Saturday 24th September - Fixtures

[THE LAST WALTZ]

Unless something changes fairly dramatically then I fully expect both us and Poole to be fighting the drop his season.
That today was fucking toilet.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

We're still not playing that well but keep getting results.

 

[Stocky]

A poor game at Northampton today, watched it on a stream thankfully so no journey back.

Northampton more streetwise to be fair to get them the win. That's probably being generous though. It was two poor to watch sides but Northampton obviously have made a fair habit of it being so close last year and right up there this year so it's no fluke they grind them out.

 

[GTFCfish]

We’ve had this result coming at home to be fair, with the exception of the Northampton game we’ve been absolute garbage at home so far this season so no surprise that we finally lost one.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Unless something changes fairly dramatically then I fully expect both us and Poole to be fighting the drop his season.
That today was fucking toilet.

Plenty of time for teams to sort themselves out, the quality or lack of at the bottom is clear to see, we’ve not won all season and are three points (albeit with an horrific GD) from 17th.

 

[E10rifle]

Good job there’s no difference between the Natty and League Two, otherwise our 20-point lead over champions-in-waiting Stockport after 10 games would start to look slightly significant.

 

[AR27]

Not great today, draw a fair result. Entirely self inflicted after a great start.

Got to laugh at the Wimbledon fans getting hurt over Gilliead screaming in the face of one of their youngsters after he'd been rolling around for the past ten minutes. He even celebrated winning a throw in at one point. Don't give it if you can't take it lad.

 

[Cas]

Not great today, draw a fair result. Entirely self inflicted after a great start.

Got to laugh at the Wimbledon fans getting hurt over Gilliead screaming in the face of one of their youngsters after he'd been rolling around for the past ten minutes. He even celebrated winning a throw in at one point. Don't give it if you can't take it lad.

Agreed. Quite a few of their younger players were like that.

 

[pontoonlew]

Funny that because our best play in the first half came down the right through them too. Glennon was the weak link at left back today, Swindon exposed him defensively. Shame Amos wasn't on the bench because he could have come on and pushed Glennon to left wing.

One ‘good bit of play’ doesn’t stop the fact they’ve been our weak links all season

 

[Gladders]

One ‘good bit of play’ doesn’t stop the fact they’ve been our weak links all season

Just found it a bit weird to criticise them after our first loss in 7 when they were some of our better players today.

 

[Cas]

Kian Harratt's dad moaning about his son's lack of game time. I'd send the kid back home tomorrow. Doesn't fit our system and he's not good enough to replace Cook or Oliver.

 

[AdamStag]

Made needlessly hard work of the game against crewe that we dominated from start to finish, it was almost laughable when crewe went a goal up, though what was in fairness a neat move got the goal having rattled the post a minute earlier.

The reality is we need some pace and some creativity uptop, we should have danced into the distance with the win long before crewe scored, we can’t afford to be so wasteful moving forward

 

[FiRTHYY]

View attachment 17687

Kian Harratt's dad moaning about his son's lack of game time. I'd send the kid back home tomorrow. Doesn't fit our system and he's not good enough to replace Cook or Oliver.

Cya!

Just stinks of a Gibson situation. The lads Young - his career isn’t gonna be made overnight.

He talks about aspirations of playing premier league football. I think he ought to count himself lucky that he’s where he is - playing for who he is. If he wants to go back, toodle-pip!

 

[pontoonlew]

Just found it a bit weird to criticise them after our first loss in 7 when they were some of our better players today.

You cannot be watching the same Efete surely? He’s completely out of his depth

 

[Sestonpoolie]

There are positives, the fitness seemed better today and Curle is right to point out we finished on top for the first time this season. That is a plus, there was plenty effort there just we are well short of quality.

That said I've lost count how many games we haven't won in now (18?) and it's worrying that whenever we have played a side around us we haven't managed to win despite having the better of games. Against good teams the wheels come off but hopefully that might stop under Curle. It has to because you can't trust us to put away the bottom feeders.

