Peterborough United (H) League 1 Saturday 11/10/08.

[Plastic Hawk]

Well, that was pretty rubbish!!

Peterborough wanted it much more and that told. They were excellent going forward, the keeper looked top drawer for this division (although not really tested enough) and the defence held up much better than anticipated for having so many players missing. However, they weren't so good that we couldn't have won with a proper performance - the two home games that we've lost this season (and I believe Crewe was much the same) have been the two in which we've been outworked. We're a decent side when we're at our best, but we haven't got the pace or the subtlety to break down teams when we give them a chance to set themselves for our attacks. We need to press early all over the pitch to try to win the ball back high up the park. Today we weren't interested in doing that.

Of course, the problem is compounded when you give a goal away so early (for the second time in a week) and the opposition can afford to sit back and make sure that they're solid at the back throughout.

Can anyone tell me why Ibehre was Man of the Match today? He was totally ineffective - hardly won a ball in the air all day and when he got it into his feet he gave it away every time. Ricketts was getting stick from the crowd, but he won his share of flick-ons (not that anyone got on the end of them) and did generally retain possession when given the ball. He wasn't good, but he was better than Ibehre.

Palmer seems to be playing solely for set piece delivery. Yes, Roberts dived in for the first goal when he shouldn't have done (a mistake every bit as bad as the one Smith was slaughtered for against Orient - and coming on top of an equally poor effort at Cheltenham) but Palmer does no defending at all, so you can see why Roberts feels he has to go so far out there to try to make a challenge early. Gerrard and Boertien were generally solid (and Gilmartin was fine - despite the moron on WM after the game trying to blame him for the first goal!).

In midfield, Reich was dreadful. Given a chance to re-establish himself he offered absolutely nothing. Ishmel should come back in next week. Taundry worked hard again and was neat and tidy. But he's not much of a threat going forward unless the defence are stretched. Probably a good option in away games, but we need someone who can make the full back think a bit more at home. Mattis looked decent again in the middle and Hughes did his job, but both are better at orchestrating things from fairly deep and need effective wingers and strikers to help them out.

[WFC_Rob]

Poor team selection from the start and a complete lack of options on the bench showed just how weak our squad is.

When you've got a goalkeeper who clearly does nothing to give his defence any confidence (not necessarily his fault - he's just not really good enough), you need your best defenders on the pitch. Palmer isn't a defender - that speaks for itself.
Their first goal came from a combination of a really good piece of skill from Mackill-Smith, an over committed challenge by Roberts which completely missed the ball and the man, and pure weak defending by Palmer. Talk about giving yourselves an uphill struggle.

We had the odd glimpse of hope, but so did they. Gerrard and Jabo both hit the bar from the same corner within the space of about 5 seconds. Ishmel hit a rocket which was on target but always a not-too-difficult save for Lewis, as did Jabo. That said, they hit the post twice.

I genuinely believe that the spine of the team is more than capable. It's the rest that concerns me. We have nothing in terms of attacking threat on either wing. Reich is a skilful player but doesn't get involved enough, whilst Taundry is probably the opposite. Then we come to the fullbacks. Boertein looked to me like he was playing himself back into form with some solid defending and good distribution. He was arguably one of our best 2 players and got taken off. I dont think Mullen fancies him one bit. As said earlier, Palmer just isn't a defender so it's all the more frustrating when he smahes 70 yard passes onto a defenders head.

They looked poor at the back. Lee (number 6) looked about a foot shorter than both of our strikers but all he ever had to do was hoof the ball as far as he could.
Whilst they looked very sharp in and around the box - something they obviously work on in training, we looked all huff and puff with no threat. Our limit is that we're set up to be fit and strong defensively. Once we end up chasing a game, it becomes a struggle.

[chase saddler]

For me Weston should have started, he is more solid than Palmer and better going forward IMHO.
I think it unfair of Mullen to slate Roberts for the 1st goal, Palmer should have dealt with it before then. As in the Orient game the rest of the back four get pulled across to cover Palmer and it leaves holes.
As for the 1st goal who was the Moron on WM who said Gilmartin was at fault? Get a grip man.
On the subject of Morons on WM what dipstick said that Taundry was awful today? He was one of the few who looked interested.

