Form for the play-offs

[Baboo]

On tonights showing I'd say we have no chance in the play-offs unless a miracle happens. Performance 2/10.
Couldn't believe Chris Wilder's comments on Jack FM.
No we didn't deserve to win.
No we didn't give it a right go.
Of course there are loads of teams who would like to swap places with us.
There are also loads of supporters who are laughing their ******** off at us. &quotTop of the league &amp ...&quot

No noticeable game plan.
Lack of movement.
Midson not starting again ?????????
Our current goal scoring record is pathetic. And of course Luton continue to bang them in for fun.

1786 for sorrow, 1787 for sorrow &amp on and on.

[Isaac]

Yes, I agree that was rather dispiriting. To be fair the conditions looked fairly terrible, but there was a lot missing that the conditions can't be excused from.

My problem with Wilder recently is that he's gone into his shell. Compare the approach currently to that we had this time last season and there's no doubt we're more conservative.

I've said it before but 4-4-2 doesn't work with the squad, however 4-5-1 we miss Murray and Potter (although he's clearly made of china). I've no problem with F Green, I think he looks a decent player but he's not a winger. Neither is Clist. So I don't think we can play 4-4-2 with those 2 on the wings because we get too narrow. To some extent we've been worked out, teams play a high defensive line against us, don't give us room in midfield and things become cramped and messy.

I suppose at a stretch we could win the playoffs, we'd be relying on Constable or Deering to pull something out of the bag at least once, as well as a more reliable defensive performance that the one tonight. Miracles can happen but at the moment I've less confident of us getting promotion this season than at any other stage.

[Old Abingdonian]

I think that is a fair assessment. I'm still not quite sure I know how players look so much worse than they did, Batt especially. I used to be a big admirer, but last night he looked vulnerable defensively (in addition to that dreadful back pass) and offered little going forward. Chapman played some good passes, but also gave the ball away too often and got caught in possession horribly. In fact, over the last few games, the only reliably good players have been Wright and Deering - or is that too harsh?

My only bizarre solace in all this is that if we were playing well, I would be thinking that we were going to freeze in the playoffs. It is quite possible that we might click just in time....

[GodalmingYellow]

A very poor performance. The conditions are the same for both teams, so not a vald excuse. It was a little windy, but did we get the ball down, or did we hoof it high into the wind? This is schoolboy stuff.

We are a much weaker side with Sandwith instead of Tonkin. The back line gets exposed over and over again with Sandwith playing.

Batt to be fair had some decent moments as well as poor moments.

Wright and creighton did OK, although Wright did make a major howler in the second half which against a better tea might have resulted in a goal. For balance he also made a major save following one of the many Sandwith cock ups.

Clist is no left winger and F Green is no footballer. There is no problem with us playing 4-4-2, but Mr Tinkerman doesn't seem to want to pick the best players in their best positions, or allow the side to become settled.

Bulmans tackling looked back to a better state, but his passing (and that o most of the oters) has become appalling. No accuracy even on passes less than 20 yards.

The passing issue is one of the biggest problems because it means we give the ball away so much.

We looked much better with Deering and Midson on, and I've lost track with the number of times it has been said, but we must start with these two.

M green was badly out of sorts. Occassionally he showed his pace, but all too often he didn't play the strikers role of chasing the defence down or going after lost causes. This is something the opposition always always do to us and regularly our back line make unforced errors as a result.

Constable ran a lot and put the effort in, should have scored a couple of times. I feel so sorry for him as he no longer gets the service that he did at the start of the season.

We're at the fag end of what is turning out to be a very disappointing season. I just hope the players ca lift themsevles for a final push in the play offs, as failure will almost certainly result in a big drop in crowds next year. Everyone bought into Wilder way, but Wilder has shown his foundations to be weak just when the storm hit, and his crown is beginning to slip.

[Long John Silver]

Agree with everything GY posted!

[theox]

I think that its amazing that, with two wins against Chester, we would be on 86 points. Burton went up last year on 88 (if memory serves?). The league has been of a much higher standard this year and three teams would have made it over 90 points if Chester points were retained. Has that ever happened before?

It seems Oxford are excellent at this sort of thing - loads of points to get relegated, loads of points to not get promoted........

However, we need to be thankful that we are in a much better position than we have been for three years. Criticism is fine but there's no point booing at games now. We're in the play-offs so we might as well enjoy (!) it and give it a right go. Hopefully, the players (and Tinkerman) will follow suit.........

[Swissbloke]

I'm with him. We're there let's enjoy it.

Yes it's frustrating but we were hoping for this in August were we not?

Also I wasn't appalled by the performance last night. It was effectively a dead rubber and there was enough about us for me to think we have hope.