Just gotta hold your nose until the end of January where hopefully we're a few signings better off and not too far adrift.

Disagree on the good defensive display, thought they were incredibly lucky at the back, a lot of poor decision making mostly from McDonald, who in good spaces always manages to make the worst decision with the ball, his biggest obstacle is himself, especially in the second half, how that triangle passing, one touch football move never finished with a goal I’ll never know.

Murray, Cooke, Hamilton I’d get shot of all three, Cooke looked like a barrel when he trundled on today, complete out of shape, seen lads on the rec in better knick.

I think there’s plenty for Curle to work with but he’s not a wizard, Hartley has lumbered us with this dross till at least January, just gotta stick with it till then.

McDonald is dreadful,all step overs & no end product.
Bizarrely,the team improved when Cooke came on,though,he looked poor.
Dogshit game,but the last 15 mins we put the Gills under plenty of pressure,which is a rarity,so that was a little improvement.
I'm clutching at straws,but Curle did improve things after watching the first half,hopefully that'll continue.

 

[kieran_vale]

View attachment 17687

Kian Harratt's dad moaning about his son's lack of game time. I'd send the kid back home tomorrow. Doesn't fit our system and he's not good enough to replace Cook or Oliver.

He means well his dad but this is the problem when you have family members doing this stuff. Nothing said there is nothing Kian won’t have told him privately I would imagine. It wouldn’t actually be much different though if he came to Vale now, at best he’d be third choice.

 

[LS Bantam]

Harratt’s a young kid third choice centre forward behind two massively experienced pro’s, that’s not even counting the likes of Angol or Jake Young who would come in before him - I’m not sure what he expects by not having more game time. His Dad was all over it at Hartlepool, in a City shirt in the middle of all the singing and celebrations when Kian had come on and done well as sub, think he needs some perspective.

 

[Optimistic Poolie]

McDonald is dreadful,all step overs & no end product.
Bizarrely,the team improved when Cooke came on,though,he looked poor.
Dogshit game,but the last 15 mins we put the Gills under plenty of pressure,which is a rarity,so that was a little improvement.
I'm clutching at straws,but Curle did improve things after watching the first half,hopefully that'll continue.

Biggest issue with Cooke for me is how slow and unfit he looks. I know half the team have been knackered after 50 minutes all season, but Cooke particularly stands out as just looking 5 yards off the pace at all times.

 

[LS Bantam]

On the game, I had to leave at 70 mins so missed the equaliser but we were poor today. Again we’ve scored really early (same as Newport, Hartlepool, Tranmere and today off the top of my head, goals in the first five mins or so) and not pushed on, quite the opposite in fact, only against Newport did we go 2-0 up and that was against ten men. We need badly to build on scoring the first goal, a second today and it would have been game over as has been mentioned above.
One positive, today was a good example of our strength in depth, able to bring on the likes of Vadaine Oliver who manages to rescue a point.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

If that goal had been scored on a school playground you'd be seething. Can't fault the player for scoring but our midfield and defence need shooting for that.

Watched on iFollow and I think I might be the only Crawley fan to think that was a penalty. Stuck his hand out to prevent the ball coming back across goal.

Every game that Conroy, Francomb and Lynch miss through injury the better they appear. Dropping Francillette seems to have been a mistake and subbing off Chucky when he was the only strength we had up front looked an error but he had to try something.

How shit must Stockport be to lose to us?

Casey

Whats actually the issue with Conroy? I see that he started the first couple of games but hasnt featured since

 

[Cas]

On the game, I had to leave at 70 mins so missed the equaliser but we were poor today. Again we’ve scored really early (same as Newport, Hartlepool, Tranmere and today off the top of my head, goals in the first five mins or so) and not pushed on, quite the opposite in fact, only against Newport did we go 2-0 up and that was against ten men. We need badly to build on scoring the first goal, a second today and it would have been game over as has been mentioned above.
One positive, today was a good example of our strength in depth, able to bring on the likes of Vadaine Oliver who manages to rescue a point.

