Leyton Orient (H)

[Johnnyrotten]

2 minutes ago, Stig said:

Scanned tickets into both indoor and outdoor fanzones too. Not bothered as I had a ticket but seems overkill for a game v Leyton Orient.

The new indoor fanzone is really good btw. Bit of a queue for beer with only 1 bar and I imagine more will pop up as it gets more embedded but it's adding to what's becoming a decent set up now for socialising around the stadium. Good work from the club

Where is the indoor fanzone?

[desperado]

Just now, Johnnyrotten said:

Where is the indoor fanzone?

The premier suite 

[Stig]

6 hours ago, noxid said:

Being out muscled by this lot.

Can Conway ever make a forward throw in. Every single time it goes backwards even when deep in the opposition half. Ultimately it ends up all the way back with our keeper.

This has been one of my biggest issues about the way we play for a while. Almost all trow ins go backwards and end up with the goalie, and we end up punting it long anyway and lose the ball.

McAtee was free almost the full first half for a throw to him between their defence and midfield and we wouldn't throw it to him, or throw it longer into the box. It got to 55 mins and the fans kicking off about it before SS told Conway to just throw it forward and all of a sudden we looked more on the front toot. Basic stuff you teach 7 year olds.

[W.cramp]

Mcatee given a chance today ,   he is fakin shite.  Stood out as the worst player in the team today and that took some doing.

3 points is 3 points.   Park it and move on

[Stig]

3 minutes ago, desperado said:

The premier suite 

Oh is that what it was used for? I remember it being the original fanzone about 20 years ago and since then always just thought it was some derelict area where they seemed to have people volunteering to show you how to do CPR or something.

[Stig]

9 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

On another note, I thought the best player on the pitch was their left winger, Archibald.  I remember him from a couple of years ago as he had a great 2nd half that day with his assist and goal (a few mentioned him here on the match thread).  Today he scored, and deserved an assist with his crossing.  Left footed from the left wing, that'll never catch on.  His goal today was bizarrely similar to the one 2 years ago, at the same end.

 

I think I sit near you in ESL and I was wondering who that number 44 on the other wing was today as he was great first half. 

And then saw his name on his shirt second half and remembered back to a couple of years ago. Based off a very limited sample of 2 times I've seen him play he looks a higher level.

[Johnnyrotten]

3 minutes ago, desperado said:

Happy to take that 😊👍

But I’ll always back my positive realism up and (as my post on the other thread says) offer a balanced perspective. 

The way some go on, you wouldn’t think we were sat in 3rd, still in with a good shout of promotion. 

We all like your positivity, but if you're talking balance, I think you'd need to add some criticism occasionally 🙂.  SS is allowed to make mistakes (recruitment or selections or formations or substitutions) and still be the man for the job.  Whatever position we are (let's hope Bradford and Stockport lose their games in hand to keep us 3rd), we've got 46 points from 28 games and you will be as aware as any of us that we should have more given the fixtures we've had in the last month.  It really should be us in 2nd not Lincoln, its frustrating.

[Kane57]

4 minutes ago, Stig said:

I think I sit near you in ESL and I was wondering who that number 44 on the other wing was today as he was great first half. 

And then saw his name on his shirt second half and remembered back to a couple of years ago. Based off a very limited sample of 2 times I've seen him play he looks a higher level.

I sit on ESL halfway and was impressed with the lad - he's obviously a bit arrogant but can back it up. 

Looks like a bellend, mind you

 

Edited January 24 by Kane57

[desperado]

2 minutes ago, Stig said:

This has been one of my biggest issues about the way we play for a while. Almost all trow ins go backwards and end up with the goalie, and we end up punting it long anyway and lose the ball.

McAtee was free almost the full first half for a throw to him between their defence and midfield and we wouldn't throw it to him, or throw it longer into the box. It got to 55 mins and the fans kicking off about it before SS told Conway to just throw it forward and all of a sudden we looked more on the front toot. Basic stuff you teach 7 year olds.

Balance seems to be my theme of the evening.

