We haven't learnt

Wizaard said:
Completely different scenarios. Last night we just looked tired.
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We’ve looked tired last few games to be honest yes I know that includes beating Sunderland but we’ve gone from an attacking force who scored goals freely to now a team struggling to find the net and break the opposition down.
Yates’s baron spell has suddenly effected the whole team which is quite worrying with just 5 games left.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
We’ve looked tired last few games yes I know that includes beating Sunderland but we’ve gone from an attacking force who scored goals freely to now a team struggling to find the net and break the opposition down.
Yates’s baron spell has suddenly effected the whole team which is quite worrying with just 5 games left.
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I think Sunderland took a lot of adrenaline out of the team and they simply couldn't go again in such a short turn around time. Need to rest up for a couple of days and be a little more refreshed.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
We’ve looked tired last few games to be honest yes I know that includes beating Sunderland but we’ve gone from an attacking force who scored goals freely to now a team struggling to find the net and break the opposition down.
Yates’s baron spell has suddenly effected the whole team which is quite worrying with just 5 games left.
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Lets be fair, the Sunderland game could easily have gone the other way.
 
Let's face it we look goosed and no subs bench of note what can you do.
Madine, Virtue, Lubala and Kemp against Plymouth last night a load of defenders and a youth player.

Forwards win you games and when you can't change things sometimes you'll come a cropper even Rochdale had four attack minded players on the bench.
 
There's something definitely missing when we go forward. It's as if the team has no objective other than to keep possession. Is there anything more frustrating than working the ball towards the opposition penalty area and then working it all the way back to our keeper? I can't imagine paying to watch that every week. It's about as far away as you can get from the charge of the light brigade days of Ian Holloway.
 
I had a quick look through the stats for the season on the thread last night so thanks to Doc for putting the graphic up.
As I have already said we don't appear to have the players to dominate possession AND then breakdown the opposition. It was the reverse of the MK Dons match.
And as Wiz said we looked tired but I'd add that I thought we looked not just physically but mentally tired.
The hindsight brigade are now saying Critch should have made several changes and with hindsight that may have been a better option but then there's the rule about not changing a winnng team.
Obviously Thorniley was a forced change but Embleton wasn't (I'm yet to be convinced by him btw) and I personally I would have stuck with Demi.
Too many players were under par last night and whilst I'm sorry for singling them out I thought Garbs and Embo both had a shockers.
On to Saturday for another tough test. The Shrews don't have anything to play for but I'm never sure how that affects things.
UTMP.
 
I did mention that changes may be required for Rochdale game.
We struggled with an unchanged side against Accrington and nearly lost that game too.

Hopefully by Saturday evening we will all be back in high spirits.
Shrewsbury only require another win to ensure survival.
 
We were doing something last night that we did early on in the season, in that we got into good positions but didnt even get a final ball into the box, we were stopping and going back. Our crossing last night was woeful as well, and yet on saturday we were getting really good balls nto the box.

with hindsight you could say that maybe we would have been better set up with a couple of extra battlers in the side, maybe let kaikai have a rest, and even Simms, but we set up the way we set up.

Yesterday was just a bad day at the office, we all have them. Forget about it move on to saturday.
 
Costero Poderoso said:
We were doing something last night that we did early on in the season, in that we got into good positions but didnt even get a final ball into the box, we were stopping and going back.
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It's the kind of safety first football that will get us nowhere and angers the fans. Whatever the outcome we all want to see the players go forward at the very least.
 
We're still a long way off being the team we'd like to see. The midfield is inadequate in terms of creativity and goals, and we've only one striker worth his salt. We're not helped by Critchley's tactics and use of subs. The attacking, entertaining football has been in short supply this season. We're 5th on the back of Calderwood improving our defending.
 
Like everyone else, I was totally frustrated and disappointed with last nights performance but now it’s all about Saturday. We need to deliver a positive, energetic display and dominate the game from the off, create opportunities and finish them off. Saturday will be key as to whether we march confidently into the playoffs or huff and puff and crawl over the line. So come on you Pool. Regroup, grit, determination, play to OUR strengths and start banging some goals in.
 
