York 2 Morecambe 1 [Devitt] Player Thread

[shrimpnsave]

We are what we are. Never too high and never too low

just getting lower though. I wonder who will get the blame this time? Was it windy? Muddy pitch? Too sunny? Too cold? Too warm for mid December even?? The players had Christmas shopping on their mind? York didn't play fair and had shots on our goal? So fed up of it as i think are so many of our supporters, especially the long suffering home ones! Hope Mansfield bring a crowd on Boxing Day.

YorK had the wind with them F.H

[KenH]

Strange that a lot of people think we've currently got one of the strongest squads for years, so why aren't they performing? Is it that they're accustomed to bigger and better clubs and inwardly resent being at Morecambe, i.e. only here because of injury/out of favour, etc., so are effectively just biding their time until they get back to bigger and better clubs? Do Barky, Wildig, Devitt and Miller know they've done enough to get decent contract offers next year after being in the shop window again?

Whilst Jim may be able to get the best out of youngsters, perhaps he can't get it out of the more seasoned professionals who only see Morecambe as a stepping stone to get their career on track? After all, some of our more spirited games over the past 2/3 years have been when the youngsters and fringe players have stepped up due to injuries or suspensions. Has Jim's tactic to get "out of form" players from bigger clubs back-fired on him and should he concentrate on youngsters again?

[Westgate Wanderer]

We are what we are. Never too high and never too low

just getting lower though. I wonder who will get the blame this time? Was it windy? Muddy pitch? Too sunny? Too cold? Too warm for mid December even?? The players had Christmas shopping on their mind? York didn't play fair and had shots on our goal? So fed up of it as i think are so many of our supporters, especially the long suffering home ones! Hope Mansfield bring a crowd on Boxing Day.

YorK had the wind with them F.H

I knew it!

[Jettyson]

"Too many people hiding"
OK, for those who were (un)lucky enough to attend, name and shame!

Hiding is NOT acceptable, the very least fans expect is that players give their all for the shirt.
How many and who are just picking up their wages? Without being there I would guess Ellison wasn't one of those hiding. Was it too cold/wet/windy for Devitt?

[John L]

"Too many people hiding"
OK, for those who were (un)lucky enough to attend, name and shame!

Hiding is NOT acceptable, the very least fans expect is that players give their all for the shirt.
How many and who are just picking up their wages? Without being there I would guess Ellison wasn't one of those hiding. Was it too cold/wet/windy for Devitt?

Try every man on the pitch, although Roche improved in the 2nd half with the wind behind him and Devitt managed a tap in.

[Keith]

Strange that a lot of people think we've currently got one of the strongest squads for years, so why aren't they performing? Is it that they're accustomed to bigger and better clubs and inwardly resent being at Morecambe, i.e. only here because of injury/out of favour, etc., so are effectively just biding their time until they get back to bigger and better clubs? Do Barky, Wildig, Devitt and Miller know they've done enough to get decent contract offers next year after being in the shop window again?

Whilst Jim may be able to get the best out of youngsters, perhaps he can't get it out of the more seasoned professionals who only see Morecambe as a stepping stone to get their career on track? After all, some of our more spirited games over the past 2/3 years have been when the youngsters and fringe players have stepped up due to injuries or suspensions. Has Jim's tactic to get "out of form" players from bigger clubs back-fired on him and should he concentrate on youngsters again?

I don't think so, I think it is far more simple. As soon as Jim said we needed to concentrate on not conceding goals, at a time when we were winning, my heart sank. He said the same the previous season, at a similar time of year, and it wall went downhill from there too. We've got players who are best when attacking, running at the opposition and pushing forwards. They aren't at their best sitting deep and letting the opposition dictate. Devitt & co aren't going to battle to get the ball back. Now we've got a midfield that isn't battling and a hoof-ball tactic that results in the ball coming straight back at us.

We're now entirely devoid of confidence (and that includes the fans). We were scoring goals by shooting from all over the place, now we're attacking like the Chuckle Brothers, to me, to you, rather than taking responsibility & shooting.

I don't know what Jim does now to turn this around? If we can't go to York, who are [WERE] on a losing streak of nine games, and not be looking for a win from minute one, then clearly we're not going to attack anyone. If we don't believe we can win there, we can't believe we will win anywhere. And we certainly don't believe we can win at home.

