laticsmad

Agree to a certain extent, and realistically it is a tough target

BUT

Leeds lst today, they still may take points of each other

We are 10 points behind, but win the 2 and theortically only 4 pts behind with a good chunk of the season left.

 

That said we haven't been great in the final third of the season for a few years now.

tbh just looking behind more than than I am looking forward. Sad to say really when there was so much optimism pre-season.

Best post in the thread.

 

Frustration at lack of progress in footballing terms is not disloyalty. The soft totalitarianism that some would like to prevail on Latics boards is tiresome, while the sycophancy towards TTA (yes-I too am as grateful as the next fan) is nauseating.

I agree totally but if the players don't want to come to BP then what can you do--no amount of wheeling ad dealing will get a player here if they don't want to come. KK in his first spell was a pretty much an unknown. He returned in his second spell because of the enjoyable time he had first time around. To get a another player of KK quality, in the Januaray transfer widow, is nigh on impossible IMO.

Bunn's 6 goals against scarbrough stands out a mile for me. Absolutely awaesome.

Both of you, get grip!!!!!

Can you please name them, I can't see loads, I can only see the odd one.

Who would do a job for us, yes, but improve the team? Not many.

 

We don't need journeymen, we've been down that route before.

We don't need owners splashing the cash (though they have plughed in plenty let me remind you), we've been that route before

We don't need panic buys we've been down that route before.

 

You're acting like a bunch of virgins with hands down a top for the first time. Stay Cool or it will ge messy.

While I do agree with you on all points we do need numbers to bolster the squad. I am sure shez in holding out for the best players he can attract but hopefully not to long because we do need 2 or 3 more players, even if they are not the best quality, just to compete at this level and starve off a relegation battle.

My dad got ours today and they're saying they don't have many left!

Perhaps it is a little white lie by the club in order to sell more tickets. Like someone said on this thread, no news about the sale of tickets on the club website. Don't mind either way!!!Hope it is close to a sell-out.

They've shifted the 3,000 and took the extra 1,600.

 

Oh well. It's about time they actually brought a decent following here for once. Maybe it'll feel like an away afterall.

A friend who bought my ticket today and said that apparently we have nearly sold all our tickets too!!! Looks like 11,000 to 12,000 fans may well be on the cards.

Didn't we arrange a loan in recent years whereby we agreed a fee at the start of the loan period that we could take up providing that the loan spell was successful? Don't know why, but I seem to think it may have been Mark Hughes?

 

I don't think that this would necessarily guarantee a future signing due to personal terms, but may give us an additional level of protection against Doncaster and Leeds.

souns like a good idea. Either way it is short term loan signing that has got us into this mess (no squad, no creative player). Realse this can't always be helped but need to start building with term signings (2-3 years) otherwise we will have 11 strangers playing with each other come August next year.

Playing staff are off to Yeovil today then staying over darn sarth until the game on tues at Gills ...

 

Shez as high lighted the players he wants ... so I wouldn't be suprised that if Hardy is beavering away as we spak trying to get a player .....

the lads are training in the rain as we speak

I really think that would be the best option for Latics, give us a chance to get a longer and proper look at him and if we like we can try and get him on a permanent deal in the summer, if not send him back and no harm done.

catch 22, if we do get him only on loan and he has storming 5/6/ months then what do you think the chances are of keeping him on on a permanent deal???

I think this today highlights a very, very worrying point in football which I think most of us knew, but never really gets talked about in the same breath as it does higher up....and that is, the difference between the leagues in this country.

 

We all know the Grand Canyon between the Premiership and the Championship, but until reading this lot today, it really really shows the size of gap between the Championship and League One more than ever. I've always been of the mind that the powers that be have always wanted this 2 x 20 teams in a Premier League 1 and 2. And the rest go under or part time like non-league. And if the gap between our level and that next one directly above continues, then it's easily going to go that way. TBH, it shows what a good job the likes of small clubs like Colchester have done to stay up but saying that, they'll now be adding to this gap by having the likes of Sheringham playing for them. And at our own level, teams like Donny, Forest and Swansea have thrown cash at it for a few years now and gone nowhere. Only Bristol City have thrown money at it lately and gone up, but it took them a good 5yrs of doing so.

 

10yrs at this level and counting.....could be a while yet (until the revenue streams from the new stadium) before we can consistently throw money at it to the proportion required, to get up.

