yarddog73

I know it's not the same but you banged this drum about Unsworth. He isn't going to be sacked as the problems run deeper, but talking about faith and trust is just blind faith in my opinion.

I think one of the first things he will do in the summer is replace the Captain and bring some leaders in, players like Greg Olley at Gateshead would improve us massively and they shouldn't be out off our reach. We need a fresh start and a different mind set.

Must admit it's surprising that we take 800 to a leisure centre in Dorking yet only 400 to a proper old school ground like Aldershot, I know Marc White bought everyone a drink but the days out don't compare.

Seeing as we've been on a steady decline for about 30 years it's not that surprising

It's down the flanks we are weak, Green improved us as did Kitching when he could be arsed, other than that we've nothing. Gardner frustrates but at least something can happen when he's in midfield, I think he's the type Conlon would benefit from. We just play narrow and we've been sussed out now, there's a lack of a plan B and it's exposed the poor players we have, you can't carry two or three in this division nevermind the eight or nine we carried yesterday.

Can't disagree with any of this. Remarkably we could still go up this season but I get a sense Mellon can't wait for it to end.

Correct, there is no plan. Mellon has fallen in to the Rhinoball style which was if we lose a game sign another striker. Nobody can tell me that players want to play in such a direct way so it must be coming from the coaching team, Mellon alludes to the squad being limited in his post match interviews week after week and informing them that he is setting them up to play to their strengths, really? I've heard somewhere might of been from Hogan that that's what Mellon wants so get used to it but that's not going to wash at BP, Shez was accused of being a dinosaur but Mellon is making him look like prime Alonso. I personally think Darren Royle could of done better throughout all this, we will be recovering from the vanity project that was David Unsworth for months to come, add to that the distinct lack of strategy in any business decisions and it's not a good look for him, oh and he's the driving force behind the hike in season ticket prices, good luck with that one when you put out a team at BP that shows relegation form.

Our team is limited from front to back and all areas that have needed attention since the Rothwells came in have been ignored. Some of the ongoing issues include playing too many defenders particularly centrehalfs because the four defenders a team generally needs isn't enough for us, you'd think Raglan and Hobson are good enough (even though they play the same position), going in to next season we need new full backs as the ones we have are neither good enough or showed the desire to be here. Going in to next season I'd keep Raglan and Hobson and maybe Sutton as he will be on buttons. Midfield is a funny one, I'm reluctant to judge Conlon based on the fact he literally has nobody to work with in there, not even in a two. People are tending to judge Sheron by his goals scored which is fair enough, one in six isn't a bad return but on the flip side you cant play any football through him as he is so limited with the ball at his feet. He has been effective arriving late and pressing in the final third but to be successful we need him to play a bit more football, as a player you can't fault his desire and work ethic just his ability at times. Lundstrum has gone missing and can't even make the 15, same for Shelton, Ward, Dickinson, Tollitt, Hope and Couto so that's some group of midfielders Mellon doesn't rate/fancy. If McGahey is the answer in all that we are fucked, embarrassing at times yesterday he's a serial loser in the teams he's featured in including ours. Of the others Green would be a squad player but Mellon only used him reluctantly. Hammond has some qualities I like and I'm prepared to give him time, he's shown glimpses in games but has his obvious weaknesses, strength being one of them but he will do just fine with time. Out of the midfield I'd probably keep Conlon, Hammond and Sheron and Green as squad players. Up front is where we have major issues, we have some real quality but for one reason or another it just isn't happening and I'd put most of this down to style of play so a lot of these players are on a hiding to nothing if we continue to just hoof it up to them. It's no coincidence that our two most physical forwards have done the best through this in Fondop and Garner but that doesn't necessarily mean we should go with them, Norwood appears to have seen his arse in recent weeks and any love he may have had for us appears lost, his body language that isn't great at the best of times is now alarming. I expected more in that respect really but he's still the best player on the books when he wants to be. I think we've seen the last of Nuttall, Willoughby and Reid and Dallas has yet to really show us what he's about although I did see glimpses yesterday. Going in to next season I'd take Norwood (if he wants it), Fondop and Garner. Of the keepers I wouldn't be bothered if they both went, Hudson improves each month and he could well get a move into the EFL, for me he slows us down and his distribution isn't the best but that can be worked on, he's a terrific shot stopper and has improved under the high ball, Norman seems to have lost heart but won't struggle to find a team in the NL down south nearer to his roots. All in all it's a pretty depressing picture really and a huge job is required to sort the mess out that others have left behind.

He's going nowhere.

You'd never notice it in him

And he gets paid to watch it......

You are right and he will get the summer 100% but this is in danger of getting a bit Unsworth, I don't think anyone barring GK is suggesting he goes but something has to change and quickly, with Halifax away and Chesterfield coming up it could get a little toxic if they continue with this Melllonball.

What's Norwood done to deserve a start, I'd suggest fuck all since he came back, he was actually an hindrance today.

There are a whole host of players who've just disappeared, a shocking number really. Mellon has put his faith in this bunch but they are making him look a bigger chump than Unsworth. How many times have they downed tools on him now?, he must be a soft touch for them to take the piss so openly.

Based on the past few games and the likely hike in prices I won't be rushing in to spend my money, I really expected us to kick on this month but it's been quite frankly shocking. That's a shame for the Rothwells as they do deserve support but something is seriously wrong with the structure at the football club as we appear unable to progress and continue to make a succession of poor business decisions, it's difficult even with the biggest budget in the division to see where we are going.

Yes we've bottled it, there are players in that squad I'd be happy if I never seen in an Oldham shirt again, without wanting to sound all BP I'd rather blood some kids now and see where that takes us because this showers going nowhere. You can't make players care and this bunch just don't give a fuck, pampered, overpayed and lacking any real character. It's a toxic combination that will be hard to shift. Nobody leading on that pitch today and that's with some seasoned pros, half gave up after an hour which is unforgivable.

Which probably sums our business up in the transfer market.

100% he rewards failure by selecting raffle winners week after week, players who actually make a difference but he doesn't fancy he just drops (Fondop for example). He's not creating anything he's just bullshitting from week to week, as I've said before what are they doing on the training pitch, making us hard to beat is just soul destroying, particularly at home. What's wrong with Andrew Dallas and what's he bringing to the table that Reid, Willoughby or Nuttall didn't? Norwood looks like he's lost interest as does Kitching. Another thing he keeps banging on about is this team he wants to create that the people of Oldham want to see, sorry but we've seen enough fucking tripe over the years to get a feeling for when it's not happening. I'm not arsed about this season one bit, what I want is to see us develop and grow. At least half the squad in fact 90% have gone backwards and of the players he has brought in you could only really put 35 year old Garner up as a success.

And that my friends is why I have little enthusiasm for the direction Mellon is taking us. Mellonball - Rhinoball it's all the same to me, it's shite. Honestly if the Rothwells would of left Shez in charge we'd be no worse off and a few hundred thousand richer. Some players absolutely cruising there today, criminal from them and the line up was a joke. Progress???

Oh well

Mellon doesn't like wingers that's plain to see, Tollitt would offer more as did Green when he came in who Mellon didn't fancy either

We've had one shot off target all day, that's pretty poor

Awful game of football this.

Surely we can get something out of this

It's just frenetic from both teams, absolutely no football being played.