Excellent result today Greens, considering Rochdale beat us and were the best team I have seen against the Gills this season.
Played okay, always difficult to know what to do after going 2-0 up after 7 mins. Rochdale were poor and never really troubled but the ref and lino on the Lyndhurst side were woefull. Hope Sherlock Holmes injury not too bad- he limped off just after half time Didnt think any of the penalties should have been awarded but well despatched by GM and a greart save by JC. Nobody booed but could still feel the nevousness when it went 2-1 . Great result- onwards and upwards!
Unlike lyndhurst I think this was a half decent performance and Rochdale were not the worst team I've seen by a long shot. This wasn't a fantastic performance by Argyle but it was a very acceptable one. I agree with the officials comments however. The lino on the lyndhurst side was the worst excuse for an official I have witnessed in donkeys years. He pretty much missed everything and I do mean everything. The Ref was about the same standard we have come to expect which is poor. But that aside as it was the same for both sides it should not detract from the game itself. Argyle started the match very well. I didn't see the supposed handball for the first pen but it must have been for that as that is what the Ref indicated. Tucked away by Madjo very well and keeper never looked like saving it. Argyle had passed the ball like professionals. That in itself is quite novel. The continued where they left off and after some decent play it was 2 - 0 in the blink of an eye. I have to say it looked like Argyle were going to go on to score more although Rochdale were not bad in any particular way. For the next 20 minutes or so it was more of the same with Argyle passing and challenging more than I've seen them for some time. Towards the end of the half Rochdale came into it more but failed to score. This was due to some decent defending and everyone on the park was doing their bit in the right way for once. Second half and Argyle did not look as good as they had in the first. Not terrible but not flowing as they had done. Rochdale were back in the game and chasing a score. They were awarded a penalty for handball just as we had been but again I failed to see it personally. My son seemed to think it was their man who handled but I will have to look at the replays. Cole stopped it and it was justice I think on this occasion. I think it is Adeybolla their forward, 6 foot 19 in his stocking feet who finally put the ball in the net. Now this is where the Ref was not right. Just prior to the goal he had elbowed Purse in the face off the ball. Nobody apart from the entire crowd saw it of course. He could have been sent off at least 3 times during this match but of course wasn't. They continued to press and Argyle continued to defend but quite well. I don't remember much in the way of scares after their goal and we played more of a counter attacking role. It was one of these at the end of the match that sealed the victory. The ball was played up to Lennox from defence and he went on a bit of a run. Went past a couple of players both of whom tried to stop him one way or another. Finally went down once he had reached the box and the Ref pointed to the spot again. Nicely tucked away once more by Madjo and the victory was ours. This was a pretty reasonable performance all over the park today. Nobody let the side down even if they did have a couple of dodgy moments between them. Generally they passed it well and they all certainly "worked their socks off" this time. Not anyone showing no effort or committment. I'd like to say there was a confindence in the side and for once it showed. It remains to be seen if we can carry this form onwards and not revert to type but if we can do this to Rochdale who aren't a poor side then why can't we do it to many more sides who are no better. The answer will unfold soon enough. My man of the match today would be Madjo. Not because he scored 2 penalties but because he really tried today and was up for this match from the start to the end. Caused their back 4 no end of problems.
Thanks for that sensible.......the league table is so congested in mid table........are we only two points off the play offs unbelievable.
Thanks SENSIBLE for your report..It's such a pity we have to have such poor officiating, do you think the standard has gone down since the 60 & 70"s? Anyway it seems you got your money's worth today.. Maybe Fletcher is starting to get it together..maybe a few more people will be at the next home game..maybe....
The game has changed from that time AWAYINBC and things you would take for granted then you would not expect to see now. Diving wasn't the norm then either so I acknowledge that Officials have a difficult time. But, the Ref today was inconsistent. That isn't down to a change of era that is down to his poor Refereeing. It was the Lino today who was so poor he might as well not have been there. He missed umpteen offsides for example in the second half. That isn't green tint offsides either there were several that were yards. He missed Purse getting decked off the ball with an elbow whilst looking at them. He did flag for an incident between Blanchard and Adeybola. Adeybola was at it all afternoon and was fowling Blanchard at the time again off the ball. The Lino obviously said something to the Ref via their communication thingy and all that happened was a telling off of both players. Blanchard looked at the Lino with arms outstretched clearly asking what the point was of that when he clearly saw what was being done to him. Any chants of "Where's your guide dog" at this bloke would have been accurate rather than funny.
He sounds a bit of a chicken to me Great result against a good side, they could have gone been on same points as 3rd today if they won. 3 wins on the trot now and successive league wins be way too long since we had that. Griffiths injured again? Bas, Wiliams, Griffiths to come back in a we have some good competion in most areas now which wil help. How did Lennox do when he came on Sensible/Lyndhurst
Nice to hear from super-mod brb today.....we realize that your a busy bunny this year......but thanks for commenting. Also lyndhurstgreen as well.....the more the merrier.
sorry sensible you may have misunderstood my point when I said they were okay. I just thought that having gone 2-0 up so quickly they made a little heavy work of securing the 3 points, but in context it was a good prformance and an excellent result. Having watched the brief highlights I am still not convinced about any of the penalties although judging by the reaction of the argyle players I suspect the first one was the (only) correct decision. Lennox was his usual handful (mex) and earnt his penalty by running hard are their defence-he will always trouble defences at this level due to speed and ball skills but whether he would make it in the prem/champ is still questionable due to his physique- a great impat player who will always create chances.
