Just seen they’ve won 3 of their first 4. Bit of a cliche but don’t seem many easy games atm, at least on paper.  I’m going a deserved but edgy 2-1 win.  Still not firing on all cylinders for a while.

3 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I honestly don't remember any v Stockport, happy to be corrected.  Can't remember any v Plymouth.  Today's was saveable, but not an "error".  Not interested in what he did for Doncaster, but I trust SS's judgement.

Against us, the keepers of Stockport, Barnsley, Reading and especially Lincoln all made several saves, its very frustrating.

Owain Fon Williams, the GK coach, had the pick of 3-4 keepers available for loan and, knowing plenty about them all, picked him. 

I don't know why it's not of interest what he did at Doncaster, the point being made was if he was shit they probably wouldn't have ended up getting promoted. 

He's not standing there waving all their efforts into the goal, or flapping about like the lad for West Ham has been. 

2 hours ago, gonzo said:

That first half is as bad you'll ever see.

Simons and Erahahon at home just can't happen ever again. Zero productivity.

Taylor will be our left back. Conway looked like a pub player today btw. 

 

 

Its wierd how folk (me included) see things differently to the bloke sat next to them.

I disagree strongly with all of these points.

7 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

You've lost me there, are you saying he can't make saves?  

Emphasis on the modern gk is placed on kicking, thanks to Pep. Another important facet is shot stopping, commanding his area. If he excelled at all these he would be a better player and be playing at a higher level. Hope this helps?

3 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

Owain Fon Williams, the GK coach, had the pick of 3-4 keepers available for loan and, knowing plenty about them all, picked him. 

I don't know why it's not of interest what he did at Doncaster, the point being made was if he was shit they probably wouldn't have ended up getting promoted. 

He's not standing there waving all their efforts into the goal, or flapping about like the lad for West Ham has been. 

I think its been misinterpreted that I don't rate him.  That couldn't be further from the truth.  I'm saying that if I was doing a scouting report after 5 games I can't write anything positive about making saves, because he largely hasn't made any, that's all.  Its not a criticism.  As I said I trust SS with all of his signings.

Just now, worthy10 said:

Emphasis on the modern gk is placed on kicking, thanks to Pep. Another important facet is shot stopping, commanding his area. If he excelled at all these he would be a better player and be playing at a higher level. Hope this helps?

Not necessarily at his age, I bet there aren't many 22 year olds who are No.1s at that level or above - Trafford was an exception but only after loans at Accy and Bolton.

7 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Its wierd how folk (me included) see things differently to the bloke sat next to them.

I disagree strongly with all of these points.

Indeed.

What makes the game beautiful.

I thought Conway was as fault for the goal and lost out on 3-4 duels during the first half.

When he got forward he looked proper leggy to me. Loads round me remarked on him having no pace. Bad day at the office, I think he's ace btw. But he's not bought Taylor in to sit on the bench.

In the first half we had absolutely no control in the midfield. Nobody wanted to carry the ball. It was so slow paced coming out from the back, Erahahon looked more interested in booting folk and Simons isn't Sheehan.

The manager took them both off ans Sheehan showed more poise and control than them both put together.

Imo

Edited August 23, 2025Aug 23 by gonzo
And the first half was fucking diabolical.

TSL made a really good save second half, cross in from the right, first time shot, he got down to his right really well. I’m pretty sure the flag went up, but it was a good save nonetheless.

I also think putting any blame on him for their goal is very very harsh. Maybe some of the best in the game stop it, but expecting it to be stopped isn’t fair in my opinion.

2 hours ago, Casino said:

Well

Well

Well

Im not sure Evatt ever served up owt worse than that first half

Granted, game plan went out the window

Anyway, somehow we got a point

Onwards we go, it has to get better

Soon

Wigan at home numerous times, Carlisle at home, Wigan away numerous times, Blackpool away ,Huddersfield home

Oxford Wembley

Let it go, Schumacher is a county mile better than the one before....Yes he is hampered with players on contracts  from the previous regime.......Go on i will bite tell me a better signing Evatt  has made over Schumacher

Fascinating the difference in opinions on that performance - we even had the folk that hounded Evatt out still trying to attach blame to him! It’s like they can’t actually see what’s going on - or don’t want to.

