opinions4u

sourced the data very quickly at Soccerbase.com. Just checked it and you're spot on. I missed it. Knock 7 points off to leave us safely in the play-offs.

Looks like I provided the stats to destroy my own case (2 defeats in 19 is pretty exceptional). I don't think 23 goals (the team, not the strikers) in total in those 19 games is a great return though and rarely got the feeling that there was ever genuine understanding between the two. Did they genuinely want to pass the ball to each other? Genuinely interested in other peoples views though.

Good challenge. Here's some stats. 01/09/2007 Hartlepool 4-1 Oldham 15/09/2007 Oldham 0-1 Southend 22/09/2007 Walsall 0-3 Oldham 06/11/2007 Tranmere 0-1 Oldham 10/11/2007 Oldham 2-2 Doncaster 17/11/2007 Oldham 1-1 Port Vale 24/11/2007 Bournemth 0-3 Oldham 01/12/2007 Oldham 1-0 Crewe 04/12/2007 Oldham 1-1 Luton 08/12/2007 Oldham 1-1 Doncaster 15/12/2007 Millwall 2-3 Oldham 22/12/2007 Southend 0-1 Oldham 26/12/2007 Oldham 0-0 Nottm Forest 29/12/2007 Oldham 0-2 Walsall 01/01/2008 Leeds 1-3 Oldham 05/01/2008 Everton 0-1 Oldham 12/01/2008 Oldham 1-1 Brighton 19/01/2008 Yeovil 0-0 Oldham 22/01/2008 Gillingham 0-0 Oldham This includes all games where they have both appeared (not researched whether they both started though, or whether one replaced the other). Might undo my own argument here but ... P19 W9 D8 L2 equates to a full season of P46 W22 D19 L5 = 85 points (3 more than the promoted Forest, 6 fewer than Leeds would have got in 'normal circumstances'). 3rd place behind Swansea and Leeds, and Hughes wasn't fully fit for a number of the games. (Added 6th May 22.07: Missed off Orient 1-0 Latics and a defeat too! so the record is P20 W8 D8 L4 which equates to P46 W18 D19 L0 F53 A37 Pts 73 - 7th place - do I feel a jerk for messing that up!).

I'm not convinced that Hughes/Davies works as a strike duo. It should do, as they are different types of player. I thought Alessandra and Davies worked a treat. I think Hughes is the best individual player. What are your views? Should we start the season with a fit Hughes and a fit Davies leading the line? Should we bring someone else in? Where does Alessandra fit in? Does Wolfenden have a future? Should we play 4-5-1? If you were Shez, what would you do?

He looked very impressive and scored yesterday too. Hughes - first choice for me when fit. Davies - has pace, skill and can finish. Lazy so and so and doesn't work well alongside Hughes. Alessandra - links up well with the midfield and was forming an excellent partnership with Davies before the latter got crocked. Wolfenden - not sure he's going to make it. Get him loaned out in League Two until Xmas. Smalley - he's better on the right than up front. Maybe the 2 goals in the last week or so will prove me wrong, but I'm more comfortable with hm out wide. Based on that summary, we need: 1) Another striker as we only really have 3 2) A strike partnership. Ideally this should be Hughes/Davies but as that didn't seem to work, which one should play alongside Alessandra?

Unless he gets to the end of his current contract and leaves on a "McDonald" or a "Porter" or a "Wellens". 20% of naff all is ... oh dear.

