Thetownend.com

With games starting to run out for Hartlepool 5 points adrift with a worse goal difference than the teams above them and just eight left to play Saturday's game is almost a must win for them.

They've drawn their last five games but three of those were against Bradford, Northampton & Orient so no pushover.

Hartlepool 1 Swindon 1 Att: 4,670 (350 Town fans )

We will only be allowed to field 11 players, so even for us 350 Reds in the game is a bit much.

Poolies 2-1 Swindon att:4,773 (175 away)

1 shot, 1 red, goal scored 6', goals conceded on 7' and 94'

Can't see us beating anyone at the moment.

1-0 to the monkey boys. 3 vital points for them from a truly awful game.

Shall we have a sweep stake for the minute of our red card?

I’ll go for the 19th. £5 a go yeah

I'm going up for this one. One of the days of the season up there last year. Call me mad but I'm going for a thumping win.

I predict another 1 zip loss with a late goal. These are better than Rochdale and probably have more fight in them than Town do. They'll still go down. The indictment will be more telling about the state of STFC than it will Hartlepool.

Credit to anyone heading there from wherever to sit in the cold rain. If it were me, I'd use my ticket money to head to Cameron's for several jars of ale and natter with random locals instead.

Also massive credit from me to anyone who dresses as a bottle of Blue Nun or even as a ''blue Nun''. Your prize will be...a bottle of Blue Nun

Andy Monkhouse will score. Again  ::)

Thinking about the 'Monkey Hangers' I've now got the Pixies song rattling around my head!

Oh, the football? We'll create very few chances, but look untroubled for much of the game. We might take a chance against the run of play, but then lose by the odd goal after making a couple of Noddy mistakes in midfield or at the back.

Hartlepool have been performing much better under John Askey and I can see more misery on Saturday for Jody Morris and his unbalanced squad of not so merry men. Probably 2-0

I can't see past a low scoring defeat.

Win for us as long as both teams keep 11 on the pitch!

Travelling up to this one tomorrow.
Hopefully meeting up with a few Sunderland fans Saturday Morning for a few beers.

Always one of my favourite away games, albeit a long journey.

Maybe take a walk along the sea front Duke I'm sure your Mackem friends are used to the cold North Sea air!

We'll see you there, Duke.  One of the faces I can always pretty much guarantee seeing at these northern away days.  I think we'll be heading to Jackson's Wharf before the game for a bite to eat.

Last season's win up there was pretty much the start of our end of season run to the play offs.  Can't see a repeat of the 3-0 this season - but we should sneak a win.

.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ud37rLFCyg

Never gets lost on me when we drove up there, 5 in a car, parked up and walked into a pub on the Marina (sadly no longer there) it was a Hartlepool pub, shirts, scarfs on the wall etc.
Full of locals and in we walked, bar busy and landlord looks up and said, “hang on lads let’s serve these first, they have come a long way.” Bar parted and we got served.
Rest of the time spend a few hours drinking with the locals and walked to the ground with them.

Always a soft spot. Spent many weekends as a single lad in the NE, particularly Newcastle.
Best City in the Country bar none for a “neet” out.

I might be a little worse for wear 😂🍺
Not coming home until Monday either 😇

A few pubs, the Globe was one mentioned.
The one you mention was in there last season. Nice place.

You often he stories of Northerners being more friendly than southerners. Great story & memories and a shame that individual pubs that are not part of a chain are being forced to close.

The micropub at the station is fun as long as you like ale. Just DON'T ask for lager...!
Cameron's Brewery good too.

Most of that fallacy stems from Northerners themselves who love to pat themselves on the back and call themselves the "salt of the earth", IMO it can be aimed more so at Londoners but to say Southerners is incorrect.

I have lived in London, the North, the South and the Midlands and we are pretty much all cut from the same cloth excluding Londoners who (for generalisation purposes) most "Northerners" call "Southerners" and anything South of Birmingham seems to be encompassed under that same moniker, especially by those who think the North starts in Cumbria and Northumberland, without starting another North/South divide argument.

You are just as likely to be treated badly or friendly in the north, south, east, west or midlands.

London and a few parts of the South East though is in its own league, a bit like New York is in America for general outsider hostility from what I have found myself.

At Grimsby away this year some random Grimsby fan gleefully said to us when we were eating fish & chips that they were “much better up here than in London”, presumably assuming Swindon was another suburb of London.

He did look quite confused when I told him I lived in Lincolnshire (albeit only just).

Geography not their strong point!

Putting football to one side it's surprising how many Northern people don't know where Swindon is on the map when you get chatting abroad on holiday

I suspect if one did similar analysis as to how many people from Swindon knew where pretty nondescript northern towns were you would get similar results.

To echo what PV says above, having lived all over the country people are generally pretty much the same their degree of happiness/misery/approachability etc depends on them rather than their location.

That said I do take a perverse pleasure at smiling at people on the Tube in London, just for the shits and giggle.

Its a bit like the departure and arrivals lounge in Men in black :D

Swindon is 31st largest metropolitan area in the UK by population. Would hardly decribe it as nondescript.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESPON_metropolitan_areas_in_the_United_Kingdom

I mean, Milton Keynes is 30th and that's more or less the dictionary description of non-descript.

 :cry:

Possibly so, but its still a place without any sort of historic or tourists sights that catches the eye for the average population without much interest in geography. What does the metropolitan area of Swindon actually include (it apparently adds 116,000 to the population beyond Swindon).

Guess Wroughton and Highworth and other such pony villages

Thamesdown!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borough_of_Swindon

Mel Smith describes both Hartlepool and Swindon:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACMcjbmniC8

On the way up for this now. Few beers tonight and explore the local area and probably an early ish start on the beer tomorrow. Result now basically irrelevant but a few goals to celebrate would be nice. Either way I intend on having a good weekend with some mates I am slowly indoctrinating.

Leaving at stupid o'clock tomorrow morning and overnighting in Redcar after the game.

Going with no expectations so anything other than a loss is a result.

Same for us.  The nice thing is my boys (both teenagers now...weird, I can remember announcing both arrivals on the Baby thread on here years ago) don't seem to care that the play off push has slided.  We're all just looking fwd to a day out in Hartlepool.  Which, incidentally, was superb last year.

We don't really need to set off much before 10am, but probably will and make a day of it.  Want to explore the marina this year and maybe give the Navy museum a go.

Just shy of 400 Town fans off to Hartlepool tomorrow.

A great turn out that

We took 465 there last season when chasing the play offs, thats a great turn out for a long old trip with little left to play for.

Come on PV. Everything to play for!🙂

Hope the pitch is not waterlogged

Not holding my breath on this one.   Hartlepool probably need this more than we do.
Should we lose hope it helps to relegate Crawley,  although they seem to be on a good run at the moment.

Just walked along the headland with the Labrador who wanted a swim.
I kid you not gale force winds, no rain now coming across the sea.

Looking forward to an early start on the beer.
Soft spot for this place, always have.

Not your Labrador Duke is it🤔

No his name is Ted.
He is Yellow but we dyed him Fox Red.😂

I was going to say he's a long way from home!
Best to dye him red otherwise it's hard to be friends😀

Safe journey, horrendous driving up today but looks clear in the Morning.
Typical Monday bright sunshine.

Thanks

Pre match where is the rail strike when you need it in The Ward Jackson.
Bloody RMT, down tools when I want to travel & cancel strike on a day when I'd rather be elsewhere.

Nah, it's a good trip. A shame if it's not on the schedule for next season.

A visit to Cameron's would be a good shout, but maybe not such a good idea with 3 soon to be lubricated wizards in tow.
Wouldn't want any of the locals to be turned into frogs.
Red ones of course.
Then again, some social media misinformation could then lead to an angry lynch mob gathering on hearing news that the French are back in town. Could turn ugly.

Anyway, a football match is scheduled to break out later.
Not overly fussed about the result, but a win would be nice.

