The Danny Cowley Birthday Extravaganza (Lincoln v Carlisle)

[shoddycollins]

Five minutes injury time, how much did Danny Cowley have to slip the 4th official to get that.

 

[shoddycollins]

Bruno never dives.

Looks like he did on this occasion. He's tussling with Sowerby, gets by him, and then throws his arms in the air and belly-flops forwards.

 

[wangle]

Looks like he did on this occasion. He's tussling with Sowerby, gets by him, and then throws his arms in the air and belly-flops forwards.

I was joking. He tends to go down very easily, but doesn't make sense when he's got past his man.

 

[gijsbert_bos]

Bruno never dives.

Looks like he did on this occasion. He's tussling with Sowerby, gets by him, and then throws his arms in the air and belly-flops forwards.

Think you missed he sarcasm there.

 

[shoddycollins]

Think you missed he sarcasm there.

Having watched the match a bit longer, I was beginning to realise that it was a sarcastic comment, he just made a hilariously bad effort.

 

[shoddycollins]

I was joking. He tends to go down very easily, but doesn't make sense when he's got past his man.

Well he was only just past his man, and a bit of a 50/50 ball tight enough that maybe he'd already made his decision to go down.

 

[wangle]

Draw a fair result again. Home form really is turning into a bit of problem. Thankfully the results weren't too bad again, but considering our rivals were away its been a disappointing couple of games. We really need to improve the home form if we're serious about promotion.

The standard of the league might be shite but anyone can beat anyone!

 

[shoddycollins]

Whew! Good result, even better performance. Showed good character following such a dismal display on Saturday, with such a barebones squad we didn't even bother to make any substitutions, players playing out of position, a teenaged midfielder thrown in at right back and a struggling striker at centre back. Was a good game all in all, both teams went for it and we played like we still thought we could win the game. Other than a couple of chances Akinde fluffed near the end, I don't think Lincoln even managed to break our defence down. Bennett had Akinde in his back pocket that second half. Etuhu was excellent in midfield, Nadesan caused problem after problem with his pace. It really was just what we needed to just arrest the decline.

 

[Carver]

Great performance considering our dire situation.

 

[shoddycollins]

I just wanna add again that Akinde spent that second half in the back pocket of a striker thrown on at centre back

 

[hellogregory]

Hahahahahaaaa how the fuck we got away with that with only 2 defenders on the pitch and our lard arse striker playing centre back.

Fuck me I’ll take it despite the fact our keeper appears to have chucked the ball in for 2-2

 

[Guernica]

Fair play Carlisle, played well and deserved the point.

We were just too slow and predictable, thought we looked more dangerous with Pett playing higher up the pitch.

2 sloppy goals to concede and not like us, it's rare that we give the opposition 1-on-1 chances on the goalkeeper so 2 in one game is a surprise. A shame to lose Eardley to injury, another experienced player getting injured, hopefully Shackell will be back soon as we've conceded a fair few without him.

Poor ref and I felt we could have had 1/2 pens - handball in the first half and Akinde felled in the 2nd HOWEVER Carlisle certainly deserved something, closed us down well and Nasadean worked our defence well.

The final CUFC coming up on Saturday, looking forward to the end of em!

 

[Plumbob]

I just wanna add again that Akinde spent that second half in the back pocket of a striker thrown on at centre back

Needs to be a big pockets, but on a positive he wouldn't need to move around to much to keep him in it.
Second best for much of the game. Fair play to Carlisle, some decent lads out wide and a shade unfortunate not to take 3 points. God, we were disappointing though.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

Needs to be a big pockets, but on a positive he wouldn't need to move around to much to keep him in it.
Second best for much of the game. Fair play to Carlisle, some decent lads out wide and a shade unfortunate not to take 3 points. God, we were disappointing though.

I think I was at a different game- 1st half was thoroughly entertaining, end to end, 4 goals including 1 glorious strike from O'Connor.

2nd half fell flat and was much more kick and run after 1st half display.

Guess we all views things differently

 

[Plumbob]

I think I was at a different game- 1st half was thoroughly entertaining, end to end, 4 goals including 1 glorious strike from O'Connor.

2nd half fell flat and was much more kick and run after 1st half display.

