[Spireiteboy155]

I really fear for us without Markanday. He was head and shoulders our best player today.

[Mr_Pleasant]

SpireRam, on 01 January 2025 - 06:12 PM, said:

Fair. We can agree to disagree but they?ve only won 2 in 6 and both were us.

I think we and they are teams that the other likes to play against, as both teams have footballers rather than a bunch of hod carriers.

[Burgerman]

Having read all th comments from the game I?m guessing there will be a pile on as I put my thoughts to the thread.

Firstly, when leaving the ground my son said to me ?Would you have taken 10th place in league two in Jan 2025 back in Jan 2024? Simple answer YES!

Today I thought we were slow to start but once we got to grips with the game it could have gone either way. As I was in the North Stand I didn?t get a good look at their goals so I will have to wait and see when the highlights come out but even at this stage I?m not going to wave a defeatist finger of blame. We win and lose as a team.

We seemed to drift out of the game in midfield, we certainly missed the cool headed Banks today. Mandeville was superb today, one of his best games for a while and my MOTM. In defence I thought Grimes got over his nightmare the other day and also put in a good shift. Drummond was on his own most of the time, he?s not yet physically strong enough to cope with league 2 but his work rate was on point. He chased and pressed their cheating goalkeeper all game (until he went off) which was admirable. He was unlucky not to volley that one in at the near post in the first half.

We are depleted squad, no doubt about it but we are never, ever going to put a squad together where quality, first rate players are happy to sit on the bench. We have a very decent squad of players who can perform well and I think the players on the pitch put a shift in and did ok.

Our third defeat on the bounce is going to bring out the defeatists and wrist slitters telling us all our season is finished But like my lad said, would we have taken this position this time last year?

I enjoyed the game today, I enjoyed watching our team fight and not give up, watching their determination to win or at least fight for a draw is what I play my money for and for todays game it was good value.

Anyone who expected us to stroll through this period of injuries and get a good points tally is deluded. Anyone who expected us to battle the best we can with what we have will be content.

[Looker-on]

Spireiteboy155, on 01 January 2025 - 06:26 PM, said:

I really fear for us without Markanday. He was head and shoulders our best player today.

I have faith in the idea that the same people who found and recruited Markanday can find and recruit a competent replacement.

[Fact Checker]

Burgerman, on 01 January 2025 - 06:51 PM, said:

Having read all th comments from the game I?m guessing there will be a pile on as I put my thoughts to the thread.

Firstly, when leaving the ground my son said to me ?Would you have taken 10th place in league two in Jan 2025 back in Jan 2024? Simple answer YES!

Today I thought we were slow to start but once we got to grips with the game it could have gone either way. As I was in the North Stand I didn?t get a good look at their goals so I will have to wait and see when the highlights come out but even at this stage I?m not going to wave a defeatist finger of blame. We win and lose as a team.

We seemed to drift out of the game in midfield, we certainly missed the cool headed Banks today. Mandeville was superb today, one of his best games for a while and my MOTM. In defence I thought Grimes got over his nightmare the other day and also put in a good shift. Drummond was on his own most of the time, he?s not yet physically strong enough to cope with league 2 but his work rate was on point. He chased and pressed their cheating goalkeeper all game (until he went off) which was admirable. He was unlucky not to volley that one in at the near post in the first half.

We are depleted squad, no doubt about it but we are never, ever going to put a squad together where quality, first rate players are happy to sit on the bench. We have a very decent squad of players who can perform well and I think the players on the pitch put a shift in and did ok.

Our third defeat on the bounce is going to bring out the defeatists and wrist slitters telling us all our season is finished But like my lad said, would we have taken this position this time last year?

I enjoyed the game today, I enjoyed watching our team fight and not give up, watching their determination to win or at least fight for a draw is what I play my money for and for todays game it was good value.

Anyone who expected us to stroll through this period of injuries and get a good points tally is deluded. Anyone who expected us to battle the best we can with what we have will be content.

Agree completely - great post.

Even with 14 out, we were only a CB and CF away from 3 wins on the bounce rather than 3 losses. With Grigg/Madden & Dunks replacing Drummond & Grimes, we?d be sitting pretty in second right now IMO.

