Crewe Alexandra (H) League One Tues 11 Mar, 7.45pm

[Jolly Johnny]

How long before Smith says he proud of the lads for getting a late equaliser and battling till the very end?

And if Lalkovic's shot that hit the bar had gone it, it would have been a different story...yada yada yada...

so hitting the bar and scoring an own goal excuses the previous 92 minutes? brilliant.

Exactly. It is what managers seem programmed to say these days!

[JonnyOwen]

I don't like criticizing players but McQuilkin did more offensively in 10 minutes than Featherstone did in 3 games.

Also, don't get me wrong, I love this whole total football/sexy football thing we have been doing for the past 2 seasons. But isn't it funny that we created A LOT more chances in the final 5 minutes when we dumped that and played hoofball? Shows we completely lack imagination at the moment.

[gray]

A poor result? Yes

But we stopped the losing streak and even better Pboro lost and look at their fixtures coming up

MK Dons (A)
Rotherham (H)
Preston (A)
Colchester (H)
Wolves (A)

they also have the JPT final. It's not inconceivable that the only get 5 points from that lot. If we get 10 from our next 4 games, it's very much game on.

Of course the big worry at the moment is the lack of urgency we seem to display. 10 pts seems very optimistic

Sammy Mantom's back on Saturday though. There's still hope. :D

The problem is that now we've allowed the chasing pack to catch up it's not just Peterboroughs results we need to go our way.

The one thing that is keeping any hope alive is that Peterborough are doing as badly as us at the moment. Losing at home to Bristol City who had 10 men is pretty bad and the run they've got coming up is tough. We're not going to do anything unless we get out of this awful run quickly though and now we need to be looking more At MK Dons and Sheffield United I think.

[bleed_red_n_white]

Dare I say this because of a possible backlash but....

Has dean Smith taken us as far as he can?

I think so :(

[JonnyOwen]

Dare I say this because of a possible backlash but....

Has dean Smith taken us as far as he can?

I think so :(

To me that is an over reaction, he can take us further.

[philthesaddler]

That was woeful. And like I said during the match, as bad as anything served up by Hutchings.

It was one of those games where the back 4 end up passing it back and forth amongst themselves before hoofing it to the smallest man on the pitch, losing it and ending up defending.

It was just dreadful - the keeper didn't have to make a single save, even the goal we scored was an own goal. We were playing at walking pace, no movement, no passion, nothing.

I have no worries about losing Dean Smith to another club, because he is proving just how inept he is at changing a teams fortunes, either during a match, or during a poor run.

- Westcarr was atrocious, barely broke in to a sweat.
- Featherstone was very poor, always needing one too many touches.
- Sawyers was dreadful, just couldn't be bothered. Trying little flicks that he knew full well wouldn't come off, and just generally disinterested.
- Brandy ran his socks off, but as soon as he gets the ball, the whole team now stands still, leaving him fighting the world like the little one off of Scooby Doo.
- Purkiss needs 3 touches before he can do anything, as does Ngoo.

Just dreadful. 8 games without a win, 5 goals in that time. Season is over, so I'd rather see Smith try and change our fortunes, but he's not.

It's all the more frustrating when you know what some of these players are capable of - which is what makes me wonder whether something has gone on behind the scenes. At least Smith has achieved a first - I personally have never known a season to have such highs (beating Sheffield Utd, beating Wolves, destroying Peterborough etc) and then have such dire lows like tonight. You couldn't imagine this team taking Peterborough apart on the evidence of tonight, it's a totally different team and Smith has to take the blame for that.

[IHTC.]

Dare I say this because of a possible backlash but....

Has dean Smith taken us as far as he can?

I think so :(

To me that is an over reaction, he can take us further.

Not so sure, when the going gets tough (which it will with most teams at some point, especially with kids and freebies) he seems to lack ideas on how to change things. But having said that give me Smith over the likes of Doghead and Mullen anyday of the week.

[longdogs]

Lamentable.

[bleed_red_n_white]

Dare I say this because of a possible backlash but....

Has dean Smith taken us as far as he can?

I think so :(

To me that is an over reaction, he can take us further.

Not so sure, when the going gets tough (which it will with most teams at some point, especially with kids and freebies) he seems to lack ideas on how to change things. But having said that give me Smith over the likes of Doghead and Mullen anyday of the week.

Is it an overeaction though?