While I agree, there’s occasions where we could go forward more and quicker…

.. there’s also many occasions when going back is absolutely the right decision (it helps us keep possession!) - and  there are some fans who are just absolutely blinded, berating every ball that goes backwards.

There were at least two occasions today when we created good opportunities after the first couple of passes went backwards and were then subsequently criticised merely because they were backwards passes.

Funny also that the same fans around us who booed and moaned the backwards passes also moaned about the forwards passes that went into melee of defenders or missed their intended forwards target!

[desperado]

9 minutes ago, Stig said:

Oh is that what it was used for? I remember it being the original fanzone about 20 years ago and since then always just thought it was some derelict area where they seemed to have people volunteering to show you how to do CPR or something.

They resurrected it a couple of home games ago.

I didn’t go in myself.

By the way I also thought their number 44 had a very good game 

[Johnnyrotten]

8 minutes ago, Stig said:

I think I sit near you in ESL and I was wondering who that number 44 on the other wing was today as he was great first half. 

And then saw his name on his shirt second half and remembered back to a couple of years ago. Based off a very limited sample of 2 times I've seen him play he looks a higher level.

Had a strange career really, brought up with Celtic then moved to Brentford B team.  A year at Macclesfield then a year at Lincoln without doing much, signed for Orient but got an ACL Feb 24 (not long after scoring here), got another injury Nov 24, contract ran out while injured, signed a deal till end of this season, played his 1st game 2 months ago.  Available on a free this summer.

If we signed him he'd play on the right wing and would be a fish out of water!

[desperado]

3 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

We all like your positivity, but if you're talking balance, I think you'd need to add some criticism occasionally 🙂.  SS is allowed to make mistakes (recruitment or selections or formations or substitutions) and still be the man for the job.  Whatever position we are (let's hope Bradford and Stockport lose their games in hand to keep us 3rd), we've got 46 points from 28 games and you will be as aware as any of us that we should have more given the fixtures we've had in the last month.  It really should be us in 2nd not Lincoln, its frustrating.

I have said some of the criticism is valid.

We’re short up front. We miss Sheehan. Up till Wigan, that run of games and performances was awful.

Theres more… but why would I repeat it when there’s more than enough on here and across social media who take great delight in repeatedly telling us where we are short? Me agreeing and repeating all that would be wasted words.

Let’s have an alternative opinion that isn’t so gloomy but offers a realistically positive take. 

In this last month, where were the folk saying, minor tweaks and  we’ll sort this out, SS can and will be flexible, couple of new signings will get us on track, win at Wigan, beat LO, draw at Stevenage, things will start looking better - hardly any of that. But plenty of virtual patting each other on the back for saying how shit everything is. 

[worthy10]

I do enjoy the commonly held, views of our club that are shared on Wandersways:

The general standard of football and officiating is as bad as most of us can remember.

We have consistently been pretty rubbish particularly away from home.

We create many chances that aren't converted. This must be addresses either by coaching, this hasn't worked or we need to buy a proper bully, fox in the box striker in this window. This will give us the best possible chance of promotion this season, that is imperative.

I just want to refer to 2 of our players. MAX Conway, a bonus to our side in the last year or so that we have developed through the ranks. He's impressive going forward making mazey runs, not much comes from them but they are problematic to defend against. He isn't a full back. Not strong or quick enough and is often tactically out of position. He needs competition to raise his game and improve?

McAtee. He signed for a lot of money and I thought and hoped that he would deliver. But unfortunately he has been given more than enough chances to prove himself and failed. Too many flicks and tricks that just don't come off. He isn't quick enough to find space or run clear of a man. Bottom line, he just isn't as good as he or IE thinks he is. He will be on a good wage, so moving him on will free up a good wedge. God knows how we would do that.

Promising signs from EE and Simons in the second half, they need more confidence. Dalby is improving.

