[hilly81]

dim view, on 04 March 2025 - 11:13 PM, said:

Grimes was as bad as everybody else tonight but on the concession, the fault was your mate Boot's after Sheckleford for some reason chose not to get tight on the crosser. Their man was 4 yards out when he headed in a floated cross.

Sheckleford looks absolutely shot to pieces. He was decent when he first came into the team after his long injury layoff but recently he's been awful.

[Goku]

hilly81, on 05 March 2025 - 07:51 AM, said:

Sheckleford looks absolutely shot to pieces. He was decent when he first came into the team after his long injury layoff but recently he's been awful.

One who we can?t rely on and he?ll need to go in the mass summer clearing of 2025

This post has been edited by Goku: 05 March 2025 - 07:54 AM

[hilly81]

Goku, on 05 March 2025 - 07:54 AM, said:

One who we can?t rely on and he?ll need to go in the mass summer clearing of 2025

Agree. I was cross last night when I realised he isn't OOC in the summer. I think there is a player there but only as emergency backup and with the squad rules we don't need players like that taking up places. I'm reasonably sure had he not got injured last year he would have been moved on anyway. It's only due to our horrendous injuries he is still here (See also Palmer).

[danblue]

Westbars Spireite, on 05 March 2025 - 07:12 AM, said:

Really puzzled by the decision (are they linked?) to suddenly sideline Kane Drummond (after talking him up) and then randomly bringing back Hobson. This has the added impact of ruling out seeing whether McFadzean has regained fitness enough to earn a contract.

I think we will see Drummond Saturday (bench at least).
The more I think about, I reckon Cook thinks Play Offs at best (if we all of a sudden start winning), but if by a miracle we make it, we haven't got the team atm to win it. There is simply better teams above us, and even the 5h1t ones are beating us.
So, I'd say he's giving the team a shake up, giving players a chance to prove themselves in this league with a side eye on maybe it clicks, maybe in don't.
But, like I've said in a previous post somewhere, the silver lining is that a lot of players will be OOC so room for improving and building a team/squad fit for L2 promotion

This post has been edited by danblue: 05 March 2025 - 07:58 AM

[Nickycw]

danblue, on 05 March 2025 - 07:58 AM, said:

I think we will see Drummond Saturday (bench at least).
The more I think about, I reckon Cook thinks Play Offs at best (if we all of a sudden start winning), but if by a miracle we make it, we haven't got the team atm to win it. There is simply better teams above us, and even the 5h1t ones are beating us.
So, I'd say he's giving the team a shake up, giving players a chance to prove themselves in this league with a side eye on maybe it clicks, maybe in don't.
But, like I've said in a previous post somewhere, the silver lining is that a lot of players will be OOC so room for improving and building a team/squad fit for L2 promotion

Cook knew the playoffs were done when we lost to Walsall, hence why he was raging after. We?re now playing for nothing, but if we?re not careful will be looking over our shoulder. In my opinion, we should still be doing better with what we have

[lindave]

hilly81, on 05 March 2025 - 07:57 AM, said:

Agree. I was cross last night when I realised he isn't OOC in the summer. I think there is a player there but only as emergency backup and with the squad rules we don't need players like that taking up places. I'm reasonably sure had he not got injured last year he would have been moved on anyway. It's only due to our horrendous injuries he is still here (See also Palmer).

Palmer was motm last night.

[60s 70s Spireite]

There is currently very little pace in our side- we are getting done for pace so often now.
We had 5 players aged 32 and over in the starting line up- Colchester had 2 over 30.
Is that the reason?

[Lincs Spireite]

If, as others have said they can't see where the next win will come from, is there a chance we could be relegated ?

[Westbars Spireite]

60s 70s Spireite, on 05 March 2025 - 08:21 AM, said:

There is currently very little pace in our side- we are getting done for pace so often now.
We had 5 players aged 32 and over in the starting line up- Colchester had 2 over 30.
Is that the reason?

It doesn't help. When we aren't moving the ball quickly our lack of athleticism compared to the opposition has been clear.

[lindave]

Goku, on 05 March 2025 - 07:54 AM, said:

One who we can?t rely on and he?ll need to go in the mass summer clearing of 2025

Never been a big fan of Shecks, he was poor again last night. Good to see Coco back, hope he plays on Saturday. Dont think we will miss Madden he is not the same player as last year.I would gamble with Fleck for 60mins, Naylor and Mandy were poor and Duffy couldnt get into the game. We missed Dobra not starting cant understand why. Grimes is lacking confidence. I never felt we were capable of getting a point even at 0.0,which was thanks to some stunning saves from Boot.There was no motivation from the bench, Cook is no good to us sat at the back of the stands unless he has a megaphone. The game was aweful and the journey home would have been loads better if the Highways Agency did close major routes all at the same time, got home atc1.30am well done Ivor the driver and Chrissie the navigator through the long diversions.lol.

[hilly81]

lindave, on 05 March 2025 - 08:14 AM, said:

Palmer was motm last night.

My post is not a criticism of Palmer. Merely pointing out that if it wasn't for him getting injured and then our other subsequent injuries, he would have left the club.

[danblue]

Lincs Spireite, on 05 March 2025 - 08:21 AM, said:

If, as others have can't see where the next win will come from, is there a chance we could be relegated ?

13 points off 23rd
15 points off 24th (bottom)

13 points off 7th
Let's be right here, if Cook was 100% serious going for a Play Off spot and confident in winning the Play Offs, he wouldn't have put that team out last night.
As for relegation, it's still very much mathematically possible. But I think we've gone a bit like Man Utd - very much hitting our own 'transitional period' .
We will scrape an few more wins to be safe, Cook won't allow it to get so out of hand that we fighting off relegation.