I didn't think the Posh were a good footballing side at all, they came to spoil the game and succeeded in the plan thanks to a gormless ref who did nothing to stop the pushing, holding shirt pulling etc., that said we could have showed more fight, what happened to the Brighton spirit?

Marco Reich I quite like but he had a bit of a mare today.
Nicholls showed some fight when he came on, but should have been bought on sooner. As for Deeney, a year ago I thought he showed promise, but he doesn't seem to have moved on, quite the opposite in fact. We definately need more options up front and it ain't Deeney.

Bring on next week, 2 0 to the Saddlers.

[geoffwhiting]

ive said it before and i'll say it agen taundry is good enough yet!!! why does he keep playing him.

Could you just read your post carefully please b_r_n_w, and then clarify what you meant by it? :?

[King Crimson]

On the subject of Morons on WM what dipstick said that Taundry was awful today? He was one of the few who looked interested.

Taundry ran and ran all afternoon, but he contributed very little in my opinion. Chased balls he was never going to get, dwelt on the ball when in possession and got caught time and again. He seems to be immune from substitution. He was much better when switched to right back. That's really his position in my view. I found it strange that the best right back at the club was on the bench, the second best in midfield and the third best (a midfielder) starting at right back. For me, Weston should play at right back when possible, and if you want to play Palmer, play him in front of Weston.

As for the rest, hard to pick a MoM today. Mattis worked hard and delivered some excellent passes and also made some crucial covering tackles. Gilmartin doesn't fill me with confidence, Reich has skill but no pace (stick him behind the front two?), Hughes was OK, Ishmel, Gerrard, likewise, thought Boertien was one of our better players until he was taken off, Roberts and Palmer made mistakes, and Jabo and Ricketts couldn't exploit the opportunities (Lee in particular) mentioned already.

A bad day at the office perhaps. I thought the second goal was critical. We really looked like we could still come back during the first half, but that made the task almost impossible.

[Wyrley_saddler]

Gilmartin was at fault for both goals in my opinion, but he wasn't the only one at fault. First one, great first save, got back up, to watch the header go over him. He should of saved it, extremely bad goalkeeping, Ince would have saved it. However poor defending to let Boro get in that position.

Second goal, Ince would have saved that all day long, where as Gilmartin got nowhere near it. Poor positioning from him cost us. However no one closed the player down, which led to the shot.


Taundry was my man of the match. He was superb for 90% of the match.

[saddlerken]

Gilmartin was at fault for both goals in my opinion, but he wasn't the only one at fault. First one, great first save, got back up, to watch the header go over him. He should of saved it, extremely bad goalkeeping, Ince would have saved it. However poor defending to let Boro get in that position.

Second goal, Ince would have saved that all day long, where as Gilmartin got nowhere near it. Poor positioning from him cost us. However no one closed the player down, which led to the shot.


Taundry was my man of the match. He was superb for 90% of the match.

Where were you watching the game? From the car park or from a plane at 37000 feet?

[King Crimson]

Gilmartin was at fault for both goals in my opinion, but he wasn't the only one at fault. First one, great first save, got back up, to watch the header go over him. He should of saved it, extremely bad goalkeeping, Ince would have saved it. However poor defending to let Boro get in that position.

Second goal, Ince would have saved that all day long, where as Gilmartin got nowhere near it. Poor positioning from him cost us. However no one closed the player down, which led to the shot.


Taundry was my man of the match. He was superb for 90% of the match.

Where were you watching the game? From the car park or from a plane at 37000 feet?

Not sure, but he wasn't near me either. I must have been sat with you ken.

xx

[addo]

I thought it was just me.

I was surprised that Taundry wasn't substituted at half time.

[addo]

I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else but I thought that a deliberate foul committed by the last defender when an attacker is going through on goal is a red card offence - not a yellow.

