Latics 1-1 Notts County: post match reaction (Tranmere relegation special edition)

[frizzell54]

No guarantee that we keep the GK + back 3 (excluding Grounds). So could be start from scratch again! BTW Connor was MOM again for me.

 

Philiskirk probably leapt at a new contract - can't see him getting another at this level anywhere else.

 

The more I think about that performance today, the angrier I get!!!!

[Lukers1]

The bigger picture is quite rosy. The fact remains we are so dull at home. Feel like I'm watching the same game on a loop. Competitive, resolute, but NO CUTTING EDGE. The subs he made were baffling.

 

Of our 'front three' Thought JCH had a cracking game, but was so isolated he got no reward for his flicks, headers, an hold up play.

 

Worral. Jury is out for me, think I saw one cross? Doesn't look like he can beat a man, but at the very least puts himself about.

 

Harkins. . I'm sorry but I don't see him as a winger. Obviously very technically gifted. An he does try. ( which for his type of player, is a pleasant surprise) but he is so slow it's scary. He doesn't effect the game anywhere nearly enough. which for his technical ability is a crime.

 

Quick wingers are what we need if he wants to play that system at home.

It was Haekins who got mugged which set them up on there breakaway subsequent penalty.

[PBL]

Mixed feelings as well - good to be safe with a couple of games to spare & ten unbeaten but still not convinced with the system (at home anyway, away it can work IF we score first) - JCH working really hard but no support at all. Partner for him (Philly?? he's wasted on the wing or midfield) and pace on the wings definitely needed. Worrall also puts in a shift but no end product, can't beat a man and few crosses, Harkins can beat a man but no pace - shouldn't have got caught on the ball today when he had passes either side, led to their pen. We're too slow generally getting forward, with our passing & movement.

 

Defensively, Brown much improved, Lockwood sending-off harsh but hes a walking foul & Grounds I don't get - yes he has a left foot but whats the point when 99% of his passes go to the opposition (plus embarassing how many times he got skinned by Notts right winger). Hope we keep Wes & Wilson, IMO Rachubka MOTM, also got to keep. Then find some pace & creativity further forward!

 

Both Derry and Abbot contenders for biggest bell-end on opposition bench this season?

[Lukers1]

Mixed feelings as well - good to be safe with a couple of games to spare & ten unbeaten but still not convinced with the system (at home anyway, away it can work IF we score first) - JCH working really hard but no support at all. Partner for him (Philly?? he's wasted on the wing or midfield) and pace on the wings definitely needed. Worrall also puts in a shift but no end product, can't beat a man and few crosses, Harkins can beat a man but no pace - shouldn't have got caught on the ball today when he had passes either side, led to their pen. We're too slow generally getting forward, with our passing & movement.

 

Defensively, Brown much improved, Lockwood sending-off harsh but hes a walking foul & Grounds I don't get - yes he has a left foot but whats the point when 99% of his passes go to the opposition (plus embarassing how many times he got skinned by Notts right winger). Hope we keep Wes & Wilson, IMO Rachubka MOTM, also got to keep. Then find some pace & creativity further forward!

 

Both Derry and Abbot contenders for biggest bell-end on opposition bench this season?

I quite liked the passion of Derry and Abbot, emotions were running high, Derry is one of the good uns in football...

[PBL]

Passion, maybe. Meathead, yes - he was right in LJ's face for no reason several times, also pretty sure his reaction influenced the sending-off. He was the same in JPT tie. Was sat next to a family with kids today and Abbot's swearing was worse than anyone in the paddock - not big or clever!

[rvlatic]

I quite liked the passion of Derry and Abbot, emotions were running high, Derry is one of the good uns in football...

Can't agree with that... if tommy wright was sent to the stand then Abbot should have been walking with him! All game he was arguing and swearing and even offering people out! Kettle warned him a few times but that was all.. derry on the other hand is just a bully..wtf was that about with johnson? He spent half the game actually on the pitch! And at the end he caused a lot of the crowd trouble by not leaving the pitch as instructed - instead he was standing on the steps like the next fkin messiah! Jesus pose n all!

[bigfatjoe1]

:censored:, two months ago we were dead and buried. We were terrible and I couldn't see us getting to 50 points. Then we go 10 unbeaten and people are complaining about today. That was still better than half the crap I've seen this season. LJ was right to stick with the same approach. Not just because you don't change a winning side. Can you imagine if he'd changed it and we lost, and that defeat determined who got relegated? he was right. We bossed the game. We should have won. we spent the last 20% of the season in promotion form.

ffs give the team and manager some credit.