Play our best players in their best position and encourage them to press the opposition and attack.

[fulwoodshrimp]

I agree with Keith's conclusion that we should play "players in their best position and encourage them to press the opposition and attack". It worries me that the management team need this advice, they should have realised this last season after the debacle against Mansfield!!

[Keith]

In the prediction thread I wrote:

I really have no confidence ahead of this game. Despite York's position, I still have a horrible feeling that we will stick with the failed plan of worrying more about conceding and less about scoring. York will probably start by trying not to concede too, so it will be a boring first half of hoofing the ball from defence to defence and back. Freez will say "this is right up there with cleaning the oven/felting the shed roof"... more than once. Then as a result of not getting beaten by the 70th minute, York will grow in confidence and it will all go horribly wrong... ...again


Sadly, as we've not had an indication, I'm guessing the tried and failed recent style will prevail... 2-0 and a new depth before finally turning it around sometime in January

Well, York grew in confidence earlier than predicted, and Devitt scored. Freez said it was crap but avoided his cliche.

I just hope the January prediction comes true too.

[Christies Child]

In the prediction thread I wrote:

I really have no confidence ahead of this game. Despite York's position, I still have a horrible feeling that we will stick with the failed plan of worrying more about conceding and less about scoring. York will probably start by trying not to concede too, so it will be a boring first half of hoofing the ball from defence to defence and back. Freez will say "this is right up there with cleaning the oven/felting the shed roof"... more than once. Then as a result of not getting beaten by the 70th minute, York will grow in confidence and it will all go horribly wrong... ...again


Sadly, as we've not had an indication, I'm guessing the tried and failed recent style will prevail... 2-0 and a new depth before finally turning it around sometime in January

Well, York grew in confidence earlier than predicted, and Devitt scored. Freez said it was crap but avoided his cliche.

I just hope the January prediction comes true too.

Ken McKenna on Radio Lancs at the moment...

He for me is part of the problem. He insists on the long ball over the top and we simply don't have the players up front capable of holding the ball up to bring others into play. If you don't accept what I'm saying, watch him at the next home match giving his long ball instructions from the touchline.

[Keith]

Ken McKenna on Radio Lancs at the moment...

"it is disappointing, we came here today positive, we've come with a positive side... we've come here thinking we can win the game and that's what we've set up to do. ...we don't think we're a bad side... ...it's those little lapses in concentration. ...we probably should have got a draw. They fought hard and I thought we fought hard too. ...It's these little lapses [and] little errors and we need to cut them out."

This really worries me. It suggests Jim & Ken think that the boring, crap, keep it tight, no-one wants to watch football is working apart from 'a couple of little errors and lapses'. It means they are sticking with this for a while longer yet. We might grind out a couple of wins, but we're certainly not going to do it in style. I doubt there will be any fans who were at the game coming on here later saying that this was a game worth watching and that they are happy 'apart from a couple of lapses'.

[shrimpnsave]

In the prediction thread I wrote:

I really have no confidence ahead of this game. Despite York's position, I still have a horrible feeling that we will stick with the failed plan of worrying more about conceding and less about scoring. York will probably start by trying not to concede too, so it will be a boring first half of hoofing the ball from defence to defence and back. Freez will say "this is right up there with cleaning the oven/felting the shed roof"... more than once. Then as a result of not getting beaten by the 70th minute, York will grow in confidence and it will all go horribly wrong... ...again


Sadly, as we've not had an indication, I'm guessing the tried and failed recent style will prevail... 2-0 and a new depth before finally turning it around sometime in January

Well, York grew in confidence earlier than predicted, and Devitt scored. Freez said it was crap but avoided his cliche.

I just hope the January prediction comes true too.

Ken McKenna on Radio Lancs at the moment...

He for me is part of the problem. He insists on the long ball over the top and we simply don't have the players up front capable of holding the ball up to bring others into play. If you don't accept what I'm saying, watch him at the next home match giving his long ball instructions from the touchline.

