Tuesday 1st February

[GTFCfish]

Our lineup has killed any lingering hopes.

Hehehe.

 

[Indian Dan]

Yeah, but not many will get points at your place this season tbf - so good point for Crawley.

On a serious note it sounds like the Garner bubble has well a truly burst over there?

He’s pretty much got a free hit this season considering the club was on its knees in the summer. It’s become apparent he is a good coach but a terrible manager - bit like when we had Luke Williams before he got the boot and took over your neighbour’s youngsters. We trot out the same old shite at home, game after game. He appears to have zero tactical ability and thinks that just by turning up the ‘style’ will be enough.

The problem is that this ‘style’ enables us to attract some decent young talent from way higher up the food chain so it’s kind of self perpetuating/defeating. I know we are still under a transfer embargo and the loan system pads out the squad and I probably sound a bit churlish, but even if we were winning it’s not my cup of tea as a spectacle.

Can’t see him getting the boot, though. Not yet, anyway.

 

[Indian Dan]

Been out and about all day so only just got a chance to check what happened between Swindon and Crawley. 1-1 is not bad but a deflected 92 nd minute equaliser for Swindon is always a big groan.
Seems our penalty was hotly disputed. An off the ball shove from what I'm told.

It appears that a Swindon unused sub got a red card after the final whistle!

Can't wait to hear how filthy, crap and the biggest bunch of heats ever seen in Swindon from the home fans.

Casey

Not really. You were the latest in a succession of poor teams that any aspiring promotion side should be putting to the sword. The fact that we haven’t says it all.

 

[pontoonlew]

Jason Taylor's slowed down with his age but he's a rock, a real leader on the pitch, constant communication, encouragement etc. He isn't good enough to be in a decent quality side in this division but he's exactly the sort of character you need when you're scrapping for points.

Is Glennon the best LB in the league yet or is he easing his way in?

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Well got to see Carlisle last night, first time in years it isn’t a pretty start, hard to know where to begin with it.

I can see why the fans wanted an end to long ball and more passing game, but I think the issues from it run much deeper than ‘style’ I personally have no issues going direct, sometimes a side playing an offensive direct game is more entertaining than a sideways passing team.

But It has to be played with a purpose, style and direction whatever approach and Carlisle had none of that. It was just numerous panic stricken hacks, no passing at all, no reason for the balls or purpose just ‘get rid’ get rid’!!!

The attack is moaned at by Carlisle fans but it has zero chance with that play, 90% of the balls just end up out for a throw in.

Attack is based on some wild hope a random hack up the field may by chance just fortunately land at that one forward marked by 3 players who may somehow control it and beat 2-3 players to create something……..it’s a laughable attempt at football, something akin to Sunday league, conf north level which I watch lacks the quality but has 100 times more play than Carlisle does.

On top of that the sheer number of Sunday league cock ups are frightening, missing the ball, chasing wrong player, getting caught holding ball too long, dreadful near goal conceding choices and passes etc etc the last time I seen a Carlisle team making this tonne of basic cock ups was back in 1992 and that side survived as teams went bust.

Salford were there for taking when at bottom you don’t get many sides looking bland and uninterested and they were last night only creating from our numerous errors but we were never winning that.

Lacks leaders, I hated Paul thirlwell for years when he was at Carlisle but my god his ability to cool a game down, control play and keep ball would be much needed.

 

[JaredSUFC]

All Barrow on Tuesday aren’t we?

This worked out well

 

[Agombar stool]

Another weird game of football last night. First 30 minutes we probably played our best football of the season. It was like Crawley were still in bed and just let our centre backs saunter up the pitch repeatedly. As per usual we didn't really create any chances although I thought Brandon Cooper probably should have got a penalty after he was manhandled and then chopped down. Then after Dion Conroy tried again to dribble out of defence the Crawley players decided to make an effort to stop him, he was disposessed and the sway of the game changed. Crawley actually looked fairly dangerous on the break and have some handy players. They earned a corner and after Lyden was warned by the referee to stop holding his player the ball comes into the box and Lyden pushes him over for a penalty. Footballers really have no brains sometimes (more of that later)

Second half was completely disjointed as Davison had gone off injured to be replaced by McKirdy mk2 Louie Barry. We huffed and puffed but Crawley were organised and defended everything we attempted to throw at them. I personally thought Crawley missed a trick and instead of them just attempting to launch the ball as far as physically possible, had they attempted to break on us I am sure they could have won that game 2 or 3-0. But they didn't and we scored an absolute flukey equaliser in the 92nd minute. I think we have been thrown a little with Tyreece Simpson and Kaine Kessler-Hayden being recalled. Simpson's replacement is a different player, better in the air but not so great with ball to feet. I think Garner has tried to adjust to this, but it's still early. I hope Davison isn't too injured as I can't see Louie Barry and Harry McKirdy (who was awful last night) working well as a pairing.