I don't give two shits what the stats say apart from one and its normally in the top left of the tv screen when watching a match.
As long as the number is bigger than the opposition's happy days 👍🏻
 
abt1835 said:
Get real and get behind the lads.
We have lost one in game in the last 17.
Better than anyone.
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But anyone with a little insight looks beyond the results at the performances and the trends.

It has become clear that since losing a 2 goal lead against Lincoln there has been a significant drop in performance and momentum and I suspect especially with the injury situation that we may now struggle to recover.We are over dependent on a good defence but we`re looking very thin further forward.
We may defend well enough to get to the play offs hopefully but if we do we will need to produce more to win promotion.
 
62years&counting said:
We're still a long way off being the team we'd like to see. The midfield is inadequate in terms of creativity and goals, and we've only one striker worth his salt. We're not helped by Critchley's tactics and use of subs. The attacking, entertaining football has been in short supply this season. We're 5th on the back of Calderwood improving our defending.
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Totally disagree . . . some of the football we have played in the past couple of months has been as good as I can remember in the last 10 years . . . flowing, confident, one touch play. It seems you can't think back further than the last couple of games?

It is clearly obvious we are tired and with key players missing we have limited options. Go back a couple of months and if anyone had said we'd be in a secure play off spot with a handful of games to go we'd have bitten their hand off . . particularly with the on going injury list.

We need to get some fresh legs on the pitch but given the lack of attacking options available it will be tricky. I'm not a big fan of Simms - I think he's a player to come off the bench - so I would bring Mitchell in for Simms. Kai Kai and Embleton were poor last night but I think we should stick with them as they do link the play up well and with Simms out Kai Kai can play more central.

I'm pretty sure Husband will come in for Garbutt and although Turton has been great I'd rest him and play Gabriel from the start.

Not sure why Big Marv hasn't been brought straight back in but if he's still not 100% he needs some game time as I think he will prove important in the last few & play offs.

It is also clearly obvious that if Critch think Brad Holmes is good enough he should get a decent amount of time to show us what he can do.

There'll be no doom and gloom from me as we've had a great season but give the key players some rest and hopefully the likes of Keshi & Stewart can get back in time to allow this to happen and make a difference.
 
While theres no need for panic as were a good passing football team solid at the back we just dont create much going forward we rely quite a lot on kaikai having one of his better games to link up with the forwards and as we know kaikai is not the most reliable to say the least embleton seems to be much in the same vain its games like last night we miss another option like madine though i thought mitchell did well when he eventually came on.
 
I think Mitchell should have been put on at half time. Embleton seemed to playing on the right wing and it certainly wasn't working. If he had brought Mitchell on for Simms who was never really in it last night I think then Embleton would have dropped further into midfield and then started to link play better.
 
premierdream2010 said:
I think Mitchell should have been put on at half time. Embleton seemed to playing on the right wing and it certainly wasn't working. If he had brought Mitchell on for Simms who was never really in it last night I think then Embleton would have dropped further into midfield and then started to link play better.
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That's the issue right there...no link from back to front.....
 
Leither said:
Totally disagree . . . some of the football we have played in the past couple of months has been as good as I can remember in the last 10 years . . . flowing, confident, one touch play. It seems you can't think back further than the last couple of games?

It is clearly obvious we are tired and with key players missing we have limited options. Go back a couple of months and if anyone had said we'd be in a secure play off spot with a handful of games to go we'd have bitten their hand off . . particularly with the on going injury list.

We need to get some fresh legs on the pitch but given the lack of attacking options available it will be tricky. I'm not a big fan of Simms - I think he's a player to come off the bench - so I would bring Mitchell in for Simms. Kai Kai and Embleton were poor last night but I think we should stick with them as they do link the play up well and with Simms out Kai Kai can play more central.

