w / e Saturday 8th February

[womble76]

Soz, he was MOTM today. By far our best player.

Imo he was just average for us on loan. Not good or bad.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

We’re pretty much two different teams at this point home and away. At home we’re stodgy, slow and laboured but never concede and keep doing enough to grind out results 1-0 or 2-0.

Away with a bit more space and the chance to play on the counter a bit we look fantastic. I’d be very happy with a point on Thursday night with two winnable home games after that, but it maybe suits us a bit more than they do with how we’re set up at the minute.

That is what I was going to say. Any. neutral watching our games against Bromley, Carlisle or Morecambe would wonder how we are doing so well recently and so high in the table. They would be left confused unsure who was the side near the top. Yet we deserved to win all due to the opposition limitations

If however the same person had seen our performances at Gillingham Accrington and Cheltenham they would be very impressed and it would all make sense.

With one of the best defense/goalkeeper combo in the league we have a very solid base in all matches which is required for any side aiming for promotion.

Our concern is our struggles against promotion rivals. We rarely beat the teams around us and if that continues that will end our automatic chances. Until that changes I have my doubts.

If we can get a draw at Vale away that would be a fine result and a better result for us than the home side all things considered.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Grimsby look a decent side. Two things that did not look decent today: the state of the Blundell Park pitch, and the atrocious official. 2 clear penalties denied, and a soft penalty awarded to the home side. We weren't at our best by a long way, but those decisions have quite literally cost us the match - even if us winning would have been against the run of play.

Abysmal stuff yet again from an individual who has no business officiating in the EFL. And this following on from the bizarre sending off for Jordan Jones last week, after the ref chose to book him for 'diving' when he was clearly impeded.

We really could do without this kind of incompetence working against it. We've had enough of our own incompetence as it is.

Fuck football.

The poor state of the BP pitch is not what Notts fans want to hear. Didn't stop us knocking it about effectively at Gills on another cabbage patch of a pitch but sure doesn't help the possession based sides in the league.

 

[pontoonlew]

The poor state of the BP pitch is not what Notts fans want to hear. Didn't stop us knocking it about effectively at Gills on another cabbage patch of a pitch but sure doesn't help the possession based sides in the league.

The issue is though, we’re one of those teams as well.

We’ve really tried with our pitch and spent a lot of money on it but something just isn’t working. For those that remember, we used to have slightly raised goalmouths for years until a few years back when the EFL made us level them out. They looked weird but they were excellent for drainage,

Since that point it’s been a losing battle trying to sort the pitch out and the owners have said it’d be close to 750k to sort it. This is after the last owner left us with a £1m plus bill to fix multiple issues with the stadium itself.

Clubs moan about it when they visit, forgetting we have to put up with it every home game.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

I had no idea about the raised goal mouths.

Do you think the poor state of your pitch is a big contributing factor to your poor home form? Or an easy excuse?

Pitches ain't cheap, we've got the money so probably went above what was required at this level cos our old pitch held up very well in recent times but we spent £1.5m making ours a carpet and keeping more games on.

 

[BarraMatt]

On the subject of pitches I've watched the highlights programme back and of the teams that were at home yesterday there was probably only 2 or 3 who's pitch looked to be in good nick for this time of year. Ours isn't great and probably similar to Grimsby's, but Salford and Colchester's stood out as being particularly bad.

Unless you've got an owner that's flush with cash (which is why I can't believe Salford's hasn't been sorted) it's difficult to get your pitch sorted once and for all.

The quality of pitches is still an improvement over the last ten years though despite the wetter winters mixed in with longer cold snaps like the at the start of January. You don't seem to see the mud bath games of 10 or 15 years ago these days but maybe that's just because games get called off for less as well.

 

[Moonie]

That's our payback for Accy then. When do you play Vale - they are payback mass dumping ground for other teams' bad ref decisions...?

Last time we played them we had a perfectly good goal ruled out for… ‘something’. Another 2 points lost to the ether.

It really feels like everything is going against us.

 

[Son of Cod]

I had no idea about the raised goal mouths.

Do you think the poor state of your pitch is a big contributing factor to your poor home form? Or an easy excuse?

Pitches ain't cheap, we've got the money so probably went above what was required at this level cos our old pitch held up very well in recent times but we spent £1.5m making ours a carpet and keeping more games on.

It's definitely been a contributing factor at times but I think it's overstated/an excuse for Artell to hide behind instead of taking some ownership off the back of poor performances. It's worth pointing out that our home form of late (when the pitch has been particularly bad) is better than it was in the better weather. We've taken 12 from the last 15 points on offer at BP. The main reason for poor home form in the first half of the season is really just that we were (and still are but less so) still finding our feet with a new system and squad.

 

[FiRTHYY]

No issues with our pitch this season.

