League Two Northampton v Rovers

[bigmart]

Maybe Micky needed to make his point that no one’s place is certain. We’ll see how we line up next week. With the exception of Merrie and Maguire, every fit squad member has featured recently.

I am afraid he keeps making the wrong selections. I do not see us even making the play offs we look weak and poor

 

[Sparky]

Maybe our expectations were unrealistically high and we peaked too soon? And now the chicken are coming home to roost?

Micky coming back never guaranteed promotion in his first season back. He only had a handful of permanent contracted players and has had to build from scratch. Our excellent defensive record got us to a good position but over the course of the season maybe play offs or more was too much to expect for the reasons I’ve started? Let’s face it, many of our 1-0 wins were fortunate at times and should we realistically be aiming for say top 10 given Micky had to rebuild? And then look for better next season?

Just playing devils advocate but maybe Micky is a victim of our success a couple of months ago setting unrealistic expectations for this season

 

[Ian]

The game was effectively lost in the first half with the bizarre team lineup. We were all over the place for most of it and defensively frail. We improved at 3-0 down when Micky made some subs but it was too late. I understand something needed to change from the last few weeks but this was not it.

 

[bigmart]

The game was effectively lost in the first half with the bizarre team lineup. We were all over the place for most of it and defensively frail. We improved at 3-0 down when Micky made some subs but it was too late. I understand something needed to change from the last few weeks but this was not it.

This is what concerns me, tactically Micky is getting it wrong.

 

[ADD]

Simply awful and the worst thing would be for us to take some degree of comfort from the fact we pulled 2 goals back - the first 60 minutes were dire beyond belief and the tactics/ formations were only partly to blame. Pros at this level should be able to pass the ball to their own players once in a while. Hoofing the ball forward despite the fact we were trying to play with wingbacks was stupidity in the extreme.
Doohan - awful dropped a simple ball early on which we lucky not to concede - terrible kicking throughout and simply let their second goal waft over his head - never a foul. He looked as if his confidence had gone and should be dropped for Friday.
Clarke again poor - pressure/ father time getting to him and also getting very niggly and lucky not to get carded. NKP no improvement.
Felt sorry for Burton - people will suggest he was at fault/ rubbish but he did well with what little he had with one lovely turn of his man early on. He and Hemmings had nothing provided to them whatsoever. Have to question MM though in this. What is he trying to say - that our sixth choice striker (when Mani was here) has suddenly come good or a plea to show he has been let down in the transfer market again? Who knows? Maybe he doesn't. It all smacked of desperation frankly.Yes a better last 15 minutes but it simply wasn't acceptable what had happened before....
PS Hemmings disallowed goal was a ridiculous decision - their CB threw himself to the floor having realised he was wrong side and beaten - even their commentators said as much!

 

[Sparky]

Is there a bit of sentiment with Clarke? He played every minute of the league season in 20/21. Same again this season so far. Is Micky reluctant to drop him? I guess the problem is what boz highlighted a few times - should we have brought in another centre half before the deadline? Clarke and NKP were always potentially going to have poor form at their age. Davies has had injury issues and also lost some form. But we have to pick two of those three every week

 

[ALDO MUSSY]

MM needs to get his finger out this is not good enough all season we have struggled to score goals ok we have been solid at the back but now we are letting goals in we just don,t score enough and are not playing well enough and some of his choices are mind blowing,and now we are only 2 points from being outside the play off places i think even if we made them we would lose

 

[Sparky]

Just watched Micky post match. Almost a copy and paste job from last week

 

[bigmart]

Just watched Micky post match. Almost a copy and paste job from last week

Doesn't know how to change things, the team today beggars belief

 

[Ian]

 

[Ian]

Derek Jones: "A few bright spots first half.."

Dear me.

 

[bigmart]

Derek Jones: "A few bright spots first half.."

Dear me.

Jeez

 

[Ian]

There is definately an issue in this squad because watching that Clarke interview brought me right back to last season when Clarke did a carbon copy interview. There are players in the squad that are not pulling their weight, quite clearly. They all need to buckle down and get the job done. We went on a great run so it is possible, but you have to be mentally strong to pull through the hard times. I don't know if they can.

 

[bigmart]

Anyway I am enjoying the rest my stag weekend

 

[bigmart]

There is definately an issue in this squad because watching that Clarke interview brought me right back to last season when Clarke did a carbon copy interview. There are players in the squad that are not pulling their weight, quite clearly. They all need to buckle down and get the job done. We went on a great run so it is possible, but you have to be mentally strong to pull through the hard times. I don't know if they can.

Nothing will change we are on a downward spiral same as last season

 

[Ian]

Anyway I am enjoying the rest my stag weekend

Enjoy the rest of your night @bigmart

 

[Outoftowner]

Maybe our expectations were unrealistically high and we peaked too soon? And now the chicken are coming home to roost?

Micky coming back never guaranteed promotion in his first season back. He only had a handful of permanent contracted players and has had to build from scratch. Our excellent defensive record got us to a good position but over the course of the season maybe play offs or more was too much to expect for the reasons I’ve started? Let’s face it, many of our 1-0 wins were fortunate at times and should we realistically be aiming for say top 10 given Micky had to rebuild? And then look for better next season?

Just playing devils advocate but maybe Micky is a victim of our success a couple of months ago setting unrealistic expectations for this season

Fourtnate ! - I’d call it bloody lucky !!!

 

[Sparky]

Derek Jones: "A few bright spots first half.."

Dear me.

As much as I like Derek Jones he hardly asks any meaningful or even remotely challenging questions

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Despite the result, I thought this was a better performance than at Newport last week and Northampton were no better than us in general play over ninety minutes. However, we did not deal with their set plays in the first half and conceded two goals direct from corners, and that is what killed us and lost us the game. There was plenty of encouragement in the second half showing, and with Glatzel back on the pitch we played some very decent stuff at times. We should have taken a point as I have no idea what Hemmings' goal was disallowed for.

The first thirty minutes were cagy and scrappy with neither side creating much in open play. However, the quick concession of the goals from set pieces gave us a mountain to climb, and both were due to a combination of slack marking and hesitation from Doohan, although I thought he was fouled for the second. Ross struggled badly kicking into the wind in the first half and his confidence seemed to go early in the game, and he struggled thereafter.

People above are discussion formations and personnel but, aside perhaps for some defensive confusion on the set plays due to the changes at the back, I don't think the tactical changes had any impact on the goals we conceded. Defending a corner is the same in a 532 as a 442, and Northampton are very dangerous from set plays.

I thought there was an immediate improvement in the quality of our football after the break, albeit we did not create anything clear cut until the substitutions were made. However, there was some excellent link up between Glatzel, Morris, Hawkes and McPake in the remainder of the game and we played some of our best football away from home for some time. As I have said, I have no idea why Hemmings' goal was disallowed and I think we should have drawn the game.

Glatzel makes a huge difference to the quality of our play, and gives encouragement for the coming games. Get Davies back in the side, and start the game with Hemmings, Glatzel, McPake, Hawkes and Morris on the pitch, and I think results will turn in the next few games.

 

[drwhoman]

I always admire your optimism RLC. A true supporter! I must confess to being pretty depressed by it all. 11 games to go with no guarantee of even making the play offs. Still, on to the next game! Come on Rovers!