Morecambe 0 Peterbrough 3

[dannymorc1]

It was agony to watch. We win the ball we give it away. Shots from distance when maybe other options on. Better second half, but we couldn't have been much worse!
Maybe next time at home if we win the toss, we play into the away end first. We seem to have run out of luck playing the the other way. At least kicking towards the home end in the second half could help raise our game.

[Old Man Kensey]

Why all the security staff? Berlin Wall side was swarming with them.

[Redalert1970]

We are back in trouble

Port Vale is a must win but they won't be easy

[glagys]

2 great headed chances missed

Couple of shots from distance
one trying to get out the ground
The other must have landed in Lidl car park

Not enough running into space
The Posh broke and their players broke into space
we seem to try and do 2-3 yard passes and it makes it easy to be closed down

[Wild Bill]

Possibly the poorest home performance of the season, at least defensively. Derek needs to stop tinkering so much.

[redrobo]

Terrible performance from start to finish not aided by the refusal of the manager to change the players at half time.

Arthur was practically a waste of a shirt and yet again only Cole up front which appears to have reverted back to the too cautious approach of DA.

One thing I've noticed in recent game is that the opposition play with at least one speedy winger and their centre forward plays almost on the collar of our central defenders. Always pressing and along with a defensive high line puts our midfield out of the game.

Why do we not press more instead of allowing their back line to play the ball out of defense at will to their midfield.....

DA is far too cautious in his approach but like others I'm afraid that he will not or can't change.

Today we played as though the players are resigned to relegation which any more gutless performances will see us relegated for the first time in our history.

Just hope that v Port Vale we play with more passion and go for a win rather than sitting back .....

[Keith]

Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.
Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.
Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.
Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.
Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.
Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.
Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.
Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.
Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.
Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.

How many times???

Our best performances came when Stockton had someone close to him, up front. Today, we 'technically' had three up front. In reality, it was Stockton on his own, with Gnahoua wandering around on one wing and Mayor struggling to do much on the other. Crowley has apparently been told to come back to our penalty area to get the ball, then run around with it until tackled. It must surely be an instruction, because otherwise Derek would be bollocking him and telling him to get forward?

One up front has failed all season.
Two up front was working.
So why revert to one up front? We were crap last Saturday, crap midweek and crap first half today.

Games are fast running out. Tuesday is must win. If we decide to play one up front again, we'll probably lose to Port Vale again. Bearing in mind how dreadful Port Vale were at their place, that's a really low bar to fail at.

Second half was an improvement, but changes needed to be made after 15 minutes when it was obvious to everyone that we were on to a hiding.

[fulwoodshrimp]

I thought wrong team was selected and we dithered when decisive changes were needed. I am puzzled at Arthur being preferred to Mellon. Goals were a little unlucky but we played like a team that is relegation bound.

[Keith]

I'm sure I saw Derek on the touchline, but it appears we were at completely different games? Apparently, there was "not a lot in the match at that moment in time" [when losing 0-3] and "we had a lot of good play at times" [in the first half]. I do agree with Derek that "we needed one in the first half, to get it back to three-one". But, I disagree with him when he said, "we had moments when we could have done that... ...the forward players were creating chances and getting in to the box". No, we never looked like creating that 'one' chance. We had one shot on target in the first 45 minutes. We perhaps created one half chance. The players rarely ventured forwards and Crowley spent more time in our own penalty area than the opposition's, as he went in search of the ball.

Second half was better, [but it couldn't have been worse than the first]. Trying to justify the first half today as anything other than dreadful... ...well, it was certainly dreadful at the game I was watching.

https://www.morecambefc.com/news/2023/f ... -united-h/

[CityShrimp]

Maybe I went to a different game but I didn’t think the performance was all that bad… we were a bit off the pace but I think we’ve seen worse home performances this season.

Peterborough were very lucky with their three goals. Two of them were big deflections and the second was direct from a free kick that was never a foul.

I still don’t like Crowley coming deep to get the ball and I agree that Arthur didn’t justify his place in the starting 11.