Yes some passes were a little off target, but we looked solid in shape and held most of the possesion.

Earlier in the season luck was with us, passes found their way through to Beano and Greenie, the quality is there it just not coming to the surface.

Rushden and York will be two good games whichever we play and/or/if/when we come up against the Hatters we look like we could dampen Luton's strike force. A little bit of magic from one of our team and we're looking good.

[tomoufc]

A very poor performance. The conditions are the same for both teams, so not a vald excuse. It was a little windy, but did we get the ball down, or did we hoof it high into the wind? This is schoolboy stuff.

We are a much weaker side with Sandwith instead of Tonkin. The back line gets exposed over and over again with Sandwith playing.

Batt to be fair had some decent moments as well as poor moments.

Wright and creighton did OK, although Wright did make a major howler in the second half which against a better tea might have resulted in a goal. For balance he also made a major save following one of the many Sandwith cock ups.

Clist is no left winger and F Green is no footballer. There is no problem with us playing 4-4-2, but Mr Tinkerman doesn't seem to want to pick the best players in their best positions, or allow the side to become settled.

Bulmans tackling looked back to a better state, but his passing (and that o most of the oters) has become appalling. No accuracy even on passes less than 20 yards.

The passing issue is one of the biggest problems because it means we give the ball away so much.

We looked much better with Deering and Midson on, and I've lost track with the number of times it has been said, but we must start with these two.

M green was badly out of sorts. Occassionally he showed his pace, but all too often he didn't play the strikers role of chasing the defence down or going after lost causes. This is something the opposition always always do to us and regularly our back line make unforced errors as a result.

Constable ran a lot and put the effort in, should have scored a couple of times. I feel so sorry for him as he no longer gets the service that he did at the start of the season.

We're at the fag end of what is turning out to be a very disappointing season. I just hope the players ca lift themsevles for a final push in the play offs, as failure will almost certainly result in a big drop in crowds next year. Everyone bought into Wilder way, but Wilder has shown his foundations to be weak just when the storm hit, and his crown is beginning to slip.

Thanks GY for another self-fufilling prophesy

[Mally]

A very poor performance. The conditions are the same for both teams, so not a vald excuse.

Well, yes it is, as they were shit and couldn't score either which may well have been because of the conditions.

It was actually a lot better last night than some other games recently. We did at least have something like 16 shots. For example in the first half Green got through on goal 4 times -2 marginally offside and 2 good defensive tackles. A while back we wouldn't have even made those chances. The big problem though is that in the first half of the season the run would have been timed perfectly and the ball slotted away before the defence could react.

[Werthers Original]

It was rubbish though, wasn't it? Really cold and really boring. Cambridge were the very definition of mediocrity but at least they had a nippy chap on the left wing who got some crosses in. Every team but us seems to have such a player.

[GodalmingYellow]

A very poor performance. The conditions are the same for both teams, so not a vald excuse.

Well, yes it is, as they were shit and couldn't score either which may well have been because of the conditions.

It was actually a lot better last night than some other games recently. We did at least have something like 16 shots. For example in the first half Green got through on goal 4 times -2 marginally offside and 2 good defensive tackles. A while back we wouldn't have even made those chances. The big problem though is that in the first half of the season the run would have been timed perfectly and the ball slotted away before the defence could react.

Well with Cambridge significantly lower in the table than us, there's a pretty decent argument that says the conditions affected both teams, but we didn't make our supposed superior talent work for us. Cambridge being a poor side coped with the conditions in accordance with their abilities, wheras we didn't. This reflects the huge slide in our form under Tinkerman.

[tomoufc]

GY if you want Wilder out just say so. Stop attempting to sow the seeds of doubt.

[Baboo]

I didn't think Cambridge were poor but were there for the taking by a decent team - which on current form we blatantly are not. We might have had x no. of shots at goal but how many times did we actually look like scoring? 10 goals scored in 11 games since that magical display against Wimbledon.
Thought the defence looked quite dodgy - Creighton kept getting pulled out wide which is not good.

[Snake]

GY if you want Wilder out just say so. Stop attempting to sow the seeds of doubt.

I suggest that you may be better off going on TiU for a short while then come back on here when you've got the hang of things.

No offence intended as all half-decent posters are welcome on here.

[tomoufc]

GY if you want Wilder out just say so. Stop attempting to sow the seeds of doubt.

I suggest that you may be better off going on TiU for a short while then come back on here when you've got the hang of things.

No offence intended as all half-decent posters are welcome on here.

Sorry yes.

A terrible, terrible man. Wilder really dosn't know how to manage a football team. I am obviously well qualified to advise him of this because of all my years of armchair complaining.