| Match thoughts 02:15 - Sep 22 with 3803 views | Mach_foreignBlue |
Chopping and changing again. Plenty of squad rotation in the recent games but as long as it doesn't affect negatively our results it's fine then.
We have been quite lucky to have got this fixture on a very warm Saturday afternoon as freezing December/January days must be a terrible experience for an away fan in this place.
Distance wise it's been my 2nd longest trip ever for the Town league game but it's a new ground to tick off my list.
A game of few scoring opportunities. Deserved win but we like to make it hard for ourselves don't we?
First half was like a drab, pre-season picnic. Both sets of players lazy and nothing really worth of note until about 30 minute. One deflected shot of a Gillingham player followed by the another that flew just over the bar.
A moment later another danger in our box as the hosts perhaps sensed opportunities as Town players hadn't offered much up to that point.
However what a good answer from us soon after that as Vincent-Young met the cross from the left wing and headed home. Some reward from the players for our fans for the boring, poor 1st half. Yes we were the better team, better with the ball but the performance wasn't too impressive.
My wish at half time was to see Norwood and Nolan to give us some spark. Got the latter on and we were more lively indeed although we threatened only twice as Judge hit the post following a run and pass from Vincent-Young and Nolan's shot was parried away by Bonham. A couple of minutes before that Chambers saved us from conceding a goal.
Plenty of corners for the hosts mostly well dealt with by our defence and assured Holy. Our inability to kill the game off (once again) was the most irritating aspect of the game for me. Any mistake or lapse in concentration is always possible so why do we make it a bit hard again?
Gillingham players particularly forwards were very visibly lacking quality therefore the luck was with us.
My MOTM is going for Vincent-Young. For his goal, for going forward, for the run and pass to Judge after which the latter hit the post. A full-back playing like this is something we lacked in the last few years.
Chambers heavily slated after his mistake against Sunderland seems to be doing what is expected from the skipper. Saved us today and had a good, commanding performance. Wilson yet another faultless one. Holy seemed calm and assured in the goal.
The negatives are Edwards and Dozzell as both have offered little or nothing. The latter had a solitary foray into their box early in the second half but there was no-one to pick up his pass.
My biggest gripe after today is aforementioned inability to kill the game off, to release a tension. We were playing the opposition who were devoid of quality, the bunch of talentless donkeys but our performance wasn't a top notch. Therefore 3 points and yet another clean sheet are by far the biggest positive of the day, far above everything else.
We are in this horrible, tinpot league for merit, for the way Evans has been running the club for years and the quality of football is awful. Some of our past opponents, most notably Gillingham today and it's sad how far we have fallen to play such terrible teams.
Some of our fans will be saying that everything is perfect for us. Perhaps it's a bit hard to argue with them as it's yet another away win, top of the league, clean sheets aplenty. But if we are a top team let's play like a top team, first half against MK Dons last Tuesday was so tasty to watch for example. Nonetheless 3 points gained so all in all a good day out. |  | | |  |
| Match thoughts on 07:50 - Sep 22 with 3562 views | Bluefish |
It was a good report until the Evans bit spoiled it
Where is your furthest? How does a home game compare in distance?
I was particularly interested to see about Edwards and Dozzell. I really don't see a footballer in Edwards at all and while i can in Dozzell he still seems a long way off deserving a starting place.
How did Jackson and Judge do?
I'm still not sold on Wilson yet but Chambers had been excellent and I really like Woolfenden. I think those 2 and Skuse makes an excellent back 3 and opens up the gap for another of our CMs |  |
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| Match thoughts on 08:40 - Sep 22 with 3451 views | textbackup |
| Match thoughts on 07:50 - Sep 22 by Bluefish |
It was a good report until the Evans bit spoiled it
Where is your furthest? How does a home game compare in distance?
I was particularly interested to see about Edwards and Dozzell. I really don't see a footballer in Edwards at all and while i can in Dozzell he still seems a long way off deserving a starting place.
