Rovers v Imps

[Rockford's Love Child]

This is no dig at Norwood but he spends half his team running back defending.

He only does that because he is on the left hand side and it is his job to chase the full back. So, again, that is a tactical failing.

 

[White Squaddie]

It was a concern of mine last season and it's continued into this one, and it's the lack of goals that we score. We have 3 attacking players who between them scored 60 goals last season, yet none of them.are being utilised in a role that they played in last season!

If you look at the likes of Dagenham, they are regularly scoring 3, 4 or 5 goals a game.....when do we ever do that!?! We scrape our way through games, largely down to our defensive qualities when we should be finishing teams off comfortably. Now, whilst I don't expect us to be putting 3,4 or 5 past Lincoln, I would expect us to do better against a Guiseley at home for instance other than a scrappy, uninspiring 1-0 win.

We will be play offs at best due to our inability to play a system that suits the players we have and score enough goals to finish teams off. We are boring to watch.....they remind me of England!!

All of that said....we love the club and must try and stay positive and optimistic

 

[Ian]

Leaving the game I said to my son that MP wouldn't be happy if we were more than a manageable two wins from top.
I'm sure MP doesn't want to pussy foot about play offs .
He and Nicola will already have looked at potential replacement !

Very true. The playoffs are such a lottery. You have to be aiming for that top spot and you have to keep up with the chasing pack. Performances and results of late will not get us that. Pressures on GB even at this early stage.

 

[Boz]

I suppose the question is how much longer will the Palioi give Brabin if he doesn't start to turn things around? Next two games are aways at York, hugely inconsistent, not really adapted to this league yet, but on their day could do a Woking on us, then Sutton who are the kind of negative cynical side we often struggle against. Can see us on current form not winning either. GB is not setting the side up to their strengths as high-lighted above, while it's a decent squad, options are limited by the small size. If Norwood is to follow Mangan, Margets, Sutton in the out of favour/fallen out with manager group then what...?

 

[Kelti5]

Disappointment in recent (if not wholly unexpected) results and in particular another under par performance at home. However, replacing Gary Brabin would be admitting to another successive failure to employ a manager capable of doing the required job. Mr. Brabin has always made it clear that he will not resign, he would have to be sacked. Can't help but wonder at how much damage another Prenton Park Bloodbath would do to the confidence of the owners in their own ability.

 

[frenchrover]

By clearly, and publically, blaming Norwood for helping set up the chance for the Lincoln goal and saying Norwood is in danger of believing his "own hype", whatever that may mean, Brabin is again evidencing his ability to loose the dressing room. I find it hard to accept criticism of players who endeavour to cover back to help their team-mates particularly from a manager whose tactical nouse is nil, and particularly such criticism from a manager who consistently plays players out of their natural positions.
As Boz says Brabin has been solely responsible for the loss to the club of quality players like Mangan, Margetts and Sutton. We cannot afford to lose quality of this kind and still expect to be serious contenders for the sole automatic promotion spot. The performances against Southport and Guiseley were the fore-warning of the back to back defeats we have now suffered and evidenced the limited improvement in this season's performances. The next 2 away games now become critical and anything other than 6 points must be seen as further failure.
The Palioi, generously in my opinion, gave Brabin the benefit of the doubt after an encouraging end to what was in fact a disappointing last season . I cannot believe that they will be so forgiving this time around and the next couple of games may well prove pivotal.

 

[White Squaddie]

By clearly, and publically, blaming Norwood for helping set up the chance for the Lincoln goal and saying Norwood is in danger of believing his "own hype".

Where did he make that comment Frenchrover

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I would never normally advocate replacing a manager in the first couple of months of the season, but if this slump continues I think the board will have to be ruthless. We simply can't afford another season where sneaking into the fifth play-off spot is our only hope of success. Even thinking that way at such an early stage is ridiculous when you consider the level of investment in the squad and the Chairman's publicly stated ambition for the season.

 

[Ian]

I think the board will be ruthless. If it looks like we are drifting away I think they'll make changes.

 

[Boz]

Where did he make that comment Frenchrover

In his post match remarks on the o/s said along the lines of;
"I am Norwoods biggest fan but he needs to stop believing his own hype,play to his strengths and then he is more of an asset to the team"

 

[Ian]

That's exactly what he said Boz and he also mentioned Norwood taking the ball off the centre backs basically saying he's doing too much and not sticking to the game plan.

Then said if the players had stuck to the game plan they would have won the game. He also questioned their desire a lot and that there may be some overconfidence creeping in after the first couple of games.

Not sure GB has control of this lot at all.

 

[Higgy]

Plenty of time for GB to turn it round or a new guy to get us going, but I don't think this form will allow to continue past the end of the month without action from the board. This is a decent squad and more is expected all round.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

That's exactly what he said Boz and he also mentioned Norwood taking the ball of the centre backs basically saying he's doing too much and not sticking to the game plan.

Then said if the players had stuck to the game plan they would have won the game. He also questioned their desire a lot and that there may be some overconfidence creeping in after the first couple of games.

Not sure GB has control of this lot at all.

He also had a pop at Cook for 'failing to hold the ball up'. When Cook went off we actually lost any pattern of play we did have.

There were certainly signs of strain in that interview.

 

[drwhoman]

All the off field investment nor the crowd size reflects a National League club. I agree that action has to be taken asap. Saturday was too like last season..

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Hold on a minute, please. Until a few days ago, we had our best ever start to the season. Since then, we have lost narrowly to two of the best teams in the league. No need for despair or panic.

Last year's slump lasted two months, dumped us early out of both cups and ultimately cost us a place in the play-offs. The current "slump" has lasted just over a week, so let's back off a little.

However, it's at times like this that a manager earns his money. Good managers have a way of turning things round before losing becomes a habit.

That said, I never like to hear public criticism of individual players. It's unprofessional and rarely does any good. It smacks of a manager under pressure, but its likely effect is to turn the players against him one by one. These comments worry me more than the recent defeats.

The next two games are much easier on paper than the last two, but if the manager is under pressure it must surely adversely affect the players.

Let's see how manager and team perform over the next few days.

 

[Boz]

He also had a pop at Cook for 'failing to hold the ball up'. When Cook went off we actually lost any pattern of play we did have.

There were certainly signs of strain in that interview.

While I agree with BBTC that publicly criticising your players is rarely helpful, singling out the two forwards who were starved of service is plain stupid. Imo, the game was lost in midfield.

 

[Sparky]

Saturday's match was the first I've missed for years. Ironically I was on an FA coaching course - maybe I'll give Palios a call !

To me the defeat was predictable. We drew at Southport when everyone else beat them. Struggled to get past Guiseley and then lost at a decent Aldershot side so coming up against a good Lincoln side when we weren't playing well, was in my view going to mean a likely defeat.

We were never going to keep our 100% record going but more alarming as others have mentioned is GBs comments about Norwood & Cook. Its no surprise given the rumours about how he fell out with Mangan, Margetts & Sutton.

How he can criticise Norwood is beyond me. He's not perfect but last season was immense and already started the season well. Yes he has fallen below his standard of late but that is largely due to being played out of position. Cook is similar in a way - he has never played in this sort of position when he is knackered after doing so much running playing up front on his own.

Connor Jennings - the same. Frustrated as played out of position out wide and having to do more running than ever before and whilst when we were winning no-one could complain, I suspect now some results have gone against us, those 3 and others will be scratching their heads as to whether we're playing square pegs in round holes, and not getting the best out of what we have.

GB then criticising Nors & Cook publicly shows to me he can't handle players such as this when things go against us.