They beat Tamworth 2-0 at the weekend, so have obviously improved since they lost 4-0 to you last week unless Tamworth are absolutely dreadful. But yeah any team losing 3-4 from 3-0 up at half time regardless of opposition is a bit embarrassing.
York are nowhere near the same standard as last season. To slow in midfield and nobody making chances.
Unfortunately Dante just doesn’t have the stature of a keeper needed to play at this level. Plenty encouraged by us this Bank Holiday Weekend, even without picking up any points. Carlisle, we gave them a fair game (can’t complain about the result however), and Boston today, we’ve had so many gilt-edged chances but just not taken them.
Different perspectives are interesting. Hartlepool fans here praising 2nd half when should have been 3-0 down before entering our box from a set piece. They tightened up after burgling an equaliser but we should have been out of sight. Two points dropped given the chances at 1-0 but Hartlepool were a good side. Suspect both will make top 7. Our achilles heel of scoring goals that usually causes us to struggle to make play offs will likely ensure we fall into them rather than threaten the title this season.
Morecambe predictably set up to stifle and counter, and did pretty well for the first 45. But the inevitable goal turned the game, and the Morecambe guys were fading and eventually dead on their feet, some very decent players among them . Francillette is an accomplished defender, some good passers in midfield and the no. 7, welsh guy, can’t remember his name, an excellent wing back. They’ll be fine, I think, with some familiarity ( and someone other than Harry Pan leading the line…) Shots scoring from all over the pitch, still creaking at the back, but, heigh ho, who cares..
I mean you’re not wrong over the 90 you were the better side and we didn’t deserve a win, you dominated the first half, but you don’t get points for should’ve would’ve or could’ve, end of the day you got a point via a fortuitous OG. Maher killed all the momentum with some of his subs imo, didn’t think it was possible to replace those two strikers with one worse but that lump that came on took the biscuit and sucked the life out of yers.
Yes,I’m reading a lot of could’ve/should’ve comments from Shrimps,while we could counter we should have scored when Goodliffe kicked Reids header off the line & the keeper make a great save from Folarin. Southend did have most shots,but most were straight at Cartwright &’at the end me of the day had to rely on an own goal for a point. Grayson dropped an all mighty bollock with his team selection,but after the changes, we looked a lot better,hopefully he won’t do it again.
Yeah based on that I don't think Southend have the quality to challenge for the title unless they make a signing or two in attack. We were a little bit off the pace and picked a poor starting line up that they failed to capitalise on. Jack Hunter contributes absolutely nothing. I never want to see a Grayson team with one up top, it's already fairly agricultural, we don't need it more so. That said, credit where it's due, he saw that at the break, changed it and we were better.
Perhaps I didn't make my point well. I didn't feel much improvement from Hartlepool second half whereas your fans clearly felt it. You had a clear chance in each half (not the goal) whereas we got through more easily in second (also not the goal) until the equaliser came. Obviously missed chances and lack of quality up front from our side means it is a point each. After a string of 0-0s it is also quite apt both goals were mostly from defender miskicks/deflections.
Definite improvement over the first half in which we stunk the house down, we were rotten, sat with three defensive mids on, we had a slightly better record than yourself before kick off, did not understand why we set up like we did, second we brought on two attack minded players and probably had the best two chances of the half, one saved excellently when it looked like it was in and the other hooked off the line. Again, we didn’t deserve to win it, but we’re a solid team, got our goal with some stroke of luck (like yours) and the points are shared.
We will obviously bemoan our finishing, or the lack of it. A Grayson masterclass or a correction of tactics he got wrong from the off Poolies? (Genuine question) I felt he set up to frustrate and hit on the break, with a strong physical side and the menacing Reid upfront to use his pace. However, the early error giving us an early lead put paid to that initially and we did go on to turn up the heat and created numerous chances to stretch the lead, but couldn't take any of them, obviously. Then as the second half started, Grayson started replacing braun and muscle with more adept footballers from his squad and Pools got a foothold in the game. We still created some gilt edge chances, Kendall through one on one twice and your 'keeper came out on top, all credit to him for that. It was during that period that you got the equaliser, as classic sucker punch for us not taking any of the chances we created. However Goodliffe also cleared off the line and Collin made an excellent save from another header. So in the cold light of day, both sides could make a case for winning the game and be justified in that view. So a draw in the end. Will it be a point lost or one gained, time will tell. All the best for the rest of the season Poolies, except when we meet again, for that 90 odd minutes.
Grayson mistake rectified in the second half for me, far too placid and defence minded, one upfront, three defensive midfielders, Reid is decent but I don’t think he’s known for his aerial prowess or even holding it up well, so it was gonna be a struggle for us set up like we were against a well fancied team who hadn’t conceded a goal.
Whilst we’re dead level with Hartlepool and Southend, I feel like theirs 11 points are more impressive. Their draws have been decent points. Points gained, where as our two at home against Boreham wood and Solihull were horror shows, 4 points dropped, poor performances and poor results.
Until we see that Carlisle side vs some of the favourites I don’t see that as an issue. yes it may mean we struggle vs stronger sides or our team may enjoy playing stronger sides who will have a go, give you more time on the ball and wheee the pressure is reduced……we don’t know yet
We’re 5 games in, back to back defeats all of a sudden your 16th, you can’t really draw anything from anything, way way too early to think about stuff like this.
I long for the day we sort out our issues taking chances. 42 shots 23 on target 7 goals Not good enough for a promotion chasing side
Does your club not have much financial clout to go out and sign a quality forward who would bang them in at this level?