 

 

1 hour ago, Rival Son said:

Really? Conway was very good again today. Taylor looked very rusty when he came on, and let’s not talk about the farce when he gave away a corner!

Taking the corner out of the equation (which bizarrely led to our goal, they must be absolutely kicking themselves 😀) I thought Taylor looked good.  Strog in the challenge, quick and decisive passing.  The left defensive side is as strong as its ever been for me (in L1) - any 2 of Johnston, Taylor and Conway is great, compare that to Williams, Murphy and Schon.

6 minutes ago, gonzo said:

thought Conway was as fault for the goal and lost out on 3-4 duels during the first half.

When he got forward he looked proper leggy to me. Loads round me remarked on him having no pace. Bad day at the office, I think he's ace btw. But he's not bought Taylor in to sit on the bench.

Thought same first half, he struggled a bit with them targeting him with diagonals to the big lad on their right and did, as you say, look leggy when he tried to carry it forward. I half expected Taylor to appear for him at HT. 

He got a second wind, to be fair, second half, though largely as he'd zero defending to do as they gave up venturing into our half and sat with 10 behind the ball.

8 minutes ago, Eddie said:

TSL made a really good save second half, cross in from the right, first time shot, he got down to his right really well. I’m pretty sure the flag went up, but it was a good save nonetheless.

I also think putting any blame on him for their goal is very very harsh. Maybe some of the best in the game stop it, but expecting it to be stopped isn’t fair in my opinion.

And a decent one today first half from the right. I think he's been very unlucky that from the low quantity of shots he's faces they've been very high quality (or deflected). He'll be fine for us this season

21 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I'm not saying Randall is the answer, and I'm as surprised as anyone that he's starting every game, but that is plain wrong.  He hardly lost possession today, I honestly think some fans write the script for McAtee and Randall before the match kicks off and what happens in the 100 minutes doesn't alter the view.  And yes he was bloody awful at Barnsley.

Again, as I said it’s based on opinion, my opinion is he is genuinely awful. I think he’s the reason we are so poor in the attacking third. Static when we are attacking and chasing shadows when we are defending. When Burstow is being tasked to win the ball, he needs to be running behind but he never does. 

He cost £1.2m, he should be better than he is but again, like I say, that’s my opinion. 

44 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

He made a couple of good ones v Stockport and v Plymouth on the rare occasions they got near our goal. Bit of a fluke beat him on Wed and today's looked point blank, powerful header from 6 yards. He must have saved a few for Doncaster

Afraid you imagined those saves.

Stockport 2 shots on target, 2 goals, 0 saves, Plymouth 0-0-0, Barnsley 2-1-1, Reading 2-1-1, Lincoln 2-1-1.

In 5 matches, our “crap” defence have allowed just 8 shots on target. Only 1.6 per match. Unfortunately, TSL has conceded 5 goals from these 8 attempts: a save completion rate of just 37.5%.

Yet every time we concede, I read “Toal / Forino / Johnston / Conway aren’t good enough”. Those stats suggest they’re not that bad … but the keeper’s a bit dodgy!

 

Edited August 23, 2025Aug 23 by Rival Son

I think people can get far too caught up in stats

Just now, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I think people can get far too caught up in stats

In game, I’d agree. Over time, they can tell a  story.

6 minutes ago, Rival Son said:

In game, I’d agree. Over time, they can tell a  story.

They can also mislead

I hope he's got em in tomorrow doing nothing but how to take a pissing corner for 10 hours straight.

 

25 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Indeed.

What makes the game beautiful.

I thought Conway was as fault for the goal and lost out on 3-4 duels during the first half.

When he got forward he looked proper leggy to me. Loads round me remarked on him having no pace. Bad day at the office, I think he's ace btw. But he's not bought Taylor in to sit on the bench.

In the first half we had absolutely no control in the midfield. Nobody wanted to carry the ball. It was so slow paced coming out from the back, Erahahon looked more interested in booting folk and Simons isn't Sheehan.

The manager took them both off ans Sheehan showed more poise and control than them both put together.

Imo

Exactly, we all see it different.  Not on Sheehan today, pure quality, but like most he doesn't do it every week especially away from home.

I admit I hardly saw the goal other than the actual header, so if Conway was at fault fair enough. 

