League 2 General Chat Thread

[denzel ecfc]

Another away defeat. Dont know what's going on at the moment.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Exeter looked good on the ball, without being too threatening in the final third.
We hit the post twice so could have put a bit more gloss on the score line, but very happy with that result against the best team too come to VP this season so far.

 

[hellogregory]

Extremely poor yet again from us but a much needed 3 points.

Have to start playing better though. That’s not acceptable for this club and fans.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

The L2 tinpot club of the week award goes to..

The L2 tinpot club of the week award goes to..

Plymouth!!

Don’t you mean tin roof?

 

[Bottega Don]

Well that was a game of football, just abouts.

Two horrendous sides, never looked like a goal was going to be scored. What a waste of everyones time.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Mansfield made to look like a pub team by colchester ,it was dire could have been 5 for colchester ,piss poor

Who's to blame the underperforming players? The out of his depth manager? The chairman for appointing the unproven cheap option manager from his Villa in Portugal?

 

[The Terminator]

We put in our third wanky performance in a row with Carl Fletcher at the helm, my god we was utter shite against the leagues bottom club. We went there for a draw and created fuck all. We've gone to being a free scoring side, to barely creating a chance all game

I'll give Morecambe credit though, with all due respect they're clearly a bottom 8 side - But their players had a plan and gave everything for Ellison and Roche and they thoroughly deserved to win the game, if they had a bit more quality they'd have comfortably beaten us.

Fans already on Carl Fletchers back and rightly so - He has been fucking awful since he's come in and its only been three games.

He also gives the wankiest post match interviews I can remember.

I don't care if its three games - Our board have badly fucked this appointment up and Fletcher will be sacked before Christmas, the blokes a fucking idiot.

Fletcher Out.

 

[BlackHaddock]

First game called off in what must be at least 10 years! Roof is clearly damaged, if that comes loose and lands on someone the club would be right in the shit, so obviously correct decision.

Feel sorry for the Grimsby fans who had already trekked all the way down the country though!

I was at Totnes when I found out, we just had a pub crawl around Mutley Plain instead of going to the game. Loads of pissed off rugby fans about!

 

[Chris FGR]

We put in our third wanky performance in a row with Carl Fletcher at the helm, my god we was utter shite against the leagues bottom club. We went there for a draw and created fuck all. We've gone to being a free scoring side, to barely creating a chance all game

I'll give Morecambe credit though, with all due respect they're clearly a bottom 8 side - But their players had a plan and gave everything for Ellison and Roche and they thoroughly deserved to win the game, if they had a bit more quality they'd have comfortably beaten us.

Fans already on Carl Fletchers back and rightly so - He has been fucking awful since he's come in and its only been three games.

He also gives the wankiest post match interviews I can remember.

I don't care if its three games - Our board have badly fucked this appointment up and Fletcher will be sacked before Christmas, the blokes a fucking idiot.

Fletcher Out.

You can't sack a manager after 3 games. Every manager needs at least 2 transfer windows before you judge them properly.

 

[Stringy]

Who's to blame the underperforming players? The out of his depth manager? The chairman for appointing the unproven cheap option manager from his Villa in Portugal?

It was the wrong appointment. It seemed to me (I can't really can't confirm this hunch and am happy to stand corrected) that after the Newport play-off game, we saw what Mike Flynn was doing with Newport and thought an inexperienced and rookie manager could do similar things for us. We had tried Evans and Flitcroft, two more experienced managers and neither had been able to deliver promotion with good squads.

However, since then, it is the responsibility of Dempster to co-ordinate the players and give us the best possible chance to win. That isn't happening and that sits firmly on Dempster's head. As much as I like Dempster, this isn't good enough.

You can't sack a manager after 3 games. Every manager needs at least 2 transfer windows before you judge them properly.

Respectfully, I'm not certain I always agree with this stance. I know you are on about another manager but I have no seen evidence whatsoever to make me think that anything positive would come of giving our manager, Dempster, a second transfer window. He has barely settled on a preferred formation or style of play in his first months in charge, and I can't see from his signings what he was trying to do with the team. If we had settled on a strategy and were trying to implement that but needed more transfer windows to get the right players, then I might be in favour of more time, but he hasn't.

He doesn't even seem to notice that playing two in the middle of midfield in whatever random formation he chooses is leaving too much space.

We could stick with him, but basically we could be waiting years and years for him to reach managerial maturity. I'm not saying that everything was right with Flitcroft, but as a coach Flitcroft was miles ahead.

