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#365149 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
To be fair, we rotated like mad. Seven changes to Saturday's side. We looked disjointed. Billing picked up an early booking for breathing on an opponent and was running scared after that. Midfield was nowhere in the first half as a result. Too pedestrian, no incision. Same went for the second half, although Lolley added some impetus on his return from 4 months out injured. We took the only chance of the game, it really is that simple. Wigan, fresh from restricting Derby, looked like a side doomed to the drop again - absolutely nothing there whatsoever. They got lucky against us at our place with what was a much better performance from both sides than this one. Our current run of 7 unbeaten has furnished 2 points fewer in 7 games than Wigan have accumulated in 25, which says a lot about them.
We still need a striker. Possibly two. One or two fringe players showed why they're not in the first team at the moment - Bunn was anonymous and got the hook early in the second half, while Billing had the game pass him by. Defence was very solid, though. Kachunga needs a breather and will hopefully get it on Saturday against Port Vale. Wells also picked up a knock, which is worrying.
#365090 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
All he needed to say was that you came with a game plan which you executed to near perfection - which you did, up to the last-minute free-kick. Does he still refer to himself in the third person, like some kind of Roman Emperor? We were profligate, and that's driving me mad - we've had enough chances in recent weeks to really take teams to the cleaners, but we've dropped silly points, even with things going against us.
#365016 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
We were poor in the second half, to be honest. Positive first half but didn't take our chances. Blackburn just couldn't get the ball off us. They had about 25% possession - most of which was waiting for their goalkeeper to take a goal kick. He took time-wasting to another level, to be honest. Made me laugh when Coyle asked the question about where five minutes of stoppage time came from - the ref could have added 10 for Steele faffing about over dead balls alone, never mind the three injuries (that's three more than the zero Coyle thinks happened - twice their physio was on, once ours), six subs (on five different occasions) and two goals (one in stoppage time, to be fair). Made me laugh even more when Coyle tried to explain that the free-kick we scored from wasn't a free kick. Whatever he's on, it's seriously good stuff, because last time I checked flattening someone just outside the penalty area was a free-kick whether they had the ball or not - drives me mad when managers and pundits say 'didn't have control' because the laws say nothing about control. Payne might have over-run the ball, but that doesn't matter - the Blackburn lad still came through him with a body-check 20 yards out.
Disappointing to have dropped so many points against Blackburn in December, though. If we could finish more than two of our 51 shots on their goal, we'd be golden, but hey ho.
#364578 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
#364472 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
We were guilty of not taking chances, but the second half performance was excellent. Kasey Palmer levelled it up (no, it wasn't an own goal, the ball was over the line before the keeper touched it), and Michael Mancienne managed a thrilling moment of madness when he stuck the winner into his own net. No idea what he was meant to be doing, but it wasn't that. He then managed to compound a miserable day by a fit of petulance when already on a booking, throwing the ball away in a show of dissent when a throw in went against him. Dissent being left unpunished drives me mad - it wasn't left unpunished, and down the tunnel he went. Cheerio, mate, and thanks for the points!
#363994 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
I'm the paranoid one around here, sod off back to the Premier League
#363600 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
On one hand, it's worrying when your manager gets linked to another club. But on the other hand, it's also hugely complimentary to the job he's done in taking us from relegation dogfighters to Premier League hopefuls. If he's getting linked, he's doing something right for us.
Update: Turns out Wolfsburg did make contact with Wagner yesterday with an offer to be their head coach. He turned it down. He rejected Wolfsburg, a side in last season's Champions League, to stay at Huddersfield Town. Hence why Wolfsburg were dismissing the speculation
#363075 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
So a 2-1 win at Norwich live on Sky with the first goal being marginally offside (his foot was offside, for what it's worth) somehow feels like we've fractured the fabric of the universe. In truth, we richly deserved the win against a poor Norwich side who offered little other than their second-half pressure which only really resulted in half-chances. Our first-half display was outstanding and we should have had more (normal refrain). Our second half display was gritty and determined and made sure we ground out our first win at Norwich since the Second Division championship season of 1969/70.
#362791 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
Zola going in there apparently. I expect they'll resemble a brick descending through water for a little while.
Top win last night. Scrappy 1-0. Fantastic saving tackle from Martin Cranie to keep it goalless then Nahki pops up with the winner.
