unsworthlatic

I think our prices for season tickets are as cheap as anybody’s in our division (early bird price). If you look elsewhere, Crewe is marginally dearer, Morecambe is unless you stand behind the goal, Crawley’s season tickets start at £400.

19 hours ago, pukka said:

Darren Kelly wasnt here long enough really to forn much of an opinion. He was never wanted from the off. The bloke behind me at Walsall booed him. 

 

Good performance that day too!!

Good performance? Would hardly describe it as that! We did okay for 40 minutes, played well for 15 mins near the end when Forte scored.

The first 30/35 mins was a disorganised mess! 

Being interviewed after the fixtures came out, Darren Kelly didn't even know we had Walsall away first game? Bit embarrassing!

I don't agree with how he was removed, I were told late July that we had Dunn lined up from a person that works at a fellow League One club so that was disgraceful. That said he shouldn't have got the job in the first place. 

Dunn ranks worse than him for me at the bottom closely followed by Penney. 

And no...I wasn't the person booing him haha

Just had a look at the remaining fixtures (for us nobody else) and looking at it 53 seems a realistic aim.

That would require 3 home wins and 2 defeats from our 5 home matches who are against Blackpool, Walsall, Southend, Gillingham and Doncaster. On top of that 4 points away from home in 1 win, 1 draw and 3 defeats from Wigan, Oxford, AFC Wimbledon, Rochdale and Northampton. 

As stated that would take us to 53 which should (will) be fine. 

That would mean the four below us would need the following:

Northampton - 13 points from 21

MK Dons - 14 points from 24

Rochdale - 18 points from 30

Bury - 23 points from 24 (would need to win ALL 8)

Can't see us going but this is the first time in quite a few seasons where I haven't really feared for us so could still happen.

3 hours ago, lookersstandandy said:

 

Blackburn          1,753 Portsmouth          1,676 Rotherham          1,153 Bradford          1,134 Oxford             952 Wigan             946 Plymouth             914 Bristol Rovers             869 Charlton             737 LATICS             691 Doncaster             680 Northampton             677 Shrewsbury             668 Peterborough             654 Southend             601 Scunthorpe             508 AFC Wimbledon             490 Blackpool             475 Bury             473 Gillingham             386 Rochdale             383 MK Dons             369 Walsall             343 Fleetwood             155

I am not saying we have the best fans or support in the country but I think our support deserves quite a bit of credit and it does get credit from other clubs off what I've seen over the past few years.

There are many different factors that make up what an away following will be. Reasons such as how well the team is doing, whether the club has had any recent success, whether you are good away from home, whether you are entertaining as a footballing side, whether it is a new ground or a ground you haven't played at for many years, the list goes on.

What I will say is that for how consistently poor the team has been for the last 6/7 seasons at least with the exception of a couple of months here and there we do quite well for support.

Just look at the figures above provided. Blackburn are top, they are also top of the league and most grounds will be new grounds for many Rovers supporters. Portsmouth have a good support, Rotherham's isn't bad but again they are doing well. Wigan's for how well they have been doing is pretty poor.

Now, of course you have to take into account home support too, Blackburn, Wigan, Portsmouth all get 3,4 sometimes 5x our home crowds. 

These stats also are before we play Bury, Rochdale and Wigan away. Northampton we will have a decent following too especially if it means something. 

Also think about this, how many of those teams would have similar away support having played in League One and finishing between 15th and 19th for the last 7 seasons playing virtually the same teams year in year out, hazard a guess not many. 

For what it's worth I am pleasantly surprised we have sold 2200 for the Bury game and do think it is a good support. Also, I don't go on twitter saying how great our support is and also believe it is tedious and cringeworthy keep asking managers and players on ifollow about our support before and after every game!

59 minutes ago, Hometownclub said:

Cornell was as bad as I've ever seen in goal for Latics, and I'm including Dean Brill in that as well.

Were you at MK when we lost 6-2? Jan Butdz was dreadful. At fault for 5. 

Paddy Kenny must crop up in this conversation too, laughing and joking as we lost 7-0 (should have been double if they went for us) again at MK

Alan Blayney wasn't too clever either.

7 minutes ago, the_mighty_bosh said:

 

That's probably the best line up we have, as you say, with the lack of defenders available.  The team still has it's issues though.  The partnership up front isn't ideal, even though I see the value of both players individually.  I rate Nepomuceno as a winger but wouldn't trust him as wing-back.  Finally while the back three is balanced with Bryan there and the experience of Wilson, it's also probably the shortest defence we've ever played.

