⚽Match Thread vs. Mansfield Town FC 03.02.24 [EFL L2]

[Elite_Pie]

At least it wasn't our usual capitulation against them, and very disappointing to come away with nothing. I thought we were worth at least a point, we should have gone in ahead at half time but didn't offer enough in the second half. Clough was moaning about the ref robbing them last week, I doubt he'll have any complaints about the ref today. He gave us very little, their tactic of kicking or holding Jones and Nemane went unpunished for most of the game. They had the luck, we didn't. If they are a top 3 side we still have a lot to play for.

[Mark_Ross]

Yet another thoroughly miserable day for the Pies at Failed Mill.

Kinda expected but still very depressing.

I think it is safe to say now that any slight chance of the playoffs is well & truly over. We are only going one way - and it isn't up.

[nw6pie]

I wouldn’t say we played badly particularly and first half we were just plain unlucky not to be at least level, but…

We all knew their pitch was bad and that it was going to be a game about fine margins, physicality, winning battles etc. We didn’t pick a team for that, didn’t approach it like that, and lost the game in the way that everyone thought we would. I like the style of football but it’s got to be a means to an end rather than the end in itself, and feels this season we’re getting a bit close to the latter.

Unless you’re vintage Barcelona (and even then, having Messi was a cheat code), you need more than one way to play. Our patient passing-from-the back is great if there’s an end product to it, but right now there’s not much. We never look for a ball over the top because no midfielder is ever making a forward run, and it’s very rare that we play a ball for someone to run onto. Too often, a player receives the ball with either their back to goal or when they’re static - especially the wing backs.

Mansfield are a more agricultural team, but I don’t blame them with that dreadful pitch (really must be one of the worst in the league) - and they still managed to create more clear-cut chances than us in the second half with their very average forwards.

[slack_pie]

Yet another thoroughly miserable day for the Pies at Failed Mill.

Kinda expected but still very depressing.

I think it is safe to say now that any slight chance of the playoffs is well & truly over. We are only going one way - and it isn't up.

Can't see us making the playoffs at this stage either, and even if we did, I doubt we'd get through the semis. But next year, I fully expect us to mount a more serious promotion campaign. Midtable isn't bad after getting promoted and with all the disruption we've had, but we need to be better next season.

[BigFatPie]

Our much vaunted attacking players haven’t troubled the better teams all season and today was no different. Their plan was not giving Jones and Nemane an inch and it worked, with a lot of help from the ref.

Really disappointing second half, it was really only Baldwin and Stone keeping us in it, we didn’t lay a glove on em. Looked a decent shout for the penno, certainly better than the one Clough was whinging about for them last week.

Not an inspiring start for Maynard. Two tough teams, but we’ve ran out of ideas against them both fairly early on. But

[legs77]

Lots saying ran out of ideas which is interesting it could be that or we just dont have options to change it ?

I mean if Langy/McGoldrick are off form you look at that bench and as the coach you probably think a 70% ML/DM is better !

Palmer is a monster loss too not as good as Yates was but same effect although Robertson looked good today.

[marky]

Was there any trouble at the game?

[durhampie]

Unless you’re vintage Barcelona (and even then, having Messi was a cheat code), you need more than one way to play. Our patient passing-from-the back is great if there’s an end product to it, but right now there’s not much. We never look for a ball over the top because no midfielder is ever making a forward run, and it’s very rare that we play a ball for someone to run onto. Too often, a player receives the ball with either their back to goal or when they’re static - especially the wing backs.

Mansfield are a more agricultural team, but I don’t blame them with that dreadful pitch (really must be one of the worst in the league) - and they still managed to create more clear-cut chances than us in the second half with their very average forwards.

They had more aggression and played the ball forward much more quicker than us. All we seemed to do was to pass the ball around in our own half.. Even when we had a free kick on the edge of their area, it ended up back in our half with a throwing to them..
And what's the point in having substitutes if you have no intention of using them, apart from Austin in the 87th min...

[durhampie]

We can still loan Morias out to a national league club if needed, their window does close until the end of march.

Or even Basford united..

[1955pie]

I didn’t go to the game today.
Putting aside the emotions around who we were playing and the result, was today a better performance than last week?