Perhaps but I think it is still doable. Look at the teams who were promoted last season. Scunny are struggling, Pool comfortable mid-table with Bristol city flying hight in 2nd place.

Seconded, would love him back but there's no chance of him wanting to play for us again.

Don't blame him one bit to be honest. Some of our fans are a joke!!!

Sheridan to get the newcastle job.

Latics to get shearer and keegan

 

Other than those - no!

 

Seriously - other than the Clarke rumours. Its all been a bit quiet hasn't it?

Tbh I think shez is struggling to attract the calibre of player that he wants to to bring the club. Having said that I think alot of players will wait untill the very last minute, of the transfer window, before commiting theselves tothe a new club so they can get the very best deal.

Middle Aged? Hang on a minute........

Well, I supose you have a point

 

Take it back, your not middle-aged untill you reach 40, when is that for you?

He's a full England International and still only 19/20, I think you'll find that bids will start at 20m!!!

Well I hope you're right cause that is 4million plus for latics.

Or he was putting himself in the shop window

 

Nah, I'm only teasing with that one coz I don't believe that. I do think that KK was unfit when he first came here, he does give his best most times but has the tendancy to pull out of a tackle. Which grated. But yeah, he is a class player on his day and maybe his consistency issues, which I felt held him back (and others ignored and overrated him), were purely down to fitness. We'll never know now. I don't think he was worth what we threw at him, so agree with D_S very much that although it would've been nice to keep him, I'm glad that we haven't at that cost. Don't blame him for going to Leeds though. So basically....I'm quite indifferent on the lad.....for many reasons. But as it's Leeds, I can't wish him well I'm afraid. Wouldn't boo him on return. But then I wouldn't boo most ex-players on return.

I think we will miss him big time as yesterday performance so eloquently highlighted--without him, or witout a player of his qualitites, I fear this season will be a washout. Yes we have the january transfer window but to find a player of his qualitites is going to be nigh on impossible. Hope I am wrong!!!

if anelka is worth 15 million then richards should go for nothing less.

Maybe but goalscorers are harder to come by and therefore, their transfer fee goes up accordingly.

This could be overkill but why don't the chanters in the lookers upper point to the rest of the fans in that stand and chant "Stand up and support the team!" Try and make them prove a point.

Because that wouldn't work and you know it!!!!!

Im sick of all the threads on "the fans" it wont change a thing... The whole of BP today was quiet apart from the Brighton fans and that aint gonna change untill the team start putting in some spirited performance, today we failed to get a grip on the game against 10 MEN brighton!!! Think our concerns should be with our home form rather than the fans!! Please remember some fans cant get to away games and havent seen the team win in the league since sept, and mainly seen poor performances since febuary last year!

Sorry but if you think the atmosphere has no effect on the lads performance then you are sadly mistaken. I have been supporting latics for 25 years and the support by latics fans is at an alltime low. Think the introduction of all seater stadium has something to do with it--but still no excuse imo. I think you have to rememeber that we are in league 1 with league 1 players, and as such the players are not world beaters and will have off days (as well great days, you remember leeds and everton away don't you?). That is why they are playing the third tier of football.

Think the fans have a direct correlation with the product on the pitch on occasions like this (after the Lord Mayor's show). So yes, whilst I agree that we didn't show anything today, if the atmosphere had been anything like it should have been, we might have got a much needed result. In my view - our home form is directly linked to both our formation/tactics at home and the morgue 'quick to criticise' atmosphere.

A side point. Not only does the support of fans help the performance on the pitch, which it does because many latics players have said so in recent weeks, but for me it is more of a enjoyable experience for the fans themselves when the place is buzzing. Let's face it who wants to sit in a morgue like atmosphere when you could be involved with a great atmposphere. It is better experience for the fans too!!!

Don't often post on here - just a reader.