 

There's also the concern of what happened last time we played a back 3 against Plymouth, even though Bryan on the left would improve it a lot.  Hopefully we get the extra defender in to give us the option of playing a back 4.

Totally agree. The height is an issue and the back 3 as opposed to back 4 against Plymouth could well be a major factor in not going for it! Nepomuceno I have been quite impressed with, good technically but was dreadful at lwb/lb away at Rotherham.

If you wanted to go to a back 4 you could make do with McLaughlin at right back, Wilson into centre back and Dummigan out to left back.

I don't see many other options sadly. Could play Hamer as somebody has mentioned but he can't seem to last 90 mins which is understandable given the change from youth team to first team football, I do like the look of him though!

Can see us going a back 3 for this (purely down to the fact that we only really have 3 defenders available)

I reckon it'll be something like (probably totally wrong!)

Placide

Dummigan

Wilson

Bryan

McLaughlin (WB)

Fane

Pringle

Byrne

Nepomuceno (WB)

Holloway

Davies

Desperately need 3 points here!

Heard that we have contacted Norwich about Sean Raggett on loan (ex Lincoln) following Gerrard getting injured...don't know how true it is.

Hearts have apparently ended their interest in Jack Byrne, however they do say it's the hope that kills you!

2 hours ago, Andy-latic said:

Thought I'd get this one going....

 

Very important game on Saturday, win keeps the momentum up going into the Christmas period and gets us a little bit closer to that elusive 6th spot. 

 

If twitter is anything to go by seems there will be a fair few nutters going. One hell of a journey! 

 

I was considering going on the club coach and about to book but I've just noticed that it's leaving at 8!? Surely there's no way it could make Plymouth for kick off, with traffic 2 days before Christmas? Will have to have a look at the train.

 

Everyone confident we can get the points?

Coach now setting off at 7:30am, gives an extra half an hour I suppose! 

I'm confident we can get 3 points, however I believe we need to score first in doing so. 

We look extremely threatening when all 3 strikers (Holloway, Davies and Doyle) are on the pitch but surely we won't go with that from the off!

There's options tomorrow with Gardner being suspended.

Straight swap for Green or Omrani? Even Flynn (not for me)

You could (if you trust Byrne to play in a 2) play Byrne and Fane and play a wide player, possibly Menig with Nepomuceno maintaining his left midfield role?

You could move Bryan into centre midfield alongside Fane and play Clarke and Wilson at centre back but would you want to move Bryan out of a position he has played consistently well at?

For me I think i'd go with Green.

On 11/11/2017 at 3:34 AM, oafcshuck said:

Before the haters start. I've searched 'Flynn' and there's nothing on him.

 

Mentioned it in passing in the last few months, but I seriously believe he could be a major asset for us.

 

Yes, I hear the cries he's on a massive wage, but that's for a reason. He's class. 

 

He isnt gonna do much from the bench, but get his confidence up and he can rule the starting XI

 

Still can't believe he's actually ours. Not a loanne, not a toy.

 

The lads class and proven. Two weeks to get him fit, make him feel an important part of this team and he'll run this league.

 

I know many won't agree with this, but I'd love to see a confident and fit Flynn (that might be the issue) as I think he'd be a massive star for us in this league.

 

His Oldham career has hardly taken off but I genuinely actually believe there's talent in the lad.

 

#teamflynn

Are you Ryan Flynn?

17 minutes ago, Ritchierich said:

 

not so sure Haiti are playing....Macedonia appear to be at home to Norway that weekend. Also, ROI u21's only play on the Tuesday I think so Byrne probably ok. No idea on Curacao!!

That would suit me down to the ground! Just saw something on a Haiti football website that they may be playing Macedonia, hope not! As for Byrne hope he doesn't get put on the standby list once again but either way should be fine for the game! Curacao I couldn't find a fixture for, looks like the game may go ahead then! 

Although saw something extremely surprising that ROI are keeping tabs on Eoin Doyle following recent form.

30 minutes ago, Londonboy said:

Just noticed 4 of our next 5 league games are at home...and all 5 games are winable.

 

Bury H 

Scunny H

Southend A...where we usually do well

Dale H

Wimbledon H

 

10 points minimum I recon and we are well in the mix for the playoffs!!

