Bouncy pitch or not, it was the wind that, for me, make the aiming pump to Bayo tactic a poor one.
First half it was too short for him to get to. Second half they were over hit or players couldn't get to any flick ons he did make. This made winning the second ball an almost impossible task.
It did seem to me that around the 20 minute mark we did try and adjust to playing it on the floor more, but the non Existent midfield plus Weston and jakubiak being to wide from Bayo meant every one beyond the back four were woefully isolated.
A text book example of failing to recognise and then play to conditions. I do think GA and the management team need to take the lion share of the responsibility on this one - not that i'm jumping on any sort of anti manager bandwagon.
It is sad when people try and blame the pitch for a diabolical performance. Under Ainsworth we never get the ball down anyway. On the pitch, it is the best I have seen it since the days of Jin Gardener and talking to the groundsman yesterday, he was stopped watering the pitch at HT because of the children on the pitch etc.
Stop looking for excuses and face up to the facts that we play rubbish football and it will not change under this regime. You can tell the mentality of our coaching team when Richardson 'man in tights' kept Blackman out on the pitch before kick off to practice his massive punts up the pitch for Bayo.
I wonder what. Gems of wisdom Ainsworth is going to come up with on Sky today as a studio 'Expert' for the Plymouth game. He will probably say they are taking too long getting the ball forward and the pitch is too wide.
I for one am sick of the rubbish served up, and I love the club but we need a change now. To face another season of this dross is unthinkable. I know the rose tinted glass brigade will hate this post, especially the ones who hardly attend the games but still think they are experts and that GA is a god. Oh yeh and those who think our style of play brings results!
I missed yesterday's game (I am a season ticket holder) but it sounded dreadful. The Blackpool game was also shockingly dull. This isn't going to do anything to entice more people through the gates.
A friend of mine sat with me for the Blackpool game and said "I don't know how you watch this each week."
The fact of the matter is if we want more bums on seats we need to play more entertaining football. I will renew again next year but wouldn't surprise me if others didn't.
Perhaps the squad would like to play more entertaining and productive football, but the management wants to keep Plan A for the rest of the season, Certainly for the few moments they kept the ball on the ground it looked as if we could get a goal. Lets hope that at Leyton Orient next week we see such a team.
I was concerned before the game that County had two experienced strikers up against our second string CB pairing, but as it happened the centre backs were the least of our problems. Shambolic is an insult to honest shambles. Formation was all over the shop and having all our players in the penalty area NOT being able to clear a ball was shocking to watch. Penalty or not, I actually thought the ref had a good game, playing advantage a lot of the time. County were, like Blackpool, more up for the second ball than we were, pressed us throughout. Last time Nolan came with a struggling team he won 1 - 0 as well! I thought Weston played well when he got the chance, Harriman again in lots of space calling for the ball and ignored. I think it's harsh on Jakubiak as he looked useful, like Freeman, on the ball but I think three upfront was a mistake as others have pointed out if the other forwards are out wide Bayo's knock ons are wasted. It's not over yet, but not being able to benefit from other teams dropping points is a massive disappointment and makes our chances of the play-offs more remote to be sure. Although I would have loved an equaliser, we did not deserve to win. Gape's passing was poor today, but Luke was off the boil and when they took Gape off, they told Saunders to go in front of the back four...when I would have put Luke there as Saunders surely has more goal-threat. Blackman, for all the moaners, was good again today...but had no chance for the goal.
I admit that was an appalling game but I'm quite surprised when people bring people who cannot understand why we 'watch this every week'...It's called being a fan of your local club isn't it? You perhaps need to explain before hand that they are going to be watching the bottom tier of League football and make sure they drink a lot. I know some years we have teams that are great to watch, but all the people I know who support L2/L1 teams seem to realise that being a fan means mostly dross enlivened by occasional periods of pleasure.
Others definitely won't. Just from talking to people (and even having reservations myself after nearly 50 years as a fan), I would be amazed if the season ticket count didn't tumble.
In saying that, I feel slightly hypocritical as, a couple of months ago, I bit the bullet and joined the 500 club. I did so because I felt fairly confident that the January signings would lead to more entertaining football and I wanted to do my tiny bit to encourage that initiative. I don't go to away games but, from what I've heard, we played good football at Hartlepool. The highlights also seemed to confirm that. I'm not naive enough to have thought that this was a turning point but I wasn't expecting such a complete reversion to hoofball.
The one thing that would virtually guarantee an increase in season ticket sales in the summer would be promotion and it was the sense yesterday that the prospect was disappearing before our very eyes that made us feel so fed up.
