucked up and Is going to get even more shite but let’s not forget you’re happy to consolidate this season. Easier when you’re not going as much.

I wouldn’t have had a rattle or scarf at Wembley but my kids would have had a good day. Hope that’s ok with you 😂
 
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Have to agree with opening post. We are way too soft as a team. No spine no backbone for this league. We were totally outplayed. Some of our players were shown up last night. Recruitment?? Also an issue as well as tactics. Only one who's really come off is dembele. Not good enough. Big game Saturday now. He has to get this right.
 
Enzo said:
The league campaign is finished has been for a long time you are fooling yourself if you think we are going to be anywhere near that top six come the end of the season. With Neil in charge next season I can see us finishing even lower it just isn't going to work out the way your heart is telling you it's a shame I was willing him to do well obviously but it just isn't you surely can't be happy with the football on offer?
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The League campaign isn’t finished at all though. It’s very much in the balance right now.

Are you suggesting that the Manager should write off the League and focus all his energy and effort on a reserve team cup competition, when we are 6 points off the play offs with 13 games to go????




Adams Kebab said:
I think you should pick your best team for a semi-final at home.

Let’s see how Saturday goes… best hope get a result or he’s just fucked up saving even more shite but let’s not forget you’re happy to consolidate this season. Easier when you’re not going as much.

I wouldn’t have had a rattle or scarf at Wembley but my kids would have had a good day. Hope that’s ok with you 😂
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It’s fine with me, but let’s be realistic… It’s just a bit of a family fun day out that really doesn’t matter. The main benefit is that it’s a bit of a money spinner for the Club.

I’m not ‘Happy to Consolidate’ at all. I’m also not happy with the season so far at all. I have said, I thought we needed a clear out, I have said I probably expected this season to be a bit more about consolidation, mostly because there’s been such big changes in the Senior Leadership Team (recruitment in particular).

We’re not where we need to be with the squad in my opinion.
 
Didn't have any issue with Virtue coming in for Byers who has only just got fit and Connolly who's played in every round coming in for Pennington,even starting them wouldn't have made a difference last night.

Beesley shouldn't have started the game it looked like it was used to try and get his match fitness back.

No issue with Goalie change.

Compare our defender's with Posh who could actually pass the ball to create space when we pressed,the gulf in class was miles apart as not one of any of our Centre Half's in our squad is decent on the ball and can do the same.

We've moved back to 3-5-2 which stiffens up midfield but allows one less forward that we had under 3-4-3 yet our midfield was garbage didn't control at any part of the game at all.

Totally outfought, second best bar Marv and O'Donnell,so poor by the other 9 which sums up our season.

Clear out needed with with some of our players whoever is managing us next season.
8th in the league for ages, 8th best team,8th best manager,8th best players the only thing we are better is home attendances 7th!
 
Schalke_FY4 said:
Irrespective of whether the competition was a "bit of fun"...it totally epitomises the current situation with Critchley, the squad and the club.....

Not good enough or strong enough in every department.
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It sums up the season, just as we're about to actually do something momentum is killed and we fail.

Just about to get near the playoffs, out comes a stinker performance, about to go to Wembley, they were the better side yes but what did we actually try and do with the ball, what was our style and plan?

It was diabolical aimless hoofball, no effective plan, certainly not the passing football we were told we were playing.
 
Adams Kebab said:
Slept on it, even more fuming we picked that team in a semi-final at home, 90 minutes away from Wembley.

Critchley is actually a dumb fucker because picking his strongest team or our better players would’ve either got us there or us just face up to the fact their passing and movement is far superior.

Instead everyone is on his case for picking a weak starting team.

Blind faith in those fringe players or suicide with the fanbase?

It’s drawn me to the conclusion that we can put ourselves in positions in the league and cups, but when push comes to shove we’ll not do anything because we’re happier being nice than what’s needed and that’s on NC.

Imagine picking players who don’t play in a semi-final 🤢🤯 at least “Matty and Callum” and their mums will still help do the hot dogs and tombola at the end of season event.

Didn’t know we could afford to waste a semi-final 👎🏼
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I think Critch picked the team and tactics just to keep all the posters on here happy that have been saying since August this is a tinpot trophy and you won't catch me going to Wembley.
Well you got your wish.
Of course actually beating Posh on Saturday keeps our play off dreams alive which before last nights defeat were far more important.
Having said all that I fully accept we were given a football lesson last night by a team who appear to spend time in training passing the ball to players wearing the same colour shirts.
Forget tactics, formations, team selections and every other reason, the simple failure of being able to do that has been our downfall all season.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
It’s fine with me, but let’s be realistic… It’s just a bit of a family fun day out that really doesn’t matter. The main benefit is that it’s a bit of a money spinner for the Club.

I’m not ‘Happy to Consolidate’ at all. I’m also not happy with the season so far at all. I have said, I thought we needed a clear out, I have said I probably expected this season to be a bit more about consolidation, mostly because there’s been such big changes in the Senior Leadership Team (recruitment in particular).

We’re not where we need to be with the squad in my opinion.
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I’ve no doubts it’s a day out and it doesn’t really mean anything, but when you get to a semi-final of any competition you don’t weaken your starting 11 considerably.

That’s what we did.

Rightly or wrongly, getting to the final would’ve papered over a few cracks in particular our inability to beat physical and defensive teams away from home… instead he sacrificed that to give Matty Virtue 90 minutes.

I hope we win Saturday and kick on but as the weeks pass by I’ve got less and less faith in Critchley 2.0… he’s just given lots of people another stick to beat him with 🤯
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I can understand the O/P, but personally I’m fine with Critchley giving other players an opportunity in this game.

