I left the ground feeling thoroughly frustrated with the relentless long balls and lack of width; I even said that I wasn't looking forward to the next home game. That's not like me at all.
What made it worse was the fact that for 10-15 minutes at the start of the game we were playing really good controlled passing football.
Thanks Micra. I just think that you can't just take results like today in isolation. Nor can you just put it down to injuries when you are able to bring Weston and Saunders for example from the bench.
I'm a fan of Ainsworth as a person, I think he's been brilliant for the club. Some of the players he has brought in have been fantastic, the spirit he has on occasion managed to galvanise in the team is joyful, I think he's been the manager we needed at this stage of the trusts ownership.
However -
The style of football that he is partial to playing is at times like having a Dementor hovering over you. The real kicker of recent matches is that I can't recall balls flashing across the box, waiting for the final touch in. I can't remember it being knocked in behind for PCH to try and run on to. We've never really tested the opposition keeper.
Morecambe, at the start of November, was the last game I can remember when we've flown out of the traps at the start of the 2nd half. We usually start the last 45 minutes like we've had a nap at half-time. There's no energy, no urgency, no haste to do anything.
Also, although GA has brought in some top players over his time, for the last 2 summers - bar Bayo - transfers have been woeful. The reason we started the season so poorly, was simply the team was naff. He's almost inherited Waddock's trait, of turgid summer signings, amended by loan-saviors.
Whilst it would be reactionary to call for him to go after a dip of form, I wouldn't be disappointed if he was poached by another club.
Remember josh payne on loan for us in our promotion season a few years ago from west ham and am surprised he never played at a higher level maybe he had injuries or not i dont know but i remember a game at bristol rovers where he just controlled the whole game from midfield
@prufrock_91 why exclude loan signings when they make up a high proportion of players brought in, and especially when we seem to have a good rate of converting them into contract players? Gape, PCH, Kashket and Akinfenwa on permanent deals plus Blackman for the season is far from what I'd call woeful. The jury is still out on Weston, Brown, De Havilland, Muller, Freeman and Southwell but there's no confirmed duds is there? I'd be surprised at this point if Freeman makes it but the others all stand a decent chance.
I can understand the criticism of Ainsworth's style of football, even if it's not one I agree with. It's still a far cry from the dull as dishwater play under Taylor for me. But I can't understand criticism of his recruitment at all.
@bill_stickers said:
As the debt continues to reduce, ainsworth is getting larger budgets and more experience each season.
I'd rather we stick than twist.
Precisely.
Not trying to be controversial but I'm amazed at the caterwauling on here. We are still less than a month from the Spurs game, where Ainsworth and the team were described in glowing terms, some even using terms like genius and sensational.
Now it's all shit, crap, clueless. Someone even wants rid of Akinfenwa - the mind truly boggles!
Have people not heard of form? The team is clearly knackered, lots of 1st choice players out of action.
I've got no problem with people who aren't keen on Ainsworth's style of play - when we're off form it's really ugly. But we're still on the edge of the play-offs and have had a good season so far.
It's just the childish overreacting to a few defeats that I can't abide - it's either heroes or villains with nothing in between. And the hounding of players on social media is simply scummy stuff.
What makes it so frustrating is that we know what good football they can play - witness the early stages yesterday - yet it so often reverts to relentless thumping up to an overcrowded impenetrable opposition penalty box.
I have never really got my head round why we narrowed the pitch. How is it meant to help us or hinder the opposition? It certainly makes it more difficult to play attractive football.
Come on Rolo, you can't ignore that we only seem to have one way to play and that is hoof ball. Both A.Worboys and Baba make very good points. Even with three first team defenders missing and our leading goal scorer, we should have put Crawley away. We seem to be tactically blind and the level of entertainment is pretty poor.
I love the club as much as the next man and Ainsworth is a decent guy but our style of football and ability to adjust formation are both pretty poor. We are one dimensional at best!
We were pretty much in-line with the throw from Sido and blackman touched the ball it went out of play (just) and he then kicked it against the attacker. Imo it was partly sido's fault for the dreadful throw and partly blackman's for not dealing with it.
Having said all that Paris rose unchallenged and headed the corner in to his own net.
Funny how this isn't even mentioned in match reports and certain morons leap on the goalie has the only problem. Any player in our squad would have felt that throw in led to pointless pressure so putting it on the goalie is just dumb isn't it?
And as for those ball boys. What is the deal with them?
I really think Blackman is a class keeper. Sido put him under pressure yesterday when he could have simply thrown up the line. Can't believe people are moaning about him.