We havent played well for weeks, we are gradually getting worse and worse

Wolves last week was a great example, this team at the start of the season would not of rolled over like we did on Saturday, in a sense im glad because if we did win the play offs and with the way we can raise our game for the big occassion thats definate possibility, Teams in the championship would take us too the cleaners it would do more damage than good.

Im very dissapointed in the manner the team seems to have just given up.

[philthesaddler]

I don't like criticizing players but McQuilkin did more offensively in 10 minutes than Featherstone did in 3 games.

Also, don't get me wrong, I love this whole total football/sexy football thing we have been doing for the past 2 seasons. But isn't it funny that we created A LOT more chances in the final 5 minutes when we dumped that and played hoofball? Shows we completely lack imagination at the moment.

I dont know what it is.

The players just cannot be bothered. It's not as though we're trying and failing to play the football we've seen for the first half this season - we're not even getting that far.

Our tactic now is:

1) give the ball to Brandy,
2) stand still,
3) hope Brandy does something,
4) Go back to 1)

In a way, signing Brandy has been a bad move because it's turned the whole team in to lazy bar stewards.

[Cully]

Absolutely dire performance, worse than Saturday and as bad as last seasons slump............DLDLLLLD - PERIOD

[philthesaddler]

Dare I say this because of a possible backlash but....

Has dean Smith taken us as far as he can?

I think so :(

To me that is an over reaction, he can take us further.

Not so sure, when the going gets tough (which it will with most teams at some point, especially with kids and freebies) he seems to lack ideas on how to change things. But having said that give me Smith over the likes of Doghead and Mullen anyday of the week.

Is it an overeaction though?

We havent played well for weeks, we are gradually getting worse and worse

Wolves last week was a great example, this team at the start of the season would not of rolled over like we did on Saturday, in a sense im glad because if we did win the play offs and with the way we can raise our game for the big occassion thats definate possibility, Teams in the championship would take us too the cleaners it would do more damage than good.

Im very dissapointed in the manner the team seems to have just given up.

So am I, and I dont get it.

Just watch the body language of Sawyers, Westcarr, Lalkovic, Chambers, Butler - they've all thought sod it.

Did no one else notice how we barely got close to them tonight? Barely put a tackle in? It was like an effin friendly. Thats not bad form, that's being lazy.

[philthesaddler]

The fact that throughout his tenure he seems to have the inability to quickly arrest a slide is also evidence that he lacks a good jacksons.

Correct, he just cannot change it can he?

When we play well we are terrific - but even during those times we come up against sides that we just can't outplay (Rotherham for example) when a plan B is desperately needed. Smith just doesn't know how to change it.

Full credit for the terrific football we play, but so far it's got us absolutely nowhere in the league.

[tinned]

Absolute crap, utter barclays. If I read tomorrow that Smith was happy with the performance blah, blah, blah, I think U may blow a fuse.

I'm a long way for calling for his head but I think a nearly team is the limit of his abilities.

Andy_Petterson, you take optimism to a new level. I can't see where the next goal is coming from, let alone a play off charge :?

[pumajaguar]

Dire performance against poor opposition. Endless amounts of sideways and backwards passing, no urgency and very few chances created. I thought Crewe were very poor and they resorted to blatant time wasting the second they went a goal up.

Positives:
Brandy was the only attacker with any sense of urgency and easily our best player, he was getting minimal support however.
Good cameo from McQuilkin who added some much needed energy
Chambers was decent at centre back

Negatives:
Westcarr had one of his worst games in a long time
Featherstone was poor, a master of the sideways and backwards pass, but has very little influence on the game in either an attacking or defensive capacity
As good a job as Dean Smith has done with us, it's becoming clear that he really struggles when getting a team out of a rut. I think he struggles when Plan A goes wrong in general, as I can't think of many games we're we've gone behind but then turned it round thanks to subs or a tactical change etc.

[BAKOGEN?]

has ngoo upset the applecart? it seems since he came our form has nose dived. or is it......mmmmmm?????

[Andy_Petterson]

Absolute crap, utter barclays. If I read tomorrow that Smith was happy with the performance blah, blah, blah, I think U may blow a fuse.

I'm a long way for calling for his head but I think a nearly team is the limit of his abilities.

Andy_Petterson, you take optimism to a new level. I can't see where the next goal is coming from, let alone a play off charge :?

