Give me a positive from that

[Dan]

So the bench was “too weak” a few days ago yet today the only bright spots were two players coming off our “weak bench”. I love this place

[Dan]

Did we beat Cambridge on xG's

You just had to didn’t you?!

[PEAR CIDER]

So the bench was “too weak” a few days ago yet today the only bright spots were two players coming off our “weak bench”. I love this place

My point still stands, it is too weak. No one has seen law play a competitive game for 5 seasons so he cannot be used as a comparable measure when that thread was made. Did he do ok when he came on, yes. Did we concede 2 when he came on yes. Not his fault, but it didn't change the game. So yes, bench is too weak.

I think law should start to freshen things up next game for the record

[Spiritater]

wish the pub was open, need a pint with Spiro & Old Stag to tell me it will be ok

Wish it were that simple pal. No amount of ale can hide the fact we are an average team who buckle at the first sniff of adversity. 23 points disgorged after leading games says so.

[Random Hero]

So the bench was “too weak” a few days ago yet today the only bright spots were two players coming off our “weak bench”. I love this place

I can only assume you’re joking.

Two completely unproven youngsters came off the bench and luckily managed to look decent in a very poor side.

I wouldn’t say that constitutes a strong bench. If anything it proves the opposite.

[Captain Cunno]

The positive is that NC knows he probably needs 8 new 1st team players...
This is how I see it..
NEW GK
GORDON NEW NEW NEW
CLARKE NEW
LAPSLIE
NEW NEW
NEW

How I'm hoping/thinking NC recruits

GK
GORDON BRAYFORD WALLACE TANSER

EDWARDS CLARKE

LAPSLIE
AKINS ALFIE MAY
BOWMAN


We live in hope....

[MTFCMusings]

Did we beat Cambridge on xG's

You just had to didn’t you?!

1.3 v 1.3

[Kenwood]

So the bench was “too weak” a few days ago yet today the only bright spots were two players coming off our “weak bench”. I love this place

The bench the squad whatever you wish to call it is now too weak that is not a criticism of NC in fact he has done an amazing job, to get both Cook and Maynard out the door ready for next season will in the long term prove to be the right decision.

However coupled with a few unlucky injuries we now find ourself with a totally threadbare squad, over a course of a whole season this current set-up would prove disastrous, fortunately we are over halfway through and we just need to see the season out and prepare for the next

[oldweststander]

So the bench was “too weak” a few days ago yet today the only bright spots were two players coming off our “weak bench”. I love this place

Dan, the point that was made following the Bolton defeat was the bench was so weak Nigel wouldn't use it.

Yesterday (Cambridge Utd), proved the point again. Nigel chose to, more or less, blood two youngsters who, if nothing else, added fresh legs and enthusiasm. The more experienced pro's were left on the bench until Bowery was pulled off with, what is reported as, an injury.

We all love Nigel, we want him to succeed, we know we will survive but letting four players leave during the window and not recruiting wisely he made a mistake. If deals fell through because of Burton Albion's failure to recruit then we should have stopped Maynard leaving at least.

Losing is not particularly the issue, it's how you lose?

[Sneag]

Cook & Maynard were either incapable or unwilling to play the way their boss wanted them to.

Even if they hadn't been shipped out I don't see that NC would ever have trusted them with more than a few minutes game time.

[ParisStag]

The absolute first signing this summer is a goalkeeper. Confidence starts from there . The last decent one we had was Marriott. Stone unfortunately hasn't taken the chance Stech presented to him .
When the defence go missing the goalkeeper has to step up .
His ratio of shots saved to shots on target is pretty poor . Were any of the 3 today howlers ? No .
But a top level league 2 keeper saves 1 or 2 or all 3 of those .
Sweeney and Rawson need some competition . McLaughlin can't defend .
I don't think midfield is too far off with Clarke , Lapslie and a fit Quinn .
Strikers needed . Reid seems a nailed on starter and outside of 2 or 3 decent games hasn't done anything to justify it .
I think another poster has said that him and Bowery have only 11 goals between them at this stage of the season . Never going to be enough .
Law and Sinclair did well and need more game time when safety is assured .

Agree about a keeper. Stone is still very young for a GK and should be developed as an understudy.

Reid is a confidence striker, like many. He will get better and more consistent under Clough, but needs a good attack around him, ie. wingers with talent - could be Law and Sinclair.

Midfield is fine. We have quality and experience there. What I don't get is why Perch isn't back at centre half and O'Keeffe isn't getting a run. Rawson doesn't have any footballing skill about him.