In that case can I add my congratulations...and (polish fingernails on lapel) I did feel that I detected something at the Bristol Rovers game....that you should comfortably consolidate a mid-table position.
Mid table Milton???????? We're up for automatic promotion or bust now. Thanks for the spell checker mexijan. Lennox did ok. Went down like a tart on a Friday night for the pen but then again so would most on the pitch in his boots. He could have fallen down twice before he got to the box but magically maintained his feet. Good lad he's obviously learning. I had a look at the goals on the football league show this morning which I don't normally view. Reason being that I missed 2 of the penalty reasons live yesterday. First one for us was a handball although I didn't see it at the time. Their decision was totally bizaar. The commentator said after showing the incident that he could not believe the Referee The handball or rather control with the arm was THEIR player and there wasn't an Argyle player anywhere near. The Ref must at least have been colour blind if not totally blind altogether. I knew he was poor but that one takes the first prize for poor hands down. The save was absolute justice If you get a chance have a look at it.
We all like to think most things were better 'back in the day', but refereeing at football matches in the 60's and 70's certainly wasn't one of them - especially outside Division One. Most of them were overweight and unfit, and nearly all of them behaved like 'little Hitlers'. There were exceptions like Fitzpatrick and Gordon Hill, but by and large, as I remember it, the vast majority were woeful.
In fairness GARY987 most of us have always thought Refs were crud throughout history. If it is against our side then it must have been the Ref's fault. The chant for as long back as I can remember at Home Park has always been "We always get S*it Refs". The one we had this week though was particularly meritting of the chant because he was singularly the worst one, along with his assistance as well, that I have seen in years. This isn't a green tinted view he really was poor. He gave them a penalty after their man handled not ours for one. He booked players for little yet missed the most important things. The lino on my side of the ground saw virtually nothing at all. He was as bad for both sides as was the Ref but when you talk a lot of the officials rather than celebrate the match then it speaks volumes. I wouldn't be a Ref for any money as it's thankless but some do bring it on themselves and I'm not talking about after 20 slow motion replays either.
Modern technology makes the Referee's job impossible in this day and age.......with instant replays the Ref can be made to look a baffoon so easily. Even though he is wired up......he can only give what he or his assistants see. In the past long ago......there was not so much for the Ref to watch for......It was quite norm for players like Chopper Harris to dissect an opposing player limb by limb without the Ref blinking an eye lid, years before that it was known for goalkeepers to be shoulder charged ball and all into the back of the net. A long time before the practised dying swan fall into the penalty area.
Blimey...Sensible living the dream..I'm expecting Plymborn to start a "Fletcher for England" thread next. I dont think you'll be pushing for automatic, you have a few difficult games coming up now but I do think you are good enough not to flirt with relegation.
It was a slight tongue in cheek post Milton. I'm not daft enough to get that carried away just yet. Thing is though that we are capable of winning some of our supposed difficult matches coming up. It is a hard month for us but look at some of the results this month so far. There are far too many who think that other teams are capable of turning results around but the pessimistic Janner always has to think it won't be us. Why not apart from a history of disappointment. Even that has to turn sometime. We are 2 points off 5th. There are a dozen sides who are condensed into a few points. A couple of wins and you are up there. A couple of losses and we won't be in the relegation spot though. I hate to say this but I actually think Fletcher might be learning a bit. I hope he doesn't go and spoil it now I've said that.
Yeah i know.....for what its worth I always enjoy your posts. Anyroadup at least it looks fairly optomistic....I'm off to concentrate on willing my own team to improve...maybe get back to your board in a few weeks time...good luck. Milton
I suppose you all saw Fletcher's comments about trying to get the team NOT to press the ball so high up the pitch in home games. He seemed to feel this was born of a desire to impress home fans but was only leading to gaps in the defence. He's trying to get them to employ an "away" strategy instead, in which players fall back securely into defensive positions when the ball is lost up-field rather haring about trying to retrieve it in the opponents half. I mention this for 2 reasons: a) Maybe this excessive keenness is why results away have been better than those at home and b) any of you who've been watching the Being: Liverpool documentaries on Channel 5 will have heard Bendon Rodgers talk a lot about "transitions" - which I think means moving from defence into attack and attack into defence. Having seen Swansea play, this clearly means NOT rushing the former so that the team is always positioned to do the latter if the ball is lost. This didn't do Swansea any harm under Rodgers although it's still WIP at Liverpool. I hated Swansea under Martinez, when they lacked any penetration at all but under Rodgers they managed a cultured style AND scored goals AND got promoted. A sign or things to come? Has Fletcher been watching Channel 5?
Any style of play depends on the personnel as well. I think we are starting to get the players who can play a more controlled passing game plus when the pressure of relegation is not looming over us then they can be more relaxed. It is horses for courses really.... last year was defend, chase and hope we knick a goal but 1 point at all costs this year he is trying to get them to play and control the game. One of the interesting points in that article was that he felt we were closing down to quickly and too eager to get the ball back and think his quote was "there is a time to win the ball" and that we needed to improve in this area. For me a good point you need to get your shape back first then win the ball from here you can control play if you dive in too quickly and win the ball then most likely you will have no out ball and end up losing it again. Whether the crowd will appreaciate that is another matter tho´ and it will take time for the younger players to learn this especially as it is a very different tactic from last year. Been reading a few more opinions since the game and the Argie is getting a lot of praise for his performance also a few rating Griffiths as well. Fingers crossed we can get something out of the next 2 games and keep the confidence and improvement up.