Am I alone in thinking that, mitigating circumstances aside, Morris should still be getting more out of this team than relegation form, or is it one of those things that should not be spoken about? Or is the squad really that bad?

Morris is lucky that he'll get a good chunk of time.
He needs to make the most of it.

With players coming back from injury we should start to see how Morris wants the team to play and whether he can get the players he picks motivated, organised with a hint of discipline thrown in!

JJ's mate on comms today :clap:

Good lad is Rob.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FsoWd69XgAAX07f?format=jpg&name=large)

Only change is Shade in for Wakeling.

Get the fucking job done!

Whatever happens we certainly won’t be any higher up the table come five o’clock !.

Hartlepool looked pretty shit in the home game, in the worst 2 or 3 sides we have played and should have won by more than 2-1 after having 16 shots to their 4.

They have drawn their last 5 games in a row and I dont see us outscoring them today so a draw is likely.

But it’s about getting closer, points wise, to the teams in the POs.

We're gonna win.

no Darcy or minturn on the bench

In 15 games up in 'pools we have won 5, drawn 7 and lost 3 times.

We haven't lost there since 2005 a run of 8 games with 3 wins and 5 draws, conceding 8 and scoring 12 times in that run.

So we are all set up to lose :D

Starting change :)

I know, was just adding

TBH I didnt even see our bench line up last week.

Agree with this, possibly our strongest line-up and a very attacking side. Backing us to win, what could conceivably go wrong!!

Chosen pub over Ifollow for once today.

Enjoy the tremendous performance and 3 points folks.

Enjoy your beer mate.

Not sure I needed to hear "this ref booked 13 players last week" today.

Come on Town, put some polish on a turd of a season.

1st corner to them, FBT heads into touch.

They are a bit hoofy so far up to the big striker Umerah.

Strong start, cheers Bob!

Fucking get IN!!!

1-0

What a finish from distance by RHM.

Blimey!

Lovely hit that

Would like us to sign RHM up sharpish, there's something there. Not a perfect player, but if you want a rough diamond, he's more or less the example.

RHM shot wins us a corner.

Great stroke from RHM!

Austin inches wide.

We've already had more chances than in about 50% of games this season. Could easily be 3-0 up.

It’s like the good old Mad Gav days…

Khan crosses inches in front of Austin, nearly another goal.

Christ! Thought Austin had scored!

I like RMH. Can see why was fairly highly rated as a youngster. Newport brain fart aside, he's done well since getting fit. Would keep. 

Austin looks up for it today as does RHM.

As does Shade and Khan

Hutton header in the box from an Austin cross but ref gives a foul.

As do Williams and FBT

Pools hit the bar, Austin lost his man from the cross.

Is it Morris’s coaching, or are we just doing one touch fast passing better today?

Interesting the way that Khan, RHM, McEachran and Shade (but only in the first 5) have been pressing hard and not giving Hartlepool players time.

We still have the defensive frailties but attacking we are playing some lovely stuff.

The RHM discussion demonstrates the issue with us fans (all of us at times) and this squad all season.  Not many said that we should keep RHM over the past few weeks, in fact the likes of Austin have been called shit, Williams inaffective and Hutton not good enough, yet RHM scores one goal and the opinion of him swings in 20 mins of football.  When we lose we are the worse team ever and when we win we are capable of making it to 7th.

It just goes to show how bad and inconsistent this season has been when our opinions of players and the capability of this team change so dramatically week by week.  Hopefully the inconsistency of the team and individuals can be addressed by Morris once he gets some time with a new look squad in preseason.

Its definately woking better so far.

I honestly don't think our strikers have been the problem.

There is a player in Jephcott too, but him and RHM have been mostly shite. Its what has been going on behind them that have made it so difficult for them, even Austin who is as natural a goalscorer as they come.

4-4-2 with the 4-4 part being 8 experienced adults of at least average height instead of midgets who were recently children and I think there is goals in any combination partnership of Austin/RHM/Wakeling/Jephcott.

Probably mixture of Morris coaching starting to pay off and Hartlepool being poorer than your average league two side.

FWIW I have not moaned about RHM much but many have, I think he owed us something after the Newport sending off.

What you are saying is basically right, inconsistant, all season, but then if these players played at their good level every game then they wouldnt be in L2, thats why we have them, polish that turn until it rolls ever game not just 1 in 4.

I also still think there is a player in Shade too.

I like RHM (Newport aside) he’s more of nuisance player than he is a good player (if that makes sense)
Always thought he was worth persevering with.

Tomlinson has a shot from 20 yards but its straight at the keeper.

If we're still winning second half, then thinking long term its time to see Clayton as a holding midfielder. Ideally we'd get another goal or two and could get a good half hour look at it.

Pools play a nice move but we get it clear in the box.

He's definitely erratic. Which can be frustrating but can also create havoc. Definitely worth keeping even if mostly used as an impact sub.

RHM challenges the keeper after a long ball but the keeper plays it off RHM, good chance on the break for Town. Couild have easily gone the other way.

And Adeloye as a striker.

But a long way to go before that!

Similarly I’d like to see Adeloye get a decent half an hour on the pitch as well…

That was shockingly nice play for a team in their position.

It was a really good move tbf to them.

He’s a bustling forward. A bit of what Lindsay said that Adeloye was.

No real quality, but lots of endeavour.

I too would like to see Adeloye get a good 25 mins game time for Austin later as he tires, he may play well against his old team.

I don't rate him but if we're winning second half then now is the time. He's contracted next season either way so have to try and give him as many minutes to help us decide one way or another.

Hutton cross to Austin who lays it back to RHM on the edge of the box who hits a shot and we win a corner.

Erm, did you see his finish? There's certainly some quality there, even if it's not always to the fore!

Town win another corner from Tomlinsons cross.

Hartlepool play a pretty agricultural style.

Which is the PC translation of 'Dirty northern bastards'

Not sure about that. They’re back in this.

They have come back in but every challenge they are niggling us, we need another goal to settle us down and we are capable of getting it too.

The last 5 mins Pools have played it on the floor a bit more but they are pretty niggly.

Austin finds Tomlinson in the box but he slices it well wide, poor finish.

Shade tries a snap shot but its well over the box after the keeper flapped at the cross.

Pools big striker falls to the deck very theatrically under challenge looking for a pen, the ref waves it away.

Yeah, I did. But I’ve seen him in this match and in several others, try similar, and all have gone miles wide or into Row Z!

Town look very good with their passing game when we are in their half, but, as ever, we look vulnerable to crosses and set peices and fairly weak in the middle of defence when we are being run at.

Happy to be winning but we really should have got a couple of goals so far.

Decent half, second goal should kill this off. Should have scored it already.

HT 1-0

started really well, but by the end of the half I thought Pools started to look dangerous. we still carry a threat mind.

we are shocking defending crosses and fee kicks.

I’m hoping we are fit enough to keep this going for 90 minutes.

Hard pressing and short sharp passes and movement in midfield has been a joy to watch at times.

Agree with that, there've been a few spells under Morris where our mobility in the attacking midfield positions has completely overrun the opposition. So far, they've only been spells...

Att: 4,815 (433 Swindon).

Wow! Great following.

433 in a dead rubber, in Hartlepool on a 6 hour drive,  is superb.

RHM beats his man and tried a shot from 25 yards, low and just held onto by the keeper.

Indeed it is.

Brewitt and Hutton both fail to clear and it ends up with a corner to them.

And again, we put ourselves under pressure with a corner given away from nothing

Acres of space in our defence there, shoddy.

RHM breaks with pace but the defender just gets to it in the box, Town corner.

Easy take for the huge keeper.

FBT booked for a silly challenge on the half way line.

We’re doing that Swindon thing, where we gradually give away the initiative and give them confidence with sloppy defending.

®STFC since 2018.

Decent save that.

Khan looks like he is getting more and more wound up - the guy really needs to learn

Very good save by their keeper.