[Ritchierich]

:censored:, two months ago we were dead and buried. We were terrible and I couldn't see us getting to 50 points. Then we go 10 unbeaten and people are complaining about today. That was still better than half the crap I've seen this season. LJ was right to stick with the same approach. Not just because you don't change a winning side. Can you imagine if he'd changed it and we lost, and that defeat determined who got relegated? he was right. We bossed the game. We should have won. we spent the last 20% of the season in promotion form.

ffs give the team and manager some credit.

To quote Meg Ryan......yes,yes.......yes !

[BP1960]

:censored:, two months ago we were dead and buried. We were terrible and I couldn't see us getting to 50 points. Then we go 10 unbeaten and people are complaining about today. That was still better than half the crap I've seen this season. LJ was right to stick with the same approach. Not just because you don't change a winning side. Can you imagine if he'd changed it and we lost, and that defeat determined who got relegated? he was right. We bossed the game. We should have won. we spent the last 20% of the season in promotion form.

ffs give the team and manager some credit.

 

Its not about one game it's about a trend for home games that may continue next season - with visions of a scarcity of goals again.

Edited May 3, 2014 by BP1960

[disjointed]

 

Its not about one game it's about a trend for home games that may continue next season - with visions of a scarcity of goals again.

TBF we don't know this is going to happen, it's job done after a difficult season (Montano) LJ has got all summer to find some common ground between grinding out results and playing open, yet losing games. I trust he will have learnt from his mistakes and next season we can push on.

[blueatheart]

No guarantee that we keep the GK + back 3 (excluding Grounds). So could be start from scratch again! BTW Connor was MOM again for me.

 

Philiskirk probably leapt at a new contract - can't see him getting another at this level anywhere else.

 

The more I think about that performance today, the angrier I get!!!!

 

Lockwood and Wilson are under contract.

 

:censored:, two months ago we were dead and buried. We were terrible and I couldn't see us getting to 50 points. Then we go 10 unbeaten and people are complaining about today. That was still better than half the crap I've seen this season. LJ was right to stick with the same approach. Not just because you don't change a winning side. Can you imagine if he'd changed it and we lost, and that defeat determined who got relegated? he was right. We bossed the game. We should have won. we spent the last 20% of the season in promotion form.

ffs give the team and manager some credit.

This.

 

We are unbeaten for a quarter of a season away from as at the end of the season. No other team in the country has that record.

 

Small victories.

 

He used 40 players in 36 games and 17 in the last 10. He's learnt the consistency lesson.

[oafcmetty]

Best bit of the game was greg abbott offering someone in the upper main stand out after the game! #youandmeherenow

That might have been me

[the_mighty_bosh]

My first match at BP in over 2 years today. Quite enjoyed it, the atmosphere and feel around the place was much better than the last time I was there. Maybe it was due to the new stand finally being built, or the Chaddy End being fairly full, or the noise from the whole ground. Whatever it was it was pleasant to be part of.

 

The match itself was OK, I don't hold anything against Notts for some fairly cynical play at the end as that is exactly what I'd have wanted from us if we were in the same position.

 

Didn't see Lockwood pick up the 1st booking so I was surprised when he got sent off, but it was a stupid foul to give away on a yellow card. The header for the goal was good though.

 

Wilson looked very good.

 

JCH puts himself about well but has such a thankless task.

 

Their fans were loud after our goal, but surprisingly quiet in the 1st half.

 

Rachubka pulled off a few very good saves.

 

Comparing the left wingers, I'd much rather have a left winger playing for my team who looks like he belongs in the pub rather than one who is a boy band wannabe.

 

A lot of their team was tiny. Campbell-Ryce was probably their standout player.

 

I hoped that we would test their 'keeper more in the 2nd half, but hey ho.

 

The formation could work next season, but it needs the exact personnel in the 5 more advanced positions when playing at home. While I like JCH, Philly, Wes, Harkins and (to a lesser extent) Worrall, they aren't the right fit for any of the roles they play (except for maybe Wes, although he's not particularly comfortable when in attacking positions). If Johnson can find the correct 5 players for those roles, then we could have a really good season.

 

That's because the back 6 of Rachubka - Brown Wilson Lockwood Grounds - Smith is VERY difficult to break down. If Grounds leaves I think there's a very good case for replacing him with Mills, but the rest of those players would be a fantastic foundation to build upon. Selling Smith would massively set us back, regardless of the fee. Not many can play that role at well as him, let alone players that we could afford!

 

If Johnson signs fairly cautious players to play in the 5 attacking roles in that formation then I'd feel sorry for BP regulars who'd have to watch that brand of football.

