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As I write this I look out of the window to see people huddled against the cold and I can't help but notice the rain cascading down. The bleakness of this scene leads me to think about Oldham. It is going to continue p*****g down for the next few days and so, as long as the drainage doesn't pack up leading to postponement, not ideal conditions for decent football. However, recent history suggests we do well results wise when we don't play well. So win anyone?
Pessimistic old me thinks that the team would prefer to be playing under cover on an artificial surface and therefore will not be up for it on Saturday. Therefore I predict a horror match in front of a pre-christmas low home attendance. 0-4
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I agree with your weather forecast. Sounds about right. It has been like this for a long while now. However, I certainly could not be a supporter of the Alex and go along to cheer on the Alex on Saturday, thinking that we are in for a heavy defeat. If I shared your pessimism, I would not go anywhere near the place. Therefore, we will be there again, hoping for the best and look forward to the first hat-trick of consecutive wins at home since 2012. Up the Alex.Originally Posted by gazan
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Ah but the beauty of being a pessimist is that you are rarely disappointed but occasionally pleasantly surprised😉
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Gladly I am in the Lake District this weekend and did not have to witness that SH1T, you are really in trouble as a club when you think the starting 11 on the pitch are better that the absolute dross we brought on as subs RAY, DALE and PORTER awful. Artell please give me an early Xmas present and resign.
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Who would you have brought on then considering you weren't there ?
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So Dale is rated as awful before he even starts a League match? Ray is awful despite the defence being tighter when he played than when he didn’t? No doubt you witnessed the improvement in the attacking of the ball from the Back 4 after he was introduced from your vantage point in the Lake District. Granted Artell took the wrong man off (should have been Whelan with Ng moved to Rbut that wasn’t the only bizarre decision in that regard. As for Porter, I wouldn’t say he’s awful but I’m not a fan either so I’ll give you half a mark on that one lol.
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Taking Bowery off was most definitely an odd choice considering he was the only one giving their defence any problems (albeit not many).
Really odd game on Saturday, they looked like they'd been fired up and told to go out and be direct, we looked like we'd been told keep the ball but didn't know how to in those conditions.
Our central midfield is by far the biggest frustration at the moment , Wintle and Jones look like both of them are trying to do the same job , neither of them looks like they want to drive at the opposition and both of them look pedestrian in the tackle. As much as I can't wait for Green to come back to give us some energy in there ,we are also desperately short of anyone who can pick the ball up and link in to the strikers.
I'm also struggling with the point of having a front two including Miller if our one attacking plan is to get the ball wide and put it in the box. Surely we'd be better placed having a 433/451 with someone actually trying to link the midfield and attack.
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I have said in previous posts in order to play only 2 in central midfield they have to be very good and they are not, also your defence has to be very good and they are not !! the midfield gets continually overrun and the defence in constantly being pinned back, we are better than in previous seasons at the back but inevitably constant pressure at the back results in conceding goals. Taking the point from the previous post I agree that playing 1 up front makes sense and that would be Bowery every time with Kirk and Ainley as wide men 3 in central midfield Jones, Wintle and NG as a holding midfielder allowing one of the other 2 midfielders to get forward and support the attack. The back 4 picks itself at the moment I am not a fan of Ray but partnering Nolan at the center of the defence is the best pairing we have with NG in midfield, Pixie as one of the fullbacks and probably Whelan. It is the back up I am most worried about with the exception of Richards the bench is fairly useless and just shows we are still at least 4 or 5 players short of a decent squad there is a lot of deadwood and poor academy fodder in the reserves and a major clearout is required. Clear out list below
O’Connor (don’t renew loan deal) jan
Raynes
Lowery (had plenty of chances not football league standard and far too small) I know messi is small but he has talent.
Finney ( not good enough never will be)
Johnson ( first team squad member who will never get in the team or on the bench)
Sass Davies ( see above)
Lundstram ( never in the squad does make the bench never comes on says it all really)
Offord ( who I hear you say ?)
Griffiths ( above applies)
Lynch ( above applies)
Porter ( pay him off past it and a huge financial drain)
Nicholls ( above applies)
Reilly ( best finisher in the club and can’t get in front of the deadwood we have as a forward line farmed out on loan says all you need to know)
I expect a deluge of criticism for the above but am sure prepared to put it out there.
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Not seen enough of the young lads to be so critical of them but I’m sure out of the 6 you’ve just written off at least 1 of them , probably more , will surprise you by establishing themselves in our team.
Also adding a holding midfielder doesn’t solve our problem, I’d probably like to see someone like Lowery in the middle , at least he creates and is at much less risk of getting caught out with support from 2 midfielders.
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2 in midfield is certainly not enough. I would like NG and Pickering in there as well. Perhaps play Ainley or Kirk up front with Bowery
Jones and Wintle were overrun on Saturday against 4 of Oldham, that's why their player had all the time in the World to make that shot for the first goal. Oh and Garratt please stand one more step further forward
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