rictic

And neither should you just as I don't give two hoots about about what you sat through today. Look on the brightside at least at this time of year it won't be long before Santa brings you a new dummy to replace the one you've just spat out.

In the late 60's I watched Latics get thrashed 8-1 at Peterborough not a barrel of laughs but refunds never crossed my mind. Not nice but it happens you'll get over it in about 40 odd years.

Yes i was "fortunate" enough to have seen our 8-1 defeat at Peterborough after which the Chron reporter and legendary boozer Jim Williams claimed we were unlucky. 68/69 was dreadful and 69/70 started even worse until Jimmy Frizz took over.

For me Forte doesn't look comfortable up top.

True but I do remember Bert netting a cracker from outside the box.. Against Liverpool at BP in 62, sadly ruled out due to a linesman's flag. The linesmen did us no favours in that match Liverpool being awarded a goal for a shot that hit the bar and clearly landed on the line.

Alan McNeil's half volley from the half way line against Blackburn at Ewood Park in the 70's. Put us one up and then Maureeeece Whittle had to go in goal for about the last half hour but we held on to win. Brilliant goal that outshone that Beckham effort of several years ago. From the days when midfield players attacked. Thanks for the memory Alan it will always stay with me.

Ditto, Some decent players there......Ian T, Dennis Stevens and old favourites Bob Ledger and the Jim's Bowie and Frizzell. Albert Quixall, one of the greatest let downs ever for Latics, Ronnie Swan arguably the worst Latics keeper in living memory, I liked Reggie Blore but most at danger with one one his shots were the pigeons sat on top of the Chaddy Road stand. Great pic never seen it before. Thanks Pete, nice one.

Granted i've only watched highlights of the SPL but from what I've seen Rooney's movement in the box for Aberdeen is no different to what it was here. The difference is in the delivery of the ball which for Aberdeen is decent whilst ours was abject to say the least. Rooney made some excellent diagonal runs in the penalty area but unfortunately Smith and Wes can't seem to pass a ball accurately over more than a few feet and the delivery from out wide just as bad. A good player has slipped through our fingers but it isn't the first time and won't be the last. Johnson's comments when Rooney departed were embarrassingly stupid.

He'd have done very well to get his decisions right considering he was hardly ever up with play.

Maybe the players said to Johnson "Your tactics are crap let's get men forward, lump the ball up more and seewhat happens"

I distinctly remember losing 5-0 at Bournemouth early 1971 ? We travelled down on the football league liner train with the disco carriage on the back end playing northern soul. A sogging wet day when Ted McDougal scored a few against us.and Jim Bowie had a nightmare. From the days when away games were a proper experiience.

Losing 8-1 at Peterborouh in the late 60's wasn't a barrell of laughs. Ditto 4-0 at Torquay same time period. There's been so many.

Totally agree, the lad's a joy to watch now inbetween both penalty areas. Bags of skill and tricks and then when he gets in sight of the box the only danger is a cull of pigeons passing the time of day on the Chaddy stand. How do you coach it into a player to calm down in that situation ?

And if I were playing in the Oldham Amateur League so would I. Kusunga is playing as a professional and should act accordingly.

If your head goes to bits when you reach the oppositions box it matters not where you are playing. Same applies to his defensive frailties. Like I said there's a player in there whether or not you can prise it out of him is a different matter.. My guess is not but I'd be delighted to be proved wrong.

True but so is Kusunga for not staying on the deck and letting the referee sort it out.

There's a player in Sidney though how you unlock his potential is anyone's guess. A defensive disaster whose head goes to bits when he reaches the oppositions penalty box. If he was 18/19 he'd be well worth being patient with......at 23 I don't know.

Glory hallelujah, some sense at last. Rooney is not a target man and expecting him to play well as one is clearly brainless. Unfortunataly all the strikers we've brought into the club during the close season are very similar and IMO it was a big mistake not signing a target man.

It's probably the same clown who has appeared on the other Latics forum recently.

Spot on, we lack a physical presence up front.

Spot on pal, Johnson got it wrong big time today it was so utterly abject I've no idea what the formation was supposed to be.

I hope I'm wrong but I don't think he will learn. A few minutes before the goal he dwelt on the ball on the edge of our box and Kitson blocked his clearance but fortunately the ball ran for us. That should have rung a warning bell but obviously didn't. He may well be a young kid but it happens too often with him. Less of the cultured centre back and more of the Sean Garnett is what is required. When in doubt kick it out.

I didn't get a clear view of that at the game but I've just seen a video of it. Unbelievable, I've never seen anything like it in all my years watching football.

Given the fact that on average a Latics manager can expect to get fired after two years by our trigger happy Chairman I think TP is taking an understandable decision NOT to apply. He's.happy in his current job not many can say that these days. Good luck to him.