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Post by stig123 on Sept 12, 2021 9:11:17 GMT
To make matters worse... not going to be easy to attract loan players in our current form.
We really blew it last season when we failed to bring in players at the end of the season when all our strikers were crocked.
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simonb
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Post by simonb on Sept 12, 2021 9:51:26 GMT
In truth we had our chance to go up last season and blew it. Opportunities for promotion don’t come around very often. Worryingly we could be at the point of decline and fall! Miracle required urgently!!
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Rags
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Post by Rags on Sept 12, 2021 10:02:08 GMT
Out muscled and out paced all afternoon (again). Our tactics (again)seemed to be to play the ball high which were easily cut out by the Grimsby back four. Grmsby would play it on the desck and within 3 passes were knocking on our goal. Absolutely. Whenever Grimsby had the ball at their feet, anywhere on the pitch, they had a pass available, often two. We seemed unable to find players to pass to. This was our game in previous season when we would move the ball quickly up the pitch and into the area but we don't seem to be able to do it this season. Instead we have these floated hoofs (hooves?  ) upfield which are the proverbial Cream Tea for big defenders. And yet we persisted with this hopeless tactic well into additional time. Why can't the coaching staff persuade the payers that long balls don't work unless we can win the second ball. And we didn't do that all game.  Gary Johnson is very happy to cheer the Pop Side and pump his fists when we win, but is conspicuous by his absence when we lose. The players gave us a clap, but not GJ. What's wrong, Gary - don't you like us when we lose? |
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petef
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Post by petef on Sept 12, 2021 10:06:40 GMT
To make matters worse... not going to be easy to attract loan players in our current form. We really blew it last season when we failed to bring in players at the end of the season when all our strikers were crocked. Were in a typical downward spiral stages of a club thats suffering the knock on effects of a near miss campaign thats done more damage than good and the core and spirit of a squad has to be rebuilt. GJ has to be given time and the backing to get things better. No problem with an average mid table season as long theres entertainment on show an were not getting slaughtered on our own patch every other week. However if there's constant disappointment, no sign of backing or improvement along with a relegation fight you have to start asking questions. I dont want to hear " we have to work harder on the training ground " or "the answers are in the building". Been there done that numerous times. Positive signs and real action needed pretty quick before the good players we do have get dragged down and start underperforming. |
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Rags
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Post by Rags on Sept 12, 2021 10:16:27 GMT
GJ has to be given time and the backing to get things better. No problem with an average mid table season as long theres entertainment on show an were not getting slaughtered on our own patch every other week. However if there's constant disappointment, no sign of backing or improvement along with a relegation fight you have to start asking questions. I agree. Unfortunately, at the moment there is no entertainment on show and we are getting slaughtered on our own patch. GJ has had the backing and the time. This season is different as he appears to be showing his achilles heel: at numerous other clubs he has failed to rebuild a successful team once it broke up. I still have faith that he will be able to bring in some loan players by the end of this month to provide steel where we currently need it. But then again, I've been accused of being a rose-tinter since the old days of Mervo's forum in the late 90s. My Gulls glass is always half full.  |
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Post by stig123 on Sept 12, 2021 10:24:28 GMT
The first requirement for a successful team is ambition. Not sure we have it.
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Post by plainmoorpete on Sept 12, 2021 11:03:29 GMT
FA Trophy it is then! Got to have something to aim for! 😉⚽️ Think the St Luke's Bowl might be a more realistic target. |
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Post by stefano on Sept 12, 2021 11:21:39 GMT
FA Trophy it is then! Got to have something to aim for! 😉⚽️ Think the St Luke's Bowl might be a more realistic target. I wouldn't fancy our chances against Newton Spurs at the moment pete. Certainly wouldn't keep a clean sheet! ⚽️ |
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Sept 12, 2021 12:12:31 GMT
Lost count of the injuries, Holman, Moxey, Little, Keeper. Where was Lapsi? Spoke to Dave Thomas at the match and apparently he’s got a knee injury but not too bad. |
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Sept 12, 2021 13:19:33 GMT
Compared to the previous two home games that was actually quite a big step up although relatively speaking that is in itself not something to be proud of. Once again our defensive frailties let Grimsby back into the match and while they are a decent side, one we could have got a result from.
We actually started the game the better side and caused Grimsby quite a few problems and when Wright was fouled on the edge of the area Little was able to come up with one of his special free kicks which their keeper could only palm into the net. Wright very nearly created a second goal heading the ball back across a goal for Lewis to smash over the bar from inside the 6 yard box. If that had gone in things could well have been different but we then promptly self destructed.
