League 2 General Chat Thread

[valefan16]

I feel you’re discrediting Lincoln slightly, admittedly I haven’t seen them play this season but they sit top of the league fairly comfortably.

I’ve not suggested otherwise? They are very good at what they do certainly and a good side.

 

[Davidimp]

Sitting on a one goal is very risky and so it proved.
Vale got the point they came, Brown spent the first half time wasting and we returned the compliment when we took the lead.
The challenge on McCartan was right in front of us and I've seen them given but not today. The ref was struggling to control both sides at times as both teams and benches were pushing their luck. Best example of his indecisiveness was Rhead almost having his shirt pulled off by two Port Vale players and nothing was given.
Fresh faces required to get us through the season as some in particular Andrade are playing with injuries.

 

[Luke Imp]

We've been a bit stodgy over the last month but still around the 2 point average so can't complain too much.

The midfield have started playing too many sideways passes rather than the forward ones they were playing earlier in the season. Andrade's only getting 60 minutes a game to manage an injury and that's not helped either because he's been a good outlet for us this season.

Keep saying it, but we definitely need fresh legs in. 1-15 or so are fine and good quality but beyond that there's not enough. We're not going to get 15-22 of an Akinde, Frecklington, Shackell type of quality or wages but we need a bit better than what we have.

It was a quality strike, so sometimes you just hold your hands up and accept it.

 

[Davidimp]

I’ve not suggested otherwise? They are very good at what they do certainly and a good side.

We knocked it about well but we lacked a cutting edge today, fair play to you for stopping us.

 

[valefan16]

Sitting on a one goal is very risky and so it proved.
Vale got the point they came, Brown spent the first half time wasting and we returned the compliment when we took the lead.
The challenge on McCartan was right in front of us and I've seen them given but not today. The ref was struggling to control both sides at times as both teams and benches were pushing their luck. Best example of his indecisiveness was Rhead almost having his shirt pulled off by two Port Vale players and nothing was given.
Fresh faces required to get us through the season as some in particular Andrade are playing with injuries.

Which challenge was that? (McCartan?)

To be honest I’ve said this many times as it happens to Pope all the time, players like Pope and Rhead never ever get the decisions like that. Crouch used to have the same issue. Most of the time when Popey gets barged and pulled then gives it back a free kick gets given against him every time.

 

[valefan16]

We knocked it about well but we lacked a cutting edge today, fair play to you for stopping us.

We are alright away these days. Just don’t change it at home and fans can’t take watching us defend with 11 men at home to say Cheltenham or Morecambe!

Feel for Aspin as the players gave him everything today and you can see the hurt in him but fans are going in their droves bored stiff.

 

[AdamStag]

We are alright away these days. Just don’t change it at home and fans can’t take watching us defend with 11 men at home to say Cheltenham or Morecambe!

Feel for Aspin as the players gave him everything today and you can see the hurt in him but fans are going in their droves bored stiff.

That’s what got Adam Murray sacked at Mansfield - club legend and all, and we played some cracking football, we lost a belter of a home match to Bristol rovers 2-1 in the last minute, after that he was ultra defensive at home and he in essence sacked himself, remember him going with basically a flat back 7 at home to Barnet. It wasn’t recieved well by the locals.

 

[valefan16]

That’s what got Adam Murray sacked at Mansfield - club legend and all, and we played some cracking football, we lost a belter of a home match to Bristol rovers 2-1 in the last minute, after that he was ultra defensive at home and he in essence sacked himself, remember him going with basically a flat back 7 at home to Barnet. It wasn’t recieved well by the locals.

Seemed to really start for us with the 2-6 against Lincoln, after that we went to Oldham and ground out a 1-0 and hosted Bury, got battered by stole a 1-0 and seemed to think that’s the way forward!

Early season we demolished Cambridge with some great football going forward second half but i dont think whatever’s happened with Miller has helped.

 

[Davidimp]

Which challenge was that? (McCartan?)

