Match Thread Fleetwood v Blades

[Small Mendonca]

Another 2 points dropped as Bladesman said. We haven't won in 6 games. We are losing ground on the teams above us. We don't look like scoring (this is based on our home games). We are conceding every game. We don't even look like improving. We are clinging on to the hope that we will spend in January. We are clinging on to the hope that we will go on a winning run after Christmas.

I also like short sentences.

 

[wizadry]

He might have shots and headers, he's just not very good at them!

I was merely pointing out to blader that in actual fact he does have shots.

 

[alcoblade]

shows how far we've dropped when we are glad of a point away at fleetwood!!!

Doesn't the league table do that? It's real, you now

Fuck me I think it's a disgrace that we are where we are an are struggling really struggling to get out of this shit third tier!

I take it that's a point to someone else? I think most of us agree it's a disgrace we're here in the first place. But we are.


The point holds, if we'd won our last 4 home games this would be a good point. But a point at home would never be a good result.

UTB

 

[blader]

I was merely pointing out to blader that in actual fact he does have shots.

Maybe he's had a handful, but certainly not to the poit where you feel he is 'due a goal'

 

[Harry's Game]

Automatic is a pipe dream now. Play-Off's are in the balance. If we don't at least get top 6 then the season has been a total failure.

If we don't win promotion then the season has been a total failure. Losing in the play offs is not be good enough with the comparative weakness of the League this season. Will be even tougher next season.

 

[BladeInThatcham]

If we don't win promotion then the season has been a total failure. Losing in the play offs is not be good enough with the comparative weakness of the League this season. Will be even tougher next season.

The top end of the league is tougher than you give it credit. Bristol City, Mk Dons, Swindon, Preston & Peterbro are all decent sides at this level holding their own. Peterbro have dropped off recently but they could easily mount a challenge back into the top 6. Add to that the surprise packages Notts county and Rochdale (ala Yeovil) and we are far from guaranteed an 'easy' path out of this league.

Should we be better than these? Yes, of course we should. But like everyone else we are currently trapped here fielding league 1 players week in week out.

If someone had said to me at the start of the season we would be 5th coming into xmas I probably would've taken it. Do I expect more? Hell yeah. We SHOULD be getting better than 2 points at home to Dingles, Oldham, MK and Notts County. Any team in anydivision would say the same from 4 home games. But our squad is on a par with the aforementioned teams, no more, no less. Don't think we are any better, as we aren't. We need some luck....and a goalkeeper who can take a decent penalty ;-)

 

[wizadry]

But our squad is on a par with the aforementioned teams, no more, no less. Don't think we are any better, as we aren't

A well balanced post mate but it's the bit above what frustrates the hell out of some fans,me included.

Our squad shouldn't be on a par with these sides because our club has had more than enough chances to make sure we had a better squad than the sides you mention,but imo have failed miserably in doing so.Now all is not lost but we are certainly making it hard for ourselves.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Quick Fleetbat report, out of the traps really well, scored, in control then just sat back and let them play themselves back into the game. Definite 2 points dropped, a promotion team would have put that game to bed by half time.

O'Grady looked decent, Higdon the opposite, best chant 'You're just a tram stop in Blackpool'

McCarthy awful, Murphy / Whispering Bob MoM.

Play-offs beckon once again.

 

[mattbianco1]

Maybe he's had a handful, but certainly not to the poit where you feel he is 'due a goal'

Would you agree if I said he's been one of the better players over the past 2months?

Been solid at CB, RB and CM.

 

[DSB-91]

It is way too early in the season to write off automatic, let alone play-offs. No one's running away with it and as long as we're in touch we shouldn't be despondent. I know there's a lot to fix, but surely Clough's on it - he's not just going to roll over.

Going to be a hard job clawing back a nine point gap though, especially with such a toothless attack. I'd say automatic's not a write off yet but our chances are sinking and getting worse with every disappointing result.

 

[blader]

Would you agree if I said he's been one of the better players over the past 2months?

Been solid at CB, RB and CM.

At CB yes. Definitely not CM or RB. He was dreadful at RB the other week. He should be 1st choice CB based on his performances in that position though.

 

[raul]

"Judge us after ten games" they said - we won 5. The next ten, when we were supposed to click into gear saw us win one less. Without radical change on and off the pitch, we're in for death by a thousand cuts a la DW second season.

Wasn't it supposed to be different in our brand new SUFC2013 world? Shake yourselves up a bit, all staff.

 

[Roygbiv]

The top end of the league is tougher than you give it credit. Bristol City, Mk Dons, Swindon, Preston & Peterbro are all decent sides at this level holding their own. Peterbro have dropped off recently but they could easily mount a challenge back into the top 6. Add to that the surprise packages Notts county and Rochdale (ala Yeovil) and we are far from guaranteed an 'easy' path out of this league.

Should we be better than these? Yes, of course we should. But like everyone else we are currently trapped here fielding league 1 players week in week out.

