ianofcleveleys

They were at us for 10-15 mins after they scored, dropped off a shade just before we equalised then our goal seemed to knock them, they dropped off a lot then and made it easier for us to get out from the back without much pressure

Morley's been holding that midfield together and constantly starting things off for weeks, outstanding up to Portsmouth, no worse than anybody else then and v Ipswich and he's benched for Sheehan, who he carried v Vale. Headscratcher

And again, you're on a roll! Too many yesterday (not for the first time) looking around for someone else to lead and take responsibility. We have a fair few nice players that others might covet and fancy in their teams but not the sort of mix that will get us out of this Division. Whether Evatt and Markham sign players based on stats or watching them is neither here nor there if what they are looking for is stubbornly wedded to a particular way of playing. LWB position a case in point, three goes at that and none of them can defend.

This. 100% 👍

Against MK Dons, as bad as any side seen at ours and Posh, who are hopelessly inconsistent. Fatigue's kicked in since for some, new signings were supposed to mitigate against that but aren't.

The walking football was a nonsense today, again, we invited them to play the game in our half, they took advantage. Had at least 8 goal kicks first half and broke the press once, immediately giving it away when we did. With the back 3 of Johnston, Aimson and Toal, not only did we defend robustly and solidly, we got on with it from goal kicks and keeper possession, moving it forward with a bit of urgency and purpose. No way that Lee should be left out in big games, we're really short of nouse and need his a lot. The Jan window trick hasn't worked this time, unfortunately, collectively they have added zero to what we had. If anything, with Aimson and Dapo gone, we are weaker and the momentum we're used to from Feb onwards has dried up this time. We are too lightweight, too soft and too one-dimensional to get out of a division like L1. We hardly won a tackle all day, sometimes you have to put your foot through the ball and clean an opponent out rather than keep trying to nick it. Sometimes you have to shithouse your way to a win. We struggle to do either. Much as it's against Evatt's principles, laudable as they are, we need a few more signings next window whose stats and profiles major heavily on blocks, clearances, tackles made and duels won

Not sure Wycombe will pass us with those games in hand, not easy to switch big runs of wins on at this stage of season, don't see any below them getting to us either unless our wheel really does come off Something, even one point, out of next two games, then a little rest, may take us into Wembley in a bit better heart. We may well enjoy that day, play well, win and take some revived energy into that run of games in April.

A 0-0 away to the sort of team we find hard to play against wouldn't have been viewed so badly if it'd been on back of a couple of better results beforehand. At least we didn't toss in a cheap goal to give them a 1-0 win Said elsewhere earlier in week this window's business hasn't done what it was presumably intended to, give us greater depth and strength for last third of season and iron out apparent weak areas. So, we're still what we were before Jan but a tired, jaded version of it. Evatt reckons quieter March might help one or two of the newer lads get more up to speed, not convinced myself, Victor, Dan and Jerome will have done a pre season and all were playing regularly before they came to us so.

Concern for me is the bodies we brought in during Jan were supposed to add the sort of depth and quality that would allow us to rest one or two of the core squad that had got us to there. So far, their cumulative impact has been very limited, adding that to the injuries to Johnston, Thomason, Iredale and we're looking a bit fragile. No doubt valid reasons why the lad was happy to go and club to let him go, but Aimson's departure is looking a regrettable one. Was contributing 100% every game at the time, could have stepped back in for Johnston, or even to give Toal a break (young lad's played a lot of games in a rush).

Maybe they were jet lagged

It's the modern way with wing backs rather than full backs in a 4 I suppose, but there seems to be less and less emphasis on the defensive attributes, more and more on the offensive. None of our three LWBs are up to much defensively, Williams looking the weakest, while Bradley is a great prospect going forward but, as with Trent AA at Liverpool, has improvement to make without the ball. Not for me to tell IE and Markham their jobs but I'd have thought at least one of the three LWBs being a bit more 'defender first' might give a bit more flexibility when we come up against opponents with a strong, physical right winger. Right side's a bit less of an issue with Bradley or Jones, plus Toal's better at covering in behind the RWB. Our weakness yesterday for me, not the first time, was a lack of ability / desire to do enough to stop crosses coming in, an issue for a side like us that isn't great at dealing with a barrage of them. They had umpteen uncontested crossing opportunities across both halves, plus a few cheap free kicks out wide when all we could do to cut the cross out was give a soft foul away. Something to tighten up on in coming weeks.

