nzlatic

I never really understand why players wouldn't make an effort. I get why, if low on confidence, they play within themselves and daren't risk a difficult pass. But the idea a professional footballer doesn't make an effort because of the manager is hard to understand for me. They only have a limited number of years in the game but they're willing to waste 1 or 2 because of the guy(s) in charge? Madness. They won't get a better offer from elsewhere and they won't be appreciated by the fans of the club they're at. Not saying it isn't the case or that it doesn't happen, but it's bizarre if it does.

Because earlier in the thread people were blaming him for the goal.

Crewe 1-1 Latics (HT 1-0) Higdon 4315

I'm not surprised. Was sodden against Mansfield then frosted over a few days later. Not ideal!

Not an article for the anything-but-modern-methods thinkers! Fully expecting cries of "why is he wasting time watching dvds when he should be in the dressing room putting rockets up their arses??" Often we've started games badly and done much better in the 2nd half. Modern technology might be helping in this case! Just need to get better at pre match!

Good question. 82/83 his first season in charge? In his first 10 games he had... 2 wins 5 draws 3 defeats Then went on a 4 match winning streak.

Who did Royle have though? Inexperienced Donachie was his assistant even at the start wasn't he? He was given time, despite some ropey performances and results by all accounts and only after a few years did it come good. I just don't think the game, the media or the fans allow that sort of time these days - hence so many people jumping on Dunn's back so early.

Like all our other away games? ?

Moore not as damaging as Corney? He nearly sent the club under. But yeah, we did have the excitement of a failed play off campaign under him. Which has never happened under Corney. Except that one time it did.

I'm not against young managers or coaches or their modern methods, but you can't learn the experience in the classroom. It's a shame we don't have an old head somewhere on the coaching staff (don't think Philliskirk counts as he's almost exlusively been youth coach).

Leicester, Southampton and Brighton unbeaten away in the league.

Wow, that's absolutely awful. Just looked at the stats too, 19 shots vs 7. They had 5 attempts on target and scored them all. Abysmal. For all the stick Dunn is getting we have a massive problem at the back. And I don't think the answer lies in the squad. All those goals would have been prevented by proper defending. We need a proper defender alongside James Wilson who can play a bit. Not that I'm necessarily saying that Brian Wilson is the problem, he's just not what we need back there. For those saying we should get rid of Dunn, what would a new manager do with that defence? They are bullied constantly. Can that be coached into people?

Yeah I thought it was because he was injured too. Cornell came in when Dunn got the job and we were better defensively so you can't really argue about that change. Then he got injured, so he probably would have stayed in the team. So I can understand bringing him in last night after Coleman's clanger against Barnsley - he certainly shouldn't have been short of confidence, quite the opposite. He should have been boosted that the manager thought his form pre-injury good enough to put him straight back in. It's a big nasty CB we need though, the keepers have no protection in front of them. Both keepers are inexperienced, we're crying out for someone in front of them who can take charge. And who can be a threat in both boxes on set pieces. We have no one that scares the opposition when we're either defending or attacking set pieces.

I have, enough times. Player recruitment for one. Swindon away for another. The 2nd half against Barnsley. That's just what I've seen myself. Substitutions to win against Chesterfield and Mansfield. He's a few games into his managerial career with someone else's squad.

That's where we differ - I don't think he's "clearly inept". And before someone jumps down my throat that doesn't mean I think he's the next Joe Royle either.

How long does the next guy get? 10 games? 5?

Strange time to say this after a big defeat but I think we need to back our manager, stick with him and give him time to build a squad he wants. We're quick to moan if players or managers leave us as soon as the grass appears greener so we need to show a bit of loyalty and stick with him. Not calling for his head after a few games in charge. We're not :censored:ing Leeds. We've had decent spells of play here and there and his recruitment has on the whole been good. There hasn't been the usual "lost the dressing room" talk either. But results have been largely poor and we've been shown to be weak at the back too often. (Maybe that's why he feels the need to screen them with the midfield?) Let's see what he does in January, hopefully he'll address this soft underbelly with a solid, experienced defender. That, along with our injured players coming back and a hopefully more settled squad, might even set us up for a good end to the season and a bit of momentum into next year. If that does happen and we start to do well, us sticking with him now might buy a bit of loyalty back in the future.

Solid central defender for starters maybe?

And some people think Dunn is tactically naive. Genius.

Because you don't support a team like Oldham and expect to win or to be entertained.

Fascinated to see the crowd tonight. There are many valid reasons people may have for not going but to not go when it's £5 in because the football isn't 'winning' or 'entertaining' enough is pretty poor.

Latics 3-0 (HT 1-0) Poleon 4059

Set pieces are our biggest problem. Totally unthreatening from them, very nervy defending them.

You've just described the 2nd half though Harry. Well it sounds like it to me anyway. In fact the freekick that led to their winner came from a counter attack because we had too many men committed forward looking for the win. The first half was very poor, granted. But it seems like the very thing you're asking for actually happened in the second half yet it's not counted for some reason.

I'm getting confused now. Previously he played in midfield with Poleon up front by himself and we score 4 goals. Against Barnsley he played too far forward? So we were 442? Which is supposedly the answer. Except it wasn't because it's not the right kind of 442? But Poleon can't play up front by himself though can he? So how the eck did we score 4 goals? Brain exploding. (This isn't solely in reply to you by the way!)