Happy with Bowery, but hopefully the new lad can offer some competition. I'd also bring Mal back in.

In summer we need strikers, wingers, defenders in all positions and a keeper.

[Dan]

So the bench was “too weak” a few days ago yet today the only bright spots were two players coming off our “weak bench”. I love this place

I can only assume you’re joking.

Two completely unproven youngsters came off the bench and luckily managed to look decent in a very poor side.

I wouldn’t say that constitutes a strong bench. If anything it proves the opposite.

Luckily? I think that’s quite insulting to two young lads who looked very good against a team top of the league.

[Dan]

So the bench was “too weak” a few days ago yet today the only bright spots were two players coming off our “weak bench”. I love this place

Dan, the point that was made following the Bolton defeat was the bench was so weak Nigel wouldn't use it.?

But he did use it and that’s what cost us the game.

[Rob]

Cook & Maynard were either incapable or unwilling to play the way their boss wanted them to.

Even if they hadn't been shipped out I don't see that NC would ever have trusted them with more than a few minutes game time.

I think he was right to move them on, I was never a fan of either. However, they should have been replaced by an out and out striker, I think that was a mistake. Mid table would be a decent finish considering the start.

[Sandy Pate Best Stag]

So the bench was “too weak” a few days ago yet today the only bright spots were two players coming off our “weak bench”. I love this place

Dan, the point that was made following the Bolton defeat was the bench was so weak Nigel wouldn't use it.

Yesterday (Cambridge Utd), proved the point again. Nigel chose to, more or less, blood two youngsters who, if nothing else, added fresh legs and enthusiasm. The more experienced pro's were left on the bench until Bowery was pulled off with, what is reported as, an injury.

We all love Nigel, we want him to succeed, we know we will survive but letting four players leave during the window and not recruiting wisely he made a mistake. If deals fell through because of Burton Albion's failure to recruit then we should have stopped Maynard leaving at least.

Losing is not particularly the issue, it's how you lose?

I don’t accept it was a mistake to let four players leave without replacements. I think Clough was fully aware of what he was doing and saw it as a small calculated risk knowing we have enough to avoid relegation. He has no other objective at this point and he substantially reduced the wage bill and also gave the players the chance to get a club for next year. That shows good forward planning, good man management and shows why he is a top manager who players want to join knowing they will be fairly treated if they don’t quite fit plans.

[Sneag]

Cook & Maynard were either incapable or unwilling to play the way their boss wanted them to.

Even if they hadn't been shipped out I don't see that NC would ever have trusted them with more than a few minutes game time.

I think he was right to move them on, I was never a fan of either. However, they should have been replaced by an out and out striker, I think that was a mistake. Mid table would be a decent finish considering the start.

I think at 23:00 on transfer deadline day that was probably still the plan.

[broomo]

wish the pub was open, need a pint with Spiro & Old Stag to tell me it will be ok

Wish it were that simple pal. No amount of ale can hide the fact we are an average team who buckle at the first sniff of adversity. 23 points disgorged after leading games says so.

That stat is staggering.

Have you broken it down to before and after NC at all?

[Rob]

Cook & Maynard were either incapable or unwilling to play the way their boss wanted them to.

Even if they hadn't been shipped out I don't see that NC would ever have trusted them with more than a few minutes game time.

I think he was right to move them on, I was never a fan of either. However, they should have been replaced by an out and out striker, I think that was a mistake. Mid table would be a decent finish considering the start.

I think at 23:00 on transfer deadline day that was probably still the plan.

I'm sure it was, but it does look like we didn't have a Plan B if things didn't work out with Burton. Even without injuries we are clearly one, maybe two strikers short. Injuries to Lapslie and Gordon haven't helped of course.

[MTFCMusings]

wish the pub was open, need a pint with Spiro & Old Stag to tell me it will be ok

Wish it were that simple pal. No amount of ale can hide the fact we are an average team who buckle at the first sniff of adversity. 23 points disgorged after leading games says so.

That stat is staggering.

Have you broken it down to before and after NC at all?

I only make it 21

GC - 8 (Orient 2, Newport 3, Exeter 3)
RC - 4 (Walsall 2, Bolton 2)
NC - 9 (Colchester 2, Crawley 2, Colchester 2, Bolton 3)

Pts gained from losing positions

GC - 1 (Morecambe 1)
RC - N/A
NC - 6 (Oldham 3, Grimsby 1, Southend 1, Walsall 1)

[ST4GS]

So the bench was “too weak” a few days ago yet today the only bright spots were two players coming off our “weak bench”. I love this place

Dan, the point that was made following the Bolton defeat was the bench was so weak Nigel wouldn't use it.

