Worcester Owl

Just now, LightDN123 said:

I mean, we have probably the 2nd best budget in the league and we struggle to control a game of football in the National League against some part time teams and currently sit 6th. 
 

I think that shows we should be doing better ? 

I don’t necessarily disagree with you. But is that a genuinely impartial view, or one seen through Latics-tinted glasses or (heaven forbid) an “entitled” view? That’s why I was curious to hear from Basil, who doesn’t pull his punches, doesn’t expect us to walk every match against “pub teams” or “leisure centres” () and usually has some fairly shrewd comments to make.

This point re part time teams also amuses me. How many teams in the NL are part time? Does that make them automatically poor(er) teams who we should be beating? They play the same number of matches as us and just maybe have some good players to call on?

38 minutes ago, basilrobbie said:

Hello, did someone call me? What do you want from me?

Hope (no, not the footballer).

Seriously though, as you don’t seem to have posted on here lately (apologies if I missed any of your posts) I just wondered where you think we are from your more neutral/objective point of view. Between @Lee Sinnott , who seems convinced we are in a pub league and should therefore be winning 6-0 every week (strangely his predictions rarely come good) and @deyres42(who makes Waldorf and Statler look like rays of sunshine) it can be a struggle to get a cold, rational analysis of how well the team is doing and whether we should be doing better. Just curious to get your viewpoint but don’t feel you have to!

49 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

I'm not sure we need a Blackpool fans' opinion on how things are going at Latics. We are winning games, the performances aren't great. Not sure how a Blackpool fan can expand on that...

Whoosh, as they say.

1 minute ago, deyres42 said:

Hi pal. A league table had no relevance to the point I was making. Hope that helps.

Not really, Bounce. Your points rarely have much relevance to be honest. Not sure they are “points” at all to be honest.

5 hours ago, deyres42 said:

What's the league table got to do with anything? We are comparing results from this time last year...

A classic.

I can’t imagine. Maybe we should just all play friendlies with each other
Never was the advice “when in a hole, stop digging” more appropriate.

I think we need the Sage of Blackpool back to provide some arm’s length objectivity. The problem for us as Latics fans is we can’t help but be subjective.

@basilrobbie, where are you?

2 hours ago, Lee Sinnott said:

I had the utter misfortune of being at the match at Meadow Park in August. Probably up there with the worst games of football I have ever witnessed in my life - I've been to more enjoyable funerals.

 

We'll beat them. They're crap and Hogan and Raglan will mop up all of their long balls...

Yep, I was there too and I completely agree, it was a dreadful match. The only highlights were the thunder and lightning show, and seeing Frank!

16 hours ago, Lee Sinnott said:

Recent history suggests that Dallas and Garner will come good. Add to that the fact we are playing one step up from the Carrion Crow FC, I think we'll be OK even without Norwood...

That’s us stuffed then, cheers

Is it officially confirmed that Norwood is out until April?

If so, he’ll be back raring to go at the business end of the season, and meanwhile we’re not short of strikers as others have pointed out.

12 minutes ago, frizzell54 said:

You can take the boy out of Oldham Hume, but you can’t take Oldham Hume out of the boy.

FIFY “ever”

It’s Hulme.

And no, I didn’t go there!

7 hours ago, Gaz_Oafc said:

Not defending them, but how many of those City fans with a ticket for the Etihad would have come to BP if there was no bus?

Agreed. I despise Citeh for many reasons, but I can’t get worked up about this - and anyway it is a trial.

23 hours ago, Only Blue said:

A call to arms of all regular attendees at BP!!!

 

If you know someone who has bought a £1 ticket ask them if they are definitely going.

 

If they are doubtful or say not going then persuade them to commit to go or sell on/give their ticket to someone who wants to go.

 

Job done.

 

I personally don't think it will be an issue. There are lots of reasons for going and for the non-Latics/floating supporter the prospect of being at a packed ground listening and joining in with the Athleticos all for just a £1 is too good to miss

 

Oh and there will be a football match going on as well.

 

You were doing so well until that final sentence!

17 hours ago, Dave_Og said:

 

On a grammatical point that's the worst confusion between less and fewer I've every seen. And no, I'm not being entirely serious.

Ahem.

8 hours ago, LaticsPete said:

But not the supposed game you reference at Maine Road in a European tie when Keegan apparently “didn’t give Cruyff a kick”. That match never happened. 

Nobody disputes the Nou Camp friendly but that’s not what you claimed! , nor did you see that game, and Cruyff scored in it! 
By all means make your opinions known on past events but please make sure the facts are accurate. 
 

 

Well if we are sticklers for accurate facts, I can't help pointing out that BP didn't say that the match in question was at Maine Road.....