Finally, my main gripe with Garner is his incessant moaning about referees, I've never been involved in football so I probably can't really understand the pressure of professional players and managers but for Garner to waltz onto the pitch and moan in the face of the referee is just classless and a bit tragic really. Then our best midfielder who presumably had been rested for the Exeter game on Saturday says something out of turn and gets a straight red. That's the second time this has happened this season and in my opinion stems from the manager. He really needs to get his indiscipline in order, losing your best player for 3 games for gobbing off to the referee is absolutely unforgivable. I can see us finishing mid-table unless we are able to put a run together.

 

[Gassy]

He’s pretty much got a free hit this season considering the club was on its knees in the summer. It’s become apparent he is a good coach but a terrible manager - bit like when we had Luke Williams before he got the boot and took over your neighbour’s youngsters. We trot out the same old shite at home, game after game. He appears to have zero tactical ability and thinks that just by turning up the ‘style’ will be enough.

The problem is that this ‘style’ enables us to attract some decent young talent from way higher up the food chain so it’s kind of self perpetuating/defeating. I know we are still under a transfer embargo and the loan system pads out the squad and I probably sound a bit churlish, but even if we were winning it’s not my cup of tea as a spectacle.

Can’t see him getting the boot, though. Not yet, anyway.

I think that’s a very fair summary and considering what he came into, unless you were fighting relegation - he probably should get a free his this season.

There is no doubt in my mind that he has improved since managing us though and it seems he learnt some lessons. However, as you say - he’s now being found out. For me I knew Garner could set up a team to start well and play good football, but as the game goes on, your confidence drops because he just doesn’t know how to manage a game tactically.

He has an eye for a player on paper I’ll give him that and you’re right he attracts people in - but that will only get you so far.

On the other hand, it will be interesting to see what he can do with another season under his belt with you next year. He was instantly better with his own squad and more time at the club, but then that wasn’t hard when your record was something like W1, D3, L13

 

[IanPVFC]

Good game that last night. We came out the blocks with the high press straight away which is exactly what we needed to do. FG got a bit rattled and didn't quite know what to do, a few arguments between themselves trying to figure it out. We deservedly took the lead and to be honest a second goal wouldn't have been undeserved.

Problem with not getting that second goal is unfortunately FGR are a very good side and there was no way we were going to sustain that tempo and press for a full game and inevitably they came back into the game. With the quality they undoubtedly have that was always going to happen.

Looking at the game objectively you have to say a draw is a fair result. Biasedly though, it feels like 2 points dropped in the end however as we'd defending brilliantly bar one lapse to leave Stevens alone at the back point.

Hopefully we can now take this positive momentum forward and get a result at Salford.

 

[Agombar stool]

Yeah, but not many will get points at your place this season tbf - so good point for Crawley.

On a serious note it sounds like the Garner bubble has well a truly burst over there?

Don't kid yourself on the word of Joey Barton Gassy, many teams have and will continue to take points from the CG, our home form has been a problem for a while.

I personally like what Garner is trying to do, some of the football we play is excellent. it's not perfect, of course as it's possession based it can be slow and 'boring'. Man City showed us in the FA Cup how this type of football can be played, passing is sharp, fast, crisp and everyone is comfortable on the ball. League 2 players just can't play at this pace and for us to be able to keep the ball, the passing is much much slower. I personally think Garner had tried to change that and mix things up more, being able to beat a high press by going slightly more direct. We definitely miss Jack Payne's energy at the moment and I think Kessler-Hayden's pace at RB is missing, Rob Hunt is a solid RB but he's not going to offer the attacking wing back options anymore. It's not catastrophic and is going to take time to implement and require patience, something which many of our fans really don't have!

 

[Gassy]

Don't kid yourself on the word of Joey Barton Gassy, many teams have and will continue to take points from the CG, our home form has been a problem for a while.

I personally like what Garner is trying to do, some of the football we play is excellent. it's not perfect, of course as it's possession based it can be slow and 'boring'. Man City showed us in the FA Cup how this type of football can be played, passing is sharp, fast, crisp and everyone is comfortable on the ball. League 2 players just can't play at this pace and for us to be able to keep the ball, the passing is much much slower. I personally think Garner had tried to change that and mix things up more, being able to beat a high press by going slightly more direct. We definitely miss Jack Payne's energy at the moment and I think Kessler-Hayden's pace at RB is missing, Rob Hunt is a solid RB but he's not going to offer the attacking wing back options anymore. It's not catastrophic and is going to take time to implement and require patience, something which many of our fans really don't have!

