TheBigDog

There was a debate around me as to who was the best team we have played at BP this season: Millwall, MK Dons, Leicester or Scunthorpe? Both Scunny and Millwall looked extremely good going forward but did buckle under pressure. MK Dons were a decent side but lacked a cutting edge. Leicester looked the best all round team I think. This is going to be a close division again - consistency is the key

Crossley - keeps his place as he was not to blame for Saturday's goals Eardley - shocking game Saturday but he will react and bounce back Hazell - because we have no other options Gregan - top dog Jones - still decent but tell him that he is a left back not a left winger Smalley - did well before inexplicably dropped at the weekend Whittaker - has goals in him Allott/Maher - this is a tricky one but it may be time to rest the ratboy Taylor - let's see him back to his best Hughes - great forward but needs to stop the niggling fouls Davies/Alessandra - the other tricky one - I'd go for Davies (but let him know that he needs to deliver) Fleming Lomax Allott/Maher Davies/Alessandra Ormerod - this is where he should have been all along imho I love this game

Woeful display today - and I think the blame rests squarely with John Sheridan. Too much tinkering with the team. This has only served to undermine the confidence of many of the squad. Where to start? Smalley came in on Tuesday and played well - so much so that Sheridan singled him out for special praise. Today he was dropped. Lomax playing at right back has been in good form - he did nothing too much wrong on Tuesday or in previous games - today he was dropped. Ormerod - is no longer a good player - woeful touch - too slow - gives us nothing up front - he has started the last two games Liddell - slowing down by the game - continually caught in posession - started today. I would have taken both Ormerod and Liddell off at half time - not with twenty five minutes to go. Taylor - is being double and triple marked - so why not encourage him to release the ball early rather than try and get past the defenders? Allott - needs to be dropped Eardley - worst have seen him play in a long time - passing is dire Jones - what has happened to the boy - he needs to get back to basics and stay in the position he is picked to play - left back Hazell - a bag of nerves and looking an extremely poor player The team in general is playing a poor game - too many flicks and attempts at clever balls when the simple pass is a better bet. Too many balls lumped aimlessly forward. Today was the worst I have seen this season - not good enough.

I like that - 'His body is a temple, his body is a temple la la la la etc'

Ahhhh - I suppose you're right

The first - Whittaker backed off and lambert had room to strike the ball - maybe Crossley should have done better but it was a powerful shot that caught everyone off guard. The second - two players (Lomax & Allott?) effectively marking no-one - Lines was left at the back post (with a man on the line) to slot home. The defending simply has to get better - starting this saturday please.

I'm spellbound just waiting for the next comment

2 losses from 12 sounds okay - 6 points from our last 18 does not. The point is that we are suffering a dip in form - if it becomes 3 losses in 13 or 4 losses in 14 will you join the critics? (Incidentally that would be 6 points from 24 if we lose the next 2. ..)

Aha - but an extra midfielder would have closed down Lambert preventing the first goal

The key to that formation is the role of the supporting players - Taylor does get into the box often and Whittaker has a mean shot on him - by playing an extra midfielder it would allow Whittaker to get much further forward.

Jones - seems to have gone downhill fast since hi first two games - confidence gone already? However - the second goal last night was at the far post from Lines - surely this was Lomax's man? Howard was definitely NOT Jones man on Saturday - Gregan or Hazell surely? If we had scored one we would have scored more - 14 shots - 7 on target - I think we should have had a point.

So... once again Shez surprises me with a recall for Smalley and a start for Ormerod last night. Smalley first - he stuck to the line well and a lot of the play went through him - though he rarely went past his man, he did get a few crosses into the box and had a reasonable game. Ormerod - looked like he had some skill bit still lacking sharpness - touch let him down but that will come back - only thing that did worry me is he is a bit lightweight and seemed to be knocked off the ball easily - maybe that is just a temporary thing. The question is - can we play with two wingers away from home? Would it be better to have that third midfielder and allow the fullback to bomb on? At home the two winger tactic seems to work well - but maybe a time for a rethink on our travels? One final thing - the statistics from last night: Gas versus Latics 6 Goal Attempts 14 3 On Target 7 3 Off Target 7 0 Hit Woodwork 0 4 Offsides 1 6 Corners 11 14 Fouls 15 If we had scored one, I'm convinced we would have scored more

Hey LaticsLee - apart from the two shots cleared off the line, the easy header put wide by Reuben, the screamer from Taylor that the keeper tipped over, the screamer from Jones that just went wide, numerous corners, high posession statistics in the second half, the fact that all the Gas fans around me agreed that we battered them for most of the second half, I agree with you. A poor match? I don't think so - just a poor result - need to get our shooting boots on pretty quickly

Just got back from the game - the first was a tremendous shot that caught everyone on the hop - it seemed that the only option was to play the ball out wide but Lambert hit it with such power and it seemed to swerve at the last minute - the second was again a flick on that caught us slack at the back post. The chances we missed in a great second half spell - Hughes header turned onto the post, Ormerod just did not get enough on a close in chance that was cleared off the line, Hazell poor header when he should have scored, two last ditch blocks by defenders. Always felt if one went in then we would not have lost. Swindon next - let's hope we have a little more composure in front of the goal.

Interesting thoughts there - only thing I would say is that we are away from home and Shez may stick with a more defensive approach - key for me is speed and that's why I would play Davies as your '?'

Nothing but 9 points will do for me

Sheridan talks of changes tonight - Eardley in for Lomax will be one - the others? Well if we assume that Liddell was rested on Saturday then he probably will come back in and I would expect that to be it - I just hope Davies gets that goal tonight!

Nope - there was a huge number of people who believed that he would start on Saturday and have him inked in for tonight's match - as for you and I we know better

Just read this from him after Saturday: "I was blowing a bit by the end even though I had only been on for 20 minutes," he admitted. Sounds like he will be on the bench tonight if Shez has read this!

Nuff said - Eardley is nineteen years old - he has already captained Latics and also Wales U 21. He is a decent player with great potential - if he continues to learn he will play at Championship level next season. Lomax is a decent player too but not of the same class as Eardley - he has nowhere near the experience and confidence that Eardley has. Look how nervous he was on Saturday against Leicester. Lomax needs more time and he will get better - but I am not sure he will play anywhere above the level he is currently at. Team today... Eardley will be back and you know what, I would persevere with Davies as I feel it is only a matter of time before he gets that goal

Totally agree - Craig Davies has worked hard the last two games I have seen him start - so you cannot fault him for lack of effort. What he does need though is more speed of thought - and a little luck to get that first goal - then watch him go.

I am planning to go to Swindon by train so this sounds ideal for a cheeky beer before the game - does it do grub as well?

He goes on to say about him and Fryatt: '"We work well together – I mess the centre-halves around for him and he gets on the end of things and sticks the ball into the back of the net." I mess the centre-halves around??? Not this time Howard

Lidds - he'll give you 70 great minutes every game - then we bring on Smalley - nice

Youngest daughter is in Cambodia at the moment - I'll ask her to look out for a large gentleman wearing goalie gloves