[Bluekent]

Looker-on, on 01 January 2025 - 06:11 PM, said:

And subsequently, our two attempts to take a quick free kick from not quite the right place were pulled back. Very annoying.

Yeah shocking inconsistency again. Just bin the quick free kick off as a rule then there isn?t any of this debate. They clearly don?t get much right so maybe they just need to keep it simple. Wait for the whistle. He wasn?t the worst referee we?ve had but he was annoying as f?ck.

This post has been edited by Bluekent: 01 January 2025 - 07:01 PM

[danblue]

Burgerman, on 01 January 2025 - 06:51 PM, said:

Having read all th comments from the game I?m guessing there will be a pile on as I put my thoughts to the thread.

Firstly, when leaving the ground my son said to me ?Would you have taken 10th place in league two in Jan 2025 back in Jan 2024? Simple answer YES!

Today I thought we were slow to start but once we got to grips with the game it could have gone either way. As I was in the North Stand I didn?t get a good look at their goals so I will have to wait and see when the highlights come out but even at this stage I?m not going to wave a defeatist finger of blame. We win and lose as a team.

We seemed to drift out of the game in midfield, we certainly missed the cool headed Banks today. Mandeville was superb today, one of his best games for a while and my MOTM. In defence I thought Grimes got over his nightmare the other day and also put in a good shift. Drummond was on his own most of the time, he?s not yet physically strong enough to cope with league 2 but his work rate was on point. He chased and pressed their cheating goalkeeper all game (until he went off) which was admirable. He was unlucky not to volley that one in at the near post in the first half.

We are depleted squad, no doubt about it but we are never, ever going to put a squad together where quality, first rate players are happy to sit on the bench. We have a very decent squad of players who can perform well and I think the players on the pitch put a shift in and did ok.

Our third defeat on the bounce is going to bring out the defeatists and wrist slitters telling us all our season is finished But like my lad said, would we have taken this position this time last year?

I enjoyed the game today, I enjoyed watching our team fight and not give up, watching their determination to win or at least fight for a draw is what I play my money for and for todays game it was good value.

Anyone who expected us to stroll through this period of injuries and get a good points tally is deluded. Anyone who expected us to battle the best we can with what we have will be content.

I would have taken 10th at the start of the season, but...
after seeing other teams we have played against up to now, the squad compared to others and also how well we have played, I'd be looking at play offs at minium.
Unfortunately, the injuries have done us - we had a injury list which would destroy most squads.
We have rode the storm into the new year transfer period and lucky for us we are still in the mix for a chance promotion.
Play the transfer market right, with players coming back - we could end the season on an unbelievable high

[Westbars Spireite]

Should have got a point out of that in the end which would have felt like a win. Luck not remotely on our side.

[Mr_Pleasant]

Bluekent, on 01 January 2025 - 06:56 PM, said:

Yeah shocking inconsistency again. Just bin the quick free kick off as a rule then there isn?t any of this debate. They clearly don?t get much right so maybe they just need to keep it simple. Wait for the whilst. He wasn?t the worst referee we?ve had but he was annoying as f?ck.

This is the thing. They could take their free kick quickly and from the wrong place, we couldn't. The keeper had all second half to take as long as he wanted over goal kicks, their full back was yellowed in injury time for time wasting for little obvious reason. Refereeing by numbers and yet it's barely worth getting annoyed about because there have been much worse refereeing performances this season.

[Exharboroughspireite]

That game can be split into segments. First ten we controlled the ball, looked lively through mandarkay. Latter half of second half lost our way, two powder puff tackles led to 2-0. First 15 of second half, again outplayed and they should have made it 3-0. Last 15 we were all over them.

It is clear who our squad players are and why they are squad players. I don?t think in a million years cook and Webb would have envisaged Drummond, Hobson, Horton, akinola all playing in the same fixture without dunkley, Taunton, Gordon, fleck, grigg, madden, berry even getting on the turf.

We should not set ourselves unrealistic targets. Mid table will be fine. Lots of players who have been brilliant at NL level OOC in June. Rebuild and go again without bankrupting ourselves.

This post has been edited by Exharboroughspireite: 01 January 2025 - 07:06 PM

[Bluekent]

Westbars Spireite, on 01 January 2025 - 07:01 PM, said:

Should have got a point out of that in the end which would have felt like a win. Luck not remotely on our side.