But football's like that isn't it. Things suddenly click. Other teams suddenly turn gash.

Maybe Sam Mantom is more important to the side than any of us realise. Remember it wasn't until he joined last season that we went from that dire losing run to the incredible winning run.

All I'm saying is that it's too early to write off the season yet. And us fans should be letting the players know we expect them to fight for every point.

[deanonev69]

Can't believe people still think there is a play-off chance based on the last few weeks. That was dire tonight and we looked clueless going forward at times.

Only two who can be pleased with their performance are Brandy and Taylor and I doubt either will be with us come start of next season.

[tinned]

Keep convincing yourself Andy. We'm cack and I'm so glad we're so close to 50 points. We don't look like we're interested in attempting to score, let alone go on a winning run. We're a spent force.

[Andy_Petterson]

Keep convincing yourself Andy. We'm eartha and I'm so glad we're so close to 50 points. We don't look like we're interested in attempting to score, let alone go on a winning run. We're a spent force.

But surely you can see if that mentality is transmitted to the players. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The players have had a tough few weeks combined with little luck. They are probably a bit knackered which may explain tonights performance.

The supporters should do their bit and try to give them a lift. It may ultimately make no difference, but I'd rather try than not.

Here's hoping for a good turn out and performance from fans and players at Rotherham. Hope you can make it Tinned.

[m&m]

If we can somehow achieve 3 more points to ensure safety ( a big if!) we should work towards next seasons squad.
Who is staying and who's going. For me Hewitt should have played his last game.THere is no point playing LAlcovich as he will be gone.
Are the chambers bros up for another season?
Featherstone?
Who is there in the reserves that should be given first team experience ?

Tonight was awful and probably should have been the 4 th consecutive home defeat.it's now time for players to be playing for contracts for next season.Where was Hemmings btw?

En route home I had the misfortune of listening to some guy on wm called john? He also called in after wolves and sounded completely bladdered speaking total rubbish. It's embarrassing listening to this guy.Please WM do not give him air time!

[IHTC.]

If we can somehow achieve 3 more points to ensure safety ( a big if!) we should work towards next seasons squad.
Who is staying and who's going. For me Hewitt should have played his last game.THere is no point playing LAlcovich as he will be gone.
Are the chambers bros up for another season?
Featherstone?
Who is there in the reserves that should be given first team experience ?

Tonight was awful and probably should have been the 4 th consecutive home defeat.it's now time for players to be playing for contracts for next season.Where was Hemmings btw?

En route home I had the misfortune of listening to some guy on wm called john? He also called in after wolves and sounded completely bladdered speaking total rubbish. It's embarrassing listening to this guy.Please WM do not give him air time!

Don't care were he is aslong as he is out the door at the end of the season. Almost 2 seasons to prove his worth and you can count on one hand the amount of good performances he has put in. Get Rid.

[pumajaguar]

If we can somehow achieve 3 more points to ensure safety ( a big if!) we should work towards next seasons squad.
Who is staying and who's going. For me Hewitt should have played his last game.THere is no point playing LAlcovich as he will be gone.
Are the chambers bros up for another season?
Featherstone?
Who is there in the reserves that should be given first team experience ?

Tonight was awful and probably should have been the 4 th consecutive home defeat.it's now time for players to be playing for contracts for next season.Where was Hemmings btw?

En route home I had the misfortune of listening to some guy on wm called john? He also called in after wolves and sounded completely bladdered speaking total rubbish. It's embarrassing listening to this guy.Please WM do not give him air time!

Don't care were he is aslong as he is out the door at the end of the season. Almost 2 seasons to prove his worth and you can count on one hand the amount of good performances he has put in. Get Rid.

Hemmings has scored five times this season. Which in this team isn't to be sniffed at. Deano obviously doesn't fancy him though.

[MPSADDLER]

The fact that throughout his tenure he seems to have the inability to quickly arrest a slide is also evidence that he lacks a good jacksons.

Correct, he just cannot change it can he?

When we play well we are terrific - but even during those times we come up against sides that we just can't outplay (Rotherham for example) when a plan B is desperately needed. Smith just doesn't know how to change it.

Full credit for the terrific football we play, but so far it's got us absolutely nowhere in the league.

I've said it on many occasions that Smith is a 1 trick pony. Same formatiion, same substitutions at the same time, in the same positions in the same formation with the same instructions. And then the same after match excuses and the same deflection on the ref.

