We all agree then

[leeslover]

Needs sorting. The defence misses Gregan, and it hurts our overall play when he isn't there to build from the back. And Hughes gets goals that nobody else in the division would, and links the play, and generally terrifies defences and pushes them back and pulls them all over the place, testicles permitting.

 

But we've lost points the last few games because we've been dicked in midfield, with or without Hughes and Gregan. True? Danny Whit has been playing sweeper, Ratters has been over-run. And this while Taylor has been on fire, god knows how much pressure those guys would have been under if he wasn't taking two or three men out of the equation.

 

Time for a bit of grit and less fantasy when it's called for. Allott and Maher not creative enough? Bollocks. Hughes will find a goal if we have the ball enough. Maybe Davies up front on his own when Hughes is out. Pack the midfield. We have found out that we aren't good enough to blow teams away regardless of what they do, and maybe when we have some momentum we can open it up more. At the moment we are looking like the side that ran out of steam two seasons ago when sides realised that they were going to get whupped if they came out and met us. And I know it's or first lost, but we have been poor.

 

Where is Maher by the way?

[jsslatic]

Needs sorting. The defence misses Gregan, and it hurts our overall play when he isn't there to build from the back. And Hughes gets goals that nobody else in the division would, and links the play, and generally terrifies defences and pushes them back and pulls them all over the place, testicles permitting.

 

But we've lost points the last few games because we've been dicked in midfield, with or without Hughes and Gregan. True? Danny Whit has been playing sweeper, Ratters has been over-run. And this while Taylor has been on fire, god knows how much pressure those guys would have been under if he wasn't taking two or three men out of the equation.

 

Time for a bit of grit and less fantasy when it's called for. Allott and Maher not creative enough? Bollocks. Hughes will find a goal if we have the ball enough. Maybe Davies up front on his own when Hughes is out. Pack the midfield. We have found out that we aren't good enough to blow teams away regardless of what they do, and maybe when we have some momentum we can open it up more. At the moment we are looking like the side that ran out of steam two seasons ago when sides realised that they were going to get whupped if they came out and met us. And I know it's or first lost, but we have been poor.

 

Where is Maher by the way?

 

Coudn't make the game but was saying on chat tonight that the responsibility for tonight lies with Shez...it sounded as if for the end of the first half and throughout the second we were overrun in midfield and couldn't create anything up top. Their second goal was coming after about a twenty min spell of pressure (impression we got from LW anyway)...to me the game was screaming for Maher to come on and grab the game by the scruff of the neck...keep it at 1-1 and then try and nick one at the other end. If we have someone in the style of KM on the bench, he should be on the pitch...yes we had to lose sometime...but it could have been avoided if we'd brought on extra bodies to soak up the pressure rather than sit back and hope to hold out.

[Simpo]

After what Shez has said tonight, I can see Maher playing vs Hereford, perhaps wearing the armband, with instructions to shout at everyone!

[opinions4u]

5 man midfields make it difficult for Latics.

 

Stockport seemed to play some odd 4-2-3-1 formation. Their no.9 wasn't particularly effective until the three joined him, and they were often slow doing that. They worked bloody hard in the middle of the park though.

 

2nd time I've seen Davies and O'Grady together. 2nd time they've looked like strangers. While Lewis was ready for a rest, I think he links better with other strikers than anybody else at the club.

 

When up against a 5 man midfield we need to use the ball quicker and wing it more. This may mean playing Smalley instead of Lidds to benefit from his pace.

 

Shez needs to work out if we should also play 4-5-1 or make his 4-4-2 match the workrate County showed. I don't think any of our strikers are suited to the loan striker role (Davies at a push). Lewis is the key to holding the ball up but needs somebody there with him to link to.

 

Stockport are a decent side who will be top half at the end of the season, but Latics need to ensure they are picking up points in these games and blowing away the likes of Huddersfield at BP.

 

A defeat may be a good thing to remind the squad they aren't going to walk this league. But Shez showed some tactical naivity with his limited resources last season. Friday night I thought he failed to galvanise his much stronger squad, albeit with enforced changes, to deliver the passion, aggression and passing that was needed to beat a well organised team that has only lost once (to Scunny) all season.

 

Failure to halt the slide = mid table by Christmas = TTA changing the manager. Personally I think he'll sort it.

[kellysheroes]

weve only lost 1 game!!!!!!!!! chill out everyone...

[opinions4u]

weve only lost 1 game!!!!!!!!! chill out everyone...

I think that needs reading in the context of:

 

MK Franchise - perhaps a game we should have drawn and didn't dominate in a way that made 3 points look easy

Hartlepool - a game where we were in the driving seat and let it slip

Huddersfield- a team we should have beaten but never really managed to get on top of

Stockport - a team who outplayed us for 45 minutes

 

The defeat was coming and deserved.

 

A defeat is also an opportunity to address issues and move forwards successfully.

