Same old story

[oafcprozac]

You can't fault the effort at all but we're simply clueless in our movement and in our desire to get in the box in order to create chances. Reid deserved a run, so did Brooke but he messes with the starting line-up again. Tranmere were awful and there for the taking but yet again we toss points away. How can an ex-Premier League striker be so clueless in planning to score goals? Swapping the strikers round is killing momentum imo, Tonk worked his arse off but is not a goalscorer, Morais again flatters to deceive and Taylor huffs and puffs but offered nothing.

 

Not sure what we can do to sort this, it's become psychological now….

[LaticsChris]

You can't fault the effort at all but we're simply clueless in our movement and in our desire to get in the box in order to create chances. Reid deserved a run, so did Brooke but he messes with the starting line-up again. Tranmere were awful and there for the taking but yet again we toss points away. How can an ex-Premier League striker be so clueless in planning to score goals? Swapping the strikers round is killing momentum imo, Tonk worked his arse off but is not a goalscorer, Morais again flatters to deceive and Taylor huffs and puffs but offered nothing.

 

Not sure what we can do to sort this, it's become psychological now….

 

This is they key point. As fans we're never afraid of voicing our opinions on what should be done to correct faults in the team, yet with this goalscoring issue I think even the fans - much like the team - are drawing blanks.

 

Too often we see that we don't have a man up top with the positional sense to get on the end of our moves. Unfortunately this positional sense will come with a higher calibre of player, and we all know that signing those higher calibre players isn't really an option we have at the minute.

[singe]

This is they key point. As fans we're never afraid of voicing our opinions on what should be done to correct faults in the team, yet with this goalscoring issue I think even the fans - much like the team - are drawing blanks.

 

Too often we see that we don't have a man up top with the positional sense to get on the end of our moves. Unfortunately this positional sense will come with a higher calibre of player, and we all know that signing those higher calibre players isn't really an option we have at the minute.

unfortunately, and for quite a few minutes after this one...

[terry tibbs]

We are seriously looking at relegation now. Notts County, Exeter, Yeovil and Swindon away as well as Charlton at home along with MK Dons and Walsall - where are our points coming from if we can't beat Tranmere at home???

 

Tranmere were extremely poor tonight and we couldn't finish them off.

 

Early in the season we had a team that were all playing for each other and we were always in touch with the play off positions. New loanee players came into the club which were supposed to better the team but look at our position now - this clearly hasn't worked.

 

The league table doesn't lie ! if the teams below us win their games in hand we are on the dotted line.

 

Whatever happened to the saying "if it aint broke don't fix it".

[JoeP]

You can't fault the effort at all but we're simply clueless in our movement and in our desire to get in the box in order to create chances. Reid deserved a run, so did Brooke but he messes with the starting line-up again. Tranmere were awful and there for the taking but yet again we toss points away. How can an ex-Premier League striker be so clueless in planning to score goals? Swapping the strikers round is killing momentum imo, Tonk worked his arse off but is not a goalscorer, Morais again flatters to deceive and Taylor huffs and puffs but offered nothing.

 

Not sure what we can do to sort this, it's become psychological now….

 

Because maybe the ex-Premier League striker only has League One (if fact, probably League two!) resources??

 

Thought our movement was OK, actually. We created a lot of chances but, again, are lacking a goal-scorer.

 

If we think we've got problems on the pitch, then Tranmere are really in it up to their neck. They were dire.

 

Not sure what I make of Morais. To quote Big Joe of Dean Smalley; he's an enigma - lots of fancy flicks and promises so much, but somehow doesn't deliver. Maybe that's why he's playing for us....

[oafc-latics]

for all the good passing we had, when it comes to putting goals away we've forgotten how to do it. we played well today but that doesn't matter if you can't score and don't look like scoring. whatever has gone on needs to be sorted out fast because a team on the fringes of the playoffs has gone to a team on the fringes of relegation in one season and that's bad for even oldhams standards

[underdog]

Just how unlucky are we?

 

I have decided a human sacrifice is in order to appease the footy Gods, even if its just to blooming well see one goal.

 

So do we have any volunteers/nominations?

 

I have one volunteer at the mo he's an Evertonian and has watched the game tonight and believes we should have had 4/5 goals.

[oafc-latics]

Just how unlucky are we?

 

I have decided a human sacrifice is in order to appease the footy Gods, even if its just to blooming well see one goal.

 

So do we have any volunteers/nominations?

 

I have one volunteer at the mo he's an Evertonian and has watched the game tonight and believes we should have had 4/5 goals.

 

abalimba doesn't seem to be doing anything, i volunteer him

[BenRad]

We were ok tonight, no luck coming our way at the min, i like morais, he was a foot off 'delivering' with that strike tonight! nobody seems to gamble when the crosses come in which is frustrating, couple of really good chances as well!

