MATCH: Gateshead (H) 23/12/23 🎄

[Pidge]

15 minutes ago, ceskylatic said:

I agree with you. But until we bring in what’s required in midfield, i.e. 2 athletic wingers and a ball playing central midfielder to dominate opposition, we’ll be a counter-attacking team giving teams most of the possession.

And Until we bring in some pace up front and a midfielder who can pass forward and find them, we can’t be a counter-attacking team. OMG we are fecked!

[Boroblue]

Change the name of this thread from v Gateshead to v Real Madrid cos we made them look like Real Madrid. From back to front they were popping the ball between themselves. 1-0 was a travesty at HT as was evidenced by the 2nd half. Fair play to Mellon, I wouldn’t expect to throw anyone under the 409 post match in his interview, but I’m hopeful that he does behind closed doors. Gateshead weren’t packed with superstars, but to a man they were far better than anyone in a blue shirt today.

[aaronoafc]

What a team they are, I’d love for us to go and dominate teams with slick passing football like they did/do. 

 

Number 11 Wearne who came off the bench for them is some player. He’s got more goal contributions than any player in the league. We should be throwing any money we have at them to sign him. 
 

Us - absolute dogshit. 2nd half was a disgrace. McGahey is absolutely garbage. Lundstram doesn’t look right, he looks injured. Sheron I actually dont mind but he cant pass and you know, you need that in midfield. No good wingers what so ever. No right back. CB’s are shite bar Hobson. The Squads a mess

 

Mellon has a hell of a job on his hands and barring an absolute catastrophe (say, bottom of the league 10 games into next season) I’d be giving him 4 windows (I know we don’t technically have windows in the NL but Jan 24 Summer 24 Jan 25 Summer 25) to sort this shit out. 
 

I expected Gateshead to be good and thought there is a good chance they may beat us, but that today was frightening and simply unacceptable

[LightDN123]

2 hours ago, yarddog73 said:

Sorry but that's just delusion, granted in a better team we've got a player but he was gash today.

Scored a goal

[aaronoafc]

P.S lets not make this thread about Norwood. Jesus he’s scored 8 goals in his last 10 games in a side that create absolutely fuck all. He is far from the problem and is basically the reason we’re not fighting relegation right now.

 

His all round game and body language isn’t great at times, who cares!? He’s paid a fortune to score goals and he scores goals in a side that is completely useless

[yarddog73]

31 minutes ago, mcfluff1985 said:

I'll bite. What did Hudson do wrong?

He let's over 2 goals a game in and we have a goalie on the bench who I'd say was our best player last season.

 

He can't kick - his distribution is piss poor, again today Fondop wants it two on two he slows it down and then puts it his way when they've had time to set, if you think the keeper isn't part of our defensive problems then fine but I find it absolutely mystifying that Mellon hasn't played Norman for one single minute since arriving and even brought in another keeper in Langley.

 

I know there's not supposed to be anything between the two and Norman does struggle to sort his feet out from shots from distance but Hudson still has plenty to work on and I don't ever remember him winning the MOM as Norman did on several occasions.

 

Why hasn't he played yet if everyone's had a chance?, seems strange seeing as we've leaked 23 goals in Mellons 11 matches. Halifax have let 23 in all season.

[mcfluff1985]

12 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

He let's over 2 goals a game in and we have a goalie on the bench who I'd say was our best player last season.

 

He can't kick - his distribution is piss poor, again today Fondop wants it two on two he slows it down and then puts it his way when they've had time to set, if you think the keeper isn't part of our defensive problems then fine but I find it absolutely mystifying that Mellon hasn't played Norman for one single minute since arriving and even brought in another keeper in Langley.

 

I know there's not supposed to be anything between the two and Norman does struggle to sort his feet out from shots from distance but Hudson still has plenty to work on and I don't ever remember him winning the MOM as Norman did on several occasions.

 

Why hasn't he played yet if everyone's had a chance?, seems strange seeing as we've leaked 23 goals in Mellons 11 matches. Halifax have let 23 in all season.

So not at fault for either goal. Sound 

[True Tic]

32 minutes ago, aaronoafc said:

What a team they are, I’d love for us to go and dominate teams with slick passing football like they did/do. 

 

Number 11 Wearne who came off the bench for them is some player. He’s got more goal contributions than any player in the league. We should be throwing any money we have at them to sign him. 
 

Us - absolute dogshit. 2nd half was a disgrace. McGahey is absolutely garbage. Lundstram doesn’t look right, he looks injured. Sheron I actually dont mind but he cant pass and you know, you need that in midfield. No good wingers what so ever. No right back. CB’s are shite bar Hobson. The Squads a mess

 

Mellon has a hell of a job on his hands and barring an absolute catastrophe (say, bottom of the league 10 games into next season) I’d be giving him 4 windows (I know we don’t technically have windows in the NL but Jan 24 Summer 24 Jan 25 Summer 25) to sort this shit out. 
 

I expected Gateshead to be good and thought there is a good chance they may beat us, but that today was frightening and simply unacceptable

I think we helped to make them look good and that’s not sour grapes. Stay in their faces and the”  slick” passing becomes more of a challenge for them. Instead we just stand and watch them play their best game. 

[Worcester Owl]

55 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

But he still plays them when he's had plenty of time to bring in midfielders, wingers and a right back on loan.

He seems to play 3 DCs because he's got to appease them. One of Raglan or Hogan needs to be dropped.

 

Plenty of time??!! Are you being serious?

[TwistingMyMellon]

26 minutes ago, aaronoafc said:

He’s paid a fortune to score goals and he scores goals in a side that is completely useless

 

I'd be looking to off load next month and spend the money saved on the obvious areas of the team that need strengthening as we should have done in the summer....