It’s disappointing not to be going to Wembley of course, but it’s hardly the be all and end call… I mean it’s hard to demand that your Manager treats it like “The most important game of the season” (as someone described it) when only 50% of your fans can be bothered turning up to watch the game.

The League results are what matters… This competition was a bit of fun and an opportunity to give players who aren’t featuring regularly an opportunity to play competitive football and to that extent it’s served it’s purpose.

As for Wembley, I have to admit to being relieved to not have to travel there and spunk a load of dough in a competition I really genuinely couldn’t give a fuck whether we win or not…
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It's a money earner for the club though. Can't afford to turn down those opportunities.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
The League campaign isn’t finished at all though. It’s very much in the balance right now.

Are you suggesting that the Manager should write off the League and focus all his energy and effort on a reserve team cup competition, when we are 6 points off the play offs with 13 games to go????





It’s fine with me, but let’s be realistic… It’s just a bit of a family fun day out that really doesn’t matter. The main benefit is that it’s a bit of a money spinner for the Club.

I’m not ‘Happy to Consolidate’ at all. I’m also not happy with the season so far at all. I have said, I thought we needed a clear out, I have said I probably expected this season to be a bit more about consolidation, mostly because there’s been such big changes in the Senior Leadership Team (recruitment in particular).

We’re not where we need to be with the squad in my opinion.
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I’d be a bit more understanding of that if I saw any sign of promise but I see nothing we’ve been atrocious all season and it’s not getting any better nor will it. Just recently we’ve been well beaten by Stevenage pummelled by Cheltenham and pummelled by Peterborough and I’m fearing the worst for Saturday the sooner Neil is gone the better he ain’t building nothing.
 
Enzo said:
I’d be a bit more understanding of that if I saw any sign of promise but I see nothing we’ve been atrocious all season and it’s not getting any better nor will it. Just recently we’ve been well beaten by Stevenage pummelled by Cheltenham and pummelled by Peterborough and I’m fearing the worst for Saturday the sooner Neil is gone the better he ain’t building nothing.
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We’ve not been atrocious all season though really have we. We’ve had some outstanding performances, quite a lot of middle of the road performances and a handful of stinkers.

No doubt that Critchley has certainly failed to properly silence the doubters and it’s been a tough gig for the travelling faithful, but the season isn’t over yet.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
The ‘competition’ is fine, so long as you use it in exactly the way that Critchley has done this season.

As things stand our season (in the League) is finely balanced right now and we have a massive game on Saturday…. Do you genuinely think we should be committing Byers & Dembele to a Mickey Mouse game after a hard fought win on Saturday?

In my view it would be plain idiotic to have done so…

For Dembele it’s his first season of even playing consistent competitive football for 90 mins and Byers has just started to feature …

We want our best players in peak condition and ready for Saturday.

Let’s assume we win Saturday… So we’ve taken 6 Piints from P’Boro Awsy and Bolton at Home… Are you still arsed about your day out at a 1/4 full Wembley with your rattle and scarf ?
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Hardly anybody was arsed going, yet suddenly it was a vital match. If that was the case, where the fuck was everyone?
 
Wizaard said:
Hardly anybody was arsed going, yet suddenly it was a vital match. If that was the case, where the fuck was everyone?
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Its not just about last night it's more about the season and the club as a whole

We just don't have any reall leaders of men

Its basically what I was saying last week on that long train journey
 
poolseasider said:
Didn't have any issue with Virtue coming in for Byers who has only just got fit and Connolly who's played in every round coming in for Pennington,even starting them wouldn't have made a difference last night.

Beesley shouldn't have started the game it looked like it was used to try and get his match fitness back.

No issue with Goalie change.

Compare our defender's with Posh who could actually pass the ball to create space when we pressed,the gulf in class was miles apart as not one of any of our Centre Half's in our squad is decent on the ball and can do the same.

We've moved back to 3-5-2 which stiffens up midfield but allows one less forward that we had under 3-4-3 yet our midfield was garbage didn't control at any part of the game at all.

Totally outfought, second best bar Marv and O'Donnell,so poor by the other 9 which sums up our season.

Clear out needed with with some of our players whoever is managing us next season.
8th in the league for ages, 8th best team,8th best manager,8th best players the only thing we are better is home attendances 7th!
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8th best Manager...
I think you are being generous there.
 
Tangman74 said:
True - should of been first team from the start
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What - and increase our chances of winning!? R u mad? Football is a game all about avoiding defeat - and then snatching it at the death. Have you not read Critchley's articles on the subject?
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
It's a good OP and mirrors what I've been saying soft as shite is bang on

Lose on Saturday and the season is over and it's a massive re building job!

I don't think Critchley is the man for it and I'm having serious doubts on Sadler as well
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I don’t think Critchley’s got the bollocks for it.

Selection last night showed that and that 2.5 year deal for CJ.

If that’s the bar then it’s low.
 
Surely even the 'Mickey Mouse' Cup ceases to be a joke at least by semi-final time. Winning is good, trophies are good even if relatively insignificant. Play your best team at this stage, give it a go from the start, try to give the fans a treat (fans do pay money - not a lot for the club, but a lot for many individual fans). Just look at the '75 team versus Sunderland and how they played. Football isn't coming home, it has gone almost completely away. It is of course a business, to many at the top, it is no longer a form of entertainment and local pride. A small club getting out of the Third Division is worth more locally than Chelsea, City, Newcastle etc buying success with foreign money.

Rant over.
 
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