LaticsEddie

I’d be very happy with Cian Hayes if true

The contribution from the backline was woeful last season but those stats aren't true. Kitching G0/A4 Hobson G0/A0 Raglan G0/A2 Hogan G1/A3 Sutton G0/A2

Surprised to see Sinclair go, wouldnt mind us having a talk with him! They will be lucky to keep Ebanks-Landell too

I know its early days in the Betfred League 1 but I cant help draw comparisons with whats happening at Yeds going from strength to strength to us. They, like us, have had a recent miracle takeover and club rebuilt. Both clubs sacked a manager shortly after their takeover and from there the similarities seem to end. Latics went and recruited an unproven youth coach to their first job in charge, let him have free reign of the clubs rebuilt structure and gave him a summer to recruit. After an interim Mike Ford reign, Yeds on the other hand appointed a new and progressive coach but with a fantastic record at a club a division higher and a wealth of coaching experience in the mens game with top clubs. On the player recruitment side, in the close season the Latics modus operandi seemed to be signing the "best" player from teams in our division or around (Lundstram, Ward, Willoughby, Hobson) or those that agents touted to us (Norwood, Raglan, Dickinson). All signed, in hindsight, with no clear plan especially given we were supposed to trim the squad and ended up with an excess of strikers and centre halves and 1 full back and winger. This lead to a massively imbalanced squad which is undoubtably a factor in us missing out on the playoffs. Sean Long spoke earlier this week about recruiting for next season and spoke about building a team that will gel together and not just "buying your way" to promotion with big names. I can only assume the thinking was the same for this season with a blend of experience and youth and players that seem to play with passion, belief and for their team mates and shirt. The Yeds also have a identifiable way of playing, and an attractive one at that. Long constantly refers to their system and the freedom to play outside of it, a system that relies heavily on defensive workrate. Latics dont have a style of play. 80% hoofball, 20% misplaces passes on the deck. Of course their are different factors at play between the sports but the point is broadly the same, the recruitment through the club needs a structure and plan, from the boardroom down. This summer will be a massive one for us and we could do with having a chat with out eggball friends.

2 wingers and a right sided full back all of good quality and I think we will improve considerably.

They have communicated- still trying to flog tickets!! https://x.com/OAFCTickets/status/1777294545845162314https://x.com/OAFCTickets/status/1777294545845162314

The Met office have a 15 min by 15 min timeline of the rain and although a rain free night tonight, its non-stop till after the game is finished... I saw someone put on twitter the league rules for if a game cant be played. Im paraphrasing but it says that the league board will award a default 3-0 win to the away team and can issue disciplinary action, a fine, a deduction of up to 3 points from the host along with paying the away teams expenses. Says nothing about venue switching. See you all at Wembley?

Yes I can imagine thats an issue and an oversight for sure but I dont think thats a byproduct of the use of stats tools. It's really quite easy to see (and hard to miss) large gaps in playing minutes for players.

I hope the irony of calling a whole generation nonsense when you have just come out with a red faced tirade about a stats tool and the word soccer is not lost on you. The short of it is that some teams try to "moneyball" it but most use it as a way for scouts to watch more players easier.

Yeah youre right, I was thinking of pre game vs Dale we would have been 7th at that point.

Heres the tangible bit, on current PPG for a full season we would be in the playoffs even with this collapse in form. A summer of trimming the squad and recruiting well and I wouldn't think it a wild bet that we improve.

Completely. Its cute from Rochdale and they have got away with one there but our own players haven't helped by just ignoring it

I want to know why only Norwood appeals for the shove in his back

For his position yes. He's joint 5th in the league along with 5 other players. Whitely of Bromley being first with 7. On Lundstram overall, I think he's finally coming into his own and could be an important player for us next season. With additions in wide areas and (hopefully) a fully firing Conlon. Against Dale yesterday he was willing to go beyond and find pockets of space (see the goal and Dallas' against the bar), he has that drive with the ball as you mentioned and more of that will come with confidence, he can take the ball in tight spaces and has a good turn on him.

just seen it, very accurate description.

5 assists this season makes him our joint best contributor alongside Green

By the same logic you can say he saved us from a relegation battle, we were only 6 points off the drop zone when he came in. His PPG would have us in the playoffs now if he had the whole season. Its not dressing it up. Its accepting the fact that in hindsight there was a mountain to climb post Unsworth, it looked like it was achievable and we've hit a horrendous patch of form thanks. It's progress, slow and below expectations but certainly not a failure.

Surely him saying that suggests we wont start the season with no wingers or a right back

Were not though, as pissed off as we are we really need some perspective on this. He has come in and was up to 1.8 PPG at one point (now slipped to 1.52). The narrative that "he took over 3 point from the playoffs and now were not" doesn't hold up, easier to be near the playoffs in 15 games in than 42. Disappointing but still an improved season.

Desperately need at least 3 wingers and 3 fullbacks, inevitably some will be squad players but all need to be first team quality Will likely need a new striker, in the mould of Dallas or Reid Probably need a boss in midfield, an upgrade on Sheron. a left footed centre half would be a bonus. Were fine for keepers

Looking at the run in, its probably one of the easiest out of the playoff pack: we have a better PPG over the season (home vs away PPG) than all the teams we play apart from Alty. However, we look to have stalled with our form. An unbeaten run to the end I think is unlikely as a 7 game unbeaten run has only happened once and Tommo n Redfearn were in charge for 4 of those. We could really do with not dropping points against teams around us. Most crucial games are Alty and Fax, even though I dont predict us to do well in those, we win those and its ours to lose. Id go with: Dagenham - Not won 2 on the bounce since first half of the season and just plodding along, W. Fylde - Not in great form and we really owe them one from the reverse fixture, W. Altrincham - Just coming out of a horrific run, and we have done it once at their place already. D. Rochdale - Being a derby, anything is possible but I back Latics. Seem to be coming into a bit of form but yet to be seen if a late playoff push is on. W. Halifax - Look like the form team going into the playoffs, toughest fixture of the lot. L. Oxford - Already down, nothing to play for. W. Wealdstone - Absolutely jam packed fixtures, will be knackered. W. That would see us on 75 and comfortably in the playoffs.

Share the same feelings as this. Really thought it would be typical Latics to go and dick the champions but not so sure now

Im as optimistic as they come I admit but I think we have far from collapsed ! 2 horror shows in the last five but also held 2 of the better teams in the league. Dont get me wrong im not shouting from the rooftops for a draw against Bromley, I expected better, but it's a dip for me Im going to have to disagree about the ST sales too, we heard that last season. Last year we finished with Rhinoball comfortably outside the playoffs and no inclination the style was to change and still saw increased ST sales, this season we make the playoffs or worst case finish in touching distance with a proven manager at the helm and thats progress. I've really no doubt we will see better football after a full pre season

As for the game, I'd snatch your hand of for a draw right now. This squad always seem to bounce back after a loss and I hope that continues.

We have had a dip in form after a crammed few weeks of fixtures, at a crucial time unfortunately. The only metric in which we haven't made progress is style of play. Points on the board we certainly have and thats exactly what the board will be looking at.