Ken McKenna should go and leave JB as manager,as I said 2 conflicting views on how the team tactics should be played

[Blackpool Shrimp]

The way it's going we could concede in the region of 80 goals this season

As for best squad that's a joke. .. WE ARE 17TH

[Keith]

As for best squad that's a joke. .. WE ARE 17TH

You realise there is a difference between the word "best" and "successful" don't you? If I'd said "this is the most successful squad we've ever had", that would be worthy of your response.

As it is, you tell me, which squad of players do you think were better than this one?

[Blackpool Shrimp]

How many shrimps fans actually bothered travelling today

[MFC-Manc]

I was 100% sure we would win today. I'm disappointed.... But we won't go down or be in a relegation fight.

[Westgate Wanderer]

How many shrimps fans actually bothered travelling today

I have been in contact with one who went and he reckoned York were the worst team he has seen all season. Oh apart from us!

[Blackpool Shrimp]

That won't fill anyone with confidence

Tough one again next week. ..Matt Green one of the best strikers in the division so we will certainly concede

[Westgate Wanderer]

txts from said attendee: worse team i have seen by a mile all season (he has watched most games) sh*te, awful,if we lose there is no excuse

[Westgate Wanderer]

txts from said attendee: worse team i have seen by a mile all season (he has watched most games) sh*te, awful,if we lose JB needs his p45 there is no excuse York are awful.Finally clueless

[John L]

Announced as 148 Morecambe fans.

Here's the highlights for those who missed out...
http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/teams/morecambe/10105534/york-2-1-morecambe

[jona77]

I think there needs to be a management change. If you take our form in the last few games its certainly relegation form and we could easily be sucked nearer to the bottom of the table. You cant blame supporters for staying away because of the appalling quality of football on offer. I agree with a previous post that fundamentally we have a pretty strong squad but I really dont think Jim knows his strongest starting 11 let alone the positions they need to play in!

Personally I am getting fed up with the same crap the management team are spouting in their post match interview. Its the " little things" according to Ken Mckenna in tonights interview yet the same excuse is rolled out week in week out. If this is true I would have thought that after 5 months of the season this should have been sorted. I hate to bring up John Coleman at Accrington but you get the feeling his players would run through hot coals for him plus he seems more tactically aware than Jim. I think the next few games will define our season and realistically 3 or 4 losses in our next 5 or 6 games and Jims position will become untenable. I post very infrequently on here but I have to admit I have skipped a few home games as I wouldnt have paid 17p for the quality of football on offer never mind £17! Jim please bring a more attacking approach back stop bypassing the midfield with long balls and sort it out!

[Seasider9601]

How many shrimps fans actually bothered travelling today

John, you posted the above 20 minutes after Keith asked you a valid question about which squad of players you think were better than the current.

Still waiting for the answer!!

[Blackpool Shrimp]

To be honest if the team/squad is so good why are we 17th

27 points from 63 available

If people on here are happy with that then so be it but stats don't lie

[Seasider9601]

They don't lie mate, you're right. And results of late have been disappointing.

Yes, with the squad available we should be performing better.

However, with the clubs finances like they are (ie, bollocksed), we should be grateful we have a club to support at all let alone be holding our own still in the Football League. It could easily be oh so different - and not in a good way.

Bring on Mansfield.

[Jettyson]

The way I see it is that currently, although the view of man is we have a strong squad we are still lacking.Many of the other teams in this division have a "monster" in midfield who wins the battles; we don't.
Our full backs play too narrow and we lack the creative ball player to sit alongside the "monster". Overall we lack pace, and lack height and physical presence up top.
We have a talented but physically lightweight squad and too many are being made to play in a system that does not bring out their strengths but to do so would mean playing (as we have done)too many similar lightweights.
Examples imo; Devitt is a skilfull player but won't put his foot in, ditto Wildig.Kenyon and Goodall are the same player and not (in terms of steel) vastly different from Devitt/Wildig. Ellison fights but is happy out wide,Miller,Mullin and Forrester not physical v centre halves.If they hold up the ball where is the runner? If we play two up top where is the pace wide and steel in the middle.Barky has the pace but is/was played as a wingback who primarily defended.
And I really do not understand why we got a striker on loan.
Answers ? God knows, but thankfully I am not the manager who has a real challenge ahead.We should survive this season , but next?