Unfortunately Grimsby were starting to find too much time and space with Efrete managing to get in front of Little and our defence just backed off as he entered the penalty area for him to score an all too easy goal. Omar generally had a good game and was named man of the match but in this instance it very much looked like he backed off as opposed to closing down Efrete on the edge of the penalty area and really do not know what he was thinking of? Moxey then gave away a free kick on the touchline that was hit at pace to the edge of the 6 yard box and came straight out to one of their players in the area who is able to volley straight in the goal. Personally thought Halstead could perhaps have done better to get there and punch the delivery clear but would need to look at it again. Grimsby were now in full flow working well in pairs with their striker nodding balls down nicely to fellow teammates or working well together on the wings causing us problems and another attack looked to have scored which was saved with a last ditch kick on the goal line possibly by Lewis to make up for our miss earlier.
Somehow we managed to keep the deficit down to a solitary goal at half-time and for most of the second-half. However as we strove to go forward in search of an equaliser we were very open at the back with two strikers versus our two defenders being standard every time the ball was kicked long. We so nearly scored an equaliser with a header by Lewis only been kept out by a reaction safe from their keeper which to be honest I thought had gone in. As the match went on our injuries mounted against a bigger side than us, Moxey going off at half-time, Little feeling something after making a last-ditch tackle on the edge of our area, Holman possibly hurting his ankle with both also going off. And then in a very short space of time Halstead got clattered on the head after having to dive on a through ball with our physio having to run from treating Halstead up to him. Johnson also needed extended and multiple treatments on his thigh which meant there were nine minutes of injury time on the board. Very early on in this period, Grimsby managed to catch us on the break as we pushed forward and their striker was able to guide the ball pass Halstead into the net and to be honest really could not complain about the result.
I think we missed Lapslie today as I think him and Hall can provide a solid defensive base and Johnson is not there yet, at least in that position anyway. Frustratingly we got some very good players in Little and CLE playing out of position on the wings which I think does not play to our strengths and better teams in this league are able to take advantage of this. With Whitfield and Nemane out wide we are a completely different team both from an attacking threat and their ability to track back. More signings desperately needed….
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Rags
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Post by Rags on Sept 12, 2021 14:21:17 GMT
Personally thought Halstead could perhaps have done better to get there and punch the delivery clear but would need to look at it again. From my view it looked as if Halstead palmed the ball away, straight to an unmarked Coke who lifted the ball into the net. It all seems to happen so quickly that I will need to watch it again to see what really happened. The Moxey foul was directly in front of me and I thought it was a good tackle. What do I know! What I do know is that the Asst Ref on the Pop Side was about five metres behind play all game and could not have seen any offsides, nor was he allowed to give any throw ins until the ref had signalled which way the ref wanted to give them. He was certainly nowhere near being able to see if Lewis' header had crossed the line. I thought it had done, taking into consideration angles and keeper positioning. Let's see what goal line technology says. Oh... I'm not really sure why Halstead is getting so much flak from Gulls fans. Or maybe its just the ones around me on the Pop Side...I'm not saying he is faultless (he is certainly no Mike Mahoney!) but he has prevented a number of goals already in three home games and while he has made some mistakes, he's not responsible for his mistakes falling to completely unmarked opponents. He got a lot of stick for Woking's second (I think it was Woking, the header that squirmed under his body. They've all blended into one by now...), but I'm not certain if he could have done much more. All players are taught to head the ball into the ground as it is more difficult for goalkeepers to get down to save it (even Bill Cannings taught us that at TBGS!). It was close in and Ince was unmarked (unsurprisingly). I've seen David de Gea concede a similar goal and Jordan Pickford has made his fair share of howlers. If goalkeepers of that quality can make mistakes then why can't Halstead? The problem is that his defenders are not clearing his mistakes or preventing opposition players from capitalising on them. So, as the last line of defence, Halstead gets the blame for his defence (and midfield's) ineptitude. Yes, it would help if we had a better 'keeper, but it would help more if our defending was up to scratch. Holman possibly hurting his ankle with both also going off. It was his knee. He went down clutching the back of his thigh, but Kai and Dr Vivek both spent time manipulating his knee and prodding around just above the knee cap. I was impressed he could put any weight on it for him to return so it was no surprise that he went off almost immediately. Typically, I completely missed how it happened. More signings desperately needed…. Most definitely! [thumbs up] |
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) upfield which are the proverbial Cream Tea for big defenders. And yet we persisted with this hopeless tactic well into additional time. Why can't the coaching staff persuade the payers that long balls don't work unless we can win the second ball. And we didn't do that all game. 