From my viewpoint in the family stand Jabo was pulled back by the last man.

[Stu]

Predictable, one paced and one dimensional. That was like watching Walsall post-January last season.

A complete role reversal from the Carlisle match where we were quick, attacking and clever. We obviously went in with a game plan that recognised Posh's pace and movement, so we decided to sit deeper (at least deeper than we did at home to Carlisle) but that only helped them I though. We just let them knock the ball about and their movement was always going to lead to something being created. It also meant that with what must be the slowest midfield quartet in the world starting, our strikers were completely isolated and you could see the frustration in the pair of them, espeically the 2nd half.

I still maintain Taundry isn't a wide midfield player and we still have the problem I said last week, which is that when you do that, everyone knows you only offer an attacking threat down one flank and Reich was bored yesterday. So we resulted to hoof hoof hoof, if we'd have two wingers, you'd at least have had an alternative option.

The subs were crazy, I really didn't get them. It meant we ended up with a suspect right back playing left back with a left winger in front who can't defend, a 'generic' midfielder playing right back (which we know he struggled with last season) and a striker (term used loosely) playing wide right. Work that one out!!!

As for all the pre-match concern with Gilmartin, I thought two back pass clearances aside, he looked adequate. I don't blame him for either goal, the first was a good save and there was no follow up from our defence, the 2nd he looked unsighted as we let them a clear shot on goal. He made a couple of decent saves, claimed a couple of decent crosses. More than capable of being a back up keeper based on that performance.

I think once again it emphasis the need for another striker and possibly the use of 2 wingers. We've scored 16 in 10 league games, 5 came in 1, so thats 11 in the other 9, a little over 1 a game and we've proven we can't keep a clean sheet.

[Duke]

Classic case of an opposing manager doing his home work ,Our main attacking threat all season has been Jabo
Darren Ferguson knew exactly how to handle our No9,what's worrying is we had very little else to offer.
Far to many long balls very little build up play.
Palmer had a nightmare very often caught out of of position and offered nothing going forward
Hughes and Mattis never got to grips in the middle,Mackail-Smith caused our defence no end of problems all afternoon.
Cannot understand why many are having a go at Taundry for me he was easily our MOTM. Full of running and good distribution.

A bad day at the office not helped by my stinking head cold,that said Peterborough are the best side to visit the Banks's to date

[Neil Ravenscroft]

I haven't done a match report - I'm still fuming so much. Thar was NOT down to individual players, although I'd agree Palmer was pretty dreadful, but down to pathetic tactics, the inability to change the said tactics when things were going pear shaped and some, quite frankly quite inexplicable substitutions. Iberhe off? Ishy ON THE RIGHT!!!!!, Boertien off instead of the defensive liability Palmer, Roberts pushed up front instead of, if we were going three at the back, him being replaced by a forward!!!!!!!!!!!

They played with a five foot eight centre half and our first cross from the by line came after 40 minutes, from a centre forward! If ever there was a game to hit the byline and get the crosses in, then this was it, instead of which, we play a central midfielder and a number ten on the flanks, neither of which looked like going past their man on the outside all afternoon.

Quite frankly, I'm beginning to think what Richard Money might have done with as talented a first eleven.

Oh, by the way, Gilmartin was not at fault with either goal, and, considering he made two good saves and they hit the woodwork twice, we were lucky it wasn't five or six.

[Stu]

Classic case of an opposing manager doing his home work ,Our main attacking threat all season has been Jabo
Darren Ferguson knew exactly how to handle our No9,what's worrying is we had very little else to offer.

I think that says more possibly about our lack of attacking options than it does Ferguson. They were playing without their 4 recognised centre halves... Zakuani, Evans, Blackett and Westwood...

Kieran Charnock is a non-league centre half playing only his 2nd game of the season and Charlie Lee is a midfielder on loan from Spurs. Jabo and Ricketts should have battered those two, regardless of how bad the service was. The amount of times we lost out in the air amazed me.

As for having nothing else to offer. A lot of folk have been saying that since day one.

