LaticsEddie

54 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

It's completely different. Roughyeds in their division is the equivalent of sticking Burnley in the National League. They're streets ahead of them all and they've recruited players ready to step up next season. Promotion is as good as in the bag already for them...

Before the takeover they had a competitive team for the division, squeaked into the playoffs end of last year and recruited very strongly over the off season. You could argue we started at a slightly worse position but not too dissimilar.

The mistake that we made was recruiting the wrong manager, they didn't. The success has spring boarded from that.

1 hour ago, Lukers1 said:

AFC Fylde have apparently increased the interest in Reid.

 

Conlon is going to take over the captaincy.

 

We are looking at the Fleetwood winger who was on loan at Rochdale.

I’d be very happy with Cian Hayes if true

1 hour ago, 100milesaway said:

Yes, agree. our 4/5 at the back have contributed almost nothing,  from the midfield forward.

 

 Kitching played 43, no goals and no assists.      Hobson 33 played, no goals and no assists.  Raglan played 31, no goals and no assists.  Hogan, played 41, 1 goal, no assists.    That,, must be a record even at 5th league level.

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

2 hours ago, mick26 said:

Rochdale's retained list is much clearer than ours:

https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/2024/april/retainedreleasedlist2024/

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.

36 minutes ago, oafc1955 said:

If the board were in any doubt at all he should have gone in May.

If the same happens with Mellon we will be in deep shit!

We have a few players who obviously need to go but they’re not all incapable. I can’t think of a single player who has improved since Mellon came in!

I wouldn’t give him a blank cheque book…I would give him 2 or 3 signings for the key positions where we are lightweight but no more until he improves our play and demonstrates that he’s capable of moving us forward.

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

3 minutes ago, Only Blue said:

I normally try and stay positive regarding the club but I think the communication from them has taken a nose-dive recently.

 

Latics must be liaising with Halifax so it would be helpful to fans to know what ideas are being banded about, whether an option of an alternative venue has been discussed, if and when there is a pitch inspection etc.

 

Basically anything rather than radio silence.

 

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?

1 minute ago, BP1960 said:

 

Just to enlighten you, many players are signed these days on stats and past reputation not taking into account the most important thing of all, are they 100% fit from injuries which have prevented them playing for a long time so cannot have been currently scouted.

Agents will big sell any player and clubs need to ask why?

 

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.

On 4/6/2024 at 12:11 PM, spanishfly said:

StatsBomb. Been doing a little research as I`d never heard of it. Someone mentioned on here that no top team winning anything is without it. Really? Well, if lots of clubs have it; they can't all be winning can they? Competitive advantage comes from having decent players in a decent line-up, managed well. We are in non-league for christ's sake. A manager, and indeed anyone who knows anything about football, can see a good player when he sees one. It's just more nonsense created by the nonsense generation. Oh and anyone calling the beautiful game, soccer (which I saw several times on their website) clearly knows nothing about football either. I really do despair if Latics are relying on such drivel as part of their recruitment policy. The saying;  lies, damned lies and statistics wasn't made up for any old reason. It's because it has a large element of truth in it. 

 

Let the manager do the recruiting, full stop. He then lives or dies by his own decisions not some stupid bloody database on meaningless stats.

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. 

1 hour ago, oafc1955 said:

Not quite, currently at 1.5 ppg under Mellon which after 43 games would put us on 64.5 points just behind Aldershot and 69 for the 46 game season which also wouldn’t be enough.

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

58 minutes ago, League one forever said:

For all those saying give him time-

 

I will await your response if it’s piss poor after ten games next season. . . 
 

We all want continuity - but it must come with something tangible. No manager can sustain poor results in the name of ‘give it time’ 

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.

4 hours ago, LightDN123 said:

I think it’s a clear foul to be honest. They shoved him out the way and played the ball straight into that channel. Still a shit goal to concede. 

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

54 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

Just watched highlights back. Why on earth is Hogan appealing for offside for their goal...?