As for Saturday's game, I remember Newport being very poor at the back. We will see Pepple back up top at least, and hopefully making the most of the crosses by Sparks

This post has been edited by danblue: 05 March 2025 - 08:45 AM

[danblue]

lindave, on 05 March 2025 - 08:28 AM, said:

Never been a big fan of Shecks, he was poor again last night. Good to see Coco back, hope he plays on Saturday. Dont think we will miss Madden he is not the same player as last year.I would gamble with Fleck for 60mins, Naylor and Mandy were poor and Duffy couldnt get into the game. We missed Dobra not starting cant understand why. Grimes is lacking confidence. I never felt we were capable of getting a point even at 0.0,which was thanks to some stunning saves from Boot.There was no motivation from the bench, Cook is no good to us sat at the back of the stands unless he has a megaphone. The game was aweful and the journey home would have been loads better if the Highways Agency did close major routes all at the same time, got home atc1.30am well done Ivor the driver and Chrissie the navigator through the long diversions.lol.

Sheckleford was so far out his depth last night it was scary.
Constantly being played around and caught out of position, not getting tighter to their players, consistently letting them cross into the box and the collision with Grimes trying to clear the danger was painful to watch

[Lincs Spireite]

danblue, on 05 March 2025 - 08:44 AM, said:

13 points off 23rd
15 points off 24th (bottom)

13 points off 7th
Let's be right here, if Cook was 100% serious going for a Play Off spot and confident in winning the Play Offs, he wouldn't have put that team out last night.
As for relegation, it's still very much mathematically possible. But I think we've gone a bit like Man Utd - very much hitting our own 'transitional period' .
We will scrape an few more wins to be safe, Cook won't allow it to get so out of hand that we fighting off relegation.

As for Saturday's game, I remember Newport being very poor at the back. We will see Pepple back up top at least, and hopefully making the most of the crosses by Sparks

Yeah, as you say play offs are out of the question but to be absolutely certain we need a couple of wins and sooner rather than later. The sooner we can can get Grigg on the pitch the better to feed of Duffy crosses

[spireitetoo]

danblue, on 05 March 2025 - 08:50 AM, said:

Sheckleford was so far out his depth last night it was scary.
Constantly being played around and caught out of position, not getting tighter to their players, consistently letting them cross into the box and the collision with Grimes trying to clear the danger was painful to watch

Tbf to Shecks, they were doubling up on him regularly, it's a bit harsh singling him out, as a team we were dreadful, sparkes gets little to no help on the left as well, no one was prepared to try running the ball, constant aimless long balls bumped up to a leprechaun werent going to get us anywhere, we were and have been totally clueless for the last 4 games at least...

[JonB]

The gap between us and the bottom two\three means its unlikely relegation will be an issue especially when you look at the form over the last 6/10 games where those down there are not really doing better than us, at least not better in a way that would see enough teams get past our points haul.

Just checked league 2 tables for the last 10 years and 42 points would see you safe, comfortably a couple of times, more than it would see you go down.

[Looker-on]

Westbars Spireite, on 05 March 2025 - 07:12 AM, said:

Really puzzled by the decision (are they linked?) to suddenly sideline Kane Drummond (after talking him up) and then randomly bringing back Hobson. This has the added impact of ruling out seeing whether McFadzean has regained fitness enough to earn a contract.

I thought so too, but I heard Danny Webb in his post match interview explain that Williams being out for the season frees up his space on the squad, like with Dunkley in the first half of the season. So there's still one place lert, apparently.

[JonB]

Looker-on, on 05 March 2025 - 09:21 AM, said:

I thought so too, but I heard Danny Webb in his post match interview explain that Williams being out for the season frees up his space on the squad, like with Dunkley in the first half of the season. So there's still one place lert, apparently.

That was speculated on last night by folk when Hobson was in the side. That likely will be filled by Mcfadzean once he is fit.

[dtp]

The Earl of Chesterfield, on 04 March 2025 - 10:45 PM, said:

Funny, in't it.

Folk complained when players were rewarded with the stability of new deals last season.

Yet now the Club adopt a more guarded approach it contributes to poor form.

We're clearly undergoing a transitory phase. As said Cook offered the non league lads an opportunity to prove themselves at a higher level, an opportunity too far for most. And unlike Wrexham and Stockport we couldn't spend big in January, largely relying on loans instead. So it'll be a busy summer, with probably two thirds of the squad being turned over.

I'd go for it Sat'di. A four-one-four-one high press with attack the best form of defence. There'll still be seven-plus thousand in the spring sunshine and that elusive win I keep on about will put these last few weeks into perspective...

I agree that the NL lads have somewhat struggled recently but it has to be said that the recruits brought in during pre-season have mainly disappointed as have the recruits brought in during January.

I accept some of the reasons are down to unprecedented injury levels but we do have to question the actual recruitment itself. Cook has presided over a high player turnover so he and his staff really do need to show a level of improvement in this department for next season.

We all know our weaknesses and some of them are down to the system we play. When it is good it is very good but when it is negated we always struggle. I do not expect that Cook will change the habits of a life time but I really do wish he would seriously look at a squad that can change to a Plan B or even C. A number of teams in the lower leagues can go away and defend themselves to win a point or three. We cannot approach any game with the expectancy that the opposition will not score. Introducing that expectancy, particularly into away games, could be a big help at times like these when the goals have dried up at the other end.

[hilly81]

JonB, on 05 March 2025 - 09:22 AM, said:

That was speculated on last night by folk when Hobson was in the side. That likely will be filled by Mcfadzean once he is fit.

I'd play McFadzean on one leg to be honest.