15 hours ago, Sloshed Joe said:

I fckin hate Brentford. For me, they should still be a really shit team playing at a tinpot Griffin Park playing in front of one man and his dog. Fair play that they’ve been run well and established in the Prem, but playing in a packed out new stadium belting out ‘Hey Jude’ (why???) and Seven Nation Army is just Mickey Mouse plastik knobhead behaviour.

 

if we ever rise back up, I demand we play Mouldy old dough to a rickety Main Stand otherwise I ain’t coming no more.

Any more plastic than Citeh and their glory hunting fans (those who turn up at the Emptihad, that is?) - who also run out to Hey Jude?

Good luck to Brentford, seem to be a well run club and last time I checked they were facing over 100 fewer FFP breaches than Citeh. 

6 minutes ago, Dickie Down said:

Saw him watching his son once at Hunslet for Oldham in the 1990s.

 

I would pay to attend an event with remnants of that team.

Same here. They've got a lot to answer for though, it was watching them that cemented me as a lifelong fan!! 

19 hours ago, GlossopLatic said:

 

I think their is a universal agreement that last night wasn't good enough and more performances like that will see any promotion hopes drift away.

 

It was more to do with the fact that we are on tv comparatively regularly certainly more than we were at any time since we left what is now the championship. As someone who only ever does a handful of aways at best a season it does atleast give me a chance of watching more games. 

Yes I take your point, and if we were playing more attractive football and winning more often I'd definitely agree (and we might be on TV more often, a virtuous circle), but boy oh boy Saturday night was a hard watch.

The other thought I had during the game - at risk of stealing @BP1960's thunder ! - was how lightweight we seem, especially in midfield. The number of times we seemed to get brushed off the ball, or lose 50/50s, was really depressing. 

18 hours ago, GlossopLatic said:

Anyone still enjoying the novelty of watching us fairly regularly on TV it one of the plus points of being National League and being a big draw in it.

 

Nors should have done better there.

Er, no. That was 90+ minutes of my life I'll never get back.

A totally embarrassing performance, apart from maybe the first 10 minutes. The ball spent so much time in the air I started to wonder if it was a balloon. Why we have this craze for hoofball is completely beyond me. To try it now and again in a game as a change of tactic, fine. When it becomes obvious that your front men are winning zilch in the air, surely even players slow on the uptake can see it's not working and should try passing the bloody ball on the deck. It must be a lack of confidence, or basic lack of ability, or both.

Plus points? Well, I suppose the new players still need some time to gel. Oh, and the defence did ok, though we rode our luck at times.

I'm not entitled and I'm not going to show Ebbsfleet (who deserved to win) disrespect by calling them a pub team. But they are 22nd in the table for a reason, yet passed the ball around and created chances much better than we did.

1 hour ago, Bobledgersheart said:

Bar ??

Pick a multiscreen bar, you'll be up against Sheffield Utd v Villa. I know, proper football v the prima donna league, but not everyone will see it like that.....

I stood on the Kop for that game, figured it might be my one and only trip to Anfield (to date, it was!) so I was curious what it would be like. I remember the Jimmy Case goal very well, and being shoved about 20 feet forward after it!

That Liverpool side won the European Cup only 3 months later. They were a hell of a side but we played really well on the day. 

2 hours ago, BP1960 said:

 

Perry Mason.

You'll court controversy with that name, cracking in defence though 

5 hours ago, OAFC Blues said:

I was listening to the price of football the other day and it was noted that clubs in the NL on average lose more money than clubs in L2. The losses in the NL are more on par with what clubs in L1 lose. Clubs who have gone up in recent years have lost a ridiculous amount of money per week to try and get out of this league. The NL has a bottleneck because of the 1 automatic promotion place and to me it seems to encourage clubs to go all in financially in a desperate attempt to get out. Its not good really and will end up causing a lot of clubs problems, us included if we aren't careful. 

Really interesting post, thanks. If the football pyramid is to mean anything then surely it's time that automatic promotion/relegation slots were standardised across all leagues. With the government finally showing an interest in the governance of football, I don't see how only 1 automatic promotion place from the NL can be justified, particularly if it enhances the financial risk to clubs. I know the EFL and NL have dropped hints about automatic promotion slots being increased, but it's time for less talk and more action. And yes, I'd feel the same way if we were back in the EFL!

Lots of options west of London now that the Lizzie Line runs from Reading. Well, as long as the train drivers aren't on strike.

On 1/29/2024 at 9:27 AM, Hemel latic said:

Excellent interview with him and Mick McCarthy in the Times if you can get behind the paywall. 

The interview that George gave on Football Focus ahead of the 3rd round game v Stevenage was very moving, he talks about his late father. You can see what being the Maidstone manager and their Cup run means to him. As long as there are stories like his, football will never die.