It?s got to change at some point surely , it?s not like we aren't putting the work in. It may sound daft but I?m confident of an unbelievable second half of the season , players coming back , new signings , decisions on the pitch going our way etc. I just feel we?ve had it rough so much so far that we?ve used all that up and things will start to turn in our favour. 🤞🏽

This post has been edited by Bluekent: 01 January 2025 - 07:10 PM

[danblue]

Just listened to Cook post match, and he more or less said they won't be putting their eggs in one basket to try and get promoted by signing players to fast track us to L1.
Tbh, fair enough. He said we have lots of players on contract already, signing more like the bad old days would sink us.
But, I trust him to pull a couple of gems out the bag on the cheap which could still give us a decent chance

[Exharboroughspireite]

danblue, on 01 January 2025 - 07:10 PM, said:

Just listened to Cook post match, and he more or less said they won't be putting their eggs in one basket to try and get promoted by signing players to fast track us to L1.
Tbh, fair enough. He said we have lots of players on contract already, signing more like the bad old days would sink us.
But, I trust him to pull a couple of gems out the bag on the cheap which could still give us a decent chance

Best me to it. I?m really glad we aren?t going to sign a few overinflated signings in the window. We?ve already done that this year with madden and fleck.

[Westbars Spireite]

Seems odd to name 3 subs that wouldn't have been brought on at all.

[HaslandBlue58]

Another frustrating day,hats off to the effort again but it was evident especially second half that we were not going to pull it back with all the near misses.
I have stated on here how much we need to be behind the team,more so currently, but at the possibility of seeming hypocritical,I have to say Thomson should be out on the pitch until at least tomorrow breakfast practising his kicking.The amount of times he slowed the game down then kicked to an area devoid of blue shirts was unreal,the point being that he was continually putting us under unnecessary pressure.The less said about the second goal......
I would love an explanation from the officials as to how their keeper did not receive a minimum one yellow card,what kind of control is shown by telling the keeper to hurry from around minute three to ninety seven.I believe it has been said before that they are concerned that an early card could result in a second one later,so be it,thems the rules!

[Westbars Spireite]

Their keeper did exactly what he was allowed to get away with. He realised the ref was weak. I'd have expected a CFC to capitalise similarly. Though it's fair to point out the balls he had tj deal with were generally easier, his kicking was far superior to Thompson's.

*Just googled their keeper who I assumed to be ok his 30s. Either my eyesight is failing or he had a big paper round as a lad.

This post has been edited by Westbars Spireite: 01 January 2025 - 07:58 PM

[DIFH]

Mr_Pleasant, on 01 January 2025 - 06:10 PM, said:

I disagree entirely. I thought they were a good team. Messed around at the back too much but they were comfortable for much of the game. I just wish we'd not started Drummond. Nothing against him but he was a bit of a waste up against big defenders. He was a bit exposed. If we'd played with a non-number 9/false 9 from the start it would have caused them more problems. And even then we still created plenty.

One point for you to answer - who you playing up top then ? Typical negativity but failing to grasp the desperation of our plight. Drumming did ok at Bradford so if you?re the manager why wouldn?t you give him a go ?

Now answer my question please

[DIFH]

Of pushing on.

Westbars Spireite, on 01 January 2025 - 07:01 PM, said:

Should have got a point out of that in the end which would have felt like a win. Luck not remotely on our side.

Look at the league table Tim, we are still in a safe spot with a good chance of pushing on.

This post has been edited by DIFH: 01 January 2025 - 08:02 PM

[Hibbo98]

danblue, on 01 January 2025 - 07:10 PM, said:

Just listened to Cook post match, and he more or less said they won't be putting their eggs in one basket to try and get promoted by signing players to fast track us to L1.
Tbh, fair enough. He said we have lots of players on contract already, signing more like the bad old days would sink us.
But, I trust him to pull a couple of gems out the bag on the cheap which could still give us a decent chance

Excellent interview and I?m glad we?re taking that approach. There is absolutely no value in the January window. Just a couple of smart loans to tide us over and give it a go in the summer!

[DIFH]

rodney, on 01 January 2025 - 05:42 PM, said:

Not over the line?.

Correct and not an easy chance.