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

2 hours ago, Lags said:

 

5 assists is reasonable. Is that enough contribution?

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. 

12 hours ago, Sloshed Joe said:

Cheltenhams official report doesn’t describe it as one to remember…

 

’Late consolation as Nuttall fumbles it home from close range’ 

just seen it, very accurate description. 

51 minutes ago, Lags said:

What is Lundstrum?.  Is he a box to box grafter, a playmaker or a sit in the hole protector of the back four.

For me he's none of the above and not what I expected given the reviews he had when we signed him. He disappointed early days and subsequently latterly been left out or benched. Granted yesterday was one of his better games and many posters have singled him out on this thread as being one of our stand out's yesterday, but I watched him closely yesterday to try answer my opening question.

I found that he ambles back when possession is lost and could be one of the reason our midfield is carved open with ease cause he's missing when he does this. He appears quite a slow runner.  He rarely makes defence splitting passes nor is a scorer of goals. He can on occasion make runs with the ball but these are fleeting occurrences. I've there for come to the conclusion he's a lesser player than Sheron who at least put's a shift in to mitigate his ability shortcomings. 

Anyone else come to the same conclusion or see's him differently?

 

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

On 4/6/2024 at 1:43 PM, Londonboy said:

You can try and dress it up as much as you want but the facts remain.

As you say he came in and we were 3 points off the playoffs.

We've won 1 in 10 and are now 9th 4 points adrift as it stands and likely to be further behind come 5pm.

Sorry he's failed this season in my eyes big time.

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.

3 hours ago, yarddog73 said:

His presser for the Dale game is grim, fucking hell he goes on about the squads deficiencies again and that anyone with a football brain can see its shortcomings yet he's had opportunity to bring in his own players already and now he talks of having to wheel and deal to bring more in, if we start next season with a similar midfield and lopsided defence and no pace on the flanks we might as well give up now.

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

5 hours ago, Londonboy said:

Fact is we are pretty much where we were when he took over.

So 30 games in, it's clear to me he has not improved us as a team, his signings have been questionable at best based on their performance, and I can't think of any individuals who I can say have got better since his appointment. In fact it could be argued that we have gone backwards.

Needs to change quickly next season and he has lots to prove in my eyes...

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

30 minutes ago, Worcester Owl said:

Looking at the last 5 46 game seasons, the team finishing 7th had the following points:

16/17 75

17/18 73

18/19 74

20/21 69

22/23 71

 

I'll stick my neck out and say we'll get the following results:

Dagenham - draw

Fylde - win

Altrincham - draw

Rochdale - draw

Halifax - draw

Oxford - win

Wealdstone - win

 

That would give us 72 points, so let's hope @Monty Burns is right! It's going to be incredibly tight. We don't lose many, which is a plus, but we have been drawing too many also. The Rochdale game looks pretty crucial actually, and like any local derby is impossible to predict. If we lose that, it's probably curtains, even though it would only knock us down to 71 points. Of course none of the above takes any account of what other teams do! 

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.

27 minutes ago, deckyd said:

it would be great if we could go out play free flowing football and give Chesterfield the run around, that's not going to happen though! (Even though Dorking managed to do it!)

 

I expect to see much of the same style that we have been using at home, for better or worse- in this case big Mike has to start surely?  To be honest a couple of weeks ago I had a good feeling about this game, not so much now.

 

In saying that I can see a smash and grab type scenario, being dominated for 90 minutes, being under a lot of pressure and hopefully nicking a goal from somewhere.  The players should be motivated at the very least for this one.

 

Praying for a positive result, being an early kick off, there is a lot of the day left to be pissed off!

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

6 hours ago, oafc1955 said:

I wouldn’t call it a dip, more like a collapse

Whilst points on the board are the crucial factor I think the style of play will have a huge bearing on next season’s ST take up and I think it’s possible there could be a drop in excess of 10%

We either get competent players in who are comfortable playing 532 or hopefully, abandon it altogether and play a more attacking formation.

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.