Sutton fred MATCH /RE-ARRANGED FOR TUES

[Sneag]

On the plus side Reed & Lewis played better tonight. A return to form for those twowould be nice.

[bigalstag1]

How does the team and manager get away with blaming a muddy pitch, and a bit of wind, for yet another abysmal home performance. There was yet again no tempo, no attacking intent from the start. We allow teams, whether they are top or bottom, the time to grow into games and increase confidence, to the point where we start to look like the away team. Add in, giving the opposition a free goal every home game and we are on the back foot, straight away. That plus the manager's propensity to play certain players out of position, just to give them a game, is starting to gnaw. Witness Mclaughlin tonight. If he fit enough to come on after 25 minutes, he was fit enough to start. Instead we end up jiggling the defence about just to get Brunt on the field, which eventually cost us.
Thank god we've got another away game on Saturday.

[diablo]

Jolly well done Mr. Clough and your players. Another night of rip roaring entertainment, can't wait for the next home game. Especially liked your 10 players back in the box against the bottom team on the league!

Nothing to do with the swirling wind and rain then

Andy, you are going to have to take your rose coloured specs off one day you are getting repetitive

The Manager seems to be struggling with Selection problems...Bowery shoe horned in at left back instead of Macca, For goodness sake play Bowery at Right back and Macca Left back that would work reasonably well...Brunt is not a full back so why play him there? the lad is basically a centre half/ defensive midfielder...Clarke must start if fit...Akins is unfortunately totally hopeless at present...if the Club seriously want Lee Gregory then they will have to pay SW the 12k a week they are asking for not the 6K a week we offered or alternatively another striker or 2...no new Striker then no top 3

[scotsstag]

Jolly well done Mr. Clough and your players. Another night of rip roaring entertainment, can't wait for the next home game. Especially liked your 10 players back in the box against the bottom team on the league!

Nothing to do with the swirling wind and rain then

That could have been a lovely, warm, calm Spring evening and we would still have got raspberry all....

It would have been better to play Sutton on a day as you describe.

Don't think it would have made any difference looking at that display tonight to be honest.

The weather had a big effect on the game. At times it was a lottery. They had one shot on target, we had two.[/quote]
Exactly, two shots on target at home against the worst side in the football league says it all.
Weather permitting of course ..

[Rob]

Well that was incredibly frustrating. The back four selection was bizarre and undoubtedly cost us, Bowery would not have made that sort of mistake and I don't know why Clough didn't just play Bowery at RB and either Cargill or Macca at left back leaving Brunt or Cargill (if Macca started) at CB. Also odd that Clarke did not start, it was his kind of night and I thought he showed what he could provide when he came on. As others have said Akins had another poor night, as did DKD, but the conditions were truly awful and as Clough said afterwards absolutely perfect for Sutton. The referee was utterly incompetent and lord only knows how he has got to that level - allowing Sutton players to stay on after treatment and twice not restarting play with a Stags ball after he had blown up, with us in possession, for Sutton injuries which on both occasions were caused by their own players. The non-yellow card for the early foul on DKD was pretty unforgiveable at any level and the 9 minutes added was not nearly enough considering the blatant time wasting he allowed all game not to mention the injuries and substitutions. He's clearly another fast tracker, lacking experience and it really showed tonight, the least competent referee I've seen for several seasons. He wasn't why we failed to win though, that was down to us and our failure to move the ball quickly enough (partly down to the conditions).

We clearly need fresh blood, hopefully by Saturday - without it I can see this mini-slump continuing at Wimbledon.

[Amber Andy]

How does the team and manager get away with blaming a muddy pitch, and a bit of wind, for yet another abysmal home performance. There was yet again no tempo, no attacking intent from the start. We allow teams, whether they are top or bottom, the time to grow into games and increase confidence, to the point where we start to look like the away team. Add in, giving the opposition a free goal every home game and we are on the back foot, straight away. That plus the manager's propensity to play certain players out of position, just to give them a game, is starting to gnaw. Witness Mclaughlin tonight. If he fit enough to come on after 25 minutes, he was fit enough to start. Instead we end up jiggling the defence about just to get Brunt on the field, which eventually cost us.
Thank god we've got another away game on Saturday.

Bit of a wind ? It was a strong wind blowing in all directions. Very frustrating for the players to play their normal game. Added to the fact they were playing the most frustrating team in the league. Their stop start, time wasting tactics and fowling off the ball especially on Quinn, didn't add anything to the game. Brunt messed up, was on a booking and was rightly taken off. We scored a decent goal and should have had another one from Bowery's excellant cross. And I will throw this in as well, the referee was poor and he too caused frustrations. Yes it was a poor performance, but there were several reasons why.

[vicar_jeremiah]

most frustrating team in the league?? but they have been battered by all and sundry? that was a performance of ineptitude by manager and players and we need to move on sharpish

[victor A block]

No idea how warm it is in the Algarve but the Radford's will have a sweat on after that.