I'm pretty sure Husband will come in for Garbutt and although Turton has been great I'd rest him and play Gabriel from the start.

Not sure why Big Marv hasn't been brought straight back in but if he's still not 100% he needs some game time as I think he will prove important in the last few & play offs.

It is also clearly obvious that if Critch think Brad Holmes is good enough he should get a decent amount of time to show us what he can do.

There'll be no doom and gloom from me as we've had a great season but give the key players some rest and hopefully the likes of Keshi & Stewart can get back in time to allow this to happen and make a difference.
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So you believe we've a midfield full of flair, creativity and goals do you? I don't think you can back that up by what you've seen or statistically. Yates has had to forage for his goals, very few have been as a result of good sevice either through midfield or from out wide. I will say that Stewart is better than Dougall, but the likes of Anderson, Virtue, Embleton and Kaikai haven't been consistent. I think the midfield needs a total revamp whichever league we're in next season.
The likes of Gabriel, Ballard, Embleton and Simms will need replacing, and others like Madine, Garbutt, Husband and Turton could also go. Much work to do in the summer to get a better balanced team so more emphasis can be placed on attacking and entertaining. We're 5th on workrate and Calderwood's work on the defence.
 
At least the "you can't change a winning team" philosophy is no longer relevant. Too many players had off nights and to be honest it's been a great effort by the players to keep the unbeaten run going so long.

However, there is frustration with the lack of change during the match, Kai Kai and Embleton are not wide players they are more effective in and around Yates where they can play off each other. Gabriel and Garbutt can provide the width and we could have matched up against Rochdale in midfield. Simms should have been off at half time and Mitchell on to give us some more energy going forward.
 
It was more your comment saying - The attacking, entertaining football has been in short supply this season. - which sparked my disagreement. Even watching it on I follow I have been both excited & entertained by many of our performances.

We have a great group of midfield players and although none with the influence or goals provided by Charlie (who has?) when all are fit we have a good blend of attacking and defensive players. To be fair Virtue & Keshi have been hampered by injury to make a real impact . . . Dougall looked great until getting Covid and is still to return to his pre Covid form . . . Stewart got injured when he was just getting into the groove as did CJ when he was our stand out player. Kai Kai is certainly frustrating but on his day can both entertain and score goals. Grant Ward has just got better & better and Robson provides good cover. Yes if we get promoted we'll need to recruit more quality but I do feel we have the bones of a Championship team.

The loan players will return to their clubs and if we're in the Championship we will attract better quality loan players alongside signings I'm sure SS will make.

From my point of view all looks very promising.
 
Leither said:
It was more your comment saying - The attacking, entertaining football has been in short supply this season. - which sparked my disagreement. Even watching it on I follow I have been both excited & entertained by many of our performances.

We have a great group of midfield players and although none with the influence or goals provided by Charlie (who has?) when all are fit we have a good blend of attacking and defensive players. To be fair Virtue & Keshi have been hampered by injury to make a real impact . . . Dougall looked great until getting Covid and is still to return to his pre Covid form . . . Stewart got injured when he was just getting into the groove as did CJ when he was our stand out player. Kai Kai is certainly frustrating but on his day can both entertain and score goals. Grant Ward has just got better & better and Robson provides good cover. Yes if we get promoted we'll need to recruit more quality but I do feel we have the bones of a Championship team.

The loan players will return to their clubs and if we're in the Championship we will attract better quality loan players alongside signings I'm sure SS will make.

From my point of view all looks very promising.
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Sorry, but I think you're in the minority if you really think we've a 'great group of midfield players'. Name one who is truly creative? Name one who scores 8 to 10 goals a season? Both Stewart and Dougall are defensive midfielders not known for flair or goals. Ward has some technical ability but isn't creative or a goalscorer. Anderson and Kaikai aren't prolific and often drift out of games. CJ is a wideman with pace to burn but not the best end product. Virtue, if ever fit, runs around and could net a few if he wasn't so injury prone. The midfield needs an injection of quality in the summer.
 
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