25 games in to the season !!!!

[Redalert1970]

Our record after 25 games reads as follows ....

Played 25

Won 7

Drawn 5 (that figure includes draw at Hartlepool - even though we lost on penalties)

Lost 13

For 36

Against 47

Think we know where the problems are but what does everyone else think of the first 25 games

Personally i think we can do much better especially defensively

Onwards and upwards

I will be at Buxton then Portsmouth cheering the lads on as usual hoping for better fortunes and a few more wins

[Gone_Shrimping]

To be fair 3 of those games were in the EFL Trophy and I don't think we were playing to win those.

I think Played 22

won 7

drawn 4

lost 11

is a fairer reflection on our season.

We need :

A big experienced keeper

keep Stockton till Summer ( we had a glimpse yesterday of life without him and it was grim !)

Another big experienced central defender.

A holding midfielder like Songo'o

A striker to cover for Cole if he is injured/suspended.


We may need more than this depending on whether any of our loan players are recalled.

[BerlinWaller]

To be fair 3 of those games were in the EFL Trophy and I don't think we were playing to win those.

I think Played 22

won 7

drawn 4

lost 11

is a fairer reflection on our season.

We need :

A big experienced keeper

keep Stockton till Summer ( we had a glimpse yesterday of life without him and it was grim !)

Another big experienced central defender.

A holding midfielder like Songo'o

A striker to cover for Cole if he is injured/suspended.


We may need more than this depending on whether any of our loan players are recalled.

We need to get to January and still be above the bottom 4. Some very tough away games in Dec and Fleetwood at home . In January we need to get our business done early and see some of the Sam/CMG money reinvested in proper League 1 players. Quality over quantity is a must. If we try and survive on the cheap it will back fire massively which will undo all the hard work done so far.

We have had massive highs and some lows but overall it has been a brilliant ride. Yesterday was gloomy but it shouldn't cast a shadow for long.

[Keith]

We have had massive highs and some lows but overall it has been a brilliant ride. Yesterday was gloomy but it shouldn't cast a shadow for long.

Totally agree, and this season is far from over. Anyone who thought it wasn't going to be tough this season is deluded, and reading some of the over-reactions elsewhere in particular, calling for the manager's head, makes me wonder what planet they are on. Also, fans who keep complaining about Sam going. He wanted to leave, the club got some decent cash for him. His leaving will probably cover two players salary for two seasons. Obviously, it isn't ideal but forcing him to stay could have backfired and regardless of the right or wrong of it, he has gone, so we need to look forwards.

Of the loan players, the only one I'd really be concerned about is Callum Jones, but Hull can't recall him, as things stand, due to their 'transfer embargo', meaning they are at the maximum squad size. They'd have to lose a player in order to bring him back, or come out of embargo.

[fulwoodshrimp]

Not sure Keith, many are calling for the manager’s head. A number including myself want to see progress on the pitch with players coached in training to become better players. At the minute this isn’t obvious but it is early days. We also want to see signings in the transfer window that are League 1 quality rather than 4 or 5 of the summer signings who are very much not League 1 quality.

[Freez]

I think we all know now that there a few we signed who aren’t up to this league, however we have all found out after quite a few games that very fact. Included in that is SR.
So, yes it’s frustrating time, we have a plethora of great midfielders and full backs, but lack the needed quality at centre back, wide midfield and centre forward when Cole is missing. Keeper is a problem position but this may relieve itself with better centre backs?
Mr Foyle has his work cut out!

[black morse]

Not sure Keith, many are calling for the manager’s head. A number including myself want to see progress on the pitch with players coached in training to become better players. At the minute this isn’t obvious but it is early days. We also want to see signings in the transfer window that are League 1 quality rather than 4 or 5 of the summer signings who are very much not League 1 quality.

Can't believe we have 'many calling for the manager's head' at this stage but if we do they need to take a good hard look at themselves, Yes we all know where the weaknesses lie and I'm sure, as Freez says, so does our manager. It was a difficult task taking over a newly promoted club and losing some of our best players and the least we can do surely is to cut him some slack in the first 6 months. We've had some poor games but we've also had some very good games and nearly everyone on here has said they have enjoyed the ride most of the time.

We know football is a results business and results have not been great but did we really expect that staying up was going to be easy. I suppose there are always some supporters in every club who expect too much.

[Posh]

Not sure Keith, many are calling for the manager’s head.

I know absolutely no one. FFS. This is just nonsense from the glass half full / Brexity / isn't the world awful / we should be winning everything / it was better in my day brigade.

[Andy D]

this group of players would smash L2, its just the jump from L2 to L1 is bigger than we thought.

ie. when we played Newport the other week still a good L2 side, the difference was there to see.