And thoroughly bizzare-looking goings on at Hillsborough. I've not seen the full incident without dodgy camera cuts, so apologies for possibly giving a slightly distorted view and I'm sure a Sheffield Wednesday fan will help me out, but after a meaty-looking challenge the ref brandished a red card to Sam Hutchinson of Sheffield Wednesday. Only, Adam Hammill (Barnsley) was given his marching orders and it was Barnsley who ended with 10. I've not seen anything to suggest he was shown a red card, while Hutchinson stayed on. I mean... Eh?
#362338 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
Yet another referee belligerent to Town ensured Bristol didn't have the two men marching they should have. The first-half lunge on Van La Parra was a leg-breaker and Freeman could count himself fortunate not to be walking for that on its own. His later temper tantrum should have seen a second booking, and yet again I'm asking where the hell that dissent ruling has gone. Abraham should also have been in the book for a show of dissent featuring the throwing of arms and the beating of the ground after he was ruled to have had a dangerously high foot on Hefele - one of those where he was always (probably harshly) going to get pulled up for having his studs showing.
A couple of first-half penalty appeals also went against us, one for handball the other for what looked like a push on Wells, and Bristol undeservedly equalised from a set-piece which was borderline offside (very borderline - pausing a replay suggests that Wilbraham had strayed about a foot off when the second ball came in, but it's one a linesman really can't win with).
The big talking point which really isn't a talking point because it was so blatant came when their keeper decided to come charging out of his box and pushed the ball away from Wells, who was in on goal. There were no covering defenders, Wells's next touch was almost certain to be a shot on target from the middle of the goal without a goalkeeper and without pressure from a defender, and it was a very deliberate attempt to stop Wells from scoring. You'll have seen the replay. I'm not exaggerating when I say it's as clear cut a red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity with a deliberate handball as you're likely to see all season. Why the ref and linesman felt the need to consult is beyond me. How they came to the conclusion it was only a yellow card is unfathomable. Mr Stroud is supposedly a Premier League official, and I suspect after the game he had yesterday he won't be officiating for some time.
However, the football gods chose to intervene, when Fielding cocked up a simple backpass with a first touch a Sunday league player would have been ashamed of letting Wells score the winner from 6 yards. Which was highly satisfying.
Lee Johnson is as much of an obnoxious poisonous cock as a manager as he was as a player. The incident that underpins this was when Town put the ball out of play for two players to receive treatment. Firstly he kicked the ball straight back at Löwe, who had tapped the ball into the technical area, resulting in a flare-up between Löwe and Johnson. You see Mourinho being sent off for kicking a water bottle - surely launching a ball at point blank range back to an opposition player warrants a sending off? In the same incident, his side also failed to return the ball to Town while we were down to 9, instead choosing to launch their own attack. I absolutely loathe tactics like that. I think they're unworthy, I think they're the worst kind of unsporting conduct and they have no place the the game. Earlier in the game, he'd been running onto the pitch during play and been spoken to by the ref. Genuinely unpleasant, odious little man whose team got what they deserved. And I've just seen them again for the first time - a Bristol player actually points for us to knock the ball out! To then not give it back just isn't on.
#362026 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
Only because it was televised, I'd guess. Normally they don't bother, they take the £500 or whatever it is these days and say sling your hook. Telly forces them to own up when their officials cock up. Seen this in action with Town a few years back - identical tackles, identical red cards, one overturned after an appeal (televised game), one appeal dismissed because they could brush it under the carpet a bit. I'd be interested to see how often Premier League appeals succeed when compared to those in the Football League.
#361805 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
I'm staggered the Shelvey one has been overturned. He kicked him. Doesn't matter what went before. Should have been an extra ban for a frivolous appeal. You compare that to the overwhelming majority of appeals that aren't overturned (even when there's a letter from players who were 'fouled' pointing out they weren't fouled) and it just goes to show the FA discipline committee ain't worth the train fares to get them there.
#361649 2016/17 FA Cup
terriersmad
We're at home, at least. We haven't had a cup run in ages, and it's a great chance to get one going.
#361300 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
#361266 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
Soft one, too. Having seen it, it's a penalty but it's a much less blatant penalty than any of our appeals on Monday, which adds to the frustration. I'm not criticising the officials today at all, Hefele shouldn't grab him and were I in his boots I'd give it, but it highlights how much we're on the wrong end of complete stinkers like Monday. And all the more frustrating for being in a game where, by all accounts, we should have won by a landslide. I hate football.
