IceStationLatic

http://mobile.oldhamathletic.co.uk/runtime/oldham/article?articleId=2791252 Still think an all-Blue RRE would be way forward for us creating the atmosphere at present - along with visiting fans

Not sure about goal music, but what about the walk-on music. Red Dogs have Eric Prydz - Pijanno and Faithless - Insomnia as their lot come out. Banging to be fair

Exactly. Isn't it about time we ensured we focused on giving our team the noisiest support - by best utilising those of us that still go - rather than seemingly putting the away fans first, giving them the platform to dominate the atmosphere and access to booze fuel! We should have a dedicated singing section in the RRE, and/or split the Chaddy so you have banter between both fans whilst us still having 'control' over the atmosphere. Cashing in when the big teams come is fair enough - but there won't be as many next season. Moreover, when 150 (or even less?!!) away fans' noise match the volume of the whole crowd, even when we have a dedicated 'Ultras' singing group in the Chaddy - something needs to change!!!

I wonder if Crawley will implode. There were rumours that Evans was desperate to jump ship

In my opinion, everything about Lee was summed up at Bramall Lane: his celebration. Not the bit PD took the piss out of, the bit where he kissed his finger and pointed the to the fans, instantly after his shot found the corner, while he was already turning and running back. He didn't give it the big I am and run towards the fans celebrating wildly, although no-one could have blamed him. Instead, his actions suggested the attitude of 'get back into position, yes it's 2-2 but there's still 20-odd minutes left to work and find a winner - the job isn't over yet'. We need a team with his work ethic and attitude. Hero

Hello. Sorry if this has been raised before but, in light of the efforts of the Ultras to improve matchday atmosphere, it's maybe an issue to consider in the close season. Did we ever decide for definite whether the noise carries a lot further from the RRE than the Chaddy? There was talk that 100-200 ppl in the small section of the RRE were out-singing everyone else. If that's so, should we consider a change. It might be sacrilege to some, but do we need to move with the times and do anything to improve the situation - should we start allocating all/a section or blocks of the Chaddy to the away fans? If the noise stuff is true, we shouldn't be making other teams feel at home so easily - put the three-stand and attendance issues to one side for now. Maybe we could have RRE season ticket holders right behind the goal, a section to the left being for family/young season ticket holders (unless this could fit in main stand upper too), and the section nearest the main stand could be for the 'Ultras' and those that want to have a sing etc I'm sure there are other options. What do people think? This is the time when the club could consider changes.

Hello. Sorry if this has been raised before but, in light of the efforts of the Ultras to improve matchday atmosphere, it's maybe an issue to consider in the close season. Did we ever decide for definite whether the noise carries a lot further from the RRE than the Chaddy? There was talk that 100-200 ppl in the small section of the RRE were out-singing everyone else. If that's so, should we consider a change. It might be sacrilege to some, but do we need to move with the times and do anything to improve the situation - should we start allocating all/a section or blocks of the Chaddy to the away fans? If the noise stuff is true, we shouldn't be making other teams feel at home so easily - put the three-stand and attendance issues to one side for now. Maybe we could have RRE season ticket holders right behind the goal, a section to the left being for family/young season ticket holders (unless this could fit in main stand upper too), and the section nearest the main stand could be for the 'Ultras' and those that want to have a sing etc I'm sure there are other options. What do people think? This is the time when the club could consider changes.

Scunthorpe are interested in him I think. I covered him a lot at Grimsby. He came from West Ham. He's technically quite good. He can get forward well, but he's not the fastest. A solid player, but other options out there I think

While he's still a Blue, he has my support. Speaking to Telford folk as part of my work, they were positive about him. Non-league I know, but the gap between a lot of the Conference sides and L2 isn't that big anymore, shown by the number of promoted clubs that go up and then consolidate or even go up again. Telford aren't pushing promotion, far from it, but he'd have been playing against teams that were. They've been using him on the left side of 4-3-3. So I guess this let's him drift a bit more, stops a centre-back man-marking him out the game, and has him up against an opposition full-back a bit where he's less likely to get outmuscled, and chasing down flick-ons etc won by a target man

I know I'm probably in the minority big time here but, judging by their most recent effort, I wouldn't mind if Cabrini continues. I really like the black away shirt. People I know who aren't Latics fans have often complimented it, saying it looks smart. Even the badge has come in for praise when I mentioned the change (!!!!). I hope the new home kit continues along the slick and meaner theme. A slightly deeper all-Blue home strip, like the preview may have suggested, along this theme would be bang on for me :-/ I hope they continue the We Are Latics writing on the colar too!!!!