If someone had said to me at the start of the season we would be 5th coming into xmas I probably would've taken it. Do I expect more? Hell yeah. We SHOULD be getting better than 2 points at home to Dingles, Oldham, MK and Notts County. Any team in anydivision would say the same from 4 home games. But our squad is on a par with the aforementioned teams, no more, no less. Don't think we are any better, as we aren't. We need some luck....and a goalkeeper who can take a decent penalty ;-)

Fair points. I think I just threw the toys out of the pram for a moment after the full time whistle today

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Going to be a hard job clawing back a nine point gap though, especially with such a toothless attack. I'd say automatic's not a write off yet but our chances are sinking and getting worse with every disappointing result.

What disappoints me again today is we play yet ANOTHER different formation with 2 up top and young Wallace in midfield making his debut.

Doubt any Blade would have picked Higdon and COG with Murphy behind beforehand

Very interesting comment from Clough after the game - "We changed from our usual 4-3-3, to this formation today".

Oh for a touch of stability + Mcnulty.

UTB

 

[JohnDenver]

Oh for a touch of stability + Mcnulty.

UTB

Stability will come with better results. But McNulty not partnering CoG is harder to explain....

 

[blade too long]

lets not forget bristol city were 3-1 up at fleetwood and the cod fought back for a 3-3 draw , and theyve lost 1 in last 10 home games , so are no ones mugs at home , apoints a decent result , a win would have been nicer , but hey ho

 

[Lane Ender]

lets not forget bristol city were 3-1 up at fleetwood and the cod fought back for a 3-3 draw , and theyve lost 1 in last 10 home games , so are no ones mugs at home , apoints a decent result , a win would have been nicer , but hey ho

That's really comforting

 

[yuley82]

It's not a dig at you alcoblade in the slightest. Its a joke that we've come to the point that we can't even beat fleetwood.

If we'd had strengthened in the right areas instead of just bringing in quantity over quality then we would be strolling in this league. Bad management across the club as a whole is the simple plain fact that is to blame for our position.

 

[blade.i.am]

In 2006-07 we were in the Premier League, Fleetwood were in the Northern Premier league a full 6 tiers below us. WTF has happened to us?

 

[Lane Ender]

Less than 20 years ago they were in the North West Counties League

I went to watch our kid when he was with Rawmarsh they played Fleetwood in the FA Vase

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

I don't think it's so much the formation or 1/2 up front, we went at them from the off yesterday and after 15 mins, there was only one winner. We then took our foot off the gas and didn't start playing again until after they equalised.

Whether that's the players, the collective mentality or the way they've been told to play who knows but how many times recently have we only seemingly stepped it up after the opposition have scored. We went the 1 up Clough has been banging on about yesterday yet it made no difference.

The mentality / tactics need to change, we can't rely on trying to win 1-0s otherwise it will be play-offs at best once again. Since the 3 wins on the bounce back in October, we've taken 6 points from a possible 21, 4 of those games at home.

9 points and 15/16 goals to make up, not going to happen unless we stumble on a run like last season or things change.

 

[blade too long]

In 2006-07 we were in the Premier League, Fleetwood were in the Northern Premier league a full 6 tiers below us. WTF has happened to us?

as 2000 started the prem bottom half was

12 Middlesbrough
38 1410144652−652
13Everton381214125949+1050
14Coventry City38128184754−744
15Southampton38128184562−1744
16Derby County38911184457−1338
17Bradford City3899203868−3036
18Wimbledon (R)38712194674−2833
19Sheffield Wednesday (R)3887233870−3231
20Watford (R)3866263577−4224

only 2 remain , we cant keep using the 12 months in the prem as our starting point, things change

and how you can make Fleetwoods amazing rise , similar to what Wimbledon did, something we cant do anything about

we have been a championship side for 14 out of the last 20 seasons 2 prem and now 4 in league 1 , we havent fallen that far we just had a high point

 

[raul]

 

[blade too long]

Its like me saying I had a date withkate middleton once but now settled with the wife , yes its disappointing but Im working on getting back up there with a premier model

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Shame, it sounds like we really took it to them in the first half. Wallace had a great debut, Harris scored a cracking goal, and we should have had more before H/T. Our normal "game of two halves" was reversed though, as the same 11 let Fleetwood come right back into it in the second half, and they could have nicked it at the end.

Credit to Clough for trying something new, and it almost came off. Maybe we should have started with McNulty.

Looking at the table, I agree that automatic looks very doubtful now. We need a run of form akin to last season, and I just can't see it. There are three or four teams in this division that look far stronger than us and keep grinding out results.

Despite our record, I wouldn't write us off in the Play Offs given Clough's record in one-off cup ties.

Perhaps good cup results against Southampton and QPR will kick start the season like last year?

 

[mattbianco1]

In 2006-07 we were in the Premier League, Fleetwood were in the Northern Premier league a full 6 tiers below us. WTF has happened to us?

Got to credit them. We have only dropped 2 divisions

 

[blade.i.am]

Got to credit them. We have only dropped 2 divisions

Absolutely agree they have achieved wonders. My concern is that there are no obvious signs of us getting out of this division.
Forty years ago you could have argued for Div 1 being our natural home. Since then poor decisions and relatively little investment have led some to consider us a championship team at best. Given a few more years in League 1 perhaps we will lower our expectations even further. Very sad