Hemel latic

There is a chance the handbrake will come off tomorrow, equally of course there may be more of the same. However I was struck on Saturday by how flat the players looked during the warm up, I don't recall any smiles or laughter, the only players that looked like they were having fun were the subs who were just d1cking around. I didn't want to read too much into it, easy to misread, but with hindsight... Hopefully the mood will have lifted with the manager's departure and although it's a time of uncertainty for the players as well as the fans we will get a better performance tomorrow. Can't be worse!

Me too, all about the process and getting that right and trusting it will deliver the best person for the job. I'd be interested in whether preferred candidates will be invited to apply/interview, or whether it will just be an open competition. Can see pros and cons for both approaches. They need to be clear about what they want beyond just wanting to win football matches. There's quite a lot on twitter about Oldham being a good "project", and of course we all want something sustainable, but there's still a good chance of promotion this season and I do think the FA Trophy final should be a target. But I do hope we go for a footballing manager, after 12 months of rhinoball it would be good to see some attractive attacking football. I'll still cheer us on if we're playing hoofball but I don't think that sits well with our fanbase. I'd like to see them involve the supporters and players in the process. Either have an OASF rep and the skipper/PFA rep (might be the same person, Hogan) on the panel, or do separate sessions. Given how important both are to our success they should be consulted pre-appointment. And they should have a football expert on the panel too, either a current manager/coach, or someone recently retired/sacked/resigned.

I do hope that even under Thompson the likes of Reid and Tollitt get more opportunities. It's been ridiculous that we've been playing central forwards in wide positions instead of Tollitt. Also worth noting that Tollitt played and scored in our one victory this season (yes, I am a fan although not unaware of his defensive weaknesses). Also like it when we play Reid. Reid and Green are the only two attacking players we have with genuine pace, opposition always looks more stretched when they both play, they generally defend deeper creating more space. And a word for Mark Shelton, deeply unloved, but I think he's finding his feet this season. Played well against Boreham Wood and some good passing in the first half on Saturday, far superior to 2023 Dan Gardner for me. Also just to add, sign me up to the Shaun Hobson fan club, potentially a Rolls Royce of a player, think he's going to be a good un.

The statement talks about a recruitment process to replace Unsworth so hopefully no chance of that.

On the way home to avoid a car crash on the way to the car crash of a performance.

Did anyone else struggle to select an away ticket? All I could get was "general admission" which is home.

We have a similar recollection of the game! I also remember expecting to see some improvement, notwithstanding the manager had only been in place for a week, there was none. I also worried that the new manager had somehow thought that pumping long balls to Junior Luamba would have ever worked, again put it down to too little time. I fear the worst tomorrow. Bromley were so well organised last season. a massive, athletic team. Would love to see us play through them with more skillful play, unlikely. If there is no demonstrable improvement tomorrow on what was served up pretty much a year ago to the day, it cannot play well for the manager (or the team for that matter). On the face of it the team we put out tomorrow will be better man-for-man than last year's team. It has to do better, has to. If not, no matter what is said in public, I'm sure whatever doubts the Board have will increase.

Frazer Cookson scores with a header from a corner late in the game to earn Northwich Vic a point.

I'd try and sign him if I was a National League manager, he's got 20 goals a season in him if played regularly. (Yes, I know he missed an open goal against Solihull but first full appearance of the season, rusty).

I can see that and he's a great impact sub. Hopefully the players have realised now that kicking the ball away as a a tactic to slow the game down earns a yellow (rightly in my view).

I'd like to see Fondop start this one despite his, er, mishap last time out. He got a hattrick against them last time out, they'll be scared to death of him and he he wins so much more in the air than Nuttall. Only caveat would be Norwood seems to much prefer playing with Nuttall. There were signs of difficulty in the Norwood/Fondop relationship at Boreham Wood. I thought we might have signed a midfield loan player given Shelton's suspension. Perhaps a surprise return for Lundstram (aka the Messiah)? Didn't they say he was close to a return a couple of weeks ago?