How did Jackson and Judge do?
I'm still not sold on Wilson yet but Chambers had been excellent and I really like Woolfenden. I think those 2 and Skuse makes an excellent back 3 and opens up the gap for another of our CMs |
judge up top, for me, didn't work. we went with dozzell in the role behind the strikers yesterday, personally I want to see judge in his actual position so would have made more sense sticking him in there and had either norwood or keane alongside Jackson.
Jackson ran, a lot, I don't think he had any real clear chances (from memory)
my opinion on yesterday is this league really isn't very good, and i'm obviously buzzing at the winning and being top, but if we go up we need to seriously wake up because championship teams would be 2/3 up against us before we knew what had gone on |  |
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| Match thoughts on 08:44 - Sep 22 with 3429 views | PrideOfTheEast |
| Match thoughts on 08:40 - Sep 22 by textbackup |
judge up top, for me, didn't work. we went with dozzell in the role behind the strikers yesterday, personally I want to see judge in his actual position so would have made more sense sticking him in there and had either norwood or keane alongside Jackson.
Jackson ran, a lot, I don't think he had any real clear chances (from memory)
my opinion on yesterday is this league really isn't very good, and i'm obviously buzzing at the winning and being top, but if we go up we need to seriously wake up because championship teams would be 2/3 up against us before we knew what had gone on |
Last paragraph is spot on. The gap between this and the championship is huge. |  | | |
| Match thoughts on 08:44 - Sep 22 with 3427 views | Bluefish |
| Match thoughts on 08:40 - Sep 22 by textbackup |
judge up top, for me, didn't work. we went with dozzell in the role behind the strikers yesterday, personally I want to see judge in his actual position so would have made more sense sticking him in there and had either norwood or keane alongside Jackson.
Jackson ran, a lot, I don't think he had any real clear chances (from memory)
my opinion on yesterday is this league really isn't very good, and i'm obviously buzzing at the winning and being top, but if we go up we need to seriously wake up because championship teams would be 2/3 up against us before we knew what had gone on |
Agreed. We have the players and the foundations we just need to tightened up and gel. | |
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| Match thoughts on 08:53 - Sep 22 with 3402 views | Bluefish |
| Match thoughts on 08:44 - Sep 22 by PrideOfTheEast |
Last paragraph is spot on. The gap between this and the championship is huge. |
I'm still torn on celebrating winning this league. We can only be the best we can in this league but going up only amounts to celebrating/achieving staying up in the Championship | |
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| Match thoughts on 08:57 - Sep 22 with 3379 views | textbackup |
| Match thoughts on 08:44 - Sep 22 by PrideOfTheEast |
Last paragraph is spot on. The gap between this and the championship is huge. |
the amount of times the ball will fall to opposition players in the penalty area, and i'm thinking "1-0" and they'll miskick it, or an air shot.... its great for us, but I do worry its a bit of false hope that we are something we perhaps aren't (yet)
I keep seeing "we are winning not playing great, imagine when we do" - i'm not sure we ever will get to that level with the changes PL makes weekly, but I understand why he is doing so. | |
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| Match thoughts on 08:59 - Sep 22 with 3369 views | PrideOfTheEast |
| Match thoughts on 08:53 - Sep 22 by Bluefish |
I'm still torn on celebrating winning this league. We can only be the best we can in this league but going up only amounts to celebrating/achieving staying up in the Championship |
Strange one isn’t it. I’m delighted the fans are back with the club as we have absolutely zero chance of ever achieving anything without that. We will (hopefully!) go up with the likes of KVY, Woolfy, Downes, Huws, Judge, Norwood etc having played 50 odd games together so that gives us something to build on at the higher level. | | | |
| Match thoughts on 09:05 - Sep 22 with 3333 views | PrideOfTheEast |
| Match thoughts on 08:57 - Sep 22 by textbackup |
the amount of times the ball will fall to opposition players in the penalty area, and i'm thinking "1-0" and they'll miskick it, or an air shot.... its great for us, but I do worry its a bit of false hope that we are something we perhaps aren't (yet)
I keep seeing "we are winning not playing great, imagine when we do" - i'm not sure we ever will get to that level with the changes PL makes weekly, but I understand why he is doing so. |
Yep. Was saying to my mate yesterday that I don’t get at all nervous when the ball falls to the opposition in and around the box. | | | |
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| Match thoughts on 09:11 - Sep 22 with 3313 views | itfcjoe |
| Match thoughts on 08:53 - Sep 22 by Bluefish |
I'm still torn on celebrating winning this league. We can only be the best we can in this league but going up only amounts to celebrating/achieving staying up in the Championship |
Better looking, bigger clubs and better resourced teams have come to this level and got stuck - I think a few are being guilty of downplaying achievement it is in suffering no hangover and hitting the ground running.