Cole was ineffectual and his shooting over the last two games has been dismal.

Port Vale is looking like a must win game.

[Keith]

Maybe I went to a different game but I didn’t think the performance was all that bad…

...I still don’t like Crowley coming deep to get the ball and I agree that Arthur didn’t justify his place in the starting 11.

Cole was ineffectual and his shooting over the last two games has been dismal.

I think if you take three attacking players out, in Stockton, Gnahoua & Crowley, as you identified, then I struggle to say 'it wasn't all that bad'! Ripley made a fantastic save towards the end, but had a howler for their second. I thought Rawson had a reasonable game and would have given the MotM to Gibson (I don't know who actually got it?) I don't think anyone else was even up to an average rating?

Port Vale is looking like a must win game.

On this we definitely agree!!!

[marky No.1]

Was there a player of the match today? I can understand if the sponsors simply decided there wasnt one

[Born again Bill]

Adam Mayor was named MOTM ! , would have given it to Gibbo personally, he was the best of a bad bunch for me

[Little Shrimp]

Just watched the game - very weird performance. A fair bit of our play was really quite nice, but it was often let down by some really sloppy touches/passes as well as a lack of intensity. Felt this was the case out of possession in the first half particularly too - Peterborough found it way too easy to play through our press, which was a bit half baked. Improved second half with more players committing and defenders stepping up when the attack/midfield went.

Goals were really daft. First one Ripley's getting before the deflection, second one is never a free-kick and a very uncharacteristic keeping error, third one another deflection. That said, off the top of my head the situations for the second and third goals came about through sloppy errors in possession, which was a big problem in the first half.

Formation was fine. Could see some of the good situations it can create, with Crowley/Weir taking on the Wildig/Phillips attacking 8s roles and linking up with the wingers. But ultimately doesn't matter what formation you play if you keep mishitting passes and doing a half baked press with not everybody committing. Also a word on Gnahoua - wasn't tearing up trees but did alright, and absolutely did not warrant the sarcastic cheering he received when subbed. Really disappointing this season to see some of the derision shown towards our own players this season.

Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.

Where have you been for the past two seasons? We got promoted with Stockton as the lone striker. Stockton played the best football of his life and dragged us through games at times as the lone striker last season.

Want to see the combination of Mellon and Stockton given a bit more of a chance after it showed promise against Bristol Rovers? Absolutely fair enough! But to make a blanket statement that Stockton doesn't work up front on his own is a bit silly.

[Keith]

Cole Stockton, on his own up front, does not work.

Where have you been for the past two seasons? We got promoted with Stockton as the lone striker. Stockton played the best football of his life and dragged us through games at times as the lone striker last season.

Want to see the combination of Mellon and Stockton given a bit more of a chance after it showed promise against Bristol Rovers? Absolutely fair enough! But to make a blanket statement that Stockton doesn't work up front on his own is a bit silly.

Can you think of any games this season, where it has worked? Whether because we've got different players who can't make it work now, or, other teams have worked out how we play, and how to stop us, or, as I think, the standard is so much better in League One, that low possession, counter attack football doesn't work, because the opposition are that much better. The evidence is clear, we're not scoring enough, and our only good spell came when we had two up front. Yesterday, we improved in the second half, when Cowley spent more time up front, rather than hunting for the ball in our own penalty area.

[redrobo]

I'm one of those who think that in EFL1 Cole on his tod up front simply does not work due to the lack of service he is getting. For me we are missing the input of Aaron Wildig who created a lot of openings for Cole. In addition we've had a midfield made up of loan players for the majority of the season to date who are with us to learn the 'mans' game and find it difficult at times to play the role of providers and creators.

This is only my opinion and no doubt others will disagree.....

[lancaster shrimp]

I said at the back end of last season and after the Shrewsbury game. DA football won't work in L1 and I still stand by that. There are ways to lose games and yesterday was not one of them.

