Morecambe 1 [Leigh] Crewe 2 LIVE thread

[dannymorc1]

Caught out again, almost a copy of our goal. We just never learn. As I am writing, they score again.
How do we do it? Uphill all the way now.

[dannymorc1]

I think Cole will go, he will not want League 2 football next season. On this showing that is where we will be. I hope that they can prove me wrong.

[Keith]

Wildig thrashed over from about 8 yards.

We're improving a little bit.

[Keith]

Caught out again, almost a copy of our goal.

Commentary team keep saying that too, but I didn't see it that way. Their lad was stood entirely unmarked on 6yrd line. Greg made space and managed to get a really difficult header away. The ball crossed the line in to the goal in the same place, but theirs was a really, really simple goal.

[Bristol Shrimp]

I'd love to be proven wrong but Gnahoua and McDonald are incredibly uninspiring subs.

[Keith]

I'd love to be proven wrong but Gnahoua and McDonald are incredibly uninspiring subs.

I'd love to proven wrong too, but if we can't get shots on target with two up front, I'm not sure how we'll get them away with only one?

[Keith]

Central defender shooting wide from 30 yards.

Perhaps because no-one else is shooting?

[Keith]

This is really, really awful.

If Cole goes in January, we're screwed.

[Bristol Shrimp]

I can't go but feel we could be screwed anyway. Crewe are absolutely awful, and they're doing a job on us.

[Bristol Shrimp]

Wow we need some changes, personally I hope these are McDonald's last minutes for us. He has never actually done anything in a Morecambe shirt, nothing whatsoever.

[Angler1]

Absolutely toilet, league 2 here we come...

[Keith]

Crewe were utterly rubbish and look like a relegation side, yet made us look far, far worse.

Big hoof up the pitch to no-one. One header, from a defender, on target all game. Did their keeper make a save? I can't remember him doing so. Pathetic defending for their first goal and poor defending for the second. We are really poor.

Unless we have an excellent recruitment of new players in January, we're going straight back down.

Gutless & clueless.

[dannymorc1]

Yes we are screwed, well and truly. I don’t see how we can come back from this. The only chance is if there are some miracle workers available in the transfer window.
On this form Doncaster will beat us as well.

[Wild Bill]

Wonder if time is running out for the manager? Seem to be totally out of ideas. Hopefully the board will know whether it's right to change or if he just needs more quality adding to the squad.

[Keith]

to add a very weak excuse...

If the ref had done his job, we'd have had a clear penalty when winning 1-0. Had we gone 2-0 at that point, I'm not sure Crewe would have come back in to it. Another letter of apology from the referee's union but with the diabolical ref at Doncaster, that could be six points taken by dreadful ref decisions.

Like I say, a weak excuse given how poor we have been.

[CityShrimp]

In league 2, I was always quietly confident of our continued survival because even when things weren’t going our way, we always had a ‘never say die’ attitude. Unfortunately I don’t see that attitude in our current side. As our manager himself keeps saying - which I find worrying - we are a ‘quiet side’ and lack leaders. We lack quality and we also lack character. It’s only halfway through the season but we need some huge signings to strengthen the spine of the team if we are to stand any chance of survival.

[Andy D]

not impressed with Obika, way to slow, not mobile enough, nor does he win many arial battles to be considered a target man.

[Pandashrimp]

In league 2, I was always quietly confident of our continued survival because even when things weren’t going our way, we always had a ‘never say die’ attitude. Unfortunately I don’t see that attitude in our current side. As our manager himself keeps saying - which I find worrying - we are a ‘quiet side’ and lack leaders. We lack quality and we also lack character. It’s only halfway through the season but we need some huge signings to strengthen the spine of the team if we are to stand any chance of survival.

Unfortunately I completely agree with this.

I feel for AOC he looks like hes trying and he’s feeling it. He’s funnily enough been playing better recently too but I just don’t see him as a leader that can galvanise us.

I personally would stick with Robbo come what may. There needs to be a long term vision here. That said he deserves some of the flack that’s been coming his way. He needs to act now in January and there needs to be improvements. I have no issue going down fighting in this league given the sides we’re up against but currently .. we’re not fighting. We’re not competing and if that continues his position will be indefensible

[halfwayprawn]

No fight and no intelligence passing the the ball ,there's a few there that must have been told to go and find a club before the match on that performance.

[Keith]

I feel for AOC he looks like hes trying and he’s feeling it.

...I have no issue going down fighting in this league given the sides we’re up against but currently .. we’re not fighting. We’re not competing and if that continues his position will be indefensible

That sums it up from my point of view too. O'Connor looked like one of only three or four players putting a shift in. His wild shot from 30 yards was probably out of the frustration at having no-one moving for a pass.

Unless Diagouraga has been quietly carrying a knock, he has to start games. He didn't really get going today, but he's about the only player capable of real quality.

We missed Cooney, any news on him?

As for up front... ...is Jordan Slew available?

[BerlinWaller]

I watched SR interact with Ayunga, Gibbo, Greg Leigh amongst others and it was clear to see there is a divide, the body language was so negative.The attitude of some of the players stink. The work rate is shockingly poor with very few players actually arsed. For me, Ayunga and McDonald should never wear the shirts again.

I feel for Robbo, he is trying to get a tune out of a very poor squad. January is massive. We have to spend big to show we want to stay at this level or we try and do it on the cheap and we drop in to L2 with a whimper.

Total dejection tonight after watching some players take the piss whilst wearing our shirt. Tonight has to be a watershed moment.

[Born again Bill]

Wonder if time is running out for the manager? Seem to be totally out of ideas. Hopefully the board will know whether it's right to change or if he just needs more quality adding to the squad.

I agree I think he is totally out of his depth , sadly and stupidly I believe we have given him a 3 year contract and unless we waste valuable transfer funds paying him off I’m afraid we are stuck with him !

[Gone_Shrimping]

I thought Philips put in a decent shift tonight before he was injured. I hope he stays on for the 2nd half of the season.

[Little Shrimp]

Think there's a lot of strange stuff going about regarding Ayunga. Put in a good shift tonight, and was by far our most dangerous player. Agree he has looked lazy at times, but wasn't like that tonight. His hard work got us in the lead. On McDonald - I think he does try and put the yards in. But he just seems to struggle massively at this level. A punt that hasn't worked out it seems.

Trying to think of a good way to effectively summarise what's going wrong. Think tonight summed things up nicely - we sweat our nuts off to get half a chance, and then allow the opposition easy chances with little effort. Crewe didn't do a great deal in the final third, but got gifted their first goal in particular.

What worries me is the coordination at times. Going back to McDonald - the issue isn't that he can't be bothered running in behind, it's more that he makes the run, then checks back to go short. More often than not, the ball gets popped in behind but he's come short. There was another incident tonight where Ayunga was very obviously playing on the shoulder of his man and wanting the ball in behind, only for McLaughlin to try and play it to feet and it was incredibly easy for the defender to intercept.

Poor coordination, and generally players hiding from situations as Robbo alluded to in his post match comments. Don't think the problems with this side are anything to do with formation etc if I'm honest. Going to have to get some new personnel through in January. Good CB partner for O'Connor, bit of extra steel in midfield, a good winger and a keeper I think is what's needed.

[P/T Indie]

I wonder if John McMahon leaving has caused an issue with the lads. Apparently he was always well liked and then suddenly he's gone on xmas eve, all seems a bit odd maybe something has gone on behind the scenes.