Who else do we put out wide then.... That can reliably do a good job against a good side?

Spot on. I think nearly everything PD has set in post-match stuff has been bang on. Yet, as a result, some slag him off as if that's a bad thing - he 'talks the talk... but....'. Yes results are the be all and end all, but when the players do as he say (ie their jobs for 90min) it's been shown it works (Hartlepool away being a prime example). And do you really expect him not to slag off the officials - sorry, make excuses - when we are constantly on the receiving end of naff decisions and getting nothing our way (and yesterday doesn't count because despite our man advantage at times the referee completely ruined the game). That doesn't mean he's ignoring other problems! And what sort of message would he send out as a manager if he picks players that aren't behaving. It would breed indiscipline. The players in the squad who are working hard and adhering to rules would think, 'why do I bother'. And would it really be worth it? Should a manager pick KMB just out of blind hope (he must have pants in training too) that he might spark something on a matchday? Apart from his bright spell off the bench at Sheff U, has KMB really shown he'd be this saving grace that some fans believe he would be - or is this just an excuse to slag off PD. He missed a lot of chances in games before he stupidly got himself a needless five-match ban. Then, instead of fighting for his place back in the team and making the effort for a club that paid his wages while he couldn't play because of his own stupidity, he has done the opposite. Wouldn't you feel a bit betrayed given that you're the club that's 'given him a second chance'. Hopefully leaving him out for a bit might buck his ideas up. I fear it's done he opposite and, typical of many modern-day footballers, he'll just sulk and wait for another club to come along. I hope I'm not right though - no-one knows the full story yet. But my point is that you have to presume the manager does - he knows more than us!

Great offer. Could create a new generation of fans. Don't know why it hasn't been done sooner. Why do so many youngsters grow up being 'glory fans' - because they just watch match of the day and can't understand why you would support a team that doesn't win every week. Get them at the ground young, they acquire the local connection but, moreover, a family connection. More kids going will prompt more parents to go. The club should perhaps tie in an incentive for team shirts - the earlier you get a kid in a team's shirt, the more likely he'll stick with the badge for life. And wearing it - matchdays and st school - will prompt more kids to wear it etc etc it's about tradition, family and local values. Latics don't have to be world beaters - although a good run of home wins would certainly help!!!!!

http://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk/page/NewsUpdate/0,,10337~2718526,00.html

This is bang on the money. You only have to look at 'big clubs' like Luton and Grimsby that chopped and changed and it led to a downward spiral in the team's fortunes. Weak chairmen sack a manager to get onside with moaning fans. The new boss hates the players, they are paid off and more money is spent bringing new ones in, they are often journeymen who played under said boss at former clubs and are expensive but the boss convinces the chairman to give them deals, the team then 'needs time to gel', results don't come, he is fired - and the cycle repeats. Anyone moaning about Latics and boring L1 every season needs to take a hard look at those clubs. Yes we all want to see progression and it's frustrating, but realistically we are a L2 club in terms of budget and attendances. I noticed someone reading into Corney's comments, suggesting he was pointing out that the budget is higher than we think - but Dickov has clearly gone on record revealing the loan signings we have made this season have been paid for - at least in a large part - by the parent clubs. Despite those issues, we are likely to avoid relegation, or even a relegation battle - an achievement in itself. Throw into the mixer our terrible luck with injuries this season - a mid-table or top-half finish would be extremely impressive. Many teams in our league, and those above us, would have crumbled with so many injuries and having to chop and change. But PD didn't moan - he kept the team together and feeling positive. And until a month or so ago, the play-offs were still a possibility. We also had a two good cup runs - another improvement on recent years. Because of his reputation of a player, he's good at getting decent signings. He's still learning manager-wise, but in keeping us in the division he has done a good job so far. This 'immune to criticism' talk is a really poor way to try and get people criticising him. What do they want? Us to be in a relegation battle so we can?

I don't think they were tired. Morais was fouled, they played on and exploited the space, ref got in the way, but ultimately it was a superb strike - a moment of class, like Taylor's effort nearly was - that seperated the teams in a close match. I work with a Notts fan and he was sat in the Kop. He didn't think we tired. He also said Taylor's effort was going in all the way until it just slightly swerved at the last moment. Furman was immense, finally someone to put a foot on the ball and play it to feet. We just didn't have that extra gear to take control of the game like we did in the opening ten min

Can you post a web link? :-)

Nothing whatsoever to do with Diana. And what's this 'we're not Liverpool' nonsense from someone criticising this on Twitter. It's just as much as to do with oafc as all the other clubs who've visited to pay their respects for a fellow pro and the tragic incident and battle he's going through. I'm sure Fabrice will scoff at the Latics shirt outside the Reebok wishing him well. "Nothing to do with me," he'll say.....!!