Not a "dead rubber" for most of those who've made the effort maybe

He does look a pent up ball of frustration.

Can Khan can his frustration?

They’re going to equalise aren’t they,

God tracking back by Williams there to take the ball off the players foot on the edge of our box.

Good save by Brynn at the near post.

Pools hit the post from a corner.

We don’t seem to be able to play for 90 minutes - giving away needless set pieces here again

The strange thing is that Khan is one of the few players in our squad who played a decent number of games, and his discipline before us was fine.

Surely it’s ‘kick off’ his frustration?

Yet another corner to them.

We always seem to end up making anyone look good.

That is dog shit from Tomlinson there. Would expect better from a player of his caliber. Absolutely done like a kipper.

And they almost score from the follow up corner. Bynn to the rescue.

Pools have the feeling they can get something from this, we are giving them confidence with our poor defending.

Williams doing Williams things

Their big leading scorer Umerah has gone off.

With creepy getting stuffed at Mansfield they really need a point at least

Another corner to them.

This all feels very STFC 22/23, doesn't it?

Winning free kicks?

Town get away with giving their player an unmarked header well wide.

This is when/why we need a couple of older heads.

Tomlinson wins a corner.

yup + added breather

Nice

Williams to RHM in the box but he takes one touch too many and its cleared.

Sounds like McEachran is having a decent game. Again

Khan with a chance scuffs it well wide when he should have crossed.

It goes tits up late on after we’ve made subs.

He is my MotM.

contrary to Venks, I think he's been off it today.

khan probably my mom, but RHM honerable mention

mcE has been a lot better second half though

Austin told him that in no uncertain terms!

Tomlinson tries a shot from 35 yards well high and wide.

Khan and RHM both very good too yes. Probably RHMs best game so far.

That was never a penalty for them

I think Shade has been decent today, maybe not MOTM, but not often I have been able to say that Shade has been one of our picks of the bunch

Pools comms tell me Crawley losing 3-0 assuming some posters will allow that to be mentioned.

Right up to his booking for diving!

RHm booked for diving

He has been decent.

Corsham lead 2.1

How can you book RHM there?  Poor refereeing again..

Has blown hot and cold. Spent too much time completely out of the game

Seems we've been offside a helluva lot

3 wins and 2 draws in the previous 5 games though went unmentioned.

Agree. Ridiculously harsh for a standard minor trip.

miles off Austin

I think RHM was looking for the foul but a booking is ridiculous.

Oh no, Khadji is on.

Kadji on for Williams.

Town scramble the ball away from a corner.

Why not Clayton

Think Austin was trying to protest that RHM was initially going to slide in to get the ball back but changed his mind. So it was a knee slide rather than a dive.

4-1 to Mansfield now, Creepy go to Hartlepool later this month😀

They are shockingly awful, but I can see us losing 2-1 if we continue like this!

Brilliant tackle by the excellent McEachran as they broke there.

Tomlinson has been pretty poor for me today, several bad mistakes.

I think we are unduly harsh on a 19yr old Khadji - it's not like he is Taylor Curran or anything..

our defending is simultaneously both dogged and woeful

Austin down injured in the box.

He doesn’t look fit to me. Or the injuries he’s had have detracted from the player we once had on loan.

Agreed

The clock seems to have entered a new dimension this half

Absolutely, he doesnt appear to be of a good enough standard for our first team but he may in the future unlike Curran.

Austin off for Adeloye.

he's not really playing in his best position for me

That's fair. Plenty of commitment, not much structure.

Yet another corner to them.

What the fuck was Hutton doing there?

Having a hug.

We are now entering fuck-up time.

could have bought him dinner first

Hutton inches wide on the break with a nice shot.

We entered that at 3pm :)

 :D

Thats twice they have dived in our box but not booked for simulation, unlike RHM was for less.

Brynn saves easily from a header.

blimey, this is a long half

The Hartlepool comms team said ‘If he’d been any closer he’d have been his wife!’

And there we go.

Ffs

Sighhhhhhh.

And there it is  :crash:

Oh shit. Substitutions to blame?

There’s the late goal again

This season summed up in a game. Dread the injury time corner.

1-1

Been coming.

Groundhog Day

This team is fucking shit.

Hate being right

ooop there it is

Up the prediction league I go🤣
I wanted us to win tho!

No surprise really they are the draw specialist and we can't keep clean sheets.

Tomi to score winner. :pint:

I don’t think we can blame that. Every 11 we put out does the same thing.

You wouldn't want them walking your dog.

Sums up why I have no interest in Hutton playing any more games for Swindon. Where on earth was he off to there?

Adeloye down holding his head.

No, same defensive issues as before the substitutions

More late goals conceded. Which I'm sure bears absolutely no relevance to whatever happened in preseason regarding fitness work, of course.

Eight minutes? Fucking Nora.

Join the fucking club

Probably about right.

I imagine they'll score another.

Jeez. Tomlinson can’t buy a pass.

97th for sure

Still. Plenty of time to lose it. Town do specialise in late goals conceded.

Fucking wank sticks

:D

8 mins? haha give them three points now.

And with that, he creates two chances. :D

Shade misses a volley unmarked.

Can't even beat 2 sides destined for non league football

What happened to the energy and swashbuckling style that Gav seemed to bring to the team?

The weak mentality weasel reds strike again 😭

Oh fuck off.

Kill me now

Ffs

2 wins now in 11 games for Morris- yes he inherited some crap but that ain’t good enough for a club that supposedly has the target of promotion.

Things have to change

I can’t wait for this season to be over. We are so so so Shit

To misquote Jurgen Klopp, mentality pygmies.

Pahahahahaha fuck off swindon

I give up.

Wow.

FFS. 1-2.  What fucking shit we are. 

I hate this team. I hate Sandro's shit signings. Fuck you.

Weak. As. Shit.

Absolute aids.

Classic Town. I'm fucking laughing cos it was going to happen. Bunch of cunts, literally no spine. Off the lot of them.

soapy tit wank

Some serious work needed in the summer

Fucking Bill Murray time

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Fucking hell and I mean fucking hell😡
If I was Morris I would walk away now!

we've gone backwards since morris appointment

Kind of backs up what I posted after 20 mins of this game.

Same old Swindon.
No point playing high intensity for 80 minutes if we are gonna die and give it away at the end.
AGAIN

Stupid tactics

They can bin the management team and the squad for all I care. Gutless and useless.
No more games for me.

I am not saying he should go, but I cannot see Morris lasting much longer

Absolutely all of us knew how this was going to go with half an hour left (or 87 mins left for the cynical), and it's happened. Piss poor.

We've had 19 shots. So many chances to kill this game spurned.

Again absolutely no relevance to Scott Lindseys fitness work pre season the fact we constantly concede late.

I feel for those that have gone.

Hopefully this result helps send Lindsey down with Crawley. Fucking mong.

Morris can not escape any fingerwagging

If I was Morris I would hold out for the pay off

Our worst finish for 40 years?

It’ll be us fighting for survival next season, can’t believe what’s happening with this club.   

No we haven't, we were just as bad if not worse before

Pathetic.

One time I'm pissed off being right.

Genuinely worried about Morris’ motivational powers based on everything we’ve seen so far.

Even if he has issue with the players he has at his disposal, the constant capitulation from his teams is fucking pathetic.

Might be ridiculed but if I was Swindon I'd make him walk. This is a decent side I maintain

Taxi for Mr Morris and this inept bunch

He can & will.
It’ll be Lindsey and Sandro’s fault

You got any thoughts on tonights lottery numbers?

This is so Swindoney

I thought you had missed out the letter L🤣
Yes no point in walking without financial gain.

Not wasting any more time or money on this shit until something changes, and I’m not alone!  :suicide:

Results suggest otherwise

Hate to say I told you so.

Well that was shit.

Well, if Hartlepool stay up, this is a game that they'll talk about for years and fair enough.

Roll on June.