[Whitti Steve]

I haven't done a match report - I'm still fuming so much. Thar was NOT down to individual players, although I'd agree Palmer was pretty dreadful, but down to pathetic tactics, the inability to change the said tactics when things were going pear shaped and some, quite frankly quite inexplicable substitutions. Iberhe off? Ishy ON THE RIGHT!!!!!, Boertien off instead of the defensive liability Palmer, Roberts pushed up front instead of, if we were going three at the back, him being replaced by a forward!!!!!!!!!!!

They played with a five foot eight centre half and our first cross from the by line came after 40 minutes, from a centre forward! If ever there was a game to hit the byline and get the crosses in, then this was it, instead of which, we play a central midfielder and a number ten on the flanks, neither of which looked like going past their man on the outside all afternoon.

Quite frankly, I'm beginning to think what Richard Money might have done with as talented a first eleven.

Oh, by the way, Gilmartin was not at fault with either goal, and, considering he made two good saves and they hit the woodwork twice, we were lucky it wasn't five or six.

Way too harsh considering recent results. Sure, we were poor yesterday, but Mullens "style" of football over recent weeks has been far more entertaining than Dicky Dulls. You missed the best home performance and Brizzle Rovers we were great too. I never thought I would be the one saying this.... but give Mullen a chance before wishing negativity back on us again.

[Duke]

Classic case of an opposing manager doing his home work ,Our main attacking threat all season has been Jabo
Darren Ferguson knew exactly how to handle our No9,what's worrying is we had very little else to offer.

I think that says more possibly about our lack of attacking options than it does Ferguson. They were playing without their 4 recognised centre halves... Zakuani, Evans, Blackett and Westwood...

Kieran Charnock is a non-league centre half playing only his 2nd game of the season and Charlie Lee is a midfielder on loan from Spurs. Jabo and Ricketts should have battered those two, regardless of how bad the service was. The amount of times we lost out in the air amazed me.

As for having nothing else to offer. A lot of folk have been saying that since day one.

We offered a lot more of an attacking threat against Carlisle.
Neil is spot on you have question the managers tactics ,Ferguson was spot on,Mullen was again found wanting.
One thing i admired DD for was his ability to change things around ,our current manager falls short in that
department

[Neil Ravenscroft]

I haven't done a match report - I'm still fuming so much. Thar was NOT down to individual players, although I'd agree Palmer was pretty dreadful, but down to pathetic tactics, the inability to change the said tactics when things were going pear shaped and some, quite frankly quite inexplicable substitutions. Iberhe off? Ishy ON THE RIGHT!!!!!, Boertien off instead of the defensive liability Palmer, Roberts pushed up front instead of, if we were going three at the back, him being replaced by a forward!!!!!!!!!!!

They played with a five foot eight centre half and our first cross from the by line came after 40 minutes, from a centre forward! If ever there was a game to hit the byline and get the crosses in, then this was it, instead of which, we play a central midfielder and a number ten on the flanks, neither of which looked like going past their man on the outside all afternoon.

Quite frankly, I'm beginning to think what Richard Money might have done with as talented a first eleven.

Oh, by the way, Gilmartin was not at fault with either goal, and, considering he made two good saves and they hit the woodwork twice, we were lucky it wasn't five or six.

Way too harsh considering recent results. Sure, we were poor yesterday, but Mullens "style" of football over recent weeks has been far more entertaining than Dicky Dulls. You missed the best home performance and Brizzle Rovers we were great too. I never thought I would be the one saying this.... but give Mullen a chance before wishing negativity back on us again.

I have - and his TEAM has been found wanting too often. He needs a proper first team coach who knows what he's doing - one with the sort of tactical nous Money has.

[Whitti Steve]

How many games have you seen under Mullen?

[Neil Ravenscroft]

Come on, Steve. He doesn't know how to change tactics once a game is underway and doesn't react to the opposition. When he makes changes, it's personnel, not the way of playing. It's there in virtually every game. I don't necessarily blame him, either, but I do wonder what the first team coach is doing.

[Mike T.]