Thanks for making us feel welcome I've not been moaning...too much. When I've not been moaning, though, I've perhaps been indirectly moaned at for not moaning

With Tarky seeing red, I guess that means Brown at centre-back and Mellor left-back again?

He keeps sticking up for the players by being positive. Maybe because they are such a young bunch. But is he getting the response from the players he deserves and he is asking for... He ranted after MK Dons, because they were pants. Decisions not going our way, at all, but the performances are getting worse, consistency-wise

Superb

But weren't there some stats on another thread on here that showed we had one of the best records in the league at coming back from half-time deficits to win games - stats that seem to show PD's HT team-talks have been having a big affect. It's just that we had one of the worst in terms of not bagging the points from a winning position at the break. It's just conceding sloppy goals. Youth and, moreover, confidence, are big factors as well as fitness. Although it's interesting that PD revealed the players had been saying to him that they felt tired at the end of the Yeovil game - why would you say that to your manager?!!!! If you admitted you were tired, wouldn't you think it would put your starting place in doubt? We didn't look tired in the second half at Bramall Lane, albeit against ten men after an hour - we had the power of momentum and belief once it got to 2-2. Even Taylor, who had been vomiting all week and hardly trained, lasted the full 90 minutes and was absolutely superb - although things have caught up with him this week it seems. We are not used to seeing out games, and aren't doing - and this is prompting the finger to be pointed at fitness. The crowd aren't used to the seeing the players grinding out points in the right way. Instead of it being, wow what character to hold on to that lead when the opposition came back - it's, christ, Latics never do it easy do they, and, for example, we need a last-min penalty save to scrape past an inferior Walsall side. We haven't strung a run of more than two league wins in a row together all season I think. It's a trend that's bred mental fragility. The atmosphere at BP is still used to 'typical Latics' and the players must feel it. There's anxiety as soon as it goes from 2-0 to 2-1. Then, when the crowd is providing great backing like the recent home games, the players are making mistakes to re-establish the cycle. It's odd that, despite the good play against Scunny, PD said he felt the players were moping about first half against Yeovil. Why didn't they have the belief, where's the fighting drive? That's worrying. Players, especially young players in L1, will make mistakes. If we were still getting the points, and getting away with the odd mistake, the focus wouldn't be on the errors so much and they'd go start to away. The belief in the team's character to still pull out results would breed confidence in all of the players. A factor behind that is that we're not scoring enough at the other end. We have Kuqi, who is perhaps buckling under the strain of knowing the fortunes of the team are residing on him hitting the net whenever he gets a sniff. The more he's missed, the more the pressure is building, especially at home. Kuqi still sets a fine example of work ethic, but the rest of the team will be affected by lack of reliability in front of goal. Morais is doing his best to add to our goalscoring threat. But now we're without KMB, and he was missing one-on-ones in any case. Taylor is preoccupied helping cover for a young midfield and full-back. To top it all off, Simpson is injured - the man who scored at Anfield and whose presence will breed belief, along with the injured captain. We don't have enough leaders. For the sake of this season, we need Reid to hit the ground running and start scoring, and we can't get Simpson and Furman back quick enough. Apologies for the essay!

My friend who's a Notts County fan says they'd be nowhere near where they are if they were without their first-choice cebtral midfielders for half the season. And the same goes for many others in the division. I think Latics have only been totally dire (eg MK Dons, Yeovil, Hartlepool) for about 6 or so games this season. That's what makes it so frustrating. So many points have been chucked away by bad luck or silly errors. It's amazing the play-offs have still been in reach - or easily could have been. It's definitely a 'nearly season', as a season-ticket holder said recently after meeting SC, taking into account the JPT too. Simpson and Marsh-Brown out too. Our main talisman just not finding the net as much as he expected (not PD's fault) despite his great work ethic, and - until Reid's return - having no justifiable replacement. We now have one of the youngest teams in the league. The midfield that started at Bramall Lane PD said was the youngest in the League that day. Partly forced, partly building for the future because we can't spend loads of £ on players. Really, given the finances, avoiding a relegation battle amid the above issues would be a successful season, certainly satisfactory! But it's only consistency of performance that will bring the fans onside. However, I agree with PD that not sticking the ball in the net is contributing to anxiety at the back and in the stands, which is in turn leading to mistakes - and then the cycle reverts...

Especially when Hereford missed a penalty at 4-4!!