Guess we all views things differently

They were just far more incisive going forward. Whilst at times we were laboured and slowly knocking it around the back 4 before then reverting back to the long diagonal ball forward. We never had any control of the game.
Anderson seems to have lost his attacking intent, or maybe has been ordered to be a bit deeper.
Andrade is a cracking player, but needs to be told that he can occasionally pass the ball. Several times tonight, Toff was clear behind him to knock a cross into the box, but he tried to go by the full back and lost possession. Mix it up a bit Bruno.
Disappointed with the manager as well. Unlike him to make excuses, but I'd like a better one when he does. No water on the pitch, dear me. Didn't stop Carlisle moving it quickly going forward.
Still, we didn't lose and are still top of the pile.

 

[Richard Cranium]

At what moment did the home ends erupt into a chorus of Happy Birthday to you?

 

[Plumbob]

At what moment did the home ends erupt into a chorus of Happy Birthday to you?

Thankfully it didn't. Maybe because it was the day before. I genuinely wouldn't have been surprised. I had told my mate I was walking out if it happened!

 

[shoddycollins]

Thankfully it didn't. Maybe because it was the day before. I genuinely wouldn't have been surprised. I had told my mate I was walking out if it happened!

Bet they would have had Lincoln had a comfortable lead.

 

[shoddycollins]

I thought Lincoln played fairly well, perhaps not with the cutting edge you'd expect from a team top of the league, but I don't think they were lacking in attacking intent. Looking back, as much as I complained in the first half about Lincoln's gamesmanship, you take out Rhead and Andrade, and ignore the protests of the home crowd and the Cowleys every time a Lincoln player was tackled (which the ref mostly did), and there wasn't a huge amount of it.

They did look shaky at the back, but I'm given to believe that isn't their first choice defence, and Nadesan has surprised many a centre back; not just with his pace but his acceleration and willingness to chase lost causes. He took his two chances very well last night, because even though he only had the keeper to beat both times, they weren't easy chances by any stretch. The first one he timed his shot just right to lift it over the onrushing keeper, and the second one had to be hit first time as it came from over his shoulder, and he was able to weight it perfectly.

Comparisons being made between Bennett and another former Carlisle player who Lincoln fans will know well, Dean Walling. Walling was a centre forward when he joined us but was converted into a centre back where he became a stalwart of the team. A bit early to be hailing Bennett as our new first choice centre back after one good game there. Lincoln's style of attacking with target men, probably plays to Bennett's strengths.

Bizarre comments by Cowley about the pitch not being properly watered, and how they prepare for specific pitch conditions in training. Guess that's the sports scientist in him; but if Lincoln are better away from home than at Sincil Bank then surely how Danny Cowley manages the pitch conditions in training matters not one jot. Sometimes you can overthink things, do the players maybe find the pressure is off them away from home where Cowley can't control the pitch conditions and they aren't expected to precisely replicate everything they've been doing in training?

 

[Carver]

If we didn't have all these key players out injured then we would be doing well I think, top 3 maybe.

But as long as they keep putting in the right attitude like last night, unlike the one against Macclesfield and the last few home games, then we should survive.

Lincoln didn't look good on the night, but they are top for a reason so it must have been an off night for them, luckily for us.

 

[shoddycollins]

If we didn't have all these key players out injured then we would be doing well I think, top 3 maybe.

No way would we be that high, but given how tight things are behind the top three then we'd quite possibly be in the playoff places. Even then, I doubt if we'd finish there, and we'd still have had a good number of games like Macclesfield where we just didn't turn up.

We should survive though, given our headstart we'd have to be turning in performances like Macclesfield and Morecambe week in week out to go down, not just in bad spells.

 

[Davidimp]

All over the place at the back and missing Shackell then Eardley going off didn't help.
Our ball in is a constant source of disappointment at home and bar the deflected free kick poor again last night.
The ref missed loads including two blatant penalties for us and one for Carlisle.
Nadesdan took his goals well and twice helped you out going down injured, very us that.
Well deserved point for Carlisle and their patched team who did a lot better than our patched up team.

 

[Son of Cod]

I just wanna add again that Akinde spent that second half in the back pocket of a striker thrown on at centre back

Have heard he is currently working on a new blog reviewing the inside of L2 CBs' pockets, hence only the one goal from open play this season.

 

[Carver]

No way would we be that high, but given how tight things are behind the top three then we'd quite possibly be in the playoff places. Even then, I doubt if we'd finish there, and we'd still have had a good number of games like Macclesfield where we just didn't turn up.