 

However, had to comment on the atmosphere today and some of the fans. I must say that some of our fans are a disgrace. Booing at the end, what is all that about? The atmosphere was non-existent - fair credit to the lads in the Uppers Lookers and the usual drummer et al in the Chaddy for at least making a stab. BP is like a morgue, there is no wonder the players don't seem to like playing there. Whilst we can say the poor home form is down to tactics etc, there must be some credence to the fact that the players struggle in front of a grumpy crowd. We have our fare share of moaners that still think we play in the Premiership, intent on having a pop if things aren't going own way. What happened to encouragement? Away support is much better and that is why I am looking forward to Yeovil away more than I am the next home league game. FFS I heard one guy going on about Allott saying he'd had a terrible game'. Mr Allott has been our best player for weeks. It's all about opinions but the booing is going too far. We have just beaten Leeds and Everton for god's sake. Walking to the ground I thought that today would be a good atmosphere, everyone celebrating the recent results and cheering on the lads to a victory. I now realise that I am very naive. I usually join in with all the singing where I sit in Lookers Lower, but it is always difficult because no-one really makes an effort at that side of the ground - bar the lads in the Upper Lookers.

 

I was that angry with some of our fans at the end, I wanted to chin them. I'm usually a placid guy but these moaning gits are creating tension with the normal fans that do their utmost to support the team and have been doing for years.

 

The home attendance too - absolutely appalling - hope those gloryhunters are sat back nicely in their armchairs. How many other clubs suffer from this problem? Huddersfield perhaps? Bet they had a big home support today after their cup win. I am speechless about some of our fans at the moment - yes, football is expensive but if 5,500 can afford a day out at Everton, then why not go to the follow up league game to celebrate that victory and cheer the lads on.

 

If we get past Huddersfield and draw a big club in the 5th round - they'll all come out out of the woodwork and get their tickets. The way I am feeling tonight - the total opposite of last week. Thought our fans were great at Everton - terrible today.

 

TTA must feel aggrieved at the attendance today - when our new stadium is opened - if people think we'll fill it, they're living in cloud cuckoo - even if we are in the Championship. Pathetic support today. Roll on Yeovil away and fans getting behind the team.

 

Rammylatic

couldn't agree with you more mate! The group of about 6 lads at the upper lookers were singing the hearts out yet nobody, and mean NOBODY, was joining in to support there efforts. In fact they were being looked at by people like people look at caged animals at a zoo, why oh why are you chanting. I was a good 20 metres from these lads and occasionally I would join in with them but with NOBODY chating within a 20 metre radius off you it could make you look kind of stupid. Brilliant away wins at Leeds and Everton and yet the attendance at home seems to have gone DOWN. I give up!!!

The ONLY time I thought they would score is when they got that corner at the end....considering are form at home and everything that has happened I thought they would score....before that I thought it was over...

 

You describe a different game than what I saw...they certainly did not dictate the pace of the game...that complete bull....

I think we will have to agree to disagree on this point. Although they did not have clear cut chances before the equaliser the pressure was building the last 20 mins as was the mistakes by our players. I was hopeful we could keep them out but not very surprised when they scored.

To say that today was a good performance is just not true imo.

Bossed the second half ??

 

I think you was watching a different game than me.............!!!!

They dicated the pace of the game in the 2nd and pushed forward away from home with 10 men, fair play to them they fully deserved the draw. Now latics on the other hands seemed to think the game was over after going 1 nil up with brighton down to 10 men. You can't tell me you didn't see their goal coming?

Have to say the atmosphere in the upper lookers today is absolutely dreadful, except for a group of middle aged guys sat at the back trying to get some chants going. Others (not me) just looked at them like they were crazy!

Agree mate, for large parts of the game we were the better side, but we had more than our fair share of chances to finish the game.

Would be wrong to say i didnt think they would score with that corner at the end as thats just the way our luck is going at home.

 

Anyways onwards and upwards for Yeovil!

Have to say a draw was a fair result. First half we shaded the game but for me Brighton bossed the second half and by all accounts deserved the draw. Wasn't a good performance but the terrible atmosphere does not help one bit either!!!!

Quitting football at his age must have been the most ridiculous career move by anyone ever, not just in football. I mean where else can you get paid that sort of money for doing something which presumably comes fairly natural to you. He could have been on 800 quid a week or more in a few season and all he had to do was stick with it, turn up for training for a few hours a day and play one match a week. Then after that he could have followed whatever career path he wanted. Football is such an easy way of making a lot of money if you are good enough. What a moron!

Fair play to the lad, playing football at a professional level isn't everybody idea of the dream job. Admittedly, most of us would have given our right arm to be his position (me included), but like I said he is obviously right into this panto/acting lark. My guess he will regret quitting football in a few years but fair play to him for not staying in football just for the money.

The whole team was brilliant but without Macca's wonder strike we wouldn't have won the game would we now!!! so Macca for me.