[jayjayoghani]

6 hours ago, Zico said:

Aye, that's the plan

In one week I've had

12.30pm KO (10.30pm)

3pm (1am)

7.45pm (5.45am)

I can already see it's the 3pm ones that will be a struggle, others will be easy

Be easier when clocks go back

Unsure if you're taking the piss or not but welcome to the land where the clocks never change. And the twice yearly tiresome shit about whether or not Queensland should have daylight saving or not. Driven by southerners who have moved north fiercely resisted by proper conservative Queenslanders who oppose everything. 

[Zico]

16 minutes ago, jayjayoghani said:

Unsure if you're taking the piss or not but welcome to the land where the clocks never change. And the twice yearly tiresome shit about whether or not Queensland should have daylight saving or not. Driven by southerners who have moved north fiercely resisted by proper conservative Queenslanders who oppose everything. 

Nah I meant when the clocks go back UK time those kick off times become 9.30, 12 and 4.45

I think

[jeep]

Anyway, another win.....

7 points from a possible 9.....

But.....

We're fecking shite, the managers a cunt, such and such a player is fecking shite, such and such a player is a cunt.....

 

We're in division 3........ set your expectations, ya cunts.....

Some of you lot hate us winning.....

 

Roll on Tuesday, and another 3 points.....

 

 

[jayjayoghani]

2 hours ago, Zico said:

Nah I meant when the clocks go back UK time those kick off times become 9.30, 12 and 4.45

I think

In a two horse race you chose the donkey. Difference is 10hrs. Clocks go forward in UK in March so it becomes 9 hrs. 

KO times are right though. 

[jayjayoghani]

Oh and page 8 of this thread is embarrassing. Yes my Sunday morning ritual is to read the lot. 

Usually a mixture of hope, despair, anger, hatred and very little joy. Keep it up. 

[masi 51]

6 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

On another note, I thought the best player on the pitch was their left winger, Archibald.  I remember him from a couple of years ago as he had a great 2nd half that day with his assist and goal (a few mentioned him here on the match thread).  Today he scored, and deserved an assist with his crossing.  Left footed from the left wing, that'll never catch on.  His goal today was bizarrely similar to the one 2 years ago, at the same end.

 

Very good player...Missed all last season with a bad injury i think he would have got them promoted if he was fit

[Wanderlust]

4 hours ago, jeep said:

Anyway, another win.....

7 points from a possible 9.....

But.....

We're fecking shite, the managers a cunt, such and such a player is fecking shite, such and such a player is a cunt.....

 

We're in division 3........ set your expectations, ya cunts.....

Some of you lot hate us winning.....

 

Roll on Tuesday, and another 3 points.....

 

 

Or…

9 points out of the last possible 21

And nobody on here “hates us winning” - everyone  on here wanted us to get all 21 points which would have put us top of the league, but we weren’t good enough - against division 3 opposition as you point out - so it’s you that needs to “set your expectations”  not the realists.

So if we’re going to get promoted we need to be better,  more ruthless and more consistent and that’s fair comment so wind your neck in because we aren’t Brazil, but we’re in with a chance. And everyone on here wants us to progress.

[Stig]

13 hours ago, Eddie said:

Didn’t like the idea of changing formation and it proved to be a poor decision.

I don’t get the idea that it’s a more defensive set up - I know you have a 3rd centre back, but you get 2 up front. We haven’t got the players to play through the lines to a centre forward who is making runs off the shoulder. We’ve got a big man who’s showing more and more that he’s an effective target man, and so playing off him with a 2nd striker and runners from midfield is far more effective.

Add to that that most of our players are more suited in a 352.

Tutu and Conway are better wing backs than full backs (I actually don’t think either are even half decent at full back so it’s not hard)

Toal and GJ are shaky as fuck in a two - put Forino in the middle of them and it properly looks solid.

McAtee isn’t a 10, nor is Burstow. They’re better in a front 2

Dalby is getting better and better, he’s causing problems and winning flick ons - funnily enough he looks better with a strike partner alongside him.

The centre mids look more balanced, Erhahon went from having a poor game to having a really good last 25 mins - might be coincidence but the formation change helped.

Dempsey and Morley are better in the 8 role.