We are a long way from being in the Championship and if/when we get back there we will be more settled etc |  |
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| Match thoughts on 09:19 - Sep 22 with 3266 views | Bluefish |
| Match thoughts on 09:11 - Sep 22 by itfcjoe |
Better looking, bigger clubs and better resourced teams have come to this level and got stuck - I think a few are being guilty of downplaying achievement it is in suffering no hangover and hitting the ground running.
We are a long way from being in the Championship and if/when we get back there we will be more settled etc |
I'm not knocking that it is an achievement to go back up just like it was an achievement to stay up previously. We should be very grateful to Evans for financing it because it could have become the normal to be down here. Retaining Chambers and Skuse have really made a difference as well, as have the Norwood, KVY and Holy signings. Hopefully Keane as well soon. | |
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| Match thoughts on 09:24 - Sep 22 with 3246 views | BiGDonnie |
| Match thoughts on 09:11 - Sep 22 by itfcjoe |
Better looking, bigger clubs and better resourced teams have come to this level and got stuck - I think a few are being guilty of downplaying achievement it is in suffering no hangover and hitting the ground running.
We are a long way from being in the Championship and if/when we get back there we will be more settled etc |
FM20 is going to be an actual piece of p*ss isn't it... |  |
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| Match thoughts on 09:30 - Sep 22 with 3214 views | textbackup |
| Match thoughts on 09:11 - Sep 22 by itfcjoe |
Better looking, bigger clubs and better resourced teams have come to this level and got stuck - I think a few are being guilty of downplaying achievement it is in suffering no hangover and hitting the ground running.
We are a long way from being in the Championship and if/when we get back there we will be more settled etc |
the manor in which we haven't had the relegation hangover is brilliant, and PL has done fantastic to put to bed last season.
the signings, IMO, have been brilliant, and its certainly a positive place to be now | |
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| Match thoughts on 09:35 - Sep 22 with 3190 views | ITFC_Forever |
Gillingham aren’t the only team with poor forwards .... the finishing from every team we’ve played has been awful. |  |
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| Match thoughts on 09:38 - Sep 22 with 3177 views | Herbivore |
| Match thoughts on 09:35 - Sep 22 by ITFC_Forever |
Gillingham aren’t the only team with poor forwards .... the finishing from every team we’ve played has been awful. |
Yep, really poor. If we'd been playing like this against Championship sides we wouldn't have won a game yet. That doesn't matter too much for now as we're not in the Championship but we've got a lot of improving to do if we want to stay there should we go back up. |  |
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| Match thoughts on 09:40 - Sep 22 with 3163 views | itfcjoe |
| Match thoughts on 09:30 - Sep 22 by textbackup |
the manor in which we haven't had the relegation hangover is brilliant, and PL has done fantastic to put to bed last season.
the signings, IMO, have been brilliant, and its certainly a positive place to be now |
Just surprises me how disappointed some people are with certain things, this isn’t an easy league to get out of - and if we can get up with the momentum currently on display then we are doing well. | |
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| Match thoughts on 09:43 - Sep 22 with 3143 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Match thoughts on 09:11 - Sep 22 by itfcjoe |
Better looking, bigger clubs and better resourced teams have come to this level and got stuck - I think a few are being guilty of downplaying achievement it is in suffering no hangover and hitting the ground running.