@Wendoverman said:
I admit that was an appalling game but I'm quite surprised when people bring people who cannot understand why we 'watch this every week'...It's called being a fan of your local club isn't it? You perhaps need to explain before hand that they are going to be watching the bottom tier of League football and make sure they drink a lot. I know some years we have teams that are great to watch, but all the people I know who support L2/L1 teams seem to realise that being a fan means mostly dross enlivened by occasional periods of pleasure.
We didn't play any differently at Hartlepool to any other game I've seen recently (except perhaps we pressed slightly higher), it just worked. Even when Bayo went off Southwell came into the middle to try to play the same role.
Blue -since -1990 sorry to put my name forward but your post was 100% correct ,honest and hit the problem right where it should be, the scoreline and comments speak volumes i will now retreat under my stone and await the gun fire!!
@micra I'm not despairing, as I am one of those sadly deluded optimists. It's not despair to accept that in watching League Two football regularly you're more likely to see poor games than you are good ones, is it? There is often something to enjoy in watching your team scrap even if they lose or no-one would bother returning after a poor game or run.
@Wendoverman said:
I was concerned before the game that County had two experienced strikers up against our second string CB pairing, but as it happened the centre backs were the least of our problems. Shambolic is an insult to honest shambles. Formation was all over the shop and having all our players in the penalty area NOT being able to clear a ball was shocking to watch. Penalty or not, I actually thought the ref had a good game, playing advantage a lot of the time. County were, like Blackpool, more up for the second ball than we were, pressed us throughout. Last time Nolan came with a struggling team he won 1 - 0 as well! I thought Weston played well when he got the chance, Harriman again in lots of space calling for the ball and ignored. I think it's harsh on Jakubiak as he looked useful, like Freeman, on the ball but I think three upfront was a mistake as others have pointed out if the other forwards are out wide Bayo's knock ons are wasted. It's not over yet, but not being able to benefit from other teams dropping points is a massive disappointment and makes our chances of the play-offs more remote to be sure. Although I would have loved an equaliser, we did not deserve to win. Gape's passing was poor today, but Luke was off the boil and when they took Gape off, they told Saunders to go in front of the back four...when I would have put Luke there as Saunders surely has more goal-threat. Blackman, for all the moaners, was good again today...but had no chance for the goal.
Agree on your point about the opposition competing far more effectively for second balls. At our best (or most effective, at least) under Ainsworth I recall us being ferociously competitive in our attempts to press and win the ball high up the field. In the past we've used the small pitch to our advantage, forcing throws and corners with a high pressing, direct game and playing a high tempo in short bursts with the ball in play. That approach seems to have disappeared and in recent home games in particular we look extremely soft in the tackle.
Watching League 2 football does mean you should accept watching hoofball week in week out. You can go and watch local non league and even Sunday sides who try to get the ball down and play on pitches much worse than ours.
Unfortunately the majority of teams in this league generally play a hoof ball style. Ironically the only team I recall this season playing a quality passing game were Crewe in the first half and we ended up with our biggest win of the season.
Our best perfomances seem to be against the better teams such as Spurs and the higher level clubs in the Checkertrade trophy. Why does this happen?
@fromtheside completely agree that it is frustrating when we sign wide players and decent footballers and we play like we did yesterday, but often you are facing very similar sides which I why, I think, we played better football against Spurs than we did against the likes of Blackpool and County. I'm all for getting it down and when we do we look dangerous. But I'm not saying it is hoofball EVERY week...like the constant complaints from opposition sides we get about time-wasting, wrestling, moaning to the ref, faking injury it sometimes seems to me a grain of truth becomes a fact even amongst our own fans. I don't think we would be where we are (admittedly slipping away from the play-offs) having endured TWO bad runs of results and a decent cup run if we were just playing hoofball EVERY week in EVERY game.
@brittanywanderer ah, you mean out of the 'regime's control? Intriguing. So the players decided how they would play amongst themselves. But if that was the case, I cannot understand why they would ignore the regime's gameplan in a high profile game and not just do it every week then? Once they are over the white line and all that...
I actually like GA and talks alot of sense however we have played boring football most of the season ...last good game we played was against spurs . We dont have plan b. Players like Thommo, freeman , DV are not good enough
Not sure who DV is so can't comment but I think it's a bit premature to say Nick Freeman is not good enough! I've seen enough evidence in pre-season and in the EFL to suggest that, with game time, experience and match fitness, he will become a valuable member of the squad.
Had to miss a rare game, and it seems like it was a good one to miss!
Notts County are a very strange team. Often fielding some of the biggest names this division has seen, often together, no doubt on huge wages, yet never anywhere near the higher positions.
Such a shame, a win and we'd have been right in the playoff mix, with 7 to go.
As it stands, we basically can't make one more mistake now, or that's it.