 

[BlackHaddock]

That’s the frustrating thing isn’t it. Grimsby were the better team no doubt, I’ve admitted this in this thread. But there’s this idea (not necessarily on here) that these bad decisions are somehow ok because the better team won. Which is nonsense. It’s like well Grimsby missed x amount of chances and should have been out of sight so it’s fine that the ref gave a nonsense penalty and failed to give two blatant ones for the away team.

We are the worst team in the football league, of course teams are going to be the better team against us. Any wins we get will be against the run of play, but incompetent officiating shouldn’t be just accepted because the benefiting team has had the better of the game. Now we know how all those teams felt against Sir Alex’s Man United. What chance have you got when you’re up against both a better team and a corrupt official?

I don't think for one minute the ref was corrupt, he made bad/odd/strange decisions against both teams and we can't afford to 'buy a ref' even if we wanted too!

 

[dannyc5]

I suspect Crewe's recent run of form is more reflective of us than when we were 2nd in the League. You can't sustain an automatic promotion push if you don't score many goals.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

No issues with our pitch this season.

View attachment 21580

Notts fans seemed particularly interested in our pitch last season and in the summer, even citing it as a reason for Platt going to them. As we tried telling them, other than last season it has been perfect since 2018 when it had major work done to it, Tbf they were in a pub league so won’t have noticed. The only reason it was bad last season was two refs made us play in far worse conditions than would usually see postponements, Stockport and Liverpool kids. It’ll be perfect all season and back to normal now.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Notts fans seemed particularly interested in our pitch last season and in the summer, even citing it as a reason for Platt going to them. As we tried telling them, other than last season it has been perfect since 2018 when it had major work done to it, Tbf they were in a pub league so won’t have noticed. The only reason it was bad last season was two refs made us play in far worse conditions than would usually see postponements, Stockport and Liverpool kids. It’ll be perfect all season and back to normal now.

If not the pitch why would Platt won't to go to Notts rather than stay at Bradford?

Oh and thanks by the way.

I would imagine Notts fans were interested cos they probably didn't expect the Valley Parade pitch to be shocking last season oh and there was a postponement an hour or so before kick off and some apt agricultural photos released. Of all the clubs in L2 why should have Bradford have a bad pitch. Wouldn't make sense.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

If not the pitch why would Platt won't to go to Notts rather than stay at Bradford?

Oh and thanks by the way.

I would imagine Notts fans were interested cos they probably didn't expect the Valley Parade pitch to be shocking last season oh and there was a postponement an hour or so before kick off and some apt agricultural photos released. Of all the clubs in L2 why should have Bradford have a bad pitch. Wouldn't make sense.

For money like every football on the planet, I’d hoped that wouldn’t need spelling out.

I don’t disagree with your second paragraph, but we kept explaining it and it didn’t seem to sink in. Look the refs up for them two games if you want to file a complaint for the postponement. Don’t worry unless there’s an arctic blizzard there won’t be a repeat this season, with the hoodoo you have over us the result might though.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

I'd love to know the difference in Platt's weekly wage between Bradford and Notts.

Maybe the same difference as for Baldwin moving the other way.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1888679261503889489

I’ve read that some of the Vale fans have criticised Amos for not saving this!

 

[leedsvaliant]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1888679261503889489

I’ve read that some of the Vale fans have criticised Amos for not saving this!

It was a really well hit shot but very close to the keeper. Might have moved a bit in the air. Some keepers would have at least got something on it. He definitely should have saved your 2nd one.

 

[kieran_vale]

One of those if you look at the TV camera angle it looks like it’s close to him but no denying the strike on it is as pure as you can get. My guess he had a late sighting of it which didn’t help.

 

[pontoonlew]

This is the penalty call that the Carlisle wanted to lock the ref up for giving…

https://twitter.com/x/status/1888766037320986803

 

[Son of Cod]

This is the penalty call that the Carlisle wanted to lock the ref up for giving…

https://twitter.com/x/status/1888766037320986803

JDS has bought that but you can't argue it's not a pen. I totally get the Carlisle fan frustrations though. When you're down and not getting any breaks it's tough to take it. I'm thinking back to that ridiculous decision at Sutton last season when we were fuming. Every single point is vital right now for Carlisle so when officiating decisions come into the fold it's harsh when they go against you. Having said that, I'm not sure their one in the first half with Wright is even definitely a pen, looks like he might have dived.

 

[GTFCfish]

JDS has bought that but you can't argue it's not a pen. I totally get the Carlisle fan frustrations though. When you're down and not getting any breaks it's tough to take it. I'm thinking back to that ridiculous decision at Sutton last season when we were fuming. Every single point is vital right now for Carlisle so when officiating decisions come into the fold it's harsh when they go against you. Having said that, I'm not sure their one on the first half with Wright is even definitely a pen, looks like he might have dived.

I haven’t looked at it again but it also looked like could have been handball from the Embleton shot after it had come back off the post.

 

[pontoonlew]

I haven’t looked at it again but it also looked like could have been handball from the Embleton shot after it had come back off the post.