This I think is not only been realised by the opposition but by his own players and I feel he is in danger of losing confidence in the dressing room.

Of course its easy to point finger at Smith because there are players in that side who are not giving their utmost best. But I believe this is as much to do with his tactical restrictions than anything else.

I think he is obsessed with trying to emulate Walsall into a mini Barcelona and has set his stall out to play a silky slow build up keep ball game. That may come naturally to Messi and Iniesta but does he think it will to Butler and Purkis.

I'm not advocating kick and rush but mixing it up wouldn't hurt a little to try and get behind teams rather than messing about 10 yards in our own half. Oh hang on, that would require a plan b!!!

Play offs are now a distant dream. I'd just like to see a little more variation and tempo in our play with a few tactical changes when needed between now and end of season. If he can't have a go at that, I'd get rid of him in the summer and take a chance with someone else

[saddlersjse]

Dire and infuriatingly frustrating performance. Constant passing across the back four, runs 'forwards' that result in passes that go further backwards than the start of the run, no pace, totally disorganised forward line that has no idea where each other are half the time.Sideways, back, sideways, sideways, hoof, lose possession. :roll:

If I were a Crewe fan I'd be feeling rather robbed.

Well done to McQuilkin, decent run in and unlucky with his shot, at least someone had a go! Ngoo caused a few issues as did Taylor.
Laziest Westcarr performance in ages, has the body language of a man who does not care.

Ok, we hit the post and the cross-bar at the end, and held onto the ball a lot, which is what Smith no doubt has said in his post-match interview- but this does not tell the full story of the game at all. If that Lalkovic shot had have gone in in the dying seconds, I'd have been ecstatic but also in a funny sort of way annoyed because it would have masked over a performance that warranted nothing, not even a point.

I'm just glad we're only 2 points from 'safety'. :| Forget the play-off dream, even if we got there by some utter miracle, we'd be murdered by any of the other sides on tonight's performance.

Oh, and special thanks to the 3,500 extra fans that decided to appear on Saturday for coming out in force tonight. :roll:

[Whitters]

Oh, and special thanks to the 3,500 extra fans that decided to appear on Saturday for coming out in force tonight. :roll:

It would be interesting to talk to the missing 3,500 to find out their reasons for not attending.
I expect one or more of the following reasons would be what they would come up with though.
1. I'm a Wolves fan who went in the home end and wouldn't watch WFC v Crewe.
2. I'm a stayaway and wouldn't watch WFC v Crewe. But my principles don't extend to denying myself a chance of watching a really big game.
3. Big game wan't it? I'm a glory seeking Scunthorpe so wouldn't watch WFC v Crewe.
4. WFC were rubbish against Wolves so I didn't want to see them again.
5. The Wolves game was historic as it's a local derby and we don't play them often. And I wouldn't watch WFC v Crewe as playing Crewe is not really attractive.

[mosaddler]

Dire match until the last 5 mins when it exploded into life.

1st half we huffed and puffed without causing any problems to there defense.
Hewitt was in affective on his own up front.

Ngoo should have buried that chance when he hit the post.
Brandy was my mom as he was the only player who showed willingness to run at them.

would have been hard on Crewe if the shot from milan went in of the bar at the end but a draw fair result in the end.

[Asps]

Dire.

The club have not backed Smith with the money from Patto & Grigg, so it has gone stale, lost his mojo after 3 years in the job.

I worry for us next season.

[aaaae]

Oh, and special thanks to the 3,500 extra fans that decided to appear on Saturday for coming out in force tonight. :roll:

It would be interesting to talk to the missing 3,500 to find out their reasons for not attending.
I expect one or more of the following reasons would be what they would come up with though.
1. I'm a Wolves fan who went in the home end and wouldn't watch WFC v Crewe.
2. I'm a stayaway and wouldn't watch WFC v Crewe. But my principles don't extend to denying myself a chance of watching a really big game.
3. Big game wan't it? I'm a glory seeking Scunthorpe so wouldn't watch WFC v Crewe.
4. WFC were rubbish against Wolves so I didn't want to see them again.
5. The Wolves game was historic as it's a local derby and we don't play them often. And I wouldn't watch WFC v Crewe as playing Crewe is not really attractive.

Ooooooh Vienna....

[rushallred]

:mrgreen: