New Year's Day 2024

[AR27]

First half we were the better side but huffed and puffed too much without any quality in the final third.

Second half was a disgrace by both sides. Horrendous spectacle with Crewe time wasting and us not being able to string two passes together.

Fair to say Alexander's brand of football is as tragic as MK Dons fans said it would be. Fine when you're winning but when the results not there it's a hard watch.

 

[Gibber_McGee]

Sat at home with the benefit of replays, McClean should’ve walked twice…

I watched the incidents on TV and there is no way McClean should have been sent off. The yellow he did get shouldn’t have been a yellow either.

 

[Master D]

His yellow wasn't even a foul and there was also no replays of the other incidents due to the nature of them with both players having what looked like serious head injuries, so someone is telling a few porkies there....

 

[Richard Cranium]

Even game, not many chances but we managed to take 2 of our 4/5 and Stockport who I think we probably limited to 2/3 were denied by a couple of great saves from Pym.

Clough got it spot on today, we were never going to rock up there and dominate possession. This side has abit of everything, real backbone shown today by every single one of them, if we don’t go up this year we never will.

Not sure what the Stockport fans were jeering Oates for when he went off injured, but glad we remained abit more classy when Knowles was stretchered off. Looked a nasty one, hope he’s back on his feet very soon!

 

[Gibber_McGee]

His yellow wasn't even a foul and there was also no replays of the other incidents due to the nature of them with both players having what looked like serious head injuries, so someone is telling a few porkies there....

Yep. And the first head injury was caused by a collision between two Barrow players.

 

[chief]

His yellow wasn't even a foul and there was also no replays of the other incidents due to the nature of them with both players having what looked like serious head injuries, so someone is telling a few porkies there....

Coping mechanism from Barrow fans after their team completely capitulated in a matter of minutes. I get it.

Solid first 45 minutes from them but they definitely lack the quality of Mansfield and Stockport. That will tell and the 3 of us will pull away. I think MK Dons will run it closest but they've left too much to do.

Barrow finishing top 5 would still be unbelievable for them.

 

[Richard Cranium]

No Petey Wild fist pumps in Hollywood today then?

 

[chief]

No Petey Wild fist pumps in Hollywood today then?

Can't imagine how he felt when we put 3 past his side in added time in the first half. He'd have had his teamtalk planned and everything, class.

On another note, wishing the best for the 2 Barrow players who went down with nasty head injuries. Horrible to witness one, let alone 2 in one match and I hope they recover quickly.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Notts were away Notts again today, but fair play to Tranmere, totally transformed from earlier in the season, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see them in the playoffs at the end of the season. As Jacob said, Apter was very good.

Enjoyable day out other than the result. A couple of decent pre match pubs, friendly locals and a proper ground. Still good to be out of non league.

 

[Conker]

No Petey Wild fist pumps in Hollywood today then?

Definitely none from Challinor, heard him on BBC Manchester had his knickers in a twist.

A lot of overreaction from Stockport fans ringing up too, as I said when we beat em at Field Mill and Calls for Challinor to get sacked started to grow, they’ll be fine. I dunno if lost at home yet but I doubt many more will manage to come away with three points.

 

[dan_wrexhamafc]

Well ended up better then I thought it would after the first minute. Evans made a big difference in the middle.
Fletcher being fit is great news for us, takes chances Dalby etc won't. Was shocked how much Barrow fell apart for 10mins after we equalised.
Was Wild banned from the touchline? He was sat in the stand and didn't move once during the game.

 

[chief]

Well ended up better then I thought it would after the first minute. Evans made a big difference in the middle.
Fletcher being fit is great news for us, takes chances Dalby etc won't. Was shocked how much Barrow fell apart for 10mins after we equalised.
Was Wild banned from the touchline? He was sat in the stand and didn't move once during the game.

Absolutely astonishing that Dalby has no league goals in a side that has scored 52. Biggest disappointment this season for me.

 

[AdamStag]

That challenge from mcclean looked a red to me tbh. I can see why wild wouldn’t be happy.

Though his little rant afterwards was a little cringe.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Even game, not many chances but we managed to take 2 of our 4/5 and Stockport who I think we probably limited to 2/3 were denied by a couple of great saves from Pym.

Clough got it spot on today, we were never going to rock up there and dominate possession. This side has abit of everything, real backbone shown today by every single one of them, if we don’t go up this year we never will.

Not sure what the Stockport fans were jeering Oates for when he went off injured, but glad we remained abit more classy when Knowles was stretchered off. Looked a nasty one, hope he’s back on his feet very soon!

I’d say we had four decent chances each. Though yours of slightly better quality.

Oates was laughing and playing up to the crowd. He was hurt a bit but mainly trying to avoid a booking. He was fuming when he realised he was being replaced. Clough told him to go down the tunnel but he didn’t want to.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Notts were away Notts again today, but fair play to Tranmere, totally transformed from earlier in the season, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see them in the playoffs at the end of the season. As Jacob said, Apter was very good.

Enjoyable day out other than the result. A couple of decent pre match pubs, friendly locals and a proper ground. Still good to be out of non league.

Not been confirmed but appears Blackpool are recalling Apter I believe.

 

[jacobncfc]

But would there be any point in going into the playoffs with the naivety and let's have it right, footballing arrogance, to think you can continue to play so open at this level. Nevermind against the teams that'll be in the playoffs.

You know for a fact that Williams will never change his way of playing, better defenders might improve it a little but you'll always ship tonnes of goals at this level with his tactics. He'll always pick a keeper based on how he passes the ball rather than if he can actually save it.

I think this is a bit unfair with what LW currently has available - it’s not so much the tactics currently as, like Optipez says, the team being completely unbalanced with too many attacking players. But then I look at the bench and there’s not really anything we could do differently… I’d probably start Macari over Brindley but that’s deckchairs on the Titanic stuff. We can’t pick a more defensive midfield currently because there isn’t anyone available, same at wing back with Chicksen out.

If it’s still going on after January fair enough, but at the minute it’s a symptom of us building a fairly unbalanced squad in the summer and then injuries getting it to a point where it’s wildly unbalanced.

 

[Conker]

I’d say we had four decent chances each. Though yours of slightly better quality.

Oates was laughing and playing up to the crowd. He was hurt a bit but mainly trying to avoid a booking. He was fuming when he realised he was being replaced. Clough told him to go down the tunnel but he didn’t want to.

He literally got subbed off straight away and had a leg brace on

 

[Less than a mile (WAFC)]

Big result that is going slightly under the radar, given how it leaves the league table, especially with Notts losing.

I haven’t seen the replay yet but from what I could see McClean won the ball.

Barrow started well and looked very organised at the back and then completely fell apart in the space of 10 minutes.

Ref was poor again, no control of time wasting what so ever, I thought these league refs were meant to be a step up from the conference? They are arguably just as bad!

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

Not been confirmed but appears Blackpool are recalling Apter I believe.

Loan finishes on Thursday. We're trying to either extend the loan or sign him permanently but nobody knows what's happening. He's already played for Blackpool this year, so if anybody else signed him in January, he wouldn't be available to play until next season due to the three clubs rule. Apparently he wants to stay here and who can blame him - he's been a revelation under Adkins and he evidently loves playing for us.

 

[Meadow]

I was at work so didn't see our match at FGR. Seems like they did their homework and held us to a draw. A tad disappointing Christmas period. Question to Stockport. We're losing two vital players to the Asian cup and I've seen reports of numerous injuries to the Stockport squad. Are Joe Lewis and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans going to be recalled? They have been excellent.

 

[saddler78]

Well ended up better then I thought it would after the first minute. Evans made a big difference in the middle.
Fletcher being fit is great news for us, takes chances Dalby etc won't. Was shocked how much Barrow fell apart for 10mins after we equalised.
Was Wild banned from the touchline? He was sat in the stand and didn't move once during the game.

George Evans? He was class for us in League one in a top six side at the time he's too good for this division surely.

 

[saddler78]

Losing 1-6 at home after he's only been there 5 mins doesn't bode well. It's not the sort of thing you expect during a new manager bounce.

Walsall are a good team once they get going though, been impressed in both games against them this season.

Starting to find some consistency now it's been our problem up until recently if we carry on like this we can crack the top 10 then who knows only 3 points off 7th place as it stands

 

[EnglishRed]

George Evans? He was class for us in League one in a top six side at the time he's too good for this division surely.

Yeah that's him.

He's been exactly what we've been crying our for for years - unflappable, calming defensive midfielder who can run games. He's been a great signing.

He's been in the Championship since playing with you, but was surplus to requirements at Millwall this season. He does look a level above this league tbh.

He was suspended for our game at your place - was a huge loss clearly !

 

[chipmunx]

Well ended up better then I thought it would after the first minute. Evans made a big difference in the middle.
Fletcher being fit is great news for us, takes chances Dalby etc won't. Was shocked how much Barrow fell apart for 10mins after we equalised.
Was Wild banned from the touchline? He was sat in the stand and didn't move once during the game.

Wild had a 1 game touchline ban after a yellow against Accrington. That's our 2nd defeat since early October (the other was Maidstone away in the Cup) and Wild has been suspended for both of them.
The Officiating in this league is shocking and the 3 we had over Christmas were probably the worse 3 we have had all season.
We'll pick ourselves up and start again - looking at the fixtures we've got a reasonable run of games coming up and then from 10th Feb we play virtually all lower placed teams until Mansfield on the last day.

 

[chief]

That challenge from mcclean looked a red to me tbh. I can see why wild wouldn’t be happy.

Though his little rant afterwards was a little cringe.

You would say that though. If anything, backs up our point that it wasn't even a yellow even more.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

I was at work so didn't see our match at FGR. Seems like they did their homework and held us to a draw. A tad disappointing Christmas period. Question to Stockport. We're losing two vital players to the Asian cup and I've seen reports of numerous injuries to the Stockport squad. Are Joe Lewis and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans going to be recalled? They have been excellent.

Has Evans really been excellent?

14 games and two goal contributions for an attacking midfielder doesn’t seem very good at all?

And Lewis in recent weeks scored an OG, was sent off and his defending for two of goals against Colchester the other night was horrific.

Our loanee midfielder Bailey played his final game and no deal has been agreed so that ups the chances on Evans being recalled but I still think it’s unlikely as DC doesn’t rate him. More chance we’ll add new players rather than recall.

Pye our ever present CB did go off injured yesterday but he’s left footed so again if it’s anything serious I’d suggest we’d look for a new player so we can continue to have the choice of playing a back three or four.

 

[AdamStag]

You would say that though. If anything, backs up our point that it wasn't even a yellow even more.

Why would i say that though? that comment makes no sense.

 

[AdamStag]

Starting to find some consistency now it's been our problem up until recently if we carry on like this we can crack the top 10 then who knows only 3 points off 7th place as it stands

Saw DJ was involved again yesterday, is the dolly back in the pram at present? great player to have if you’ve got him onside and in the mood.

 

[Conker]

Why would i say that though? that comment makes no sense.

Because it’s Wrexham, everyone would say that, everyone plays better against them that nonsense etc etc.

got it tough haven’t they

 

[Son of Cod]

What's with the Artell hate from teams at the top? Did Stockport lose today or something?

Yeah, I don't get why people are so triggered by Artell. Must have really got people's backs up when he was Crewe manager as he's been fine in all his interviews since being our manager in my opinion.

Yeah, I hope his recruitment is better than it was in his final year with us... I think Grimsby have got some promising kids but they're obviously unlikely to be quite the same standard.

Yeah, this is something I highlighted when he came in and got red crossed on The Fishy for saying but our academy is some way off yours and always has been. They might be the best crop we've ever had, but we seldom bring players through that make it at this level, let alone go onto higher things like half of that Crewe team did. I do think that Artell being at the club gives us the best chance to get any youth players we have that are knocking on the door into the side though, I just think there are so many factors at play that makes it a bit of a lottery.

Yeah he pretty much said this in his first interview that it’s going to take a fair bit of time and we have to be patient although unfortunately, one thing our fan base is not - is patient.
Thankfully those of us who post on here seem to all get it but our social media fan base is absolutely embarrassing at times.

Being one of the very last few HURST IN brigade, I'd put myself firmly in the patient bracket however there's no dressing up a 6-1 defeat at home to Walsall. That's just embarrassing. And no disrespect to Walsall there either, who are a good club that I like. I'd fully expect their fans to be saying the same if we went to their place and walloped them with the same scoreline. It's somewhat concerning though to me that we go from matching Mansfield for 45 mins to then being played off the park by them in the second half, to then absolutely dominating Salford for 90 mins to then getting completely fucking spanked at home to a midtable side. Let's not forget that we went 1-0 up on 30mins yesterday too. That's some obscenely ridiculous swings of momentum in what is a small sample of minutes over the course of the season. I get that Artell is trying to play football but there has to be a middle ground between what has happened twice this Christmas and what Hurst was trying to do. I don't buy that we need to be so massively exposed at the back to be able to necessitate the shift in style that he wants, even during what is a transitional period. I don't really care if we're losing more games by the odd goal or two if there are clear signs of progress, but that's different to letting Mansfield have 39 shots and conceding 6 at home to Walsall. That defence needs tightening up as a matter of urgency and if that means sacrificing a bit of Artell's philosophy then so be it.