chris_ktf

Fair comment. But four of those where away. We undoubtedly set up well away from home. The impetus isn't on us to dictate the pace of the game. Brentford at home, again it suited us to sit back because they were near the top the league, an expected to take the game to us. We do ok when nothing is expected, ie away from home, playing top six at home. That leaves about 18 eminently winnable home games, an yet for the vast majority of time we play like we dare not lose. We have played like that since Sheridan left IMO. We didn't have one spell of sustained pressure today, no runners off the ball. No runners into the channels, no one trying to get in behind. Is that players or tactics?? We have some good players. That makes it even more frustrating. We have a top scorer who has played at least a third of the season on left wing or in midfield. Plays up top against Crawley. . Bags a beaut. We have our best ball player playing in front of the back four, where he can't influence the game. Wes is far more suited to that role surely? LJ has done ok on the whole, but without a doubt the majority of home games have been very boring. Not a lack of effort, just boring, an very uninspiring.

It's just dull. So very dull. Yet again I'm playing on my phone, day dreaming, watching the bench for a bit of entertainment. I Back four look solid, there's lots of endeavour but very little cutting edge. Why oh why oh why is our top scorer playing in midfield? Charlie comes on an goes straight up top. . Bizarre. Felt for Philly. I go to games hoping this will be the game they throw the shackles off. Nope. He plays one up top. . At home. I can honestly say we've played well in one game at home this season, port vale. That's it. (Missed peterbrough) The bigger picture is we' ve got a new stand on the way, an a good nucleas for a next year, but I'm not thinking about that coming away from games, I'm just thinking. BORED!

Yeah, fair comment. As you say though, goals from midfield are a lot down to style of play. Wes an Smith are both more than capable of chipping in if ALLOWED to by LJ. (Which at the start an end of season they have been, mid season reverted to watching two central midfielders never leave their own half.) How many games this season have we created umpteen chances an the strikers couldn't hit a barn door? Having said that to say it been philly an JCH's first proper season, I think they've done pretty well. I just think with a bit more real quality up top we mite surprise a few next year.

Agreed.

Your only as good as your strikers. .

I know what your saying with the last point. I tend to agree. Why did he play philliskirk on the left wing for a large parts of the season??? LJ does make strange positional choices, instead of keeping it simple. He's a bit clever for his own good at times. However to compare a right back an striker- to two central midfielders is a bit odd. How do wes an korey play in 'completely' different positions? One may drop in, while other goes forward, or vice versa, but completely different? Suely to be an effective midfield they have to work together? My point about the goals isn't to highlight one being better than other, it's to say that wes is a better player than some give credit for, an korey (while a better footballer) doesn't have a vastly superior influence on a game than wes does. In fact their very equal- in their relative effectiveness. For our budget I like them both, different players, different attributes, both effective/equally important when on song. While we may agree or not.The fact remains though, their both at latics for a reason.

'Workhorse' damn iPhone

Forgot to mention, wes has scored five. Not bad for a 'workhouse' his ball playing partner has 2.

It seems one or two think we're Barcelona. Where only the 'attractive' footballer need apply, an we have a budget to entice all these wonderful players. Korey is a better footballer than wes, but to categorise wes as a 'workhorse' or 'bang average' an someone who 'the average oldham fan likes' is generalising an completely misses the point. When we've played well they've complimented each other. At his best he drives us, an does the dirty work- which allows korey to get on the ball. One doesn't work without the other. We're in league one. Funny how when we lost our best ball playing centre half an replaced with a 'carthorse' in Lockwood we kept more clean sheets. . Mmmm. You do what you have to. Every decent team has one or two no nonesense players. Wes an Lockwood are ours, an we're much better side for it. I may enjoy watching Harkins an smith more. But I definitely appreciate what wes brings.

Ive said it a few times, in all but name Barry is and enjoys being a director. No problem there. Just tell us that. My issue is they both across as incredibly amature. Using interviews in all forms of media for petty points scoring, an telling the fans don't push us or else. . Simon's recent line of 'we're a league two club, in league one' was the final straw for me. WHY SAY THAT? But, but, Simon is a fan, he's get frustrated. Not arsed! Do you think he sounds off to business costumes like that? Er, no. He's got a responsibility to keep his counsel and use his board an inner sanctum to mouth off an vent. I don't want to listen anymore to negative :censored:e that constantly comes from the club itself. An Barry is just Simons mouthpiece, just in case you missed anything Simon said, Barry comes on to remind us all how lucky we are, with personal favourite of mine 'what the fans have got to realise' I'm not saying they don't do good work for club. They obviously have. But don't use interviews to put us in our place. People always say you do well when the whole club is going in the same direction, they seem determined sometimes to be devisive.

Massive win. Still not safe, I think we need two more wins to be sure.

The number of fans is irrelevant Harry, it's the impression they give. For a tiny, tiny, minority they don't half mention 'them' a lot. Surely they've learnt in their tenure not to alienate the tiny, tiny minority. . . ? They want unity, an us all pulling in the same direction. Yet they spend their time on camera having sly digs and/or blatantly criticising. I haven't got a lot of time for people needing a constant pat on the back or for me to be constantly grateful for them essentially doing their jobs. Jobs which I presume they enjoy. Otherwise why do it? Doesn't sound to me like they enjoy it. Sounds to me like they always getting dragged down by the tiny, tiny, minority. IMO they should have broader shoulders than that, realise it isn't everyone. An use the videos to promote a healthy, positive view of the club.