I was being sarcastic mate

 

[Agombar stool]

I was being sarcastic mate

Ah apologies fella, sometimes it's hard to pick that up in written form sans smilies!!

Or I am just super slow!

 

[FGR Stroud]

Port Vale 1-1 FGR:
Vale will be disappointed in dropping two points
FGR are pleased to have secured 1 point from game that Vale were better team.
Bloody cold evening - I ended up with earache.

Credit to the home crowd who were very partisan and noisy.
Going 1-0 ahead they offered a chant not readily available to other teams that have already played FGR: "Top of the League, you're having a lauf"

 

[BarraMatt]

Is Glennon the best LB in the league yet or is he easing his way in?

Provided the assist last night.

 

[AR27]

Was like a relegation scrap at VP last night. Not an ounce of quality from either side being led by two managers who wouldn't know attacking football if it hit them in the face.

Both sides will finish bottom half on that evidence.

 

[IanPVFC]

Going 1-0 ahead they offered a chant not readily available to other teams that have already played FGR: "Top of the League, you're having a lauf"

We are easily excited!

 

[valefan16]

We are easily excited!

Loved the atmosphere last night and this is it, if the lads put in high energy effort in the fans will back them.

If we played like that last weekend we would of absolutely destroyed Scunthorpe, I just don’t get why we didn’t see it against for example Swindon the other week or Mansfield away because when we do it we look superb.

 

[Cas]

Was like a relegation scrap at VP last night. Not an ounce of quality from either side being led by two managers who wouldn't know attacking football if it hit them in the face.

Both sides will finish bottom half on that evidence.

It was pub football to be honest. If someone had said it was bottom end National League you wouldn't have argued otherwise.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

I think that’s a very fair summary and considering what he came into, unless you were fighting relegation - he probably should get a free his this season.

There is no doubt in my mind that he has improved since managing us though and it seems he learnt some lessons. However, as you say - he’s now being found out. For me I knew Garner could set up a team to start well and play good football, but as the game goes on, your confidence drops because he just doesn’t know how to manage a game tactically.

He has an eye for a player on paper I’ll give him that and you’re right he attracts people in - but that will only get you so far.

On the other hand, it will be interesting to see what he can do with another season under his belt with you next year. He was instantly better with his own squad and more time at the club, but then that wasn’t hard when your record was something like W1, D3, L13

Garner had too much freedom with us as he was allowed to completely break apart Coughlans squad and carried us from 4th in L1 to lower L1 until Covid struck.
Ironically its worked out better for him to be restricted with only being able to offer 1 year deals, but he still seems to be a one trick pony and moan about literally everything.

 

[IanPVFC]

Loved the atmosphere last night and this is it, if the lads put in high energy effort in the fans will back them.

If we played like that last weekend we would of absolutely destroyed Scunthorpe, I just don’t get why we didn’t see it against for example Swindon the other week or Mansfield away because when we do it we look superb.

Yep agreed, it's a crowd/side that seem to feed off each other very much. That's why it was pleasing to see the lads bang up for it from the off, the crowd pick up on that effort and the place is lifted.

 

[Casey]

Agombar, re the ref last night. In his after match interview Yems started bemoaning how bad the ref was (for both teams) but remembered how much that hurts his wallet and changed the subject. Seems he wasn't the best.

Casey

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Loved the atmosphere last night and this is it, if the lads put in high energy effort in the fans will back them.

If we played like that last weekend we would of absolutely destroyed Scunthorpe, I just don’t get why we didn’t see it against for example Swindon the other week or Mansfield away because when we do it we look superb.

Wish you'd stop doing it to us, you big bullies

 

[valefan16]

Wish you'd stop doing it to us, you big bullies

It is a quirky one against FGR, we drew last season at VP and missed a hatful as well, love a good 1-1 against you guys.

We just seem to have a method against your system. Obviously keeping it up for 90 minutes is impossible (maybe slightly easier when it was 5 subs) though so have to take the chances whilst on top.

Was a real good battle though overall and enjoyed it. Hopefully we can click into gear again now and be in a position to lock horns with you again next season.

 

[kieran_vale]

It is a quirky one against FGR, we drew last season at VP and missed a hatful as well, love a good 1-1 against you guys.

We just seem to have a method against your system. Obviously keeping it up for 90 minutes is impossible (maybe slightly easier when it was 5 subs) though so have to take the chances whilst on top.