Edited May 3, 2014 by the_mighty_bosh

[ChaddySmoker]

My first match at BP in over 2 years today. Quite enjoyed it, the atmosphere and feel around the place was much better than the last time I was there. Maybe it was due to the new stand finally being built, or the Chaddy End being fairly full, or the noise from the whole ground. Whatever it was it was pleasant to be part of.

 

The match itself was OK, I don't hold anything against Notts for some fairly cynical play at the end as that is exactly what I'd have wanted from us if we were in the same position.

 

Didn't see Lockwood pick up the 1st booking so I was surprised when he got sent off, but it was a stupid foul to give away on a yellow card. The header for the goal was good though.

Wilson looked very good.

Rachubka pulled off a few very good saves.

Selling Smith would massively set us back, regardless of the fee. Not many can play that role at well as him, let alone players that we could afford!

Well said!

[rvlatic]

That might have been me

Did you have him?!

[brierleys555]

this formation works but we need better wide players and an attacking midfielder to join the solo forward.

 

on to many occasions clark harris was isolated

[the_mighty_bosh]

One other thing, did anyone else hear the "fan" standing at the front of the Main Stand upper tier giving the linesman plenty of stick for the last 20 minutes?

 

Nicely done Tommy Wright!

Edited May 3, 2014 by the_mighty_bosh

[rudemedic]

Best bit of the game was greg abbott offering someone in the upper main stand out after the game! #youandmeherenow

Yep he was a knobhead of epic proportions, my opinion of Derry went down massively today too

[rudemedic]

Lockwood and Wilson are under contract.

 

This.

We are unbeaten for a quarter of a season away from as at the end of the season. No other team in the country has that record.

Small victories.

He used 40 players in 36 games and 17 in the last 10. He's learnt the consistency lesson.

Only Blackburn and York have a longer unbeaten run than us.

[Oafc1895]

 

Both Derry and Abbot contenders for biggest bell-end on opposition bench this season?

We have played both MK Mongs and Roverum haven't we?

 

Robinson and Blobby have to be up their.

[losesome]

like to see Harkins playing a more central midfield roll next season if we keep him.

We have been looking for a playmaker since Baxter left and i still think Harkins could fit the bill.

LJ has to learn to mix styles for next season for home and away , he appears to have cracked our away form at last but at home i would go for a more adventurous attacking 442 with Harkins in the middle and half a decent striker to play up with JCH .

[Oafc1895]

like to see Harkins playing a more central midfield roll next season if we keep him.

We have been looking for a playmaker since Baxter left and i still think Harkins could fit the bill.

LJ has to learn to mix styles for next season for home and away , he appears to have cracked our away form at last but at home i would go for a more adventurous attacking 442 with Harkins in the middle and half a decent striker to play up with JCH .

The thing with playing Sir Gary in CM is his lack of work going back.

[rvlatic]

Yep he was a knobhead of epic proportions, my opinion of Derry went down massively today too

They were the same in the paint pot game earlier this season- iirc abbot and johnson had a 'toe to toe' which ended with johnson holding his nose suggesting abbots breath stunk! To me derry is a bigger c**t than robinson and evans who are more 'pantomime villians' than nasty bastards.

[the_mighty_bosh]

at home i would go for a more adventurous attacking 442 with Harkins in the middle and half a decent striker to play up with JCH .

 

If we play Harkins through the middle it has to be with 2 other centre mid's backing him up.

 

Harkins in a 2 man centre-mid partnership is a disaster waiting to happen from a defensive point-of-view. See Posh at home 1st half.

[Slash]

First and obviously last game of the season for me today at BP. Caught 5 away games (will not count Liverpool as a true comparison) being a southerner nowadays. Be interesting to think what a fan who doesn't see a lot compares to the regulars. So here goes...

 

Chubs - always in the right place at the right time. Some good saves today.

 

Grounds - not great today, but up against a good right winger and generally one of our better players. Those who think we won't miss him are not footballers.

 

Wilson - looks superb

 

Lockwood - looks solid, but slow and gives away a lot of stupid fouls.

 

Brown - looks good whenever I see him play. Most improved.

 

Worrall - Alright. Nothing special.

 

Wes - consistent. Need to keep.

 

Smith - class above the rest.

 

Harkins - slow, can't put in a shift, tries too much and gives the ball away (puts on hard helmet as it appears he's loved). Now and a again beats a man ( but then gets caught).

 

Philly - Good footballer, wrong position.

 

JCH - potential. Doesn't score enough and gets left on his own (not his fault)

 

Subs

 

Winchester - Good footballer and should have played more. Has quality but doesn't use it.

 

MacDonald - looked good at Stevenage, since then... no!

 

Dayton - has potential and glimpses of quality.

 

Millar - Goodbye

 

Byrom - adds nothing