We should survive though, given our headstart we'd have to be turning in performances like Macclesfield and Morecambe week in week out to go down, not just in bad spells.

I just think if we had a fully fit squad we would be good enough for top 7 at least.

Ha, I see Bennett did more at centre back for us last night than he has since we signed him as a striker over a year ago. lol

It was funny seeing him hoof it forward aimlessly almost every time he received the ball, fair enough.

 

[hellogregory]

Actually when you think about it, it makes sense putting Bennett in defence. He's become an expert in somehow making what look like certain goals not go into the net.

 

[shoddycollins]

Have heard he is currently working on a new blog reviewing the inside of L2 CBs' pockets, hence only the one goal from open play this season.

Well can you ask him to have a look and see if Richie Bennett's shooting boots are in there while he's at it?

 

[StrangelyBrown]

If we didn't have all these key players out injured then we would be doing well I think, top 3 maybe.

But as long as they keep putting in the right attitude like last night, unlike the one against Macclesfield and the last few home games, then we should survive.

Lincoln didn't look good on the night, but they are top for a reason so it must have been an off night for them, luckily for us.

I think it takes two to tango- an "off" night for one team often requires the opposition to be doing something right as well and Carlisle certainly played well.

If I was a neutral then the first half was a great spectacle- goals, attacking play, defensive errors, some genuine skill within both teams, wing play..you name it and the first half had it.

2nd half was a bit flatter but overall thought it was a point each team probably deserved.

Ref missed two handball penalties (one Lincoln and one Carlisle) and it was the same linesman who missed both from 10 yards.

Football is about a marathon not a sprint- first showed why we can be top (attacking intent) but defensively we were not where we have been. But credit to Nadesson- absolutely lightening and put our two CBs under pressure to make the mistakes.

Looking forward to the return leg at BP- will be there for that one.

 

[shoddycollins]

I think it takes two to tango- an "off" night for one team often requires the opposition to be doing something right as well and Carlisle certainly played well.

If I was a neutral then the first half was a great spectacle- goals, attacking play, defensive errors, some genuine skill within both teams, wing play..you name it and the first half had it.

2nd half was a bit flatter but overall thought it was a point each team probably deserved.

Ref missed two handball penalties (one Lincoln and one Carlisle) and it was the same linesman who missed both from 10 yards.

Football is about a marathon not a sprint- first showed why we can be top (attacking intent) but defensively we were not where we have been. But credit to Nadesson- absolutely lightening and put our two CBs under pressure to make the mistakes.

Looking forward to the return leg at BP- will be there for that one.

I must have missed our penalty shout, I presume you're referring to Etuhu for the other one. If so then it was a case of 'seen them given' rather than a clear cut one, I think. It was close range and his arms were only slightly away from his side rather than unnaturally high, so you'll also see those not given a lot of the time.

 

[Carver]

I think it takes two to tango- an "off" night for one team often requires the opposition to be doing something right as well and Carlisle certainly played well.

If I was a neutral then the first half was a great spectacle- goals, attacking play, defensive errors, some genuine skill within both teams, wing play..you name it and the first half had it.

2nd half was a bit flatter but overall thought it was a point each team probably deserved.

Ref missed two handball penalties (one Lincoln and one Carlisle) and it was the same linesman who missed both from 10 yards.

Football is about a marathon not a sprint- first showed why we can be top (attacking intent) but defensively we were not where we have been. But credit to Nadesson- absolutely lightening and put our two CBs under pressure to make the mistakes.

Looking forward to the return leg at BP- will be there for that one.

Thank you for being so nice towards us, you lot are not so evil anymore with your antics etc. You are a good team and having good times right now.

So good luck for the rest of the season.

 

[Luke Imp]

Feels like a couple of missed opportunities over the last two home games, particularly off the back of the Vale game, albeit injuries have hit, which annoyingly seem to be impact ones rather than muscle ones. Then we lose Eardley last night, too.

Unlike us to be so sloppy defensively (not seen the goals yet but they're not getting great reports!).

The spine of the team has just taken a bit of a hit, but with Akinde slowly returning, likewise O'Connor and Freck potentially back on Saturday then it doesn't seem as though we're a million miles off being back to full strength.

Can't complain too much - we're still well positioned with Newport and Exeter also dropping points.

Crazy to think we're the highest scorers in the league yet our main striker has scored one from open play this season (although been involved in the most amount of goals).