It looks like winning the next 2 is absolutely vital
@Blue_since_1990 I 90% agree with you. Where I disagree is that regardless I do not think it right for us to ditch GA. For all the dross over the past couple of years there have been (admittedly not many) occasions where we have clicked and played really good football and at least we have been mostly looking up in hope rather than down in dread.
It is tough watching us and being a supporter at the moment but as other posters have pointed out / that's what we do - support. If you see yourself as a customer you have every right to whinge at the quality of your 'entertainment'. If you see yourself as a supporter, grin and bear it (and whinge with the rest of us on here) and hope it gets better. It will pass eventually. Just be aware that it's passing could make thing worse as well as better
Comments
Bouncy pitch or not, it was the wind that, for me, make the aiming pump to Bayo tactic a poor one.
First half it was too short for him to get to. Second half they were over hit or players couldn't get to any flick ons he did make. This made winning the second ball an almost impossible task.
It did seem to me that around the 20 minute mark we did try and adjust to playing it on the floor more, but the non Existent midfield plus Weston and jakubiak being to wide from Bayo meant every one beyond the back four were woefully isolated.
A text book example of failing to recognise and then play to conditions. I do think GA and the management team need to take the lion share of the responsibility on this one - not that i'm jumping on any sort of anti manager bandwagon.
It is sad when people try and blame the pitch for a diabolical performance. Under Ainsworth we never get the ball down anyway. On the pitch, it is the best I have seen it since the days of Jin Gardener and talking to the groundsman yesterday, he was stopped watering the pitch at HT because of the children on the pitch etc.
Stop looking for excuses and face up to the facts that we play rubbish football and it will not change under this regime. You can tell the mentality of our coaching team when Richardson 'man in tights' kept Blackman out on the pitch before kick off to practice his massive punts up the pitch for Bayo.
I wonder what. Gems of wisdom Ainsworth is going to come up with on Sky today as a studio 'Expert' for the Plymouth game. He will probably say they are taking too long getting the ball forward and the pitch is too wide.
I for one am sick of the rubbish served up, and I love the club but we need a change now. To face another season of this dross is unthinkable. I know the rose tinted glass brigade will hate this post, especially the ones who hardly attend the games but still think they are experts and that GA is a god. Oh yeh and those who think our style of play brings results!
Anyone else see the corner where the ball bounced past Max when he doing something with his socks. That' was my Charlie Brown "Good Grief " moment
I missed yesterday's game (I am a season ticket holder) but it sounded dreadful. The Blackpool game was also shockingly dull. This isn't going to do anything to entice more people through the gates.
A friend of mine sat with me for the Blackpool game and said "I don't know how you watch this each week."
The fact of the matter is if we want more bums on seats we need to play more entertaining football. I will renew again next year but wouldn't surprise me if others didn't.
Perhaps the squad would like to play more entertaining and productive football, but the management wants to keep Plan A for the rest of the season, Certainly for the few moments they kept the ball on the ground it looked as if we could get a goal. Lets hope that at Leyton Orient next week we see such a team.
I was concerned before the game that County had two experienced strikers up against our second string CB pairing, but as it happened the centre backs were the least of our problems. Shambolic is an insult to honest shambles. Formation was all over the shop and having all our players in the penalty area NOT being able to clear a ball was shocking to watch. Penalty or not, I actually thought the ref had a good game, playing advantage a lot of the time. County were, like Blackpool, more up for the second ball than we were, pressed us throughout. Last time Nolan came with a struggling team he won 1 - 0 as well! I thought Weston played well when he got the chance, Harriman again in lots of space calling for the ball and ignored. I think it's harsh on Jakubiak as he looked useful, like Freeman, on the ball but I think three upfront was a mistake as others have pointed out if the other forwards are out wide Bayo's knock ons are wasted. It's not over yet, but not being able to benefit from other teams dropping points is a massive disappointment and makes our chances of the play-offs more remote to be sure. Although I would have loved an equaliser, we did not deserve to win. Gape's passing was poor today, but Luke was off the boil and when they took Gape off, they told Saunders to go in front of the back four...when I would have put Luke there as Saunders surely has more goal-threat. Blackman, for all the moaners, was good again today...but had no chance for the goal.
Also, we did improve when Hayes came on...
I admit that was an appalling game but I'm quite surprised when people bring people who cannot understand why we 'watch this every week'...It's called being a fan of your local club isn't it? You perhaps need to explain before hand that they are going to be watching the bottom tier of League football and make sure they drink a lot. I know some years we have teams that are great to watch, but all the people I know who support L2/L1 teams seem to realise that being a fan means mostly dross enlivened by occasional periods of pleasure.
Others definitely won't. Just from talking to people (and even having reservations myself after nearly 50 years as a fan), I would be amazed if the season ticket count didn't tumble.