[Freez]

I think you are right Andy, the division has some good sides in it who are destined to end up mid table. Let’s hope we can become one!

[fulwoodshrimp]

Sorry I think my last post was badly expressed. I meant to say people are not calling for the manager’s head but want to see through his coaching an improvement in the players. At the moment players don’t seem to be improving. Of course that could mean they have reached their full potential!

[vvm]

We're not doing terribly all things considered. Yes I think we'd all like to see a bit more on pitch improvement, like a few have said SR seems to be able to identify our issues and short comings but we don't actually seem to improve on them. I think that's down to some of the players lack of quality rather than the manager not being a good coach. The squad was thrown together relatively quickly and before the season started it looked like we had assembled a decent team, some have worked out and some haven't but gambles need to be taken if we're to compete in this league. I think the management team will make some moves in January and put things right and we'll hopefully stay up comfortably in the end.

[Keith]

Sorry I think my last post was badly expressed. I meant to say people are not calling for the manager’s head but want to see through his coaching an improvement in the players. At the moment players don’t seem to be improving. Of course that could mean they have reached their full potential!

I'm sure they are in a minority, but there have certainly been a few comments on Facebook saying we need a new manager. It is a vipers' nest over there at times!

[marky No.1]

I'm sure they are in a minority, but there have certainly been a few comments on Facebook saying we need a new manager. It is a vipers' nest over there at times!

Generally most of those haven't been through the real ups and downs of the last decades, they have joined after our rise to the promised land and don't accept bad results, pretty much like owners of Premier League Clubs

[Gone_Shrimping]

Sorry I think my last post was badly expressed. I meant to say people are not calling for the manager’s head but want to see through his coaching an improvement in the players. At the moment players don’t seem to be improving. Of course that could mean they have reached their full potential!

I'm sure they are in a minority, but there have certainly been a few comments on Facebook saying we need a new manager. It is a vipers' nest over there at times!

I think the people on Facebook calling for a new manager are all WUM's. They certainly weren't going to Christie Park in the days when the crowd changes were announced to the team !

[RedRedWine]

You can always improve - our short comings to date have mostly been at the back and between the sticks. Hopefully we can see big improvements in this area in the games ahead, and perhaps some additions in the new year. Greg Leigh has been consistent - but everyone else in this area can have no complaints if they are replaced.

O'Connor has had good games recently, but is weak in the air and makes mistakes like Saturday - unfortunately for him, when he makes a cock-up its almost always punished. That said, he is better than both Delaney and Wootton (brilliant CV - just missing the Duke of Edinburgh award to make it bordering on seeming fictitious). Perhaps he can be more consistent if he has a dependable partner? I'm not as sold on him as others seem to be - you can win as many duels as you like and quote xG at me until the cows come home, when you give your marker a free header from 5 yards like at Burton, that almost always ends in picking the ball out of the net - and for us that is very difficult to overcome.

Another concern is the lack of goals from anyone not named Cole Stockton. Hard to turn down big money offers - but selling now without investing in a proven scorer is going to put a massive dent in our ability to keep picking up the points that we need.

Adam Philips has the talent, but not the application. Hard work beats talent, when talent does not work hard. No surprise to see O'Connor having a go at Adam vs Charlton at the end of the game - he is one lazy sod! I would not be disappointed if he was sent back to Burnley - preferably on the last day of the loan window. Equally I would be delighted if he pulled his finger out; clear though why he struggled for game time at Accy last season at this level.

Overall I think we have made a good start on balance. Most of the points we have accrued to date are from the clubs around us, and we need to keep that going. Results against the likes of Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday are welcomed, but ultimately wins and not losing to teams we are directly competing are worth more to our cause. We should have got results vs Donny, Gillingham, and Wimbledon - and had this been the case we'd have been in a much better position in the league. Even draws in those games would take points off the aforementioned clubs current tally - putting a greater distance between us and them. I've seen enough to give me confidence that their are four teams in this division that we are better than - and we have shown that to date.

One thing that should not be understated but often is; this is essentially a brand new squad - many of whom have not yet found their feet/consistency. On Saturday if you exclude Jokull (a 20 year old goalkeeper who we had on emergency loan for 2 games last season) not one outfield player that started vs MKDondals was with us when we were promoted at Wembley.

Looking forward to Sunderland and Pompey away, but the big games for us in December are Fleetwood and Crewe at home. 6 points from those two games could be critical heading into the new year, and should be on every Shrimps fans xmas list..... in addition to a lump of Cole!