Literally everyone thought that would happen, and we were all right!

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :zipped: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Mansfield will fancy their chances on Friday.

The problems start at the very top

Dont think I needed to be Mystic Fucking Meg to predict that!

Sorry, Im livid to be right.

He won't, he has to shoulder some of the blame, he is the custodian of the team and the tactics, but you can't just dismiss the first 6 months of the season and the level of recruitment before he came in and pile all of that blame on Morris.

It's a, compounded failure. Stop being a complete dickhead

Fuck Friday, I'm going to enjoy my weekend.

The team that struggled to 5 draws in a row finds a way to beat the worst form team in the division. We just keep making any league two team look good. That is how low we’ve gone.

This.

If the club get half the season tickets they did this season then its too many. Fucking absolute shite Clem. You've completely failed us this season on the pitch.

Save your money for Tranmere on Monday!

Great song by the Hives though!

But this basic stuff that we cannot get right. A 'top manager' should be able to fix things quickly

This.

I gave up following our match day progress a few weeks back. I’m just amazed that the attendances are so high when we consistently flatter to decide year on year.. For me, selling the players in January messed us up

As things to on , I fear that they will just get worse . We are being run like a non league club

What Berni said. Guardiola wouldnt even be able to get a tune out of this lot

Fixing fitness is difficult when you're appointed the last day of January though.

There might be a reason why while we're pretty shit defensively, we're absolutely hapless from 80 minutes onwards and why we've had so many injuries.

Or it might just be a total coincidence and I'm talking total bollocks as some on here think.

I'll be saving my money until this shite on the pitch is sorted. Fucking worst town team for a long time.

Was going for a diatribe on the situation but like the whole setup with the playing aspect cannot be assed.

Going on other comments, I think I will see you there

A top manager won't ship up and take a job in League 2.  There is a reason that Morris is taking his first job in management with us - he's had 11 games, and we don't know if he is a good manager - that's part of the problem.  Making that assessment with the quality of squad that we have handed him is impossible.

But yes, let's sack him and bring Artell or big Dunc in...  based on your logic we should be able to win our remaining games of the season and still push for play offs..

That well?

No we have got worse.....

Since Morris took over we always concede in the last couple of minutes

We cannot hold onto a lead...

We were awful before we are abysmal now!

All of the blame cannot be placed on Sandro and Lindsay....

Exactly.

Don't know about dunk but I expected more from Morris - maybe unfairly

Plenty of asterisks, but Morris has two wins in 11.

We’ve shipped 6 goals against the bottom 2 teams in 2 weeks. I don’t care what anyone says, the majority of this squad are utter dross, only a couple of players at most would get in a team with any aspirations of promotion.

The majority of players have put in a couple of good performances at most all season and those rare performances have clouded our judgement and masked just how bad they really are.

Lindsey did - every now and then!

Indeed, there is more than enough blame to go around for everyone to take a share, aside maybe from Austin.  He, as far as I can tell, is the only person who seems to have actually performed in the job he is employed to do, and guess what? he's the only fucking one experienced at doing it!

I'm not ready to write off Morris, but his recruitment is another example of bringing in someone with no experience to talk of in doing what they have been asked to do.  He may have a bright future ahead of him, he may have that here, and in a season where you have great foundations, maybe he works out for us.  This season was not that.

Everything, from top to bottom, is being infected by inexperience.  None of  them have the immediate talent to overcome that - yes youth can be better than experienced shit, but we haven't employed that, anywhere.  We have employed 23+ players amongst whom you can barely put a couple of hundred Div 4 or above games together from.

Our Management teams have never done the job before.

Our Head of Recruitment knew how to hob nob with people at Cheltenham races but the square root of fuck all when it comes to running a Football Operations Dept.

Even our well meaning CEO has never even worked in the football industry and is flanked by a convicted Money Launderer (drug related) who seems to think his time is well spent in Pakistan earning a few quid and an ex-pro's Son who barely had a pro career and seems to have some business in horses but isn't really here, or maybe is.

Our owner knows how to fit out pipes and AC.

None of that should make our current situation surprising.

I still maintain that was a more than decent starting line up. I'm finally beginning to think it's 95% down to Morris and sidekicks. Clueless as to how to kill off a game tactically

Good man :clap:

Fuck me there is another classic from DV who thinks he is hilarious saying Morris Out every time we do badly. How did Forest Green get on today? Are they on their way to the promised land yet?

Morris shoulders some of the blame today. He's had enough time to get this defence organised. it was shambling throughout

I agree that there's only so much he can do. I get this squad isn't good enough. And I get that next season he could win every game for all I know before some fucker says anything

But so far so shit.

And if you read my posts I haven't put all of the blame on Sandro and Lindsey, in fact I haven't mentioned them..

10 league games we have conceded after the 80th minute, 12 goals in total.

Could it possibly be that Morris got a good job at Chelsea, because he was a former player who stuck around for long enough? This is his first test isn’t it? He’s been at a big club but there is no evidence at all that he’s a good manager, yet.

However disjointed the squad may be, I’m surprised by how poor we have been for the past two months.

Oof, that is... not good. More than a quarter of our total goals conceded.

Ok,apart from Khadji,who of those who played today,is absolutely shite?
Genuine question. My blame of the management team has gone up to 99% in the space of 2 minutes

Pretty succinct right there..

 maybe our current owner isnt the saviour we were told he would be

Not just down to being defensively disorganised, or you'd be conceding as many in every other 10 minute block of the 90.

I don't think Lindsey was great.
I do think he had a better squad.

But thank fuck Lindsey got that run up to Mansfield. Without those points (or form as it is since) we'd be fucked right now.

not really replying to you Bernie, more a wider point on Lindsey

go back and look at the stats. You'll be surprised.
Especially goals conceded and disciplinary

No idea why you think we're a decent side.  We've won 5 games sine the end of October, and even before then weren't great apart from Mansfield away.

I said in mid Sept that we looked like a lower mid table team and unfortunately we've done nothing to address it.

It's not though, a good team.  It's fragile - which you get from inexperience.  The team has been shit ALL season bar a couple of games.  Name me more than 3 games where we have outplayed, properly outplayed, the other team?  Then take away the ones against 10 men.

Morris has certainly done nothing to improve us and the team should be capable of getting more results than he has achieved, I'll give you that.  But this is not a top 3 team, not even a top 7 team.  The writing has been on the wall all season long, and that was before we let players go without really replacing them.

Corsham compound Westcountry calamity via cup competition exit. Connor completes calculated crushing of Swindon Town, Charlie can't convert! Clem continues cock-up. Commiserations.

I haven’t said otherwise have I?
Not me burying my head in the sand at Morris’ ineptitude & making excuse.

Perhaps the majority are exactly what our league position suggests, bottom half league 2 players with an occasional performance that flatters to deceive.

I don't base my view on stats - i base it on watching every game so far this season.

We have some players that individually in a different team that can hide their weaknesses, would do well. As a team though, it just doesn't work.

The recruitment has been fucking shambolic and as much as I'd love to have Sandro hung drawn and quartered for it.....its Clems direction that he is working under.

Clem nobody minds you making a few quid on player sales when they do well. Problem is mate, they have to actually do well and the club has to be doing well for that to happen.

Is someone in your house singing Jodi Morris songs at you or something?  I don't see anyone giving him a free pass here.

 It would be interesting to see how our likely league position matches up with pre season predictions . I am sure that no one thought we would finish somewhere between 11 th to 15 th

(https://media3.giphy.com/media/26BRDHKnjgXuhjlde/giphy.gif)

I fucking hope not - I’m the only here (as far as I’m aware!)


No, not this week admittedly. Feels like he’s got a free pass from the majority up to this point.

Burying head in the sand. Funny.

You fail at every juncture to understand that people simply give him a bit more rope because of the shit sandwich he's been dealt.

He's still failed. But it isn't the same circumstances as Scott Lindsey had coming in on 31 January, is it?

