mikejh45

If he is younger, I'd like to know how he did it!!!

The reason why the likes of Taylor and to a slightly lesser extent Smalley are considered to be better than the "present-day" Liddell is that they attack at pace and tie-up/draw out of position more than one defender. The game that Liddell plays requires just the one defender because that defender knows Liddell will not try and pass him. Let's look forward, not backwards. Liddell's time has gone. Let him go. You know it makes sense!!! KEEP THE FAITH

When Liddell, and I will reiterate when because I fully expect him to be here next season, pulls on the blue shirt Of Latics I will give him my full support when he runs onto the field. I will cheer him if and when I think he does something good. If he plays badly, I will not shout abuse during the game. I will reserve my comments good or bad to here. I am KEEPING THE FAITH

boundaryblue80, it looks like it's you and me against the world regarding this emotive subject. If Liddell makes an effective contribution next season, I will be the first to say I got it wrong. But effective does not include passing sideways or backwards every time. There must be a positive move at some point.

Now, now, children. A question for you. We are all in agreement that irrespective of the quality of the opposition when we played and outplayed Huddersfield recently. Could Liddell improve on the starting line-up/performance that day?

Ed. There must be a point where there are no more coaching boots to be filled. What should the club do, create an extra space within the coaching staff? I think the kids that have progressed from Philliskirk to Duxbury to Sheriden/Wright have done well so far. Do we look next year at bringing Gregan on to the coaching staff? Because if on-field activity is anything to go by, then he is enormously influential.

Reality check, daughter.

Can't see him in this central, impact role you referred to. Liddell (see, I do pick up eventually) is too slow and not 'hard' enough for the job. We need a serious contender to work with Allott, someone can tackle, run with the ball and pass. Unfortunately, Liddell only does the last bit. I also think we are in danger of financially overloading the coaching department with ageing players because we don't want to let them go. Allott can now become the father-figure on and off the pitch. If I thought he benefitted the team, I would certainly get behind him. I just don't see what you see.

I don't really see a role anywhere for him. If Taylor plays right/left midfield then Liddle is 3rd/2nd choice in that position. Personally, I would use the £?-grand a week he is on to be put towards getting the best players we can afford in the vacant positions available.

Looking back to Saturday against Cheltenham, what are the views of fellow pundits/fans/moaners/whingers etc. (decide honestly which one group you belong to) regarding the 4 experienced players who are up for contract renewal and how they played? Crossley - Good game, some excellent saves, good organising, punched out some good crosses, missed one in the first half which almost cost us. KEEP. McDonald - Lots of effort but nothing to show for it. Like him when he is on his game, but can be anonymous. RELUCTANT RELEASE. Stam - Good game for me and unlucky to be taken off. Saved on the line and also put in a last man block tackle to prevent a clear shot on goal. KEEP. Liddle - Ah yes - Liddle. Not going to say much about Liddle except I saw nothing on Saturday that made me change my opinion. Other people have voiced their opinion on here over the weekend and would appear to back up my thoughts. RELEASE. KEEP THE FAITH

Apologies if I didn't respond. But yes, you could say I'm not a big fan. 1) I don't think you can really make a comparison between Beckham & Liddle. Yes, Beckham may not be able to pass a player, but he can change a game by getting a grip of it. Not something you could say Liddell would or could do. 2) I think tackling is every player's responsibility. Defending starts from the front. 3) I'm not the only one who has this opinion of him. And no, it's not a throwaway remark. 4) We need to attack with pace and a 35 y.o. ain't gonna do it. 5) I'm not alone in thinking he was anonymous against Orient. My point regarding Jarrett is we saw him play well against Huddersfield where he ran at players but we haven't seen it since. If he does it more consistently then he will be an asset, but he only 2 more opportunities. I just don't see any benefits for next season in keeping Liddell. What we need, in my opinion, on the flanks is pace and the ability to pass players to draw out defenders and then cross the ball. Give the forwards something to attack. KEEP THE FAITH

Can anybody explain the logic in keeping Liddell? 1) He's too slow to pass a full back. 2) He doesn't tackle. 3) He 'bottles' the big challenges. 4) He's 34 and coming back from a serious injury. 5) He was anonymous against Orient and truly awful against Northampton. Stick with Smalley and give him support. We saw against Everton and Orient what he is capable of. Can you honestly see Liddell going on a run that got us the first goal against Orient? To keep Liddell is a backward step when the money would be better used elsewhere to improve the squad. KEEP THE FAITH

Crossley - two good saves in the first half, no real chance with the goals. (AGREED) Rubes - Not a Full-Back Shez, looked uncomfortable all afernoon. (Did OK, considering who he had in front of him) Stam - Was on his second pina collada by about twenty past three (Apart from getting caught out running backwards, I thought he made a couple of telling tackles and interceptions and saved once on the line) Gregan - Very good in the first half, enjoyed playing against two big lads, looked bollocksed in the warm up! (AGREED) Kelvin - We were vocal in championing his cause, if i'm honest during his extended run he's been decidedly average at best (POOR - shown up to be a right back playing left. I hope he gets a chance at right back soon) Liddell - Shocking, contributed nothing, every pass pretty much mis-placed. Proved once and for all as we know not a right-winger and no-where near match-fit. If we keep him he needs a withdrawn cemtral role. If not waste of a wage Shez. (AWFUL - too slow as a winger or as a central midfielder or as a deep forward. Big mistake if he is around next year) Eardley - Wasn't at the Orient game, heard he did well, well he was dire yesterday (Headless chicken syndrome. If we get a good offer - get rid) Allott - Worse game of the season (AGREED - lots of effort but no end product) Jarrett - Very poor, why not play him where he casued so many problems vs Hudds? (AGREED - but unfit) Smalley - He runs down blind alleys, scared of shooting. Three year deal would be a big mistake. I'd give a year to kick him up the arse. yes he's a good but bottling out of challenges that are heavily in his favour is unforgivable and he's done it all season. Grow some balls Deano, or you'll go by the wayside. No point having all the pace and skill in the world if you're a tart! (Has played well in recent games, but why did Shez have to move him from right to left to accomodate Liddell?) Wolfy - Defended him to the hilt, still thought he could come good. Unfortunately he just isn't good enough. (AGREED - too small and too slow) Lewi - Didn't look anywhere near fit, unserstandable. Kept the ball better than the other two though. (AGREED) Chalmers - Looked ok, bright and enthusiastic, unlike most of his team mates. (AGREED) QUESTIONS Should Stam have played on the left to counter Hubertz? Should Black have been given a runout? KEEP THE FAITH

Have to agree that we were poor today. The side had some semi-reasonable/patchy performances at best in my opinion, but not enough to make a game of it. We also had an unfit Jarrett and a clueless Liddell. The guy should not be offered a new contract as he offered nothing today. Going back to a fairly recent post, can somebody bar that baggage of a woman (I think, not sure though) supporter from all Oldham games as all she does is moan about our team, abuses anybody that has an opinion that differs from hers and barracks the opposing fans? Good grief, she even abused the Oldham players for applauding their fans at the end of the game. KEEP THE FAITH

The official site says JS is talking to Crossley, Liddell and McDonald but no mention of Stam. Any thoughts? (This question doesn't apply to you, Carrabana! Get some studying done) KEEP THE FAITH

Confession time. I said on a recent post that we should unload both Gregan And Liddell. I was wrong on one count. After watching Gregan's display against Orient on Saturday, we should keep him for next season. But I stand by my opinion that Liddell shouldn't be offered a new contract. I think we saw our first choice right winger for next season in the form of Smalley. If it was a choice of keeping Liddel or using his wages to get a better player that we really need, then let him go. No room for sentimentality here, I'm afraid. KEEP THE FAITH

Scholesy stated in a recent edition of 4-4-2 magazine that he had heard the story about his move to Oldham, but didn't know where it had started from. He also stated he hadn't decided what his next move was going to be.

Agreed with most of what you said with the exception of 2 small items: 1) Liddell - BOMBING forward. Ambling more like. 2) Either of the 2 'big lump' forwards would be good, but that depends on how we play with them. Constantine likes the ball to his chest or feet whereas Clarke appears to be the 'big and daft' sort of forward who would make himself a real handful by any means possible. KEEP THE FAITH

What gripes me about Ridsdale is he never puts his own money in to any club.

I hope, in the summer, that we are looking at who Shez is bringing in as players rather than who the owners are bringing in as the next manager. If Ritchie returns I will be deeply disappointed. He didn't offer much here the first time around and if my friends who follow Huddersfield are to be believed, he didn't offer anything there in his tenure. Why, do the same, tired, old names keep coming up for discussion when most of them go from one lower league team to another. And yet we have high expectations of them when they come here. I would much prefer to gamble on untried managers. We had two long term managers who both started their managerial careers here and did the club proud, namely Frizzell and Royle. I, for one, am CAUTIOUSLY prepared to give Shez more time. KEEP THE FAITH

Just giving a bit of thought on next season's squad and looking at it purely from the cards-in lads only and who, in my opinion, should stay or go. IN-CONTRACT KEEP Allott, Hughes, Davies, Lomax, Hazell, Taylor, Smalley, Alessandra. UNLOAD Eardley (if somebody is offering money the sell), Kalala (not the great defender we hoped), Thompson (injury prone), Gregan (too old and too slow), Wolfenden (not good enough). OUT-OF-CONTRACT OFFER NEW Crossley, Stam, McDonald RELEASE Liddell (too old and too injury prone) These are just my thoughts, so let's keep it seasonal. KEEP THE FAITH

And who would the "right" man be? Please don't put Richie's name forward.

Having the opinion that we don't need to change, but throwing my opinion into the forum anyway. Ritchie would not be a consideration. Loved him as a player. Average at best as a manager. KEEP THE FAITH

Not wanting to labour on the Sharp bit. But he was in a predicament over Ritchie. Keep him or get rid of him, he was going to get the fans on his back either way!!!