#361255 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
We're due a win, too. Not been playing badly - performances have dropped off, and we have been making mistakes, but things out of our control have gone against us too. Seen the team, and I'm hopeful with Hefele back at the back we'll be more solid.
#361229 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
Nope. Distinctly under the weather so I've let a mate have my ticket. Take it you are?
#360712 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
A) We're not naive;
B) We didn't deserve at least a point;
C) Referees don't actively hate us.
Reading have had NINE penalties in the league this season. NINE. After last night, I'm convinced a decision was made at ref HQ which determined we, under no circumstances, are allowed any decisions. Those two in the second half are actually beyond belief and comprehension. First one is absolutely unbelievable - their lad just takes out Wells as he bursts through. The second is even worse - he just ploughs through our lad then gets up and kicks him again for good measure. We had a great shout in the first half when Scannell got taken out by Warnock, too, and every fucking corner saw theirs wrestling ours to the floor. WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO THE FUCKING RULING AT THE START OF THE FUCKING SEASON THAT WAS MEANT TO PUT A STOP TO IT? Wholeheartedly accept that on Wigan's sole corner, ours was doing it to theirs, and that should also have been given.
Not saying we were stellar - too slow in possession, too naive at the back to really deserve to win - but at the same time, it's hardly a level playing field when the opposition is allowed to do that without any kind of fall-out time after time.
It really is every week and it goes beyond a joke.
#359926 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
I hate it every week. Who did you have - I've probably whinged about him in the past
#359170 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
Goals conceded from set-pieces: 15.
Goals scored from open play: 18.
Goals scored from set-pieces: 1.
I mean, we score some wonderful goals. Billing's goal today is the best goal scored at this level this season. It's a piece of technical genius - he's running across goal and somehow manages to strike it first time on the volley into the back of the net, effectively behind him at the angle he's running, all from 25 yards. The first goal is also a wonderful piece of football - Palmer's vision, Smith's run. Playing like that, there's not a more attractive side in the country.
But we can't defend set-pieces, which is criminal. We can't score them either. It's been a problem for years and we just can't solve it. We've scored fewer set-pieces than anyone in the division since we came up. It's an absolute travesty. It's such a basic part of the game that we should be sorting it, but we're conceding almost a goal a game at the moment, over the course of the first third of the season. Sort this weakness out and we'll be absolutely fine, but it's such a massive weakness.
We need to give Coleman a chance in goal, too. Two goals were down to Ward today - the first one he has to come and claim and the second is just poor goalkeeping. He doesn't command his area and needs to be told what to do. Coleman deserves his chance after Ward's recent form.
Despite that, we're still fourth with an on paper easier run of games. Norwich are in worse form despite spending squillions, too. Which is reassuring. Get some points on the board and we'll arrest the decline. But it's such a frustrating problem.
#358781 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
#356640 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
First point, we need a big striker. Nahki played well, dropping deep and looking dangerous, but we didn't have enough presence in the penalty area. We lacked the options at times to get a quality ball in. And given how deep Birmingham sat, we needed that alternative which couldn't be cut out.
Second point, it's hard when all their players are taller, but we lost 3 headers. Only thing they did all afternoon, just to rub salt in the wounds. Only way they were going to score, and they did. Smith was probably fouled at the back stick, but should have been stronger when the lad got a run on him.
Third point, Jesus Christ he was bad. The free-kick we didn't defend properly wasn't a free-kick - Mooy took the ball and Jutkiewicz fell over. In fact, he fell for Birmingham falling over an awful lot. He seemed to have Clayton Donaldson twigged early on, when he told the diving wee so and so to get up after Hefele was just too strong for him, but after that any time they fell over he blew. And they fell over a lot. Not just going over softly, outright dives. Gleeson did the whole clutching face in his hands after jumping for a ball with nobody actually around him. To contrast that, Wells got tripped in the box and he just ignored it despite it being a penalty. And he let Birmingham bully him. They were in his face, crowding him, berating him and influencing him all afternoon, and he did nothing about it, and I think all know my views on crowding officials.
#356320 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
Andrew needs jailing for that. The act of an absolute coward. 12 matches isn't enough either - thugs like that don't belong on a football pitch. He should never play again. That was cold, it was brutal, it was calculated, not some heat of the moment incident.