I’ve seen it again and Rodgers arm is against his stomach, never a pen.

That’s 2 of the 3 ‘horrendous decisions’ put to bed, yet to see an angle of the dive to clear that one up. The Carlisle fans at the opposite end of the pitch say pen, the ref 10 yards away says no pen.

 

[Tallow]

In his post match interview, Artell admitted Carlisle should have had a pen in the 1st half when your keeper fouled Hugill.
If we score the pen, it's 0-2.
Goals change games, you would have seen a different 2nd half and you probably wouldn't have got 3 points.

 

[Son of Cod]

In his post match interview, Artell admitted Carlisle should have had a pen in the 1st half when your keeper fouled Hugill.
If we score the pen, it's 0-2.
Goals change games, you would have seen a different 2nd half and you probably wouldn't have got 3 points.

He hasn't seen any replays at that point though. Only angle I've seen is on the two minute highlights and that seemed a bit inconclusive to me as it's not a great angle for looking at contact.

 

[hellogregory]

Na the handball wasn’t handball, I’d be fuming if that was given against us, but I think the one on Wearne and the one on Hugill were penalties (though can’t be 100% on the Hugill one) - doesn’t mean we would have scored them however!

The thing I’m most frustrated about is I’m not convinced at all about Lavelle’s “foul” for the Grimsby penalty. His reaction seemed to suggest he knew he’d been conned. I just don’t think there was enough contact, even going by that clip, it’s minimal, certainly nothing to warrant the rolling around like he’d been knifed. Idiots who’ve never kicked a football in their lives will think it’s a foul all day.

Grimsby were the better team, no one watching that would think otherwise. But just because Grimsby were the better team it doesn’t automatically mean the result was fair. IF the winning penalty wasn’t a foul, then a 1-1 draw would have been a fair result. Two legitimate goals scored, one for each team, fair and square.

But time to move on.

 

[mozzavale]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1888679261503889489

I’ve read that some of the Vale fans have criticised Amos for not saving this!

I've criticised him. The shot was hit sweetly but it's rising all the way into the net. He was late getting his arm up to it, by the time he had, the ball was past him. Seen people say Ripley would have saved it, but it's similar to the one Ripley let in v Cook at Bradford on boxing day. It didn't loop over him, stayed hit the whole way. Can tell by his reaction he was disappointed too.

 

[Super_horns]

Good effort by Donny.

Had some chances .

 

[Posh Harry]

Na the handball wasn’t handball, I’d be fuming if that was given against us, but I think the one on Wearne and the one on Hugill were penalties (though can’t be 100% on the Hugill one) - doesn’t mean we would have scored them however!

The thing I’m most frustrated about is I’m not convinced at all about Lavelle’s “foul” for the Grimsby penalty. His reaction seemed to suggest he knew he’d been conned. I just don’t think there was enough contact, even going by that clip, it’s minimal, certainly nothing to warrant the rolling around like he’d been knifed. Idiots who’ve never kicked a football in their lives will think it’s a foul all day.

Grimsby were the better team, no one watching that would think otherwise. But just because Grimsby were the better team it doesn’t automatically mean the result was fair. IF the winning penalty wasn’t a foul, then a 1-1 draw would have been a fair result. Two legitimate goals scored, one for each team, fair and square.

But time to move on.

Bloody hell HG, I often have sympathy with your view points (especially when you are the opposite to carver), but to still suggest that is not a penalty is mental in the highest order. He took him on at pace and had his foot taken away. Momentum is going to take him over onto the floor.

I would suggest that Lavelle is just being a prick and trying to deflect his guilt as he knows he has caught him, he’s the conman of this, not JDS.

One question, if was at the other end would you call for a penalty? Of course you would.

 

[hellogregory]

The contact is minimal. It looks so much worse when it’s slowed down, but if fouls are given for a little coming together of one foot on someone else’s foot there’d be 200 fouls a game. You disagree. I respect that.

Yeah of course I’d call for a penalty there and then. I’d call for a penalty if there was zero contact. I’d have called for the penalty for handball even though it wasn’t. I want my team to win in any way possible. I can live with it.

Time to move on. Get on with our lives.

Let’s leave it at that. It doesn’t need to turn into something.

 

[Cloudy]

Having watched back the

I don't think for one minute the ref was corrupt, he made bad/odd/strange decisions against both teams and we can't afford to 'buy a ref' even if we wanted too!

Having watched back the ‘controversial’ decisions made by the ref at Grimsby yesterday, I don’t think there was that much wrong with any of them!
We all see it differently and mostly see it from our teams point of view but from the ref’s angle I can see why he booked the Carlisle player for simulation rather than award the ‘stonewall’ penalty. Not sure there was any contact. I am of an age where you had to stab someone to concede a foul and don’t buy into the ‘there was contact’ modern phenomena.

As for the penalty that was awarded there was a clear trip, he was virtually in the 6 yard box.

Nowhere near the controversy some claimed