Guy Branston Pickle

9 minutes ago, Bobledgersheart said:

He got abuse from some on here for his cameo debut when I thought he did OK closing opponents down and on Saturday was virtually our only bright light and outlet going forward.

Some people expect the finished article when in truth these youngsters are learning the trade and improvement may only be gradual.

He does bring energy to our midfield which we can all agree is mostly lacking.

 

Give the lad time and I'm sure he'll prove to be a good signing. 

There's an expectation now that players are going to come into the team and immediately hit the ground running, and if they don't then they're shit. It's completely unfair, especially with young players. I used the example of McAlmont above, the first few games for us he wasn't great as he'd never played proper mens football, then I think he ended up scoring double figures. There doesn't seem to be any patience at the club at the moment

17 minutes ago, GlossopLatic said:

 

I think the concerns were regarding his age but we can't deny he's stepped up particularly while Norwood has been injured, how Norwood fits back in I'm not sure but as a signing so far Garner definitely has a tick next to his name.

 

To add to this I think Ollie Hammond whilst not the finished article yet definitely has potential and will get better the more he plays its good to see a midfielder break forward and join the attacks in the way he does.

Yeah there's a bit of the Alfie McAlmont about him isn't there

I was a bit perplexed at the amount of fans who were dismissive of us signing Garner tbh, gives us some proper aggression up front and he's a classy finisher. Two fantastic finishes last night 

3 minutes ago, League one forever said:

Sorry lads- away form doesn’t count apparently. 
 

 

Meanwhile.  

 

E

 

I

 

E

 

I

 

E

 

I

 

O

 

 

 

P.s Someone check in on Eyrsey. 

Awful night for the anti-form table lads as Oldham clock in yet another win

19 minutes ago, diggleblue said:

Thing about Mellon is that unlike Unsworth he learns. Tonight he's got it right. We will get better with Mellon I'm sure.

Don't think we've lost back to back league games under him have we? There's usually a good performance/win follows a bad one 

Easy

Just the 7 wins out of the last 11

Only 2 defeats in that time

It's promotion form

Brilliant goal that, did so well to turn 

18 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

I saw it live back then, it was far more exciting than nowadays.

I guess you never saw Alan Groves play?

 

That's pure nostalgia though, isn't it?

Everyone thinks everything was better when they were younger

5 minutes ago, AndyB2 said:

Sachdev is garbage. 

He's not, he's just a kid who's struggled with the step up to mens football so far. Writing players off after 3 games doesn't help anyone 

1 hour ago, spanishfly said:

Interesting observation, Guy. There's no doubt that the game is much faster nowadays and players are fitter and physically stronger. Standard wise, though, I definitely saw more individual skill back in the day. I doubt I`ll ever see the likes of Groves, Stainrod, Valentine, McVitie, Shaw etc. in a Latics shirt again to be honest. Agree it's like comparing apples and pears really though. If those players could time travel forward, how would they look now? We'll never know but of one thing I`m pretty certain, nobody today would beat David Shaw for pace from a standing start over 20 yards. Perhaps only Warhurst and Barrett may have stood a fighting chance in my history of watching us. Oh and to have Simon Stainrod and his silky skills up front now, just superb to watch.

 

Anyway, I`m being positive and looking forward to a victory tonight, only wish I could be there to see us perform away from home.

I'm maybe being a bit harsh, but I've grown up watching football from the 90s onwards where the standard, pace, fitness and pitches have been much better. When you've not grown up watching football pre-90s it's quite grating how slow and poor quality it feels in comparison. 

57 minutes ago, disjointed said:

Charlton had skill and class oozing out of every pore. 

But I suppose people want to see your Nathan Sherons running around a bit nowadays. 

There's players at the top level who can still do what Charlton did to a higher standard. Comparing him to an average 5th division midfielder is a bit unfair

Just now, spanishfly said:

Yes he looked as if he was struggling just to even run with any pace, at times. Surely must be carrying a knock because his mobility on Saturday seemed so restricted? 

Think he only played a couple of games last season, he's nowhere near match sharpness. Unfortunately it's just a bad stage of the season to have someone not fully fit, hopefully he'll be up to speed in a few games. We definitely can't afford to drop him

I occasionally watch The Big Match Revisited and the standard is almost always appalling, and now I'm beginning to understand why...

4 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

The point was you couldn't justify sacking him in the summer based on the form table, not unless you were a form table #disrespecter

I didn't ask for him to be sacked in the summer

4 hours ago, deyres42 said:

Not at all, we can't be a slave to the fabled form table for one person then disregard it for another though.

Whereabouts was Unsworth in the form and actual table when he was sacked?

I don't think anything was disregarded

2 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

It's actually our second worst season in 30 years regardless of where we finish, we are playing in a pub league with the highest paid manager and best paid squad.

 

 

Or, after 30 odd years of us being on an almost constant downward curve is it the beginning of progress in the opposite direction? We're winning the majority of our games, in a decent position to get in the playoffs and even if we don't go up this year its probably a matter of time until we do 

Suppose that's too positive for this place

2 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

The form table said he had every right to be given that time though...

Thing is, whoever the next manager is, you'll weigh up whether people like or dislike him then say the opposite. Incredibly transparent 

3 minutes ago, League one forever said:

Agreed, and if we don’t go up and he starts badly next season - then quite rightly he’s under massive pressure. 

Absolutely. I have full faith that with a full summer break him and Brabin will get it right. I think it's easy to underestimate the damage giving Unsworth last summer and the first 9 or 10 games has done.

17 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

What does a successful end to the season look like for the Mellonballers? Would reaching the playoffs but not winning them be seen as OK given it is all about results?

Yes. Would still be progress, would still be our 3rd best season in 30 odd years.

Next season, nothing less than promotion is the aim

17 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Form table porn

4 minutes ago, TheBigDog said:

If we win the next couple then I’ll stop worrying

Not sure what we do if we draw them?

8 minutes ago, TheBigDog said:

That’s not the point and of course you know that.

 

What we are seeing is that our form is dropping off - that cannot be denied and it’s worrying. 
 

 

Are we? 2 defeats in 10 seems still seems like decent form to me

If we lose the next couple then I'll start worrying 

40 minutes ago, TheBigDog said:

Form Table huh?

 

Let’s take a look at the last six games 

 

P6, Won 2, Drawn 2, Lost 2

Points 8 - Form Table 13th

 

That’s bottom half of the table form I think…

 

The last 10 is won 6, drawn 2, lost 2 which would have us 2nd. The way some people are wetting the bed on here you'd think we'd lost every game 

1 hour ago, BP1960 said:

 

Having worked for many managers I've seen them bring players in on a Sunday just to make them realise its not such a cushy life.

 

You can't just punish players everytime they lose a game. As poor as they were they've lost 2 out of 10 in the league. I'm sure dragging them in would do wonders for morale

Just now, JoeP said:

 

It is daft comparing today with Joe Royle and that era. Completely different set of variables. 

 

And you're right, if we make the play-offs - or even win on Tuesday - we'll all be back aboard the promotion bus, no doubt. 

 

We're allowed to moan about yesterday, though. Another insipid home performance against another struggling team, but this time in front of a full-house where the mood was supposed to be celebratory after Frank's achievement. 

I've absolutely no issue with people complaining about yesterday's performance, I think insipid is putting it lightly. More the people like the poster I was responding to who seem to relish the prospect of Mellon failing...