[Gone_Shrimping]

When I saw the team sheet yesterday with Arthur starting I could not believe it.

He plays like it is a testimonial or benefit game. Quite clear he is just seeing out his time here before moving on for another lucrative contract.

Mellon has a career to make and he looks like he cares when he plays. I hope he starts on Tuesday.

I would also like to Austerfield , the lad from Huddersfield given a starting role too.

[Little Shrimp]

Can you think of any games this season, where it has worked? Whether because we've got different players who can't make it work now, or, other teams have worked out how we play, and how to stop us, or, as I think, the standard is so much better in League One, that low possession, counter attack football doesn't work, because the opposition are that much better. The evidence is clear, we're not scoring enough, and our only good spell came when we had two up front. Yesterday, we improved in the second half, when Cowley spent more time up front, rather than hunting for the ball in our own penalty area.

I think it's absolutely a fair point to want to switch back at the moment, and while I am seeing some signs of the 4-3-3 we played having a high ceiling and if it gels it could be very good, I'm surprised Derek has shifted towards it given our success at the beginning of this year in 3-5-2. If we switched back and chucked Mellon up top with Stockton on Tuesday I'd be perfectly happy with that.

But the point I'm trying to make is that blanket statements about Stockton not being able to play up top on his own (he did it very successfully last season), or acting like two up top is the sunlit uplands of attacking football (3-5-2 under Derek last season saw some of the most destitute attacking performances I've witnessed) are simply untrue.

Quick other point - low possession counter-attacking football has the potential to work in any league. Eg, Wycombe over the last few years in L1, and at the moment Brentford are masters of it in the PL.

I think you make some fair points Keith about switching back to the 3-5-2 and I wouldn't mind seeing that at all, but if you're going to make untrue blanket statements about styles/tactics then I'm afraid I can't help but stick my neck in!

For me we are missing the input of Aaron Wildig

Fair point this - we've got some lovely players who are technically better than Wildig, but we miss his nous and you get the feeling that he was very good at helping the team carry out Derek's game plans.

[redrobo]

Little Shrimp has got it spot on about Aaron being the one to carry out DA's instructions and maybe the loan guys simply don't understand the managers tactics and find it difficult when the team find themselves up against more seasoned professional .....and go a goal down so early in a game....

Just a pity that Tooms is no longer with us as he had the experience to guide the young ones through a match.....can't beat an older head....

[marky No.1]

When I saw the team sheet yesterday with Arthur starting I could not believe it..

+1
He reappeared at Derby to my total surprise, Crowley, Mayor, Stockton and Shaw all subbed but Arthur left on to amble about, then disappeared to the bench again, before yesterday, very strange

[CityShrimp]

One of the Peterborough fans on their forum said that Crowley was the best midfielder on the pitch and they’d love to have him… funny how we all see things differently.

[BerlinWaller]

Crowley played well, the way he keeps the ball and always looks for the forward pass is great to watch. He looks frustrated at times with the lack of movement in front of him but i think that is due to him being a level above. Some of the comments i have seen about his performance baffle me to be honest but that isn't the first time.

Little Shrimp is pissing in the wind trying to talk tactics with Keith the 442 merchant.

[Keith]

Little Shrimp is pissing in the wind trying to talk tactics with Keith the 442 merchant.

yawn copy.jpg (166.36 KiB) Viewed 580 times

I know you like losing, as long as your hero is happy to lose. And, as you admit, you have nothing positive to contribute.

I actually enjoyed the 5-3-2/3-5-2 when we were winning.
It was much better than any combination of 5-4-1/4-5-1/3-2-4-1/4-1-4-1/3-2-3-1-1/any-thing-with-Stockton-isolated-type-thing.

So Berlin Wailer, did you enjoy the game on Saturday? Do you agree with King Derek that we matched Peterborough and we were unlucky?

[Redalert1970]

We lost on saturday - let`s get over it and move on to tonight

Derek is the manager and he`s paid to be the manager - let him do his job !!!!