I think we're really missing Jamie Walker at the minute. Not just for his forward play, but for all the defensive work he tends to do also. We're much better at keeping the ball when he plays, too. Still, we're 7th and we haven't really got out of second gear yet. We'll need to be better though when we come up against some of the better sides like Orient and Mansfield.

 

[Cas]

Cya!

Just stinks of a Gibson situation. The lads Young - his career isn’t gonna be made overnight.

He talks about aspirations of playing premier league football. I think he ought to count himself lucky that he’s where he is - playing for who he is. If he wants to go back, toodle-pip!

Yep. Needs to have a look at himself really. He'd probably be involved more in the team had he also not slapped the Doncaster 'keeper first game of the season and got banned for three games.

 

[Casey]

Whats actually the issue with Conroy? I see that he started the first couple of games but hasnt featured since

Injured.

We have carried on where we left off last season with injuries galore in training and practice matches. Believe it or not we have three left sided centre backs injured at the moment. Conroy, Joel Lynch and Tobi Omole. All three are good enough for every team in this division.

Add in Francomb (club captain, also injured) and you could make a play off chasing back line.

It's not the players we have that is the problem. It's the players we have available and how they are being used.

Casey

 

[E10rifle]

Believe it or not we have three left sided centre backs injured at the moment. Conroy, Joel Lynch and Tobi Omole. All three are good enough for every team in this division.

Steady on.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Plenty of time for teams to sort themselves out, the quality or lack of at the bottom is clear to see, we’ve not won all season and are three points (albeit with an horrific GD) from 17th.

That's what I've been saying a while, the gap between the top and bottom of this league is big this year and that's why it doesn't bode well we can't beat the sides around us, positive signs or not that's where we are. Fortunately after Mansfield we have a few winnable games that we simply must be looking at picking points from.

I get the criticism of McDonald but if the Gills defender was a split second slower to get on the line, we'd have been saying 'well that's what he's capable of' instead of saying he always makes the wrong decision.

He's scored a couple and assisted a couple in his time here and he's having more impact than most of the new players. His decision making isn't always the best and that's why he's in L2. I don't think he's the main problem. He's the sort that will get on with Curle's style taking up advanced positions as we will look to hit the channels and wide areas as quickly as. Ndjoli another who would fit that style. There is a bit to work with but Curle is really gonna have to box clever with these players and play to their not so weak areas.

 

[chipmunx]

straight from the match into a 12 hour shift so not had a chance to post before now;-

for the 1st 25-30 minutes we had Orient on the rack - they could hardly get out of their half. Should have had a pen after Josh Kay was brought down in the box after 3 mins - it looked stonewall from the main stand and the ref bottling it probably contributed to Josh Kay's outburst later on that got him sent off.
After the 1st 25-30 mins Orient came into the game more and scored a good goal with what i think was their only effort on goal in the 1st half.
2nd half Orient were much better and got a 2nd and we just couldn't get a goal to get back into the match.
As has already been said the ref was awful - the Kay penalty appeal, a possible Orient one 2nd half (it did hit Canavan's arm - but was blasted at him from about 2 yards and his arm did appear to be right by his side) and annoyingly after warning Beckles for holding at corners after 15-20 mins the ref proceeded to let him do the same for the rest of the match. That being said Orient were by far the best team we've played so far and will take some stopping this season.

And a special word for the people that allocate officials to matches - our main rivals are Carlisle - so can you please stop fucking allowing their managers son (one of the assistant referees) to officiate at Barrow matches!!!

 

[Indian Dan]

My lads analysis on the game:

Swindon a good team and deserved to win but they’re a bunch of c***.

Apparently they shushed the Ponny for both goals despite getting no abuse all game and then celebrated in front of the Ponny at full time goading our fans.

Also said we created next to nothing against 10 men until injury time when we should’ve scored about 4 times.