Sadly a game we should have won. Do I not like an early lead. To be fair, Crawley did what Carlisle did...quicker than us to loose balls and starting quickly after fouls as we still argued with ref. Having said that I thought Bloomfield and Muller and De Hav all had decent games and had we gone in 1 - 0 I think we might have edged it. Whether it was a corner or not we did not defend it very well...losing goals to set pieces? Who would have thought it?...and their second goal was a beauty. Jamal was set up by the Sido throw and the resulting goal was scored by our striker which he might not have expected so I'm not sure he can be entirely blamed. My only worry is that, with no keeper on the bench (Besides Baz) he knows he's the first name on the sheet...a bit of competition might help. Is it just me or is PCH going down a bit easily when in good positions? At least the big man is earning his crust!
If we're being honest, we probably weren't that great in the winning spell, and we're not that bad now.
Simply a case that we were solid, and had Kashket putting away chances, whereas now we're not, and we don't!
But when a team like Crawley score a goal like that second one, you really know it's not your day!
@Malone said:
If we're being honest, we probably weren't that great in the winning spell, and we're not that bad now.
Simply a case that we were solid, and had Kashket putting away chances, whereas now we're not, and we don't!
But when a team like Crawley score a goal like that second one, you really know it's not your day!
I sympathise. I frequently forget to pick up one of the winning numbers/prize money sheets (available at half time in the Woodland Lounge and presumably elsewhere?). Up-to-date information never seems to be posted on-line.
Apologies for not being able to help but it may be best not to blow raspberries at work colleagues just yet.
Thanks @micra I did not realise the details were handed out...I usually depend on the ancient ceremony of trying to hear the tannoy and craning my neck towards the screen...neither of which worked on Saturday. I'll assume they are saving my winnings for me. The scorching resignation e-mail will stay in my 'drafts'
Comments
I left the ground feeling thoroughly frustrated with the relentless long balls and lack of width; I even said that I wasn't looking forward to the next home game. That's not like me at all.
What made it worse was the fact that for 10-15 minutes at the start of the game we were playing really good controlled passing football.
Thanks Micra. I just think that you can't just take results like today in isolation. Nor can you just put it down to injuries when you are able to bring Weston and Saunders for example from the bench.
I'm a fan of Ainsworth as a person, I think he's been brilliant for the club. Some of the players he has brought in have been fantastic, the spirit he has on occasion managed to galvanise in the team is joyful, I think he's been the manager we needed at this stage of the trusts ownership.
However -
The style of football that he is partial to playing is at times like having a Dementor hovering over you. The real kicker of recent matches is that I can't recall balls flashing across the box, waiting for the final touch in. I can't remember it being knocked in behind for PCH to try and run on to. We've never really tested the opposition keeper.
Morecambe, at the start of November, was the last game I can remember when we've flown out of the traps at the start of the 2nd half. We usually start the last 45 minutes like we've had a nap at half-time. There's no energy, no urgency, no haste to do anything.
Also, although GA has brought in some top players over his time, for the last 2 summers - bar Bayo - transfers have been woeful. The reason we started the season so poorly, was simply the team was naff. He's almost inherited Waddock's trait, of turgid summer signings, amended by loan-saviors.
Whilst it would be reactionary to call for him to go after a dip of form, I wouldn't be disappointed if he was poached by another club.
As the debt continues to reduce, ainsworth is getting larger budgets and more experience each season.
I'd rather we stick than twist.
Re. Exactly baba spot on
Remember josh payne on loan for us in our promotion season a few years ago from west ham and am surprised he never played at a higher level maybe he had injuries or not i dont know but i remember a game at bristol rovers where he just controlled the whole game from midfield
@prufrock_91 why exclude loan signings when they make up a high proportion of players brought in, and especially when we seem to have a good rate of converting them into contract players? Gape, PCH, Kashket and Akinfenwa on permanent deals plus Blackman for the season is far from what I'd call woeful. The jury is still out on Weston, Brown, De Havilland, Muller, Freeman and Southwell but there's no confirmed duds is there? I'd be surprised at this point if Freeman makes it but the others all stand a decent chance.
I can understand the criticism of Ainsworth's style of football, even if it's not one I agree with. It's still a far cry from the dull as dishwater play under Taylor for me. But I can't understand criticism of his recruitment at all.
Hear hear bill.
Precisely.