Genuine question(s) Do you think Barry an Simon actually like the fans as a whole? Or as strange as it sounds are we a neccersary evil? I honestly can't work out why they stay; if the fans get on their tits as much as they say or imply. I constantly feel 'told off' when I listen to them.

Agree with every word.

I've always defended corney, but the article tonight is the final straw. I think he's lost any interest in us, (particularly footballing wise. 'I would seriously consider handing it over to the fans' Really??????? So can we as fans offer you more than koucash? Bull:censored:. 'My harshest critics still sit behind a keyboard' Do they? Or is that line you put out to save face? Look at people's comments at the first meet the manager- Corney came in an told us off. Added to that rummy asked to see him- an got nothing, mmmmm, Doesn't sound like open door to me. Again bull:censored:. The bit that really makes chuckle is 'If we go down I will take it as a personal failure' If you want the perfect lesson in passive- aggressive there it is. . To paraphrase. . . I tried my best, but it's the fans fault. . . BP said in another thread; corney was quiet recently, spot on! - last season- if we go down I'm off. Supposed buzz about the club this season- an still, If we go down, I'm off?? How desperate is he to get out? Perversely it's like he wants to go down so he's got the perfect out. Does anyone think he really, really, cares that we stay up? Or is it an on going financial interest that if goes well, great. If it doesn't I want my money out ASAP . For what it's worth I do think he gives a :censored:. . TO A POINT. I'd have much more respect for him though if he said ' I'm done, I can't take it forward, I want as much of our investment back, an I wish the new owner well. However he doesn't, he's plays woe is me. He's reactionary, an terse. In short I'm sick of him crying wolf, :censored: off then if the fans/ the town/ apathy/ I tried my best/ ain't good enough! But hang on. . You were given outs by chatow an koucash. But the club is so awful that you hang on it to do us all a favour. . If he's the saviour/ if he cares; why not take the offers he's had an cut he's loses. One word. Greed.

I don't want to go down for one minute. I just want a fair shaire of decent football to watch.

That last line is everything to me. Have all the arguments you want about players or managers- the best bit about Saturdays is the pub before an after the game, an has been for a 3/4 seasons now. Our games for the vast majority time are so dull. I sit there, an find myself watching the paddock wind up oppo subs, or watching the bench an taking the piss with my mate about something. Getting my phone out. Picking my nose. Anything but watch the utter dullness of the game. I kno what league we're in, but plenty of sides still TRY to play. We just seem to play defensive, negative, dare not lose football. Which is awful to watch. An to answer the OP. Nothing will change. That's what's so depressing.

I think people are missing the central point. We have some good players, but is LJ getting the best out of them?? We played well for 5-7 mins in the second half yesterday. That's it!! It was abject for the other 83 mins. As a collective we look fragile, lightweight, an mentally weak. The tempo is awful, an we very rarely impose ourselves, who's repsonible for that??? I posted something very similar to this under Dickov, it's the MANNER of our performance. Not neccersarily results. What does he say to them mid week, or before a game?? Why do keep we coming out starting games so poorly? It's depressing trying to convince yourself at games that's it's 'fine lines' or 'we're close'. What's the point in going if you can't hope that we're getting somewhere. In truth we're not even looking like a side with potential. We trudge through games. I'm as desperate as everyone else to have a modicum of success- I'll take mid table with the promise of more to come, but it just doesn't feel like we're heading in the right direction. Respected posters are saying to many times, it's not acceptable. . . I absolutely totally an utterly refuse to accept that that budget that allows nearly 40 players a game; is not capable of some decent football with a mid table finish. I don't want him sacked, because as so many have said it starts all over again. I just want something to cling to that he's the right man. With each passing week my belief is dwindling. Hope I'm wrong. I doubt I am.

God knows. He's probably adjusting, having played on the wing half the time. Thought turner looked promising.

I think you deserve a medal for what you put with on here BP. You've bin saying for a long time the things that are coming home to roost. I've kept my powder dry until now. Mainly because I've been really trying to buy into - he's learning/building/he'll make mistakes, but that today was it for me. The thing is if we finished 20th, but tried to win a game instead of not lose, didn't play two deep lying midfielders, imposed ourselves, and generally got at sides he could have all the time he wants off me. However it's the complete opposite. The players look drained, an fragile. We look lifeless an inept. They say teams reflect their managers?????? The manner of our 'performance' is frightening.

I can't even be arsed disecting the game, it was beyond woeful. One thing is for certain. LJ is out of his depth. Maybe he'll keep us, but the football will be exactly the same next season. So depressing. Including dickov's time it's 3 seasons now of defensive, negative :censored:e. No budget? - he's used nearly 40 players. . ! He's learning? He's not. He wants to build- he's got half a side of loans an short term deals- exactly what he said wouldn't happen. He has to take responsibility without it being passed off as any of the above. The buck stops with him. I want him or any manager to be a success, just can't see it with him. Hope he proves me wrong. I also hope corney put a brake clause in that four year deal.

I don't think it's a bad shout. Will give us a bit bite in there.

You have different opinion. I think all the above is about desire. Can he not time his jump? Why don't we just let all tall players head it, forget competing. His first touch is wank- does he try an win it back, nah he gives up. His attitude is wrong. Why did Johnson sub his main striker for a kid, when he needed a goal?? The expectation thing is strange one an all. I didn't expect anything off him, it's naive to think any player will replicate form at one particular club. All you do is hope they turn out to be decent. I judge him from what I've watched- nearly all the home games. An for the most part he worse than ineffectual, he's invisible.

Same here. I really want him to do well, as that in turn will probably mean the team is on up. At the minute though he's miles off.

Exactly.