On the subject of Morons on WM what dipstick said that Taundry was awful today? He was one of the few who looked interested.

Taundry ran and ran all afternoon, but he contributed very little in my opinion. Chased balls he was never going to get, dwelt on the ball when in possession and got caught time and again. He seems to be immune from substitution. He was much better when switched to right back. That's really his position in my view. I found it strange that the best right back at the club was on the bench, the second best in midfield and the third best (a midfielder) starting at right back. For me, Weston should play at right back when possible, and if you want to play Palmer, play him in front of Weston.

As for the rest, hard to pick a MoM today. Mattis worked hard and delivered some excellent passes and also made some crucial covering tackles. Gilmartin doesn't fill me with confidence, Reich has skill but no pace (stick him behind the front two?), Hughes was OK, Ishmel, Gerrard, likewise, thought Boertien was one of our better players until he was taken off, Roberts and Palmer made mistakes, and Jabo and Ricketts couldn't exploit the opportunities (Lee in particular) mentioned already.

A bad day at the office perhaps. I thought the second goal was critical. We really looked like we could still come back during the first half, but that made the task almost impossible.

I agree KC - for me it was the second goal that was the killer, just before half time. We never played in the second half or even got going. If I recall correctly there were a couple of "injuries" immediately we kicked off with both medical men on in quick succession. It was start - stop - start - stop and there was never any momentum in our play.

Whilst Jabo has been fantastic all season to date - I thought yesterday was his least effective performance. The ball did not seem to stick at all and for me him and Michael Ricketts were too far apart and never played as a unit so to speak. Whether that was the lack of service from wide or midfield I am not sure. I wasn't at the Orient game so this was the most disappointing performance at home for me this season.

Finally the quickest Marco moved all afternoon was when he was substituted - somebody said in one of the threads a while ago Ishy needs to be given a run of games (rather than the last 15 minutes as sub) and a decision made if he has his temper under control and deserves another contract. I tend to agree and feel now is the time.

[Plastic Hawk]

Come on, Steve. He doesn't know how to change tactics once a game is underway and doesn't react to the opposition. When he makes changes, it's personnel, not the way of playing. It's there in virtually every game. I don't necessarily blame him, either, but I do wonder what the first team coach is doing.

Spot on. Mullen hasn't shown any sign of having a "plan B" if things go wrong or of being able to make game-changing subs (although that's partly down to the thinness of his squad). He's been excellent in the transfer market, in building up team spirit and in developing a pattern of play that is good enough to beat most team in this division. But if we want to finish in the 1st-4th bracket, rather than in the 5th-8th then we need more.

[Ned_Kelly]

Come on, Steve. He doesn't know how to change tactics once a game is underway and doesn't react to the opposition. When he makes changes, it's personnel, not the way of playing. It's there in virtually every game. I don't necessarily blame him, either, but I do wonder what the first team coach is doing.

Spot on. Mullen hasn't shown any sign of having a "plan B" if things go wrong or of being able to make game-changing subs (although that's partly down to the thinness of his squad). He's been excellent in the transfer market, in building up team spirit and in developing a pattern of play that is good enough to beat most team in this division. But if we want to finish in the 1st-4th bracket, rather than in the 5th-8th then we need more.

How much any of that is really down to JM, only time will tell :wink:

[Stu]

Classic case of an opposing manager doing his home work ,Our main attacking threat all season has been Jabo
Darren Ferguson knew exactly how to handle our No9,what's worrying is we had very little else to offer.

I think that says more possibly about our lack of attacking options than it does Ferguson. They were playing without their 4 recognised centre halves... Zakuani, Evans, Blackett and Westwood...

Kieran Charnock is a non-league centre half playing only his 2nd game of the season and Charlie Lee is a midfielder on loan from Spurs. Jabo and Ricketts should have battered those two, regardless of how bad the service was. The amount of times we lost out in the air amazed me.

As for having nothing else to offer. A lot of folk have been saying that since day one.