Yesterday (Cambridge Utd), proved the point again. Nigel chose to, more or less, blood two youngsters who, if nothing else, added fresh legs and enthusiasm. The more experienced pro's were left on the bench until Bowery was pulled off with, what is reported as, an injury.

We all love Nigel, we want him to succeed, we know we will survive but letting four players leave during the window and not recruiting wisely he made a mistake. If deals fell through because of Burton Albion's failure to recruit then we should have stopped Maynard leaving at least.

Losing is not particularly the issue, it's how you lose?

I don’t accept it was a mistake to let four players leave without replacements. I think Clough was fully aware of what he was doing and saw it as a small calculated risk knowing we have enough to avoid relegation. He has no other objective at this point and he substantially reduced the wage bill and also gave the players the chance to get a club for next year. That shows good forward planning, good man management and shows why he is a top manager who players want to join knowing they will be fairly treated if they don’t quite fit plans.

couldn't agree more. Judge the squad in September.

[broomo]

wish the pub was open, need a pint with Spiro & Old Stag to tell me it will be ok

Wish it were that simple pal. No amount of ale can hide the fact we are an average team who buckle at the first sniff of adversity. 23 points disgorged after leading games says so.

That stat is staggering.

Have you broken it down to before and after NC at all?

GC - 8
RC - 4
NC - 11 (7 in the last four games)

Thanks.

So that's 8 in 10 games for GC
4 in 2 games for RC (who was bloody unlucky to be fair)

And 11 in 20 games for NC but 4 in 16 prior to the last 4 games, which suggests we WERE making progress on that front but have literally thrown it away.

It's fairly easy to see how we'll progress next season then.

Stop throwing away leads and we'll be right in the mix.

[MTFCMusings]

wish the pub was open, need a pint with Spiro & Old Stag to tell me it will be ok

Wish it were that simple pal. No amount of ale can hide the fact we are an average team who buckle at the first sniff of adversity. 23 points disgorged after leading games says so.

That stat is staggering.

Have you broken it down to before and after NC at all?

GC - 8
RC - 4
NC - 11 (7 in the last four games)

Thanks.

So that's 8 in 10 games for GC
4 in 2 games for RC (who was bloody unlucky to be fair)

And 11 in 20 games for NC but 4 in 16 prior to the last 4 games, which suggests we WERE making progress on that front but have literally thrown it away.

It's fairly easy to see how we'll progress next season then.

Stop throwing away leads and we'll be right in the mix.

Just FYI I’ve update the stats since then Broomo (see above). Initial ones quoted were incorrect I think.

[Spiritater]

wish the pub was open, need a pint with Spiro & Old Stag to tell me it will be ok

Wish it were that simple pal. No amount of ale can hide the fact we are an average team who buckle at the first sniff of adversity. 23 points disgorged after leading games says so.

That stat is staggering.

Have you broken it down to before and after NC at all?

I only make it 21

GC - 8 (Orient 2, Newport 3, Exeter 3)
RC - 4 (Walsall 2, Bolton 2)
NC - 9 (Colchester 2, Crawley 2, Colchester 2, Bolton 3)

Pts gained from losing positions

GC - 1 (Morecambe 1)
RC - N/A
NC - 6 (Oldham 3, Grimsby 1, Southend 1, Walsall 1)

23 or 21 it's too many and shows the frailty of the side. Which is one of the reasons we lie where we do

[MTFCMusings]

wish the pub was open, need a pint with Spiro & Old Stag to tell me it will be ok

Wish it were that simple pal. No amount of ale can hide the fact we are an average team who buckle at the first sniff of adversity. 23 points disgorged after leading games says so.

That stat is staggering.

Have you broken it down to before and after NC at all?

I only make it 21

GC - 8 (Orient 2, Newport 3, Exeter 3)
RC - 4 (Walsall 2, Bolton 2)
NC - 9 (Colchester 2, Crawley 2, Colchester 2, Bolton 3)

Pts gained from losing positions

GC - 1 (Morecambe 1)
RC - N/A
NC - 6 (Oldham 3, Grimsby 1, Southend 1, Walsall 1)

23 or 21 it's too many and shows the frailty of the side. Which is one of the reasons we lie where we do

Agreed! I originally counted 23 too, think I included the Walsall game the other day by mistake.

[Sneag]

The reward for scoring equaliser is only half the punishment for conceding one. Damn this modern 3 points for a win raspberrys.