Was a real good battle though overall and enjoyed it. Hopefully we can click into gear again now and be in a position to lock horns with you again next season.

A lot of it is just about styles make fights really, same way we seem to hate playing against Walsall or Tranmere. Ours does well against FGR. It’s just a shame we had to play the Swindon home game when we did just coming off that break as our pressing game could have worked better against them too but we just didn’t have it in us physically then.

Been very pleased with Aaron Martin since the Orient game on a side note. He’s not had the easiest of first few months but with a run of games now he looks like what we thought we were getting. Not about how you start but how you finish and if he keeps the current level up don’t think anyone can complain.

 

[valefan16]

A lot of it is just about styles make fights really, same way we seem to hate playing against Walsall or Tranmere. Ours does well against FGR. It’s just a shame we had to play the Swindon home game when we did just coming off that break as our pressing game could have worked better against them too but we just didn’t have it in us physically then.

Been very pleased with Aaron Martin since the Orient game on a side note. He’s not had the easiest of first few months but with a run of games now he looks like what we thought we were getting. Not about how you start but how you finish and if he keeps the current level up don’t think anyone can complain.

Yeah Martin seems to benefit from playing alongside Hall and hopefully no more Oldham/Sutton debacles with Hall in there.

Thought Smudge was outstanding last night as well, Matt never got a sniff (in either game against him).

Defensively we seem to be improved at least, just need to get the attacking prowess to click back in.

 

[cookiemonster]

Don't kid yourself on the word of Joey Barton Gassy, many teams have and will continue to take points from the CG, our home form has been a problem for a while.

I personally like what Garner is trying to do, some of the football we play is excellent. it's not perfect, of course as it's possession based it can be slow and 'boring'. Man City showed us in the FA Cup how this type of football can be played, passing is sharp, fast, crisp and everyone is comfortable on the ball. League 2 players just can't play at this pace and for us to be able to keep the ball, the passing is much much slower. I personally think Garner had tried to change that and mix things up more, being able to beat a high press by going slightly more direct. We definitely miss Jack Payne's energy at the moment and I think Kessler-Hayden's pace at RB is missing, Rob Hunt is a solid RB but he's not going to offer the attacking wing back options anymore. It's not catastrophic and is going to take time to implement and require patience, something which many of our fans really don't have!

I'm still puzzled at you boys not being in the automatics based on your performance at FGR a few months ago. You looked very sharp that day.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Been out and about all day so only just got a chance to check what happened between Swindon and Crawley. 1-1 is not bad but a deflected 92 nd minute equaliser for Swindon is always a big groan.
Seems our penalty was hotly disputed. An off the ball shove from what I'm told.

It appears that a Swindon unused sub got a red card after the final whistle!

Can't wait to hear how filthy, crap and the biggest bunch of heats ever seen in Swindon from the home fans.

Casey

To be fair Crawley weren't that bad. We played our best football for some time in the first 30 mins without scoring. Should have at least had 1 or 2 in that period. After that we just capitulated without ever looking like scoring. Its been so long since we kept a clean sheet and i'm now seriously doubting whether we will make the playoffs

 

[Agombar stool]

To be fair Crawley weren't that bad. We played our best football for some time in the first 30 mins without scoring. Should have at least had 1 or 2 in that period. After that we just capitulated without ever looking like scoring. Its been so long since we kept a clean sheet and i'm now seriously doubting whether we will make the playoffs

Crawley looked very dangerous on the break the last 15 minutes of the first half so I was very surprised that Yems had literally set them up to camp inside their own half and repeatedly leather the ball away from their penalty box, showing absolutely zero intent. I reckon had he been braver they would have been heading back to Sussex with a 3-0 win. The last minute equaliser felt all the sweeter seeing one of the Crawley players blowing kisses to the home fans after they scored their equaliser. I hope it was his head it deflected off for our goal!

 

[Agombar stool]

Agombar, re the ref last night. In his after match interview Yems started bemoaning how bad the ref was (for both teams) but remembered how much that hurts his wallet and changed the subject. Seems he wasn't the best.

Casey

The ref has been getting a lot of stick from both our management team (Garner moans about every ref so take that with a pinch), your management team and our fans. He missed a blatant penalty (in my eyes) for us first half and I thought your penalty was the right decision. I've tried to negate how the referee influences games and I didn't think he was too bad, but I suspect I am completely in the minority.

 

[Koumas’Right-Boot]

I think if this league was organised based on who played the best football “on their day” then us, Northampton and Sutton would be a few places lower..

But it’s generally based around consistency gets you promotion as we all saw last season with three very average footballing sides getting promoted.