 

[Chris FGR]

I agree that if after 1 window (and a couple of months to get players bedded in) that there should be some signs of progress and players showing signs they understand the managers system etc, even if it doesn't always click. If there's no signs of any of that you start to worry.

In Fletcher's case though, he's literally been there 2 or 3 weeks and has had no influence on the make up of the squad. Unless the Orient board are utterly clueless, he must have some plan/idea what he's doing to have got through the interview. League 2 players don't learn very quick though, especially mid season when you can't train as much.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Great honest post Stringy.

Surprised to read your comments about the lack of a midfield, as last season a Stags fan at work was raving about Bishop and MacDonald in the middle of the park and on here Bish was often declared to be one of the leagues best. What's happened there?

No doubt Flitcroft would of done a lot better than Dempster this term and IMO Evans would of got you promoted that season before he did the dirty on the manager.

 

[Conker]

The game yesterday really made clear how poorly coached and managed our players are, absolutely no doubt in my mind they went on that pitch not quite sure what the game plan was lol.

For the entire game Colchester kept getting the ball outside our box with plenty of space and time and Dempster did fuck all about it, maybe he just couldn’t be arsed but there’s no way he didn’t see it.

If he’s in charge in time for the next league game I’ll be very worried about the mental health of the people running our football club.

 

[Stringy]

Great honest post Stringy.

Surprised to read your comments about the lack of a midfield, as last season a Stags fan at work was raving about Bishop and MacDonald in the middle of the park and on here Bish was often declared to be one of the leagues best. What's happened there?

No doubt Flitcroft would of done a lot better than Dempster this term and IMO Evans would of got you promoted that season before he did the dirty on the manager.

Some fans are saying that Bishop is past it. He isn't but he is being asked at 38 to play as one of a two man central midfield. Last season he played as one of a three so had to run shorter distances to make tackles. Running 25-30 metres instead of 10-15 due to the amount of space suddenly makes him much less effective. MacDonald isn't a central midfielder at all. He works fantastically hard but is not composed.

Agree with you on Evans and Flitcroft although still think we made the right decision to sack Flitcroft at that point.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

If he’s in charge in time for the next league game I’ll be very worried about the mental health of the people running our football club.

I've heard similar said a few times on here following the latest home defeat, that he won't make it past breakfast the next day.

Then stags go and win away from home and he buys himself more time.

 

[LeonTheGreen]

I was at Totnes when I found out, we just had a pub crawl around Mutley Plain instead of going to the game. Loads of pissed off rugby fans about!

Mutley Plain is decent, loads of pubs and you can work your way into the city centre, less than 20 minutes walk away!

 

[The Terminator]

You can't sack a manager after 3 games. Every manager needs at least 2 transfer windows before you judge them properly.

Oh I don't disagree with you at all, Fletcher will be given some time at the very least, but I've watched football and my team long enough to see when a bad managerial appointment has been made - You can just sense and see it.

I think at this rate he'll be gone by the new year, we just don't look like scoring enough goals.

Our fan base is as bad as anyone else's on here when it comes to social media etc, but since Fletcher gave this interview yesterday all I've seen is people saying how bad and uninspring he's been so far:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1190706826993553408

 

[hellogregory]

I agree that if after 1 window (and a couple of months to get players bedded in) that there should be some signs of progress and players showing signs they understand the managers system etc, even if it doesn't always click. If there's no signs of any of that you start to worry

This is exactly the case with Carlisle and Steven Pressley.

He fucked up a promotion challenging team last season and turned them into the form of bottom 8. But he always said judge him when it’s his team after a full preseason. Well here we are, into November, completely his team and it’s much worse than last season. No signs of improvements at all, still hasn’t managed to string 2 wins together. We now just look a poorly coached team with a lack of ideas and no fight.

 

[Vanni]

On behalf of all U's fans, I would like to apologise to the Crawley fans for the most blatant case of daylight robbery I've ever witnessed in all my years as a U's fan.

Crawley and Swindon are the best sides to visit the Abbey this season. I think they're a club on the up and a completely different beast to last years side. That Cioffi fella is doing a great job me thinks

 

[JJ1532]

Is that last bit sarcasm? Because they are 17th, have a dreadful away record and have the joint worst defence in the league. That doesn't happen by accident.