Not trying to be controversial but I'm amazed at the caterwauling on here. We are still less than a month from the Spurs game, where Ainsworth and the team were described in glowing terms, some even using terms like genius and sensational.
Now it's all shit, crap, clueless. Someone even wants rid of Akinfenwa - the mind truly boggles!
Have people not heard of form? The team is clearly knackered, lots of 1st choice players out of action.
I've got no problem with people who aren't keen on Ainsworth's style of play - when we're off form it's really ugly. But we're still on the edge of the play-offs and have had a good season so far.
It's just the childish overreacting to a few defeats that I can't abide - it's either heroes or villains with nothing in between. And the hounding of players on social media is simply scummy stuff.
The goading of players like Blackman and then reacting with gleeful outrage when they respond is disgraceful.
@wycombe1991 A custodial sentence for ABH set Payne's career back a bit.
You just never read much on here about style of football when Wycombe are winning games.
I think attendances are more impacted by results and league positions than ball retention.
What makes it so frustrating is that we know what good football they can play - witness the early stages yesterday - yet it so often reverts to relentless thumping up to an overcrowded impenetrable opposition penalty box.
I have never really got my head round why we narrowed the pitch. How is it meant to help us or hinder the opposition? It certainly makes it more difficult to play attractive football.
have the ball boys been instructed not to retrieve the ball when we're winning?
@mooneyman It helps our 'style' of play. For an ex-winger, Ainsworth has a strange aversion to width.
Come on Rolo, you can't ignore that we only seem to have one way to play and that is hoof ball. Both A.Worboys and Baba make very good points. Even with three first team defenders missing and our leading goal scorer, we should have put Crawley away. We seem to be tactically blind and the level of entertainment is pretty poor.
I love the club as much as the next man and Ainsworth is a decent guy but our style of football and ability to adjust formation are both pretty poor. We are one dimensional at best!
BTW - even plan A is failing as we have only won 2 of our last 13 games in all competitions.
We were pretty much in-line with the throw from Sido and blackman touched the ball it went out of play (just) and he then kicked it against the attacker. Imo it was partly sido's fault for the dreadful throw and partly blackman's for not dealing with it.
Having said all that Paris rose unchallenged and headed the corner in to his own net.
Funny how this isn't even mentioned in match reports and certain morons leap on the goalie has the only problem. Any player in our squad would have felt that throw in led to pointless pressure so putting it on the goalie is just dumb isn't it?
And as for those ball boys. What is the deal with them?
I really think Blackman is a class keeper. Sido put him under pressure yesterday when he could have simply thrown up the line. Can't believe people are moaning about him.
People around me were moaning about Sido. He goes from hero to zero with unfailing regularity. Always "interesting" !
Sadly a game we should have won. Do I not like an early lead. To be fair, Crawley did what Carlisle did...quicker than us to loose balls and starting quickly after fouls as we still argued with ref. Having said that I thought Bloomfield and Muller and De Hav all had decent games and had we gone in 1 - 0 I think we might have edged it. Whether it was a corner or not we did not defend it very well...losing goals to set pieces? Who would have thought it?...and their second goal was a beauty. Jamal was set up by the Sido throw and the resulting goal was scored by our striker which he might not have expected so I'm not sure he can be entirely blamed. My only worry is that, with no keeper on the bench (Besides Baz) he knows he's the first name on the sheet...a bit of competition might help. Is it just me or is PCH going down a bit easily when in good positions? At least the big man is earning his crust!
I can only assume he was saving Saunders and Weston for ACCY thinking we would beat Sussex finest?
If we're being honest, we probably weren't that great in the winning spell, and we're not that bad now.
Simply a case that we were solid, and had Kashket putting away chances, whereas now we're not, and we don't!
But when a team like Crawley score a goal like that second one, you really know it's not your day!
Totally agree.
@Malone Agree with that: and when an average team like Crawley score a goal like their first one you know it's really not going to be your day either!
Did anyone get the 50/50 numbers? I never heard them and cannot find them anywhere. I might be rich...
I sympathise. I frequently forget to pick up one of the winning numbers/prize money sheets (available at half time in the Woodland Lounge and presumably elsewhere?). Up-to-date information never seems to be posted on-line.
Apologies for not being able to help but it may be best not to blow raspberries at work colleagues just yet.
Thanks @micra I did not realise the details were handed out...I usually depend on the ancient ceremony of trying to hear the tannoy and craning my neck towards the screen...neither of which worked on Saturday. I'll assume they are saving my winnings for me. The scorching resignation e-mail will stay in my 'drafts'