#354978 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
That said, every team has a wobble. We could conceivably have started the season without a win in our first six or seven, and we set off like an express train. I've said all along top 10 is the reasonable target, even if it's hard not to get carried away a little bit. We do need a striker (Chris Martin always rips us apart and would actually be ideal, just the kind of striker we need: big, physical, a real goal threat), and we do need to use our squad a little more. Stanković, Paurević, Holmes-Dennis and Coleman all signed in the summer and have played a total of 6 games between them, only two starts. Harry Bunn has only just come into the team. Billing has been nowhere to be seen. Lolley will be back in January after injury, and he's only played 3 times. Mooy has been knackered with all his jet-setting off to Oz once a month and has been a shadow of the player we had in the first few weeks - he needs to get this international break out of the way. We also have a lot of players acclimatising to English football, so a wobble is to be expected.
More worryingly, that's two dreadful away displays back-to-back, conceding 8 goals to sides who seem to have twigged our achilles heel. Our next away game is at improving Cardiff, though we do have 3 weeks to sort out frailties before that inevitable bombardment. Next up is Birmingham at home, which should be intriguing. They're due a poor performance from what I've heard - they've been very good to now, another side punching above their weight aided by an excellent coach in Gary Rowett. We need to get firing again, we've yet to bag more than two in any game this season. It'd be a good game to lay down a marker before the international break.
#353990 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
Heard they were both dreadful decisions. I caught about 10 minutes of it and you didn't look that bad, to be honest.
Two managerial casualties today: Zenga gone from Wolves and Caldwell sacked by Wigan. More surprised by the latter than the former, but (without having seen Wigan this season) word on the street is that he's been treading a tightrope with bonkers team selections and odd formations. One from bottom. Harsh given last season's success, but perhaps not as undeserved as outsiders have been saying. Zenga was a dead man walking after Saturday. The new owners at Wolves won't put up with mediocrity, and they had invested. That said, he did have a decent track record and I suspect given time he could have done something with them.
#353679 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
Derby got what they deserved: nothing. Very little attacking threat, content to sit and waste time and grind out a point. Which, considering they've spent £50m in the last couple of seasons is actually quite funny. Half of their players were overweight, the other half were only halfway interested once we started to pummel them. Bradley Johnson is carrying more timber than a builders yard and Darren Bent really has reached the end. I could do the same job as Matej Vydra for a fraction of the money. Their time wasting was summed up in stoppage time when Steve McLaren kicked the ball away in a desperate attempt to stop us from scoring. Carson was wasting time after 5 minutes. They looked like relegation candidates towards the end and not just a side on a bad day.
#352591 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
Talking point was a free-kick against us in our our half given for offside. Correct award, but whichever fuckwit thought through that change in the laws clearly hasn't got a working brain. It's the position when the ball is played, it's that simple, not where you come back to. That's when the offence takes place, not later, not earlier! If I trip someone up that's where the free-kick is given, not when I finally latch on to the loose ball. I do wish authorities would stop fucking with an otherwise straightforward rule - if you're nearer to the opposition goal than the last defender (assuming the keeper is between you and the goal) in the opposition half at the time the ball is played, you're offside. No further elaboration needed.
#351581 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
The game turned on the penalty. Harsh. Very, very harsh. We wouldn't get it, I can say that for sure, and not from the berk in charge today, who seemed determined to give Wednesday everything. It's been twatted straight at VLP, who's been buffeted. He's a yard away, he's turning away from the ball, it hits his elbow. Nine times out of ten, it's not given. We scream for it and then complain when it's not given. But it's not deliberate handball - his elbow is, in fact, across his chest. It's smacking him in the face if it isn't hitting his arm. And it is hitting his arm. It's the very definition of ball to hand. You'd think we've had enough dreadful refereeing in this fixture to last a lifetime, but even more has cost us. At some point we'll get some good fortune against this lot and get a deserved result.
Be nice if the ref was consistent with cards as well. Hefele deserved his booking at the end, but why the fuck wasn't Wallace booked for his refusal to retreat and subsequent dissent? And why the fuck wasn't Forestieri carded at least once for his persistent fouling and kicking the ball away, after being spoken to not once, but twice? He was determined to let them get away with everything he could.
#350321 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
Nobody in Milton Keynes has ever had sex, so that could be their next name.
#349683 The Lower League Thread
terriersmad
He isn't - the only places to 'report' it are deluded twitter idiots on the wind-up. The Yorkshire Post reports that Villa haven't contacted Town and are conducting interviews at present.