Northampton Town (H)

[Johnnyrotten]

2 hours ago, L/H White said:

Thought the game was poor in the most part bar the goals, all on a big come down from the weekend I suspect 

That ball from Randall is a game changer and something we've cried out for, not sure any other of the squad have that in their locker, quality goal 

Onwards 

 

Tomo's was a great pass to Collins for the 2nd goal, Morley put a couple of 30 yard inch perfect balls through for Vic and Collins, but that pass from Randall was outstanding, the vision, angle and weight of pass sublime.  Of course without the great finish it would have been forgotten about, but what a ball, not in keeping with that poor 2nd half.

[Wanderlust]

3 hours ago, kent_white said:

Young lad looked decent at left back too from what I saw of him

Murphy came on at a time when Northampton were pinning us back a bit and giving no space for the wide men to get forward, and his defending was compact and precise - but the overlapping run to take out a defender Murphy made when Randall played Collins through was lightning fast and intelligent which tells me he probably has a lot more to offer going forward than we saw last night. Exciting prospect.

[Johnnyrotten]

53 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

Great point Arteta  and more to the point Gabriel have worked Zonal marking out......Would be man marking against Arsenal with one in front and one behind Gabriel.

Nolan may one day return and Manage Bolton now is not the right time

Yes I think Arsenal's success from corners is another argument against this recent trend for zonal marking (or rather not marking).  They piss all over it, but TBH a lot of that is down to the likes of Saka and Rice swinging in wicked corners and having, as you say, Gabriel or Havertz to win headers.  Their delivery and physicality are outstanding so even as a critic of zonal marking, sometimes the opposition is just too good. 

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

I didn't quite catch it at the time but watching it back, Collins' movement in anticipation of yhe pass for our third goal was really smart

 

[Eddie]

19 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I didn't quite catch it at the time but watching it back, Collins' movement in anticipation of yhe pass for our third goal was really smart

 

The pass is good, and seems to be getting the attention, but the run he makes makes that pass actually pretty simple because it opens up so much of the pitch that he can put it in and Collins will still get it.

Very very clever from Collins and without wanting to use it as a reason to bash someone else, it’s something that I just don’t think would enter Vic’s mind.

[Dr. Feelgood]

35 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Very very clever from Collins 

... & if it's not spotted makes him look a bit of a tosser & open to criticisms. 

[Eddie]

2 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

... & if it's not spotted makes him look a bit of a tosser & open to criticisms. 

Does it? In what way?

[Tonge moor green jacket]

1 minute ago, Eddie said:

Does it? In what way?

Maybe because he wouldn't be close to Randall, and therefore not available for the easy, less creative ball.

Large credit to the debutant too- that speedy run put the defender in two minds which would have helped Collins.

[matty2094]

The Vic Stick seems a bit harsh to me. Don't think he was outstanding but nowhere near as bad as people seem to be making out. I also feel like we missed him when he went off. Collins up top on his own with GT and Randall behind didn't really offer much. Did JR touch the ball in his first 10 minutes on the pitch? Felt like Lolos wouldn't have been a bad option to bring on personally.

Not really a moan per se, just an observation.

Also where was CMG?

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

Just now, matty2094 said:

Also where was CMG?

Curiously not in the matchday squad once again, much like Williams

I wouldn't be surprised if both have been earmarked for a move

[Dr. Feelgood]

41 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Does it? In what way?

He runs one way, into a vacuum of space. The ball goes an entirely different place. He looks like a dick.

Have you ever played the game ?

[Eddie]

Just now, Dr. Feelgood said:

He runs one way, into a vacuum of space. The ball goes an entirely different place. He looks like a dick.

Have you ever played the game ?

😂

Striker makes a run, ball isn’t played - he looks a tosser?

I mean, I can kind of get on board with potential criticism (even though I don’t think it would have even registered) but a tosser? 

[Johnnyrotten]

17 hours ago, Bryan458 said:

Has Collins ever scored 20 in a season ??

Not sure, but he scored his first goal for us on 2nd March v Cambridge and got 9 last season (8 league).

In the 5 months Sep to Jan he's scored 15 (8 in the league).

24 since March, not bad if folk want to include cups.  16 in the league (with no pens) isn't too shabby considering we've supposedly just sold our only proper goalscorer.

