League 2 General Chat Thread

[Luke Imp]

Sounds like ours should have been a drab 0-0.

How we're still top despite two points from nine this week I have no idea. Mind you, to be able to class two draws and a defeat as a blip is nice!

 

[wangle]

We probably deserved a draw, but for what looked like a goalkeeping error gave. Unfortunately it was another game where we've underperformed. Team looks very disjointed and for the most part we created very little (same for Colchester). Unbelievably despite our recent form we're still top, everyone seems to be trying their hardest to not get promoted (apart from Tranmere). Hoping this is a blip rather than we've been overperfoming up until a couple of weeks ago. We seem to struggle when we don't get a full weeks rest in between games.

Apparently vickers didn't drop the ball. Thinking back on the game Colchester actually deserved the win (or more we deserved nothing). After going ahead they executed a brilliant game plan that stopped us creating anything. Having said that we were shit and the quality of football on show from both teams was pretty dire.

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

Funnily enough winning 5-1 but not scoring in the last half hour feels like an anticlimax, after that 9-0 against Solihull. Crawley weren't very good...

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Funnily enough winning 5-1 but not scoring in the last half hour feels like an anticlimax, after that 9-0 against Solihull. Crawley weren't very good...

Had that same feel about it. Conceding the goal was disappointing, everyone had just switched off.

 

[Boz]

5-1.

Should have been 10 but we were wasteful in front of goal, switched off for 5 mins after our 5th which was the only time Crawley got a kick.

Worst team we’ve played all season.

Cheltenham were worse. It was end to end for the opening twenty minutes and a good save from their free-kick at 1-0 kept us ahead. Tore them apart in the opening minutes of the second half and could have had more.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Cheltenham were worse. It was end to end for the opening twenty minutes and a good save from their free-kick at 1-0 kept us ahead. Tore them apart in the opening minutes of the second half and could have had more.

They didn’t do anything from open play. Wouldn’t quantify them having a decent 30 yard free kick as end to end, not that it matters.

 

[Mark kavanagh]

Crawley cannot defend crosses once we worked that out only one team was going to win, palmer showed his class though mcnulty and monthe gave him one chance all game and he took it where as norwood took 2 of his 10.

Highlight of the game the Crawley striker tripping over the ball with no one near him and the ref ( who was poor) giving a free kick .

 

[EricSabin]

Charles Breakspear is a disgraceful referee. 9 red cards given out now for him this season, next highest is 3. The red card he gave to Foley today wasn't even a yellow, and he was generally dreadful. But we held on to a 2-1 win, great atmosphere last 10 minutes and it's 3 wins in 4....

#mysteriouscurle

 

[DippyDon]

Considering results it’s a shame we didn’t win, but a point away a team Mansfield is very good, and it makes an unbeaten month.

A draw was a fair result today though, mansfield looked good

 

[Mark kavanagh]

Charles Breakspear is a disgraceful referee. 9 red cards given out now for him this season, next highest is 3. The red card he gave to Foley today wasn't even a yellow, and he was generally dreadful. But we held on to a 2-1 win, great atmosphere last 10 minutes and it's 3 wins in 4....

#mysteriouscurle

Charles breakspear is far too posh a name to be involved in footy he probably sees himself as some feudal lord delivering rough justice to his serfs on the pitch..... at least in his head

 

[Conker]

Considering results it’s a shame we didn’t win, but a point away a team Mansfield is very good, and it makes an unbeaten month.

A draw was a fair result today though, mansfield looked good

A draw was a fair result, two great goals.

Bishop and CJ two of our most important players were dire today and I actually thought it was two good teams but neither playing amazing or anything.

The referee unfortunately had a mare and his decisions certaintly favoured MK over the course of the game, did he affect the result? If that penalty shout was a penalty (unsure) then yes. He also stopped a 2v2 counter due to a MK playing being down which was odd although the chances of us scoring that was slim.

Number 10 for MK is clearly a good player but he's a bit of a cretin, in fact they all came across quite dirty. Not two footed dirty, but let's say they were very talented at manipulating the referee.

 

[AdamStag]

MK (i don’t get why they have dons in their name) came looking for a point and got it. 2 good goals, and basically the rest of the game was us cancelling out. Any manager worth their salt would know flitcroft is too negative and limited to go for a win so will take their point and run.

Felt a bit of MKs number 10, clearly a limited player on the day out of his depth, what he was Upto was beyond me.

The ref also had a good game for MK

 

[dedwardp]

Apparently vickers didn't drop the ball. Thinking back on the game Colchester actually deserved the win (or more we deserved nothing). After going ahead they executed a brilliant game plan that stopped us creating anything. Having said that we were shit and the quality of football on show from both teams was pretty dire.

It was a game of few chances - other than the free kick save from the last kick of the game I can't remember Gilmartin having anything else to do. As you say, the goal gave us something to defend and we stood up to that pretty well. Not a stellar showing from either side but a decent, hard-fought game.