We basically played for 70 minutes without a striker. Akins coming that deep for the ball. When he did win it there was no-one in the box against bottom of the league at home. If you don't class DKD as a striker then we just had Akins who is no goal threat. Its just not positive enough.

The shoehorning in of players at the back is costing us and has to stop. Bowery should not have been left back with Macca available. Brunt a disaster at right back. He's made enough costly errors now to be dropped. He's just not learning is he. This one was possibly the worst.

Clarke should have started again. I go back to County away when we had a midfield of Reed, Lewis, Clarke and Maris and blew them away.

We didn't even seem that positive towards the end. Bowery made 1 run down the line and put in that great cross for Swan. Most of the time he hung back. We are way too narrow at home and it makes us easy to defend against.

In the absence of a signing what to do with Swan?. Yes, he should have scored but at least he got in the position to do so which puts him in front of Akins in my view. Its not like Akins has been holding the ball up well recently. Swan also gave us some pace which we are sadly lacking up top.

More pace in midfield with Clarke and Maris pushing up. More pace in attack with Swan and DKD. Maybe we can get some momentum back.

Or even better... a couple of new strikers.

[bigalstag1]

[scotsstag]

How does the team and manager get away with blaming a muddy pitch, and a bit of wind, for yet another abysmal home performance. There was yet again no tempo, no attacking intent from the start. We allow teams, whether they are top or bottom, the time to grow into games and increase confidence, to the point where we start to look like the away team. Add in, giving the opposition a free goal every home game and we are on the back foot, straight away. That plus the manager's propensity to play certain players out of position, just to give them a game, is starting to gnaw. Witness Mclaughlin tonight. If he fit enough to come on after 25 minutes, he was fit enough to start. Instead we end up jiggling the defence about just to get Brunt on the field, which eventually cost us.
Thank god we've got another away game on Saturday.

Bit of a wind ? It was a strong wind blowing in all directions. Very frustrating for the players to play their normal game. Added to the fact they were playing the most frustrating team in the league. Their stop start, time wasting tactics and fowling off the ball especially on Quinn, didn't add anything to the game. Brunt messed up, was on a booking and was rightly taken off. We scored a decent goal and should have had another one from Bowery's excellant cross. And I will throw this in as well, the referee was poor and he too caused frustrations. Yes it was a poor performance, but there were several reasons why.

Funny that the most frustrating team in the league have been beaten 15 times already this season and have a -24 goal difference....

[Blackburn Stag]

The back 4 at the start of tonight was like we decided who was playing & drew lots as to where they played. Got lucky Flint was centre back.

[Stagspur]

Akins , Bowery , KD , Oates Swan , how much per week ? But we need another striker..........

[Amber Andy]

How does the team and manager get away with blaming a muddy pitch, and a bit of wind, for yet another abysmal home performance. There was yet again no tempo, no attacking intent from the start. We allow teams, whether they are top or bottom, the time to grow into games and increase confidence, to the point where we start to look like the away team. Add in, giving the opposition a free goal every home game and we are on the back foot, straight away. That plus the manager's propensity to play certain players out of position, just to give them a game, is starting to gnaw. Witness Mclaughlin tonight. If he fit enough to come on after 25 minutes, he was fit enough to start. Instead we end up jiggling the defence about just to get Brunt on the field, which eventually cost us.
Thank god we've got another away game on Saturday.

Bit of a wind ? It was a strong wind blowing in all directions. Very frustrating for the players to play their normal game. Added to the fact they were playing the most frustrating team in the league. Their stop start, time wasting tactics and fowling off the ball especially on Quinn, didn't add anything to the game. Brunt messed up, was on a booking and was rightly taken off. We scored a decent goal and should have had another one from Bowery's excellant cross. And I will throw this in as well, the referee was poor and he too caused frustrations. Yes it was a poor performance, but there were several reasons why.

Funny that the most frustrating team in the league have been beaten 15 times already this season and have a -24 goal difference....

So the appalling weather conditions had no effect on the game ? It was all down to team selection and poor tactics employed by the manager

[Dan]

My pics if you want a look: https://www.facebook.com/share/HsaAuYBFjar8Mns2/?

[Tawnystag]

Not a good result, but anyone who has played the game at a half decent level will know the impact the weather will have had. Hard to complete passes, balls in the air moving making the flight impossible to judge, goal kicks, and set pieces flying everywhere, you could see players struggling to stop the ball moving when placed for crosses and goal kicks . Easy for us to pass comment when sat in the sheltered stand. It was basically reduced to a physical encounter which Sutton, the leagues anti-footballing side, were always going to win.