He's a likeable bloke but I don't really get the love in however that's clearly down to me. I do wish they would tone down the language on the call in/pod though. I'm no stranger to industrial language but it just seems a bit unnecessary at times when broadcast, even on a pod or a youtube channel. In terms of what Marc said about refereeing, "Years ago a ref would just tell me Marc, you're a **** and I'd take that and I knew where I was and just get on with it" and old refs think it was better in there day. It's clearly true there are some significant problems adjusting to new laws and interpretation this year. However, what struck me is that no matter what the industry or profession people who've been around awhile nearly always think it used to be better in the old days. Not sure that's true and you don't have to go too far below National League to see that lack of respect for officials is a major problem.

It's been said elsewhere but Hobson started as a RCB against Southend, he only moved to RB after Sutton was sent off. Although the formation didn't work on the day, I thought he looked OK in that first game and I was a bit surprised he was the one to make way when we went to a back 4. He's more physical than Raglan and Hogan, with a bit more pace.

There's only one Mike Fondop.

No worries Mr.B!

Chapman and Peck came in outside of the EFL transfer windows last year so we're not constrained by them unless the rules have changed.

I've said elsewhere I think we've got enough/too many thirtysomethings already. But we are light of cover/bodies in CM, even when Lundstram is back. But I'd much prefer a loan signing rather than another player that might take weeks to get up to match fitness.

Yeah, agree it's not the biggest problem we've got, and most of the others it goes away if we're a winning team. But I do think it's a bit of an issue, I don't have the time or inclination to do the research but I'd be surprised if many successful teams have this kind of age profile.

If we start Freeman, Raglan, Hogan, Dickenson and Norwood that's 5 players the "wrong" side of 30. For me that's too many. I liked the recruitment at the start of the summer when we were signing younger, hungry players that want to play in the EFL. I am a bit concerned that so many older, ex-EFL players will perhaps lack the ambition and fight of that younger, perhaps more ambitious element. Based on our last two games I would play Sutton over Freeman at RB every day of the week. But that's unfair, too small a sample size. I just didn't fancy Freeman at Boreham Wood, offered nothing going forward and didn't really relish the physicality of BW, perhaps he just needs a little time to adjust to non-league and build up his match fitness (has that been mentioned elsewhere??). Getting back to the point I definitely think there's room in the squad for younger talent as recommended by BP1960.

Sounds like a pretty good hit rate to me and interesting insight. To me it's a shame if we're entirely discounting younger players. Will Sutton is the only player U25 currently catching our match day squads at present and I'd prefer there to be a couple more. I think it's good for the team dynamic to have that blend of youthful promise, hope and vigour mixed with more hard bitten, experienced, older pros.

Hallam Hope the only fully fit member of the match day squad not to feature in a match day squad so far. May change on Saturday if Gardner is injured as expected.

I can't answer it because I don't think it's a yes or no question. Whether we like it or not he is our manager and he's been invested in, in terms of his contract, backroom staff and playing staff. Any change of management will be expensive, cause upheaval and potentially lose any progress/momentum (I know, I know) that's been built up over the past year. Given the improvement in results we saw in the second half of last season plus the injuries suffered in the midfield I would be prepared to give Unsworth more time. I'm generally for patience and giving people time to prove themselves. However, I am where I was around Christmas last year in that I think Unsworth is only a couple of bad results from dismissal. Lose the next two on the bounce, I think he'll go.

In a strange coincidence we play Bromley away on 16 September which was Unsworth's first game in change. That was the worst Latics performance I've ever seen, if Bromley hadn't coasted the second half we would have lost by a cricket score. If we went down to a similar defeat after one year and all that investment it could bring down the curtain.

Frank, or the club, have generally been wary of players with, er, a colourful personal life but perhaps Tunnicliffe has matured. Mind you, it's nowt but an unsubstantiated rumour as things stand. We already have three players that didn't pre-season with us, suspect they really do need time to bed in and improve their fitness.

You mean he'll pick Raglan and Hogan rather than Hobson and Sutton? That's not "freezing" anyone out, it's just a decision on selection. FWIW, I'd pick Hobson over Hogan. I also think Will Sutton has the potential to play at a higher level than any of our other centre halves. He'll end this season a better player than he did at the start of the season, just as he did last season.