Match Thread (Remember Those?)

[AucklandRover]

What a frustrating game!
Their goal was clearly offside. Their captain shouldn't have been on the field. (His second foul was worse than the one he was booked for). And what was Gallagher doing with that chance in the second half? He could have passed it into the empty right-hand side of the goal, but he tried to get it past two players on the near post!
After we worked out that their right-winger needed to be stopped further out, he didn't present much of a threat.
Mulgrew looks very calm on the ball. Guthrie seems much improved. I have not always been a Lowe fan, but he played very well here. Emnes needs to shoot more often. Conway was generally good, but he lost the plot a bit in the final 15 minutes, trying the impossible with men better placed.
We faded out of the game for one fif**** minute period in each half. Otherwise, a decent performance.
Unlucky not to collect all three points.

[champs95]

I watched it. Good game. I saw it like you Auks, and everyone else with eyes.
An absolutely brilliant goal. I do like that lad. Their captain should've been sent off just on HT with us going in 1 up and ontop.
Their goal was off side. Blatant aswell, as not only was the lad (who was one of three) stood 3 yards off, he was stood centrally in front of our keeper. We aren't getting those decisions right now, but they do even themselves out. We aren't playing badly enough to worry too much at this point, on that showing tonight and the past 3 or 4 games. The injuries are a real concern, as it's really damaging us at the back. And we aren't able to play with settled back 4 for a long enough period. If they keep playing like that the luck on the pitch will change and they will start to pick up a few results. Hopefully we will get the injured players back in time for the busy xmas period where you can pick up a few points if you get on a roll.

[Despair]

Pretty much agree with you guys, overall a decent Champs game to watch. A hungry and eager SG is a delight to watch (so much more 'enjoyable' than JR - IMO).
Mulgrew is a key piece for us.
Prob due to the enforced chopping and changing and with it a unsettled back four, far too often they resort to simply clearing the ball but with that gifting possession back. This not really helped by our still fragile central midfield.
I'm on the fence a bit with Emnes, first time I've watched him and after hearing all the hype, got to say he fell a little short for me.
This may well be due to the opposition now seeing him as the prime threat and not giving him an inch.
SG's endeavours in holding possession will be down to his growing confidence I would suspect, quite understandable at this point.
Swings and roundabouts with the officials deliberations, when has it never been so. Over the course of the season a rational assessment usually reveals a balancing out.

[alfinyalcabo]

I watched it. Good game. I saw it like you Auks, and everyone else with eyes.
An absolutely brilliant goal. I do like that lad. Their captain should've been sent off just on HT with us going in 1 up and ontop.
Their goal was off side. Blatant aswell, as not only was the lad (who was one of three) stood 3 yards off, he was stood centrally in front of our keeper. We aren't getting those decisions right now, but they do even themselves out. We aren't playing badly enough to worry too much at this point, on that showing tonight and the past 3 or 4 games. The injuries are a real concern, as it's really damaging us at the back. And we aren't able to play with settled back 4 for a long enough period. If they keep playing like that the luck on the pitch will change and they will start to pick up a few results. Hopefully we will get the injured players back in time for the busy xmas period where you can pick up a few points if you get on a roll.

That's a fair assessment Champs.. Rovers played pretty good and as you said they were a tad unlucky with the Wolves goal

[AucklandRover]

There were a couple of periods when the lack of an out-and-out "stopper" midfielder left the defence exposed.
That problem was added to by both Lowe and Lenihan having to play in the back four.
It's a bit of a dilemma, really, because the current midfield of four looks reasonably balanced, and you couldn't put the defensive midfielder in without sacrificing a wide player or a forward.
As I said, Mulgrew is very composed on the ball. He might well be the player we need in that holding role, because he can tackle as well.
Would it be a case of dropping Evans to accommodate that? I wouldn't drop Guthrie because he seems to be coming back to something like the form he showed in his early days.

[AucklandRover]

There were a couple of periods when the lack of an out-and-out "stopper" midfielder left the defence exposed.
That problem was added to by both Lowe and Lenihan having to play in the back four.
It's a bit of a dilemma, really, because the current midfield of four looks reasonably balanced, and you couldn't put the defensive midfielder in without sacrificing a wide player or a forward.
As I said, Mulgrew is very composed on the ball. He might well be the player we need in that holding role, because he can tackle as well.
Would it be a case of dropping Evans to accommodate that? I wouldn't drop Guthrie because he seems to be coming back to something like the form he showed in his early days.

[DanRrr]

Although I'm late in the day chipping in, I'd say the score reflected the game. However, 3 players offside when the ball is played. If these things even out, I think we're now owed 6 from this season. We've had onside goals ruled offside and that was not the 1st offside goal that's cost us. The team is massively unballanced as it is, and if the officials carry on like this, we don't have any form of chance of avoiding league 1.

[alfinyalcabo]

Although I'm late in the day chipping in, I'd say the score reflected the game. However, 3 players offside when the ball is played. If these things even out, I think we're now owed 6 from this season. We've had onside goals ruled offside and that was not the 1st offside goal that's cost us. The team is massively unballanced as it is, and if the officials carry on like this, we don't have any form of chance of avoiding league 1.

Oh no,not another thread turning into the official blame the official thread ..lol

[DanRrr]

Oh no,not another thread turning into the official blame the official thread ..lol

Certainly not. I blame Thatcher. She started all this and shut down the pits

[alfinyalcabo]

Certainly not. I blame Thatcher. She started all this and shut down the pits

Can't argue with that Dan ..