[kellys_discopants]

weve only lost 1 game!!!!!!!!! chill out everyone...

 

It dosent matter it was the manner of the defeat, was a disgrace last night.

 

As for the midfield weve been over-ran for a while, happened at Hartlepool and Hudds and last night, Whitts and Allott started brilliantly but lately theyve looked very shaky.

[dean 1984]

everyone will say we had to lose sometime but why we shouldnt have lost last night we were comfortable at 1-0 and then we go and concede ridiculous goals again straight after half time like at hartlepool.

[oafc0000]

Coudn't make the game but was saying on chat tonight that the responsibility for tonight lies with Shez...

 

So you didnt go and see the game for yourself but your ready to place blame ? Dear lord...some people...

 

All the evidence seems to point at the players letting us down and not the manager...

 

I think we miss Gregan, watching the goals on Soccer AM and the defending was very very poor....

Edited October 4, 2008 by oafc0000

[KiDdErZ]

Gregan we miss like nobody else. Last night and against Huddersfield, the worst thing that could of happened was this 3 match ban. I'm only grateful we've got Hereford next and not Leicester because we need him back.

 

Obviously hes a rock of a defender but he also influences the midfield which i notice people have been criticising because how many times do you see him pick the ball up in defence and stride to the half way line before even playing the ball. That must be a real boost to allott and whitaker and not one of our other defenders can do that and IMO thats how we end up in this hoof ball/ping pong scenario like last night, the stockport players must of been lapping it up just having to clear long balls on the half way line fired up by eardley/jones/byrne/ bread and butter stuff.

[kellys_discopants]

For away games i wouldnt mind seeing Allott and Maher together, theyll do the unpretty stuff and will graft. And then maybe Whitts/Smalley on the right with Liddell just behind a lone striker, meaning when we have the ball Liddell can join the striker and have a two, when we lose the ball he can sit in the gap and stop the midfield passing it between themselves and the defence, allowing Maher and Allott to sit without getting caught to far forward.

 

Just my opinion like.

[oafc0000]

Gregan we miss like nobody else. Last night and against Huddersfield, the worst thing that could of happened was this 3 match ban. I'm only grateful we've got Hereford next and not Leicester because we need him back.

 

Obviously hes a rock of a defender but he also influences the midfield which i notice people have been criticising because how many times do you see him pick the ball up in defence and stride to the half way line before even playing the ball. That must be a real boost to allott and whitaker and not one of our other defenders can do that and IMO thats how we end up in this hoof ball/ping pong scenario like last night, the stockport players must of been lapping it up just having to clear long balls on the half way line fired up by eardley/jones/byrne/ bread and butter stuff.

 

Yeah I agree....

[archiecat]

I think that needs reading in the context of:

 

MK Franchise - perhaps a game we should have drawn and didn't dominate in a way that made 3 points look easy

Hartlepool - a game where we were in the driving seat and let it slip

Huddersfield- a team we should have beaten but never really managed to get on top of

Stockport - a team who outplayed us for 45 minutes

 

The defeat was coming and deserved.

 

A defeat is also an opportunity to address issues and move forwards successfully.

Absolutely spot on with this assessment!

I think it's time for a tactical rethink as we seem to be being overrun in midfield in recent games.

[oafc0000]

Absolutely spot on with this assessment!

I think it's time for a tactical rethink as we seem to be being overrun in midfield in recent games.

 

No need for a tactical rethink...

 

The pack was shuffled quite alot last night because of the missing players... Give it time, chopping and changing tactics is usally a mistake...

[futchers briefs]

I was worried saying this whilst things were going well and Whitts was playing well and there was similar Whitts loving starting to go on like we used to give the dearly departed from bp, Paul Warne, but in games such as last night, for me, Whitts becomes pretty ineffective - when things are going well, he has the ability to cause problems, however when we are under the cosh and we need to 'get a grip' he looks a bit weak. having said that, all around looked weak in the 2nd half, so he wasn't alone.

[paulgard]

For away games i wouldnt mind seeing Allott and Maher together, theyll do the unpretty stuff and will graft. And then maybe Whitts/Smalley on the right with Liddell just behind a lone striker, meaning when we have the ball Liddell can join the striker and have a two, when we lose the ball he can sit in the gap and stop the midfield passing it between themselves and the defence, allowing Maher and Allott to sit without getting caught to far forward.

 

Just my opinion like.

bang on the money.

[LaticNik]

Spot on, it's the midfield. Our first choice one to boot!

 

It was the most wooden 4-4-2 ever last night up against a team who didn't stick to a formation. They just passed and moved, never stopped running, and never stopped pressing when they didn't have the ball. They seemed to have an extra man all the time.

 

As for us...slow square balls across the midfield, that was it. Allott and Whitts were pedestrians throughout, outnumbered against a youthful five. And that's where I blame Shez for not changing it.

