[Fact Checker]

The Earl of Chesterfield, on 04 March 2025 - 09:52 PM, said:

The simple truth is we're left with a central defensive partnership second or even third choice last season.

And much as we'll always remember Grimes' contribution to promotion, it's sad to say he's now giving away goals every game.

What choice does the Manager have, though? What are his options? Donacian? Naylor?

Losing Dunkley then Fadz then Williams has screwed us...

Exactly this. Even with a strike force of Messi and Ronaldo, we?d still struggle to win with the CB pairing that we are left with. Injuries have done us, the world isn?t ending and we are still in a great place as a club

Misnomer, on 04 March 2025 - 09:56 PM, said:

Not according to DW, it wasn't. Promotion was the target, as favourites. That's fact checked, btw..

He isn?t exactly going to come out and say we?re aiming for consolidation is he - that would really sell the tickets. Promotion was our stretch, consolidation was our target.

[Blue roan lily]

Fact Checker, on 04 March 2025 - 09:58 PM, said:

Exactly this. Even with a strike force of Messi and Ronaldo, we?d still struggle to win with the CB pairing that we are left with. Injuries have done us, the world isn?t ending and we are still in a great place as a club

Wrong
If this league had Messi and Ronaldo in one team and our defence theyd win 10-9 every game

[Misnomer]

Fact Checker, on 04 March 2025 - 09:59 PM, said:

Exactly this. Even with a strike force of Messi and Ronaldo, we?d still struggle to win with the CB pairing that we are left with. Injuries have done us, the world isn?t ending and we are still in a great place as a club



He isn?t exactly going to come out and say we?re aiming for consolidation is he - that would really sell the tickets. Promotion was our stretch, consolidation was our target.

Who told you that?

[CFC91]

I can?t believe I?ve travelled all the way down here to watch that. Absolutely pathetic from start to finish

Owners, management, players, none of them are exempt from criticism at all, and all responsible for the absolute shower we?ve turned out since mid December.

The recruitment has been truly shambolic, that 11 tonight, I really struggle to find many o think are good enough, despite our player turnover. The ?we get more right than we get wrong? mantra is all well and good but we?re sleep walking into an absolute car crash of a second half of the season, and we?re in danger of losing all the momentum and feel good we?ve had around the club and town.

Cook clearly doesn?t know who to play anymore, Mandy LW, Hobson in after not even being registered, Drummond registered then bombed, DH starting then completely bombed out the team. Feels so scatter gun and all over the place, like we are just hoping something comes together more out of luck than judgement. Shocking all round from everyone involved, pretty much since Carlisle away.

[dazcarrlegend]

Does anyone have the stat of how many times we have been able to start the same team two games in a row this season?

[paulwardle]

No shots on target and only 4 off target.

Hobson not good enough, Mandeville poor, Banks giving ball away all the time, Naylor off the pace, Colclough just rubbish and Madden woeful.

And that?s before we even look at the defence?

Clearly a big rebuilding exercise needed.

[azul]

Fact Checker, on 04 March 2025 - 09:59 PM, said:

He isn?t exactly going to come out and say we?re aiming for consolidation is he - that would really sell the tickets. Promotion was our stretch, consolidation was our target.

Keep on thinking that if it makes you feel better

[Bonnyman]

The Earl of Chesterfield, on 04 March 2025 - 09:52 PM, said:

The simple truth is we're left with a central defensive partnership second or even third choice last season.

And much as we'll always remember Grimes' contribution to promotion, it's sad to say he's now giving away goals every game.

What choice does the Manager have, though? What are his options? Donacian? Naylor?

Losing Dunkley then Fadz then Williams has screwed us...

At the end of the day Chris the manager is a coach, he needs to look at grimes inefficiencies and concentrate at what he is good at , no good trying to make him like John stones ( who is ****) because he has not got it in the locker

[Town_Fan]

Fact Checker, on 04 March 2025 - 09:55 PM, said:

Some right wet wipe reactions here. Consolidation was always the aim this season and we have managed it despite more injuries than I?ve had hot dinners. Top work by all to make that happen but it?s obviously taken its toll. No big deal, we move onwards and upwards next season.

You're pretty adept at rewriting history.

[MrTall]

dazcarrlegend, on 04 March 2025 - 10:03 PM, said:

Does anyone have the stat of how many times we have been able to start the same team two games in a row this season?

Even when he'd got the chance to play the same team Cook was making no end of changes.

[Blue5]

CFC91, on 04 March 2025 - 10:02 PM, said:

I can?t believe I?ve travelled all the way down here to watch that. Absolutely pathetic from start to finish

Owners, management, players, none of them are exempt from criticism at all, and all responsible for the absolute shower we?ve turned out since mid December.

The recruitment has been truly shambolic, that 11 tonight, I really struggle to find many o think are good enough, despite our player turnover. The ?we get more right than we get wrong? mantra is all well and good but we?re sleep walking into an absolute car crash of a second half of the season, and we?re in danger of losing all the momentum and feel good we?ve had around the club and town.

Cook clearly doesn?t know who to play anymore, Mandy LW, Hobson in after not even being registered, Drummond registered then bombed, DH starting then completely bombed out the team. Feels so scatter gun and all over the place, like we are just hoping something comes together more out of luck than judgement. Shocking all round from everyone involved, pretty much since Carlisle away.