 

Then Gillingham A where again we seem to do well and Northampton H so Happy Days (I hope)

Wellens has alluded to '5 game blocks' which isn't a bad way of doing it. Past managers I know who have done this are generally pretty clever in their manner of thinking and acting upon this. Darrell Clarke alludes to this all of the time at Bristol Rovers, as did David Flitcroft at Bury when gaining promotion from League Two. I presume (don't know for certain) it helps them plan ahead etc.

To answer the question I'd want 10 at least really but 9 I wouldn't be too disappointed at. What I hope we'll carry on doing is winning games or losing and miss out draws for the time being (in respect of winning 1, losing 1 instead of drawing 2)

We'll soon see but certainly some very winnable games coming up here, hopefully we can capitalise on them and get the points to take us up the table! We certainly have the ability to do that!

1 minute ago, deyres42 said:

Gardner suspended for this one?

Must admit I had a cursory glance on Sunday regarding yellow cards (looking for clarke mostly - only had 3 somehow!)

Gardner was on 5 but he didn't have one on Saturday so he should have been suspended previously!

Interestingly, Banks is on 4

My mum is a Bury fan, just been to get her ticket for tomorrow and been told they have sold just under 300. Very poor considering it's been mentioned on their website as ALL TICKET?

For what it's worth, my mum is now at a point where she wants Lee Clark gone, the rumour mill is in overdrive that a defeat tomorrow could put a final nail in his coffin! Let's hope we can put them to the sword and capitalise on their situation!

Think this one will be postponed to be honest. Placide may well be playing for Haiti away to Macedonia, Ruddy will be called up, as will Dummigan so there's 3. Potentially Byrne to ROI under 21s and unsure whether Nepomuceno's Curacao have a game.

Unfortunately I've booked trains in train sale so no doubt I'll be scrambling for a non league game in London that day! Suggestions welcome!

4 minutes ago, ChaddySmoker said:

Bloody Shrewsbury. Are they one of those clubs heavily reliant on borrowed players?

Just wait until they all have to go back to their own clubs in January-Oh wait, hang on a minute! 

Byrne from what I have seen and heard has no future whatsoever at Wigan so highly doubt he'll return, likewise with Bryan and Ruddy as there won't be any need for them to go back unless City suspect Bryan could try his arm in the Championship (unlikely). The one I wouldn't be surprised is Doyle returning to Preston if he's scored loads this side of Christmas and I suspect that would hinge on how well or poorly PNE are doing in the Championship (at this stage, Doyle wouldn't get a sniff) so hopefully we could get a deal in place prior to them falling away which I should imagine they will do.

Oh and Wilson, he will return, nobody cares ;)

Shrewsbury represent a high work ethic who are solid and well organised. Not very flash and not great technically either. Confident as they believe they only have to score 1 to win the game. 

Does that sound like the Latics team at the back end of last season? 

I think some of the comments are harsh. Their keeper's kick was horribly caught in the wind however this happened all game, Ruddy struggled with it first half and as such their midfield should have known this was likely to happen. As for stopping the shot, again potentially due to the wind the ball went like a rocket and was really well placed. Second one was his fault, extremely slow down but seeing it again well placed by Davies, still should have been stopped though!

First half however, I reckon he saved the Davies point blank shot, tipped it onto the bar, yet another good move we put together!

Off the current injuries and judging by none of them being back I'd go with the following:

Placide

Wilson-----Clarke-----Gerrard-----Hunt

----------------------Bryan-------------------

-----------Gardner----------Fane---------

----------------------Byrne--------------------

------------Holloway--------Doyle----------

Subs:

Wilson

Mantack

Fawns

Banks

Osei

Edmundson

Uche

16 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

Not too difficult to work out...

I get it! The keeper...Placide

7 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

I don't mean Byrne...

Who are you meaning?

Hiram Boateng on trial at the club, defensive midfielder. Don't know whether he's signing or what but definitely on trial.

According to Alan Nixon on twitter:

Trialist keeper may sign. Looking at midfield.

Goes on to say further that the midfielder is 'ok'

Also stated - 'Decision in a day or so' when asked whether they'll be in for Saturday and also mentioned 'Might even be a young forward if things land right'

I'm firmly expecting ZERO signings 

I'd use the Checkatrade (assuming this is what you mean?) to build cohesion and use it to work out his best 11.

Now, in respect of Edmundson and Stott, they're both very capable and following performances of Clarke and Gerrard (although they have had a lot of pressure on the defence as a whole due to our inept midfield displays) I would be tempted to throw 1 or both of them in and see how they go on playing a full season.

I would personally go with Clarke in the middle of Edmundson and Stott either side or certainly one or other alongside Clarke and Gerrard in a back 3.