[ianofcleveleys]

7 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Not sure, but he scored his first goal for us on 2nd March v Cambridge and got 9 last season (8 league).

In the 5 months Sep to Jan he's scored 15 (8 in the league).

24 since March, not bad if folk want to include cups.  16 in the league (with no pens) isn't too shabby considering we've supposedly just sold our only proper goalscorer.

Said a couple of weeks back that, for all the furore about losing 20 goals Charles, Collins would get to 20 this season, even with us playing as badly as we were. More likely now I suspect. 

[Eagle85]

6 hours ago, kent_white said:

Young lad looked decent at left back too from what I saw of him

Aye, really busted a gut to support the third goal and took enough of the defenders attention to make it easier to cut inside and get the strike away*

seems more of a conventional fullback than a wingback type

*Lusty beat me to that hadn’t finished reading the thread

Edited January 29, 2025 by Eagle85

[Stig]

1 hour ago, matty2094 said:

The Vic Stick seems a bit harsh to me. Don't think he was outstanding but nowhere near as bad as people seem to be making out. I also feel like we missed him when he went off. Collins up top on his own with GT and Randall behind didn't really offer much. Did JR touch the ball in his first 10 minutes on the pitch? Felt like Lolos wouldn't have been a bad option to bring on personally.

Not really a moan per se, just an observation.

Also where was CMG?

Both points of view are right imo. We need a big focal point player to free up Collins, and while Vic is on he is up front taking some of the defenders' attention as he does work hard.

However, he can't head, he can't hold the ball up and he can't really pass or shoot to the level needed at league one. 

He's our best option alongside Collins because he works hard, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be trying to get better.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Don't shoot the messenger, but the BN reported stats that said Southwood touched the ball with his feet more times than Sheehan last night. 

If that's right, then something is wrong.

[mattbwfc19]

3 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Don't shoot the messenger, but the BN reported stats that said Southwood touched the ball with his feet more times than Sheehan last night. 

If that's right, then something is wrong.

tbf to Sheehan their number 23 sat on Sheehan for pretty much the whole game, he didn't leave his side

[Ratwhite]

3 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I didn't quite catch it at the time but watching it back, Collins' movement in anticipation of yhe pass for our third goal was really smart

 

Soon as he cut inside it was a goal

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Just now, mattbwfc19 said:

tbf to Sheehan their number 23 sat on Sheehan for pretty much the whole game, he didn't leave his side

Not uncommon that sort of approach. 

He has to be more effective though- either taking markers away, or just being better at moving and being available. 

If he can't, then Lolos and Randall are available and perhaps need to be higher in the pecking order.

We'll see what happens when the new man comes in, and whether he can find a way to get more out of him.

[little whitt]

2 hours ago, matty2094 said:

The Vic Stick seems a bit harsh to me. Don't think he was outstanding but nowhere near as bad as people seem to be making out. I also feel like we missed him when he went off. Collins up top on his own with GT and Randall behind didn't really offer much. Did JR touch the ball in his first 10 minutes on the pitch? Felt like Lolos wouldn't have been a bad option to bring on personally.

Not really a moan per se, just an observation.

Also where was CMG?

Got a 3 Game Ban 

[Cheese]

20 minutes ago, little whitt said:

Got a 3 Game Ban 

That's Matete.

[Ani]

7 minutes ago, Cheese said:

That's Matete.

Sickening 

[matty2094]

27 minutes ago, little whitt said:

Got a 3 Game Ban 

7 minutes ago, Cheese said:

That's Matete.

Sickening 

[ianofcleveleys]

51 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Not uncommon that sort of approach. 

He has to be more effective though- either taking markers away, or just being better at moving and being available. 

If he can't, then Lolos and Randall are available and perhaps need to be higher in the pecking order.

We'll see what happens when the new man comes in, and whether he can find a way to get more out of him.

Not sure how any new man will be into giving Sheehan enough game time, unless he's Russell Martin. I do think Sheehan can be effective further forward, and Evatt should have tried him there, but the big dosh has been spent on Randall. He's more likely to be the No1 in that area, unless we need the more physical Lolos to help Collins and Vic out till we get a real target man