Don't tell us, tell them down at Nuffields!

[The Earl of Chesterfield]

Misnomer, on 04 March 2025 - 09:56 PM, said:

Not according to DW, it wasn't. Promotion was the target, as favourites. That's fact checked, btw..

Promotion's the target at every club.

But then circumstances dictate otherwise in most cases.

In ours' the kinda injuries which make you question if the Club's cursed, the recall of one of our best players and being offered a daft deal we just couldn't turn down.

We were favourites because of Paul Cook. It's now as ridiculous to see folk calling him out as it is to expect him to get every signing and decision right...

[dtp]

The performances this half season are a bit like the ones when Cook first returned to us in the NL. He took us from a promising position to one in which we just made the playoffs then failed at the first hurdle.

We were in a promising position going into December but everything has been downhill from then.

However, we are back in the EFL. We should have learned more about this league, our squad, and what we need going forward. Had we over performed this season then we would have really struggled next season. Cook sorted it last time and he will most likely sort it again.

Biggest stand out point for me is how essential a fit Will Grigg is to this team. When he got injured last season we went on a horrible run of results but it didn’t matter because we had already won promotion. He’s unavailable again and we are struggling like crazy. If nothing else, Cook really does need to recruit the next Will Grigg if he is to persist with his favoured formation.

This post has been edited by dtp: 04 March 2025 - 10:11 PM

[Mr Mercury]

Fact Checker, on 04 March 2025 - 09:55 PM, said:

Some right wet wipe reactions here. Consolidation was always the aim this season and we have managed it despite more injuries than I?ve had hot dinners. Top work by all to make that happen but it?s obviously taken its toll. No big deal, we move onwards and upwards next season.

Consolidation wasn?t the aim. Promotion was, that was also alluded to with the mass January recruitment, it?s not worked out, that happens, what th e issue is is how badly we?ve collapsed.

[gloucestershireblue]

Two bang average teams separated by one goal. Another mistake, not quite, just a player I still admire and like losing his marker. A disappointing watch again but have to put things in perspective. Only one/two of today?s starters would be on that team sheet, if everyone was fit. My only criticism is the constant changes each game not because of injuries. It?s not going to help the players on the pitch.

[Westbars Spireite]

Misnomer, on 04 March 2025 - 09:56 PM, said:

Not according to DW, it wasn't. Promotion was the target, as favourites. That's fact checked, btw..

Or according to Cook, the board etc. We shouldn't have been favourites at all, but either way it's been very disappointing barring a handful of results/performances.

[CFC91]

Blue5, on 04 March 2025 - 10:05 PM, said:

Don't tell us, tell them down at Nuffields!

There?s a few who know the writings on the wall with regards to their future, which probably isn?t helping things either

[SpireRam]

CFC91, on 04 March 2025 - 10:02 PM, said:

I can?t believe I?ve travelled all the way down here to watch that. Absolutely pathetic from start to finish

Owners, management, players, none of them are exempt from criticism at all, and all responsible for the absolute shower we?ve turned out since mid December.

The recruitment has been truly shambolic, that 11 tonight, I really struggle to find many o think are good enough, despite our player turnover. The ?we get more right than we get wrong? mantra is all well and good but we?re sleep walking into an absolute car crash of a second half of the season, and we?re in danger of losing all the momentum and feel good we?ve had around the club and town.

Cook clearly doesn?t know who to play anymore, Mandy LW, Hobson in after not even being registered, Drummond registered then bombed, DH starting then completely bombed out the team. Feels so scatter gun and all over the place, like we are just hoping something comes together more out of luck than judgement. Shocking all round from everyone involved, pretty much since Carlisle away.

Feel for you mate, and for all those that made the trip. You?ve pretty much echoed what I wanted to say but I didn?t have it in me.
Let?s not beat around the bush, that Colchester team were absolute garbage. In august / September we win that game 3 or 4-0. To leave there this evening with our fans having witnessed us not muster a single shot on target is inexcusable.

[azul]

Westbars Spireite, on 04 March 2025 - 10:07 PM, said:

Or according to Cook, the board etc. We shouldn't have been favourites at all, but either way it's been very disappointing barring a handful of results/performances.

We'll have decent odds next season - silver lining

[60s 70s Spireite]

CFC91, on 04 March 2025 - 10:02 PM, said:

I can?t believe I?ve travelled all the way down here to watch that. Absolutely pathetic from start to finish

Owners, management, players, none of them are exempt from criticism at all, and all responsible for the absolute shower we?ve turned out since mid December.

The recruitment has been truly shambolic, that 11 tonight, I really struggle to find many o think are good enough, despite our player turnover. The ?we get more right than we get wrong? mantra is all well and good but we?re sleep walking into an absolute car crash of a second half of the season, and we?re in danger of losing all the momentum and feel good we?ve had around the club and town.

Cook clearly doesn?t know who to play anymore, Mandy LW, Hobson in after not even being registered, Drummond registered then bombed, DH starting then completely bombed out the team. Feels so scatter gun and all over the place, like we are just hoping something comes together more out of luck than judgement. Shocking all round from everyone involved, pretty much since Carlisle away.

Fair comment, and I dont think you can be labelled a wet wipe.
Recruitment has been a car crash.