Still, I'm sure Big Dunc would have done better.

The only players I would be genuinly disapointed to see leave out of this lot would be FBT, George Mc, Austin and maybe Lavinier.

I said 10th...  would be happy with 10th right now

We don't have out and out shit in the first team right now - OK, Kadji and Adeloye are in that squad and I would say are not good enough for this Division right now.

The rest, bar Austin, are OK.   Nobody dominates their position though.  Nobody else is going to be getting into a team of the year fir this Division, are they?

Take Hutton - he has some good qualities.  I think I'd like a player like him in a Div 4 squad, to work on and improve.  problem is, he's one of our best players!  That is not good enough.  He is a defensive liability - as shown by his fly by on that late goal where he jumped out wide and left a player in the middle/edge of the box.  Impetuous - trying to do the right thing, but not enough between the ears yet to understand how exposed he was leaving the danger area.

The squad, and first team, is full of them.  You can pick all of them and think of some good stuff.  You can identify some glaring weaknesses though.  Mix it all together and it's not a good fit.

Someone will chuck an FBT at me - I'll challenge you on him.  He is no better than Rob Hunt - which is not bad.  You need a few like him in your squad.  Consistent for the most part, 6/7 out of ten.  There is a reason a struggling L1 team didn't play him though.

I can't remember but I think I was raising a red flag to any hoped of play offs very early on.  The first two or three games were a big warning sign to me.

Given Morris the benefit of the doubt until now.

We were AWFUL.

Terrible substitutions, no fight.

A disgrace to the travelling fans, of which I was one.

Brewitt, RHM, Williams and Austin seemed up for it.

The rest were a disgrace.

If anyone can explain how Shade lasted 90 mins I’d like to hear it?

Kadji is fucking awful. Why not try Clayton at DM?

We are as weak as piss and SDM, Clem and Aberdeen can all piss right off if they think this is in any way acceptable.

We are rank bad, tinpot and out of our depth.

Pathetic. Embarrassing.

so you're watching it but still don't see it. I feel for you

Well he spent some time at Derby too and did ok there.

I mentioned when Town targeted him that I felt it best that he would make a good Assistant here but not as an out and out Manager (yet). Was prepared to give him a chance as anything was better surely. But we can't ignore the fact that he has come in with his hands tied behind his back and has had almost zero say on the assembly of the squad. Yes, he can probably do better tactically but even so, conceding late is player management (self managed on the pitch) and game management. The players are to blame/not experienced enough in not being able to deal with that.

It's not all tactical, I don't think it's even totally about lack of talent, it is seemingly a psychological block and once that sticks it's hard to get out of the mind. Look at Pérez in F1 over the weekend so far. There's compounded problems, which don't then help if you can't fully focus mentally. Town's personnel don't currently appear to know how to get themselves over the line.

Should be better than this. Across all departments.

All valid.

Morris tactically has shown tendencies to change things logically so far despite the shit circumstances, but bringing on Kadji over Clayton makes me question his sanity let alone his opinions on Association Football.

I'm glad Hawes has asked "the" question regarding 1 win in 11. Also presses him further.

I really do like Hawes. Not everyone's cup of tea bug he is fair and as commentators go, we're blessed to have him in our ears.

Morris response was calm, measured, honest and open.

I'll let NMH do his thing transcribing if he has any heart to do so

He’s not blameless but I felt for Morris a bit whilst listening to the post match interview. Reminds me of the final few games of the first Wellens season, where it was clear to everyone that majority of the group aren’t good enough for where we want to be but he couldn’t come out and be completely honest with what he wanted to say because had to get them up for another 7/8 games.

No, I just don't have the memory of a goldfish like you seem to have. I remember watching Gillingham away against 10 men and questioning my sanity.  But now we are in a similar situation with a poorer squad but worse results (hardly surprising) and a rookie manager that everyone seems to expect to be able to turn this group into league winners in 11 games.

Morris:
- The second half. They deserved to win. First half we were by far the better team
- They didnt offer much or threaten in the first half
- They started better in the second half
- We stopped making urgent angles. We took too many touches in midfield. Ultimately too many mistakes allowing them to threaten our goal
- We had chances to counter and get a second. But didnt have quality or make right decisions
- Then we looked fragile and lost shape because of them prodding and challenging us
- Once they scored they looked like the only team who would score
- If you dont make enough passes in the second half then you can't be called a passing side!
- We kept making wrong decisions and didnt get into positions to receive the ball
- We then got frustrated with ourselves
- They were spending too much time in our half, where we didnt get tight enough or block enough
- We should have taken the sting out of them by making better passes, having a rest and then taking our opportunities to score a second when they came.
- Finishing and decision making were poor
- We are struggling when we are controlling games. When other teams make changes, or change formations, players need to be able to be able to see it and adapt without being told
- When its as loud as it is here, the management team can't tell everyone what to do and make everyone hear on the other side of the pitch. They need to do this themselves
- Morris looks internally. He knows where the problems lie, but he can't do anything about it. He can't add experience or players in positions where we are weak
- There are things that have gone on in the last 5 games where we should have got points. Thats where you need experience at the ends of the park where we are fragile.
- Having said that, Morris acknowledged the buck stops with him. But he can't instill confidence or experience onto players who can't adapt
- A dozen are contracted to come back. Will he need to convince the board of radical change?: The model is great. Its good if you can develop and sell players on. But, in order to do that, you need more than one or 2 players who have just played a lot of games. You need people who are used to helping others, guiding players and digging players out of difficulties.
- The best ways to make fragile players better is through winning football matches. We need experience in important positions to do that. What you 'can do' and what you 'need to do' are sometimes two different things.

(Note: Basically said the players weren't good enough and there wasn't enough experience in the right positions to be able to help develop younger players into saleable assets)

Clem/Sandro listen to Morris and what most of us fans have been saying all season. We need more experience in the team not just rookies who may or may not make the grade.

Agree about Hawes

Was interested to hear what drivel Morris was going to come out with! Basically blamed lack of experienced players in the team.

A pattern is emerging to my ears that Morris sounds like the pundit everyone agrees with at the end of a game.
The proof will be in the banoffee once he has the players he clearly lacks in the current squad.

Morris also comes across as very calm or just not interested in his interviews

The fact that Sandro is even still in post after the January shambles is on Clem

You don’t get promoted with lightweight youth players in a physical dominated league.

IT AINT FUCKING ROCKET SCIENCE

Some think he's not been there for weeks and weeks.

Well he was at the sponsors night Thursday

I think I agree with everything Morris said - which begs the question, he surely knew what our squad looked like when he took the gig?  That's my main worry with him - has he taken this because he, and we, were certain he'd be able to work with the approach?  It doesn't sound like he is fully onboard - did the sales of Reed, Gladwin & MacDonald all take place in some sort of vacuum he couldn't see?  And was he not aware we were signing youth to replace them?

If you look at those three, none of whom were playing that well, their sale was the end of our season - especially when we brought in a Manager with no experience at this level, or managing a team.

 :)

Back home already albeit in Hartlepool headland.
Cracking day on the piss, football just fuck off Swindon absolute shite.

Our fans absolute credit once again the ones that do this week in and week out.
Deserve so much more.
Technically superior weak as piss, no game management on the pitch or on the bench.
They were poor, that sums up everything.

Wonder what made JM think it would be any different when he took the job. He saw what we had,new the "recruitment policy" if he's moaning about the quality of players why take the job? I Personally think the quality of our team for League 2 is good enough to reach the play offs. OK people don't agree,that's fair enough.

Is it possible that he also thought he might have been in post sooner and also have had the chance to sign more players he might have identified/wanted?

Sorry,just noticed Robert T post which pretty much says the same

I would also add coaching elite acedemy players without any pressure is a million miles apart from preparing for robust league 2 but he must have known it would be a difficult task.