Well, let's look at what we need to do to bridge the gap. 9 more points and the associated goal difference improvement would have got us in to the play-offs. Luton Away (3); Port Vale Home (2); Luton Home (2); 10 man Gillingham Away (2). A further 6 points would have taken us to the same number of points as Forest. I'd say 10 man Southend at home (3) and Bristol Rovers at home (3) were obvious examples of this earlier in the season. The last minute points dropped against 10 man Brighton (2), Leeds (1), Bristol Rovers away (1). The shocking displays at BP against Swindon and Hartlepool where 5 points were dropped. 76 points is relatively high for the play-offs, so most seasons an extra 6 points would have been good enough, not 9. We were exceptionally close to that. Why did we drop so many points against the bottom 3? Motivation. Surely Shez should hold his hands up on this one and say he needs to learn as a manager. Why did we drop so many points in the last minute of games? Fitness perhaps? New physio may help with this. Yes, we'll have the chance to see how the squad changes over the summer months. McDonald leaving isn't the end of the world (blocking that 'creative midfielder' slot that so many here want filling). Defensively we've been strong and Gregan can add to that. The midfield has been unbalanced (3 central players in a 4 man midfield is doomed) and not supported the strikers well for large chunks of the season. Smalley maturing on the right, Liddell fit again and Taylor returning to form will improve this. Up front our strikers have failed to gel. Hughes and Davies are class individuals who should be able to work well together, but never did. Alessandra/Hughes up front is a mouth watering thought, with Davies coming off the bench to provide pace when it's not going to plan. We are 20 goals light of being a promotion winning side. 10 of these should have come from midfielders, the other 10 from strikers. This squad of players, fit and motivated, is good enough. The manager is responsible for getting them to deliver.

The second season can be tricky. Sides sussed him out, put two defenders on him and showed him outside rather than in. It made life hard for him and the adjustment wasn't easy. He combined that with some dreadful corners too. That said, towards the end of the season he's been significantly more potent and looks like he's actually developed as a player this season. Width is vital to success next season. He cannot be allowed to leave.

We are far more creative when we play two wide players. So Samlley/Liddell on the right. Taylor/Livermore on the left. Allot and Jarrett/Livermore in the midle. I think Livermore is the better player. I think Jarrett is more likely to take the ball from the half way line to the edge of the opposing penalty area. I would sign them both as long as we have 2 wide players on the pitch.

Decent crowd. If the performances throughout the season had been better then they'd be there week in, week out. Perhaps that late Alessandra goal will add 500 on to season ticket sales.

1) You don't get rid of any manager unless you have somebody better lined up to replace him. 2) I agree 2008/9 is the nemisis moment for Shez. Top 6 is the only acceptable outcome. 3) I look at the squad and wonder who, assuming full fitness, I'd get rid of. Look at a typical teamsheet: Crossley - keep Eardley - keep (would take £500k and be happy for him to go!) Lomax - keep Stam - keep Hazell - keep McDonald - keep Allott - keep Taylor - keep Liddell - keep Hughes - keep Davies - keep (as long as he tries to form a worthwhile partnership with Hughes) Alessandra - keep (I'd love to see him play up front with Hughes) Smalley - keep (as cover for Liddell, not as a striker) Gregan - keep (not sure he'd make my first team though) Thomspon - no idea - if he's fit I'd like to know if he's actually any good Kalala - move him out as he's no idea how to pass the ball forwards Wolfenden - not sure if he's going to make it but not really had a chance this season So with so many 'keeps' I have to wonder why the side rarely gelled last season. And my thoughts turn to the manager. His job. Solve it Shez.

This 'creative midfielder' thing is a problem for me. We played better football after Kilkenny left. Allot and McDonald have both had a decent season. Chris Taylor is back to form. The team play better when Smalley is wide on the right. If Jarrett plays in the middle and we push Allot out wide, the side loses something. Our creativity comes from our width. So should Jarrett play ahead of McDonald? Is he really an attacking force (5 goals in a long career before scoring 3 in 2 games with us)? My midfield would probably be McDonald and Allot in the middle, Liddle on the right and Taylor on the left. I'd have to leave Jarrett on the bench with Smalley. In answer to the question, yes - I'd sign Jarrett. And move Kalala out.

Does look suspicious doesn't it. Personally I'd keep Stam. He's been part of a successful defence this season. Hazell played for Tranmere in a League Cup Final (around 2000).

Location? Royton How Long Supporting the Tics? Latics are my second team - but I'm a season ticket holder at Boundary Park and take my son to every match Best away match you've been to? Derby was special, but it has to be Everton All Time Greatest Player? Micky Quinn! Biggest Rivals (in your eyes)? Tranmere