Scapegoat

Bet was make the play-offs - still interested? The 6 pts in 8 games, refers to how may we have to gain. Rule of thumb states that once you need to make up a point a game (or more) on teams then you are knackered. Quite likely we'll be in that position by Monday teatime.

I am not suggesting people stop going - crikey, if every team that didn't have a chance of winning something/achieving something gave up in terms of trying to play/entertain etc. football would be a rubbish game. I also expect the team to try and finish as high as possible, players to play for new contracts, players try to entertain the fans and for Shez to learn about his team for next year. But I am surprised by the optimism on this board. We need to gain 6 points in 8 games, we have a completely injury ravaged squad, we are not playing fantastic football even when we win (linked to the last point), and there are a number of other teams above us and below the play-offs. At some point you have to accept the realitiy of the situation, nevermind what the maths say. I am willing to make a wager - if Latics make the play-offs I'll buy you your ticket for the play-off semi home leg. If not you buy me my ticket for the first away match of the season next year (limited offewr to 2 people, don't need more than 2 tickets for the away game).

Give it up people. We can't even fill a subs bench...its not happening this year.

Time to shine....my windows! Seriously not impressed so far, but give him a chance now fully fit

In terms of the number of injured players - do we have a physio at the club full-time? It was a blank in the programme last week.

Was a big fan of the last Chaddy and was not convinced by the 'new one' ("the old one was an owl, this one is clearly a man in a suit") for a while. But reading posts on here about how you apply yourself in the role - its great news that you are staying on. One thing that I do miss though...we don't get to see any head on backwards comedy anymore.

I'd argue that the quality of the rest of the league was better last year as well - so the fact we are worse does not mean 6th is out of the question. But... In my opinion we will not finish in the play-offs. With the points total and the remaining fixtures (us and teams above us) its very do-able on paper, but we will not do our part. Final position = 10th.

1 in a 100 chance. To discourage another 99 shots endangering my pie more than the goal I'd still fine him. You need to maintain standards and rules.. As for kids. I have been very impressed with Alice, and since he scored his has got even better. Still raw but for me has genuine potential. I just don't see it with Smalley - others do. Football is full of opinions. But if I don't rate him I will discuss this with my mates etc. To repeat I don't shout loudly to make my point made to the players or most of the stand - if it was me that the OP could hear, that was more due to the Chaddy being half empty and mostly dead.

OK. I'll admit I read this thread and opened it with some concern that you may be referring to me and the people I sit with. Where do you sit? If its near the 100 mark and in the second section then it could be me, my GF and a couple of mates. Before anyone gets toop shirty - let me say my piece. I do not shout and boo loudly at our players, but I do have converstations with the people I sit with and we do discuss the performance of players. I'd perhaps accept that sometimes, when particularly frustrated with a certain pass etc, it may become more audible to others in the stand - but I would doubt it is ever audible to the players. Given the spare nature of the crowd on Tuesday, any comments we make could be more audible in the stand. Whilst I support Latics, I do not think that means I have to think that every player is fantastic - I think I should be allowed to have opinions that certain players are not up to it (kids or otherwise). Smalley is one that I do not rate. On Tuesday the number of times he kicked the ball past the defender and tried to run through him and (as the laws of physics have not changed) failed was frustrating - and we dicsussed the fact we didn't think he is a good player in our team. But I will still shout encouragement at times and (hopefully) will eat my hat if he proves me wrong. I do recall making a comment about this - something along the lines of fine him a weeks wages. This is an 'in-joke' in that any defender shooting from out the box should be fined a weeks wages for wasting posession (Eardley has earned a 'get out jail' free card though). At the end of the day I support Latics and am supportive generally of the players. But I am also passionate about the team and do not always support every player 100% - but not in a shouting loud abuse that they can here. If its wrong to have a football discussion during a game with friends; not like every player that ever plays for us; and make some comments to this effect - well tough.

The commentary on The Championship over our goals against Tranmere mentioned that all 3 goal-scorers were 'home-grown'. In fact I think 6 of the 11 on Saturday were 'home-grown': Alesandra, Taylor, Allot (originally), Lomax, Eardley, Smalley. After some more thought a post to suggest the best ever home grwon players might be a bit of fun - they have to played for the 1st team (no Micah). State in your post when you first started watching Latics - helps comparisons. Perhaps after a few responses we could try to pull together a full 11? Not had chance to consider it much but off top of my head I'll give the following as some starters (apologies if they are not home grown): Keeper - Goram / Gerrard Defenders - Andy Barlow / Will Haining Midfield - Chris Taylor / Nick Henry / Milligan Forwards - ???? struggling with this one

I ticked the last option - in my opinion we are just too inconsistent at present to put a run together (not helped by the need to change the starting line-up a lot due to injuries etc). I think we will finish around 4 pts off sixth, close enough to keep our interest but never really getting in genuine contention (this is the reason the Play-ofs is the single greatest change to football rules - a team as average as us can still hope even this late on). Though the 4 pts could mean 10th place. Only slight possibility is the fact the League One final clashes with family wedding - would be typical that we make it through to our first play-off final... But I am confident that I'll be OK.