 

[WH_Stag]

Who's to blame the underperforming players? The out of his depth manager? The chairman for appointing the unproven cheap option manager from his Villa in Portugal?

Things that derailed our season last year were...

White and bobby getting injured and our ability to play 352 went out the window.
Elsnik went and made way for grant who was useless...
Neal Bishop was running the midfield but started to run out of steam..
We only had walker for goals
The back 4 were getting sloppy and didn't have any competition for places until ben Turner started playing and he looked really good (hence why he thought he'd be back to league one)

John Dempster has ignored everything that didn't end up working last year, has signed two great strikers for this league in the hopes that we will just score goals for fun.. style of play etc doesn't seem to matter to him.

He's also turned CJ Hamilton into a lost little boy that can't do anything right.

Flitcroft should have been given another year to get it right and build what he initially started, whilst his budget was taken up by players sat in the stands.

 

[Vanni]

Is that last bit sarcasm? Because they are 17th, have a dreadful away record and have the joint worst defence in the league. That doesn't happen by accident.

Not at all JJ. I'm well aware of where they are in the table but I did hear from a neutral fan during the week that they are no longer playing dull cautious footy like they were last year. For instance, I clearly remember when we went to theirs last season and they just sat back like they were the away side and not us, and only poor finishing from our forwards kept them in the game.

Yesterday was the complete opposite of that, and they came right at us from the start. They could easily have been 2 or 3 goals by the 60th min but luck was not on their side. It was on ours though and I didn't even celebrate when we got our winning goal.

I'm not saying they're the finished article cos they're not just yet, but they're getting there.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Thanks WH_Stag for the update and your viewpoint. Great to have honest opinions from Stags fans without getting all defensive and throwing laughable jibes out.

I guess with Bishop it was always going to happen, at that age it does tend to just go downhill and quick all of a sudden. Big hole to fill after last season's performances.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

For 80 minutes, totally in control, Oldham didn't even look like they were particularly interested. Scored our second, thought that we were going to get our fourth 2-0 win on the trot but then took McCormack off to protect his legs for the next game and conceded two, albeit the equaliser was a complete fluke!
There weren't many Oldham fans there to witness their comeback after our second went in. Our third 2-0 up 2-2 draw of the season, need to learn how to manage to victory.

 

[SVH]

We were poor Saturday and didn’t deserve to win but we’ve been on the end of results this season where we should have won or at least got a point. So I’ll happily take the 3 points on Saturday.

Not celebrating your own teams 86th minute winner because we were that poor? That’s bloody poor from you Vanni.

 

[SVH]

Oh I don't disagree with you at all, Fletcher will be given some time at the very least, but I've watched football and my team long enough to see when a bad managerial appointment has been made - You can just sense and see it.

I think at this rate he'll be gone by the new year, we just don't look like scoring enough goals.

Our fan base is as bad as anyone else's on here when it comes to social media etc, but since Fletcher gave this interview yesterday all I've seen is people saying how bad and uninspring he's been so far:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1190706826993553408

Clearly not a media man but don't judge him on this. I'm sure you're not as you've seen 3 games under his helm but Shaun Derry was a great media man, which sucked us in to give him the job but was a totally inept manager.

I have to agree though, he comes across terribly.

 

[Attila the hun]

I don’t know about being in control for 80 mins deepcut cobbler you were for the first ten. Minutes and should of gone in at half time 2-1 up. The lad should of scored but smashed it against the bar from 6 yards. We should of had a penalty first half for the shirt nearly being pulled off wheater the rest of the game not a lot hapoenedyou had slightly better possession but didn’t threaten till Williams scored gave to agree with you about the decision to take McCormack off you would of won. If he had stayed on. All in all two poor sides

 

[devilofajob]

On behalf of all U's fans, I would like to apologise to the Crawley fans for the most blatant case of daylight robbery I've ever witnessed in all my years as a U's fan.

Crawley and Swindon are the best sides to visit the Abbey this season. I think they're a club on the up and a completely different beast to last years side. That Cioffi fella is doing a great job me thinks

I dare you to go on our forum and post that. However toungue in cheek it is.
Seriously, I thought a draw would have been tolerable but the loss was a bit of a pisser.
Still, some nice pubs from/to the station.

 

[denzel ecfc]

We have appealed the Parkes sending off from Saturday. Quite right too,looked fairly weak.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

We have appealed the Parkes sending off from Saturday. Quite right too,looked fairly weak.

Looked last man to me, but I'd have to see it back.