To be honest I’ve said this many times as it happens to Pope all the time, players like Pope and Rhead never ever get the decisions like that. Crouch used to have the same issue. Most of the time when Popey gets barged and pulled then gives it back a free kick gets given against him every time.

Yeah the McCartan tackle just before half time.
Yeah the refs think seem to think the opposition can just do what they like to target men like Rhead and Pope, it's wrong but sadly it won't change.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Great strike from Oyeleke. Do Lincoln ever score from open play?

 

[UTS]

Crewe manager Artell says the reason Crewe lost today is because they couldn’t handle Danny Mayor.

I’ll just leave that here.

 

[valefan16]

Yeah the McCartan tackle just before half time.
Yeah the refs think seem to think the opposition can just do what they like to target men like Rhead and Pope, it's wrong but sadly it won't change.

Looked good on the highlights. One that had to get right and i don’t think he 100% thought it was going to get the ball but 0.1 second later he’s taking his legs out and pen!

 

[Davidimp]

Great strike from Oyeleke. Do Lincoln ever score from open play?

3 times against you guys from memory...

 

[Buxton Vale]

Oyeleke won goal of the day on SSN

 

[valefan16]

Oyeleke won goal of the day on SSN

Great hit, shame the one a minute before hit the underside of the bar and bounced out, that one must have been literally mm lower in trajectory.

Proper mental when that went in!

 

[denzel ecfc]

Oyeleke won goal of the day on SSN

I think Collins strike should have made the shortlist. It was definitely better than the Donny goal. But Mannys strike was certainly worthy.

 

[Buxton Vale]

I think Collins strike should have made the shortlist. It was definitely better than the Donny goal. But Mannys strike was certainly worthy.

not sure how they missed that one

 

[denzel ecfc]

not sure how they missed that one

I don't think they want to show too many quality League Two goals. It might mean they would be forced to televise a game.

 

[Agombar stool]

Stockley has gone so easy three points for Swindon today.

Not happy you were wrong! Well done on your 3 points. We haven’t scored in three games now, that needs to change, and fast or we’re only going in one direction boyband fans.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

Lucky Rovers. Northampton the better side although we still managed to spurn chances to bury it! We had a good spell for fifteen minutes from the start, and then again for the last twenty minutes. But in-between we were simply poor. No answer to the pace and speed at which Northampton got forward. They planted cross after cross into our box, our central defence were all over the place. Our midfield barely turned-up. Credit to them, they had us well a truly on the ropes. Hopefully the striker we need will be forthcoming. We have to take our chances because inevitably they left plenty of gapes at the back.

It's proving very tough towards the top. We need to up our game at home if we are to feature in the play-offs.

Good summary that, couldn't believe that nobody closed your man down at the end, good strike, appeared to get a deflection?

 

[JJ1532]

Crewe manager Artell says the reason Crewe lost today is because they couldn’t handle Danny Mayor.

I’ll just leave that here.

It's based in truth, but from our point of view, it's pathetic defending, it really is. Not even Sunday league level stuff. He cuts inside right across our penalty area and nobody does anything to either block the shot or force him away from goal, thereby cutting down his ability to take a shot. Yes, it's an excellent effort that is inches from going in and the rebound is fortunate that it falls right to your player, but still, the midfield there.....yeesh.

The 2nd, well, not sure what George Ray was doing, dangling his leg like that, what did he expect to happen? It's a bit soft as I think Mayor is going down, but Ray gives him the invitation to, brainless defending. Also not sure what he's doing for the third, giving O'Shea the option to cut inside. Show him onto his left and if he scores from that angle, then you can blame the build up and your goalie. But to let him cut inside is awful.

Listening to Alex fans, it seems Ray has done well overall this season, but when(and it's when, not if) he goes come the summer, I won't be at all sorry to see him go. Build around Ng and Nolan would be my choice.

 

[Trapdoor]

I feel like we made a bit of a mistake letting Manny O. leave on a free. Admittedly he hadnt shown enough at the time to keep his place but it's always galling to see former players turn out good. Him and Norwood are the two recently who have turned into decent players.