[Sloshed Joe]

Are Gardner, Ward & Dickenson injured coz surely they’d improve our midfield. I’d be tempted to give Shelton a go at right wing back as well. 

[mick26]

15 minutes ago, True Tic said:

I think we helped to make them look good and that’s not sour grapes. Stay in their faces and the”  slick” passing becomes more of a challenge for them. Instead we just stand and watch them play their best game. 

Yep, Halifax pressed them on TNT the other week and they were forever going back to the keeper and were well beaten. We also made Ebbsfleet look like world beaters!

[mcfluff1985]

28 minutes ago, Worcester Owl said:

Plenty of time??!! Are you being serious?

Of course he is

[BP1960]

33 minutes ago, Worcester Owl said:

Plenty of time??!! Are you being serious?

 

Yes, he's watched us before he got the job I assume so should have known what was needed immediately and done something about it.

Instead he brought in another striker when we have 5 on the books and complains about his defenders.

Edited December 23, 2023 by BP1960

[TheBigDog]

5 hours ago, Dave_Og said:

Can analyse that to death but the simple fact is that they were a much better side 

This.

[True Tic]

21 minutes ago, mick26 said:

Yep, Halifax pressed them on TNT the other week and they were forever going back to the keeper and were well beaten. We also made Ebbsfleet look like world beaters!

That’s another bad habit we seem to have. Poor tactics today with poor players showing too much respect for a decent but not great team and I’m really puzzled about MM bringing the young lad on at such a crucial time. 

[TwistingMyMellon]

14 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

Yes, he's watched us before he got the job I assume so should have known what was needed immediately and done something about it.

Instead he brought in another striker when we have 5 on the books and complains about his defenders.

 

What's the answer then? Sack him?

[Summerdeep]

First real indications here that the Mellon regime could end in tears, and sooner rather than later, but I do hope he'll have the resolution to get to grips with the situation and see things through.

[ceskylatic]

6 minutes ago, Summerdeep said:

First real indications here that the Mellon regime could end in tears, and sooner rather than later, but I do hope he'll have the resolution to get to grips with the situation and see things through.

Specifically, what are those indicators? 

[Summerdeep]

I get the impression that a good few posters on here are beginning to lose faith in his judgment and maybe his overall managerial capabilities. If that's representative of the fan base as a whole, it's not great news.

 

Also, the obvious persistence of dismal home performances.

[JoeP]

19 minutes ago, Summerdeep said:

First real indications here that the Mellon regime could end in tears, and sooner rather than later, but I do hope he'll have the resolution to get to grips with the situation and see things through.

 

Not particularly aimed at you, but...

 

Unsworth given a budget, resources, came with red flags and was clearly shit from the start = Needs time to turn this around.

 

Mellon given no budget, expected to juggle Unsworth's shit, 5 promotions and has shown signs he can get a tune out of the players in spite of that = it's going to end in tears sooner rather than later.

 

Unless we start hurtling towards the bottom, Mellon can do what he wants in terms of subs and team selection to help him work out what he needs and who he can get something out of moving forward.  I think we do need to right this season off.  Even if we get in the play-offs, I wouldn't fancy our chances at all to be consistent enough to win them.

 

He's been here the shortest time out of anyone at the club, yet is the one we're looking at first?  Not for me, as it stands...

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by JoeP

[Summerdeep]

I'm just saying that's the way some indicators are pointing (in my opinion). Hope I made it clear that I want him to stick at it, which surely implies that I think he has what it takes?

[ceskylatic]

5 minutes ago, Summerdeep said:

I get the impression that a good few posters on here are beginning to lose faith in his judgment and maybe his overall managerial capabilities. If that's representative of the fan base as a whole, it's not great news.

 

Also, the obvious persistence of dismal home performances.

If that’s the case, that would say more about the posters than Mellon’s capabilities, in my opinion.

 

[mcfluff1985]

40 minutes ago, Summerdeep said:

I get the impression that a good few posters on here are beginning to lose faith in his judgment and maybe his overall managerial capabilities. If that's representative of the fan base as a whole, it's not great news.

 

Also, the obvious persistence of dismal home performances.

A good few posters on here are absolute Scopes. So I wouldn't worry

[yarddog73]

I'd just like to put it on record before it starts getting spread as fact that I don't hold the same view as Summerdeep, I actually think we are fortunate to have Mellon and Brabin and you won't hear nothing along the lines of Mellon out from me.

 

I do think he probably thought he had more to work with and in his interviews the disappointment and realisation of how poor we are is beginning to come over. As I've said many a time you can't polish a turd and probably half of this squad he will see as surplus, a quarter he'd probably like to keep and the other quarter are probably playing for their futures.

 

We've been left in a state and it will take a monumental effort to turn this around, all the play off talk is fanciful, we are so close but in real terms so far away. 26 points off Chesterfield having played a game more tells us all we need to know about the current squad - it's piss poor.

 

No rightback, No right wingback, No left sided centrehalf despite having about six centrehalfs on the books, No cover for Kitch, No midfielder capable of putting their foot on the ball, No midfield full stop,  No widemen who can give you more than a decent 15 minutes, No identity, No leaders, No desire, No heart. 

 

Bench today had a keeper and four forwards, there literally is so much to address it's actually scary. I sat in my seat today in shock at just how far away we are and this repair job is unfortunately going to take some time.

 

Nothing to do with Mellon who is now getting desperate as evidenced by chucking Kofi on today in the second half, he's running out of options and probably planning for next season already if he's happy to see it out.