Hmmmm. October 1980. Seven consecutive defeats OUFC (H) L0-1 Chester (A) L1-4 (Sir Keith) Chesterfield (A) L0-1 CAFC (H) L0-2 Carlisle (H) L 0-1 GFC (A) L 0-2 Col U (A) L 0-2 and various other **** spells too. Sense of proportion, anyone?
Feel I have to comment on this game. Living south, my most recent game was Bournemouth and am expecting further embarassment when I go to Spurs next week. Tonight, though was really poor. Whatever the performance of individual players, the real culprit was the manager. They were clearly working to orders: no presssing of opposition, retreat in formation towards own goal, defend deep, hope they screw up, offer nothing in teturn, hope still be in game by 80th minute. No decent team approaches games like that anymore. You press them, you force hurried decisions, you force errors. When forced to press the game after conceding we had to add this assertive intent to our game. We looked so much better, still might have conceded, but just might have scored. I accept we might have the weakest squad in the premiership, but a passive approach to conceding defensive space will never give a chance of achieving the 35 points we need. We all want the players to be in the faces of the opposition and then we forgive everything. Sadly the management orders are the opposite, concede midfield space, crowd the edge of the area. Looks awful, is awful.
Here's my take on tonight's performances: The Good - Dawson and Davies as always were solid, Boro had a lot of the ball and really struggled to create any meaningful attempts on target thanks largely to the centre back pairing. Diomande also had a good go with what little service he had, Marshall was largely a spectator but made a couple of solid saves. The Bad - Too many good players had bad games tonight, Snodgrass, Clucas, Robertson and Livermore spring to mind, I don't think the system or tactics helped but they were well below par. The Ugly - A few players really need to ask themselves if they have the guts for this fight and if they're cut out to be professional footballers in this league, Mason, Henrickson and Elmo in particular might as well have stayed in Hull. Overall it was a bad performance made all the more frustrating that we were playing against a pretty poor team who will no doubt be fighting for their lives come the end of the season. Three points on Saturday would help put it behind us but there's a hell of a lot that needs doing before then to make that even a slightest possibility.
Absolutely bang on. . I was considering Tottenham. Not after watching that. As you say we can all accept weakest squad etc (well most of us can with the owners we have), but please close the opposition down and try to force something rather than making 'boro look like world beaters.
That run was stopped by a Nick Deacy goal against Plymouth in front of 3,367 faithful fans. This so enthused the population that 2 less turned up for the next home game. The match ball for the Plymouth game was raffled off in the social club and was won by a marvellous chap, profoundly wise and good-looking, the sort that men wanted to be like and women wanted to be with.
This also creates negativity when you have the ball. As we are so deep and the players are used to defending we give it back and don't look after it.
He deserves the hype he's received. He's a ****ing good player. Every player has ups and downs, good games and bad. Particularly when coming straight back after an injury lay off. A bad night doesn't mean he's a bag of ****.
Yes, it all creates the feeling of ongoing panic. We retreat, you advance, however crap you are we have nowhere to go. Where did Passive Phelan learn this.? Man U? Must have been a very tiny whisper in A's ear. Usually ignored.
McGovern was a Cadbury's Misshape, but a frickin' awesome player. Wish we could find a couple like him ... and another Cloughie.