After the first minute I thought he was outstanding, and looked the least leggy of any of our players other than Sheehan and Johnston.  Great pace to beat his man consistently, hardly lost the ball, won his challenges including headers and put more crosses in than all the wingers put together.  Taylor might well play every one of the last 41 games, but that wouldn't alter the fact that IMO Conway is a class left back for L1, and will play championship level at some point in his career.

2 minutes ago, gonzo said:

I hope he's got em in tomorrow doing nothing but how to take a pissing corner for 10 hours straight.

 

So do I, every corner at our end was greeted by, bet this doesn’t beat first man, and it didn’t. 

32 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Indeed.

What makes the game beautiful.

I thought Conway was as fault for the goal and lost out on 3-4 duels during the first half.

When he got forward he looked proper leggy to me. Loads round me remarked on him having no pace. Bad day at the office, I think he's ace btw. But he's not bought Taylor in to sit on the bench.

In the first half we had absolutely no control in the midfield. Nobody wanted to carry the ball. It was so slow paced coming out from the back, Erahahon looked more interested in booting folk and Simons isn't Sheehan.

The manager took them both off ans Sheehan showed more poise and control than them both put together.

Imo

Conway definitely looked leggy today, he’s played a lot of minutes though. When he gets forward though he still looks like he has more quality than any of our wingers who all seem to lack end product. 
 

The lack of senior goals throughout the team is really starting to show, we’re crying out for an experienced goal scorer and someone to play behind Burstow with a goal threat. 

18 minutes ago, Rival Son said:

Afraid you imagined those saves.

Stockport 2 shots on target, 2 goals, 0 saves, Plymouth 0-0-0, Barnsley 2-1-1, Reading 2-1-1, Lincoln 2-1-1.

In 5 matches, our “crap” defence have allowed just 8 shots on target. Only 1.6 per match. Unfortunately, TSL has conceded 5 goals from these 8 attempts: a save completion rate of just 37.5%.

Yet every time we concede, I read “Toal / Forino / Johnston / Conway aren’t good enough”. Those stats suggest they’re not that bad … but the keeper’s a bit dodgy!

 

Should of saved Mcgoldricks, not sure about the rest. 

20 minutes ago, Under_Score said:

Again, as I said it’s based on opinion, my opinion is he is genuinely awful. I think he’s the reason we are so poor in the attacking third. Static when we are attacking and chasing shadows when we are defending. When Burstow is being tasked to win the ball, he needs to be running behind but he never does. 

He cost £1.2m, he should be better than he is but again, like I say, that’s my opinion. 

We can give him stick for being soft, or not making runs, or not scoring enough but the fee is irrelevant as that was the judgement of someone that paid £800k for Dan and Vic.

But Randall linked up play quite well at times today, especially 2nd half, and was often given the ball when surrounded by 2 or more men, he often did well to keep us on the front foot.  I suppose its like his shot on target 2nd half, was that a plus because it was a rare shot on target for us, or a negative because he didn't score?  Its not black and white but when its Randall or McAtee judgement is made before KO by many.  

4 minutes ago, CumbrianWhite said:

Conway definitely looked leggy today, he’s played a lot of minutes though. When he gets forward though he still looks like he has more quality than any of our wingers who all seem to lack end product. 
 

The lack of senior goals throughout the team is really starting to show, we’re crying out for an experienced goal scorer and someone to play behind Burstow with a goal threat. 

We've simply no threat in the middle. 

We'd be better playing two strikers. 

 

Just now, Johnnyrotten said:

We can give him stick for being soft, or not making runs, or not scoring enough but the fee is irrelevant as that was the judgement of someone that paid £800k for Dan and Vic.

But Randall linked up play quite well at times today, especially 2nd half, and was often given the ball when surrounded by 2 or more men, he often did well to keep us on the front foot.  I suppose its like his shot on target 2nd half, was that a plus because it was a rare shot on target for us, or a negative because he didn't score?  Its not black and white but when its Randall or McAtee judgement is made before KO by many.  

Randall unfortunately hasn’t got the bottle to play for a club and fanbase our size. I was more than happy to give him a chance but today was the final straw really.

He had 2 good chances and should of scored both. He’s currently our weak link, mental we’ve spent over 2m on him and Mcatee and we still need to spend more to find someone to play in that position.