 

The past 2 games we've struggled against teams who've packed their midfield and we don't seem to have an answer.

 

Yes missing Gregan didn't help, nor Hughes. But even with those two we'd have still got turned over.

 

Very impressed with Stockport, on the pitch though. Off it...shocking.

 

E4e

OAPFC

Edited October 4, 2008 by LaticNik

[edhunteruk]

Spot on, it's the midfield. Our first choice one to boot!

 

It was the most wooden 4-4-2 ever last night up against a team who didn't stick to a formation. They just passed and moved, never stopped running, and never stopped pressing when they didn't have the ball. They seemed to have an extra man all the time.

 

As for us...slow square balls across the midfield, that was it. Allott and Whitts were pedestrians throughout, outnumbered against a youthful five. And that's where I blame Shez for not changing it.

 

The past 2 games we've struggled against teams who've packed their midfield and we don't seem to have an answer.

 

Yes missing Gregan didn't help, nor Hughes. But even with those two we'd have still got turned over.

 

Very impressed with Stockport, on the pitch though. Off it...shocking.

 

E4e

OAPFC

 

 

didnt go so obviously cant and wouldnt want to comment on last nights game...

 

however i think if we have this attitude of...oh its only hereford next week easy peesy 3 points back on track attitude,were goosed....they will be busting a gut to get off the bottom and move up,and given the oppertunity they can play a bit and like to pass it about.

 

if our injurys still persist like last night then whilst we have byrne and jones maybe it would be an idea to try lomax at right back,push eardly into right wing,give whittacker a rest and play maher...whittacker wasnt fully fit and took a late fitness test,so i cant understand if there is a doubt over one of our consistant player and given the depth of squad we have,surely its daft to risk him.

 

thw whole idea of a big squad is to not take risks as there are players ready to come in.

 

i also think if hughes fitness problems continue and davies is still all over the shop,with lewi not really firing a dip into the loan market for a striker would be a good call.

 

we all know a fit hughes can score for fun,but nobody else is really.

[UpTheLatics]

For away games i wouldnt mind seeing Allott and Maher together, theyll do the unpretty stuff and will graft. And then maybe Whitts/Smalley on the right with Liddell just behind a lone striker, meaning when we have the ball Liddell can join the striker and have a two, when we lose the ball he can sit in the gap and stop the midfield passing it between themselves and the defence, allowing Maher and Allott to sit without getting caught to far forward.

 

Just my opinion like.

 

Playing 4-4-1-1 with Liddell behind the lone striker isn't likely to work. We need Hughesy or O'Grady as the top man, but the man infront of that player needs pace to get in and around the defenders. Liddell no longer has the pace to do this. It could be an interesting idea, but Liddell's not the man for that, in my opinion. Smalley perhaps, but his finishing hasn't fully developed.

 

Secondly, we didn't lose because of Shez last night. We defended like clowns, and as Shez pointed out, conceded 2 goals from throw-ins. Unacceptable.

 

I almost agree that our midfield are at fault for a few results, but I don't 100%. One thing I would pull Sheridan up on is the playing of an ineffective Alessandra. I'm not having a dig at him, but this is where the midfield comes in. Allott and Whittaker aren't Gary McDonalds. Whittaker does like his run on, but he's not as natural as Macca was/is. Now, we've all seen Lewi's role as your classic Drogba-type player - dropping off, and laying the ball onto the midfielders. This requires either Mark or Danny to bomb on, and they just haven't been doing it at the right time, which makes Lewi look totally ineffective, but only to our team game.I think he needs another role if he is to score 10 goals this season.

 

In terms of defending with our midfield, they haven't put a foot wrong. Both Allott and Whits run their socks off and get stuck in. The goals we've conceded this season have frankly been mostly our fault; daft mistakes and a lack of bite when Gregan's not in the side have done us so far. This has to stop/change.

 

On the creative front, we've scored 20 goals in 9 games. To any right-minded individual, there isn't a problem in that department. Allott and Whittaker can pass, Taylor has the pace and dribbling ability, and Liddell has his excellent crossing ability. It's obvious Shez aims us to be most dangerous when attacking down the flanks.

 

If anything, I'd be looking at the lack of pace to Gregan's and Hazell's game, and poor positioning shown by our full-backs. Eardley and Lomax have already admitted they need to work on their defensive side of their game.

 

Truth be known, and as someone has already mentioned, teams, such as Hartlepool and Stockport, who also like to play at a tempo and come out and meet us, will give us a bloody good/tough game. They'll slip balls low in behind Gregan and Hazell, and we'll suffer. However, we conceded from a free-kick and a penalty up at Hartlepool, and our defending last night wasn't any better from set-pieces. Yes, we'll get hard games from the passing sides in this division, but we can more than match them, but bad defending has cost us 5 points in my mind. Other than that, generally not turning up for the game (Huddersfield) will also see us scrape together points.