We offered a lot more of an attacking threat against Carlisle.
Neil is spot on you have question the managers tactics ,Ferguson was spot on,Mullen was again found wanting.
One thing i admired DD for was his ability to change things around ,our current manager falls short in that
department

Because Plan A worked, that's why. When Plan A doesn't work, you get Crewe, Orient, Hereford and Posh performances. That doesn't mean you don't need further options up front. In all fairness to JM, there isn't really much he can do to impact a game because our bench is full of young kids. The only player we've got on the bench who you genuinely feel can change a game if you need to is Ishmel, and for whatever reason, the manager doesn't see fit to give him the run of games that he is prepared to give other players.

[Plastic Hawk]

Come on, Steve. He doesn't know how to change tactics once a game is underway and doesn't react to the opposition. When he makes changes, it's personnel, not the way of playing. It's there in virtually every game. I don't necessarily blame him, either, but I do wonder what the first team coach is doing.

Spot on. Mullen hasn't shown any sign of having a "plan B" if things go wrong or of being able to make game-changing subs (although that's partly down to the thinness of his squad). He's been excellent in the transfer market, in building up team spirit and in developing a pattern of play that is good enough to beat most team in this division. But if we want to finish in the 1st-4th bracket, rather than in the 5th-8th then we need more.

How much any of that is really down to JM, only time will tell :wink:

True, but there are some perverse decisions that he's made about players that have the effect of making our squad look thinner than it really is.

Playing Weston would put Palmer (or possibly Taundry) on the bench to come on and change the game. Playing Boertien ahead of Sansara earlier in the season would have seen him back to full form sooner. Not ignoring Bradley would give us an extra option (Bradley ought to be behind Mattis and Hughes, but not so far behind as he's been this season). Making some more substitutions in pre-season games would have led to us having more than 11 match-fit players for the first three or four games of the season (the situation with Roberts - unable to play 90 minutes at first - and Smith - not given an adequate pre-season to deputize - in particular, cost us).

[Whitti Steve]

I take the points on his substitutions being "odd". I also wonder about his changing of the game, my problem Neil was with you wondering what Dicky Dull would do with this team... the answer is make it more defensive, which was, as most will admit, Dull. I am yet to be convinced of JM and as others have said, only time will tell - but thus far, the style of play has been much more entertaining (especially when you have seen the game I am eluding to :wink: you didn;t answer my question Mr R!)

[Jockey]

I haven't done a match report - I'm still fuming so much. Thar was NOT down to individual players, although I'd agree Palmer was pretty dreadful, but down to pathetic tactics, the inability to change the said tactics when things were going pear shaped and some, quite frankly quite inexplicable substitutions. Iberhe off? Ishy ON THE RIGHT!!!!!, Boertien off instead of the defensive liability Palmer, Roberts pushed up front instead of, if we were going three at the back, him being replaced by a forward!!!!!!!!!!!

They played with a five foot eight centre half and our first cross from the by line came after 40 minutes, from a centre forward! If ever there was a game to hit the byline and get the crosses in, then this was it, instead of which, we play a central midfielder and a number ten on the flanks, neither of which looked like going past their man on the outside all afternoon.

Quite frankly, I'm beginning to think what Richard Money might have done with as talented a first eleven.

Oh, by the way, Gilmartin was not at fault with either goal, and, considering he made two good saves and they hit the woodwork twice, we were lucky it wasn't five or six.

Way too harsh considering recent results. Sure, we were poor yesterday, but Mullens "style" of football over recent weeks has been far more entertaining than Dicky Dulls. You missed the best home performance and Brizzle Rovers we were great too. I never thought I would be the one saying this.... but give Mullen a chance before wishing negativity back on us again.

I have - and his TEAM has been found wanting too often. He needs a proper first team coach who knows what he's doing - one with the sort of tactical nous Money has.

Jeez. Are you for real? Some of our play under Mullen has been 10 times better than some of the dross under Dicky. Yesterday and like Hereford beforehand, we werent too clever but I have been impressed so far and wont let two poor performances deter me.

BTW we played quite well at Cheltenham, between these two performances also.