Can see where @Johnnyrottenis coming from with the Jan recruits, Victor showed plenty yesterday but for various reasons not seen enough to convince that any of the others are adding anything much. Otherwise half the team was just knackered yesterday, as Evatt's commented. Two of the other three sides that played in those semis got battered, we scrambled a win, says a bit about us. We could do with that lighter period through March, maybe it'll help a few recover and reset and the others to get themselves fully fit and able to make some big contributions in that big run of games in April.

Thought a couple of weeks back Barnsley were starting to get a head of steam up, big danger to all up top at moment. Not convinced they have the quality but definitely got momentum, with games to spare up their sleeves

Been said already, soundtrack to my childhood, when it was him, Barry Davies and Brian Moore on the telly, Peter Jones and Alan Parry on the radio, doing European games in midweek. All those great moments, Ronnie Radford, Ricky Villa, Tardelli in the World Cup, Platini in the Euros, Wimbledon's Cup Final. Great memories of a great football man

Fair and balanced indeed, they were not a bad outfit by any means, strong, quick going forward, two handy front men, got plenty of good ball into them esp first half. Huffed and puffed a bit second half, final ball let them down a few times. One of the better sides we've faced at home so far

I thought that too, on way in I thought I'd missed that it was another Family Day, was that busy. Encouraging level of support and buy-in

Had a feeling that wouldn't be a doddle today and it wasn't. Vale were decent, Harrison a proper handful. Right that IE changed it around a bit for sure but we weren't at it from minute 1, sloppy, a few looking mentally jaded (prob understandably), we then had about 15 good minutes then it was a real grind. Victor did well, esp first half, hope it's only a knock he went off with, deserved his goal. Williams worked well with him at times, struggled after h/t, even less of a defender than John or Iredale. Not convinced with Mbete either really, couple of sloppy touches first few mins and never really in control of things after that. For a team that isn't great at defending a barrage of crosses we did nowhere near enough to stop them coming in, from either side. One big positive, Morley. Immense again, while others were making errors all around him he was constantly tidying up and getting us back moving forward again, held that team together today, especially 2nd half. Turning into one of L1's very best players

Never going to be easy against what was 11 behind ball as soon as they lost it but that high line could have been broken a few times if back three, esp Santos, were prepared to play it forward quicker. Too many touches required before they saw the option, when it had all but gone. Vic and Dion were making the runs and showing for it but not getting it. We still got into enough good positions today though but final ball, especially from wide, was well off it. Anyway, class won out over shithousery in the end, great goal and another good show from Dempsey, in great shape at minute. Until refs are directed to issue yellow cards as soon as they see time wasting, even if after 15-20 minutes, it will carry on unchecked. That ref knew very well what the no3 was about but just kept warning him, at least 4 times, till he eventually cracked, after over an hour. Keeper was nearly as bad.

There are some fine ones around London Bridge Station, including at Borough Market, easy / quick to get train down to ground from there.

You're right, always been scaegoats or (more kindly) ones the fans never take to. Booing them on, off or in the game just never been something I've felt to have any value. Haven't held back from giving it to the team as a collective (at the end of a game), the manager, the board, at some point over the years but that's where my line is I suppose. I didn't like that last night.

I was in East Upper so hard to pick up on the HT stuff (turned into a proper to-do anyway) but no doubt at all he was sent on his way off with a resounding chorus. Over the top, unhelpful and destructive (to any self confidence Kachunga may still have). Shows those who did it up in a pretty poor light, the same light most of them no doubt cast when they're foaming at the mouth like hysterical 12 year olds on Twitter.

Yep, both of those are good, some good humour and features in them

It's virtually all drivel, awful presenters and crap pundits. All opinions I know but a couple of the better programmes for me are the weekend morning ones, Johnny Owen and Friends on Sunday is quite decent, some interesting topics and guests

It's that bit of ruthlessness and guile we're short of, to turn decent enough performances against those sides into results. As said earlier in the thread, we're likely to come across Derby or one of the top 3 in play off semi, more required to get past them. Easy to pick holes in Dapo, Baka, to an extent JDB, this season but still over of 30 of last season's goals gone out of the club or onto the treatment table. Nlundulu may, with a bit more time, replace some of them but, unless a rabbit's pulled out of the hat before Jan's out, we might well still have enough to get in play offs but fall short there

Toal's a tremendous find, no doubt, could go on to be anything, but he's part of a three man unit that's upped it's levels by the game since they came together. Aimson and Johnson have both been outstanding during this recent run