 

[Habbinalan]

Can see why Macc are bottom (and we're in a relegation tussle) - both of us were pretty toothless going forward.

I was just thinking that Macc may just have earned a draw when Ben Stephen (best player on the pitch?) hit the bar and Joe Dunne summed it up

"Things can change in football. Think about the game where the keeper made an unbelievable save with his toe and they went down the other end and scored. Forest Green. Today they've hit the crossbar, we've gone up the other end and scored. Keep believing."

On to Grimsby and away from the claustrophobia of General Chat/Match Thread to the wide open spaces of U's v Mariners.

 

[Vanni]

Macc set up for the draw (and that was exactly what I was expecting after that 5 nil home loss to Northampton) and tbh were a tad unlucky in not getting anything. Did a good job on our more dangerous players like Brown and Lambe but as is often the case when setting up for a point you end up with nought. They didn't have a poor first 45 and did create a couple of chances but I thought they sat too deep in the second half and that's always asking for trouble.

Macc desperately need some quality up front, and so do we, but I think their need is greater than ours. Their back line was decent enough, and those in front of them did their best in shielding the defence and snuffing out any danger, but they're toothless up front. A hard working side albeit with very little quality.

 

[Stringy]

Mansfield vs MK I thought was a terrible game. We could barely string a pass together. Tough conditions but very frustrating.

 

[RLC]

Crawley definitely weren't the worst team we have played from a footballing perspective; they knocked it around well in midfield at times. However, they were abysmal defensively. Playing a high line against Norwood was suicidal and he was given the freedom to keep running in behind and cause havoc.

The key to the victory was Larnell Cole's performance in the number ten role. He is probably our most naturally talented player and all of our best football went through him today.

 

[Si Robin]

Wow we were truly dreadful today. It's really hard to see where the next win is coming from. It has now reached the point where we have to hope we are still in touch come January and then miracles happen, as they have for the past two seasons.

 

[Back in the DHSS]

Crawley definitely weren't the worst team we have played from a footballing perspective; they knocked it around well in midfield at times. However, they were abysmal defensively. Playing a high line against Norwood was suicidal and he was given the freedom to keep running in behind and cause havoc.

The key to the victory was Larnell Cole's performance in the number ten role. He is probably our most naturally talented player and all of our best football went through him today.

Pretty much how I saw it too!

 

[Casey]

I think I picked a good match to miss!

I don't think we're much good but we do try more in an attacking sense since Kewell went but how we go from giving good games to Newport and Exeter to being thrashed by Tranmere is beyond me.

Looking at the defence we put out today shows a back five with one central defender two wing backs and two midfielders. I wonder why they let in goals?

Casey

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

Macc set up for the draw

We didn't set up for a draw, that's just the maximum level of attacking quality our current midfield/forwards can muster.

 

[denzel ecfc]

We were awful yesterday, but still third? Hopefully it's just a blip but i fear for us at Tranmere next week. Looks like Boateng will be out for a while which is a blow, and we don't have strength in depth at the moment.

 

[devilofajob]

Crawley definitely weren't the worst team we have played from a footballing perspective; they knocked it around well in midfield at times. However, they were abysmal defensively. Playing a high line against Norwood was suicidal and he was given the freedom to keep running in behind and cause havoc.

The key to the victory was Larnell Cole's performance in the number ten role. He is probably our most naturally talented player and all of our best football went through him today.

Pretty much how I saw it too!

Yep, defensively poor, lack of cutting edge up front. A bad day.
As Casey says though, only one real defender today. Well done Tranmere.
A good day out.

 

[Dan_Macclad]

We lack players capable of league two football.

How Askey got them ticking last year is a miracle. Then he left and left us in limbo. I appreciate Askey had his reasons but we have never recovered from it and i can see a double relegation as a possibility.

 

[Conker]

Tell you what, If Mansfield can stay within a reasonable distance till January and we actually sign somebody who scores goals then we will be on a rampage in the second half of the season potentially- We are creating more chances than we ever have before and probably more than anybody in the division but we do not have anybody clinical enough.

Tyler Walker was supposed to be that guy but it's not happening so far.

I would recommend watching the highlights from yesterday, both goals were quality.

https://www.skysports.com/football/mansfield-vs-mk-dons/393833

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Surprised Walker isn’t scoring at this level , even if his reported weekly wage is large I really fancied him to score a lot playing off a big man

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Swap Mansfield and Newport around and the top 7 won’t be far off how it’ll look in May.

 

[EricSabin]

I think we'll keep moving upwards, another home game against Crewe next week represents another good chance for 3 points. Positivity slowly coming back to Sixfields.

 

[Pablosammy]

Swap Mansfield and Newport around and the top 7 won’t be far off how it’ll look in May.

I still remain convinced we'll drop away into mid table, but that's just me being pessimistic as usual! Who knows?

 

[T.A]

Tranmere should know themselves how easy it is to drop away - still plenty of games left to go.