We are a long way from being in the Championship and if/when we get back there we will be more settled etc |
I’d say hit the ground jogging rather than running.
But jogging is proving to be enough at the moment. | |
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| Match thoughts on 09:52 - Sep 22 with 3100 views | Reuser_is_God |
| Match thoughts on 08:44 - Sep 22 by Bluefish |
Agreed. We have the players and the foundations we just need to tightened up and gel. |
Tighten up? We haven’t conceded for 5 games!
I jest, I know what you’re saying. |  |
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| Match thoughts on 09:53 - Sep 22 with 3091 views | Reuser_is_God |
| Match thoughts on 09:40 - Sep 22 by itfcjoe |
Just surprises me how disappointed some people are with certain things, this isn’t an easy league to get out of - and if we can get up with the momentum currently on display then we are doing well. |
Get up this season & with the momentum & 2/3 quality additions in the summer I think we’ll re-establish ourselves in the Championship quite comfortably. | |
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| Match thoughts on 10:02 - Sep 22 with 3048 views | artsbossbeard |
| Match thoughts on 09:38 - Sep 22 by Herbivore |
Yep, really poor. If we'd been playing like this against Championship sides we wouldn't have won a game yet. That doesn't matter too much for now as we're not in the Championship but we've got a lot of improving to do if we want to stay there should we go back up. |
There's a lot of truth in this however its worth also taking into consideration that we were effectively relegated at Christmas and we're now unbeaten this season.
However we are playing presently, there's now a winning mentality and that's a massive turnaround. |  |
| Please note: prior to hitting the post button, I've double checked for anything that could be construed as "Anti Semitic" and to the best of my knowledge it isn't. Anything deemed to be of a Xenophobic nature is therefore purely accidental or down to your own misconstruing. | | Poll: | Raining in IP8 - shall I get the washing in? |
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| Match thoughts on 12:59 - Sep 22 with 2821 views | Mach_foreignBlue |
| Match thoughts on 07:50 - Sep 22 by Bluefish |
It was a good report until the Evans bit spoiled it
Where is your furthest? How does a home game compare in distance?
I was particularly interested to see about Edwards and Dozzell. I really don't see a footballer in Edwards at all and while i can in Dozzell he still seems a long way off deserving a starting place.
How did Jackson and Judge do?
I'm still not sold on Wilson yet but Chambers had been excellent and I really like Woolfenden. I think those 2 and Skuse makes an excellent back 3 and opens up the gap for another of our CMs |
Plymouth away back in 2008 remains my furthest trip from Manchester so far. In terms of costs Gillingham yesterday was a similar one to a home game for me. But away days will always be my bread and butter not because of costs of travel it's just far more enjoyable.
Jackson had an assist for the goal but it's clear to see that is more effective with Norwood alongside him. Norwood having left the pitch at MK has certainly affected Jackson.
Judge was supposed to play as a striker yesterday but played too deep in the 1st half for my liking.
Dozzell has been pampered for years by number of our fans because of his surname but he has to improve drastically. If he can't do this at League One level what else can he do with us?
Chambers has certainly been very good since that costly mistake against Sunderland. [Post edited 22 Sep 2019 13:24]
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| Match thoughts on 13:12 - Sep 22 with 2801 views | Herbivore |
| Match thoughts on 10:02 - Sep 22 by artsbossbeard |
There's a lot of truth in this however its worth also taking into consideration that we were effectively relegated at Christmas and we're now unbeaten this season.
However we are playing presently, there's now a winning mentality and that's a massive turnaround. |
Agreed. In many ways it's a great thing that we're winning games without playing especially well. We've still got three quarters of the season and two transfer windows before we (potentially) have to worry about the Championship anyway so it's not a problem. It's good to be winning regularly again. | |
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