[MaskedOwl]

our decision making mystifies me at times!

 

how many times does Rubes want to knock it back to Brill?

 

Brill playing a 10 yard pass out to Rubes only for him to give it back under pressure

 

attempting 50 yard diagonal balls when we can make a 10 yard ball.

 

every free kick being rushed.

 

attempting a pass and narrowing the angle when a shot is on.

 

too many sliced clearances.

 

attempting a pass or clever back heel when they are looking at their feet.

 

lots of effort tonight but no end product.

[underdog]

abalimba doesn't seem to be doing anything, i volunteer him

 

excellent two volunteers

[opinions4u]

I actually thought we looked closer to scoring tonight than any other game recently.

 

Decent shot by Lowe tipped round the post (although he had two fantastic first half chances to shoot with his left peg and chose to pass). Lee's effort just wide. Tonk slipped in where the keeper did his job well. The one where somebody was sliding in half a second too late.

 

The movement was better, but not quite good enough. I thought Evina became more of an attacking threat when he dropped to full back and White hinted at his potential as an impact sub with one excellent run past a tired defence.

 

Yes, they were crap and Latics weren't great. But the difference between that performance and the one at Prenton Park was one of zest more than anything else. A little bit of the joy of being a footballer has disappeared for this squad. Dickov needs to help them find it again.

 

By the way, I assume Lewis Alessandra has failed to convince yet another manager that he's a good footballer. Saw him driving away a few minutes after the end of the game after not even making the bench. If ever a side needs somebody up front who can bring the midfield in to the game more and create space for a strike partner, it's Latics. Alessandra and Reid would be a decent duo.

 

With a bit of luck one will fly in off somebody's arse on Saturday and we'll be reet.

[OLDHAMADE]

It was a point tonight and the end of the losing streak, You can't fault the players commitment but it's obvious their not getting the rub of the green.

When they do I suspect someone will get a thumping and all will be well with the world once more, 7 points clear and many to play for not forgetting the bottom 4 sides are all garbage.

[lancy lad]

You can't fault the effort at all but we're simply clueless in our movement and in our desire to get in the box in order to create chances. Reid deserved a run, so did Brooke but he messes with the starting line-up again. Tranmere were awful and there for the taking but yet again we toss points away. How can an ex-Premier League striker be so clueless in planning to score goals? Swapping the strikers round is killing momentum imo, Tonk worked his arse off but is not a goalscorer, Morais again flatters to deceive and Taylor huffs and puffs but offered nothing.

 

Not sure what we can do to sort this, it's become psychological now….

I think everyone frustrated. Not sure anyone can really blame Dickov though, how do you motivate players currently playing for nowt?

[JoeP]

I actually thought we looked closer to scoring tonight than any other game recently.

 

Decent shot by Lowe tipped round the post (although he had two fantastic first half chances to shoot with his left peg and chose to pass). Lee's effort just wide. Tonk slipped in where the keeper did his job well. The one where somebody was sliding in half a second too late.

 

The movement was better, but not quite good enough. I thought Evina became more of an attacking threat when he dropped to full back and White hinted at his potential as an impact sub with one excellent run past a tired defence.

 

Yes, they were crap and Latics weren't great. But the difference between that performance and the one at Prenton Park was one of zest more than anything else. A little bit of the joy of being a footballer has disappeared for this squad. Dickov needs to help them find it again.

 

By the way, I assume Lewis Alessandra has failed to convince yet another manager that he's a good footballer. Saw him driving away a few minutes after the end of the game after not even making the bench. If ever a side needs somebody up front who can bring the midfield in to the game more and create space for a strike partner, it's Latics. Alessandra and Reid would be a decent duo.

 

With a bit of luck one will fly in off somebody's arse on Saturday and we'll be reet.

 

Agree with that, although did think we were much better than they were. They didn't even try to win the game. That Goodison bloke was awful - he gives us all hope of making it as a professional footballer. Furman was lucky Goodison didn't do more damage when he made that head-high challenge near the end.

 

I actually think we're missing Lewis. Have said it before - it was only injury that meant he lost his place in the team, not loss of form. Get as close as possible to the team back that played these on the first day of the season - what's the worst that could happen?

Edited March 28, 2011 by JoeP

[RobOAFC]

We need someone to throw themselves at the ball when we cross it. We had plenty of crosses, but those who were in the box, didn't anticipate/throw themselves at it to score. Time to ditch the fancy passing football now, and get stuck in and grind out dirty ugly wins.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

We need someone to throw themselves at the ball when we cross it. We had plenty of crosses, but those who were in the box, didn't anticipate/throw themselves at it to score. Time to ditch the fancy passing football now, and get stuck in and grind out dirty ugly wins.