The way things are going, not impossible that we record our worst ever

I think it's fair enough for Morris to come in on a more or less free hit, given even the Jan business had been done (or more often not) before he started, then judge him on his recruitment. We did the same for Wellens, who started with a 1-4 defeat. Very little point getting on his back now.

I'm sure you're not forgetting but there's also the clusterfuck of compounded injuries and suspensions to boot that meant he technically had had a weaker squad than Lindsey to start with. Maybe the last two games he's had close to the best available but I still stand by that Town should have got him in a bit earlier, in order to have given him a full (or most of a) transfer window and his full support.

He was coaching a combination of talents at Derby. He hasn't always been just a Chelsea Cone Carrier *looks up and thinks of Reg*

No one expects that. We all know Morris dealt a shit hand...mediocre players, not appointed until the very end of the Window etc etc etc and I'm not writing him off...but with any new manager it would be reasonable to expect to see one or two 'green shoots' of hope for next season. We've seen nothing whatsoever in any way, shape or form to hang our hats on...

No mate,I hadn't. Which is why I've not really been on his back til now. Now he has with those injured and suspended players returning,what I think is a decent squad he still seems to be lacking in managerial nous

I wondered this. Seems a bit of a coincidence to me he was appointed on the last day of the window to be honest.

Chelsea cone carrier was more recent plus the Derby squad was a different level to Swindon's🙄

Travelled up for the week end and even though we lost, enjoyed the game and thought the Hartlepool fans were excellent, staying with their team throughout and they got their reward. Really hope they stay up at Crawleys expense.

We played some decent football first half and RHM scored a cracking goal. We had chances at 1-0 on the break to get a  2nd and put the game to bed but poor finishing,  particular by Shade and Hutton, let us down.

Once they equalised there was an inevitability about their winner and that was that. Expect a big clear out in the summer, with a focus on experience and physicality. Many of the current squad are lacking in both. Then we can properly judge Morris, who is so far getting an easier ride than most managers would with the  results he  has so far achieved.

There is a recurring theme here.
It's quite pathetic.

Morris will get the time & rightly so.
Needs to pull his finger out though.

A long day & 4hrs plus to go yet.

There is always another game to come.

Thanks to Lindsey (who left on a defeat but with us in 6th place, 5 points off autos) and Gav.

Problems stem back to January when upstairs was asleep at the wheel.

I think we need to get behind Morris but I'm feeling a little queazy about Mansfield.  Should have been relishing that challenge. >:(

We need 8 points from the final 8 games to ensure we beat our lowest points total in this division. And I’m not sure we’re going too

Sandro needs to take the blame for a shite January window but he would probably argue he's only working to Clems instructions. Let's see what squad Morris is allowed to assemble in the summer and judge him after 10 games next season to see what direction the club is goin in.

I had hoped this was sold as a mend and make do scenario until the end of the season, then an approach overhaul next.

But from a few noises coming from Morris it may be more of the same. Something about not always being able to get what you need .. may have misheard the context though

Anyone who cannot see what the issues are really shouldn’t be running the football side of things

Looks like fans patience has snapped. Many long term ST holders I know not renewing next season.

Continuing the current model is suicide in my view- both in terms of league position and gates as fans just won’t put up with it next year

Clem says in the ST advert the clubs  aim is promotion next season- his actions need to back this up

There fans superb before and after the game.
Was with a few Sunderland fans. Different breed to most down South up here.
Cracking in the pubs and bars before the game.

Power said the same sort of thing, championship within 5 years

Some people did expect that, which is why i mentioned it.


20 mins into the game and everyone was saying RHM was a keeper for next year, Austin scores 4 2 weeks ago, George Mc has been head and shoulders above everyone else, Brewitt has been fairly solid since he came in, we have a manager that at least makes changes now when we all see that things are not working - considering what Morris had to work with when he came in there are some green shoots.

If you read my posts I am agreeing with you that it has not gone well for Morris, but the problem is I don't think there are many managers at this level that would have been able to turn this around with what is available to them now, let alone when we had 8 injured/suspended at the same time.

Morris has turned it around though - in the wrong direction. I don't think the vast majority would expect him to turn this side into promotion winners, but he has an 18% win ratio, almost half of Lindsey's. There are plenty of mitigating factors, and you've identified most of those, but the last 11 games have been firmly shite.

Anyway, I think we all broadly agree with eachother even if we're managing to argue about it anyway. Something - probably a fair few somethings - need to change at the club pretty rapidly.

Morris' postmatch analysis of the games gives me hope, he clearly identifies the issues. The next step is being able to do something about them.

.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=idzYoHIzk0Y

What if you take Lindsey’s win ratio from October as that’s when the wheels fell off well and truly as our results have fallen off a cliff since then. We may have been 6th when he left but with the games in hand other teams had we’d have been in about the same position as we are now. This squad is just a bit shit.

About 15 or 16 "Like/As I said"

Lovely cameo from Hawes at 8mins30secs as well :D

Agreed

Hawes needs to stop eating the complimentary half time pies😀

Seems to be a regular pattern here,  we score early,  miss numerous chances to put the game to bed then concede late on (usually twice) Do we start at such a pace that we burn ourselves out are we unfit or are we just shit.

I think the reality is this statistics driven approach is garbage.  Take any field of work and consider if you hired all the best people on paper would you get best outcomes.  The answer is no you wouldn’t as whilst you may get lots of technicians what you don’t get is a balance.  You have to get a balanced squad who emotionally have the right character traits which can get you out of the odd hole,  we have some talented players no doubt but I see no leaders who are bugging the others up.  We also still lack plan b and are a bit lightweight for league 2.  As for Morris he needs to start earning his money as thus far mad gav has looked streets ahead.  He would do just as well to not bring on any subs and actually get a win than weaken the team by bringing off our threats.

It’s getting tiresome

2 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats in the last 8 (November and December).

In his last 8, Morris has 2 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats

It's shit everywhere, the club, football operations wise, is a mess and it has been all season.  The reality is Lindsey wasn't even sacked.

I'll try framing this another way - if you were Mark Devlin in January and you were looking at what you needed to do to solidify Leyton Orients promotion chase, and Clem tapped him on the shoulder  and said - "mate, I need to rustle up some cash, my entire team and management group up for sale, who do you fancy?", what does he say in return?

Hmm, I have Wellens, who has a promotion from this Division under his belt, so no thanks on your new Youth Coach.  Lots of injuries and no real big assets at your club Clem, probably stick with our backroom team as well.

Austin - maybe I will try him.
Williams - maybe - maybe not - possible impact sub?

That's it - after that, nobody we could offer would enhance Leyton Orients chances THIS season.

To be honest the only thing that has changed since August to October is that reality has bitten.

If you break the season down, preseason was an absolute shambles and we looked poor.

We started at Harrogate looking poor and undercooked. Then between August and October we picked up a few wins but we still looked a poor team. All the stat’s were saying we should be conceding more goals than we were, Brynn was playing out of his skin and winning player of the month every month.

Then from the end of October once a few defeats started to kick, confidence dropped and with the loss of MacDonald to injury we started conceding the goals that the stats suggested we should be conceding and the results have continued in that vein.

Then since January, we’ve lost pretty much all the experience we had, that must have impacted things off the pitch as well as on it. I don’t think it’s unfair to say Brynn’s form has dropped a bit and he’s lost confidence somewhat as is to be expected, he’s not single handedly going to keep us in games for a full season.

So really we’ve been poor and about where we are now all season, we had a spell where we overachieved a bit but we are just a poor league 2 team and the stats have said that all season.

I have my doubts that Austin would have signed for us if Barton had said he wanted him despite meeting Clem in Australia.

Sometimes my eyes deceive me - 2003/04 - I went that entire season utterly unconvinced that we were any good, bar the front two.  Thought King was a shit Manager, thought we looked bang average and I think I moaned about as much at the time.  So bloody close in the end.