Has Liverpools Raffa seen this?

Another Shez stays. Reasons in my opinion: 1) Quality of football (sometimes only attempted rather than pulled off I'd have to agree) is watchable fair. Especially comapred to the dross served up by previous manager. 2) Not at risk of relegation - so at least the club is on a stable footing whilst off the field activities take place (fingers crossed anyway). 3) New manger learning trade - as many say key to success is experience and time. 4) Loss of many key players from last seasons (semi) successful season - best midfielder, best striker etc 5) Who do we think we are going to get in his place? Jose / Bobby Robson etc. Lets be honest we are unlikely to get a 100% nailed on success story in his palce are we? For me, until the off the field side of the club is crying out for Championship football and shez has still not delivered OR we actually get relegated. He says.

Something rather odd about this though. We are in with a shout as it stands, and 3 home wins now would put us in serious contention.... But But But... Can anyone hand on heart really say we deserve to get promoted this year? We've not played as well as we did at times last season and I don't think we should go up. Get the team playing well, winning games and start next season like a train.

For me Shez stays for the forseeable future unless we get relegated. Even a relegation fight would not have me showing Shez the door UNLESS we fealt we had a much better alternative e.g. Danny Wilson / Holloway (entertainment value) etc.

Oldham fan or not - he did have a ST for at least one season. But then again there were lots of people at BP those days that 'supported other clubs'.

Michell Marsh? From Oldham, yes. Followed us when her other half player for us. Really an Oldhan fan? Not seen or heard much about this link since Will left (e.g. club photos etc). Perhaps it was just another GF tagging along with her boyfriend. I could be wrong. The bloke who played Gruey (sp?) in the 90s TV show used to have a season ticket near me in the Chaddy during the premier-years. Not seen him since. Chris England - a journalist / writer. Used to write a column in FourFourTwo that regularly mentioned us, and I think he co-wrote An Evening With Gary Lineker. Neither of these two would climbe above Z-list celebrity status, but most of this thread is in barrel scraping territory anyway.

My Dad wore the same outfit through the entire Littelwoods cup run. April in London, 30+ degrees. Wearing a latics t-shirt, with a latics top, with a latics jumper (it was cold at the start of the cup run) sweating like a pig.

There are a few comments on here about fitness levels / concentration etc costing us this season with last minute goals. But if you look back over the season we have 'snatched points' from the death just on more occassions that we have 'given them away' - Just. Last minute winners against Swansea (h), Crewe (h), Tranmere (A) etc have gained us points V Last minute defeats /draws against Bristol, Leeds, Brighton, Doncaster etc. There are swings, and there are roundabouts.

My mistake - but there were a few distinct kits near the start which we could have kept and been distinctive, shame we didn't.

But then it was a cheap manufacturer and also looked predominantly white due to no stripe on the back or sleeves. I posted a while back that we don't have a genuine kit identity which is a shame. If'd we stuck with the red/blue hoops from the start then it would have been a unique kit that was obviously Latics. However bringing back after years and years of blue or blue/white was an awful mistake.

There are better ways to kill a game than standing at a corner flag clearly obstructing the opposition - whip the cross in and score another. Its a horrible tactic that I would remove from the game by giving obstruction - I also hate the practice of shielding the ball out of play as well. Another obstuction in my mind.

No no no no no. I hate this time-wasting act when its done by others and even more so by us. Not in the spirit of the game and I shout / boo my displeasure when Latics do it. As for Taylor - improved corners generally, good goal, but didn't get a lot of change out of the full-back. Would have swapped him over to the other side. Agree about the abuse he has been getting - there are a group of 4 or 5 lads near the back of the Chaddy who sarcastically clap / cheer when Taylor does anything wrong.

Possible, more so with the fixtures and our performances against Carlisle and (last 55 minutes of) Gillingham. But think its too much now - love to be proved wrong though. I think 9th-11th will be our end point.

This was against Barnsley. Blokes at work who are Barnsely fans and we meet up before and after games when we play each other - they have this down of one of the funniest things they have seen following the Tykes. Classic moment. Think it was the game we were poor and losing 2-1 and Vernon popped two late goals (both stoppage time?) to win 3-2.