[WFC_Rob]

In all fairness to JM, there isn't really much he can do to impact a game because our bench is full of young kids. The only player we've got on the bench who you genuinely feel can change a game if you need to is Ishmel, and for whatever reason, the manager doesn't see fit to give him the run of games that he is prepared to give other players.

I agree. Plan B is non-existant and that's not helped by the fact that it doesn't look like we do a lot in training other than hard work and fitness.
Maybe Ishmel isn't given the chance he deserves. Or maybe part of Mullen's ethos is to keep him as our one and only plan B. That's certainly the way it looks to me.

The frustration for me is that the spine of the team is all sorted. It's the wide positions where we are weak. And once Mullen sticks to Weston & Boertein at full back, the extent of that problem is halved. I'm starting to think we need to make a signing to play on the right of midield as no-one else looks like being anything other than a stop-gap there.

[Stu]

In all fairness to JM, there isn't really much he can do to impact a game because our bench is full of young kids. The only player we've got on the bench who you genuinely feel can change a game if you need to is Ishmel, and for whatever reason, the manager doesn't see fit to give him the run of games that he is prepared to give other players.

I agree. Plan B is non-existant and that's not helped by the fact that it doesn't look like we do a lot in training other than hard work and fitness.
Maybe Ishmel isn't given the chance he deserves. Or maybe part of Mullen's ethos is to keep him as our one and only plan B. That's certainly the way it looks to me.

The frustration for me is that the spine of the team is all sorted. It's the wide positions where we are weak. And once Mullen sticks to Weston & Boertein at full back, the extent of that problem is halved. I'm starting to think we need to make a signing to play on the right of midield as no-one else looks like being anything other than a stop-gap there.

I think the answer to the right wing is already at the club, that being Chris Palmer possibly. We've tried Nicholls, Taundry, Deeney, Reich and Ishmel there so far, Palmer is the only who we haven't given a shot there yet, and with Weston now back, I'd like to see Weston at right back with Palmer wide right. I'd also like to see Ishy allowed to start a run of games wide left, and see us play with two proper wide men who can both beat a man, both deliver a ball and both have genuine pace.

[Duke]

Classic case of an opposing manager doing his home work ,Our main attacking threat all season has been Jabo
Darren Ferguson knew exactly how to handle our No9,what's worrying is we had very little else to offer.

I think that says more possibly about our lack of attacking options than it does Ferguson. They were playing without their 4 recognised centre halves... Zakuani, Evans, Blackett and Westwood...

Kieran Charnock is a non-league centre half playing only his 2nd game of the season and Charlie Lee is a midfielder on loan from Spurs. Jabo and Ricketts should have battered those two, regardless of how bad the service was. The amount of times we lost out in the air amazed me.

As for having nothing else to offer. A lot of folk have been saying that since day one.

We offered a lot more of an attacking threat against Carlisle.
Neil is spot on you have question the managers tactics ,Ferguson was spot on,Mullen was again found wanting.
One thing i admired DD for was his ability to change things around ,our current manager falls short in that
department

Because Plan A worked, that's why. When Plan A doesn't work, you get Crewe, Orient, Hereford and Posh performances. That doesn't mean you need further options up front. In all fairness to JM, there isn't really much he can do to impact a game because our bench is full of young kids. The only player we've got on the bench who you genuinely feel can change a game if you need to is Ishmel, and for whatever reason, the manager doesn't see fit to give him the run of games that he is prepared to give other players.

He Mullen could try and get the ball down and play use the width of the pitch as we did against Carlisle instead of the constant hopeful hoof forward football we witnessed yesterday.
We have a first team coach what input is he having .

[King Crimson]

I think the answer to the right wing is already at the club, that being Chris Palmer possibly. We've tried Nicholls, Taundry, Deeney, Reich and Ishmel there so far, Palmer is the only who we haven't given a shot there yet, and with Weston now back, I'd like to see Weston at right back with Palmer wide right.

Absolutely. For me it was the obvious choice from the start yesterday, but it was blindingly so after we'd been mauled for 40 minutes down that flank.