In saying that, I feel slightly hypocritical as, a couple of months ago, I bit the bullet and joined the 500 club. I did so because I felt fairly confident that the January signings would lead to more entertaining football and I wanted to do my tiny bit to encourage that initiative. I don't go to away games but, from what I've heard, we played good football at Hartlepool. The highlights also seemed to confirm that. I'm not naive enough to have thought that this was a turning point but I wasn't expecting such a complete reversion to hoofball.
The one thing that would virtually guarantee an increase in season ticket sales in the summer would be promotion and it was the sense yesterday that the prospect was disappearing before our very eyes that made us feel so fed up.
Above post was a very slowly typed response to @fromtheside's post above. (Just to explain the first sentence.)
A counsel of despair if ever I heard it!
We didn't play any differently at Hartlepool to any other game I've seen recently (except perhaps we pressed slightly higher), it just worked. Even when Bayo went off Southwell came into the middle to try to play the same role.
The Notts County game sounded awful.
Blue -since -1990 sorry to put my name forward but your post was 100% correct ,honest and hit the problem right where it should be, the scoreline and comments speak volumes i will now retreat under my stone and await the gun fire!!
@micra I'm not despairing, as I am one of those sadly deluded optimists. It's not despair to accept that in watching League Two football regularly you're more likely to see poor games than you are good ones, is it? There is often something to enjoy in watching your team scrap even if they lose or no-one would bother returning after a poor game or run.
We live in hope, even if those hopes are so often dashed.
Agree on your point about the opposition competing far more effectively for second balls. At our best (or most effective, at least) under Ainsworth I recall us being ferociously competitive in our attempts to press and win the ball high up the field. In the past we've used the small pitch to our advantage, forcing throws and corners with a high pressing, direct game and playing a high tempo in short bursts with the ball in play. That approach seems to have disappeared and in recent home games in particular we look extremely soft in the tackle.
Watching League 2 football does mean you should accept watching hoofball week in week out. You can go and watch local non league and even Sunday sides who try to get the ball down and play on pitches much worse than ours.
Let's hope you meant doesn't @fromtheside !
Unfortunately the majority of teams in this league generally play a hoof ball style. Ironically the only team I recall this season playing a quality passing game were Crewe in the first half and we ended up with our biggest win of the season.
Our best perfomances seem to be against the better teams such as Spurs and the higher level clubs in the Checkertrade trophy. Why does this happen?
@fromtheside completely agree that it is frustrating when we sign wide players and decent footballers and we play like we did yesterday, but often you are facing very similar sides which I why, I think, we played better football against Spurs than we did against the likes of Blackpool and County. I'm all for getting it down and when we do we look dangerous. But I'm not saying it is hoofball EVERY week...like the constant complaints from opposition sides we get about time-wasting, wrestling, moaning to the ref, faking injury it sometimes seems to me a grain of truth becomes a fact even amongst our own fans. I don't think we would be where we are (admittedly slipping away from the play-offs) having endured TWO bad runs of results and a decent cup run if we were just playing hoofball EVERY week in EVERY game.
Perhaps the player's we're trying to play their own style of football in the cup games.
@brittanywanderer ah, you mean out of the 'regime's control? Intriguing. So the players decided how they would play amongst themselves. But if that was the case, I cannot understand why they would ignore the regime's gameplan in a high profile game and not just do it every week then? Once they are over the white line and all that...
Yes @micra I did.
I actually like GA and talks alot of sense however we have played boring football most of the season ...last good game we played was against spurs . We dont have plan b. Players like Thommo, freeman , DV are not good enough
Darcus Vean?
Not sure who DV is so can't comment but I think it's a bit premature to say Nick Freeman is not good enough! I've seen enough evidence in pre-season and in the EFL to suggest that, with game time, experience and match fitness, he will become a valuable member of the squad.
Give him a go. Can't be any worse than the rest.
,,,,,,,
Had to miss a rare game, and it seems like it was a good one to miss!
Notts County are a very strange team. Often fielding some of the biggest names this division has seen, often together, no doubt on huge wages, yet never anywhere near the higher positions.
Such a shame, a win and we'd have been right in the playoff mix, with 7 to go.
As it stands, we basically can't make one more mistake now, or that's it.
It looks like winning the next 2 is absolutely vital
@Blue_since_1990 I 90% agree with you. Where I disagree is that regardless I do not think it right for us to ditch GA. For all the dross over the past couple of years there have been (admittedly not many) occasions where we have clicked and played really good football and at least we have been mostly looking up in hope rather than down in dread.
It is tough watching us and being a supporter at the moment but as other posters have pointed out / that's what we do - support. If you see yourself as a customer you have every right to whinge at the quality of your 'entertainment'. If you see yourself as a supporter, grin and bear it (and whinge with the rest of us on here) and hope it gets better. It will pass eventually. Just be aware that it's passing could make thing worse as well as better