⚽Match Thread vs. Sutton United FC 27.02.24 [EFL L2]

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Originally Posted by queenslandpie

This story was in the Sunday Sport. Is your post actually serious?

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Many a true word spoken in jest.

I'm sure this won't be of any consolation and in no way am I sticking the boot in but we are in such poor form at the moment as well and look to be heading in the same direction. Some of our fans are having complete meltdowns. So you are not alone. You can easily spot the ones who weren't with us through those tough 20 years prior to the takeover. Entitled dummy spitters, with little to no grasp of the realities of football.

Our situation is better currently granted but the way we are playing away from home is the worst I've seen in a long time and the slump is now alarming. Just dreadful. Key players form has dropped off a cliff. Injuries killing us. Its bizarre and similar to what's happening to you.

We could well end up outside the play offs if this form carries on. TBH I don't really care about getting promoted this season, I think our current squad would seriously struggle in the league above. Saying that a lot are out of contract in the summer and some look like they know they won't be getting a new deal and have downed tools accordingly.

You took a big gamble on the manager and I honestly thought he'd be ok but it's looking increasingly likely that LW was a far better manager than anyone gave him credit for, especially towards the end of his time with you.
Hindsight is great but maybe you should've tossed the old philosophy out the window for the time being and got Warnock in. I doubt you'd be shipping 4 goals at home under him. Was he seriously an option or just a rumour?

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Originally Posted by BenFostersGloves

You took a big gamble on the manager and I honestly thought he'd be ok but it's looking increasingly likely that LW was a far better manager than anyone gave him credit for, especially towards the end of his time with you.
Hindsight is great but maybe you should've tossed the old philosophy out the window for the time being and got Warnock in. I doubt you'd be shipping 4 goals at home under him. Was he seriously an option or just a rumour?

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Our defence could concede goals with George Graham at the helm, never mind Warnock

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Originally Posted by Stan Marshall

I was a big LW fan but most of the problems last night were there when Luke was in charge and haven’t been addressed. It was clear as day that we needed to address our defensive ‘frailties’ but nothing was done in January.
Three times, last night, we equalised and I thought we could go on to win the game against a very poor team. However, once again, we stopped playing in the second half. How many times have we done that at Meadow Lane this season. They were parked in our half for five minutes before scoring their third and we offered nothing at 4-3. Can we also add fitness to our list of weaknesses? My other issue, and this applies to both LW and SM, is the habit of mass substitutions with 20 minutes or so to go. Very rarely has it improved our performance!
We’ve been on the slide for months now but we need to give our new Head Coach a chance to turn it round, supported by positive action from our Recruitment Team.

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Its too late for the recruitment team to help out , the transfer window is shut. They should have addressed the defensive problems before the start of the season.. Also, SM doesn't make things any better for himself when he leaves out one of our better defenders, and then takes off the wrong players at a critical time in the game.

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Originally Posted by pjace

We can't carry on playing with Nemane and Jones as wing backs they can't defend and simply don't want to it's not in their skillset
Why doesn't anyone close down attacking players they just amble to within 5 yards and think that is good enough
We don't have enough physicality in the side at one stage last night we had 6 players 5'9" or smaller we can't compete in the
air and get knocked off the ball too easily.
Decent teams know how to play against us they just wait for us to lose the ball up field then break with pace and power
Poor teams just wait for us to give them a few goals.

We continue to have 75% plus possession but do nothing with it

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Ive been saying this for months ?

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Originally Posted by BenFostersGloves

I'm sure this won't be of any consolation and in no way am I sticking the boot in but we are in such poor form at the moment as well and look to be heading in the same direction. Some of our fans are having complete meltdowns. So you are not alone. You can easily spot the ones who weren't with us through those tough 20 years prior to the takeover. Entitled dummy spitters, with little to no grasp of the realities of football.

Our situation is better currently granted but the way we are playing away from home is the worst I've seen in a long time and the slump is now alarming. Just dreadful. Key players form has dropped off a cliff. Injuries killing us. Its bizarre and similar to what's happening to you.

We could well end up outside the play offs if this form carries on. TBH I don't really care about getting promoted this season, I think our current squad would seriously struggle in the league above. Saying that a lot are out of contract in the summer and some look like they know they won't be getting a new deal and have downed tools accordingly.

You took a big gamble on the manager and I honestly thought he'd be ok but it's looking increasingly likely that LW was a far better manager than anyone gave him credit for, especially towards the end of his time with you.
Hindsight is great but maybe you should've tossed the old philosophy out the window for the time being and got Warnock in. I doubt you'd be shipping 4 goals at home under him. Was he seriously an option or just a rumour?

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I think both clubs are finding out now that the gap between the National League and League 2 is greater than we thought, and frailities we both got away with last season are being punished this season

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Originally Posted by durhampie

Ive been saying this for months ?

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Yes you have but SM has changed and not played them as wing backs he has used them in attacking roles and nothing has changed well it has we are worse now.

Maybe some players arent good enough for L2 but all 23 other clubs fans will say the same about certain players thats football for you.

SM has come in and completely messed things up tactics wise its not an opinion you can see it.

Without ML/JJ next season if this bloke is in charge id brace yourself for a relegation battle

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Originally Posted by legs77

Yes you have but SM has changed and not played them as wing backs he has used them in attacking roles and nothing has changed well it has we are worse now.

Maybe some players arent good enough for L2 but all 23 other clubs fans will say the same about certain players thats football for you.

SM has come in and completely messed things up tactics wise its not an opinion you can see it.

Without ML/JJ next season if this bloke is in charge id brace yourself for a relegation battle

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They played as Wing Backs last night

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Originally Posted by pjace

They played as Wing Backs last night

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They did.

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Originally Posted by pjace

They played as Wing Backs last night

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Indeed they did, but those wing-backs aren't wing-backs, they're wingers.

Nemane and Jones can't defend and don't really want to defend, and that's been the starting point for plenty of the goals we've conceded this season, even when Williams was in charge. We need players in wide defensive positions who know how to defend and have the desire and aggression to track and close down opponents and stop crosses. Three of the four goals we conceded last night involved poor defensive contributions and positioning from our 'wing-backs'.

We need that protection even more so because our (three!) so-called centre-halves lose too many 50/50 tackles and headers when the ball goes into the box. They're not very good at defending either, even though it's supposed to be their main job description.