With both of them you could see they had something but with Manny it was lack of cutting edge and with Norwood it was attitude.

 

[valefan16]

I feel like we made a bit of a mistake letting Manny O. leave on a free. Admittedly he hadnt shown enough at the time to keep his place but it's always galling to see former players turn out good. Him and Norwood are the two recently who have turned into decent players.

With both of them you could see they had something but with Manny it was lack of cutting edge and with Norwood it was attitude.

Manny was class for us when he first arrived but had injuries. Until Boxing day we hadn't lost a game he had played the full 90 minutes for us and until late October we'd lost every game he had missed!

He's had a dip in form in December and possibly no coincidence that we have struggled but he was back to his best yesterday and Vale played far better than we had for weeks.

Got to be honest I hadn't heard of him when unveiled and was disappointed we'd signed some no one from Aldershot... what do I know!

 

[PaulHaddock]

I feel like we made a bit of a mistake letting Manny O. leave on a free. Admittedly he hadnt shown enough at the time to keep his place but it's always galling to see former players turn out good. Him and Norwood are the two recently who have turned into decent players.

With both of them you could see they had something but with Manny it was lack of cutting edge and with Norwood it was attitude.

It took Norwood a good 4-5 to get anything close to a decent standard after you released him though. You can’t really afford to wait that long, especially when there’s no guarantee it will happen. It’s the same with us and Andy Cook, who’s now at Walsall. Its also the same with those players that the Carlisle fan keeps mentioning. Some players just come good for whatever reasons.

 

[TimeyWimey]

It's based in truth, but from our point of view, it's pathetic defending, it really is. Not even Sunday league level stuff. He cuts inside right across our penalty area and nobody does anything to either block the shot or force him away from goal, thereby cutting down his ability to take a shot. Yes, it's an excellent effort that is inches from going in and the rebound is fortunate that it falls right to your player, but still, the midfield there.....yeesh.

The 2nd, well, not sure what George Ray was doing, dangling his leg like that, what did he expect to happen? It's a bit soft as I think Mayor is going down, but Ray gives him the invitation to, brainless defending. Also not sure what he's doing for the third, giving O'Shea the option to cut inside. Show him onto his left and if he scores from that angle, then you can blame the build up and your goalie. But to let him cut inside is awful.

Listening to Alex fans, it seems Ray has done well overall this season, but when(and it's when, not if) he goes come the summer, I won't be at all sorry to see him go. Build around Ng and Nolan would be my choice.

On that point. Watching ifollow with the commentary, why are we, after all these years, saying our defenders are our best players and a cut above this division (pretty sure it was said Ng could play "2 or 3 levels" above L2... ffs) ... yet still statistically one of the worst defensive teams in the country in the last 2 decades? Ray has improved a hell of a lot (which isn't saying much) but he's vastly over rated for a player who is the 'spine' of a shoddy defence.

Wish Artell would do something Dario/Holland/Thordarson/Davis never bothered to do and overhaul it with experience and quality and for one summer only forget about bringing in a lorry load of strikers.

 

[Chris FGR]

Crewe manager Artell says the reason Crewe lost today is because they couldn’t handle Danny Mayor.

I’ll just leave that here.

Did you notice him waving goodbye at the end?

 

[Vanni]

I love football, the 'beautiful game'.

 

[AdamStag]

Did you notice him waving goodbye at the end?

It was a shame not to see "the leagues best player" in Bury's 2-1 defeat on boxing day, not that I suspect it would have made a difference

 

[KeithH]

It was a shame not to see "the leagues best player" in Bury's 2-1 defeat on boxing day, not that I suspect it would have made a difference

We didnt see him at Notts either!!
On his day just superb and well worth the admission on his own.

 

[AdamStag]

We didnt see him at Notts either!!
On his day just superb and well worth the admission on his own.

Greatful not to see him by all accounts - you looked half decent as you were!