⚽ Match Thread vs. Crawley Town FC 28.11.23 [EFL L2]

[matt_magpie]

The consensus is that we were a bit ropey in the first half last night, and yet it occurred to me today that back in the Steve Thompson days our first half performance would probably have been our best of the season, and I don't even think that's an exaggeration for comic effect!

The important thing is we are getting entertained. As much as I want to see us promoted I’m happy to just enjoy this season without the constant feeling we need to get out of this league like the previous seasons.
You’re right on Thompson and others too come to mind too, don’t think I want a manager again trying to grind out a 1-0.

[Elite_Pie]

The important thing is we are getting entertained.

Just had a glance at the tables, and anyone who has been to all of our 20 league games would have seen 78 goals, which I think is more than any other club in the top four divisions. A few too many of them have been scored against us, but give me a 4-3 win over a 1-0 win any day.

[Magpies1959]

Notts78. I am not vasing it on 45 mins, I just think we can do better and also need someone more comfortable with ball at feet. He may be young, but he will never have the skills of Baldwin, nit getting at him, just think we need different/better.
Disappointed to have had to watch the game from a hospital ward at the City, but it was warmer I hear 😊

[Elite_Pie]

A poor first 25 minutes, but we created loads of good chances after that and were well worth the 3 points. A bit surprised there were only 4 goals in the game, both sides could easily have scored a couple more. Two dodgy defences, and for the first time this season I saw a team who pass it back to the keeper more often than we do!

[countygump]

Notts78. I am not vasing it on 45 mins, I just think we can do better and also need someone more comfortable with ball at feet. He may be young, but he will never have the skills of Baldwin, nit getting at him, just think we need different/better.
Disappointed to have had to watch the game from a hospital ward at the City, but it was warmer I hear 😊

Hope you're OK 1959. It was the usually calamitous defending at times. Equally worrying and amusing in truth, though it's asking a lot for 3 players to do the majority of it. Good win in the end. Another 3 points and on we go. U Piessssss.

[jackal2]

Bit of calamity in the first half but walked away on a very cold night feeling like I’d been entertained which you sort of expect now, would we want it any other way?

No I wouldn't. Every game these days is entertaining, and most of the time we get a good result too!

Tonight was a test, going one down after the loss on Saturday. Heads could have dropped, but in the end we were probably unlucky not to score double what we got. The defensive fragility was still there at times, but we more than deserved the win.

The Langstaff/Morias combination looks promising, even though we probably won't see it often. I noticed it against Newport and again tonight. Obviously they lack height between them, but they both work extremely hard off the ball and I think that really helped to unsettle Crawley's attempts to play out, applying the kind of pressure that led to the third goal.

Macari for me did okay. He's more positive than Brindley and he looks like a player who could do a good job in as many as three positions. He certainly doesn't look out of place in the team considering his relative lack of experience, and of course he's a player with the potential to improve a lot as he gets more game time. I certainly won't object if we sign him.

What we definitely do need, however, is more bite, especially in midfield. Sam Austin - as versatile as he is - looks lightweight in the centre of the park. It's just not his position. In terms of snapping at heels and putting in tackles, Jim O'Brien is our most combative player, but we need someone else (younger) in there with a nasty streak who can hold their position and screen the defence properly, allowing more adventurous and gifted players to go forward without leaving the space empty behind them. That might be the role they envisage for Gosling, but it depends how long it takes to get him match fit.

Great result though, and proof again that we can more than compete with the majority of teams in this division, especially at home. If we gradually add a bit more defensive resilience, height and aggression over the next 18 months or so, then we'll probably begin getting more results away from home too.

[Proactive not Reactive]

Thought Baldwin was very good tonight imo and by far our best defender and we should be looking to recruit at least 1 defender that is as good as him
Glad for Junior scoring his 1st goal and worked hard for last half a hour - probably start Friday will be a decent squad player giving Macca and Didzy rests as his fitness improves
Stone looked confident and made a couple of good saves let’s hope this is a new start for him

[hissingdwarf]

Thought Baldwin was very good tonight imo and by far our best defender and we should be looking to recruit at least 1 defender that is as good as him
Glad for Junior scoring his 1st goal and worked hard for last half a hour - probably start Friday will be a decent squad player giving Macca and Didzy rests as his fitness improves
Stone looked confident and made a couple of good saves let’s hope this is a new start for him

Baldwin is our best defender by a long way. The issue is his ‘foggy’ moments. Or the suicidal back passes etc… If he cut those out, he’d probably be at least a division above if not more.
As you say, we need someone as good, if not better than him moving forwards. For me, it would be a left sided CB and leave Baldwin and Macari where they are. Cameron on the bench and rotation.

Stone needs another run of games to prove he is ‘different’ to Slocombe tbf. On his first run the overall impression I got was “ much of a muchness.” Let’s see how he does Friday now.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

Good to get a win tonight and it’s these cold nights in November where picking up 3 points especially at home will help keep us in the mix. Pleasing that JOB and Junior Morais got on the scoresheet along with regular goal scorer Didzy.

Whilst we are still 6th we are only a point behind Wrexham in 2nd place and after 20 games we are in a good place having won over half our games. Keep this up over the season and we will be up there.

Our goal difference is telling us the story though in that we are a side that scores a lot but concedes a lot. We could with giving someone a good 4-0 or 5-0 thrashing to increase this as this is obviously one area for improvement.

Just Walsall, Harrogate and Stockport and that’s the first half of the season complete. If we can get six points from nine from those three games that will be a solid foundation on which to build after Christmas.

[hissingdwarf]

Firstly, bloody cold there tonight! Cold enough I couldn’t even be arsed to take my gloves off and argue on here earlier!

Shaky first half hour or so imo. Sam S looked dodge, but overall, not convinced Stone is any better.

We huffed and puffed in the middle and didn’t do a tremendous lot tbh. The loss of Palmer and Bostock can’t be underestimated.

Defence looked suicidal at times as usual, but found they grew into the game. Thought Macari looked wobbly first half hour, along with the rest, but grew in confidence as the game went on and looked established by the end. Hope he stays in the team now and gets a good run and Brindley is kept on the bench along with Rawlo. Love Rawlinson as a person, but our defence will continue to be an issue if Brindley and Rawlinson are the answer.
Good to see Junior grab his goal. Was a bit worried Didzy was injured, but I think it was planned sub tbh.


Hot chocolate in a flask? Can’t beat a steaming bovril in a flask at half time.