[St Hilary Stag]

Reed needs dropping, he's been below par for the last 4-6 games. We need a scrapper in midfield.
Lucas is starting to look like he needs a break from the side also

[Costastag]

The top and bottom of it is the next seven days are going to be pivotal in our season the manager knows it and so do we just got to believe in him and hope he gets it right

[Stephen]

Reed needs dropping, he's been below par for the last 4-6 games. We need a scrapper in midfield.
Lucas is starting to look like he needs a break from the side also

Starting to? Hes been looking that bad since xmas time, all he could do was hold the ball up and bring other into play but he can’t even do that anymore. So when Clough is playing him on his own and he can’t finish, he can’t pass and he cant hold the ball up whats the point in him playing? He’s that bad at the moment i feel sorry for him, not helped by Nigel playing him on his own game after game.

[Pitkin]

How does the team and manager get away with blaming a muddy pitch, and a bit of wind, for yet another abysmal home performance. There was yet again no tempo, no attacking intent from the start. We allow teams, whether they are top or bottom, the time to grow into games and increase confidence, to the point where we start to look like the away team. Add in, giving the opposition a free goal every home game and we are on the back foot, straight away. That plus the manager's propensity to play certain players out of position, just to give them a game, is starting to gnaw. Witness Mclaughlin tonight. If he fit enough to come on after 25 minutes, he was fit enough to start. Instead we end up jiggling the defence about just to get Brunt on the field, which eventually cost us.
Thank god we've got another away game on Saturday.

Bit of a wind ? It was a strong wind blowing in all directions. Very frustrating for the players to play their normal game. Added to the fact they were playing the most frustrating team in the league. Their stop start, time wasting tactics and fowling off the ball especially on Quinn, didn't add anything to the game. Brunt messed up, was on a booking and was rightly taken off. We scored a decent goal and should have had another one from Bowery's excellant cross. And I will throw this in as well, the referee was poor and he too caused frustrations. Yes it was a poor performance, but there were several reasons why.

Pretty much how I saw it AA, this race isn't run in Jan, we need a striker, any layman with a limited knowledge of the professional game like me can see that.
I would like Macca in at LB , there has to be a fitness issue as to why he isn't starting.
I believe as you say, conditions last night were a leveller, and an awful surface which could be a factor on the run in are as key as owt else, however I trust NC, talks will be on going for strengthening the squad and move to Sat.

[bigalstag1]

They are just excuses for another poor home performance. The opposition teams are coming here and are able to play to a good standard on it.

[Sneag]

The pitch is what it is, it's not great but it does not explain the lack of tempo in our play or last night's bizarre team selection.

That said, anyone attening last night expecting anything other than a lottery needs their bumps read.

[Sandy Pate Best Stag]

Maybe it’s time to take a step back and a deep breath.

As disappointing as last night was, it was always inevitable that as we got into the winter months performance levels would drop due to heavy pitches slowing our game down. High pressing requires high energy and muddy pitches drain players much quicker than nice playing surfaces. They make defending against high energy teams much easier and we are suffering as a result.

On reflection Brunt at right back was a clear mistake but it was corrected very early in the game and I don’t think we will see him there again. Once the full backs were sorted our shape improved and we looked more solid.

I would have included Abdullah on the bench just to give us a bit of late pace and endeavour if possible but that would have meant dropping a seasoned pro from the squad so would have been a long shot.

I’m confident we will get our mojo back as the weather and pitches improve but in the meantime we have to grit our teeth and double our endeavour to try and keep in touch with the pack. Let’s not give up now.

[BH_Stag]

I’m glad Clough made the early change with Brunt, recognising the error, although obviously it would be preferable if he didn’t make it to start with!

Clough has got to make a decision on Brunt now. Stop shoe horning him in wherever possible just so he is in the side. One week he’s CB, the next he’s DM on his own, then he’s DM with Reed next to him, then he’s had brief spells in games on the right of a diamond, now he’s picked at right back. It’s been ridiculous. I don’t think he’s the best player in any of those positions, yet he keeps getting picked. Mentioned it last night but again, we have conceded 4 costly goals directly from him giving the ball away - we are playing for promotion here and we simply cannot afford for that to continue. He’ll get his chance through injuries, rotation etc. as the season goes on but he doesn’t have to play every game. A spell out the side wouldn’t do any harm.

[stagmanrob]

Clarke not starting for me, signals that he has been rested with Wimbledon away in mind.

Very much like how he wasn't a starter prior to the Stockport away game - he promptly put in a MOTM performance and provided two assists.

Fully expect him to start on Saturday and our midfield performance to look a hell of a lot better.

[TheMyTStags]

They are just excuses for another poor home performance. The opposition teams are coming here and are able to play to a good standard on it.

Respectfully, that's a load of rubbish. The decent performances from away sides have very rarely included any type of free flowing football or even attacking quality. They are gritty away performances that rely on us not breaking them down. Other than in the cups, there's not a single side that's come here and outplayed us. It's very clear most sides would be happy to spend 90 mins in their area and nick a point, and terrible conditions make that easier for them. Yes we should have played better in a few of them, and it's clear signings are needed to add a few more goals (however that may be). But let's not make out teams are rocking up at our ground and showing us how it's done, because if we played at home like other teams play against us, our fans would be rightly furious.