This season though, you could see all our problems in the first game, and the next couple just solidified it.  We have never looked like a good "team".  We should have taken more beatings earlier in the season than we did, but we found a way, luck or not, to get some draws.  On the other side, there have been few games where I can look back and think, how the fuck did we not batter them?  The Rochdale and Harrogate games at home were the closest.   They were comfortable.  Grimsby was an anomaly - they imploded and we had a Management team willing to play Roulette.  Mansfield also against 10 men (although the Gillingham game showed we could fuck that situation up as well).

Even at our best, results wise, we've mostly been meh.

With our current form were only going one way. Fortunately we have hit the 50 point mark, phew!

Of which:

38 points under Lindsey (25 games).
4 points with Gav Gunning (2 games).
9 points so far with Morris (11 games).

Ok there is 8 games left but it really isn't great reading for Morris.  :smack:

I mean going on the data available Gav would have us Gunning for 92 points over a full season…

Just for context
Lindsey over a season = 70 pts (69.92)
Morris over a season = 38 pts (37.63)

Honestly I’m fucking livid with this performance.

Piss poor.

Kadji should NEVER wear a Swindon shirt again.

FBT was, for the first time this season, awful.

Most people were a disgrace to the shirt.

I left home at 0645 this morning, and I’d have backed myself to put in a better second half performance than most.

Pathetic effort. As weak as piss. They didn’t care. Unforgivable. I simply don’t want to see these players again this year.

I consoled myself in a local pub last night owned by a Hartlepool fan.

Like you livid, weak as piss.
Hartlepool were poor but they made 2 double substitutions with both sets of players busting a gut to get on that field. What do we do and what have we got Adeloye and Kadji. Absolute joke, offered nothing.

Cracking following yesterday, Hartlepool fans referring to us as a big club with decent fans.

Hoping for a mass clear out pre-season. Can only hope we have players lined up and those that have a winning mentality.

Mentality is the word, for sure. It isn’t that the players are just plain useless - they’re not. But their collective mindset late on in games is shot to bits. Scared to make a mistake the ball becomes a hot potato - get rid, make bad decisions, give it away cheaply. It’s obvious as it’s what happens game after game.

It’s what we’ve been saying all season - the midfield offers little to no protection to the defence. They start making rash challenges and give away cheap free kicks thereby heaping pressure.

I don’t think this is something that can be coached out of the present squad. It needs the introduction of an experienced, talkative centre back and a composed, break up play midfielder.

The players are useless though, we’ve seen nothing in 90% of them to suggest that they are anything other than useless.

I disagree. The first 20 minutes yesterday could have seen us 4 up, so the players are capable of pulling teams apart. God knows what sets in during the second halves in particularly. It generally coincides with subs being made, but the general game plan is already starting to unravel.

 i have had time to reflect. They all need to go - from top to bottom

Would love to know how many goals we’ve conceded or points we’ve dropped after Austin has been taken off.

There’s really no excuse now to have any sort of prolonged, dilly dallying summer transfer window like we’ve had before. Play offs have realistically been off the table for a good few weeks now, start discussions with the out of contract ones we know we want to keep early, there’s still a period of games to assess those we’re unsure of. If players like Hutton and Williams are likely off then drop them out and start assessing other options for a consistent run of games like Lavinier. Recruitment planning for next season should have been well underway already.

Get everything geared up now so that we can be as ahead of the game this summer as possible. There will likely be some well backed teams in this league fighting for the same pool of players as us (Wrexham, Stockport, Gillingham, FGR, Mansfield, Salford) and sadly I can’t see us financially outmuscling them so our best option is probably to set ourselves up now to try and get our ship sorted as early as realistically possible.

In previous seasons we’ve been so late with this stuff that we’re still waiting on contract renewal decisions from players deep into the pre season schedule and then when they’ve inevitably gone, we’re in trouble trying to sign replacements. Get as many of those decisions sorted early (whether it’s extending or going) and make the situation as clear as possible.

That’s the ideal situation anyway, it never runs that smoothly.

"there's no good reason"

unless we are skint and can't afford anyone but desperados and dreggs late into the window.

I could be well wide, but with everything that's gone on it feels like the FC has to be run on a shoestring with Clem dipping in a few £ once or twice.

Clem isn't loaded. not his fault. Time to look for help maybe?

I didn’t watch or listen live yesterday - but the concession of late goals is becoming a pattern which can only be due to a lack of fitness (physical), mental resilience / concentration and tactical nous. Some of this comes as a result of having an inexperienced squad - as we have been saying for weeks.
What is interesting is that in early January the narrative from many was “this squad should be challenging for autos - it’s Lindsey’s ineptitude that is preventing that” - when in fact the evidence in many games before Christmas showed a similar inability to create sufficient chances (there were home games when I could have played in goal for the opposition and kept a clean sheet - and I’m an OAP who is not tall enough to reach the crossbar.)
There have been occasional good performances - Orient and Northampton away spring to mind, also Rochdale and Harrogate at home - but we have been inconsistent.
Morris has inherited a squad with serious deficiencies - only being able to add 2 free agents (by definition no clubs wanted them for whatever reason) who most of us would say look better than what we had. Injuries, red cards and suspensions have hampered him significantly, and it appears the fitness levels generally are not high enough to play in his preferred way. We also lack physicality and hence get outmuscled at times on poor pitches and on set pieces the lack of height is an issue.
Look at yesterday’s team - at centre back we had a free agent and a player signed to be a left back, with Clayton on the bench (he hasn’t been the same player since his injury), midfield can’t keep the ball / control the game when we are ahead (the sale of Gladwin and Reed is part of this problem, and despite his unpopularity with some on here, Iandolo would strengthen the current team and add some experience. )
I have listened to post match interview and enjoyed Hawes’ question about next season - which I thought JM dealt with as well as he could given we still have 8 games left. It’s clear we need some significant changes to the squad, and to have a strong spine through the team.
The constraint will be what we can afford - some clubs will be able to throw more money at this, whilst Clem is wealthy, he clearly doesn't have the same resources as (eg) Wrexham’s owners, and whilst the Black / PDC era was fun while it lasted, the aftermath was anything but, and to some extent we are still recovering from that.

One thing I am convinced of - sacking Morris after 11 games given the above would be madness - we need to give him time to build an prepare in pre season a squad which suits the way he wants to play. Changing managers every few weeks is crazy - Chelsea can get away with it because they have been able to throw money at some of the world’s best players, but in League 2 that’s not an option.

Hopefully we will see some signs of improvement in the last 8 games.

That’s my initial worry, the budget. But the comms coming out are all about promotion and I’d like to think they realise that won’t happen on a shoestring playing budget. It doesn’t need to be a Wrexham size budget but you do need to at least pay the going rate to convince experienced players to come here when teams like Salford and Wrexham will throw silly money about. We go on about being a big club in this division and that should attract players which has some truth but it’s negated if we’re trying to get them here on peanuts. We don’t want to stagnate in this division which is easily done.

Well run clubs with smaller budgets than ours have been promoted from L2 on a fairly regular basis.

Clubs with top 6 budgets have also floundered.

What counts is finding a way of optimising the available funds to best effect.

fair.

just trying to make sense of the complete policy of youth we've tried to follow in January, couple with removing higher earners*, coupled with bringing transfer fees forward.

but you are right, you need to maximise whatever you have.

A debrief of what they set out to do, what they did and how well each action/bullet point worked out. Still need to pull lots of rabbits out the hat from where we currently are to get auto promotion next season.

Watch the half hearted tracking back for their second goal.
Shite.

Concur.

I get the notion that we need more experience in the team but not tracking men is not an experience issues. That fitness and / or desire or possibly bad tactics (if we aren’t matching up man for man)

You shouldn’t need to have 300 football league games under your belt to know you need to track runners.


I know context is vital here but after that lacklustre effort I’m convinced PDC would have left Kadji in Hartlepool and got the coach to drive off without him.

Get the feeling they’re already on holiday?