The players that lose out are ACD and Gale. One looks like he could now be out for a while and the other was really poor today (seems mad when he scored a good goal). They are great options to have but it’s got to be 352 home and away from now on - if we start with the same formation on Tuesday I genuinely wonder what SS has been watching over the past few games.

Other than that.
Great 3 points, results went for us, we’re 3rd, Burstow scored (I was dying for Morley to have it), Dalby is effective when utilised properly, Wellens is a cock, it was fucking freezing and our ball boys are useless.

Bring on Tuesday

I don't think yesterday's game particularly supports 5 at the back over 4 at the back, as we were terrible all game long.

We just seem to have lost the ability to play through the middle of the pitch irrespective of formation. Everything is a case of slowly going out wide and then going backwards - the team looks so disjointed.

What I do think though is bringing on Forino gives us so much more strength at the back. He should play most games for me regardless of 4 or 5 at the back. Almost all league one teams lump it forward and he stops all of that being in an issue by heading absolutely everything. 

And bringing on Dempsey was an improvement on the wingers just because he added some energy.

In the plus column though is how much more defensively solid SS has made us this season. That alone is keeping us in contention, but we need to find a way of playing through the middle of the pitch.

[Stig]

13 hours ago, Matt Lofthouse said:

There was only one person taking that pen. Love that in a striker.

The less said about that performance the better. 3 points and onto fucking Burton.

So many poor performances throughout the team today, but Dalby doesn’t half work hard for the team. Won loads of headers/flick ons, but pointless when McAtee is 30m away pointing at people and complaining when he’s just passed the ball behind them and out for a throw. Fucking shithouse, that was his last chance today, fuck him back off to Barnsley. 

Yes McAtee was bad but that's his first start since the opening day of the season. For me he was at least showing for the ball and trying to close the gap between midfield and attack (it's impossible with how deep XS and EE were playing to try to link play and support Dalby).

He was regularly in space in that 10 role for a pass or especially a throw but noone would give him the ball. Admittedly when he did get it he made the wrong choice and gave the ball away a lot...

I'd give him Burton though to try to work on some combinations. All this chopping and changing is helping noone. And Burstow and Dalby doesn't seem to work.

Agree Dalby was excellent today. Feeding off scraps and made that first goal just by flinging himself at the loose ball from the throw.

[Kane57]

Dalby was better in the second half, for me - was bullied in the first but started to believe in himself more as the game wore on. Still nowhere near scoring but that's standard.

 

[Eddie]

54 minutes ago, Stig said:

I don't think yesterday's game particularly supports 5 at the back over 4 at the back, as we were terrible all game long.

We just seem to have lost the ability to play through the middle of the pitch irrespective of formation. Everything is a case of slowly going out wide and then going backwards - the team looks so disjointed.

What I do think though is bringing on Forino gives us so much more strength at the back. He should play most games for me regardless of 4 or 5 at the back. Almost all league one teams lump it forward and he stops all of that being in an issue by heading absolutely everything. 

And bringing on Dempsey was an improvement on the wingers just because he added some energy.

In the plus column though is how much more defensively solid SS has made us this season. That alone is keeping us in contention, but we need to find a way of playing through the middle of the pitch.

All fair points - maybe rose tinted glasses for the last half an hour with 5 at the back because we went onto win it, but I did think we looked better (it was hard to be worse than that first half).

I just think the fundamentals work in the favour of our personnel.

More solid at the back, less emphasis on defensively poor full backs to defend and more people round the big man up top meaning it’s easier to get out.

Completely agree on Forino, although I don’t think he’s as strong in a 2. All 3 of them have weaknesses that are more obvious in a 2 (and having to deal with poor full backs), whereas all 3 have a strong part to play in a back 3.

[Domcarey1]

I thought we played like tired strangers in that 1st half & had forgotten how to play with a back 4. 
Yesterday proved how much we need Sheehan & shouldn’t sell Morley too.

Christie coming on calmed things down & he’s proving to be a clever signing.

As one bloke said as I left the stadium, ‘Play crap but find a way to win & we won’t be far off promotion at the end of the season.’ I tend to agree….