TheBigDog

To get back to the original item - the Golden Lion was cordoned off with Police Do Not Enter tape - the SpreadEagle required proper id so we went into the Blue Boar - blagged our way past the medium sized bouncer on the door by showing my train ticket from Reading! It was half empty and I cannot quite get used to drinking Guiness from a plastic glass

Let's hope that we will build on the back of two away wins - the only (on paper at least) difficult game before January is the Peterborough away match - they seem to be on the way up.

Great comment - shez knows when not to bring a sub or two on

Lidds and Taylor to start on Tuesday - Lidds can always be taken off when we are two or three up. Next game after that not until Saturday week - time for the old man to rest his weary bones

pivotal huh?

Yup - that's the wonder of the board - love it

I still think that Lidds is a 60 minute man - still worth a start in my humble - and sadly I cannot see a better crosser of the ball coming through the reserves...

I'll hold you to that!

The original post read 'No-one moved' - not an attempt to blame it on Gregan at all - looking at it again you'll see that both Gregan and Hazell are standing in space as the ball bounces over them and yes it is Stam's man who scores rushing away from Stam and past both Hazell and Gregan - but it was a collective defensive failure. No scapegoats needed - they are all culpable. Better now?

Could be

Hurry up with the merge as I can't find the other thread

I sit in the main stand - just above the tunnel - most of the people around me are older than me and granted the atmosphere is not too electric. But all are genuine fans who come week in week out and have followed the team for longer than most. It is the best view in the ground (especially as I sit on the front row where the leg room is also great btw) and after being in the RRE on Tuesday, I know which is right for my fading eyesight! Every ground will have a variety of fan types - every team has its raucous fan and its quieter ones - every club has its moaners - it was ever thus.

In a nutshell - he is the one who has to sort out the team and the tactics and then the belief will come back - and with it we climb again. On the other hand - if he doesn't then I suppose it is he who will fall. But for now there is time and an opportunity - let's hope that all at the club pull in the same direction.

There were signs at the Northampton game that we are slowly turning it around - the fron two of Byfield and Hughes supported by Taylor and Liddell will cause any team a problem. I still believe that the next loanee should be a large centre back (Trotman to return?) but in the meantime we have to hope that the current pairing of Gregan and hazell can rediscover that solidity. Southend away is a game we can win - I will be there with I guess 300 other believers from Oldham - a cheeky beer in the Blue Boar before the game and then an away win. Nice.

The poll is evidence that the vast majority of fans are still willing to stick with Shez - it will get better.

No-one moved - Gregan just let it go past him - the player who scored then had time to chest the ball and turn and score - absolute rank bad defending - it was worse than I remembered it from the night - shocking and happens far too often - as for losing sleep - I stopped that years ago when I realised that football is merely a distraction from life.

Have to agree with Chaddy - the persona and the image is vital - rather not have a stand in if he or she ain't up to it. Right - that's that over with - let's get back to the main issues...

So we look forward to Saturday and another away day at Southend. Byfield and Hughes to start up front - pretty decent front pairing. Let's give Lee a chance in the middle of the park - Maher will be fired up so it looks like Allott to make way. Liddell should start with Taylor on the opposite flank. Gregan - looked more like his old self last night when moved backwards (and I felt that he was ok in the middle). Still the best partner for Rubes. Crossley keeps his place. It's the full backs that worry me: Jones is a shadow of the player that we first saw at Stockport - time to drop him to the bench and maybe use him as an impact player late on. Lomax - steady. Eardley - needs to step up again. So this lot to start: Crossley, Eardley, Hazell, Gregan, Lomax, Liddell, Maher, Lee, Taylor, Hughes, Byfield the bench: Fleming, Jones, Stam, Alessandra, Allott Fire 'em up Shez and get them working hard - sticking to the basics and we can turn this around

Gregan looked comfortable in the middle - he must have been some player there when he had pace Liddell - gave us what we needed - width Taylor - no end product - cannot cross with his left foot very well can he? Wolfenden - playing alongside a decent striker would do him the world of good - get him out on loan and let him find out whether or not he has it Lee - worth a start on Saturday - please

Smalley to make a swft recovery? He's in the squad along with the Wolfman and Lewi - play all three I say!

ah well - resistance was futile - we have been assimilated

I see the attendance from last night at Sixfields was 3,960 - so that's just the thousand or so less than we pulled in - hah!

sssshh - we have got away with it so far...

Not left out - just brought in late on methinks

The Blue Boar - must be an omen - I am on the train for this one so will be able to have more than a cheeky one this time!