Just watched the highlights. Neither player shushed your lot after they scored. And seeing as our keeper had just made 2 fantastic saves before the ref blew for full time its no surprise our players celebrated with him - we were defending the goal at your end.

 

[Chief Rocka]

That's what I've been saying a while, the gap between the top and bottom of this league is big this year and that's why it doesn't bode well we can't beat the sides around us, positive signs or not that's where we are. Fortunately after Mansfield we have a few winnable games that we simply must be looking at picking points from.

I get the criticism of McDonald but if the Gills defender was a split second slower to get on the line, we'd have been saying 'well that's what he's capable of' instead of saying he always makes the wrong decision.

He's scored a couple and assisted a couple in his time here and he's having more impact than most of the new players. His decision making isn't always the best and that's why he's in L2. I don't think he's the main problem. He's the sort that will get on with Curle's style taking up advanced positions as we will look to hit the channels and wide areas as quickly as. Ndjoli another who would fit that style. There is a bit to work with but Curle is really gonna have to box clever with these players and play to their not so weak areas.

I do like McDonald but he’s infuriating to watch, he’ll take his man on with some neat footwork then fall over his feet or run it out of play, he burst through into the box the first half and instead of knocking across the 6 yard box he tries to chop it back and ends up losing possession, it’s shit decision making that lets him down.

Ferguson was the biggest disappointment yesterday, constant over hit balls into the box, corners and free kicks were awful, don’t think he found a man all game, whereas Tumilty on the opposite side probably had his best game in a Pools shirt.

 

[BarraMatt]

straight from the match into a 12 hour shift so not had a chance to post before now;-

for the 1st 25-30 minutes we had Orient on the rack - they could hardly get out of their half. Should have had a pen after Josh Kay was brought down in the box after 3 mins - it looked stonewall from the main stand and the ref bottling it probably contributed to Josh Kay's outburst later on that got him sent off.
After the 1st 25-30 mins Orient came into the game more and scored a good goal with what i think was their only effort on goal in the 1st half.
2nd half Orient were much better and got a 2nd and we just couldn't get a goal to get back into the match.
As has already been said the ref was awful - the Kay penalty appeal, a possible Orient one 2nd half (it did hit Canavan's arm - but was blasted at him from about 2 yards and his arm did appear to be right by his side) and annoyingly after warning Beckles for holding at corners after 15-20 mins the ref proceeded to let him do the same for the rest of the match. That being said Orient were by far the best team we've played so far and will take some stopping this season.

And a special word for the people that allocate officials to matches - our main rivals are Carlisle - so can you please stop fucking allowing their managers son (one of the assistant referees) to officiate at Barrow matches!!!

The rivalry is exaggerated by Radio Cumbria and some groups of fans on Twitter. In terms of distance they're just as close as Fleetwood, Bolton etc. I really don't think there's much to worrying about with Simpson's son officiating here.

 

[Soup Ladle]

I do like McDonald but he’s infuriating to watch, he’ll take his man on with some neat footwork then fall over his feet or run it out of play, he burst through into the box the first half and instead of knocking across the 6 yard box he tries to chop it back and ends up losing possession, it’s shit decision making that lets him down.

Ferguson was the biggest disappointment yesterday, constant over hit balls into the box, corners and free kicks were awful, don’t think he found a man all game, whereas Tumilty on the opposite side probably had his best game in a Pools shirt.

You can see McDonald has quality and he did waste a number of good positions but until January at least we are relying on him as a goal threat and creator. Ferguson has been dreadful all season but Brody Paterson is not a viable pick over him. He either needs a bollocking or a pep talk because we badly miss his impact on the left.

Tumilty has been much better recently, was good against Crewe and yesterday at times as well. He's fine as a back up and can give some competition for Sterry who again hasn't been at his best.

I noticed we went 523 yesterday suggesting Curle doesn't think we have enough in the middle to control games. I'm expecting us to become very direct and not worry about possession. Is that the way to go? Featherstone would struggle big time in Curleball.