Wardie

I have avoided reading the thread as I think the opinions of others can sway my own. My take on Norwood is that we have been given an option up front which many other teams would bite our hand off for. We also have at least two other strikers who I feel would walk into any team in this league. With age and experience comes expectation from both the player and the fans. He obviously wants to score as many goals as he can and for that, he needs to be greedy, needs the service and a good, consistent strike partner. As I see it, he isn't getting either on a regular basis. You may have seen his tweet when Mellon joined, a manager who he worked with previously and whose style of play Norwood probably feels will benefit him. We have to give that time because it isn't going to happen overnight and Norwood has to re-establish his relationship and understanding with the manager. It's Mellon's job to get the players to provide the service he and his strike partner will need. To me, Norwood is a big, big fish for this league and Latics have to utilise his skills and experience otherwise we have a very expensive [I assume] 'white elephant' in the room. Fondop is a brute of a striker, however, he is a liability when starting games and I would much rather he came on from the bench to attack tiring defences. I'd rather Norwood be with Latics than one of our rivals in this league.

Plus the rest. Let's face it, this season's opportunity is gone.

It's out the window mate. We have to get over it.

My apologies, I read it wrong. You were referring to the team and the performance. I typed before the sensibility reached my brain.

Oldest maybe, deadliest yes. He needed service, not to go chasing the ball.

What, and we go through the management-merry-go-round yet again? Are you fucking nuts? You'd think it was life and death the way you react. It's football. Grow up.

I still ask the question, did you think that last Saturday at Rochdale?

Sorry BP, I have to disagree. The expectation of the striker is to be fed the ball. Isolation will result in frustration.

Jesus fucking Christ! Two games in and you are binning him off? The malaise of the modern football fan.

Isolated up front is probably not his style or expectation.

Yep, the 'wingers' Mellon harped on about in his interview. He knows what he needs to do, let's hope the board backs his requests.

The feelings of a disappointing night. I bet you weren't feeling that way last Saturday? Of course there is a point, it's called football. See you Saturday.

So be it.

So, Freeman at left back? Where the fuck is he??

Maybe Mellon gave Shelton the opportunity and he has failed, so should be his last game. New players are needed, we all know that and hopefully Mellon has his targets. I honestly cannot see Latics near the bottom again this season. Mid table, yes.

Their not the worst though, are they? And pasted by ourselves is probably more apt.

And who will that be?

3-0 in extra time. Not what we expected but at least Mellon now knows what he has.

"Very worrying evening for the football club." What?? GK, you only seem surface when we are losing. Your post is a rash over exaggeration and you know it but you appear to revel in the bad results, which is exactly what this is. It's football. you win, you lose, you draw. Get over it. We are the mighty Oldham. Yeah, right.

Fact is, OB, Shelton has been consistently shite.

It's all perception and easy for us to pass opinion on a slow motion replay. I imagine real time was more ambiguous but the club should rightly appeal the decision.

It's a blip, Mellon, with his experience, will sort this out. I think Southend will overtake us and make the playoffs. Kudos to them.

When you saw Shelton in the line up and not McGahey, did you not think "Shit, this is not good"? It's almost as if Shelton is the link back to the crap Unsworth performances and he may be the psychological weak link. Having seen the clip above, that was a fucking disgraceful decision in my opinion. The club should attempt an overturn.

Perhaps the wake-up call the board needs to realise recruitment is far from over. Mellon has what he has to work with and there is no way we should be casting judgement over his leadership, if anybody is thinking of doing so. There is a long way to go and to me, it is looking like this season is maybe gone and the manager is going to have to build the squad for a promotion challenge next season. Annoying as it is, this match is highlighting the frailties in the squad and I think we all knew this was coming. It's not over yet but with ten men, I expect the score line to at least stay the same or even sneak a draw at the very best.

Fuck me, what's happened? Surely it's not all down to Shelton being on the pitch!?