 

Quite right. I thought we were too 'nice' tonight, and numerous balls went into the box which just needed someone to gamble, barge in and perhaps even risk hurting themselves to get a touch on the ball. It's glaringly obvious we're in need of a pure goalscorer, had we had a player of Beckett, Porter or Hughes' pedigree we'd have won by a couple of goals tonight.

 

Having said that, we played well overall, and were possibly guilty of trying to overcook the play. Notibly when Evina lost control of the ball when breaking in the second half and the many times we tried to thread the ball through narrow gaps. We're certainly creating chances, as stated above a natural goalscorer would have bagged at least one of them. There has been plenty of dour games in the past when we've hardly mustered anything up so I'm encouraged by our play still.

 

Mind you, a quick look on Facebook suggested I was a bit of a lone voice when thinking this.

[rigsby]

A few points.

Tranmere are truely gash.

Apart from that,Morais and Taylor looked decent.Lowe looks awful,and Tonk is so poor its scarey.

That aside,it was tame,oh,before i forget,i :censored:e myself every time the balls goes within 10yards of reuben 'the rock'hazzell,the words accident waiting to happen spring to mind.

[maddog]

Quite right. I thought we were too 'nice' tonight, and numerous balls went into the box which just needed someone to gamble, barge in and perhaps even risk hurting themselves to get a touch on the ball. It's glaringly obvious we're in need of a pure goalscorer, had we had a player of Beckett, Porter or Hughes' pedigree we'd have won by a couple of goals tonight.

 

Having said that, we played well overall, and were possibly guilty of trying to overcook the play. Notibly when Evina lost control of the ball when breaking in the second half and the many times we tried to thread the ball through narrow gaps. We're certainly creating chances, as stated above a natural goalscorer would have bagged at least one of them. There has been plenty of dour games in the past when we've hardly mustered anything up so I'm encouraged by our play still.

 

Mind you, a quick look on Facebook suggested I was a bit of a lone voice when thinking this.

Lone? Have you deleted me?!

[the_mighty_bosh]

Time to ditch the fancy passing football now, and get stuck in and grind out dirty ugly wins.

 

If we had a clean state to work with player-wise I'd agree with you, however I think this is the only way that our current crop can play. It was a difficult game to win tonight as Tranmere so rigidly played for a draw, but I'm certain we would not have beaten them by playing ugly with these players.

 

Quick question for people: As poor as we've been would you rather be in our situation or Tranmere's?

[Forte_Baby]

Not the best of games but we played decent although i felt it was below bar compared to Colchester (first half) and Brighton week before. Morais was my man of the match, Lee as normal played well Taylor had a good game as did Rueben. Defence is looking more solid at the back. Just that killer touch, cutting edge we need i attack.

 

Still we did not lose and its a point closer to safety.

Edited March 28, 2011 by oafctom

[LeylandLatic]

If we had a clean state to work with player-wise I'd agree with you, however I think this is the only way that our current crop can play. It was a difficult game to win tonight as Tranmere so rigidly played for a draw, but I'm certain we would not have beaten them by playing ugly with these players.

Quick question for people: As poor as we've been would you rather be in our situation or Tranmere's?

 

Have we been that poor or just really unlucky? On balance of chances in the last 10 games or so we've probably deserved to win most of them, i'm not surprised Dickov is a bit puzzled. When we go a goal down we have no confidence but in general our play has been better than most in this division can produce and we're playing 'badly'.

[LeylandLatic]

Not the best of games but we played decent although i felt it was below bar compared to Colchester (first half) and Brighton week before. Morais was my man of the match, Lee as normal played well Taylor had a good game as did Rueben. Defence is looking more solid at the back. Just that killer touch, cutting edge we need i attack.

 

Still we did not lose and its a point closer to safety.

 

NO! Ruben is the worst defender in L1 and should be shot out of a cannon into the sun.

 

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[Hometownclub]

I thought we were much the better team throughout the whole 90 minutes, Tranmere are and were awful, they showed absolutely no ambition to win the game.

 

We are just so desperate for a decent striker who can put the ball in the net, our approach play and passing is generally very good but we really lack a cutting edge in the box.

 

We huffed and puffed a good deal and worked hard, generally we played well but a special mention for Hazell who nearly gives me a heart attack whenever the ball comes near him, he is so indecisive and I feel he is always going to cost us goals with his shocking decision making regarding passing back and often letting the ball bounce when he just needs to get his head on it.

 

I'd drop him ASAP and play Mvoto/Trotman or Mvoto/Tarkowski at the centre of defence, Hazell is clearly the weakest link.