UTFS

[sandgrown]

You can always improve - our short comings to date have mostly been at the back and between the sticks. Hopefully we can see big improvements in this area in the games ahead, and perhaps some additions in the new year. Greg Leigh has been consistent - but everyone else in this area can have no complaints if they are replaced.

O'Connor has had good games recently, but is weak in the air and makes mistakes like Saturday - unfortunately for him, when he makes a cock-up its almost always punished. That said, he is better than both Delaney and Wootton (brilliant CV - just missing the Duke of Edinburgh award to make it bordering on seeming fictitious). Perhaps he can be more consistent if he has a dependable partner? I'm not as sold on him as others seem to be - you can win as many duels as you like and quote xG at me until the cows come home, when you give your marker a free header from 5 yards like at Burton, that almost always ends in picking the ball out of the net - and for us that is very difficult to overcome.

Another concern is the lack of goals from anyone not named Cole Stockton. Hard to turn down big money offers - but selling now without investing in a proven scorer is going to put a massive dent in our ability to keep picking up the points that we need.

Adam Philips has the talent, but not the application. Hard work beats talent, when talent does not work hard. No surprise to see O'Connor having a go at Adam vs Charlton at the end of the game - he is one lazy sod! I would not be disappointed if he was sent back to Burnley - preferably on the last day of the loan window. Equally I would be delighted if he pulled his finger out; clear though why he struggled for game time at Accy last season at this level.

Overall I think we have made a good start on balance. Most of the points we have accrued to date are from the clubs around us, and we need to keep that going. Results against the likes of Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday are welcomed, but ultimately wins and not losing to teams we are directly competing are worth more to our cause. We should have got results vs Donny, Gillingham, and Wimbledon - and had this been the case we'd have been in a much better position in the league. Even draws in those games would take points off the aforementioned clubs current tally - putting a greater distance between us and them. I've seen enough to give me confidence that their are four teams in this division that we are better than - and we have shown that to date.

One thing that should not be understated but often is; this is essentially a brand new squad - many of whom have not yet found their feet/consistency. On Saturday if you exclude Jokull (a 20 year old goalkeeper who we had on emergency loan for 2 games last season) not one outfield player that started vs MKDondals was with us when we were promoted at Wembley.

Looking forward to Sunderland and Pompey away, but the big games for us in December are Fleetwood and Crewe at home. 6 points from those two games could be critical heading into the new year, and should be on every Shrimps fans xmas list..... in addition to a lump of Cole!

UTFS

for me this this the problem !

[RedRedWine]

Meant to say not one player that started on Saturday was with us last season which culminated in promotion at Wembley apart from Jokull, who played 2 games…. I was too excited to get my Cole pun in! For me that’s why we seem a bit disjointed at times, lacking communication at set pieces etc leading to poor organisation and errors. With familiarity I think we can overcome a lot of that. If we finish where we are now at the end of the season then I think it’s been a successful campaign IMO.

TBF it was going to happen at one point or another…. Here’s who we have left:
Phillips (returning loanee)
Cooney (loanee signing made permanent)
Toums (has played well, but out of the side atm due to form of others)
Wildig (injured)
Letheren (injured)
Cole (injured)
Lavelle (sold)
Mendes Gomes (re-signed, then sold before managers arrival)
Mellor (re-signed, then released on request - but struggled in League One)
Da Silva Mendes (academy graduate)

Robbo said he kept everyone he wanted to (even though he offered Sully a deal that he rejected), but so far I’m not seeing any improvement in the CB that we have signed vs the ones we let go in KNP and Harry Davis… and with hindsight, having known the speculation surrounding Sam… we should’ve tried better to keep one of these vs signing Wootton who was on the street for a reason.

[redrobo]

According to Ben, Sam didn't want to go but once the deal was sorted felt he had no option other than to pack his bags and leave.

I understand that the deal was on ....then off ....then back on again all in the space of 30 minutes.

Sam did want a move to further his career but preferably NOT in the the same league.....

I've a feeling that one day he'll be back....possibly sooner than later.

[Keith]

O'Connor has had good games recently, but is weak in the air and makes mistakes like Saturday - unfortunately for him, when he makes a cock-up its almost always punished.

I think that is not an O'Connor thing it is a difference between League One & League Two thing. That bit quicker, that bit sharper means mistakes are far more frequently punished in this league. In League Two, make four mistakes, one will be punished. League One, make two mistakes and one is always. punished, there's simply no hiding from them. Saturday was (another) case in point. Every goal conceded had a mistake of our own behind it, that was punished. I'd perhaps say their first goal was actually a good goal, in that they broke with speed & skill, but the other three were all glaring errors. We either need defenders who are better, or we need defenders who can concentrate more and reduce the frequency of errors.