I still think the likes of Steve Evans & DiCanio would have been on to the players throughout the game making sure that they don't slacken off or lose concentration.

I know Sandro has his model to work to but if he looks at any of the teams that will get promoted out of league 2 this season none will have a first team mainly based on young inexperienced players.

Or Williams

This is true

Just back after a long drive and a chance to gather my thoughts now that the initial rage has lifted slightly...

This was Morris' first major misstep for me. I've given him pretty much a free hit until now, and think he has had plenty of circumstances conspiring against him. However, in this match his game management was really poor and frankly concerning. Post match candour was good as ever though.

As others have alluded to, why are we still continually taking Williams and Austin off when we have gone to shit without them on the pitch time and time again recently? Williams is a 29 year old international footballer. He is capable of playing 90 mins. Charlie Austin is 33, not 39. He is capable of playing 90 mins, even if he has to drop deeper. I'd rather have them on the pitch at 50% than Kadji/Adeloye. Their nous and experience is critical to this brittle team.

Other general thoughts:

Being sat right behind Brynn it is obvious that he is a massive part in why our defence has been a shambles. The guy's body language is dreadful. He couldn't be less imposing or confident. He doesn't say a word. His kicking was awful. He should also have stopped the second goal. Brewitt is the only natural talker in the defence. FBT tries a bit. I desperately want to see us move away from the loan goalkeeper model next year.

FBT was rank yesterday and looked every bit the left back playing centre back. Has he ever not got a single MOTM vote before? He ran down blind alleys all day and together with Tomlinson and Brynn created a ghastly little triangle of shit, endlessly faffing around at the back and putting us under pressure.

Tom Brewitt is the best defender at this club. He was playing second tier in the US last season and then spent a few months on the scrapheap looking for a contract. Pathetic that we had no one better when 'our aim was promotion', but that's not his fault. I really like him and we should get him tied down. Regardless of the results he has looked committed and like he cares, as well as outperforming anyone else at the back.

Kadji should never play for us again. He has the worst first touch of a 'midfielder' I've ever seen. He seemingly can't do anything. The lack of effort to get close to their second goalscorer was simply pathetic.

RHM looks a find. Get him on board for next year.

What does Lavinier have to do to get game time?

Why have we not tried Clayton as a DM? How bad can he be?

I'm not sure what a Saidou Khan is. He's clever in tight spaces but can't head, doesn't break up play and doesn't create anything either. If anyone wants him we should snap their hand off.

I still believe Morris can get us up there next year if he is allowed to pick his own squad. That is a massive if. Season tickets will fall off a cliff and then the budget is slashed. They need to do something now to get people buying, and their options are limited as we aren't winning games. To me they either need Austin and Williams to commit and then say that is our statement of intent, or bin Sandro. He isn't solely responsible I know but whatever.

Edit - Shade was also pathetic. Why was he not subbed?

It really was massively fucking obvious we were completely in the shit that early.

Look at the absolute shit show the Carlisle away thread became back in mid fucking August. Its good for a laugh.

Yeah, this is how we've absolutely fucked it not getting promoted this season or last. Last seasons League Two was probably one of the worst I've ever seen and this season wasn't much better. Next season will be tougher.

I reckon this seasons league 2 is worse than last seasons

Its absolutely fitness playing a part. Which goes back to my concerns about pre-season and Lindseys comments about doing ball work in the first session and all that bollocks about wanting to play fatigued being huge red flags he didn't know what he was doing pre-season and they wouldn't be fit. Its happening before our eyes.

I know not all the players were here in pre-season but adding people that have been without a club for months only makes it worse.

Yeah a much of muchness but both definitely will be worse than next season.

Agreed :clap:

I would fully agree with you aside form the fact you can clearly see we have an issue that is rampant throughout the squad - the single unifying factor of our squad being they are nearly all lacking in league football experience.

Any one individual you could certainly lay that challenge to - you don't need 300 games to follow a player.  The problem I think is still a squad one though - there are few players who can correct the poor behaviours of others in the game and everyone has spent 4-5 years + playing Academy football, where I imagine a large portion of the game occurs in front of you when defending, due to the possession based approach.

That is where I think the inexperience comes in - it's not that they don't know what to do, it's that they are not used to it.  They are not used to a team sending in a barrage when there are 10 minutes to go because their careers may well be on the line.  They are not used to being barged into, to being fouled for no apparent reason, to players playing percentage balls in behind them all the time.

Hutton's movement on the goal at the end says it all - if you are his centre half friend, you surely shout at the fucker - where the fuck are you going?  We don't seem to have people able to do that, or understand it in the heat of battle.  They are all used to watching the other team take 15 passes to get into our half.

The trouble is, a young squad allows things to get to them. Opponents have twigged that we are vulnerable in the last 10 mins.

Loosing 1-0 at that stage isn’t an issue. I don’t believe that that ability isn’t there it’s purely physiological.

Give Morris a full pre season with some seasoned pros and we’ll be ok.

Hopefully those that remain will be better for the experience next season.

Then again, players can regress as well as progress or just stagnate.

Yet another thing for Morris to look out for.

Hope that he is relishing the challenge.
He'll need to.

Facts are facts.

We were 6th when SL departed.  Only Bradford in 8th had a game in hand which had they WON would have seen them leapfrog us.  Their goal diff'ce was worse.  So at worst 7th and still 5 points off automatic.

Look at the last ten games form table (ie all Morris) and we 23rd - and only off BOTTOM of the EFL on goal difference.

https://footystats.org/england/efl-league-two/form-table

On the plus side, the Hartlepool fans we met were very pleasant.

I've no idea if Tony Gough is on here but if you are cracking photo mate.

Probably one of the friendliest away days in football.

I’m still up here coming back tomorrow.
Always been my favourite away adventure. Walked miles with the dog along the beaches.
Met up with a few Sunderland fans yesterday, one come to the game.

Last night walked into a pub on the Headland, sampled Strong Arm, £2.20 a pint, the local beer.
Landlord big Poolie, got pissed with him and out came the Port.
Been in tonight to say goodbye, few more Pool’s fan in there and hopefully will return next season.

What football is all about.
Cracking fans, always have been and evidently they were reciprocal about our fans yesterday.
Hope they stay up.

Probably the best post I have read on the site this season. I can only concur with all of your well reasoned and balanced responses. *****

The rot had set in though - 8 points in Lindsey's final 8 games.  not to say Morris has done anything of note, in a positive sense.

Thoroughly 'enjoyed' the Loathed Strangers pod on my way to work this morning.

Not sure if they've made a conscious change because they regret being uncritical during the Power years, but being shunned by the club these days has been the best thing that has ever happened to the pod. It makes it much more interesting. If nothing else it is good that they are highlighting concerns on how things are being run. The pod and the presser pod are key pillars in my STFC week!

Great post.

You will struggle to get out of this league with all youngsters playing samba soccer.

I watched England v Italy and then Ukraine....back to the keeper, out to the full backs, back again, tip tap, found a gap and it moves forward.
Thats all good, the quality of the players is second to none but this is L2, wake the fuck up....its not going to work!!

I agree about players expecting the opposition to play the same 32 pass moves to enter your own half and then when its launched quick, all being out of position, not tracking back, the inability to be able to head clear, or waving at the ref as some brick shithouse of a forward barges you over and the ref gives fuck all.
In the Prem the arm on Brynn at Sutton wouldnt of even made VAR easily disallowed but this is L2!!
L2!... and this season not a great L2.

The rest of this season need to be treated as one big giant preseason.

JM needs to work out whos going (most) and whos staying and getting them signed up pronto or dropping them out of the team.

Thank fuck we have enough points in the bag to avoid a dogfight....i dont think this team has the minerals.

The highlight of this season has been getting the ground, its all been a bit crap everywhere else.

A shame after all the positive goodwill. Missing out last season has proved to be a big missed opportunity.

I dunno about JM but i dont want to see total tippy tappy, 'pass for the sake of it' football next season.